Tag: Bible study

Soften The Heart #33 : Children Are a Gift — Even When Our Childhood Didn’t Feel Like One

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“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.”

Psalm 127:3

Children are one of the clearest pictures of God’s heart. Their curiosity, honesty, wonder, and purity remind us of what truly matters. Scripture tells us that children are a gift — not because of what they do, but because of who they are: reflections of God’s creativity and love.

As parents, this verse reminds us to slow down and cherish our kids, to remember that they’re not burdens or interruptions but blessings entrusted to us. They bring joy, purpose, and a fresh view of the world.

But for many adults, this verse can stir something deeper.

Not everyone grew up feeling protected, valued, or cherished. Some people carry wounds from a childhood where they were mistreated, overlooked, or harmed. And hearing “children are a gift” can feel confusing — even painful.

So if that’s you, here’s something important to know:

**God’s intention for children was always good.

Your pain was never His plan.**

When the Bible calls children a gift, it is describing how God sees them — not how every human treats them. Some adults act out of their own brokenness, and their choices leave deep marks on innocent hearts. But your mistreatment was never a reflection of your worth. You were always precious. You were always a gift. Someone else simply failed to honor what God created.

And God grieves with you.

He is “close to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18) and fiercely protective of the vulnerable. Jesus Himself said it would be better for a person to be thrown into the sea than to harm a child (Matthew 18:6). That means He saw you. He cared. He never agreed with what was done to you.

The good news?

God restores what was wounded.

He heals the childhood parts of us that were hurt, silenced, or forgotten. And He gently rebuilds what was broken — identity, trust, safety, and hope.

So whether you grew up cherished or neglected, this verse has a message for you:

Cherish the children in your life today — including the child you once were.

Let today be a reminder to love your kids with intention and tenderness…

but also to let God love and restore the parts of you that didn’t receive that same tenderness growing up.

Children are a gift.

And that includes you — the child you used to be, and the person you are becoming.

Soften The Heart: Devotional #31

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“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews 11:6 

My poor Bible has been pretty lonely. I haven’t been actively reading it. I’ve been spending time with God in nature and in meditation but I haven’t been studying his word. Which I think it’s just as important.

So today I was flipping the pages of my Bible looking for inspiration today…

and I came across this verse I had highlighted. Hebrews 11:16.

And there’s a word in that verse that stands out, believe.

It’s a reminder that trust is crucial.

Faith is kind of like the wind. We can’t always see it but we feel it. It moves through the trees, brushes our skin, and reminds us:

“I’m here.”

I do believe God is like that. All around us. Reminding us and encouraging us of His presence.

Something greater. Something powerful. Something all-knowing. Something here.

And though I don’t fully understand all of it…I do believe this greater power truly loves us.

But like any relationship, it takes two. We want God to constantly reach out and prove Himself…

Yet we don’t always seek.

Seek God.

Let the veil be lifted.

Open your heart.

Open your eyes.

And maybe you’ll start to feel Him like the wind. Maybe this “foreign language” will begin to make sense.

Faith is not about having it all figured out. It’s about having hope.

Keep seeking.

God sees you and is with you.

He rewards those who do.

Soften The Heart: Devotional #27

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“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”

Mark 11:24

This verse holds a profound message about the power of faith and the unseen forces at work in our lives. It isn’t just about asking for something and expecting it to appear—it’s about aligning our hearts, minds, and actions with the belief that what we seek is already on its way.

When we pray, we are not simply making requests; we are entering into a relationship of trust with God. True faith means believing before seeing—knowing deep within that our prayers are heard and that the answers will come in the right way and at the right time. This belief shifts our mindset from doubt to expectation, from fear to confidence.

But this verse also challenges us: Do we truly believe? Often, we pray while holding onto doubt, questioning whether what we desire is possible. Yet, Jesus calls us to let go of that uncertainty and trust fully. When we pray with unwavering faith, we begin to act and live as if the answer is already unfolding. This shift in perspective opens doors, changes our energy, and aligns us with divine timing.

Faith-filled prayer isn’t just about receiving—it’s about transformation. It teaches patience, deepens our trust, and reminds us that even in the waiting, God is at work. So as you bring your hopes and dreams before God, pray boldly, believe fully, and trust completely.

Your blessing may already be on its way.

Soften The Heart: Devotional #14

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“The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills.”

Habakkuk: 3:19

When I first read this scripture, I thought to myself, what is so great about deers feet. Do I want deers feet? What does this even mean?

I did some research to discover that deers feet are made up of keratin, which is the same thing our nails are made up of. That gives you a slight idea of the strength of deers feet. Take a moment to examine your nails and feel for yourself. Imagine your feet made entirely of this hardness! Such strong feet you would have!

Mammals such as gazelles, sheep, hogs, cattle and goats also have “deer feet”, or others call, cloven hooves.

These special feet help them to climb the impossible. And it is only possible because of these special feet that they can achieve such great heights.

Upon my research I stumbled across a video of a mother goat and her child climbing this very high dam. They were climbing this incredible dam to get the salt at the top. A salt that is so desirable and needed for them to thrive and survive. Without that salt, they would wither and become weak. After that treacherous climb, can you imagine the taste of that salt? How rewarding for that mother goat and child.

This spoke to me. The salt is very much like God. How we desire God so much whether we know it or not. We need God to survive and thrive in this world, otherwise we are weak in spirit. To achieve the salt is to be liberated and rejuvenated. But it is only He, who can gift us “deer feet” to climb and conquer what many see as impossible.

With God the hills are possible to climb. The salt at the top is achievable. You have been given such a gift to climb, you just have to trust that gift. And that’s where we fail. We don’t trust what we have been given. The heights scare us. But it will be okay, because like the deer and their special feet, you have been given “deer feet” as well. The salt at the top awaits you.

May the Lord be your strength, and may your feet be like deers feet.

Amen.