Devotionals
Honored and Chosen by God
“Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?” Luke 1:43 (NLT)
One of my favorite paintings is Visitation, created by Mariotto Albertinelli in 1503. It depicts the story of Mary the mother of Jesus visiting her older cousin, Elizabeth, who was John the Baptist's mother and a descendant of the high priest Aaron. Rich with theology, the painting reminds me that these women, both recipients of a miracle, were honored and chosen by God for high and holy purposes.
Embracing Peace Amid Chaos
“When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” — Mark 4:39-40 (NLT)
A month after I moved to a new city, Hurricane Beryl came through with vicious winds and rain, waking me from my sleep. The power flickered off and on every 30 minutes or so until it stayed off for the next 36 hours.
Get to Jesus by Any Means Necessary
“And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God.” Luke 5:25 (NLT)
Growing up in a military and football family, I had the phrase “make a hole” ingrained in my mind from all the war movies Daddy watched and all the peewee and high school football games my brothers played. The Navy kid in me knows when someone is running toward you and tells you to “make a hole,” it means, “Get out of the way!”
Proclaiming Jesus by Serving With Joy
“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” — 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)
My strong belief in serving others is a quality I learned from my mother.
When I was young, I remember a time my mother pulled up to a stoplight as I rode in the car with her, and I watched her give to a person standing beside the road. “This is my good deed for the day,” she said. Her example set an expectation to do good daily.
Prepare the Way for Peace
“I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.” – Psalm 85:8a (NLT)
Many of us are looking back on 2023 as we prepare for 2024. My word for 2023 has been “whole.” When I chose the word, it reflected my desire not to be fragmented or broken but to be complete, to live out the fullness of my calling and the things God purposed me for, trusting that God will provide and care for me.
The Blessing of Leftovers
“After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, ‘Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.’” — John 6:12 (NLT)
The notification on my phone said I had a new message in my “bestie” group chat. The text read, “Shala, this cake is gonna be big. I may need you to come pick up some leftovers!”
This SOS message required only one reply from me: a GIF that said, “I’m in!”
Thank God for leftovers, right?
Pour Out
“As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” — 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NLT)
On October 4, 2023, my mom passed away in her Kentucky home after three years of being on dialysis. On the heels of what became her last trip to the Philippines, I cherish the two weeks that I got to spend with her, sharing memories that will always be just for us. In this video devotional, I share the charge I gave in her eulogy based on her life of pouring out for others.
His Banner Over Me is Love
“In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’” Luke 5:12 (NLT)
When I was a kid in Super Church, as our children’s ministry was called, we sang a song that went, “The Lord is mine and I am His; His banner over me is love!”
Maybe you sang this song, too, if you grew up in church. Maybe you still know the hand motions accompanying it and would happily give us a full demonstration — and to that, I say, “Let’s do it!”
But to be honest … I was 40 years old when I had to ask Google what “His banner over me is love” actually means.