My friend, Margaret Feinberg, has been uncovering delicious insights in her new book and Bible study, Taste and See: Discovering God Among Bakers, Butchers, and Fresh Food Makers, and I asked her to share a few with you here. I hope you enjoy her as much as I do!

Pull up a chair … take it away, Margaret!

The dawn of the new year often stirs dreams and hopes and resolutions, but it can expose places of brokenness and pain too. For me, one of those spaces is food and my weight.

I was put on my first diet at age 9 and have had an unhealthy relationship with food for as long as I can remember. I can’t count the number of years I promised myself this would be the January I’d fit into the jeans in the back of my closet and be more consistent at the gym to turn my flabby into fabulous.

Maybe you, too, have found yourself wrestling with weight, wrestling with calories, wrestling with what foods to eat around the table.

If this is you, please know you’re not alone. I sit beside you wrestling too.

But last year I decided to try something different. I went on a spiritual, culinary exploration to look at food in the Bible—not for diets or weight loss techniques, but in search of God. Because if God is in the redemption business, perhaps that can mean redemption in our pantries and around our tables too.

I cast nets in the Sea of Galilee, descended 410 feet into a salt mine, harvested olives in Croatia, studied figs at a world premier farm, and graduated with a Steakology 101 certificate from a butcher who calls himself, “The Meat Apostle.”

With each person, I asked, “How do you read the Scriptures—not as theologians—but in light of what you do every day?”

Their answers changed the way I read the Bible forever—and the way I looked at food. Time and time again, I found myself asking, How have I grown up in the church and listened to so many sermons and no one has told me these things?

Along the way, I discovered that God has been redeeming food since the beginning of time. Though the original sin involved Adam and Eve eating food, God uses food and food imagery to bring people’s hearts back to Himself.

Jesus uses a variety of foodstuff to teach spiritual lessons. He compares the kingdom to wheat fields and bountiful banquets and mountain-moving faith to a mustard seed. The Jesus we meet not only dies on a cross, but He also picks wheat, craves figs, and commands fish to be caught in Galilean nets. This is the man who describes Himself as the Bread of Life, the True Vine, the Good Shepherd.

If you look at the life of Christ, you’ll discover that when He isn’t multiplying a meal, He’s often coming from a meal, going to a meal, or teaching at a meal. Not only is Christ described as standing at the door and knocking that we would invite Him in to dine with us, but at the end of time, we will celebrate at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

What I discovered in this journey is that the table is set to experience God, deeper relationships, healing, and wholeness. Here are three ways you can start that journey for the new year.

1. Recognize the Table is the Place to Pay Attention to God

This is where God often reveals and heals. The nourishment and delicate flavors are within the food and those around the table. Through vulnerability with each other, we start to taste and see that much like the Galilee, the shores of our lives are strewn with displays of God’s miraculous power.

As we break bread, we find the hunger and satisfaction in the community our souls crave. As we share our lives, we taste and see God’s fruitfulness. What if you prepared each meal with a simple prayer, “Holy Spirit, come and reveal Yourself at our table”? Then live wide-eyed for the ways God answers.

2. Take Time to Study Food in the Bible

Perhaps you’ve never thought of the Bible as a food-filled recipe for a more satisfying life with God. I hadn’t for most of my life. A tool to recognize God’s voice in your life? Sure. An encouraging guide to awaken to the wonder of God? Of course. A road map for a more joyful relationship with the Divine? Definitely. But a foodie road map? Not a chance. An opportunity to think about the deep hungers of my life? Nope.

Yet, if you start to look at food in the Bible, you’ll discover it pops and sizzles on almost every page. You’ll begin to see the healing nature of oil, the provision of grain, the miraculous catches of fish in a whole new light. And when you gather around the table, you’ll be reminded of God’s goodness with every bite.

3. Expand Your Capacity to Give Thanks Around the Table

God created humanity so we cannot exist apart from food. With each bite, we are invited to give thanks to the One who hung the stars, rotates the sun, sets the seasons in motion. We remember the One who fashions raindrops and stirs clouds in the sky. All food ultimately comes from God. So, the table becomes a place of thanksgiving for the endless miracles of God’s sustaining presence and power.

Yet the opportunities to give thanks extend beyond the sky and soil. You can give thanks for the farmers who plant and nurture, the workers who pluck and pick, the drivers who carry and transport, the store clerks that stock. And you can ask God’s blessing and protection on each one. Instead of offering up your everyday prayer for food—shake up the way you say grace by giving thanks for all the people involved.

There is healing and redemption available in your pantries and around your tables. Perhaps God will transform your relationship with food like He has mine. Will you say yes to tasting and seeing what God has in store? This is a foodie adventure your stomach will thank you for.

Thanks for sharing, Margaret! Sisters, I hope you were encouraged and inspired. Be sure to check out Margaret’s new book and Bible study, Taste and See. You can watch the trailer for it here.

What is one way you are inspired to approach food differently this coming year? Share in the comments below.

Margaret Feinberg is a popular speaker, writer, and host of The Joycast podcast.

Connect with her on Instagram as @Mafeinberg.

So, if you, like me, battle the tendency and temptation to compare your story with others’ stories, you’ll really benefit from these three truths Ashleigh reminds us to be purposeful to tell ourselves. I just love this and I know you will too.

Pour your coffee and settle in. Take it away Ashleigh!

“No matter what happens today,” I gently reminded my two daughters, “God is writing your individual stories, and you can trust Him.”

Both girls were about to audition in New York City for the national tour of a Tony-Award winning musical. It was an audition we’d spent weeks preparing for—not only vocally, but also emotionally.

“What if one of you gets a role and the other doesn’t?” I’d asked before any plane tickets were bought or hotels booked. “Will you be okay if something like that happens?”

They each eagerly assured me that they would be.

But, to mentally prepare for a loss is not the same as to actually experience that loss.

One of my daughters was cut by mid-afternoon. Her dream of being cast in this particular show ended.

The other daughter went on to be offered a role, and to travel the country for eight months on tour.

As I navigated the tricky terrain of simultaneously mourning with one daughter while celebrating with the other, I focused their attention on this concept of life as a story and God as its Author. I encouraged them not to compare their experiences with one another, but to instead trust that God’s ultimate plan for each of them was good.

Yet, even though I confidently and regularly tell my daughters this, there are times when I struggle to believe it for myself. There are moments when I secretly reflect on my life and internally base its value on how it compares to that of others.

Is my story as good as theirs? Is it as exciting, or as meaningful?

What it boils down to is this: Do I really believe that God is good to me, or only to others?

Maybe you can relate. It could be that you too battle the tendency and temptation to compare your life with that of others. If that’s the case, here are three things I have to be purposeful to tell myself. Perhaps they’ll encourage you too.

1. Your Story is Unique

God hasn’t randomly drawn my name out of a hat and haphazardly assigned specific life events to me, even though it may feel like it at times.

Instead, He’s carefully crafting a unique life story not only for my daughters but for me too. The same is true for you and your life.

However, if you and I are too busy comparing our lives with that of a friend, family member, or even celebrity, we’re going to miss the unique purposes and opportunities He specifically has for us.

Comparison blinds us to the beauty of our individual stories.

2. Your Story is Penned with Hope

It’s much easier to believe my story is a good one when day-to-day life goes well. It’s harder when devastating loss hits or heartbreaking difficulty happens.

In the hard chapters of life, hope can seem non-existent. I can quickly feel like my entire story is one of despair and pointlessness. It could be you’ve felt the same way.

However, if you and I determine to believe that God is attentive and active in our lives, we can be reminded that our stories are always penned with hope.

What is this hope?

It’s that even in the darkest of moments, God promises to walk through the pain and grief with us. No matter how hard life gets, we are never alone.

If you and I determine to believe that God is attentive and active in our lives, we can be reminded that our stories are always penned with hope.

3. Your Story is Part of a Greater Narrative

My story isn’t an isolated tale. Neither is yours.

Instead, both are part of a greater narrative, one being told by God from the beginning of time. It’s the epic story of a loving Creator set on, as author N.D. Wilson writes, “slaying the dragon to save the girl.”

When we remember this, it can help keep our lives and the challenges we experience in perspective.

These unique stories of ours play a part in this centuries-long narrative that God is writing. That is no small thing.

It’s been over a year since the national tour one of my girls was on ended. Today, if you were to ask my other daughter, who wasn’t cast, how she feels, you might be surprised by her answer.

Sure, she’ll tell you how fun it would have been to tour. But she’ll also smile and recall in detail the fantastic plot twists God has penned in her life since that audition and how grateful she is for them.

Okay, this is Jennifer again … my mug is empty and my heart is full. What an encouragement, right? So, sister, go live your story today because God has penned your story with hope!

Thank You, Lord, for making every chapter, even the hard ones, purposeful and full of hope. Amen.

In the comments, let’s give a shout out to the Lord for the stories He’s writing in our lives.

Ashleigh Slater is the author of Braving Sorrow Together: The Transformative Power of Faith and Community When Life is Hard and Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Ted, and their four daughters. Connect with Ashleigh at AshleighSlater.com.

In 1 John 3:16, John tells us to love one another.

Easy to say, but, oh, so hard to do.

Yet God clearly calls us to this. Why?

Because God knows there are people in this world who’ll never walk through the doors of a church, join a neighborhood Bible study, or attend a Christian conference. But, they will encounter His people, women like you and me. And through us, they’ll experience God’s love. His beautiful, pure, unconditional love.

And, the great thing about God is that He never commands us to do something without showing us how to do it. Loving others is no different. He gives us the purest example of this kind of love in Jesus.

God defines love, not so much by words, but by the cross. In Jesus, love found its way to the cross. There, at Golgotha, outside Jerusalem’s city gate, Jesus willingly surrendered His life for ours. Jesus’ intentional act to surrender His will to the will of His Father erased, eradicated, and expunged your sin and mine forever.

But God didn’t stop there—He raised Jesus on the third day. Your hope and mine is wrapped up in that resurrection. The Resurrection opened the way for the very Spirit and presence of God to indwell our hearts. The fruit of God’s Spirit, including His love, lives and breathes in us.

However, it’s our choice whether we live in the fullness of that love.

Let’s be honest. It’s really hard to love others with that kind of love. Complicated relationships, past history, hurt feelings, and our own sinful desires make it difficult to love others the way God does.

But, God isn’t asking the impossible (though every now and then if feels that way). He simply asks us to live out His sacrificial love right where we are. During our ordinary days in very ordinary ways.

Our sacrifices won’t usually be headline making. They won’t be dramatic. Many times, they won’t even be recognized by most people.

We find them in the routine, often trying, occasionally boring, and relatively uneventful activities of everyday life. Like when you let someone else go ahead of you in line. You intentionally engage your server in a conversation. You offer to take a cart back into the grocery store. Or you refrain from gestures, evil looks, or honking the horn when someone cuts you off in traffic.

Now, let me be real, I do like when people notice my sacrificial acts of love. It makes me feel good. In fact, I’m sure we all love words of affirmation because they edify and encourage us to keep on keepin’ on. But that attention is not what should motivate our love.

Jesus said in John 13:35, people will know us as His disciples if we love one another.

So, how can we live out God’s love?

To live a life of love, we must know and believe God loves us fully, perfectly, completely. We cannot love others until we know and believe this truth. God manifested His love for us through the greatest sacrifice of all. He gave His Son’s life for ours.

It’s when we walk fully in God’s love that we are able to love others out of the abundance of God’s love that indwells us. It’s called living loved.

Jesus modeled it best. Living loved manifests itself best in sacrificial action. You may think you don’t have much to give. But, friend, you do. You can speak words of encouragement. You can pray. You can forgive. You can serve.

To live loved, we just need to break out of our routine. Invite God to open our eyes to see how we can love someone God brings across our path. Here are examples of small acts of love we can do today.

• A smile
• An encouraging word
• A listening ear
• Treat a friend to lunch
• Text, email, or call a friend with a prayer or Scripture
• Bring a meal to a single parent, a new mom, or a family in need
• Write an encouraging note to your pastor

I remember the day doctors diagnosed my 13-year-old daughter with scoliosis (curvature of the spine). They explained she would need to wear a back brace for 23 hours a day. It meant no more competitive cheerleading. No more school cheerleading. We sat there stunned. Not the news we expected. We rode home in near silence. When we got home, Lauren ran to her room, tears streaming down her face.

I heard a knock and opened the door to find one of my best friends standing there, tears filling her eyes. She didn’t come armed with verses or wisdom or gifts. She simply came. I will never ever forget that moment. She dropped everything to come. To sit. To be.

That is love.

Where is God calling you to sacrificially give?

Imagine our world if we all made these expressions of love the pattern of our lives.

I’d love to hear how this guest post encouraged you today. Please share in the comments below.

Wendy Blight is a wife, mother, author, Bible teacher, attorney, and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministry’s First 5 app. Her desire is to help every woman know with confidence she can tackle any problem life presents through God’s Word. Wendy is the author of I Am Loved, I Know His Name, and Living So That Bible studies, and Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner. She lives with her husband, Monty, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and loves most when her two children, Lauren (24) and Bo (19), come home to visit and fill their home with lots of love and laughter! Watch a sneak peek of the I Am Loved Bible study and download a sample week’s lesson for free here. Also, join the FREE Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Study of #IAmLoved here.

But, girl, today, she is going to share with you how to not only live the life you long for, but write about it, too. I have met so many of you who say you want to write a book or a blog and my girl, Margaret, can help you do just that — in the most brilliant way. So, enjoy what she has to say and let me know what you think! 

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My husband, Leif, is from Alaska. We spent the first five years of marriage living in his hometown of Sitka as well as the capital, Juneau. In each of these towns, cruise ships arrived throughout the summer.

On the busiest days, more than 20,000 people would disembark those ships and fill the tiny towns. The majority of visitors were in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. Many were barely able to walk. Some dragged an oxygen tank behind them.

I found myself welling with admiration for these feisty travelers. They fought hard to realize their lifelong dream of visiting Alaska. Way to be courageous. Way to overcome obstacles.

But the longer we stayed in Alaska, the more I heard these amazing visitors repeat the same story: They had lived their whole lives with a bucket list. Alaska was always in the top five things they wanted to do, but it never reached number one.

By the time they arrived, they physically couldn’t participate in the activities, tours, and hikes that reveal Alaska’s most splendid beauty. They couldn’t hike into the ice caves of Mendenhall glacier to see the mesmerizing sapphires of ancient winters’ beauty. They were unable to kayak along the shore with seals splashing alongside. They couldn’t hike the mountains’ crest to behold Alaska’s rugged coastline while munching on sweet wild salmonberries.

Why do I share that?

Whenever you say “yes” to adventure, you say “yes” to a better life.

Because I bet right now you have destinations that you’ve always dreamed of visiting.

What if these desires are gifts from God?

You have a million reasons not to go on that big trip. Maybe you’ve got small children. Or a high schooler about to graduate.

Set humongous goals. Take wild, wily risks.

Go. See. Visit. Do.

Keep your eyes peeled for the wonders and works of God along the way.

Remember, your writing will never be more beautiful than the life you lead.

Many writers don’t have compelling content because they don’t live compelling lives.

Your writing will never be more interesting than you.

Your writing will never be more informed than you.

Your writing will never be more inspiring than you.

This is critical if you want to be a brilliant writer:

If you want to write a better story, you must live a better story.

How do you live a better story? How do you live a story worth writing about?

You must be willing to take wild, wily risks.

A few years ago, I decided to stop griping about the missed opportunities we were witnessing and start doing something about it. I co-founded the Write Brilliant Academy where we coach big dreamers on how to get from their big idea to a breathtaking book in 16 revolutionary videos. We’re committed to helping people live a life worth writing about.

Your stories and your ideas and your discoveries are too good to keep to yourself. People need to encounter your views on life and God and faith and family and work.

To help you learn how to start writing, sustain your writing, and share your writing today,  grab this free training while it’s still available.

In the last few years, I’ve attained my dream of journeying to special destinations — from the Blue Lagoon of Iceland to the olive fields of Croatia. These days I dream less about places and more about people — that is, people just like you.

Margaret Feinberg is the author of dozens of books that have sold more than 1,000,000 copies, including Fight Back With Joy. She’s co-founder of Write Brilliant Academy, an online course designed to walk you through, step-by-step, the process of writing, getting published, and building your platform so you can move from big idea to book in 16 revolutionary videos.

Hey, it’s Jennifer again. What did you think? Isn’t she amazing? So thankful she joined us for Java this week. How are you going to live a better story? Share with us in the comments below.

guest post by Caroline Rothschild

Valentine’s Day in elementary school rocked. Back then the only downside was creating the Valentine’s box. Every year I tried to make these outlandish boxes that inevitably failed, and then my dad would come to the rescue and do damage control on my box super-late the night before Valentine’s Day.

How awesome was it that Valentine’s Day at school was basically one big candy exchange?! I love you, you love me… It was just a random day in February that involved candy, which made the day awesome. Too bad we don’t do that in real world. These days, Valentine’s Day is basically the day each of us either loves, hates, or is completely over.

The problem with Valentine’s Day is far too many people leave the day feeling unloved — both those in relationships and those who are single.

And, let’s be honest, feeling unloved is the absolute worst. But, before we hate on a day of the calendar and rid this earth of February 14th forever, let’s think about this.

We should celebrate the one we’ve committed our lives to and the one we’re going to spend forever with. We should set time aside for the warm, sentimental moments that make our heart race – be it on February 14th or another day. We need to celebrate our partner because in the next week they are probably going to drive us up the wall, lead us to tears, or make us question our own sanity as we stomp out of the room. (or, maybe even today!)

But, when it comes to Valentine’s Day, we don’t dwell on the latter reality.

It is the warm, sappy moments that we — especially young women — envision and crave. We picture candle lit dinners, petals on the floor, classical music mysteriously coming out of the walls (or, whatever other cliché picture comes to mind when you think of a romantic Valentine’s Day).

The problem is these expectations are unattainable and unmaintainable. My husband is a rockstar in my book. He keeps my sporadic self afloat and our life intact. He’s my favorite person in the world, and I want to spend all my free time with him. He’s selfless and makes me want to love the Lord more and he serves me so well. But, even though he’s all those things, we don’t live in a scripted Hollywood romantic comedy.

The expectations from culture simply aren’t attainable (nor should they be the goal) when we are two very human people with a knack for being selfish and self-centered and live lives with real stresses and real issues to work through constantly. We don’t live with a soundtrack to go with our lives, and yet, true love amidst our messy reality leads to joy that far exceeds that which is so often idealized in our culture.

Love might have flowers & chocolate, but true love really is…  something beyond feeling.

it’s commitment that says whether I like you or not today, I love you. I choose you over & over.

it’s swallowing a good comeback because you realize that unity is better than winning.

it’s learning to communicate without holding up defenses.

it’s hearing criticism and realizing it comes from a place of edification.

it’s about… it not being about you.

… true love is work. And when you think about it rationally, true love is nothing like what we envision Valentine’s Day to be.

I cried at every birthday party all through elementary school. My tears came with such clockwork that my mom applauded me the first year I didn’t cry. I would wait so long for my party and the anticipation would build for the best night of the year to celebrate ME. When it came and didn’t live up to the Mary-Kate and Ashley hype in my mind, I cried. I think that’s a bit like Valentine’s Day.

For some who are single, Valentine’s Day has evolved into a focus on what is missing for idealized, romantic moments. For those in relationships, the expectation for those same idealized, romantic moments remains unmet… because we don’t live in a movie.

These expectations don’t foster to love. They inevitably lead to being let down. 

Valentine’s Day is an excuse to buy chocolate for yourself and friends.
It’s a reminder to love and cherish those around you.
It’s a reminder for me to convey the love I already have for husband.
It is not a reminder you are single.
It is not a reminder that your spouse isn’t romantic.
It’s not a reminder you don’t have much money or that you have to work too much.

It’s a happy and simple thing. It’s a random Tuesday with chocolate and a reason to show love to those around you. Let anything beyond surprise you — not be the expectation.

Share some love instead of calculating what’s coming your way. I guarantee that’s the purest form of love. Pure, selfless love.

Let’s be the best lovers this Valentine’s Day by loving well.

In the comments below, share an idea of how you can show love to someone this Valentines day.

guest post by Shaunti Feldhahn

Our culture has been taken over by millions of mean girls!

It’s not just girls, of course. Everyone with a heartbeat and an ability to type on Facebook seems to think social media sneers and political pettiness is the way to go.

And it has filtered into our personal relationships. How many of you have winced as someone spoke to their spouse in a tone they would never use with a friend? How many of you have seen friendships strained by political disagreements or trivial offenses?

How many of you have wished there was a way to solve this?

There is. It’s called The 30-Day Kindness Challenge. It will restore or transform any relationship, and our culture.  And it means the solution starts squarely with us.

Kindness Blindness

We all share a blind spot: we are not nearly as kind as we think we are! And each of us has ways we are actively unkind without realizing it.

You may protest: “I would never be cruel!” Okay, but… have you ever complained about your spouse to someone else? Rolled your eyes about something your mother-in-law did? Gotten exasperated with your children, that incredibly slow checkout clerk at the grocery store, or that rude nurse at the ER?

With every roll of our eyes, every quarrel, every sarcastic comment or impatient sigh, we are training ourselves in unkindness!

We need a boot camp for kindness!

Here’s what you do.  Pick a person with whom you want a better relationship. For 30 days:

1. Say nothing negative about your person—either to them or about them to someone else. If you must provide negative feedback (for example, to correct a child or employee), be constructive and encouraging without a negative tone.

2. Every day, find one thing that you can sincerely praise or affirm about your person and tell them, and tell someone else.

3. Every day, do one small act of kindness or generosity for your person.

It is so simple. And in our research for The Kindness Challenge, 89% of relationships improved!

During the 30-Day Kindness Challenge, you resist the urge to ask “Why did you let the kids stay up so late!?” And you completely stop yourself from venting about it with your girlfriends over coffee. (This is just for thirty days, remember!)

Instead, you look for things to praise. So you notice that he came home early to get the girls to dance practice. You thank him for it – and then over coffee you tell your girlfriends about that nice thing he did.

You’re also looking for that little act of generosity to do each day. So you realize: he’s been working long hours and not regularly getting out for lunch: so you pack him lunch tomorrow. Maybe even include a note that says “Thanks for working so hard for our family.” (There’s your words of praise for tomorrow!)

This process shows us a lot about what needs to change. Not just in the other person: but in us. You will see just how negative you have been, in ways you never realized before. (In The Kindness Challenge, I outline the seven distinct types of negativity we found in the research, ranging from exasperation to overt criticism to suspicion. It is life-changing to find out your own negativity patterns, so you can watch for them!)

I hope you will sign up for the 30-Day Kindness Challenge!  Get a group of friends to do it together. Be a part of this movement of kindness, and watch the immediate difference it makes in your life – and in our culture!

Okay, it’s me, Jennifer, again. What do you think? Isn’t this Kindness Challenge a great idea?!? I’m telling you from experience – it really works. I’d love for you to join me in this challenge, and together we can make the world a better place, one relationship at a time. Thank you so much, Shaunti! 

Shaunti Feldhahn is a social researcher, speaker and best-selling author of books such as For Women Only. She thinks Jennifer Rothschild is one of the least “mean girl” people she knows! She hopes all of Jennifer’s followers will go rock the world with kindness.

guest post by Lisa Appelo

I received a frantic text from my daughter with the news.

We were stunned. Our dear friend’s young daughter had been admitted a week earlier to the hospital without any real alarm. The first uneventful night had turned into several critical days and nights and then suddenly, she began to spiral quickly, her organs shutting down one by one.

Her family – siblings and parents now gathered around her hospital bed – held her in the shocking surreal of her last hours, as she passed from this life into eternity.

When I received my daughter’s  text with the news, I hurried from our Sunday evening church service straight to their home. Already, friends had begun to gather around this family.

What do you say to such deep need? What salve is there really for these kinds of real and raw wounds?

I love you.

I’ve learned to just simply say, I love you.

It doesn’t eliminate the circumstances.
It doesn’t placate with platitudes.
It doesn’t mandate a conditioned response.

Somehow, these three words carry more comfort, more reassurance, more empathy than other things that are often said.

I love you says I’m here with you; I’ll be here for you.

Just a few months earlier, after Dan died and I was walking my own raw and real grief, this same friend had hugged hard and said those same words to me and I saw first-hand how deeply comforting it was to know I am loved. 

But even more than that, as I faced the blank canvas of my future and the overwhelming task of raising our seven children, I desperately needed to hear from God. Every morning, heavy with multiple fears and deep sadness, I’d go to God through His Word.

I didn’t look up particular topics in the concordance or hunt for certain scriptures. Instead, I joined in with a reading plan that our whole church had been encouraged to do that year. We were reading through the Bible in one year, using a reading plan that took us into passages from four different books of the Bible each day.

Maybe you’ve heard it said that the Bible is God’s love letter. God doesn’t just act in love but God IS love. Every God-breathed book of His Word unveils a bit more of His limitless, perfect love to us.

Take just a minute to see how God expresses His love to us in all 66 books of the Bible.

That will get your day going! What beautiful truth. How amazing that all of God’s Word – every single book – is a reflection and expression of his matchless love for us. 

Oh, that we would walk in soul-deep assurance of God’s tender I love you over us.

Okay, it’s me, Jennifer, again…

Beautiful, right? If you need to hear God’s “I love you” today, pick up His Word — you will hear His Voice. And God’s “I love you” are the 3 most beautiful words your heart will ever hear. 

If you haven’t already, check out my book, “66 Ways God Loves You: Experience God’s Love for You in Every Book of the Bible.” In lovely, short, succinct devotionals, I unpack how each book of the Bible uniquely tells you of God’s love for you.   

Thanks, Lisa, for your reminder that when we don’t know what to say, “I love you” is always  the best choice!

 Lisa Appelo is a single mom to 7 and a young widow. She’s a speaker and blogger who shares soul-deep encouragement for the adventure of faith at LisaAppelo.com. She recently authored Countdown to Christmas: Unwrap the Christmas Story with Your Family in 15 Days.You can connect with Lisa on Instagram and Facebook.

Dr. Alicia Britt Chole is a speaker and author. Whether spoken or written, her messages hit you in both head and heart and are like grace-filled surgeries. She and her husband, Dr. Barry J. Chole, direct a prayer retreat home called Rivendell and parent their three children in the Ozarks of Missouri where the stars shine brightly and their dogs bark loudly.

I asked her to share with you — us — about how to declutter our hearts so we can start off this new year with more of Jesus and less of our issues! Okay? Okay!

To learn more about  my friend Alicia and her newest book, 40 Days of Decrease, visit www.aliciachole.com and www.40fasts.com.

From Alicia…

Thinning closets, purging the garage, lightening our schedules, making space… we long for a lighter life. Why?

Because we have too much stuff, we are doing too much stuff, and we feel weighed down by it all. Which is perhaps the reason the simplicity movement keeps gathering momentum in our day. From Keep It Simple handbooks to organizational coaches to IKEA and the tiny house trend, we have realized that when it comes to stuff, “the more” is not always “the merrier.”

We all feel the urge to simplify, lighten our load and decrease clutter.

But, even more than reducing the stuff in our closets, we need to declutter our hearts.

In John 3:25-26, John’s disciples came to him and basically said, “Hey Master, that man whom you baptized – you know, Jesus — He is now baptizing others and everyone’s going to him!”

Jesus’ seeming success bothered John’s disciples and their reaction was creating some clutter in their hearts.

Though the Scriptures don’t identify the exact emotions of John’s disciples, we have all lived long enough to make some educated guesses of the possibilities. Perhaps John’s disciples felt:

• Jealousy—People always flock to the newest start-up. Maybe if John ditched the camel’s hair we could get better PR. Jealousy clutters our hearts.
• Territorialism—We were here first! What right does Jesus have to copycat our unique ministry? Territorialism clutters our hearts.
• Entitlement—Those crowds are ours! We began the baptismal work at the Jordan. We deserve their loyalty. Entitlement can clutter our hearts.
• Fear—If everyone follows Jesus, there won’t be anyone for John to baptize and what will become of us? Fear is heart clutter.
• Offense—How dare Jesus use John like a stepping-stone to start His own thing! Who does He think He is?! Offense clutters our hearts.

Whatever their motivations and emotions, John’s disciples were clearly distracted by heart-clutter. Their heart-cluttered impaired their spiritual vision–they lost sight of John’s real purpose, and, more importantly, they could not see Jesus well. Truly that is the greatest danger of heart-clutter: It blocks our view of Jesus.

Check out Forty Days of Decrease to join me and other women who want to decrease so Jesus will increase in our lives.

As we decrease, not only will we see Jesus more clearly, others will see Jesus too.

Liz Curtis Higgs is one of the funniest and wisest women I know and I am so happy to share her words with you today.

She gets us girls. She knows what it’s like to want to live well and wise and her insights have helped me do just that so I know she will help you too.

After you enjoy this blog, you’ll want to get even more Liz in her new book “It’s Good to Be Queen: Becoming as Bold, Gracious, and Wise as the Queen of Sheba.” In fact, let me just give you one, okay? In the comments following the blog, tell me why you want to win the book and my peeps will randomly choose the book winner!

When the queen of Sheba had a convo with King Solomon three thousand years ago, amazing things poured out of her mouth: honesty, humility, encouragement, and praise. It’s impressive.

Kinda like that famous woman in Proverbs who fills the air with wisdom whenever she speaks.

But this business about the words she says? Oh my.

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:26

See, I am a woman who speaks a lot — basically, from the moment I open my eyes until I finally close them at night. Hour by hour, I toss out my opinions, plans, advice, ideas, observations, random thoughts.

If it’s on my mind, it’s on my lips.

I’m thinking I’m not alone in this. So, do we have anything worthwhile to say, or are we simply talking our way through life?

When our Proverbs 31 sister speaks, she offers something worth hearing. People gladly listen, knowing her words will be “like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

Most days, my words are like stale popcorn in a striped paper bag.

For those of us with the gift of gab, this really is good news. We don’t have to stop talking (whew). We just need to carefully weave the truth of God’s love in and through our conversations as the Holy Spirit leads.

These ancient women show us a timeless truth: our words matter, and God’s Word matters most of all.

Don’t forget, in the comments below, tell me why you want to win a free copy of Liz’s new book. 

I was in church half-listening to a sermon on how to have a lasting marriage as the pastor said, “No leftovers.” He wasn’t implying we should never serve leftovers to our family.

He was making the point that we should not give our spouse whatever is “left over” at the end of the day.

But, that is not what I heard…

I thought to myself, “Leftover. Yes! Finally, a word to describe exactly how I feel about myself!”

As a widowed, single mother I felt just like a leftover — used up, dried up, discarded, and stuck in the back of the fridge.

I knew this was not how God sees me.

I knew what Scripture said about His love for me and His plans for my life… But, I only knew it in my head, not in my heart.

I continued to chew on this lie the enemy was feeding me until God reminded me of a woman in the Bible that knew just how I felt.

She felt like a leftover as well.

During their conversation, Jesus asked her to go get her husband and she confessed she did not have a husband. She had already had five husbands in the past and was now living with a man that was not her husband.

We don’t know exactly what happened to her five husbands or why this sixth man would not marry her. However, we can make some assumptions.

We could assume that her former husbands had died.

Or, we could assume that she had been divorced five times. If this were the case, it was probably because she was unable to have children.

Either way, in her culture, she would have been considered cursed by God!

Can you relate?

What is so distasteful about being a leftover?

Leftovers are dry and crusty on the edges. They’re cold, hard, and not very appealing.

The best way to refresh a leftover is to add a little water.

In verses 13 and 14, Jesus offers this woman eternal water. He tells her that if she drinks from this water she will never be thirsty again! He wanted to refresh her soul.

He was telling her that she was not a leftover to Him.

She was loved and valued no matter what anyone else thought about her or her situation.

He says the same thing to me… and to you.

Jesus is the eternal spring of water that provides constant refreshment and purpose.

He is always with us and always has a plan for our lives.

After talking to Jesus, the woman ran into town and told everyone about what just happened to her. Many Samaritans believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony.

God used a woman that most of us would have pitied or looked down on to bring a great number of people to Him.

Knowing that He could take a woman like that and use her… What can God do with your life?

You have not been discarded. You have not been left in the back of the fridge. The best of your life is not over.

You are eternally fresh in God’s eyes.

You are not a leftover, and neither am I.