New Mercies Begin Today

 By: Joanne Viola

 

Today we find ourselves at the end of the month. January came in quietly and has passed ever so quickly. One month of this new year almost completed.

How are you doing?

Are you still feeling motivated or have you become discouraged?

The start of a new year can often bring hope as we make resolutions, set new goals, begin using a new Bible or devotional book. But sometimes life can get in the way of all these good intentions.

Scripture brings this reminder:

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! 
His mercies never cease. 
Great is his faithfulness; 
his mercies begin afresh each morning.” 
(Lamentations 3:22-23, NLT) 

Even when we may feel defeated or discouraged, each new dawn brings hope. Hope of His mercies. Hope of His compassion towards us.

And His mercies, hope, and compassion will never fail us.

Why should we read the Bible each day?

• It will guide us. “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NLT)
• It will bring correction and teaching. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT) 
• It will bring us wisdom. “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7, NLT) 

If you are looking to start over with a new Bible, Susan Sikes offers some help in this post HERE

“The best Bible is the one you read.”
(author unknown)

And if you are in looking for a Bible reading plan, you can join with Woman to Woman and download their plan HERE.

It is never to late to start over.
New mercies
begin today.

 

Reflection: 

How do you select a reading plan or devotional? Which resources have you found helpful?

 

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Navel-Gazing = Wave-Watching

 By: Lauren Thomas 

I’ve always felt equal parts amused and revolted by the term “navel-gazing”. Though the term has interesting origins, the modern definition is excessive self-contemplation. Basically, it’s when we get caught up in our own shortcomings and flaws. And sometimes this might seem like the “right” thing to do - as if identifying all our filth will somehow make us fitter to be the Christians we are supposed to be. 

But instead of helping us identify our filth, I think navel-gazing causes us to identify WITH our filth. 

This is the antithesis of faith in Jesus. 

In three Gospel accounts we read about the account of Jesus walking on water and calling Peter to join him. Peter did fine with this feat, as long as his eyes were on Jesus. But when he looked at the waves, he began to sink. 

We know the story. Because it’s also our story. 

When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can face life. But when we get caught up in our shortcomings, failures, and flaws, we lose sight of Jesus. When we get stuck navel-gazing, we can forget the atonement, the intercessory work, the advocacy, of Jesus in Heaven on our behalf. This, after all, is faith - looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)! 

Why would we look at our sin instead of looking at Jesus, when God doesn’t look at our sin, he looks at Jesus?

Dane Ortlund, in his book Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers writes: “Looking inside ourselves, we can anticipate only harshness from heaven. Looking out to Christ, we can anticipate only gentleness” (2020, p. 57). 

Navel-gazing is essentially a modern day parallel of Peter’s wave-watching. It causes us to sink. Navel-gazing can also trick us into thinking that we are doing something helpful, when really, we’re just over identifying as “sinner” and losing sight of our Savior who makes us saints in God’s sight.

Instead of being navel-gazers or wave-watchers, let’s join the Psalmist in singing:

“My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”

Psalm 63:8 ESV

Look to Jesus.

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

Reflection:

Do you ever get distracted with “navel gazing”? What triggers navel-gazing for you? How might your day to day life change if you looked to Jesus and not to your sinfulness?

Becoming a Woman of the Word

By: Jenifer Metzger

We are three weeks into 2026. The year is still fresh and new. Some people are still figuring out what they want their goals for the year to be, others are trudging along making progress day by day, and others are waning in their commitment to stick with it. Whichever category you fall under, making a commitment to becoming a woman of the Word is never out of reach and it's never too late to start.

Why should we read the Bible?

The Bible is the true and inspired Word of God. Through the Bible, God shares Himself on every single page. We can learn about Him, learn His heart, and get to know Him on a personal level. Through the Bible we can also learn what God wants from us and what His plan is for our lives.

The Bible is our personal letter from God to us. It is also our instruction manual for every possible life situation and season we face.

Why should we have a Bible reading plan?

"When you fail to plan, you plan to fail." The popular quote reminds us that we need to have a plan. If we do not have a Bible reading plan, we forget to read, don't know where to read, or just read randomly often leaving out some of the Word.

Have you ever sat down with a puzzle without having the box or any image to show you what you are working toward? It would be almost impossible. Reading the Bible in bits and pieces is like doing the puzzle without the box. We see where the pieces go when we read it as a whole. A plan helps guide us in where to read.

What if it feels like too much reading in a day?

People often look at a Bible plan that schedules multiple chapters and feel overwhelmed. However, when you sit down with five chapters and read straight through, you can complete the reading in roughly fifteen minutes. If you think about it with honesty and an open heart, you have fifteen minutes every day. We scroll through social media longer than that, we watch TV shows that last longer than that. We can read the Bible for fifteen minutes a day.

You don't have to read every chapter in one sitting. You could read a couple chapters in the morning, and a couple chapters at night. You could read a couple chapters in the morning, then listen to an audio Bible for the other couple chapters as you get ready for your day. Reading God's Word and reading multiple chapters in a day is possible.

What happens if we fall behind?

Even with a Bible plan, sometimes we just fall behind and it is okay. Any Bible reading plan you use is there to be a guide, not a rigid requirement. In fact, at Woman to Woman we encourage you while you are reading to park on a chapter or verse if feel you need more time there. It's okay slowly break down one chapter or read it for a few days while you put a pause on the plan. If you fall behind, don't give up, don't stress out, and don't feel down on yourself. Just get back to it.

If you fall behind, you can:
• jump to the current day and keep going from there
• jump to the current day and read one extra chapter a day until you catch up
• jump to the current day and listen to an audio Bible as you go about your day to catch up
• continue on, even if the dates on your plan don't match the calendar

Are you ready to become a woman in the Word in 2026? We would love to have you join us! To get the printable 2026 Bible reading plan, click HERE.

Join me next week as we share tips for cultivating a Bible reading schedule.

Discussion:
1. Have you ever read through the whole Bible?
2. What are your tips for sticking with a Bible reading plan?

Names of God Series: Led by the Way, the Truth, and the Life

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Ales Krivec

"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

~John 14:6

In our series on the names of God, we now come to another descriptive name of Jesus - The Way, The Truth, and The Life. In a day and age in which we are told there are "many paths to heaven" and that the gods of other religions and the God of the Bible are the same, it is important for us to revisit this key name of Jesus, for He truly is the only path to God and the only way to salvation.

If we are believers, we already know this to be true. We may have read John 14:6 a million times and even memorized it years ago. Therefore, it can be all too easy for us to sometimes just quickly brush past this passage that may have become old hat for us by now. But I encourage all of us to not make this mistake and to instead pay extra attention to a passage we may have failed to actually think deeply about in quite some time. Hebrews tells us that God's Word is alive and active, which means that as we revisit an age old passage such as this one, the Spirit is able to open our eyes to an aspect of it we never really thought of before. Perhaps that will be the case for us today as we break it apart and dive into it step by step as opposed to just looking at it as a whole.

Jesus is....

The Way.

The Greek word translated "way" is "hodos" and means way, journey, or path; can also mean a "way of thinking, feeling or deciding". So not only is Jesus our path to heaven, the way by which we get there, but He is also a different way of thinking, feeling, and deciding for us. What this means is that not only do we trust in Jesus for salvation, but that we allow Him and His ways to change us and how we operate. It is not enough to place faith in Jesus - we have to live like we have done so. We are called to change our ways of thinking, feeling, and deciding in order for them to align with the ways of Jesus. This is an aspect of this passage that we often miss.

The Truth.

This aspect of Who Jesus is goes along quite nicely with our call to think differently, for we are called to no longer hold allegiance to what we've always thought and believed and instead are now called to take every thought captive to what is actually true according to God and Scripture. The Greek word translated "truth" is "alētheia" and literally pertains to the truth of God and reality according to Him. His truth is ultimate truth, and we are called to reframe what our opinions might be on truth and instead submit to what God says is true and believe it as such.

The Life.

The Greek word translated "life" is "zoe" and pertains to "one who is possessed of vitality", "every living soul", "the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God", and "life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed". Not only is Jesus the way to eternal life, but He is also the giver of abundant life here and now, as well. This does not mean we are promised health, wealth, and prosperity here. But it does mean that we are blessed because we have access to Life Himself and, as such, are able to live in the abundance of the joy, grace, peace, comfort, encouragement, and help He offers. That is true life indeed!

Reflection Questions

1) Was there anything about today's breakdown of this verse that stood out to you or opened your eyes to a truth in a new way?

2) What encourages you the most about what Jesus says about Himself in this verse?

3) Why is it important for us to revisit this passage from time to time, especially in the day in which we live?

Life's Whirlwinds & Storms

 By: Joanne Viola

Recently these words by Chuck Swindoll crossed my path a few times:

“When I ask people when they really grew spiritually, they never describe an easy time. Never.”

For each of us, some life storms may very well be God-appointed storms.

“The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, 
And the clouds are the dust of His feet.” 
(Nahum 1:3, NKJV) 

The one thing life storms have in common is that God was the One in control of each of these storms.

“But our God is in heaven; 
He does whatever He pleases.” 
(Psalm 115:3, NKJV)

These storms of life have a way of changing the course of our lives, often bringing us back to what is important.

“When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, 
in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God 
and listen to His voice.“ 
(Deuteronomy 4:30, NASB)

It’s interesting to think the storms of life serve deeper purposes than we oft times realize. We would do anything to avoid pain and difficulties.

Chuck Swindoll makes this observation:

“Two things should comfort us in the midst of daily lightening and thunder and rain and wind. First, these squalls surge across everyone’s horizon … Second, we all need them. God has no other method more effective. The massive blows and shattering blasts (not to mention the little, constant irritations) smooth us, humble us, and compel us to submit to His script and His chosen role for our lives.”

(from Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life, page 133)

Somehow the big storms, and the little irritations, brought on by God in life serve the purpose of changing us, of growing us up in Christ. The lessons stick and carry us for the rest of our lives.

“Your way was in the sea and Your paths in the mighty waters, 
and Your footprints may not be known. 
You led Your people like a flock 
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.” 
(Psalm 77:19, NASB)

When we are trying to get our from under the storms of life, most times we do not see His footprints leading the way. Not every storm is detrimental, some are for our benefit.

One thing we can be certain of:

When we trust Him in the storm,
He will lead us through and
work His perfect will in our lives.

 

Reflection: 
How do you keep your focus maintained on the Lord when in the midst of a life storm?

 

Photo by Shashank Sahay on Unsplash