Spiritual Sparks
"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6 NKJV Praising God is the 'thank you' that refuses to be silenced. We can praise our God everywhere. You can praise Him when you've squashed a stinkbug three times, only to have the armored beast rise in helicopter fashion and dive straight into your hair. Been there. You can praise Him when dinner 'got too blessed' in the oven and the smoke alarm blares its never-ending beep. Done that. You can praise Him when you didn't invest in Microsoft because you thought it was a "new and improved" foot cream from Avon. No comment to protect the innocent. There is no limit to where, when, or how to praise God. Just lift your believing heart and "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord" (Psalm 150:6 NKJV) . Praise shifts our focus away from our wants—and refocuses our hearts on His presence, His power, and His love. When we worship God, we see who we really are and begin to understand our purpose in life. It strengthens our faith and builds a firmer foundation beneath us. Years ago, while at work in the medical field I remember quietly humming a hymn while two co-workers argued over the temperature in our small office. They stopped mid-argument, looked at me, and went back to work. Either they thought I was crazy—or they saw the fourth man in the fire. All I know, during that turmoil, God heard me. How do I know this? Because the next morning, the thermostat was encased in a plastic cover with a lock. No one touched it again. Amen. Praise doesn't wait for the perfect moment; it creates one. So, dear friend, the greater we see our God, the smaller our problems become. Praise Him for His mighty acts. Praise Him for His greatness. Praise Him for the ancient hymns. Praise Him for the new worship music. Praise Him for the Bible that gives us wisdom, knowledge, and inspiration. Even when life gets noisy, messy, or hard to handle, let's praise God and be the 'thank you' that refuses to be silenced. Because as long as we have breath, we have a reason to praise. Heavenly Father, Help me remember that praise doesn't wait for the perfect moment—it creates one. Let my heart be a 'thank you' that refuses to be silenced, whether I'm joyful or messy or quietly humming the tune to "In The Garden." I know You will always walk with me and talk with me and tell me I am your own. In Jesus name. Amen. Spiritual Sparks When you're right in the middle of a stinkbug situation, how can you find a small moment to praise God? How are you the 'thank you' that refuses to be silenced? Be the 'thank you' that refuses to be silent. ~~LM
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 NKJV Do you have a purpose in life? Of course you do. We all walk this earth guided by the realm of God's plan. So, whether our daily walk involves toting our kids to the grocery store, buying a house, getting married, working our way up the corporate ladder, or simply sitting in a chaotic traffic jam, each stage or event gives cause for the next step. There are times when faith feels clouded, like stars lost inside the storm. But even then, they're still shining—and so is His plan. With God's unconditional love and His heartfelt guidance, "we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28 NKJV). As we go through the different stages of life, God guides our steps toward a greater purpose, a purpose He wants fulfilled. Think about it. Look back at how each stage of your life has unraveled. The highs, the lows, the blunders, and the successes. We may not understand His divine plan, but He always has our main purpose in mind. You see, God's plans are bigger than we can even imagine. He is why we walk this planet. He is the breath in our lungs, the beat in our heart. So, let's keep our faith strong, have patience, and know God is in control. His ways may not always be easy, but then life wasn't always easy for Jesus. Precious One, allow your heart to follow God's lead. Look for the beauty of where your life started and where it now stands. You are exactly where you need to be in order to fulfill your God given purpose. He has a plan and it's perfect even when the way is rough. Heavenly Father, Thank you for walking beside me through every twist and turn of this life. When I can't see the road ahead, remind me that you are the light guiding my steps. Even when the way is rough, God's purpose remains steady and good. In Jesus name. Amen. 🩵SPIRITUAL SPARKS 🩵 What helps you trust God's plan when you can't see the way forward? What part of your life might God be using to shape His greater purpose in you? "Allow your heart to follow God's lead." ~~LM
Prayers Under Fire
~~coming soon~~
Dex Hamilton, special ops mercenary, turned his back on God six years ago. He now spends his rogue life living for the government, sidestepping a monotony of red tape, and righting a long-overdue wrong.
Marcee Simmons, small-town preacher’s daughter from Ohio, is forced to drive deep into the Belize jungle with Dex. Her faith is tested as she and Dex dodge a host of armed men, cavort with a freeloading tarantula, and plunge over a makeshift waterfall.
Together they must evade the evil forces of a kingpin who fights to monopolize new smuggling channels for the exploitation of illegal drugs and human trafficking. When a few phenomenal miracles cross their paths, the results become an awakening kaleidoscope of change, making their survival critical, their trust unavoidable, and their love unstoppable.
Linda Morgan
Linda Morgan resides in Ohio with her husband. She is a flower gardener at heart, loves to zipline and shoot guns—not at the same time, though. She is an eclectic book nerd. She loves reading her Bible and any devotional she can get her hands on. However, Linda is also an avid reader of everything from Dr. Seuss to Helen Steiner-Rice, YA adventures to espionage thrillers, romantic suspense to clean rom-coms. The latter being her all-time favorite, and as her husband is always quick to point out: “Life’s (more!) better when you’re laughing.” She agrees.
She is a word geek to the extreme and for some quirky reason has an overwhelming impulse to spell words backwards, but only to herself. Not out loud. That would just be weird.
She's written a full-length novel, Prayers Under Fire, which will be released soon. When she typed "the end" to Marcee Simmons' story, she says it was a cartwheel-delight moment--literally. Linda combines page-turning adventure, intriguing suspense, and a romantic happily-ever-after ending to her novels. She had a poem published a decade ago, and a few years back, she won first place on two devotions submitted to FaithWriters.com. Recently, she's had a short-story published, Love at First Drop, in an anthology book titled, DREAMS AND DRIFTWOOD. In a couple months, she will have another short-story published, Tinsel-Touched, in a Christmas anthology.
Above all else, God is number one in her life, and Linda knows she wouldn’t be writing if she didn’t believe this is what He’s called her to do. Please take the time to stop by her devotional page, "Spiritual Sparks." She welcomes your visits and prays her words touch your heart.