The Inbox That Wouldn’t Change - Matthew Musk

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV

One afternoon, I found myself checking my email for what felt like the tenth time in an hour. I had submitted several writing pitches and hoped for a response. Deep down, I knew no editor was likely to review my work and reply within fifteen minutes, but that didn’t stop me from refreshing my inbox again. Nothing.

The strange thing is that refreshing the screen made me feel productive, even though it changed absolutely nothing. The answer would come when it came. My repeated checking could not speed it up.

Waiting is one of the most difficult parts of the Christian life. We often think of faith as action, but sometimes faith looks more like patience. We pray for guidance, opportunities, healing, or direction. But then we find ourselves staring at what feels like an empty inbox from heaven.

Yet God’s silence is not God’s absence. The psalmist doesn’t simply tell us to wait. He tells us to be strong and take heart while we wait. That means trusting that God is working even when we cannot see immediate results. Just because a door has not opened today does not mean God has forgotten about tomorrow.

Many of us spend our lives trying to refresh circumstances we cannot control. We revisit worries, replay conversations, and reach for answers that have not yet arrived. In doing so, we sometimes miss the work God is already doing in us through the waiting.

Today, instead of asking, “Why hasn’t God answered yet?” consider asking, “What is God teaching me while I wait?” The opportunity may come. The answer may arrive. The door may open.

Until then, trust the one who sees the whole path, even when you can only see the next step.

Identify one area of your life where you are waiting on God. Spend time thanking him for his faithfulness before you see the answer.

Matthew T. Musk writes about faith, everyday life, and the lessons God teaches in unexpected places. His goal is to encourage readers with practical, relatable insights that point them toward Christ. He lives in Michigan with his family and enjoys writing, reading, and finding wisdom in life’s ordinary moments.

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Known for What - Martin Wiles

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 1 Kings 10:1 NLT

Most know her only as the creator of Harry Potter. 

Most people don’t know what J. K. Rowling went through before becoming successful. Rowling first conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 as she rode a train from Manchester to London. She began putting the fully-formed story onto paper but was interrupted when her mother died after a ten-year battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

Two years later, Rowling moved to Portugal, where she taught English, met a man, married, and had a daughter. One year later, the marriage ended. She then moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, to be closer to her sister. By this time, she had three chapters of the future famous book in her suitcase.

Rowling didn’t see herself as a successful person but a failure. She had no job and no money. She was also divorced and had a child. Bouts of depression assaulted her, and she eventually found herself signing up for welfare.  

By 1995, Rowling had finished the book—but had also experienced rejection from twelve major publishers. One year later, Bloomsbury, a small publishing house, accepted her manuscript and offered her a small advance. They published the book in 1997 but printed only one thousand copies, five hundred of which they distributed to libraries.  

Amazingly, in 1997 and 1998, Harry Potter won awards from Nestle Smarties Book Prize and the British Book Award for Children’s Book of the Year. Today, Rowling’s books have sold more than four hundred million copies, and she is considered one of the most successful women authors in the United Kingdom.

King Solomon wrote, too, but people knew him for more than that. His fame made headlines, so much so that the queen of Sheba had to see him for herself. His material and chattel possessions amazed her, but so did his wisdom. Especially the way he solved a puzzle about which mother a particular baby belonged to. When two women came claiming a specific child belonged to them—and neither would tell the truth—Solomon demanded that the child be cut in half and one half given to each woman. Of course, the birth mother didn’t want her child killed, so she offered it to the woman making the false claim.

Some girls are known for wanting the bad boys, and some boys are known for wanting the bad girls. Rowling certainly isn’t the only person known for overcoming difficult circumstances and moving ahead to success. Successful people fill history’s pages. And other authors trump Rowland’s reputation.

Of all the things for which others could know us—or of all the things for which we might want to be known—God has his own list in mind. His list might not make us famous or known worldwide, but living by his directory will bring us peace, fulfillment, and joy, as we won’t discover anywhere else.

God’s roster includes honesty, integrity, selflessness, kindness, love, joy, and optimism. Things Jesus modeled while on earth. Traits some didn’t appreciate but that others admired. Things, however, that pleased his heavenly Father.

Our enemy will tempt us to be known for things that displease God, but God gives us a different list. When we allow others to know us by the things on God’s register, we’ll please God. And that, after all, is the most important thing in life. At the end of the day, what God thinks is all that matters.

Make up your mind to be known by those characteristics that reflect the God you serve.

Father, I want to be known as your follower and reflect your traits in my life. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Mastering Godliness - Amy Dagit

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness. 1 Timothy 4:7 ESV  

One afternoon, I received an exciting email: my devotion had been chosen for publication. That night, I celebrated with my husband. We snuggled on the couch and toasted my achievement.

Fast-forward a couple of weeks, and the publisher posted my devotion on their website. I expected a few edits, but nothing I worried about. I navigated to the website and read.

My demeanor plummeted into despair. The final product gutted me. I thought the edits were heavy-handed. The editor had deleted my favorite word, and I felt my voice had been erased. I stomped upstairs, fell into bed, and cried while the voice in my mind reiterated the wrongs in the published devotion.

After drying my eyes, I walked downstairs, sat at my computer, and worked on another devotion. The Spirit quickly prodded me. I had not responded with godliness. Instead, I rejected God’s gift, grumbled rather than prayed, and  wallowed in the lies. I had forgotten my purpose was to reach others with God’s Word.

I am thankful for the Spirit’s nudge. I learned that godliness does not come easily. It requires immersion, practice, toiling, striving, setting an example, and checking ourselves.

Godliness entails our commitment to live according to God’s Word. When acting godly, we reveal God’s character to others and lead them toward eternity. And yes, others notice. But, of course, the opposite is also true. Our ungodly acts can push others away from the Father.

Think about your reaction to a situation that didn’t happen as planned. Did you respond with grumbling, take out your anger on a loved one, or believe the lies? Why not use the Bible to create a list of godly responses for unexpected situations?

Tweetable: How can you do a better job of mastering godliness? 

Amy Dagit is a writer and copyeditor from East Central Illinois. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Besides editing and writing, Amy loves to travel and photograph. Her writing has been published in The Wanderlust Within, 50 Haikus, and Inkspirations Online. She blogs about editing, writing, and travel at amydagit.com.

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The Hundred-Dollar Book - Solace from the Psalms - Martin Wiles

For thousands of years, people have found comfort in the Psalms. No matter what emotion you are experiencing or fight you're facing, the psalms have something important to say. For the next little while, Love Lines from God will feature, "Solace from the Psalms." We hope you enjoy. And please share them with a friend.  

I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. Psalm 37:25 NLT

I couldn’t believe it when he handed me a one-hundred-dollar bill for a ten-dollar book.

I had just finished speaking and promoting my latest book. People lined up at the table, wanting to purchase a copy—and even wanting me to place my signature in the front cover. One by one they handed my wife their money and me their book.

As the line dwindled, I noticed one man waiting patiently with a bill neatly folded and tucked in his hand. As he approached, I signed his book and handed it over. He smiled, handed me the money, and quickly strolled away. I unfolded the bill, noticing a one and a zero. No change needed. But as I continued to unfold, another zero appeared. I immediately assumed he had confused the two bills.

As I contemplated chasing him down, the worship leader filled me in. “He hands out money all the time,” she said. But to calm my fears, she checked with him anyway. Sure enough, he wanted to pay one hundred dollars for a ten-dollar book.

What he didn’t know—but God did—was that my wife and I were behind on our power bill. My wife had prayed for God to supply our need that night. He did.

I’ve learned when I give to God first (Malachi 3:10), He’ll supply every need I have. After I’ve learned this, He’ll prompt me to pass along His blessings (Proverbs 14:21). And when these two actions are in order, it will enable me to keep my perspective on possessions in perspective (Proverbs 16:8).

Have you paid one hundred dollars for a ten-dollar book lately?

Join the conversation. Tell us about a time when you've given, and couldn't afford to.

Tweetable: Are you trusting God for your needs? 

Prayer: Thank You Merciful God for promising to supply our every need. Prompt us to pass along Your blessings to others in our path.

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