By Paula Williamson, guest writer All believers in Christ are part of one body–the body of Christ. He is the head, and we are the members. Each of us has a specific role. The Holy Spirit assigns these roles to build one another up until we all come to the full knowledge of God. That means we are all important to one another. We are all dependent on one another. It Is Written 1 PETER 2:5 You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Only the Head Rules Jesus Christ is the head, and it’s our job to submit to Him. None of us is more important than the other. We were created for a relationship with God and with one another. Everyone plays an important part. There are free online spiritual gift tests. You can’t do your part without knowing what it is. Do you know your part? Are you doing your job? Prayer Lord, help me grasp that I am part of one large body, your universal church. You created me and assigned me spiritual gifts to equip your body. Help me take personal responsibility for knowing the gifts You have given me and the role I am to play in building up Your body. Takeaway I am part of the body of Christ, and I have a family.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer If you are among the rare few who awaken with confidence, a happy heart, and a winning attitude, you are blessed! Many of us wake up wanting to pull the covers back over our heads because life is difficult and we do not feel we have what it takes to make it through the day. It Is Written 2 PETER 1:3 for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. He’s Got This! According to scripture, I have everything pertaining to life and godliness through Jesus! I can rest in the finished work of the cross, knowing that God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). I just need to look upward, knowing that everything does not depend on what I see in the mirror. Prayer Lord, I thank You that, according to Your word, I am fully equipped for this day. I can submit to You, knowing that in and through You, I have everything I need. Takeaway I have access to divine supply!

By Paula Williamson, guest writer By the world’s standards, there will always be someone who has more, looks better, is leaner, is smarter, and has more friends. If you measure yourself, you will be constantly changing for the praise of man. It Is Written COLOSSIANS 2:10 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority. Christ Standard According to Christ’s standard, I have all I need. Scripture says that through Him we have been made complete. Complete means nothing is missing. We have His word on it! Takeaway We are complete in Christ.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Looking at a newborn is about as close as we get to heaven on earth. We all start out so precious and innocent. We exchange the womb for a world filled with free will. That may sound great to a teenager, but anyone who has lived beyond those years knows we just mess up. We all come to a fork in the road where we look back and know we do not want what was behind us. Some of us realize that continuing on without believing we have a Savior, a Deliverer, a Healer will result in more of the same. Those of us who choose Him have great hope. It Is Written 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Hope in Christ What great words–new creation, new things have come! We all love new things, a redo, a rewind, a delete, clean sheets, and a shower. That is exactly what Jesus Christ paid an extravagant price to secure. He endured agony to put the past behind us and make all things new. The chains that would bind us to our mistakes, faults, and failures are gone. He makes all things new. Prayer Lord, I need the old things to pass away. I have made so many mistakes. I need a Savior. I ask You to make all things new in my heart, memories, emotions, and life. I surrender to You and Your ways. I want to be a new creation, with the old gone and me made new! Takeaway I am a new creation!

By Paula Williamson, guest writer My mom used to tell me I was not worth the ground I occupied. Phrases like that, spoken in anger, can do great damage to a heart and soul. The good news is that they can also be overturned. Jesus Christ lived a selfless life, was falsely accused, betrayed, rejected, slandered, beaten, and willingly died in our place. That is an extravagant price paid for my salvation and healing. It Is Written 1 CORINTHIANS 6:20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body. Extreme Worth I have observed auctions where student graduates were auctioned off for a service as a fundraiser. I applauded when the highest price was paid and felt badly for those whose bids were lower. Life has a way of valuing us as more or less than we are. The truth is–we are valuable because we are a blessing from the Lord, highly valued in His sight, and the Lord Jesus Christ paid an extravagant price for our salvation. We hold great value. Prayer Lord, in a world where people may speak words that define us and on social media where everyone posts their latest and greatest, we can walk away feeling less than. Help us not compare ourselves to the things of this world. Help us realize our great value in Your sight. You created us with purpose, and we matter. We all matter. Help us glorify You in our lives. Takeaway We are worth more than the world’s measurement.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer I once heard a story about a girl named Dirty who had been living with the pigs, and it really struck home. It wasn’t that I had lived a dirty life, but that I had been convicted of self-righteousness and pride. I had the attitude of the brother mentioned in the story of the prodigal son. Luke 15:11-32 not only tells the tender story of the father standing at the end of the road, watching and waiting for the return of his prodigal son, who is completely forgiven and restored to the family. It also recounts the faithful brother who lived righteously and his self-righteous attitude toward his brother and father because he had never been honored or thrown a party for his faithfulness. LUKE 15: 28-31 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Washed Clean The truth is, we are all dirty and in need of being washed clean. We may not have literally lived in a pigpen, but if all our thoughts were on display for the world to see, we would all need a good washing. I cried for about a week after realizing how prideful and self-righteous I had been for most of my life. I felt dirty. We all need a love shower from the Lord Jesus Christ. No one is beyond restoration to Him. Prayer Lord, I never want to place myself above anyone I meet. The ground is level at the foot of the cross, and all are accepted by You. Put Your finger on the attitudes of my heart and create in me a clean heart and a right spirit before You. When my brother comes home, help my heart rejoice as much as Yours! Takeaway The Father waits, and all are welcome home.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Reconciliation simply means bringing two opposing parties back together. Our faults and failures can make us feel as if we have created distance between ourselves and God. The truth is found in James 1:9, which says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Jesus came to reconcile us to God. We were far away, but now we have been brought near. It Is Written 2 CORINTHIANS 5:18 -19 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Forgiven Few things in this world are as extravagant as forgiveness. Have you ever broken something precious to someone else, said something you wish you could take back, done something you wish you could erase, failed to keep your word, disappointed a loved one, or made a grand mistake? There are no rewinds, no delete buttons for our actions. There will always be consequences, and trust must be earned, but forgiveness is the gift that makes the load bearable. God forgives when we ask Him. Prayer Lord, thank You for forgiving me of all my faults and failures. I am humbled by such an extravagant gift. Help me to be as forgiving as You have been to me, and to walk in forgiveness and reconciliation as far as possible. Takeaway We can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One day, a friend told me about her three daughters' interactions. Two got along very well, and there was often conflict with the third. She asked the two who got along why it was so easy for them to give grace to each other, but not to the difficult one. I had to stop her and say, “That’s not grace.” Grace does not give what people deserve. Grace is undeserved. It is a free gift to those who have done nothing to deserve it. Had they been gracious toward the difficult one, that would be grace extended. There is no such thing as deserving grace. It Is Written EPHESIANS 2:8 -9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Undeserved Extravagance Our salvation and friendship with God are not earned by being good. Jesus purchased my costly salvation by being treated cruelly and dying in my place. He paid my sin debt and forgave me, and I did nothing to deserve such an extravagant gift. The gift of eternal life is a grace gift extended to the undeserving. Prayer Lord, I am humbled every time I think of Your grace and mercy. We would give our lives for our children and those we love, but not for the undeserving. What Jesus did for us is beyond words, the most extravagant, unexplainable, mind-blowing grace. Thank you. Help us to love like You. Help us to do even the smallest thing with the great love You poured out upon us. Show me someone who needs Your grace today. Takeaway Someone needs a drink of undeserved cold water today.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer I’ve met many people in my life who say they have no friends. I’ve also met people who thought they had friends, only to be betrayed. If you’ve been blessed with a true friend in this life, you’ve found a true treasure. Even if you haven’t, there’s good news! It Is Written JOHN 15:15 b but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. ROMANS 8:34 Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. HEBREWS 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. PSALM 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you. A Great Crowd Rooting for Us Because of what Jesus did for us, we can be called friends of God. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, praying for us! The Holy Spirit leads and instructs us, and all the heroes of old are cheering us on. You may not have a tangible friend in this world, but you certainly have friends who are cheering you on. Prayer Lord, thank You for these and so many other encouraging words in scripture. You are for me! You are praying for me. Your Holy Spirit guides me. Your angels watch over me. The great cloud of witnesses is cheering me on. Thank You. If there is someone in the world who is trustworthy, full of integrity, and would be a good friend to me, would You help our paths cross? Takeaway God is for me !

By Paula Williamson, guest writer From the moment we are dropped off at school to every time we walk into a new situation, we are driven by the questions, “Where do I belong? Where do I fit in? Why am I here?” We all need to feel that we matter and are valued. It’s a horrible feeling to be left out, not chosen, rejected, or excluded. There is a place where you never have to feel that way. It Is Written JOHN 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. Welcome How great it is to find acceptance, feel valued, know we matter, and make a difference. There is one place in the world that is all-inclusive. We are always welcome in the presence of God. Prayer Lord, thank You that You accept us just as we are. Thank You that we are valued in Your presence. Thank You that You created us for a purpose and that we matter not only to You but also to the purpose for which we were created. Takeaway We all matter!

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Have you ever felt alone or as if God were far away? I imagine many of us have, but scripture says that is not true. God is invisible yet always present. He does not lie. It Is Written HEBREWS 13:5b for He Himself has said, will never desert you, nor “I will never abandon you,” HEBREWS 6:18 so that by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement an indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us. God Does Not Lie These scriptures tell us that He is always with us and that He does not lie. We can rest assured, even when our minds and senses try to make us believe we are alone. He is with us. He will never desert or abandon us. These verses remind me of being admonished by a three-year-old. He was looking out the window. I asked what he was looking at. He said, “God.” I asked, “Where is He?” He put his hands in the air, looked at me like I was nuts, and said, “He is everywhere.” That’s the truth! Prayer Lord, when I feel alone and as if You are far away, help me to hold on to Your word through my childlike faith. You will never desert or abandon me. You do not lie. I can take refuge in Your encouraging words and hold them close. You are with me. Takeaway God is always with me.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Have you ever faced overwhelming debt you didn’t know how you’d ever pay off? Have you ever done something so irreparable that you thought it could never be made right? Most of us have at one time or another. Those experiences weigh heavily on us, and sometimes they don’t go away without outside help. The good news is that we can be forgiven, not because we deserve it, but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. It Is Written ROMANS 8:1 -2 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Walking Debt Free There is a freedom this world cannot offer, found in admitting our faults, failures, and sins before a forgiving God. His word says in 1 JOHN 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." We can also ask others to forgive us, and we must forgive ourselves. As far as it is up to us, we can be free by doing so. Prayer Lord, forgive me for my faults, failures, and sins. I choose to forgive myself. I reach inside myself, grasp the shame, guilt, and regret, and release them to You. Show me any lies I have believed as truth because of them. Renew my mind with truth. I forgive those who have hurt me. I let go of bitterness, resentment, betrayal, hurt, disappointment, and anger. I reach down inside me, pull them out, and release them to You. Show me any lies I have believed and restore truth within me. Forgive me for anything I have blamed on You. Reveal Your truth to me. Thank You for forgiving me. Takeaway I am not condemned!