Spiritual Sparks
"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." Mark 10:15 KJV Step into the world of a child, and suddenly the ordinary becomes the enchanted extraordinary. You'll see kingdoms rise from couch cushions, ballerinas twirl across the room, soldiers march into castles armed with nothing more than cardboard swords and boundless imagination. Their joy is a fountain, flowing and bubbling without hesitation, without shame. I confess—I've been there. I used to fill a wheelbarrow with rubber ducks, add water, and proudly declared I was training dolphins for Sea World. And from the towering heights of my puppy's doghouse (our very own Mt. Everest), I practiced bird calling and even tossed out a yodel or two. In those moments, my world was limitless, and my heart was as free as the cotton candy clouds above me. Imagine yourself reaching for God with that same abandon—no tongue-tied prayers, no rehearsed words ... just music rising from the soul without a script. You see, God doesn’t require performance; He desires presence. He longs to walk inside your thoughts and cradle your dreams, to know your inner child wants Him and only Him. That’s the kind of love He craves—a devotion unclouded by fear of critics or cynics, a surrender untethered from self-consciousness. As the verse reads: "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein" (Mark 10:15 KJV). Beloved, do not let your older child silence your inner child. Allow your spirit to rise and soar among the cotton candy clouds. Heavenly Father, Childlike faith is the doorway to Your kingdom and is easier said than done. Teach me to lay down pride and hesitation and come to you with simple trust. Quiet the critics and cynics in my mind, and clothe me in the freedom of a child who simply delights in worshiping You. In Jesus name. Amen. Spiritual Sparks 1. Are you holding back parts of your heart from the One who already knows you completely? 2. When was the last time you felt free in God's presence? God doesn’t require performance; He desires presence.~~LM
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV Some roads sparkle like gold in the sun. Others curve into the shadows, stirring our curiosity and promising mystery. But not every road takes us where we hope to go, not every path leads to peace. Then comes the moment the trail splits and life asks: right or left? Let's be honest—we've all taken a detour or two. Decisions are a part of life. Choices shape us. So, we see the split and say, “Ooooh, I wonder where that one goes!” Or maybe that daring friend grins and says, “This way ... it’ll be fun!” And guess what? Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t. The wrong path doesn’t always display a warning sign. It often begins with something small—a book, a movie, a joke, a shortcut. You tell yourself, “This isn’t so bad.” Until it is. Until the pavement beneath our feet cracks and crumbles ... and suddenly we find ourselves walking barefoot on a gravel road—alone. At that point, each step stings, our soul aches, and the Holy Spirit whispers: "This isn’t peace." Precious one, if you’re running a good race, stay in your lane. If someone tugs on your sleeve and urges you down another trail, glance ahead before you follow. If it costs you your peace, it's too expensive. That's a lesson Peter—an apostle of Jesus Christ—had to learn during his own journey. Remember Peter? The guy who walked on water—and then sank? The guy who swore he’d never deny Jesus—and then did it three times before the rooster crowed? Peter fell hard. He'd taken the wrong turn more than once. Still, despite it all, after the resurrection Jesus gave Peter a new chance, a new purpose, and called him to feed His sheep. Jesus gave Peter back his peace. That’s grace. That’s truth. That's mercy. That’s the kind of path we want to stay on—even when we stumble. You see, Peter took the detour, but grace brought him back. Grace set his heart on fire for the truth. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV). Dear one, we've all lost our footing, our tender feet bruised by the bite of gravel. But God's grace will always find us, lift us and set us back on the main road. Pray and listen for the voice that leads to peace, not pressure. Stay in the lane that leads to love, not chaos. And when you see the fork ahead, stand your ground and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your steps home. Heavenly Father, When detours arise, set my feet on solid ground and show me the way to peace. Allow me to always hear Your voice in times of need. May the Holy Spirit guide me, so that I may humble myself under Your mighty hand, that you may exalt me at the proper time, and that I may cast all my anxiety on You. In Jesus' name. Amen. Spiritual Sparks When "detours" arise, where is the first place you should look for peace? When the Holy Spirit whispers, do you stop and listen for His grace, His mercy, His truth? "Peter took the detour, but grace brought him back." ~~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 ... driew.
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.