Devotions with Denise
The Blessing Of The One Who Holds The Key
There is a lyric in the song by artist Seph Schlueter called "Counting My Blessings" that says, "the more that I look in the details, the more of Your goodness I find.
A Modern Day Parable
Have you heard the modern-day parable about the man who prayed to be rescued from the rising flood waters in his town? He earnestly asked God to save him. Soon after, a neighbor showed up in a canoe...
Stick And Shine
Not long ago I watched a sweet little girl dance around holding a sticker that someone had given her. I'm not sure if her joyful jig came from the fact that it was a doggy sticker or just that someone had given it to her.
Falling Asleep On God
Have you ever fallen asleep on God? It's a complete accident. We set out with the best intentions to designate a certain amount of time to reading His Word and spending time in prayer. And before we know it...
Because You Trust
Misplaced trust. When it happens to us we are offended. When we are the offender, it is very likely that we will need to make extra efforts to show that we can be trusted. Learning to trust...
The Secret We Get To Hear
God has a plan for your life and mine. That alone should jumpstart us every morning to get up and get going. Yet we drag our feet some days.
Love Mercy
I was listening to someone quote the well-known Bible verse from Micah 6:8 recently. From the New Living Translation...
Geese Honking
I heard the sound of geese honking as they were flying over my house and without even looking I could visualize the "V" formation of those birds as they were making their way south.
Water Daily
I received the prettiest bouquet of roses for my birthday. Six roses and each one a different color. Tucked into the arrangement, along with the card from...
Road Construction
Road construction. Sometimes unexpected, always inconvenient. It's beyond our control and leaves us wondering - how long will this last? When it's finished - will it be better than before? Some roadwork requires traffic to be held up...
The Last Verse
It's the last book of the Old Testament. In fact, it's the last chapter...and the final verse before the '400 years of silence' began when, to our knowledge, God spoke...
Cracker Jacks
It was a special treat to get a box of Cracker Jacks when I was a kid. To this day, that box of caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts maintains the same design on the outside... with the same reminder... "prize inside".
Our Dream Home
When my husband, Ken, and I first married we were traveling with a singing ministry and we stayed in a different place almost every night.
A Messy Invitation
Something shifts the moment we invite a new person into our home. Suddenly, it's as if we look around and see our space through different eyes.
I Declare
When was the last time you declared something? When we get married, we make an announcement that we are committing to our beloved. As our children grow up and participate in competitions and sports...
Artificial Intelligence
Not long ago, a friend asked me to listen to a three-day Bible plan on the same three days that she was listening. The topic of the plan was written specifically for those who are writers. Since I love to write, I was looking forward to what the author of the devotional had to say.
The Residue
Some mornings when my alarm goes off, I am hardly coherent enough to find the button to turn off the sound; and yet, my mind has the trail of a song in my head that I can't stop thinking about.
Look At Me
When my youngest brother, Brent, was a toddler I can remember him grabbing my mom's chin to turn her face toward him so that he could have her undivided attention. It became a regular thing for him to do with her no matter what she was doing he made it clear that he wanted her attention.
Atta Girl!
I think even the one who wants to remain anonymous appreciates that, somewhere along the way, someone acknowledges that what they did was appreciated. We want to help others and there are times that anonymity is best. But, day in and day out, whether it's serving our family, our friends or complete strangers, we just want to know that somebody noticed.
Where Are The Stars?
We were arriving home after dark one evening and my son, Cody, who was four years old at the time, shockingly exclaimed, "Mommy! God forgot to put the stars out!" Holding onto his little hand, I glanced up at the dark sky and whispered, "Oh the stars are there, hon...
Uncluttered
Clutter makes me crazy. Oh, I have stuff. I love stuff! I have figured out how to stack and pile and arrange stuff on shelves and tables, in closets and cabinets...
Conflict
I sat watching the television as one nation barraged another with multiple rounds of ballistic missiles as air rade sirens rang out.
The Messy Middle
If you've ever traveled to the mountains you know how spectacular the view can be. Whether you drive it or hike it, once you reach the top, you've earned the opportunity to take it all in.
Reframed
I was in my hotel room sitting at a desk before a work conference was to begin and the canvas hanging on the wall in front of me was so beautiful. So I took a picture of it.
Remnants
My mom loved to sew when we were kids. She made a lot of our clothes. I remember going to the fabric store with her and thumbing through the patterns while she was picking out fabrics.
Packing For Paradise
When you are going on a trip - when do you start packing? Do you throw things in your suitcase at the last minute or do you plan and pack days out from departure? I like to plan and pack a week out.
What's In Your Toolkit?
We've talked about the fact that even when we're grieving we can still have joy; however, there are two that cannot possibly co-exist.
The Grieving
When we suffer loss there is a process we must go through. Layers of emotions, decisions and memories to sort out. The grieving process is multi-layered.
Mourning Doves
We have a pair of light gray mourning doves in our yard every Spring and Summer. Beautiful, graceful birds that mate for life and I love watching them every day.
His Presence Is Better
I was having lunch with a friend recently and we were talking about getting up early in the morning to spend time with God. My friend blurted out, "The bed feels good, but the presence of the Lord is better!"
Schedule
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Right Song at the Right Time8:00pm - Midnight
Connecting. Strengthening.
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Right Song at the Right Time
Midnight - 6:00am
Connecting. Strengthening.
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