Life can be complicated, but reading the Bible doesn’t need to be.

This is my practice to overcome worry. It doesn't change the situation in the moment, but it changes my mind in the moment. It settles my heart rate. It allows me to breathe in deeply the love of God.

No matter what I’m navigating – from everyday challenges to dealing with an actual crisis – worship takes me away from my troubles to the feet of Jesus.

This verse came to mind one day as the prayer alarm rang, like a monastic bell calling me to task, to find my sustenance in the bread of life. He was the one that could help me not just survive, but thrive, on that day.

I was going through one of the most heartbreaking seasons of my life, a time when I could scarcely think, let alone come up with spontaneous prayers. Yet I was praying, showing up day and night in a posture of depending on God, leaning on words that have been said for centuries.

I write in my journal every day. It helps me see God in both big and small ways. My list, stacked like a tower of stones, helped me remember how the impossible became possible. It gave me hope that with God’s help, we can face any crisis.

My life may not look exactly how I’d hoped, but there is still good to be found here. Capturing those moments of contentment and joy help me stay grateful even when my circumstances are less than perfect. It reminds me that God has goodness for me every day.

When your eyes open for the first time in the morning, do you immediately roll over and pick up your phone? The way you start your day can have a big impact on how the rest of your day unfolds.If God is truly first, it’s important to start every single day with Him.

We are oftentimes too hard on ourselves. We’re trying to be perfect, when God already sees us as perfect. He sees Jesus when he looks at us. God sent Jesus to die for our sins so we could live with Him forever. This means that nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Sometimes God’s amazing love can seem too good to be true. One might think, “I really messed up this time or I don’t measure up. How can God love me?” In moments like this, doubt begins to grow and growing doubt is fertile ground for enemy attack. Satan will do everything possible to convince God’s children they are undeserving of God’s love.

Our Father always knows what’s best for us, and sometimes He guides us to do things we don’t want to do or don’t understand. Oftentimes in hindsight we see what we cannot see in the moment, and we realize God continues to bless us with what’s best for us. Even if it’s not what we think is best. God sees the big picture, and we don’t.

Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place where he prayed. Jesus knew what the following day held for Him, and He intentionally set aside time to meet with God. How much more do you and I need this time not knowing what the next day holds? While leaving the house and going to a solitary place won’t happen for most of us daily, we can find creative ways to meet with Him.

Because I am a follower of Christ and am made new, I was determined not to flounder in insecurity the rest of my life. This led me to openly seek God on these issues, and the Holy Spirit revealed that I needed to have both head and heart knowledge about the true heart of God. He showed me that I did not need to ignore, push down, dwell, or act out on these things; instead, it was important to look at these things face to face with Him.

We have a tendency to lambaste ourselves when we lack motivation. When God calls us to action, it’s my experience he doesn’t beat us into submission, he loves us into it.

I began to believe the lie that if I was imperfect I was also unlovable. Shame became my shadow, following me around, ready to strike at any sign of failure or weakness. Eventually, this mindset applied to my relationship with Jesus. God would only love me if I served Him full-time, had daily quiet times, and tried my hardest not to sin. Right? But we are lavished, or extravagantly covered, in the love of God, not because of anything we’ve done but because of everything Christ did.

It is easy to get caught up into the idea that we need to perform or work our way into God’s heart of love. I have had this idea that God loves me only when I do good things, read the Bible every day, keep a good job, or donate to charity. But clearly none of our righteous works make God love us more or less.

At some point, God revealed a mystery that changed everything. He helped me see His image in other people’s eyes. For the first time in my life, I could accept people because I believed God was within them. Being made in the image of God means we are made in the fullness of love.

Self-care is a buzzword that’s often dismissed as unnecessary, indulgent, or, even worse, selfish. We know as Christians we are called to generosity, serving others, dying to self even. Yet the truth is loving ourselves and caring for ourselves leads to a healthy balanced body, mind, and spirit, which, in turn, allows us to love others well.

I am, ever so slowly, learning that my identity is not in what I do, but in the fact that I am inherently loved. And it is only this that allows me to be like Jesus because I know that no failure or success can change who I am in God’s heart.

We become more confident in Christ when we lay down our pride, removing self from the center of our confidence, worth, and significance, and centering these around our relationship with Jesus instead.