Sharon JaynesA Sudden Glory, Living Fully 43 Comments

God’s Articulate Presence

I think one of the greatest inventions of the twentieth century was the Post-It Note. First there was yellow. Then came fuchsia, turquoise, buttercup, and magenta. From full-page mega notes to tiny little strips, sticky notes have saved me from embarrassment, kept me organized, and helped me memorize. Mostly, they have served as visual reminders of information, events, and appointments not to forget.  Read more…

Sharon JaynesA Sudden Glory, Living Free, Living Fully, Trusting God 40 Comments

The Day Grace Rode into Town

(Let today’s devotion prepare your heart for Easter.)

Suppose I knew ahead of time that the people who cheered for me one day, would sneer at me five days later. That the people who showered me with praise one day would hurl insults the next. How would I respond to the accolades, applause, and admiration of others on a Sunday…if I knew those same people would turn their backs on me and shake their raised fists at me the following Friday?  Read more…

Sharon JaynesEnough, Living Fully 62 Comments

You Are Worth More

As a little girl, I never felt I was worth very much. I always felt that I wasn’t pretty enough, smart enough, or good enough. I sensed my parents tolerated me, but certainly didn’t delight in me. And if your own parents couldn’t love you, then who could?

Then there was the definitive day in the eleventh grade that took my self-worth to an all-time low.  Read more…

Sharon JaynesChristmas Inspiration, Listening to God, Living Free, Living Fully, Trusting God 140 Comments

Trusting God in Trying Times

We had prayed for a year and felt confident we knew God’s answer. How could we have been so wrong?

Before my husband and I graduated from college as a young married couple, we prayed that God would lead us to exactly where He wanted us to start our lives. After a year, we felt sure He had called us to a small town outside of Charlotte,  Read more…

Sharon JaynesEnough, Identity in Christ, Living Free, Living Fully 120 Comments

Let Me Tell You Who I Am and Who You Are

Once, a young girl named Martha Taft was asked to introduce herself to her elementary school classmates. She stood up with self-assurance and said, “My name is Martha Bowers Taft. My great-grandfather was president of the United States. My grandfather was a United States senator. My daddy is the ambassador to Ireland. And I am a Brownie.”

I love her confidence!  Read more…

Sharon JaynesListening to God, Living Fully, Mamma Moments with God 52 Comments

The Gift of Struggle

I don’t like to struggle.  I don’t like to see my child, my husband, or my friends struggle. I like life to be easy.

I want all my friends to love me all the time, my husband to agree with my every decision, and God to answer every prayer with a checkmark.

But deep down I know a carefree life will never produce a courageous person who trusts in God with all her heart.  Read more…

Sharon JaynesConfidence in Christ, Expectant Living, Identity in Christ, Living Fully, Take Hold of the Faith You Long For 111 Comments

What Are You Afraid Of?

How do you react to fear of the unknown when it comes to stepping out in faith or living boldly? I remember the first time I spoke with a microphone in front of a crowd. I was terrified! My topic was Unshakable Confidence in Christ, but my knees were knocking!

Everyone has his or her own unique way of talking themselves out of taking steps of faith.  Read more…