Spiritual Sparks
"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God." Isaiah 61:10 KJV Worshiping and rejoicing in the Lord brings joy to the heart of God. It allows our soul to dance with praise and clap its hands much like a toddler who just discovered the unbridled happiness of stomping and dancing in a puddle. Rejoicing captures the wonder of who God is and reminds us that heaven is never silent when His children praise Him. A few mornings ago, I rushed out the door, tripped on the step, and spilled coffee all over myself. Then, after I changed clothes, I couldn’t find the car key and noticed my phone battery glowed red at three percent. Don’t even asked about the car charger, because more importantly, my doctor (with whom I was seven minutes late) noticed I had worn two different colored Croc sandals to the appointment. Did we laugh? Yep. Bless her heart. By lunchtime, frustration had wrapped around my heart like the tangled charging cord hiding at the bottom of the car console. Finally, during a solemn moment at a red light, I whispered, “Lord, I need You. Help me rejoice in You even though this isn't one of my better days.” Suddenly, the afternoon did not feel so heavy or chaotic. Yes, the problems were still there, but so was God. You see, our connection to Him is vital. It doesn’t happen accidentally. It grows through time spent with Him, through prayer, through worship, and through trusting Him even on the messy days. No matter where we are or what we do, we need a relationship with Him. We need obedience to God’s Word. We need to exercise our faith and love for Him. I say "need" because need is very different from " want ." Dear one, we need Jesus. We need His heart shaping ours. We need the Holy Spirit alive within us. We need the challenge of telling ourselves: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God” (Isaiah 61:10 KJV). So, no matter how messy your day might become, take a moment and allow your soul to puddle-dance like a toddler. Heavenly Father, May my heart and mind greatly praise You. Teach me to grow in all that You are and help me stay rooted in faith and obedience to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Spiritual Spark Challenge How can you invite God into your messy days? ~~Even mismatched Crocs can puddle-dance along with your soul.~~LM
"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" Philippians 4:11 NKJV Have you ever opened your closet, stared at all the hanging clothes, and dramatically declared, “I have nothing to wear!” Yet, in that same moment, you realize you have enough clothes to outfit a small village. Somehow, our hearts act like overstuffed junk drawers—we keep cramming blessings inside. Yet the second we can’t find exactly what we want, or someone points out what we don't have, our heart shatters as though we have absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, God has already filled our lives with gifts stacked higher than Mt. Laundry in the corner of the washroom. The problem isn’t that God hasn’t provided enough; it’s that comparison has a way of shrinking contentment faster than a cotton shirt in a hot dryer. So, let's slip into Paul's sandals for a bit and figure out something most of us (including myself) spend years attempting to understand. Contentment is not found in having everything we want, but in trusting the One who gives us exactly what we need. As Paul states, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Phil. 4:11 NKJV). When Paul wrote his letters from prison, he obviously did not live in a Pinterest-worthy home. He was not scrolling past filtered photos of other people's blessing while shackled inside a dark cell, munching on stale bread and mystery meat topped with bug marinara. He learned to steady his heart like a sailor anchoring his boat in rough water. Contentment is a muscle, not a mood and not something we are simply born with. We must strengthen and develop it through consistent practice and mindful effort. Some days contentment is our own heavy weightlifter. Other days it strains to pick up a toothbrush. Either way, Christ is the strength doing the lifting, even when the spiritual membership feels expired. So, dear friend, the next time you stand before that overstuffed closet, arms spread like Moses parting the polyester sea, remember: contentment turns "nothing to wear" into "more than enough," one blessed hanger at a time. Heavenly Father, Teach me to see Your goodness instead of focusing on what people may think I lack. Quiet my comparisons, strengthen my contentment. Help me find joy and contentment through Christ who strengthens me. May my eyes never compare the blessings of Your goodness. In Jesus' name. Amen. Spiritual Sparks What is one simple thing you can thank God for today? What small gift from God made you smile today? ~~Contentment is a muscle, not a mood.~~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.
My Anthologies
Enjoy ten delightful short stories,
including my own,Tinsel-Touched.
It’s such a joy to see this Rom-Com about second chances come to life alongside the eclectic voices of my talented author friends.
I'm so grateful Love at First Drop found a home in this beautiful
anthology. These twelve stories dive into human depths of resilience, humor, and enduring power of love in unexpected places.
Linda Morgan
Linda Morgan resides in Ohio with her husband. She is a flower gardener at heart, a three-aquarium enthusiast, and when time permits she crochets pillows and afghans. As an eclectic book nerd, Linda loves reading her Bible and any devotional she can get her hands on. However, her bookshelf contains everything from Dr. Seuss to Helen Steiner-Rice to espionage thrillers 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. (Spoiler alert: it’s a trilogy, so get ready to meet the Jameson brothers, whose entertaining adventures and swoon-worthy romances bring faith, hope, and love to life.) Linda combines page-turning adventure, intriguing suspense, and a romantic happily-ever-after 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. In July 2025, she's had a short-story published, Love at First Drop, in an anthology titled, DREAMS AND DRIFTWOOD. In November 2025, Tinsel-Touched hit the shelf in a Christmas anthology titled, HOLIDAYS IN THE HEARTLAND.
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.