Author: kendraske

The Humility of Joseph – 2025 Day 53 (Genesis 40-41)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 21, Genesis 40-41

Joseph answered Pharaoh,
“It is not in me;
God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

Genesis 41:16 ESV

I love how God works within space and time to reveal Himself to people. Two years ago, just after I finished reading Genesis 40-41 for my daily Bible reading, I received an email about an article that was published by Premier Unbelievable about my testimony of coming to faith in Christ out of atheism. In reading Genesis 40-41, I was struck by Joseph’s humility, his insistence that it was God, not him, who revealed the meaning of dreams. Joseph easily could have become puffed up and patted himself on the back for his accomplishments, but he didn’t. You find this same humility in Daniel and Peter and John and Paul.

“Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.””

Daniel 2:19-23 ESV

“While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name–by faith in his name–has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

Acts 3:11-16 ESV

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ESV

I pray that I would do likewise, that when the Lord opens a door for me to speak or serve or act for His glory, that all the glory would go to Him and Him alone for He is the only one worthy. All that I am and all that I have, is a direct result of the grace that He has lavished on me, a sinner.

I am just a beggar telling you where to find bread. I am a sinner saved by grace. It is only by God’s mercy that I can do anything. He has caused me to be born again to this living hope, and I am eternally grateful. His grace compels me. His power gives me strength. His mercy allows me to be merciful.

Let’s pray together.

Oh, Heavenly Father,

Apart from Your grace, we are all just filthy rotten sinners. I remember all too well who I was. I wanted to be good, I wanted to do right, but I could never do it. Everything I did was tainted by conceit and pride and selfishness. I was lost and without hope. I lived under a cloud of fear and darkness.

BUT GOD! You saved me by Your grace. You took what was dead and made it alive. You took my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh. And all I can cry is HOLY! Worthy are You to receive all glory and honor and praise. Worthy is the Lamb. You are WORTHY!

My worth is not in myself – not in what I can say or do, not in what I have said or done – my worth is in YOU. You have made me worthy. You have called me YOURS. You have brought me into Your kingdom and set my feet on the rock. You have brought me to Your banqueting table and spread Your banner of love over me. Thank you, Father. Thank You.

In the Mighty and Merciful Name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

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My Worth is Not in What I Own – Fernando Ortega & The Gettys

Carried to the Table – Leeland

The Importance of Fleeing Sexual Temptation – 2025 Day 52 (Genesis 38-39)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 20, Genesis 38-39

I found it especially interesting to read Genesis 38 and 39 together. Genesis 38 tells the story of Judah, who got his widowed daughter-in-law pregnant, while Genesis 39 tells the story of Judah’s younger brother, Joseph, who successfully resisted Potiphar’s wife in spite of her incredible persistence.

Genesis 38 – Sexual Sin and Human Pride

I mainly want to focus on Genesis 39 today, but before we get there I do want to point out two things in Genesis 38.

About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.”

And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”

– Genesis 38:24 ESV

Judah is the father of this child. Judah is the reason that Tamar is pregnant. Yet Judah is who demands that she be burned. 🥺😭

How quick we are to point out the sin in other people when we are guilty of that very same sin! How prone we are to hate lying and pride and sin in other people, while overlooking it in ourselves!

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Matthew 7:3 ESV

This is part of loving your neighbor as yourself. Somehow we all manage to forgive our own lying and deceit and sexual sin and pride. We make excuses for our own misbehavior, yet we are quick to point fingers at others. May it never be.

I pray that we desire repentance in ourselves as much as we desire it in our neighbor. May we be merciful as we have been shown mercy. May we not think that we are somehow better than someone else, when we are both eating pig slop.

As a dear Christian sister often reminds me, “We are all just beggars looking for somewhere to buy bread.”

The second thing that jumps out at me from Genesis 38 is that Perez, one of the twin sons who was conceived in Tamar through this act of sexual immorality, is the child that God chose to be in the line of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:3)

God uses all things, sometimes even sinful things, to accomplish His purposes. Does that mean we should continue in sin? May it never be. But does it mean that none of us are beyond hope and that God is able to use even our sinful past to bring Him glory? Yes. Yes, it does.

I have deep regrets over many things I did in the first 25 years of my life – maybe you do, too – yet those things shaped who I am today. I pray my brokenness would be holes for God’s glory to shine out of.

Genesis 29 – Handsome Joseph and Potiphar’s Persistent Wife

Let’s look next at Genesis 29, a completely different reaction to sexual temptation.

Potiphar’s wife, a woman of authority, the wife of his boss, aggressively pursues Joseph – a very different situation than the one Judah was in – and yet Joseph remains steadfast, refusing to even “listen to her.” (Genesis 39:10)

The scriptures are full of encouragement to FLEE from temptation and sin. We must actively train ourselves (and our children) to RUN from temptation.

May we not be like Lot’s wife who kept looking back as she was being forced to flee Sodom. May we not be like the Israelites who thought fondly about their years in Egyptian bondage. Instead, let’s be women who flee from temptation with our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

“How can a young man
keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.”

Psalm 119:9 ESV

“For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner, and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed, and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!” Proverbs 5:3-12 ESV

“So flee youthful passions
and pursue righteousness, faith,
love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

2 Timothy 2:22 ESV

“The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:13b-20 ESV

Will you join me in prayer?

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Your mercy and grace and forgiveness. I don’t deserve it. I have been Tamar, and I have been Potiphar’s wife. Like 1 Corinthians 6:11 says, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Such was I, Lord! But, Lord, You have washed me clean in the blood of Jesus. You have given me new desires and new power by Your Spirit at work in me. Praise Your name!

I pray that You would protect my husband and sons. Please, Father, help them to keep their hearts and minds pure. Help them to “think about what they’re thinking about” and to “pay attention to what has their attention.” Show them the way of escape when they are tempted, and give them the wisdom, strength, and desire to flee.

Please protect me and my sisters – and our daughters – from the temptation to be temptresses. Make us honorable women. May we be found faithful, to You and to our husbands. Create in us clean hands and pure hearts, O LORD. Remind us daily that true fulfillment and satisfaction is found only at the feet of Jesus, that we would not seek it elsewhere.

You are worthy. You alone are worthy. Thank you, Jesus!

In the matchless name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Click here for more information about our “Read Through the Bible in Two Years” plan.

When I Think About the Lord

When I think about the Lord
How He saved, how He raised me
How He filled me with the Holy Ghost
He healed me to the uttermost
When I think about the Lord
How He picked me up
Turned me around
How He set my feet
On solid ground

That makes me want to shout
Hallelujah, thank You, Jesus
Lord, You’re worthy
Of all the glory, and all the honor
And all the praise
Oh, makes me want to shout
Hallelujah, thank You, Jesus
Lord, You’re worthy
Of all the glory, and all the honor
And all the praise

Overcoming Favoritism and Sibling Rivalry – 2025 Day 51 (Genesis 36-37)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 19, Genesis 36-37

But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

Genesis 37:4 ESV

Why are the brothers mad at Joseph because their dad loves him more? That seems so unfair. Isn’t it their father, Jacob’s fault rather than Joseph’s? … Isn’t that the way of man? And Joseph sure didn’t help matters by bragging about his dreams and being the family snitch.

Have you ever hated someone because you’re jealous of them? I have. In high school I always hated the “pretty girls” … though I see now that was rooted in my own insecurity and jealousy.

And what’s up with Jacob making it so obvious that Joseph was his favorite child? That is so heartbreaking…. But also so easy. A parent can naturally get along better with a certain child. Or a certain child may come into your life at a crucial time or in answer to your fervent prayers – like Joseph did – and ends up being preferred.

I wish I could tell you that my family has avoided the scars left by the childhood struggles of jealousy and favoritism, but that simply isn’t true. I have to confess that my children and I have wrestled long and hard through these issues. It’s not pretty, friends, and it has long-term consequences.

Our culture laughs about the issue of “sibling rivalry” as though it’s just a normal and natural part of childhood. It may be normal and natural in this fallen world we live in friends, but it’s certainly not good.

If you find yourself preferring one child over another, this, too, may be normal and natural, but it’s not good.

Let me encourage you to examine yourself first. Start with you. I believe that a big root cause of sibling rivalry is parental partiality. Do you have some children who are rebellious and other children who are compliant? Do you have one child who demands lots of extra time while your other children easily fade into the background? Watch yourself!

Let me share two ways that I tried hard to help fight favoritism and jealousy in my household.

“Day of the Week”

In our family, each child had one day to call their own. On their day, they got to be the one who picked a game at lunch. That child was the one who prayed over our meal, who picked the bedtime story, who got to ride in the front seat. Wherever there was a choice to be made that day, they got to pick it.

Over the years the day of the week varied a little depending on our family’s schedule, but usually our oldest child got Monday, our second child got Tuesday, our third child got Wednesday, I got Thursday (because this was a busy day for us so there were less choices to be made), and our fourth child got Friday. (Saturday was a family day and Daddy got Sunday.)

Weekly Date Nights

The other thing we did was weekly date nights. It was usually on a Friday night, but not always. The first Friday of the month was for our first child, second Friday was for our second child, third Friday for our third child, and the fourth Friday for our fourth child. My husband and I took turns taking out the kids, so every other month each child had a date with mom and the other month with dad. This intentionality and regularity helped each of our kids to stay connected with each of their parents.

What ideas do you have to fight Favoritism and Jealousy? I’d love to hear them. Leave a comment below.

Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father,

Sibling rivalry has been around since there were siblings. The first murder was between two brothers and it was rooted in jealousy.

Please, Father, help us as parents to love each of our children fully and with all our hearts. Help us to recognize where we are falling short in this area and to confess and repent.

Lord, each of our children are unique and we naturally gravitate towards one or another.

You know our hearts. You know our motives. You know if they are right or if they are wrong. Feather, we confess our sin to You and ask Uou to forgive us and to create a right heart in us. We pray You would heal whatever scars our children have as a result of our own sin – our own feelings and actions rooted in partiality or favoritism.

We pray that You would heal any scars of bitterness or jealousy in our children. No matter their age. It is never too late. We thank you Lord for the blessing it is to have siblings and pray that You would use this unique bond to richly bless our children.

In the name of Jesus Christ who sticks closer than a brother, Amen

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The Defiling of Dinah – 2025 Day 50 (Genesis 34-35)

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Read through the Bible: Psalm 18, Genesis 34-35

In today’s reading, I kept thinking about how sometimes people will read a passage of the Bible and then take that to mean that it is the right way to behave. “Abraham lied, so it must be okay for us.” “Jacob had two wives, so that must be okay.”

When we’re trying to understand the meaning of a passage, we have to consider all of the scriptures from beginning to end. In this story about the defiling of Dinah, I don’t think that God is saying that Jacob should have passively stood by while Dinah was taken advantage of, or that his sons should have lied to Shechem and Hamor, or that Simeon and Levi should have killed all of the males of their city. In fact, Jacob addressed his sons’ sinful anger in his blessings over his sons, as recorded in Genesis 49.

“Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords. Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.” Genesis 49:5-7 ESV

Additionally, the Bible specifically tells us,

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 ESV

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Romans 12:19 ESV

My heart was grieved reading the whole myriad of sins recorded in these two chapters, but the Bible records the good, the bad, and the ugly, as an example for us. May we learn from these truths, both in what to do and what not to do.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we are surrounded by a culture that glorifies wicked, evil, selfish people. Let us be imitators of Christ and not imitators of the world. Father, help us to overcome evil with good. May we look more like Jesus and less like the world.

Help us to trust that You are a just God who is faithful to carry out the proper justice at the proper time. May we not envy the evil, but recognize that they are suffering for their sin – now in their hearts and someday in eternity.

Let us not be surprised at the terrible trials that we are facing in this dark world. May none of suffer as a murderer or thief or evildoer. Rather, may we suffer for the gospel, for righteousness and holiness.

To the glory and praise of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

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The Miracle of Faithful, Forgiving Love – 2025 Day 49 (Genesis 33)

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Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 17; Genesis 33

But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Genesis 33:4 ESV

Twenty years earlier Jacob had fled for his life after lying to his father and cheating his brother Esau out of his father’s final blessing. Jacob was terrified to go back and see Esau again. He expected Esau to kill him, his wives, and his children. At a minimum, we would expect Esau to at least give Jacob a severe tongue lashing, right?

Esau running to embrace Jacob is certainly not what anyone would expect. Forgiveness and reconciliation are rare commodities in human relationships, even between brothers.

Esau’s actions reminded me of the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.

“How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

– Luke 15:17-24 ESV

I’m reading about Esau, but all I can think about is God’s overwhelming, never-ending, faithful love. He loved me while I was yet His enemy. Truly He loved me first. I am able to love Him ONLY because He first loved me!

I confess that I don’t really understand how all this works, but I do know that it all begins and ends with our loving Father. He pursues us. He lavishes His mercy on us, and His mercy draws us to repentance.

Esau’s ability to forgive his selfish, lying, deceiving brother, takes an act of God.

Has someone hurt you? Are you struggling to forgive them? You need God to act. And He CAN! He can do it. Dear sisters, God is able to do it through us! What is impossible for man is possible for God! God can give us the strength and humility to forgive others who have hurt us.

And, let’s not forget, He commands it of us. We must forgive others because we have been forgiven of SO MUCH!

Which reminds me of another parable that Jesus told. This time in Matthew 18.

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’

So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’

And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

-Matthew 18:21-35 ESV

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Please give us the strength and humility we need to forgive others. Help us to say what our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Remind us of Christ’s own words as He was being crucified, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Help us to lovingly pursue others while they are sinners, like Jesus pursued us. Help us to overcome evil with good rather than repaying wrong with wrong. Please, Father, make us more like Jesus who was willing to suffer, in order that we could be forgiven and redeemed.

Help us to love others like you have loved us.

By the power of the Holy Spirit and the lavish, overwhelming grace of Christ, we pray this, Amen.

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A Prayer of Gratitude from One Not Worthy – 2025 Day 48 (Genesis 31-32)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 16; Genesis 31-32

And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

– Genesis 32:9-12 ESV

Like Jacob, I feel incredibly small and unworthy. I started my journey with the Lord as a 21-year-old atheist. God has given me so much, a husband who loves me, four beautiful children, a wonderful daughter-in-law and son-in-law (with another on the way!), two amazing granddaughters, a comfortable home, a fulfilling ministry and career, and so much more!

But, truly, the greatest things that God has given to me are His steadfast love and faithfulness which fill my life with hope and purpose. Because of the promise of God’s faithful love, I can ask Him for anything that I need without fearing His anger or rejection.

Did you notice how Jacob made his requests in the middle of reminding God of what He has promised him? God, You said to me that I should return to my country that You may do me good…. I’m so unworthy of all Your goodness. Now please save me and my children and their mothers…. Remember, God, You said You would surely do me good and make my offspring as numerous as the sand of the sea.

What a great model for us!

Please join me in prayer.

Oh Heavenly Father, Your Word is full cover-to-cover of Your great promises!  You have blessed me beyond measure with the gift of Your steadfast love and faithfulness. You have blessed me with unimaginable blessings – both here and in eternity.

I am not worthy of the least of all the kindnesses You have lavished on me. I didn’t deserve Your grace, Your steadfast love, or Your faithfulness. I am not worthy by my own merit.

Yet, Lord, You have made me worthy by adopting me into Your family and giving me a new name, Your Name, the name that is above every name.

You, Lord are worthy. You are worthy of every song I could sing and every praise I could shout from the darkest cave to the highest heights.

Deliver me from the schemes of the devil. Please, Holy Spirit, extinguish all the fiery darts that the deceiver sends my way. Protect me and my family. Guard us behind the immovable rock of Jesus Christ and hide us beneath the shelter of Your wings.

To the glory and praise of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

The Unloved Wife – 2025 Day 47 (Genesis 29-30)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 15, Genesis 29-30

“When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, ‘Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.’

She conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon.

Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ Therefore his name was called Levi.

And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘This time I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah.

Then she ceased bearing.”

– Genesis 29:31-35

Leah viewed her first three sons as tools to get her husband to love her.

  • Son #1: Now my husband will love me.
  • Son #2: The Lord has heard that I am hated.
  • Son #3: Now my husband will be attached to me.

Yet, it’s Leah’s fourth son, Judah, the son whose name means praise, the son whose birth brought Leah to say, “THIS TIME I WILL PRAISE THE LORD,” whom God chose to father the line of Jesus Christ, God’s only Begotten Son and the Savior of the World,

Friends, think about this: it was Leah, the unloved wife, whom God chose to bear Judah.

I remember my own time of marital pains  and infertility. Reading this story about Leah is such an encouragement to me.

God has purpose both in our fertility and in our barrenness. May we bring Him glory in both!

Are you feeling unloved today? I’ve been there. But so has Jesus. He knows how it feels to be rejected by those who were supposed to love Him. And Jesus, the Great I Am, loves you. He is worth a thousand times more than the most perfect husband or a thousand imperfect sons.

Let me pray over you.

Heavenly Father,

You are close to the broken-hearted. You are the God who remains faithful when man is faithless. You love the unloved and the unloveable, the poor, the lonely, the rejected.

You are the good shepherd who pursues His lost sheep.

I pray that we would praise You when life is easy, and we would praise You when life is hard. No matter what, You are worthy of our praise!

We offer our hearts, minds, wombs, and lives to You. Father, fill them as You will in Your perfect timing and for Your perfect purposes. Help us to trust You with our hearts and our hurts.

In the name of Jesus our Savior and King we pray, Amen.

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Rebekah the Ensnarer, Jacob the Deceiver, and Yahweh the Faithful – 2025 Day 46 (Genesis 27-28)

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Read through the Bible: Psalm 14, Genesis 27-28

I’ve always liked the name Rebekah, so I was extra disappointed when I read her story in Genesis 27 and 28. Reflecting the meaning of her name, Rebekah is an ensnarer. She wants what she wants, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Jacob, her quieter son, the one who “dwells in the tents,” is her favorite. (Genesis 25:27-28) She deceives her own husband – and orders her son to do likewise – so that he will get his father’s blessing.

Adam foolishly listened to his wife, Eve. Abraham foolishly listened to his wife, Sarah. Now, the son foolishly listened to his mother’s voice.

But we can’t place all of the blame on Rebekah. Jacob chose to lie to his father saying, “I am Esau, your firstborn” and “the Lord your God granted me success.” (Genesis 27:19-20) Did you notice that Jacob said, “the Lord your God” not “the Lord my God”?

Jacob himself even went so far as to insist a third time. After his dad questioned him again, “Are you really my son Esau?”, Jacob answered, “I am.” (Genesis 27:24 ESV) Ouch.

When Rebekah finds out that Esau is so angry that he wants to kill Jacob, she doesn’t go to Esau herself and admit her wrong and seek to help reconcile her sons. Nor does she go beg her husband’s forgiveness and ask for his help. Instead, she calls Jacob to her again, telling him to obey her and flee to her brother, Laban and even gets Isaac in on her scheme to send Jacob away.

Sin begets more sin. Once you open up the smallest pinprick of a stream of deceit, it’s hard to stop the water from flowing.

But, do you know what really blows me away after reading all of this?

God STILL blesses Jacob.

God. Still. Blesses. JACOB.

Why is God so merciful and faithful?

Why doesn’t He take the blessing away from Jacob and give it to Esau?

Dear friends, if we truly believed that God is as good and faithful and sovereign as we say we do, then why are we willing to go to such great lengths to make our lives go the way that “seems right to us”?

God had already promised Rebekah that the older shall serve the younger, yet she still deceived her husband and made her son do likewise, in order to “make it happen.”

Maybe God hasn’t given us such specific promises for our children, but God has promised us SO much! He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to always be with us. He has promised to take care of us. Check out some of my recent blog posts like this and this for more encouragement.

Sisters, let’s not be ensnarers – or deceivers. Instead, may we “do good” and “not fear anything that is frightening” like we’re told in 1 Peter 3:6. Let’s be women who trust God with our lives and the lives of our children.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but it’s end is the way to death.

Proverbs 14:12

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father,

I pray that we would be women who trust You SO MUCH that we would not feel the need to take matters into our own hands. May we rightly fear You, Lord, that we would not dare to sin against You. May we trust that You are able to do more than we could even ask or imagine. May we trust that You are indeed for us, so we need fear no man or life circumstance.

Make us women of the Word. Make us women of faith. Make us women whose children can rise up and praise because we have faithfully trained them up in the fear of the Lord.

We love You, Lord. You are faithful even when we are faithless. Grow our faith, Father.

In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

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Making Room and Avoiding Quarrels – 2025 Day 45 (Genesis 25-26)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 13; Genesis 25-26

“And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, ‘For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.'”

Genesis 26:22 ESV

When I came to Genesis 26:22, I felt led to look up that word “Rehoboth,” in my Blue Letter Bible app. I learned it means “broad place,” and I wondered, “Was the first well, the Esek (“dispute”) well, not in a broad place? How about the second well, the Sitnah (“opposition”) well, was it actually located in a narrow place? Or did Isaac and his herdmen make a conscious decision to avoid a quarrel, choosing peace over strife?“

The Lord had given them all of this land, but Isaac and his men made an active choice to avoid a quarrel. (Read the story for yourself in Genesis 26:17-22)

Then I was reminded of 1 Timothy 3:2-3 ESV, “An overseer must be above reproach … gentle, not quarrelsome …” The NASB95 translation says, “An overseer must be above reproach … gentle, peaceable.”

That word that the ESV translates “not quarrelsome” and NASB translates “peaceable” is amachos (G269). a + machos = not + fighting, not + contentious.

Paul uses this same Greek word amachos in Titus 3:1-2 ESV, “Remind them (that’s everyone, not just overseers or elders. See Titus 2:15 for more context) to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling (NASB95: be peaceable), to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”

We can’t possibly talk about quarreling without looking at Proverbs. (Proverbs has a lot to say about quarreling!) Here’s a sampling of verses from Proverbs of quarreling:

  • Proverbs 17:14 ESV – The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
  • Proverbs 19:13 ESV – A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
  • Proverbs 20:3 ESV – It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
  • Proverbs 21:9 – It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
  • Proverbs 21:19 ESV – It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
  • Proverbs 25:24 ESV – It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
  • Proverbs 26:20-21 ESV – For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
  • Proverbs 27:15 ESV – A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike;

And how about a few verses from Romans 12,

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:16-21 ESV

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father,

No matter how big or small my house, no matter how big or small my yard, no matter how many or few people I have to share my place with, You have indeed given me a wide place for my steps. The boundary lines You have given have fallen for me in pleasant places. I have a beautiful inheritance because You, Lord, are my chosen portion, and You hold my lot.

Whom shall I fear?

You are the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. I can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

I pray that so far as it depends on me that I will live peaceably with all. Help me, Father, to avoid quarrels, to keep a careful watch over my mouth that I may not sin with my tongue. Help me to guard my mouth with a muzzle, especially when the wicked are in my presence.

I pray that my mouth would be FILLED with Your PRAISE and GLORY all the day.

Please, Father, I pray that I would not be a quarrelsome or contentious wife. I want to be an excellent wife who does my husband good and not harm all the days of my life. I pray that I would open my mouth with wisdom and that the teaching of kindness would be on my tongue.

I pray all this to the glory of Your name and for Your Son Jesus Christ who gave Himself up for me to redeem me and to purify me, to make me a woman for His own possession who is zealous for good works.

Amen.

I love to pray scripture. This prayer was guided by Psalm 16:5-6; Psalm 27:1; Psalm 56:11; Psalm 118:6; Hebrews 13:6; Psalm 141:3; Psalm 39:1, Psalm 71:8; Proverbs 21:9, 19; Proverbs 31:12, 26; Titus 2:14

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Jehovah Jireh –  The Lord will provide – 2025 Day 44 (Genesis 24)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 12, Genesis 24

When I read the story of Abraham offering Isaac in Genesis 22, I noticed in verse 8 that Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering” and then in verse 14 that Abraham called the place, “the Lord will provide.”

“The Lord will provide” is the Hebrew name of God, “Jehovah Jireh.”

It really clicked in my mind, though, when I was teaching an online English Beginners Bible class focusing on Matthew 6:26-33.

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not of more value than they?

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Which then reminded me of Philippians 4:4-6

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Reading Genesis 24, I kept thinking about how Abraham trusted Jehoveh Jireh, the providing God. I’m Genesis 22, Abraham was willing to offer up his dearly loved son, Isaac, because he had full confidence that God would provide. And now again in Genesis 24, Abraham fully trusted that God would provide a wife for that very same son.

This, friends, is FAITH. Faith is trusting that God will provide whatever we need, whatever is best for us.

Yesterday, my husband and I spent the day together as our youngest son, our own dearly loved son, attended a scholarship competition for a Christian university not too far from home. We are praying for the Lord to provide for him. Meanwhile, our youngest granddaughter has a bad case of hand, foot, and mouth. She’s miserable, and Mommy is exhausted. Again, we are praying for the Lord to provide for them. 

What do you need the Lord to provide? I’d love to pray for you. Leave a comment below.

Heavenly Father,

You own the cattle on a thousand hills. You are all-powerful, and You are good. You see us. You hear us. You know our every need. You are a good Father who delights in giving Your children good gifts.

Again and again you force us to rely on You. Truly, Father, this is a severe mercy. We are thankful for our neediness, so that we can recognize our desperate need to rely on Your power.

We are such a weak and needy people. We need daily bread. We need breath and food and rest. We need strength. We need wisdom. We need forgiveness. We need peace and hope and comfort and joy.

But what we need most, Father, is Your presence. Please, stay close to us, Father. Walk with us. Hold our hand. Abide with us and guide us by Your Spirit.

Thank You, Father, for providing everything that we need according to Your riches of glory in Christ Jesus.

Will you please provide for the specific needs that we each find ourselves in? I’m asking You to provide the finances, healing, and strength that my family needs. I know that You are able. Be glorified in our lives.

In the Almighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.

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Do Not Worry by Rain for Roots