BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

Jesus is serious about forgiveness. He gave his very life to forgive you. And … he asks you to forgive every other soul who has hurt or offended you. Yes, everyone for everything.

Now I don’t know, but maybe that’s a nearly impossible task. Forgiving them – what? They aren’t even sorry. Why should you offer them forgiveness? If for absolutely no other reason, because of this – JESUS SAYS TO. And if Jesus says to forgive, then it’s for a good purpose and you can trust him.

Jesus teaches this lesson in another parable and th...

Matthew 18:12-14, “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”

Here Jesus tells a story that shows the individual value of each and e...

Matthew 13:52, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

Well what on earth is Jesus trying to show us here? Being a teacher of religious law means you know your Bible. You know facts. You know history. You know verses. You know order. But there’s more than just knowledge of the Bible for us – we are invited to become DISCIPLES.

As a disciple of Jesus, we are his STUDENTS. Do you see the...

Matthew 13: 47-51, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. that is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?”

So...

Yesterday we studied the Parable of the Treasure. Now, Jesus continues his teaching with another similar story tied to it. They go together, so let’s read them together.

Matthew 13: 44-45, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it.”...

Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

I want you to imagine for a moment coming to the end of your life, and standing before your Creator as he shows you a life of your movie. Everything you did in your entire lifetime. And imagine realizing you missed the whole point of life.

Sadly, that will be many of us. Oh we’ll make it to heaven, we’ll...

Have you ever made homemade bread with yeast? How much yeast do you put in with the flour and water? Just a tiny amount. How much of a difference does the yeast make? ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

As Jesus was teaching, he knew everyone listening understood this because bread wasn’t something they picked up at the grocery store. It was made every day in their homes. The women especially knew exactly what He meant. They had watched a tiny handful of yeast disappear into a massive bowl of flour, only to come back hours later and find ev...

The next parable Jesus tells is one of the most debated in Scripture. Unlike some of the other parables, Jesus never explains this one. That means faithful Bible scholars have reached different conclusions.

Let’s read it for ourselves.

Matthew 13:31-32, “He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds...

In our study of the parables of Jesus, we find the next story he tells. Remember, that’s what a parable is – it’s a story along with a teaching. It’s earthly stories with heavenly meaning told for a purpose by Jesus.

Matthew 13: 24-30

Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also...

While Jesus walked this earth, he taught us the truths of God and the secrets of living well. In just 3 years of ministry he said everything he needed to say, and he said it perfectly. Now, over 2000 years later, his words are our perfect guide for life.

Some of Jesus’ teachings were on deeply spiritual things that he knew we would struggle to understand. Not all things needed to be understood, but for some things we would need to understand so we could live well. For these things, Jesus often taught in parables.

Parables are st...

It’s back-to-school time. Today, I have friends walking their baby into kindergarten for the very first time. And I have other friends helping their baby move into a college dorm.

Those two days feel worlds apart… until you’ve lived them.

Those of us a little farther down the road know the truth. One day you’re zipping a backpack that’s almost bigger than they are. The next day you’re hugging them goodbye in a parking lot, trying not to cry until they can’t see you anymore.

The days are long. The...

Is there something from your past holding you back? It could be 50 years ago, or 5 days ago. Regardless, past regrets, guilt, and shame have a way of holding on to us. We replay the stories we have no way of changing because what is done is done. You can’t go back. You can’t undo it. So, what do you do?

Too many of us are serving life sentences for sins Jesus already died for. We keep dragging yesterday into today and wondering why it’s so hard to move forward. We allow our worst moments to bec...

Maybe you’re living out a story that doesn’t look like you imagined. You had dreams, you had desires, you had plans … and your life seems to have fallen flat. You’ve been left wanting – left waiting – left wondering.

When will things change for you? How much longer do you have to wait? What if what you want will never happen? Then what? Will you just be miserable?

Or what if it does change? What if your waiting is over. What if the very thing you’ve always wanted is on it’s way to you now, it’s...

Last week we talked about valleys and mountains. Valleys being those dreaded low places in life, and mountains being those beautiful highs. We all want to stay in our mountaintop experiences, but we can’t. Do you remember why? Because nothing grows on top of a mountain. If you go high enough, the view is breathtaking, but the air is too thin for anything to grow.

And that’s the way we are.

The highs are beautiful, but we’re not growing when we’ve reached the pinnacle. God wants His girls continually growing. Don’t you real...

Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Here’s what Jesus didn’t say – “Only a select few, super spiritual will hear my voice.” No, he said, “My sheep listen to my voice.”

Jesus calls himself our Good Shepherd. What does that mean? In ancient Israel, a shepherd wasn’t just the owner of sheep – a shepherd was the one who lived with the sheep. His entire life was dedicated to his sheep. He slept near them at night. He protected them from danger. He led them to green past...

Have you ever questioned if God really likes you? We’ve been told over and over again that Jesus loves us … but does he like us? Is he pleased with us? How does he see us when we fail? When we struggle? When we wander?

I met a beautiful woman at our Colorado Retreat named Stevie. Stevie is this strikingly woman with black hair, a huge smile, tattoos, and rides a Harley. Honestly, she’s pretty cool. At Retreat, Stevie shared her testimony so boldly and courageously that you couldn’t help but listen. She said she had been...

God has promised He has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11), but wouldn’t it be nice if He included turn-by-turn directions? I mean REALLY nice. Not some vague “trust Me” and “walk by faith” business. I want GPS. I want step-by-step instructions complete with an arrival time and the occasional heavenly notification saying, “There’s a problem ahead. I’ve found a better route.”

And if we’re being really honest, I’d also like Him to show me where all the potholes are, who I should avoid, and whether or not this particular problem could perhaps be skipped altogether...

This week, I watched a simple video of a man in a suit with a strong Irish accent explain something so beautifully and so clearly. He talked about how easily we twist salvation into being faith plus works.

He posed one question: If you were to die tonight and stand at the gates of Heaven, how would you explain why you’re there?

He said if you answer that question in the first person, you’ve already gone wrong.

Because I believed.

Because I had faith.

Because I trusted.

Life is full of mountains and valleys. One day we’re standing on the mountaintop, taking in the view and thanking God for how good life feels. The next, we’re walking through a valley we never saw coming, wondering how we got here and how we’ll ever make it through.

That’s life. No one gets a permanent address on the mountaintop, and no one stays in the valley forever. We all experience seasons of joy and seasons of sorrow, seasons of abundance and seasons of struggle. There are moments when we feel strong, confident, and full...

What do you do when it’s over?

Not when it’s hard.
Not when it’s uncertain.
Not when things could still work out.

What do you do when it’s OVER?

When the divorce papers are signed.
When the prodigal still hasn’t come home.
When the doctor’s report confirms your worst fear.
When the bank account is empty.
When the addiction wins again.
When what was already bad somehow gets worse.

What do you do when you’ve prayed, believed, hoped, waited...

Here’s my prayer for you today: May you be led by what is in you, not by what is around you.

Because what is around you is loud.

Distractions.
Drama.
Disappointment.
Fear.
Bad news.
Negative people.

The invitation to live a small, defeated, mediocre life is everywhere. But daughter of God, you were never created to live looking down.

Downcast.
Downtrodden.
Down in the dumps.

Down is not your direction. And here’s how I know: Because of what is in you...

There are probably things you do every day without really knowing why you do them.

Think about it.

When we meet someone new, we shake hands. But why? The original purpose was to show that your weapon hand was empty and that you came in peace. Most of us aren’t checking each other for concealed swords anymore, yet the handshake remains. We do it because it’s what we’ve always done.

Or take Daylight Saving Time. Twice a year, many of us change our clocks and grumble about losing an hour of sle...

In Scripture, there is great significance behind a name. A name was much more than a label or a way to identify someone.

Today, names often carry little significance beyond what sounded good to our parents at the time. We choose names from baby books, family traditions, or popularity lists. Most people never stop to ask what their name means. It’s simply what people call us. Take me, for example. I’m Pamela. You’ve known me as Pamela for years. You’re probably not sitting there wondering about the deeper meaning of my name. Honestly, I’ve car...

Under the direction of the Spirit and his inner influence, you live DIFFERENT. Absolutely nothing changes a person like the Spirit of God. This is change from within, change at the very core of who you are. It is lasting change that makes you into a radically new person.

The Holy Spirit leaves nothing untouched, nothing undone, nothing unchanged. Gradually and continually God’s presence within you reshapes your heart, renews your mind, and aligns your life with his purposes.

As cliche as it may sound, it’s true – JESUS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE! The old se...

Here it is—today we study the final fruit of the Spirit. And isn’t it just like God to save a grand lesson for last? The one fruit every one of us knows we desperately need: Self-control.

In mentoring women to pursue their God-given goals and live the life they were created for, I hear this all the time: “Pamela, I just don’t have any willpower. I have no self-control.”

Have you ever said that about yourself? But let’s stop and ask a deeper question.

Is that really true? Can someone who...

As God’s presence takes up residence in you and becomes your guide, that harsh outer shell begins to break away. The walls you’ve built crumble. And what grows like fresh ivy taking over that old exterior is GENTLENESS.

Gentleness is not weakness, nor is it passive. This word translated into ‘gentleness’ was used to describe a powerful horse that had been trained. The horse doesn’t lose it’s power when trained, it learns discipline.

Gentleness is one of the most misunderstood Fruits of the Spirit because many people hear the word and think “weak...

Faithfulness isn’t something our culture celebrates very much. We celebrate talent, success, influence, and achievement. But heaven celebrates something different. Heaven celebrates faithfulness.

In the life of someone not under the influence of the Holy Spirit, faithfulness is a constant struggle. But in the life of someone filled with the Spirit, faithfulness begins to grow naturally. It becomes part of who they are.

Galatians 5:23, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: Love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, FAITHFULNESS …” Again, it’s a fruit. It’s not something we strain for, it’s somethi...

When we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, our very character changes. From within, we become different. Girl, you’re simply not who you once were.

Have you noticed as you change and grow it almost puts a spotlight on our loved ones who are NOT. Maybe someone you love is NOT under the influence of the Holy Spirit and they seem to be stuck in old way … well, they are. When you invite the presence of God into your life HE makes you new. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person...

In our study of the fruits of the Spirit, we’re understanding this isn’t a list of attributes to strive for, it’s not a checklist for being a follower of Jesus, it’s the tangible results that grow in our lives when we’re connected to God. FRUITS of the Spirit. Fruit grows. Fruit is the natural outcome of a healthy tree.

The Holy Spirit is God’s presence living within us, and that Spirit changes our heart. And very naturally without force, when our heart changes, our behavior changes. We start seeing things and people diffe...

Patience is actually NOT something you lack when the Holy Spirit dwells within you. Patience is something that naturally grows within you and is produced in your life. It’s a byproduct of the presence of God. Just as an apple tree naturally grows apples, as God’s girl, you naturally grow patience.

So why do you feel like you’re lacking it? Why do you still get frustrated in the waiting? Why do you still rush and push and force? Did you not get patience?

The Spirit produces; but we still participate.

Yes, t...

The fruits of the spirit are the direct results of God’s presence in our lives. It’s the natural byproduct produced from within us when God’s Holy Spirit lives in us. Today we study the 3rd evidence that grows like fruit on a tree. Galatians 5:23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, PEACE …”

Peace. In Greek, Jesus would have often used the word ‘shalom’. It means completeness, wholeness, everything being as God intended it to be – nothing missing and nothing broken. So when Paul says the Holy Spirit grows peace, he’s...

Joy is one expression of the life of Jesus growing within us. What exactly is joy? It’s deep, not surface level. It is permanent, not circumstantial. It’s a settled confidence, not a mood. It’s a spiritual strength, not a changing emotion.

And this joy, according to Nehemiah 8:10, is the source of your strength.

Joy is supernatural, not natural. The source of joy is God – not a personality type, not positive thinking patterns. No, joy is the result of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within you. The closer we remain to Jesus, the more joy g...

Galatians 5:22, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE …”

God isn’t asking us to manufacture love. This isn’t about trying harder. God invites us to connect with him and grow in him, and as we abide in him, his love naturally flows through us.

Jesus says “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) This is why some people are incapable of loving well or loving at all – they don’t have the love of Jesus flowing through them. It’s like expecting the limb of the apple tree lying on the gr...

Returning to our study on the Fruits of the Spirit, this is part 6. So far we’ve looked at living on the wrong side of the list – what happens when we live WITHOUT the direction of the Holy Spirit and under the influence of the world and our flesh. We see all those things that create destruction and chaos in our lives, but wow, they happen so naturally. We don’t have to try to be selfish, that comes easily. We don’t have to strive to be jealous. Sexual immorality is something that peaks its head up as a tempta...

(This is an unscripted devotional sharing the story of a 7 year miracle in the making.)

Story of the Prodigal – Luke 15: 11-24

Waited for 4 years – began to run out of hope – tried in desperation to do it my way – to regain control – to force, manipulate

Story of Waiting – John 5: 2-9

38 years, but he still showed up there. He still had someone carry him there that day to await for the healing that still hadn’t come.

God asked me for 30 years. Would I still trust him if it took 30 years for my daughte...

This week we’ve studied what our lives looks like without the Holy Spirit. Without God’s influence, without God’s direction over our life, we naturally drift toward dysfunction, selfishness, broken relationships, and sin. Left to ourselves, our sinful nature becomes the driving force behind our decisions, our attitudes, and our actions.

That’s exactly what Paul describes in Galatians 5. He paints an honest picture of what life looks like when the flesh is in control. It’s not a list meant to shame us – it’s a mirror showing us what every one of us is capable of...

Today, we’re wrapping it up – the yuck list of what our lives can become when we are not under the influence of the Holy Spirit and following his guidance. So far in Galatians 5: 19-21 we’ve seen the sexual sins we so easily fall into, then the attitudes and behaviors that damage our relationship with God and others. It’s been a real yuck fest hanging out on the wrong side under the wrong influence. What we’ve learned so far is that’s not what we want, nor is that who we want to be.

Now finally...

Open up your Bibles to Galatians 5 and we’re going to add a few more to the list of yuck – Yes, the left side of the list under the label “Without the Holy Spirit”. We’re looking at what we do and who we naturally become the Holy Spirit isn’t given room in our lives and we’re directed by the world and our flesh. This list is like a blarring alarm, “WARNING, THIS ISN’T WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU”. If you find yourself doing these things continually, you can now know why. If someone you love is doing these thing...

When you live under the influence of the Holy Spirit, beautiful things naturally grow in your life. However, when you lack the things that grow in our lives under the direction of the Holy Spirit it’s because you’re NOT under the direction of the Holy Spirit. You’re not connected to Jesus. You’re connected to the world and you’re under the influence of your flesh.

Yesterday we began creating 2 columns on our piece of paper. Grab that paper today as we continually refer to it.

The left column is labeled “Without the Holy Spi...

There is something directing your life. You’re not doing this on your own. You’re either under the influence of the world and the flesh, or you’re under the influence of the Holy Spirit. One of these guides your thoughts, your attitude, your perspective and your actions – and your life looks radically different depending on your influencing factors. Look around my friend – if you aren’t pleased with what’s growing in your life, it may be a result of what you’re attached to – because whatever you’re attached to is drastically influencing every area of your life.

Pa...