renewal — Devotions — Kristine Brown, Author

To wrap up our final topic of the year, I am honored to welcome friend and fellow writer, Crystal Storms, to kristinebrown.net today. Crystal writes about the benefits of reading the Bible every day. What better way to experience renewal than by reading God’s Word? Welcome, Crystal!

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 (NIV)

When my temperature rises and my nose runs, I grab a Vitamin C tablet to chase away the sniffles. I’ve been sick twice this fall. That’s not my normal. Was I too busy and getting rundown?

I looked at my schedule. I checked my to-do’s. I asked God what commitments I could let go.

There were tasks I could release and expectations I could surrender. But what surprised me the most was what God spoke to my heart that I needed to add.

Vitamin C wasn’t a quick fix to get healthy. It was something my body needed to stay healthy. So I added a daily dose of Vitamin C to give it what it required.

I used to do the same thing with God’s Word. When a problem arose or my life got out of hand, I reached for His Word for a solution to my woes.

But renewing my mind through Scripture doesn’t happen when I treat the Bible as a last resort. When my pattern of life doesn’t include daily readings, I often find myself at a loss for His peace.

I started with a Psalm and a Proverb each day. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, which makes it a perfect place to start. Then in 2009 I accepted the challenge to read The One Year Bible, and changes began within me. For the first time I had started the year reading God’s Word and was still reading in March … August … December … all the way to the end. And I didn’t want it to stop.

So I turned back to the beginning on January 1 and started over. I developed a love for God’s Word as I read His Word.

Then I read Secrets of the Secret Place and wanted something more. Bob Sorge’s Bible reading plan included reading Jesus’ words every single day—something the other plans missed.

But I feared using Bob’s method of counting pages and paper clipping passages would leave me with an unfinished Bible at the end of the year.

To succeed I needed to make the plan concrete. So I created the Close to His Heart Bible Reading Plan with daily reading from Genesis to Malachi, Psalms to Song of Solomon, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

This plan was my answer to Jesus’ invitation to learn from Him and find rest for your souls found in Matthew 11:28-30. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (NIV).

Renewing our minds in God’s Word renews our perspective. His Word transforms us from the inside out. Becoming a balm to our broken places. Revealing lies we believe about ourselves. Enabling us to walk in the truth of Whose we are and who we are in Him.

Crystal Storms is an award-winning author, artist, and speaker. Her passion is to encourage weary-hearted women to find rest close to His heart as God’s beloved. She would love to connect with you at CrystalStorms.me where you can download the Close to His Heart Bible Reading Plan and find resources to encourage your heart.

I am honored to welcome good friend and author Betsy De Cruz to kristinebrown.net today. You will love Betsy’s wisdom and unique perspective. Let’s read and enjoy this week’s devotion by Betsy.

I hadn’t seen such a beautiful face in a long time. The dark circles under her eyes couldn’t extinguish their bright glow. A messy bun and no makeup only highlighted the joy on her face. My friend Emma came into the room proudly carrying the reason for her joy: her newborn girl! We gasped in wonder that she actually made it to our meeting just a few short days after giving birth.

On Mondays, I have the privilege of sitting around the table with a Moms of Preschoolers group. Many moms come sleepless, nerves on edge from too many hours with a crying baby. Some days they can’t take a shower, but something about our meeting makes it worth it for them to fight exhaustion and come.

They come because sitting around a table with friends renews strength and joy. When they leave our meeting, they walk out with just a bit more spring to their step.

Even if you don’t have a baby or small children, you probably have plenty of things to wear you down. Children at any age can deplete your energy. Work can sap your strength, and worry can steal your joy.

How can we find renewed strength and joy when we’re running low?

Getting together with friends and taking time for ourselves are important; they help us recharge. However, we’ve all had weeks when friends are busy, and a packed schedule doesn’t allow for time off. What then?

Thankfully, our Source of strength and joy never leaves us.

God has all the resources we need. His Spirit renews us from the inside out, and His power rests on our weakness. Yet just as my mom friends have to pack up the kids and pull out of the driveway to come to our moms’ meeting, so we have to make an effort to open our Bibles or turn our hearts to God in prayer if we want renewal.

Scripture encourages us: “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek his presence continually!” (1 Chronicles 16:11)

We can easily read these words and get discouraged because we lack the time, energy or the “want to” to seek God. Yet He rewards even the smallest steps we take towards Him.

Small efforts like these work wonders in our souls: reading a few verses of Scripture in the morning, stopping to thank God for a small blessing, whispering a prayer, or just remembering He is with us during the day. He hears and responds to even a quick prayer when we get in the car or fall into bed.

When we seek God’s presence, two blessings come: renewed strength and restored joy.

God renews our strength.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:29)

“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)

When we call out to God, He gives us the strength we need. The Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, and He will certainly strengthen us for the day ahead when we open our lives to Him.

God restores our Joy.

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11)

“Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.” (Psalm 119:11)

God’s presence and His Word bring joy. His presence restores peace and touches us with the grace we need in any situation. His Word renews faith and joy when hard circumstances cause us to doubt. His joy is our strength.

Friend, if you need renewed strength and joy today, look heavenward. Ask God for the strength you need to face the day and grace to abide in Him. Ask Him for fresh joy. The Spirit living in you will renew you day by day.

Betsy de Cruz writes and speaks to help overwhelmed women take small steps to invite more of God’s presence and power into their lives. Her book More of God is a distracted woman’s guide to more meaningful quiet times. Betsy and her husband José have two young adult children and live in Austin, Texas. Connect with Betsy and get a free Quiet Time Renewal Guide at FaithSpillingOver.com.