We stand on the edge of the cliff. The sun is shining and the grass around is lush…yet, we feel adventure calling.

“Step off the edge!”, it yells.

Not seeing anything to step onto…we have learned to trust…and take one step forward.

Suddenly, our foot finds a solid surface…we step again…finding another.

Then we see.

There is a path before us…

It only could’ve been found in faith.

Unable to be seen by the cautious.

The fearful will never find it.

But you and I, friend, we have found it.

Congratulations!

Let’s step out into tomorrow and find new parts of God’s heart to explore. Find new battles to be victorious over. Find new relationships and anointings. Find the grace that is new every morning.

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Let’s make a decision today.

Let’s decide to keep pursuing. In fact, let’s pursue even more intently.

Let’s decide to pray without ceasing. No matter where you are in every moment, find that connection with your first Love.

Let’s decide to include God in every moment. Not just during quiet time or at church, but all throughout our day.

We stand at a precipice.

It’s time to be bold. Acknowledge the power of the Holy Spirit that resides inside of you…and move.

God has given us an extension of grace, let’s not waste a bit of it by being afraid or hesitant.

Until I meet you again…

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and give you peace. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

One year is ending and a new one looms on the horizon, and I hear heaven singing over us, “Get ready to sing a new song!”

Now is the time to release what was and reach out with open hands for what is to come.

Now is the time to take a moment to listen…let God speak to you about 2025.

It’s time to write the last pages in 2024 and let it go. Close the book. Pick up the new one and move forward.

Stretch your hands toward heaven and begin to sing a new song.

Many people become obsessed with New Years resolutions, but I’d rather focus on the new word.

I’d rather ask, “God, what do You say about this coming year?”

Instead of focusing on what I’m giving up, I’d rather focus on what He’s going to do.

So, today I encourage you to take some time to close out the last year…lay it to rest…then look toward heaven and ask God about the year to come.

As we’ve been learning to face so many things with intentionality, let’s now face the new year in that same way.

Intentionally look to God.

Intentionally ask for His direction.

Intentionally focus on what is good and right, leaving all else behind.

Intentionally focus on the new thing He is doing.

Be intentional.

If there was one word that I’d want to leave you with it’s that…

Intentional.

If the whole church became intentional, we’d change the world.

So, let’s begin with ourselves, our marriages, our homes…and watch the ripple effects happen all around us.

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations. He has remembered His love and His faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn- shout for joy before the Lord, the King. Psalm 98:1-6

As we draw near to the end of this year and the end of our Resurrection devotional journey, it’s a good time to reflect.

What I’ve realized is that my life has been resurrected this year. I’ve grown, been delivered, had major growth in marriage, become infinitely more confident and secure in who God made me to be, I’ve witnessed my children making great strides themselves, I’ve watched my husband being transformed and starting a new career even…resurrecting his old skill set and the level of respect his resume brings.

All in all, it’s been glorious.

We’ve also dealt with many adversities, but instead of them bring chaos and division, they brought a renewed sense of oneness and a depth to our marriage and family dynamic that we never dreamed possible.

I’ve also felt resurrected in worship.

After so many things that have happened over the last few years, I’ve come out of the cave and feel even more resolute that worship is precious and the way I do it isn’t wrong. It’s powerful. I’ve found an uncompromising place inside because I know my position in heaven and I know God has anointed my tongue. I’ve become more selective in what I sing, because I want to be pure as I worship God…not pretend to worship Him while worshiping myself. I was made to worship. Everything about me reaches out for heaven, all day long. He is my dwelling place.

I wonder what you’ve discovered about yourself, your family, and God this year?

I’d love to hear from you.

No matter what, my encouragement for today is to take a moment and reflect.

It’s never easier to find gratitude than when we pause and remember all He’s done.
He’s worthy of that every day…don’t you think?

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago. I will consider all Your works and meditate on all Your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God Who performs miracles; You display Your power among the peoples. With Your mighty arm You redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. The waters saw You, God, the waters saw You and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, Your lightening lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footprints were not seen. You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Psalm 77:11-20

I’ve wrestled all my life with being co-dependent. It’s not something I revel in, but it’s a true struggle I’ve had. Insecurity was borne in me, and I’ve spent the better part of 40 years wrestling it off of myself.

The morning of Christmas Eve I had a huge victory, though.

We were about to head out of town to celebrate with family for the day, and Chris was being a bit withdrawn and cranky. Not at all the way I’d like to see him when we leave to visit somewhere for the day. This often makes me feel insecure.

Instead of defaulting to my old way I did something else.

I went to the piano and worshiped. When I did, I heard in my spirit…”You are my first Husband.” I was telling God He was my first. Immediately, peace fell over me like a blanket and every insecure thought fell away. I rose and left the piano with restored confidence.

I love how He always meets me in the keys of the piano and the sweetness of a song.

I realize now that my co-dependent tendencies are an earthly reflection of the God dependence that I am supposed to live in.

As we drove out of town, I very quietly prayed in tongues. I did it until everything shifted for everyone else. And we all found joy.

God is so good.

When we remember to stay tethered to Him, we will always be able to live from peace.

Today I encourage you to remember that you are first married to Christ.

From that position you can face any and all things with so much grace.

Establish yourself in this truth.

Soak in it.

It will change your life.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:7-9

This Christmas was the first time we’d been home on Christmas morning in many, many years. In a glorious decision, our family decided to begin our own traditions before all the kids have grown and moved out. So, when they get married, they’ll have traditions in our own home to look forward to.

We should’ve done this years ago, but just now found the courage.

Trading one good thing for another is often difficult. But, having a family plan that we all agreed upon, was so refreshing.

This Christmas was the best Christmas we’ve had, thus far. It gave us all an excitement and longing for the next one. Our house was filled with joy and laughter all day long. Presents, games, food, movies…it was perfect.

It’s so important to cultivate home.

I talk about it a lot, I know. But it’s almost a lost art, so I feel it needs much discussion.

Home is where the heart is…they say.

How can our heart be home if we never are?

It’s such a perfect season to resurrect the individual family unit…the one to which you were to leave and cleave.

It’s often so easy to never separate from your parent’s home and traditions. But I believe there are ways to include them while firmly establishing your own. A give and take.

It’s important that our children know what home is like. That we create an environment of rest and peace for them to land in every day. A table to gather around and eat, laugh, play games, and discuss.

One of the greatest takeaways I have from this last 5 years is the value of family dinnertime discussions. Letting each member have a voice and opinion. Giving an ear to everyone’s dreams and desires. Letting each member have a say in big decisions.

The confidence I see in my children has grown exponentially from doing these things with intention.

At first, they didn’t want to give their opinions as much. Now they feel safe in doing so.

This practice has reflected in their lives outside of the home. Confidence and reliability at work has come from this place. Holy desires of marriage and relationship have also.

There’s a reason my job is called that of a homemaker. That is the greatest privilege of my life. There is no better job I could have. Nothing could be more fulfilling. There is no amount of money that could make my position worth giving up.

I am a homemaker.

I’m beginning to see that even when my children are grown and have families of their own…I will still be a homemaker. There is a certain beautiful wonder of a grandmother who continues to cultivate a warm, inviting, life-filled home even when her children are grown. I want to be that type of grandmother. One who never stops creating spaces for littles, teens, and adults.

Out of the overflow of my heart, I want to be a home to many. Yes, you read that right. I want to be a home for others. A place of safety, peace, and rest from this wild world.

And there you have it…we’ve come full circle to discover that God made women to be homemakers that He could reflect the kingdom of heaven onto the earth. God in us…the hope of glory.

Will you let heaven make a home in and through you?

To which God would make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ, in you the hope of glory. He is the One we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone filly mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:27-29

We humans complicate everything. It seems to be innate within us.

Give us a blessing…a free gift…and we’ll figure out how to make it more difficult, charge for it, prostitute it.

I just call it as I see it.

Christ was never meant to be a trading commodity.

He is God.

He paid, so we don’t have to…yet…there seems to be no end of corruption within the church.

People are deceived in masse. Preachers have lied, cheated, stolen, abused…the list goes on and on. And I’m left wondering, where is the truth?

I am the way, the truth and the life…Jesus said.

We must return to what it really is all about…Jesus.

That’s it.

That’s enough.

It doesn’t need to be flashy.

It doesn’t need to seem more exciting.

In an effort to keep up with man’s desperate desire to be important and popular and influential we have betrayed our Savior. Our first Love.

It’s time to return to the way.

Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning, got I am trusting You. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, I run to You to hide me. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. For the glory of Your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of Your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress. In Your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy my foes, for I am Your servant. Psalm 143:8-12

I love Christmas.

A time to truly reflect on the reality of Jesus come to earth. It can be hard to believe He chose to become a baby. The most vulnerable of all creatures. Our King of kings decided to leave heaven and come to earth.

I don’t really believe any of us can comprehend the reality of that fully.
Jesus Christ, Emmanuel.

God with us.

Let us join together today with hearts bursting with gratitude. Let us celebrate His choice to create a way for us to join Him in heaven.

Apart from You we can do nothing.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourself to be My disciples.” John 15:5-9

As we lean into the glory of today. The beauty of Christ on earth. Let’s embrace the fullness of this gift.

We are to remain in Him…that we can bear much fruit…that whatever we wish will be done.

He died to create our way to heaven.

We bring glory to Him by bearing much fruit. By asking and receiving what we wish.

That’s amazing grace.

Are you walking in the fullness of this gift?

I encourage you to give Jesus the gift of walking in the fullness of what He came to earth to give you.

It’s time for the body of Christ to walk in the fullness.

I pray every day that I would break through all barriers and learn to walk in the fullness. I hope you do too.

God, please teach me to walk in the fullness of the gifts You’ve given me. Don’t let anything that You placed in my heavenly storehouses be wasted. Teach me how to access the fullness. Teach me to walk with bold authority and audacious prayers. Be the answer, Jesus. Come and dwell richly among us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Every day, whether it is glorious or taxing, gives light to the next. Every day we choose whether we let go of yesterday or lug it into tomorrow.

Each evening when we lay down our heads, we find the opportunity to forgive and release, or we go to sleep weighed down with resentment or regret.

In life there is no neutral.

We either do or don’t.

We either forgive or resent.

We either love or hate.

We may say we haven’t chosen, but the mere fact of that statement is that in the not choosing, we have chosen to remain.

Do or don’t, but don’t pretend your neutral.

Neutral reminds me of the lukewarm that God references in the Bible. He spits them out. He can’t tolerate that. Be hot. Be cold. Just choose.

In order to take hold of the hope of tomorrow, we must without a doubt, let go of the past. We must also find bravery inside.

This is where I find myself today. Looking for bravery. The unknown can appear frightening because of all the questions…but a life avoiding the new is weighed down with nothingness.

I’d rather die than stop moving forward. Being stagnant feels like death to me.

I don’t want to be reckless, but I also don’t want to overstay.

Today I encourage you to consider your own heart. Have you stalled out in life? Are you barreling forward of your own accord?

Life is meant to be lived in partnership with Holy Spirit, not in our own dominance.

Today I encourage you to find God. Look and see where He is moving and where He is waiting.
Stillness and stagnancy are completely different things.

God, help me to move at the rhythm of Your heart. Give me the bravery I need to forge the way forward. Give me the bravery needed to stay if You are still. Lord, lead my life. I can’t make it one second without You. I surrender to You again today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Exodus 13:20-22

I’ve always seen my husband as a source of strength. I’ve always looked to him as a protector. I run to his arms to feel safe. Not in unhealthy ways, but he serves as an extension of God’s arms…so I can feel them wrap around me. So I can lean into his chest and hear his steadying heartbeat.
The kids and I have several stories of times when Chris boldly defended us from danger. We often laugh about them later because he is fierce. Fierce and steady. That’s what my man is to me.

I’ve never felt a love like the love I feel for him.

To be honest, I didn’t even know it existed.

Chris has been a man who makes everyone around him feel safe.

It’s been an honor to watch him be strength over the last week. But an even greater honor for me to be strength for him.

He was the one leading our extended family’s way through the valley of the shadow.
I was the strength and softness that he fell into every time he needed. What a glorious honor it has been to hold his wearied strength in my arms. To scoop him back together and give him a safe place to melt.

Marriage is a reflection of our relationship with God…I’ve said many times.

This experience has really grafted that into our hearts in a new way.

We often wonder if we have what it takes to do things. We often forget that we don’t receive that grace until it’s needed. There’s such a quiet beauty in God lavishing upon us. Lavishing His strength when we need it. Lavishing His grace every morning. Lavishing His gentleness.

He loves us so.

His love makes us capable to give love to others.

Being love for others is such a tender gift.

Standing as a representative of God’s love for my husband is an honor.

I pray I represent well.

I pray you do to.

Let’s lean into love today. Ask God to be love in and through you. It’s the only thing that satisfies.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

Over the years, in my walk with Jesus, I’ve learned that I don’t have anything to worry about. Nothing. What I’ve observed is this…when I listen and respond to the Lord, then any and every circumstance I face will already be provided for…not just financially, but with time and comfort and relationship.

I expect events to fall into place with ease. I believe with all that I am that God will always place me where I need to be, exactly when I need to be there. There is nothing to fear. Nothing to worry about. It’s all taken care of…I only need to follow His lead.

This has been a truly wonderful part of our whole family experience over this last week and into Christmas.

Months ago, Chris and our kids and I sat down to discuss the holiday season. We wanted to include the whole family in the planning because we have kids working and they also have opinions about what they want to do and we want to begin to establish our individual family memories, separate from our extended family…so when the kids begin to marry and have families of their own, they will have the steadiness of our home traditions to return to.
We never imagined what a gift this would be.

We’ve walked through so much this week. It’s been a heightened emotional time. Full of the beauty of brokenness and God’s merciful provision for our hearts. We’ve stood as a family unit to comfort and love on our patriarch. Chris has needed us. We’ve been here for him. It’s been so sweet.

But life has already been knocking at the door and we know we will need to begin to emerge into the normal soon…

Having already decided to have a home-based Christmas has become the sweetest kiss from heaven.

Knowing exactly how much time we will spend with extended family and then knowing we created a buffer of time to be just us…I could burst into tears just thinking about it.

We don’t feel holiday stress this year.

We feel joy.

We feel confidence.

We feel like a family.

The Hurst Huddle.

When we follow where God is leading us, then we always have exactly what we need.

I pray this Christmas is so special for you and yours. I pray the God of peace stretches His wings over everything you do. I pray the abundance of heaven pours over you and you feel restored. I pray you have been blessed as we’ve walked through this year of devotionals together. We’re so near the end. This year has in fact felt like a resurrection.

As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Luke 9:57