Beauty in the Book: Romans (Overview)

Scripture is not only Spirit-inspired but life-transforming—and it flows from the God of all grace.

Read through the commentaries below for highlighted truth that speaks to the goodness of God among the pages of Scripture. Reflect on key questions covered in each chapter, break down passages bit-by-bit, and celebrate the Lord’s character as spilled out among the pages of the Bible.

May God bless your time in Romans!

Thanks for being here!

Enter His Courts with Thanksgiving: Words on Grace

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 NIV

I often show up to God with my tail between my legs. 

I’m not proud of it. But it is a pattern I’ve noticed, and (if I’m being honest), I wonder if it might be a more common occurrence than people realize.

Here’s how it goes: I brew my coffee. I drag my bleary-eyed self down to the cozy desk in my art studio. And I long for the refreshment of God’s Spirit to wash over me as I spend time with God, imbibe his Word, and have prayerful conversation with Him.

But there’s a fight that takes place, many mornings, between shame and freedom. The truth that the God of the Universe wanted me and was willing to sacrifice everything to be in a relationship with me seems to slip my mind, and I wrestle with the lie that my sin, brokenness, or shortcomings hold me in a place where I’m unworthy of his presence.

It’s as though He was so committed to me that He offered me a key to His house (in Christ) but I’ve convinced myself that he doesn’t really want me to use it. So I stand outside, filled with a longing that He longs to satisfy.

The lie that God wants me to earn my way in is an assault on grace. It’s an insult, and in direct opposition to the Christian economy. If our own righteous acts or worthiness could save us, the cross becomes useless indeed:

“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Galatians 2:21 NIV

God willed that we would be saved by grace. That we might enter freely into his courts with gratitude in our hearts. That we might know our place in his family—adopted, beloved children of the Most High God!

He sacrificed everything, that we might not cower in fear, but come close to our Heavenly Father.

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:15 NIV

Understanding this reality is crucial, for the beckoning of grace draws us into the throne room—where heavenly mercies are sourced in abundance, to meet all of our needs according to God’s riches in Christ.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 NIV

May you enter into his courts with thanksgiving today, with a happy heart that is deeply assured of God’s steadfast love, and of your worthiness to enter—not because of anything you’ve done—but on the basis of faith in Christ, and his finished work on your behalf.

Because—as Hebrews 10:22 (NIV) most beautifully assures us—we are able to “draw near to God with a sincere heart and the full assurance that faith brings”. Fully sure, fully secure. May we run to him!

He loves to meet with you, his precious child. To walk with you in all the joys and sorrows of life, to strengthen you in faith. To equip you with everything good for doing his will. To laugh with you, to lift your gaze, to lighten your load. He is better than we could ever imagine, and He is our Father forever—praise be to God!

May this truth bless you today!

For more: Ephesians 2:8-10, Galatians 5:6-7, Hebrews 13:20-21, Hebrews 10:19-23, Ephesians 1:3-14

Why I Go To Church: An Ode to the Ordinary

I go to church because it’s the only place I’ve found containing powerful agents of healing, hope, and help walking around on two legs.

By no strength of their own—but only by the manifest presence of God at work within them through the Holy Spirit—normal, ordinary, everyday people operate as the hands and feet of the Almighty through their submission to the Father’s will and surrender to His power at work within them.

Collections of people who have chosen to claim Jesus as their Lord—or, in other words, as the master to whom they willingly yield themselves to—invite the Kingdom of Heaven into dusty, dismal, ordinary places, and it’s in these places that the miraculous unfolds.

I am so happy to have found my place in the family of God.

No child of God is meant live as an orphan when there is a community of Life and Love ready to enfold them and offer them the redemptive storyline that God desires for every person who bears his Name.

Have you experienced this kind of family, yet?

When I go to church, it starts out simply. I walk in the door and find no flashing signs or flashy displays just the soft, warm glow of flickering soul flames.

And as we enter into the worship sanctuary, like soft flames being fanned with a holy wind, the fire begins to blaze and engulf us as though we are God’s holy sacrifice—offering our praise in a moment of heaven touching earth.

We are met with words of truth—anointed and presented humbly—and while I am personally swept up in the ministry of the Holy Spirit, poured out amongst community, I am confident that if I were to look around the room, I would see eyes upon eyes filled with the tears of those being met by God in a tangible way. You would see hearts being transformed and hope swelling to tears welling—as the Holy Spirit accomplishes in teaching what no man could possibly do on his own.

We seal in this beauty with a final moment of worship—or, on some Sundays, with the remembrance of Holy Communion: a time where we honor the atoning sacrifice of Jesus who made the way for all of this to be possible.

The service commences and we mosey into the sanctuary. One might think the Holy Spirit has completed His mission as the service ends, but au contraire.

In a simple, taupe hallway with honey-oak trim—healing, helping ministry continues to unfold in a coming together of consecrated encounters. A compilation of divine arrangements begins as strangers-made-brothers-and-sisters begin with, “how are things?”—and, as if no time has passed at all—find themselves offering meals to help in hard times, loaning cars to those in need, sensitively sharing encouragements in just the right time and in just the right way, praying over trying circumstances, praising over healed heartaches—and living together with the fellowship of the Spirit amongst them as Jesus ministers to his people through the interactions of ordinary human life.

So, that’s why I go to church.

Because the aroma of heaven is intoxicating and I haven’t found it in just the same way anywhere else.

Beautiful Related Scriptures

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Hebrews 13:15 NIV

Ephesians 3:20-21: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Acts 2:44 NIV

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household… Ephesians 2:19 NIV

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV

Seeking the Lord: Reflections for Wholehearted Devotion

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.

—Psalm 27:8 (NIV)

Where is your heart today?

Have you ever sat down to read your Bible, or perhaps a devotional book, and the words on the page feel like—well, just that—words on a page?

Maybe you’ve felt the way I’ve been recently: longing for connection with the Lord, but feeling like your quiet times have come up dry and wanting.

And while there is an abundance of beautiful truths we can hold fast to in those seasons—that God’s word is surely living, active and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), or that God is, factually, always with us (Matthew 28:20)—there’s a certain heart-flutter many of us have come to yearn for: the glory and power of words jumping off the page at us as the Holy Spirit does a tangible work in our hearts and lives.

These moments can feel like the fresh air of our spiritual lives, and when we have gone without them for awhile, the stale-ness can feel suffocating.

And that’s where I found myself today—frustrated. Thankfully, the Lord met me in this moment of honest exasperation, as I was struck with a question that will forever shape my thinking around seasons of spiritual dryness.

Here’s how it went down…

I was settled in, cozy with coffee at my side, the way I have so many times before… oriented in prayer with a stack of Bibles and devotional books nearby. I picked one up, desperate for God, and began reading.

My mind took in a few words, but—as has been the case all-too-often lately—my heart’s engagement was zip-zilch-nada. I couldn’t understand it! I wanted my heart to be invested, but I felt like a high school student reading an obligatory textbook; I didn’t want time with the Lord to feel like a box to check, and yet it did. As I realized this conundrum of wanting to be invested, but yet not being invested, I began to reflect.

“My heart isn’t in this,” I thought to myself. But why not? “If my heart isn’t here, then where is it?”

And boom. That became the question that rocked me.

Where was my heart these days?

This whispered reflection-turned-prayer was answered just as quickly as it was asked, as images of good-things-turned-god-things flooded my mind. In other words, I had let lovely aspects of my life and callings (that began with God) take over my heart and focus, and establish their place on the pedestal of my life in a way that they were never intended to do so.

In that moment, I was reminded that the heart is a single-minded creature; it can only give itself fully to one thing.

We get a glimpse of that concept in Matthew 6:24, as Jesus discusses finances. He proclaims that a person cannot serve both God and money; their heart can only be truly devoted to one.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth. Matthew 6:24 NIV

Or I consider Joel 2:12-13 where God incites Israel to return to Him with their whole hearts—including mourning, fasting, and weeping. He doesn’t want their half-hearted devotion. And sweetly, this plea is followed with the reminder that God himself is rich in compassion, grace, patience and love. This is the beautiful character of the One who beckons us towards himself.

“Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Rend your heart
    and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
    and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:12-13 NIV

Furthermore, in the book of Jeremiah, there is another piece regarding the life of one whose whole heart is devoted to the Lord. Jeremiah 29:13 promises that those who seek the Lord with their whole hearts will find him!

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

To bring this idea full circle—and back into my own quiet moment this Summer morning—I realized that my devotion had become partially-hearted. And there was repentance that needed to come into play.

Repentance—for giving my heart to so many things that left me striving and unsatisfied.

Repentance—with the reception of a grace that forever longs to welcome me back home.

If you find your own quiet times wanting and dry, may you take a moment to ask the question, “where is my heart today?” And if you find it has wandered from home, may you return wholeheartedly to the refresher of your soul.

May you repent from your misgivings—turning to the One whose love is as grand as His arms are wide—and may you run to Him with reckless abandon.

Bless you today, my friend!

For more on these topics: Luke 15:11-32, Matthew 6:24, Psalm 27:4-5, Jeremiah 29:13

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A Gathering of Goodness: A Narrative Devotional by Guest Writer Erica Gosen

This writing was created by Erica Gosen in relation to the art piece, titled, “A Gathering of Goodness”. I know you will enjoy her creative work that speaks to the power of the image, and brings a soothing exhale to any soul that has ever asked the question, “Can I depend on the goodness of God?”

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8 

PART I

“Mom–look! The rabbits must have come back again!” His excited little three-year-old voice was muffled against the fleece gator wrapped tightly around his neck. The wind grabbed at the edges of his hood. I shifted his little sister higher on my hip; her slippery snowsuit sliding further down my coat yet again. I couldn’t set her down—it was difficult enough for her not quite two-year-old legs to manage hefty winter boots, let alone the mounds of frozen tundra.

“Look, look!” His voice directed my eyes to the trunk of the brown and bare crabapple, my favorite tree centered in our backyard. How strange. At the base of the snow embankment a perfect barkless ring encircled the trunk. Like a peeled carrot, all outer layers were completely gnawed away. I didn’t fault the critters, at least in that moment, for apparently I wasn't the only one desperate to survive this bleak and barren season. 

Yes, it was one of those Minnesota winters. When the first snow fell it blanketed the landscape, forever hiding all signs of life until spring. As the depth of cold months trudged along, the layers of white piled higher and higher around the tiny two bedroom duplex we rented yet called home. 

The heaviness was felt not only within our cramped four walls but perhaps even more so in my heart. I don’t remember how long it had been that way—certainly longer than just the current winter season. I don’t even remember why it had started. Was it the pandemic? The persistent loneliness? Was it the utter exhaustion? For the baby, who was no longer a baby, was still not sleeping through the night. Was it losing out on the perfect home because our “highest and best” wasn’t enough even though we had been saving since day one of our marriage? Which was now almost seven years ago. Was it that I had spent more days trying to quell my doubts in God’s plan rather than face my honest questions about His goodness? 

I looked back at the tree, my son still inspecting the bunnies’ lifeline. Closing my eyes I imagined the pink blossoms, the green leaves—spring would be my lifeline, right? God’s good design to bring all things dormant back to life. 

PART II

Spring did arrive—

And yet the crabapple tree never bloomed. 

Stripped of its support and protection, left vulnerable, it didn’t survive. The day the tree came down, my son and I watched all the commotion. The persistent chainsaw woke the napping babe and rattled my heart. It didn’t take long for the tree—and my tears—to fall. No one could stop either. 

Is God’s plan still good? Is it still good when the diagnosis is not, when the email reads “sorry, we went a different direction,” when funds come up short, when there’s still only one pink line, when the crabapple doesn’t bloom? 

My little boy, always seeking adventure, climbed up on one of the fallen logs; he teetered then steadied his balance.The faltering didn’t deter him from finding footing again. And maybe that’s the way forward. The tree wasn’t standing—but I still was.  And God is still good. Saying it was much easier than believing it. So I started to gather the small joys around me. For when circumstances betray your heart and threaten the trust in His faithfulness—you keep claiming Truth, hoping one day you will wake up with it filling your heart once more. Taste and see the Lord is good. Driveway car washes turned to spontaneous water fights, zinnias sprouting pinks, purple, orange, the neighborhood little library, evening sunsets of a thousand golden hues reflecting off the lake’s silver edges, the single rosy cheek of a sleepy babe after a long summer’s nap, baby blue eyes and skies and juicy slices of red watermelon. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him. 

As the evening light grew longer and louder, summer warmed the scenes before my eyes. This practice of gathering joy, like crumbs I had once discarded, became a holy ritual—my senses coming alive again. 

PART III

“They accepted the counter offer!” Our realtor’s voice came through crystal clear from the other end of the line, but honestly, I still couldn’t believe it. 

With the rates now higher than seen in years, the beautiful two-story had been sitting on the market for a couple of months, slowly dropping in price until one late autumn day it popped up on the listings within our budget. It seemed too good to be true, checking basically all of our boxes, even some of the frivolous ones. Perfect location in a more established neighborhood, four bedrooms all on the same level, room enough to host family gatherings, oversized yard and patio, brick fireplace, gorgeously refinished kitchen, and favorite of mine—an apple tree situated in the corner of the backyard.

After eight years of waiting, we finally had our first—and perhaps—forever home. 

PART IV

“Mom–mom! Come out here!” My son’s voice rang out from the corner of the backyard. 

I peered out my post at the kitchen sink window; I couldn’t see him but I had a pretty good guess as to where he was. I stepped onto the patio, faint morning shadows cascading across the bricks. My feet met the dew dropped grass as I crossed our expansive suburban yard toward his urgent request. It was the first spring in our new home, but he had already learned the apple tree was also the perfect climbing tree. 

“Look, look!” And then my eyes beheld it— 

Blossoms upon blossoms, sprinkling the tree in soft white. The beautiful boughs framed my boy—whose delight in the discovery drew him higher still. 

“We’re going to have apples, mom!” 

I could already taste the bountiful harvest to come.

Erica Gosen is a former English teacher turned part-time HR professional and stay-at-home mom to her three little ones. She loves all things creativity and connection—especially writing about her days in the margins of motherhood and hosting gatherings of family and friends, like her annual Apple Festival!

a gathering of goodness | tap image to shop print and booklet

Interactions with Grace: Introducing An Upcoming Collaboration with Erica Gosen

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 NIV

When was the last time you encountered tangible, interactive grace?

Stepping into the home of Erica Gosen a few months ago, I was met with a warmth and kindness that would continue to impact me in ways I never could have expected.

A fellow creative, Erica had commissioned me to create a vintage-aesthetic still life painting for her home. It would be quaint and cottage-esque—sweet and peaceful in it’s final product. But the production call was lofty: gingham tablecloths, intricately-woven baskets, and fresh botanical imagery.

This work would be the most complex subject matter I had taken on, and yet, as circumstances would play out: Erica’s warmth and kindness served as the grace that undergirded my courage in a way that taught me much about the lavish heart of God.

Today, I’d love to share a few of those reflections with you.

And yet, before I go any further, I’d like to offer a spoiler: the subject matter of this painting became something both Erica and I agreed had the potency to serve the hearts of many Christian women and homemakers. In the end, this commission became collaboration, as Erica poured the beauty of her heart into a piece of writing to coincide with the visual piece. More on that to come!

Below are some scribbles I poured out onto a Pages document as I worked with Erica. It’s drafted and unedited, and I’d prefer to keep it that way as I think it captures the raw outpour of my heart as I encountered these new thoughts in real time…

My actions stayed the same, but all the fear was gone.

This, my friends, summarizes a tangible interaction with grace I had recently.

I was alone in my studio, finishing up a commissioned artwork. I became acquainted with the recipient of this piece through my child’s school but otherwise didn’t know her.


She had me to her home so I could get a taste of her personal style, and hear a bit of her heart behind why she wanted an “ebenezer artwork”.

As she was sharing—with incredible humility—how God has been faithful to her in her journey, all I kept thinking was “her heart is so beautiful”.

It was meek, kind, humble, and warm.

The piece she was inviting me into was far more challenging than anything I had taken on before. It involved a printed tablecloth and an intricately woven basket. As you might be able to imagine, transferring such complexities onto a canvas is much more challenging than, say, a smooth bowl or simple shape.

And yet, her inquisition was riddle with mercy as she assured me that if this task became too heavy to bear, it would be completely fine if I came back with a simple composition—even if it lacked the details she had originally commissioned me for. Rich with grace, which, after hearing her story, seemed rooted in a deeper trust that God carried her. She seemed ready with the rhythm of release—an art many of us long to master.

As I stepped into her painting, impacted by her grace, I felt emboldened to give it my all. Her heart was so kind, and there was nothing I wanted more than to give her the very best I could, and to bless her with more than she could have hoped for—but it was going to take work.

As I slowly and steadily made my way through her artwork, brush-stroking every tiny basket-weave and shadow, I noticed something in my spirit: her grace enabled me to work hard, without fear. Knowing I had safety to “mess up” helped me to operate with freedom, taking risks where it was needed, and to step out of my comfort zone.

The result: in the end, the completed painting was far more complex than anything I had made, and my skills expanded.

This is what is possible when grace is the grounding you’re working from.

This atmosphere carried on into the framing process. This is a portion of the work that can bring stress as it involves things like power tools and screws—all items that are also out of my comfort zone.

And yet, as I went through the very same motions I have done before in framing—I noticed my demeanor felt different: I was doing the same actions, but without fear.

You see, in every framing project, I have always done my best. I have always wanted to provide the very best for those who have entrusted me with artwork for their home. And yet the process has been high-stress.

For this recent commission, I had the opportunity to still do my very best, but to do it with a heart of peace.

The peace that only grace provides.


So in the end, who really provided the service for whom? She is walking away with a painting, but I am walking away with a richer understanding of how different life is when grace is the grounding we move upon. Grace is stabilizing, meek, and steady. And it enables us to serve more boldly, work more fearlessly, and to do it all with undercurrents of peace.

I am grateful!

I hope that blessed you. I have thought often abou the feeling I had completing this piece of work, and it has emboldened me in my Kingdom Callings as I remember God’s abundant warmth and grace that is the safety net that catches me when my flesh falls short. May you be encouraged to remember that very same truth today.

Stay tuned for the newest art release (May 2025) titled, A Gathering of Goodness.

Steps Through Psalm 6: Love in our Languishing

As we read this Psalm together, I pray you will walk away having gained deeper understanding in regards to the following questions:

  • Does God hear my cries?

  • How might I approach God in times of trouble?

  • What does it mean that God is merciful?

Without further adieu, let’s dive in. Feel free to open Psalm 6 in a new tab.

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Saved by Love, For Love: An Exploration of Our Calling in Christ

Love is the goal. 

God saved us. But what did he save us from? And what did he save us for?  

Perhaps you’ve heard it before: he saved us from our sin. But what was his heart behind this cosmic move? Did God saves us because he had to? Because we were his annoying children, burdening him, causing him to do what needed to be done—against his true will?

No, the Bible tell us that it was because of his great love that he saved us. That it gave him pleasure to redeem us. That his love for us was immeasurable while we were still dead in our sin, and in total rebellion against him. (Titus 3:4-5, 1 Timothy 2:4, Ephesians 2, Romans 5:8)

The sin he saved us from was like a disease he found the cure for, and stopped at nothing to deliver us the dose we needed. Yes, we escaped the death penalty from a judicial standpoint, but we also are given the ongoing love and support of our care-taking Heavenly Father who stands by our bedside and ushers his kingdom to wash over us and purify us in our day-to-day life. He is present, loving, and kind. May we never forget his ongoing salvation in our lives. (Philippians 1:6, Matthew 6:10, Luke 4:18-21, 1 Peter 1:2)

So then, we know what he saved us from (sin and death), and we know why he saved us (because of his steadfast love), but what did he save us for? Or, to what end?

Scripted across scripture, we see a narrative of love and mercy pouring out from God himself. Redeemed as his children, it’s this same lifestyle of love that we are beckoned into, and invited to walk out. (Lamentations 3:23, 1 John 4:19)

A few passages that highlight this fact include…

  • MATTHEW 5:43-47: In this, we see the character of God (and our invitation to be like him) displayed as God’s grace pours out over the sinner, and the “non-sinner”. He compares it to sunshine. How beautiful is that?! God’s giving of love isn’t contingent on receiving it back. He simply pours out grace, period. I came face-to-face with this concept, unexpectedly, through a little lesson on St. Patrick this week: enslaved as a child (but eventually having escaped), this man of God chose to go back to the land of his perpetrators to share the love of Jesus. His love for others wasn’t contingent on the love they showed him—and in this way, he revealed God’s love most profoundly.

  • TITUS 1 & 2: These chapters of Scripture place a firm emphasis on doing good. God’s grace is sometimes presented as a soft over-looking of sin—but on the contrary, when true grace is present, sin is not over-looked, but addressed, overcome, renounced, and banished. Letting sin fester and flourish would not be loving, it would be destructive and unkind. And that’s exactly what’s spelled out in 2 Timothy 2:11-14. It says that God’s grace appeared to offer salvation. And what is this salvation? It’s an invitation to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to step into self-control and upright living. This upright living plays out in the form of—you guessed it—love. Or as it’s described here: good deeds and purity. The opposite of wickedness. The antidote of selfishness. Others-focused, benevolent, kind-hearted love. God’s grace appeared so we could walk in love. It appeared so we can live as his children, reflecting his character, eager to do good.

  • 1 CORINTHIANS 13: With so much good to do, how can we discern what is best? This Corinthians chapter uniquely compares love to other good things and claims its supremacy. For example, the desire to grow in spiritual gifts is a noble and worthwhile pursuit; these gifts build up the church, bring others into the fullness of Christ, edify, encourage, and equip. (Ephesians 4:11-15) And yet, their importance pales in comparison to the simple acts of love. In the same regard, having an abundance of Biblical knowledge, a strong gift of teaching, or wild generosity are all regarded as nothing compared to the simplest acts of love. We are called to love—first and foremost, and in finality. It’s as basic as it is challenging: love is the call. May we not neglect the best thing in pursuit of the good things.

Okay, okay… that was a bit of a speedy rally through a few scriptures that have been soaking my heart and mind this week, but I hope they got you churning on the concept of love.

To sum it up: God desires for us to know his love, and to reflect his love to the world. He is committed to our growth—offering grace for salvation. This salvation teaches us to live upright, self-controlled lives, eager to do good. Just like our Heavenly Father! And he helps us discern what is best. With so much good to do, 1 Corinthians 13 keeps it simple for us: it’s not about our spiritual resume, it’s about steadfast love… how we know it, and how we show it. 

An A.W. Tozer quote regarding this topic rocked me last night. He was discussing the mysteries of God—things that people could spend their whole life pondering. And of course, the mysteries of God are beautiful. But in an address of where we place our focus, he says this:

“Prying into [these mysteries] may make theologians, but it will never make saints.” —A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Sometimes, I just want to be a theologian. I want to know all the stuff. But this quote shook me: how lovely it is to live like a saint. Knowledge is good… but love is better.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV

Practically, on a personal note, I had a long to-do list today. I felt tense and overwhelmed at the thought of it all, and had been casually praying the last 48 hours about what God would have in store for my day. Hungry for sleep, I missed my typical morning meeting with Jesus and got up when my children did (rather than beforehand).

I hoped for a little nugget from God as I read their children’s Bible with them, and faithfully, He spoke to me through the 1 Corinthians 13 passage from above.

My to-do for list was full of good things. But I’ve found that true wisdom has less to do with saying yes to what’s good and a lot more to do with choosing what’s best.

This morning was a much-needed mental reframe of how to choose what’s best for myself and my family. If I do good deeds through my work, maintain a flourishing business, wake up for quiet times, and spend my day “pouring out”—but am irritable, edgy, and angry by the time I interact with God’s beloved people, am I really “getting it right”?

If I give generously, teach responsibly, and pray powerfully—but am impatient, unkind, harsh, and condemning—am I placing my focus in the proper places?

Ultimately, the question that came to mind was this: what can I prioritize (or cut away) in my life so that I can interact with others with increasing love?

When we feel stretched thin, God will meet our needs. And sometimes, I believe the meeting of those needs may come preemptively—in the form of an invitation to rest, a call to strip away what’s unnecessary, and to laser my focus onto what matters most.

Perhaps, this is the place that God has called us to all along. Reliance on him, rest in him.

I pray for you today, as you read this. May God show you what it would look like to be filled up by his love, to really know it in both breadth, and depth, and then—with a soul at rest—to offer that love to the world.

His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. (Matthew 11:30) He will guide you on his perfect path, for His name’s sake. He will show you what still waters look like for you today. (Psalm 23)

Let the Father fill you up today. He loves you. Blessings!

Need a reminder of how to “quiet down”? Tap below to learn more about this resource—intended to bring clarity to the topic of how to cut away the noise and find rest in the Spirit’s love.