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Devotions Archive
Finding God in Lost Things

Finding God in Lost Things

Have you ever lost something and searched everywhere, only to come up empty-handed? That's exactly what happened with my dog's favorite toy, Robby the Robot. This wasn't just any toy. It was a clever little contraption that would roll and wobble around, dispensing treats as it went. Tess adored it, probably because it combined two of her greatest loves: play and food.

But one day, Robby mysteriously vanished. At first, I wasn't too concerned. Tess has a habit of rolling and batting her toys into the oddest places, so I assumed he'd turn up eventually. However, as days turned into weeks, I became increasingly determined to solve the mystery of the missing robot.

I crawled on my hands and knees, peering under every piece of furniture. I checked behind bookcases, inside cupboards, and even among the many boots and shoes by the door.

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Making Our Story Count

Making Our Story Count

For we spend our years as a tale that is told. - Psalm 90:9

As we wrap up our series on "Once Upon a Time," we've discovered that real life has both similarities and differences to fairy tales. We've explored how God writes better stories than the Grimm Brothers and how our struggles aren't always resolved with a wave of a magic wand. But today, let's focus on making our life story worth telling. After all, according to our verse, we spend our years as a tale that is told. The question is, what kind of tale are we telling?

Like any good story, our lives have a beginning, middle, and end. But unlike fictional tales, we're writing ours in real time, and we don't get to edit the previous chapters. So, how do we ensure our story is worth telling?

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How Real Life Differs From Fairy Tales
Life's Journey, Encouragement, Positive Life Dana Rongione Life's Journey, Encouragement, Positive Life Dana Rongione

How Real Life Differs From Fairy Tales

Growing up, I loved fairy tales. The dashing prince. The beautiful princess. The epic quest. The happily ever after. Even now, I find myself drawn to stories with similar themes, though I've long since learned that real life rarely follows the fairy tale format. And you know what? That's a good thing!

Our Story Isn't About Us

Unlike fairy tale heroes who take center stage in their stories, we're called to play supporting roles in a much grander narrative. Think about it. In fairy tales, everything revolves around the protagonist. Their wishes. Their dreams. Their journey. But in real life, we're part of God's story, and He's the true protagonist. Our purpose isn't to achieve our own "happily ever after" but to glorify the King of kings.

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O, Come, Let Us Adore Him
Praise, Life's Journey, Positive Life Dana Rongione Praise, Life's Journey, Positive Life Dana Rongione

O, Come, Let Us Adore Him

The Christmas gifts are now put away, and the New Year is in full swing, but I can't seem to shake the melody of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" from my mind. More specifically, the phrase "O come, let us adore Him" keeps repeating like a stuck record in my thoughts. As I sit here in my cozy Welsh cottage, watching the snow in my driveway sparkle in the rising sun, I find myself pondering what it truly means to adore Christ.

You see, we sing these carols year after year, often without giving much thought to their deeper meaning. We know the tunes by heart, and the words roll off our tongues with practiced ease, but do we really understand what we're declaring when we sing about adoring Christ?

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Beyond First Glance

Beyond First Glance

I remember the first time I read the Thoreau quote, "It's not what you look at that matters; it's what you see." At first, I thought it was just a clever play on words, but the more I pondered it, the more I realized its profound truth. We all have a tendency to focus on the negative, to dramatize, catastrophize, and even exaggerate things. We do this in our daily lives, and it can significantly impact our overall outlook and well-being.

For instance, have you ever noticed how quickly we can turn a minor inconvenience into a major catastrophe? We spill coffee on our shirt, and suddenly, our entire day is ruined. We get stuck in traffic, and we're convinced we'll never reach our destination on time.

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