A True Story of Joy, Sorrow, Mystery, and Opportunity

Today's devotion may take you 2 minutes to read instead of the normal 1 minute but that extra minute will allow me to share something important from my life.

When we welcomed 6-year-old Melody* into our home, she had suffered a childhood of severe neglect.

We loved fostering her, telling her about the Lord, giving her a safe and healthy home life. For a year we loved her as our own...until the court foolishly gave her back to her parents and they left the state to avoid jurisdiction. 

We weren't allowed to stay in touch, but on and off through the years we tried searching internet and social media to find her. I had almost given up hope when we reconnected with 46-year-old Melody in 2023. 

On our first phone call she told us that her year with us was the only good year of her childhood, the only time she was loved or cared for. Her parents had told her that we didn't want her and that's why she was returned to them, so we were grateful we could tell her that wasn't true.

Hearing her story was sad for us. And the sadness continued into her adult life with broken relationships, several years of meth addiction, and ongoing alcoholism.  

“I remember how often you told me that God loves me,” she said fondly.

Thus began our long-distance relationship with this troubled woman who God had given us to love 40 years earlier. Over the next few months when I re-shared the gospel she'd first heard in our home as a child, she was resistant. But that didn't stop me.

For the next 2 1/2 years I texted her at least once a week, and sent her little gifts. Most importantly, I sent her a box of Scripture cards to encourage her. She didn't have the attention span to read the Bible, but she started faithfully reading a single-verse Scripture card each morning.

One day she texted me a heart emoji and said the Scriptures each morning really helped. A few days later she died in her sleep, her body damaged by years of sin and abuse. 

I don’t know for sure, but I like to believe that before she breathed her last breath, she gave her life to Christ. And I'm grateful that God gave me a year to love her when she was 6 and those 2 1/2 years to remind her of His love and encourage her to make Him her Lord.

Life is filled with mystery, and we don't fully understand what happens in people's hearts. So let's take advantage of every opportunity God gives us, doing our best to share truth with our lost and dying world.

💙💙💙 

I think you'll also enjoy the true story of my friend Jane who was raised in terrible conditions but blossomed into a wonderful Christian woman:  Shiny White Shoes - God Sent an Angel to Save a Little Girl. And check out this amazing story of a young woman's faith: Alone in a Foreign Land: "Don't Give Up!" 

* This is a picture of her, but I chose not to use her real name for privacy purposes. 

 

 

Jesus Asks Us to Come, Take, and Learn

I confess that I can easily lose my peace when I focus on difficult things in my life.

Relationship disappointments are the hardest, seeing loved ones walk away from their faith and make tragic choices. These things can leave me worried, sad, angry, or depressed.

That's when I need to listen to Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." 

Come, Take and Learn. 

• Come to Him and quit seeking answers from ourselves or worldly sources (Isaiah 55:6-7; 1 Corinthians 3:19).

• Take His yoke by surrendering ourselves to His will in our lives, seeking His plans and purposes (Ephesians 2:10).

• Learn from Him. Let His Word be our guide (Proverbs 2:6; Hebrews 4:12). And let Him show us how to have joy and peace in the midst of our trials (John 16:33; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

If you also lose your peace at times, I suggest you read this passage daily...better yet, memorize it.

Together let’s find rest for our souls in Jesus.

💙💙💙 

For more encouragement in this area, see Seeking Genuine Peace in the Midst of Trials. 

If you're a Bible Love Notes subscriber, why not tell one of your friends how easy it is to sign up for a free subscription. You can send them this link: HERE. 

If you enjoyed this devotion, be sure to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. Check out the great sales on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

 

 

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Little Things Can Bring Big Blessings

Little things can bring big blessings.
 

Last week, after multiple challenges and only four hours of sleep, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. Then I got a text from my friend Karenn that greatly encouraged me and built me up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). A text may seem like a little thing, but it was a huge blessing to me. 

Scripture tells us that if we're faithful with little things, God will trust us with bigger things (Luke 16:10), but sometimes He uses little things in bigger ways than we could imagine.

In addition, we can bless ourselves in big ways by faithfully doing little things like studying our Bible for short periods throughout the day or taking time for a short prayer every few hours.  

I think about the little decision I made as a young mom to go to a women's Bible study when I'd never attended one before. That little decision eventually led to my salvation! 

And many people find the Lord because a friend patiently shares the gospel with them, little bit by little bit.

So let's wake up each day asking God if He has some little plan in store for us (Ephesians 2:10)—a way to encourage a friend (Hebrews 10:24) or build our relationship with the Lord (Philippians 2:12-13).

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 

For more ideas and insights, see Long Distance Hugs, Set Your Mind or Set Your Alarm and Attention to Details. If you're married, check out this marriage post: Little Big Things: 17 Ideas.  

 

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5 Tips for Biblical Anger Management

I lost my temper the other day.

So I needed this reminder about biblical anger management. Maybe some of you could use it too.

How do we control the ugly anger monster?
Here are some things I’m doing that have helped me in the past.

1. Memorize verses relating to anger (e.g., Prov. 16:32; 19:11; 29:11).
Reciting, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word changes us supernaturally.

2. Listen carefully and think before speaking—this helps us avoid misunderstandings that lead to anger (James 1:19-20).

3. Ask God to show us the underlying sins that led to our anger (James 4:1-2).

4. Deal with problems quickly (Ephesians 4:26). Unresolved problems grow worse.

5. Realize the danger of unresolved anger—it gives Satan control in our lives (Ephesians 4:26-27).

Only God can change us, but these things help us yield our will to His.

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For more on this subject, see Fools, Anger, and Repentance and Satan's Pop-Up Temptations.

 

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. Check out the sale prices on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

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When People Beat Up God's Messengers

 

Satan loves to do two things: convince Christians we have no moral responsibility when it comes to politics, or encourage us to focus on candidates instead of policies. 

 

God makes it clear: we're responsible to speak truth whenever Scripture is mocked, and we're responsible to promote policies in our communities that reflect His Word, even if we have problems with the candidates who sponsor them. *Please read all of Gail's note below the devotion.

When I published my YouTube video about Talarico's pro-“A” lies, some of the responses proved we’re not fighting against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:10-12). 

Many of the comments were ad hominem attacks on me, exalting Talarico as a wonderful Christian and describing me as ignorant, a poor Christian example, and even associating me with Satan.

Bottom line: Talarico claims that good Christians support killing babies and bad Christians try to rescue babies. (See Why I'm Addressing Talarico's Claims.)

 

He uses exaggeration and name-calling to get his point across, so it's natural that his supporters followed his lead and did the same in their comments. (See Making Sin Sound Moral and Morality Sound Sinful.) 

 

After all, there's no logical or biblical way to support the Democratic Party's view on “A.” Only Satan could so thoroughly blind people to promote it (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

 

So I’m asking you to take some action. Please go to the BLN YouTube video, Talarico's Weedy Words, take seven minutes to listen to it, and give it a thumbs up. And if you feel led, write a comment. 

 

This is one small way we can honor God's command to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves...rescue those being led away to death,” (Proverbs 31:8; 24:11).

 

For more insights, see: Ad Hominem Disagreement—A Sign of Weak Faith and Don't Expect Your Message to Be Popular.

 

If you haven't purchased Lies in Disguise, please do. It gives believers the tools they need to recognize false teachings and defend God's Word against propaganda like Talarico's.

 

*A note from Gail

 

Christians can no longer avoid politics in our sermons, Bible studies, and devotions. Politics is not the only area that impacts Christians, but it's an important one. How we respond to political issues that support or violate biblical principles is a key aspect of our faith, a way we prove or deny our love for God's Word.

 

Most of the feedback I get from readers is mature and kind, but I'm surprised at some of the responses I get when I talk about politics, even though I only talk about moral, biblical issues. When I favor a Republican policy, I'm seen as a Trump-worshiper. So please let me set some things straight.

 

I currently vote Republican, but I don't think the Republican platform is perfect. I've written about my disappointment with the Pagan Chant Compromises Republican Convention. And in This Election Biblical Principles Are at Stake (10/24), my husband expressed our disappointment that the Republican platform has not stood as firm as in the past on “A.” 

 

I don't idolize Trump—never have and never will. Sometimes his rhetoric or social media posts are disturbing to me. But I don't address things like that on either side of politics unless it's related to laws and policies.  When we vote, we're not voting to approve a candidate's personal life or his personality. We're voting for policies that define and deeply affect people's lives. See Leadership in Scripture: Godly Lifestyles vs. Godly Platforms.  

 

My decisions are based first and foremost on biblical priorities, not policies regarding financial benefits or things of lesser priority. Currently, the Republican platform allows states to put limitations on killing babies, doesn't seek to promote LGBTQ lifestyles, and stands against gender surgeries on minors. The Democratic Party proudly promotes all of these things in their platform, policies, and official statements. They were angry that a law was passed prohibiting doctors from killing babies or letting them die without treatment if they're born alive in late-term “A”s (source). 

 

Again, let me stress this: I don't write about the personal lives of Democratic or Republican candidates. I write about their public promotion of immoral policies (e.g., Ruth Bader Ginsburg), especially if they claim those policies are biblical (e.g., Talarico).

 

It's evil to sacrifice the lives of babies because we like one candidate better than the other or because of some financial benefit in the party platform. And no other political situation can compare to “A”—not even war. In 2025, there were 1,126,000 unborn babies killed in U.S. clinics (source). This does not include “self-managed” use of the “A” pill (source/ source). See Allowing for Differences but Not Sinful Choices and read the clear message in Proverbs 24:11-12 and Proverbs 31:8-9 if you doubt this is a biblical issue.

 

Note to my foreign readers:  

Recently, I got a couple of emails/comments that were very negative toward the U.S. describing it as a terrible place responsible for all the world's problems. Perhaps they thought I would agree because I often share negative examples of things happening in the U.S. But I don't hate my country. I feel God made me an American for a purpose (Acts 17:24-28). 

 

I'm a Christian first and foremost. That's my priority in all that I share. But below that level of priority, I'm also an American who is not only aware of my country's flaws, but also proud of many things about my country, just as you are about yours. 

 

Occasionally, I include bad examples in other countries. I may point out that the country's laws are more ungodly than those in America, but I do that based on facts. I judge other countries' laws/rulings/situations with the same measure I judge America's. 

 

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