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Devotions Archive
Stamping Out Bad Thoughts
Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare, Thoughts, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Anxiety Dana Rongione Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare, Thoughts, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Anxiety Dana Rongione

Stamping Out Bad Thoughts

Some mornings, my mind resembles the world's least efficient office. I sit at my desk, herbal tea nearby, Bible open, and a stack of unruly papers piles up in front of me. Except the papers are not bills, book ideas, or that mysterious note I wrote three weeks ago that now appears to say "Buy turnips for dragon." No, the papers are thoughts.

"You are failing."

"You will always be sick and will never get better."

"You have messed up too much."

"God has forgotten you."

"This situation is impossible."

"No one wants to read your pathetic attempts at writing."

And suddenly, my imaginary office has an urgent backlog.

As I considered Philippians 4:8 this morning, my mind brought up an amusing image (as it tends to do). I pictured a giant, old-fashioned librarian's red rubber stamp.

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Holding Onto Hope During Life’s Drizzles
God's goodness, God's love, God's promises Dana Rongione God's goodness, God's love, God's promises Dana Rongione

Holding Onto Hope During Life’s Drizzles

Oh, the weather in Wales can be as unpredictable as my fibromyalgia! For the month of October, we are dog-sitting for some friends, which means there are two dogs underfoot, two dogs to feed, two dogs to walk, and two doggie schedules to work around. Well, today, Jason is working at the Community Luncheon Club, which leaves me on dog duty for the day. I had resigned to the fact that I was not likely going to get much accomplished, but I was leery about how and when to do our daily walk. That brings me to the Welsh weather.

The entire morning has been drizzly, so I knew it would likely be a wet walk. Still, I was hopeful.

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A Fulfilled Hope
God's goodness, hope God's goodness, hope

A Fulfilled Hope

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12

For nearly four years, the first part of that verse has rung true in my life. My heart has been sick. Wales consumed my thoughts, and I wanted nothing more than to be in that country and with those people. But there was a process that had to be followed, so for over three years, we traveled the United States, going to church after church to present our burden. And while the traveling was—well, shall we say exciting?—my heart ached. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to meet other people. It wasn’t that I was longing to leave my family. It’s just that the Lord had planted in my heart a love for the people of Wales, and as long as I was away from that country, I felt out of sorts.

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