Category: Former Atheist

I Stand Amazed in the Presence of Jesus the Nazarene. Isaiah 13-14. 2026

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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 141, Isaiah 13-14

My Savior’s Love

I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene,
and wonder how he could love me,
a sinner, condemned unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful!
and my song shall ever be;
How marvelous! How wonderful!
is my Savior’s love to me!”

Charles H. Gabriel (1856-1932)

Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it.

Isaiah 13:9 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 ESV

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17 ESV

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 5:1-12 ESV

I Stand Amazed in the Presence of Jesus – FormerAtheist58
I Stand Amazed in the Presence – Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Come Unto Jesus – Getty, Laura Story

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Am I a Slave or a Son? Thoughts from Galatians 4. 2026.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 131, Galatians 4

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
– Galatians 4:4-7 ESV

27 years ago we were packing our bags to travel to Russia to finalize the adoption process for our son. Adopted as a six-month-old, Nick learned to sit and crawl on our carpeted living room floor. He learned to cruise along our comfy brown couch. He learned to say “Mommy” and “Daddy” on my lap.

From the moment he became a part of our family, he was given equal standing with his older sister who had grown in my womb. There were no extra rules to keep. He was our son, and we were his parents. End of story.

Thank You, Father, for adopting me as Your daughter, for placing Your Holy Spirit in my heart as a seal of the genuineness of my faith. You have engraved my name on the palms of Your hands (Isaiah 49:16) and You have caused me to bear the name of Christ. Thank You for causing me to be born again, creating me anew after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Finding my Identity in Christ – I’m More Than a Homeschool Mom – FormerAtheist58
No Longer Slaves – Zach Williams

Living a Crucified Life. Galatians 2. 2026.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 129, Galatians 2

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

In so many ways, I’m much the same person that I was back in college as an atheist. I still have brown curly hair and blue eyes. I’m still short. 😄 I still like to read, and I still couldn’t care less who won the World Series or the Superbowl. I still don’t drink. I’m still pro-life. (Yep, I was a pro-life, non-drinker as an atheist.) I still struggle with pride, and I still struggle to be honest. And I still like having deep conversations about heavy topics.

But, in so many ways, I’m a totally different woman. My “want to’s” are different, and my motives are different. I want to forgive others because Jesus has forgiven me so much. I want to love my enemies because Jesus loved me while I was His enemy. I want to speak words of encouragement to others because Jesus has spoken words of encouragement over me. I want the world to know the depth of the Father’s love because I have experienced that love first hand.

Because Christ lives in me, I’ve been changed from the inside out. The old me has died, and a new and improved me has been born. Praise God for new beginnings!

But for the Cross of Christ – Bryan Fowler

Would I Rather? Amos 8-9. 2026.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 116, Amos 8-9.

“Behold, the days are coming,”
declares the Lord GOD,
“when I will send a famine on the land,
not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the LORD.”

Amos 8:11 ESV

Would I rather worship or wander through Wally World?

Would I rather scroll through the truth of the Word or the foolishness of Facebook?

Would I rather skip my daily dose of carbs or the daily bread of the Lord’s presence?

Would I rather sit in a pew or sit on a couch?

Would I rather be in the front row of a church or the front row of a concert?

Would I rather listen to the correction of a wise counselor or the consolation of a foolish friend?

Would I rather miss a dinner date with my BFF or a breakfast date with my Heavenly Father?

Would I rather miss my morning cup of java or my morning cup of living water?

Would I rather have an empty belly or an empty mind?

“Sabbath days and sabbath work are a burden to carnal hearts, that are always afraid of doing too much for God and eternity.

Can we spend our time better than in communication with God?

And how much time do we spend pleasantly with the world? Will not the sabbath be gone before we have done the work of it and reaped the gains of it? Why then should we be in such haste to part with it?

They were fond of market-days: they longed to be selling corn and setting forth wheat. When they were employed in religious services they were thinking of their marketings …

Those are strangers to God, and enemies to themselves, that love market days better than sabbath days, that would rather be selling corn than worshipping God.”

Matthew Henry, Commentary on Amos 8

Heavenly Father, Align our hearts with Yours. Make us love what You love. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Give us a holy hunger. Make us hunger for what is healthy and right, what is pure and true. Make us sick over what makes You sick. Give us discernment to recognize what is truly lovely and what is a joy stealer. Help us spot the counterfeits, the deceptions, those things that masquerade as beautiful, and give us hearts that hunger and thirst for righteousness for Your Name’s sake. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, the One who meets our every need, the well that never runs dry, the unending source of living water and the eternal bread of Your living presence, we pray. Amen.

I’m Just a Nobody – The Williams Brothers

Jonah had No Pity for the People of Nineveh. Do We? 2026.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 111, Jonah 2-4

Jonah cared more about the death of a plant that was giving him shade than he cared about the lost souls of the Ninevites. 🥹

Friends, every man, woman, and child has been created by God after the image of God. They deserve our love and care. They are not objects to be used or abused or disregarded. May we be as gracious and merciful and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness as our good God!

If my daily devotionals are a blessing to you, will you please consider sponsoring a student in your local school district to attend LifeWise classes DURING SCHOOL HOURS? It’s only $30/month. Find out how at http://www.lifewise.org

Jonah had No Pity for the People of Nineveh. Do We? – FormerAtheist58
Beloved, Let Us Love One Another – FormerAtheist58

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Thinking of Others More Highly than Yourself. Jonah. 2026.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 110, Jonah 1

Who was Jonah thinking about when he refused to go to Nineveh?

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah 1:1-3 ESV

Who were the sailors thinking about when they didn’t want to throw Jonah into the sea?

Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.”

Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.”

Jonah 1:11-14 ESV

Who was Jesus thinking about when He left heaven and came to earth and suffered to the point of death on a cross.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:4-8 ESV

Thinking of Others More Highly than Yourself – FormerAtheist58
Bless the Lord O my Soul (Psalm 103) – Sovereign Grace Music

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God Opposes the Proud. Obadiah. 2026

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Obadiah 1

The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?”

Obadiah 1:3 ESV

Heavenly Father, I lift my family, my church, and my nation before Your throne of grace. Help us to remember that every good gift comes from You, that everything we have is a gift from Your habds. It’s not by our own strength or wisdom, but by Your Spirit and power. Keep us on our knees for Your glory and good. Amen.

For more information about the book of Obadiah, I recommend David Guzik’s commentary. It’s available here.

Change my Heart, oh God – Maranatha Music

Never Hidden From God. Thoughts from 1 Kings 20-22. 2026

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: 1 Kings 20-22.

Do you ever just feel like you’re just a random cog in the vast machine of life, nothing more than an inconsequential human being among billions of others?

Reading today about when King Ahab who had intentionally disguised himself as a common soldier in an attempt to protect his life during battle was struck down by an arrow launched by a random soldier that just so happened to pierce him precisely between his armor and breastplate, I was reminded again that God is in charge over all our lives. God had ordained the number of King Ahab’s days. He couldn’t hide from God, and neither can we.

God knows precisely where you are, and He knows precisely what you’re thinking.

He knows what you did yesterday, He knows what you will do today, and He is in control of what your day holds. Does this thought scare you? Or comfort you?

Your answer will depend on two things: (1) the character of God and (2) your relationship with Him. Do you think God is harsh, cruel, distant, impotent, or uncaring? Or do you think He is loving, kind, patient, forgiving, and faithful? Do you see God more like a vengeful policeman eagerly waiting to give you a ticket or a concerned father eagerly waiting for you to come home?

If you’ve never read “The Knowledge of the Holy,” let me recommend it to you or check out my own ebook on the attributes of God through the eyes of a former atheist.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your watchful care over Your creation. You see me. You know me. You know my thoughts and my ways. I cannot escape from Your watchful care. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me. I know that You are good, and that everything You allow into my life is ultimately for my good and Your glory. Increase my faith, Father, that I might be able to give thanks in all circumstances and walk by faith all the days of my life. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, Lord, and Friend, I pray. Amen.

Counterfeit Faith. Reflections from 1 Kings 14. 2026.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Kings 14

What do you do when you find yourself in a pickle? Do you cry out to God for help? Do you beg Him for mercy? Do you plead for Him to save you?

I think many Americans run their lives on their own terms 95% of the year and then suddenly remember God when they find themselves in a jam, much like Jeroboam in 1 Kings 14.

As we read earlier in 1 Kings, Jeroboam had set up his own houses of worship complete with altars and golden calves in the Israelite cities of Bethel and Dan. And yet, when his own son, Abijah, became sick, where did Jeroboam turn? Did he send his wife to Bethel or Dan to inquire of those golden calves that he had erected? No, he didn’t. He sent her to Shiloh to inquire of the Lord’s prophet, Ahijah.

Is this genuine faith? No, it isn’t. Jeroboam’s faith is the faith of demons, not the faith of born-again believers.  

Counterfeit faith says, “I know God is real, but I won’t submit my life to Him.”

Friends, genuine faith will result in obedience, daily obedience. Genuine faith says, “I know God is real, so I want to live my life for Him.”

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! …

You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.

James 2:19, 22-23 ESV

Do you have genuine faith? Or counterfeit faith?

Heavenly Father, You are the one true God. There are so many imposters, but You are the only One who is true. Search my heart and test me. Show me where I’ve fallen prey to the lies of the devil. Show me where I’m faking faith. Please don’t let me come to the day of judgment when my deeds will be laid bare and it will become clear that I was among those who never knew you. Do what You need to do to bring me into a right relationship with You. I want to know You more that I would love you more and walk in the daily obedience of faith. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb who died in my place, Amen.

Love God? Love Others – 2 Chronicles 34-36 – 2026 Day 83

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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 52, 2 Chronicles 34-36

“Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites, all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. And the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 34:29-32 ESV

Love God? Love Others – 2 Chronicles 34-26 – FormerAtheist58
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us – JJ Heller

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