Devotions

                                                                

This devotion was published in the Spring 2011 issue of The Secret Place

Changed in a Moment

Read: 1^st Corinthians 15:50-58

Behold I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” 1^st Corinthians 15:51 (NAS)

“Mom! I caught some tadpoles today! Can I keep them? Please, mom, please!!” My 12 year old son exclaimed these words as he ran through the front door of my house with a jar of murky creek water in his hands. My son had been playing in a nearby creek on this hot summer day and he had managed to catch five small grayish colored tadpoles. After researching the topic, I reluctantly agreed to let him keep his new found pets.

What fun we had that summer! We changed the tadpole water regularly, taking care to declorinate the new water and we fed them lettuce that had been boiled and then frozen. Over the course of a few weeks, our tadpoles grew first back legs and then front ones.  At long last, they lost their tails. Their color altered too as the tadpoles changed into small, bright green tree toads!

The scriptures tell us that if we are believers, we too will someday be changed. However, our change will not be slow like my son’s tadpoles were. No, our change will be quick, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. We will change from perishable to imperishable; from mortal to immortal. What exciting news! I wonder if God will have as much fun watching us change as my son and I had watching his tadpoles change?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are excited about spending eternity with You. Thank you for that glorious day when we change from perishable to imperishable, from mortal to immortal! Make us to live in a way that reflects our readiness for that day to come. In Jesus name, Amen.

Thought for the Day We have an eternal destination where we will be changed into the likeness of Jesus.

           

Devotions

As a follow up to my previous posts on writing devotions, today I am posting a sample devotion I wrote. This was published in the Spring 2014 issue of The Secret Place (Judson Press.) I sold them 1st rights so now, a year later, the rights are mine again, Hope you enjoy it.                                                              

                                            Hi God!

                                Read: Romans 1:16-20

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood by what He has made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 (NASB)

On the drive to school this morning, my son suddenly said to me, “Hey Mom! Look! Those clouds look like the word “Hi.”
Truth be told, I was unable to see what my son was referring to because of my vantage point and the need to keep my eyes focused on the road ahead of me, so I asked him to explain. He pointed out the window next to his seat and said, “Well there are a lot of straight lines in the clouds. Two are tall with a connecting puff between them and there was a smaller cloud beside them.” I knew the sky had some streaks of cirrus clouds in it, so my son’s explanation was believable. Then just as spontaneously, my son waved to the sky and offered a cheery and sincere, “Hi God!”

How often do we take time to see God in His creation? I did not see him this morning, I had my eyes focused on the task I was engaged in. (And rightly so, but just the same, the lesson seemed real.) I found myself warmed by my son’s innocent faith and longing to regain the faith of a child.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, from the beginning of time you have shown yourself to man in your creation. Give us eyes to see you more clearly! In your Son’s name, Amen.

Thought for the Day: Do you have the faith of a child?

Through My Kitchen Window

Devotional Writing - Part Three

Finding Markets

There are three ways I write / sell devotions. I freelance them, selling 1^st rights to a publication, freelance selling reprints, and work for hire where I accept assignments from a publication.

The freelance markets I have found that will buy 1^st rights include:

The Upper Room–this is a Methodist publication. It pays $30 per devotion and its guidelines can be found at: http://www.upperroom.org/about/writer-guidelines/upper-room

The Upper Room has other devotional magazines which also accept freelance work, buying 1^st rights. These include devozine, Alive Now, Pockets, and Weavings. Their guidelines can be found at: http://www.upperroom.org/about/writer-guidelines/upper-room

The Secret Place–published by Judson Press. It is an American Baptist publication, pays $20 per accepted devotion, and their guidelines can be found at: http://www.judsonpress.com/catalog_sp_guidelines.cfm

The only place I have found that will purchase reprints is Word Aglow–published by the Pentecostal Publishing House and they only pay $8 per devotion. Their guidelines are found at: www.wordaflame.org/assets/writers_guidelines.pdf

But there may be others too.

Once you build up some devotional writing credits, you can send a query letter along with samples of your work to magazines which make assignments and ask for an assignment. These are work for hire and there are many of them. The two I have received assignments from are Open Windows (Lifeway) and Reflections (Smyth and Helwys)

I hope these posts have been helpful. Devotional writing is not the highest paying type of writing out there but they are fun and easy to write. And it’s nice to know others are being reached and blessed by your writing.

Devotions

This devotion was published in The Secret Place (Judson Press) in their Fall 2011 issue and a reprint will be published in The Vision (Pentecostal Publishing House) next month.

A Simple Prayer

 Read: Ezra 8: 21-23

     “…to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and our possessions.” Ezra 8: 21b

            A new school year was about to begin. In fact, it was to start the next day. I had been asked to lead in prayer on behalf of the parents of this Christian school at its before the school year prayer meeting. As I began to pray, Ezra’s prayer came into my mind.

            Ezra’s prayer is a very simple one, but it is perhaps my favorite in the entire Bible. Ezra confessed that he was afraid to ask the king for soldiers to protect his group on their journey because he had told the king that God’s hand was favorably disposed towards those who fear Him. So, instead, Ezra called upon the people to fast and pray.  Their prayer was for God’s protection over them, their little ones, and their possessions.  This prayer is so precious to me. It shows me that we can talk to God about everything in our lives–even our most basic needs.

            As I led in prayer that day, I recited this scripture. I reminded God that we, the parents who had gathered to pray were people who feared Him. And like Ezra, we were asking for safe journey through the upcoming school year for our “little ones”–however big they may have become!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, how thankful we are that your hand is favorably disposed towards those who fear you! Lord, thank you also for the privilege of bringing any and all of our concerns to you in prayer!

Thought for the Day: We can talk to God about anything!

 

 

 

Confessions of a Prayer Warrior

This devotion was first published in The Secret Place (Judson Press) Fall 2012. A reprint of it was then published in Word Aglow (Pentecostal Publishing House) Spring 2014.

Far be it from Me!

Read: 1 Samuel 12: 21-24

“Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against God by ceasing to pray for you…” 1 Samuel 12: 23

            When I was a child, my parents started each morning with prayer. Before my father went off to work, we all sat around the breakfast table enjoying a meal as a family. Then, when our plates were empty, one of my parents would read a verse from the Bible and offer a short prayer seeking God’s blessings on each member of the family before we all went our separate ways for the day. Those were the good ole days. Today, everyone is in a hurry to do everything.

            I confess I am as guilty of living a hurried life as the next person. But I have often thought about the fact that each member of my parent’s immediate family used to be lifted up to God, by name, every day. I try to do this too now, though typically, my prayers for my family are at bedtime.

I commented about this to a friend in my prayer group. Some weeks later she told me, “You know what you said about praying for every member of your family every day? Well, I’ve thought about that and now I do it too. I have just made it part of my morning routine – just like combing my hair or brushing my teeth. So every morning, I comb my hair, I brush my teeth, and I pray for my family by name.”  

Busy as we are, lets again become a nation of families who pray!

Prayer: Thank you Father for giving us families. Today we lift them up to you and ask your blessings upon them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thought for the Day: Comb your hair, brush your teeth, and pray for your family.