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Devotions Archive
Lessons From the Birds, Part One
God's love, God's goodness, Encouragement, Comfort Dana Rongione God's love, God's goodness, Encouragement, Comfort Dana Rongione

Lessons From the Birds, Part One

I'm always fascinated by the birds that visit our backyard feeder. They're a lively bunch, full of personality and quirks. This morning, as I sat sipping my hot tea and watching them flutter about, I couldn't help but chuckle at their antics.

One particularly stubborn sparrow refused to share the last remaining suet ball. He perched on the feeder, puffing out his chest and squawking at any bird who dared to come near. The other birds would try to sneak in for a quick bite, but the sparrow was having none of it. He was determined to guard his prize.

As I watched this little drama unfold, I found myself thanking God for His wonderful qualities, which are never in limited supply.

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Broken Yet Beloved
Rise Up and Build, Comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione Rise Up and Build, Comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione

Broken Yet Beloved

As many of you know, I struggle with joint hyper-mobility, fibromyalgia, and chronic back issues. Some days, the pain and fatigue are almost unbearable, leaving me feeling isolated, frustrated, and even depressed. Recently, I've been experiencing a particularly bad flareup, and I've found myself lying in bed for hours on end, watching the world around me hurry by while I wrestled with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

I'm sure many of you can relate, whether you're battling a chronic illness, dealing with a difficult situation, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges. During these times, we feel like nothing more than a "bruised reed" or a "smoldering wick," ready to break or be snuffed out at any moment.

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The Sea of Forgetfulness
Encouragement, Comfort Dana Rongione Encouragement, Comfort Dana Rongione

The Sea of Forgetfulness

I've been pondering a beautiful truth from God's Word that has filled my heart with immense gratitude and joy. It's found in Micah 7:19 (KJV), which says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

Isn't that an incredible promise? When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God takes our sins—every single one of them—and hurls them into the depths of the sea. This is often referred to as the sea of forgetfulness, a place where our sins are forever out of reach, unable to affect our salvation or standing before God.

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Helpless But Hopeful
Weary, Comfort, Encouragement, Hope Dana Rongione Weary, Comfort, Encouragement, Hope Dana Rongione

Helpless But Hopeful

At the time of this writing, it is three days before our biggest community event of the year. I’ve been planning and preparing for weeks, hoping to iron out every wrinkle so the day will run smoothly and successfully. But you know what the Bible says about man's plans, right?

About a week and a half ago, my back decided to throw one of its fits. This wasn't its everyday pinch, sting, and ache. This was lying flat in the bed for an entire week! Yup, a whole week where I couldn't work on the mountain of things that needed to be done. Oh, how helpless and frustrated I felt.

After a visit with my osteopath, I finally started feeling some relief and could start pecking away at a chore here and there as long as I took long rest and stretch breaks in between.

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Tightrope Trusting
Life's Journey, Weary, Comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione Life's Journey, Weary, Comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione

Tightrope Trusting

As I was doing my Optimize Your Day routine this morning, I looked out my office window and saw a large bird land on the overhead power line. This power line isn't very taught, and the wind was blowing pretty hard. The bird tried to steady itself, but it was a comical sight. Its tail feathers were pointing and flexing, and its wings would occasionally shoot out to steady itself. It was like watching a tightrope walker trying to keep their balance or a child trying to swing for the first time.

This lasted several seconds until the bird finally gave up and flew off. As I watched this, I couldn't help but think about how often I feel like that bird.

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