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Devotions Archive
Is Biblical Meditation Really Just Wasting Time?
Thoughts, Meditation, Spiritual Growth, The Word of God Dana Rongione Thoughts, Meditation, Spiritual Growth, The Word of God Dana Rongione

Is Biblical Meditation Really Just Wasting Time?

Some mornings, if you peeked into the quiet corner of my office, you might think I was doing nothing at all. My Bible would be open beside me, my mug of tea growing cold, and I would just be staring out the window.

From the outside, it looks suspiciously like laziness. But inside, my mind is bustling. I'm turning a verse over and over, like a jeweler turning a diamond in the light. I've read it, studied it, maybe even looked up a few words, but the real work begins when I stop "doing" and start meditating.

The world says meditation is about emptying the mind, clearing out thoughts like you're sweeping a cluttered floor. But the Bible paints a completely different picture. The blessed man "delight[s] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." That is not an empty mind. That is a very full one.

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Putting on the Armor When You’re Tired
Spiritual Warfare, weary, armor of God, Chronic Illness, Encouragement, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione Spiritual Warfare, weary, armor of God, Chronic Illness, Encouragement, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione

Putting on the Armor When You’re Tired

Last week, Jason and I finally did it. We hauled out the old, falling-apart dressers and replaced them with a shiny new (well, new to us) three-door wardrobe. Jason built in some shelves, I found the perfect baskets, and over the course of a few days, we went through every piece of clothing we had stuffed in those poor drawers.

Some things were easy to let go of: old, worn-out pieces that had lived a good life. Others I just never reached for anymore. But I'll be honest, there were more items than I'd like to admit that simply didn't fit anymore. I wish I could say that some had gotten too big, but sadly, that was NOT the case. Either way, they weren't doing me any good.

As I stood there, holding up yet another item that no longer fit and muttering something unladylike under my breath, a thought hit me: Sometimes the armor of God feels exactly like this.

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Is Your World Flying Upside Down?
Burnout, Weary, Spiritual Growth, Positive Life, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Animals of the Bible Dana Rongione Burnout, Weary, Spiritual Growth, Positive Life, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Animals of the Bible Dana Rongione

Is Your World Flying Upside Down?

I learned something recently in my Animals of the Bible study that completely rearranged my brain.

It turns out, moths aren't actually attracted to light at all. I know. I know! Everything we thought we knew about moths is a lie. Well, not a lie exactly, but definitely not the whole story.

Here's what's really going on. Because moths fly in complete darkness, they face a very real problem: how do you know which way is up when you can't see anything? God, being the brilliant Designer He is, solved this problem by giving moths a built-in reflex to always keep their backs toward the brightest light. For thousands of years, that worked perfectly. The sky, lit by the sun or the moon, was always the brightest thing around. Back to the sky, fly straight. Simple. Elegant. Genius.

Then we humans had to invent electricity and artificial light.

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Is Someone in Your Spot?
Rise Up and Build, Dog Devotions, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Distraction, Spiritual Warfare Dana Rongione Rise Up and Build, Dog Devotions, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Distraction, Spiritual Warfare Dana Rongione

Is Someone in Your Spot?

I have a confession to make: I am a pushover for dogs...even when one isn't technically mine.

Last week, our friends' dog, Copper, stayed with us while his people were on vacation. Tess, my sweet, generous, ridiculously good-natured pup, handled this like a champ. Her food? "Sure, help yourself." Her blankets? "Knock yourself out." My attention? "There's plenty of me to go around." Tess is practically a saint in a fur coat.

But then there's her special bed.

This is the doggie bed situated in front of the glass doors and close to the heater in my office. Friends, let me tell you, all saintliness goes right out the window when that prime piece of real estate is up for grabs.

Here's how it went: One dog settled into the warm spot with a blissful sigh. The other dog began to hover.

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