By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.  Exodus 13:21

When you were a child, did you ever just lie in the grass and look up at the sky, watching the clouds take on all sorts of funny shapes and figures?  I remember lying in the yard when I was a kid, gazing in wonder as the clouds morphed into different animals or other patterns as they glided across the blue sky.  When was the last time you stopped to consider the clouds?

Recently, I was praying and realized my prayers were a bit muddled.  God whispered to my soul to take a few minutes and focus on a particular issue.  My next “to do” was to lift weights.  As I ambled over to my workout bench, deep in thought, I sat down.  No longer motivated to work out, I leaned back onto the bench.  As I glanced up through the skylight, I saw shape-shifting clouds as they floated by.  As I observed the clouds transform themselves into different configurations, the phrase from one of my yoga DVDs passed through my head:  “Thoughts, like the clouds, let them go.”  Not heeding that advice, I focused more on my thoughts, particularly on the issue at hand, as I continued my conversation with God.  My thoughts did seem to drift like those clouds but eventually they took form as the Lord gave me new hope when I came to grips with the struggle within.

Did you know there are 163 references to clouds in the Bible?  From God setting a rainbow in the clouds so the Israelites would remember His promise to never flood the earth again to references in the book of Revelation of Jesus returning to earth on a cloud, God has used the imagery of clouds in various ways.  One of the earlier references in the Old Testament is found in our key verse today in Exodus 13:21.  When the Israelites were wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years, God guided them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

In our hurry-up culture, I wonder if we ever slow down enough to behold the clouds as they skim the surface of the sky.  Do we focus long enough to gather our thoughts together on deep issues that perplex us so that we can move forward in the knowledge that we’ve stopped, looked, and listened to God’s spirit within us?  Do we allow God to guide us just as the pillar of cloud guided the Israelites so long ago?  When we were children, we lived life unhurriedly.  May we today slow down and spend time in God’s presence, marveling at the beauty and serenity of His creation, while we ponder His truths, listen to His voice, and grasp His deep love for us.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for clouds and the beauty of Your creation.  Remind me to frequently stop the frenetic pace to listen to You.  May the clouds be a reminder for me today of the peace that comes from slowing down and spending time with You in prayer and contemplation.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water…Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.  I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.  Psalm 63: 1, 7-8

King David knew what it was like to wander around in the desert.  He wrote Psalm 63 as he fled in terror from his son Absalom who was trying to kill him.  David experienced physical thirst and hunger as he ran for his life.  More importantly, he understood what it was like to depend only on God.  David longed to meet God in that barren wasteland.  He yearned for Him.  He knew that only God could satisfy his hunger and quench his thirst.  Only God could meet his needs.  Only his God could save him.

While we may not be in physical danger, we do have broken places in our lives where life just doesn’t work like we expected.  Sometimes we wander around in our own barren wasteland, don’t we?  Life feels like an arid desert, void of sustenance.  Unlike David, however, we may not feel that God can meet our needs or that He is even there.  When we least likely feel like praising God, when circumstances seem to overwhelm us, those are the times when we most need to seek God.  To long for Him, to thirst for Him in a dry and parched land.

David even went a step further.  Not only did he seek God out in his difficult situation, he also sang this song or psalm of praise to God.  David acknowledged that God was his sole source of help.  He sang praises to God as he hid safely in the shadow of God’s wings.

Our throats may feel too parched to sing praises.  Our hearts may be too downtrodden.  But acknowledging that God is still God, our God, in our desolate landscape is the beginning of our healing process.  Whether we’re experiencing huge losses, like losing someone we love, or whether the day-to-day gets overwhelming, God delivers on His promises.  He will uphold us with His right hand when we cling tightly to Him.

Dear God, You are my God.  I earnestly seek You in a dry and parched land.  Only You can satisfy my hunger and thirst.  You are my Help, O God.  Uphold me with Your righteous right hand.  Help me to cling tightly to You in this desert of life on earth.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

  
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Text and photograph copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved. Photo of Mystery Valley, Arizona. 

​All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  John 11:19

Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, had died.  When Jesus arrived on the scene, Lazarus had been dead for three days.  In Biblical times, the Jews usually buried their dead on the day they passed away.  Their customs dictated that mourners show their support for the bereaved on the third day.  So the Jews from Jerusalem came to comfort Martha and Mary upon the death of Lazarus.  Most likely, these siblings were of a prominent family and so the Jews in Jerusalem walked the two miles or so to Bethany.  Both Martha and Mary were beside themselves with grief.  Both knew that if Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have died.  But Jesus had other plans.  He raised Lazarus from the dead.  A true miracle for all to see so that they might put their faith in Jesus.

I wonder what would have happened if there were no rules or customs that required the Jews from Jerusalem to officially grieve with Martha and Mary.  I wonder, too, if the people would have walked that far if Martha and Mary had not been members of a distinguished family.  Perhaps their suffering would have been dismissed.  Or perhaps only a few would have walked the distance to Bethany.

Fast forward to our own time and culture.  When we hear of a friend losing a brother or sister, what do we do to help them?  Or do we believe that they will get over it soon enough without our assistance?

Adult sibling death is often misunderstood.  When an adult dies, folks quickly reach out to the surviving spouse, parents, and children.  And rightly so.  But what about the deceased’s brothers and sisters?  Typically they are brushed to the wayside.  It isn’t that people don’t care.  It’s just they don’t realize how painful it is.

Sibling loss is frequently referred to as “disenfranchising.”  What that means is the bereaved are deprived of the care they need during their time of grief.  Called the “forgotten mourners”, their suffering is minimized.  Why is that?  I believe that, especially in our mobile society, brothers and sisters grow up in the same house, but part ways to live hundreds of miles away from each other.  Perhaps they only spend time together during the holidays.  Or maybe not even then.  So when someone they know loses a sibling, they can’t relate.  Unfortunately for those who are grieving, they may not receive sympathy and help simply because their friends have no idea how huge their heartache is.

Losing an adult sibling is a very painful experience.  This experience isn’t just “gotten over” in a few weeks.  Anytime we lose someone we love, they leave behind a hole in our heart, a broken place that requires much time and healing.  The heart is never completely whole again although the pain may lessen over time.

If you know someone who has suffered the passing of a brother or sister, reach out to them with compassion and kindness.  Try to understand what they must be experiencing.  Realize that they need to express their grief as they begin their healing journey.  Walk beside them, even if you don’t know what to say.  Whether you travel two miles like the Jews who traveled to Bethany, or many miles, just knowing you are there will comfort those who mourn.

Dear Jesus, I thank You that You are always with me, even when those around me don’t understand my sense of pain.  May I care for those who need Your healing touch, just as You care for me.  In Your precious Name I pray, Amen.

 
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Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Like a lion in cover he lies in wait.  Psalm 10:9

Did you know that the word “wait” appears over 100 times in the Bible?  In our instant gratification culture, “wait” isn’t a word we like to use.  While the Bible often associates “waiting” with “trusting”, I’m referring to a different kind of “wait”.

Like a lion seeking its prey, the grief enemy stalks us, overtaking us at times with tears and sadness, sometimes when we least expect it.  I have often been surprised by grief and its suddenness.  When you’ve lost a loved one, it doesn’t take much some days to flood our memories with the fact that someone we love is gone.  And it hurts.  Very badly.

There are those of us, however, who prefer to remain stoic.  Living in denial that they’ve suffered a loss, they plow on through life.  For some, it’s a total obliteration of the truth that they are hurting.  For others, it’s an acknowledgement that they feel loss but are unable to process and sort through their feelings.

Here’s the bottom line:  Grief will wait.  Grief will wait for you to come to terms with the fact you’ve experienced loss.  While it can be postponed, grief will lie in waiting until you are ready to deal with the pain.  For some of us, that “waiting” may take years.  And in the meantime, the undercurrent, perhaps subconscious, of our loss permeates our relationships.  It impacts us to the very core of who we are, sometimes shaping our perceptions of ourselves and our self-esteem.

Here’s the hope:  Let yourself grieve.  And in doing so, you will see that grief really isn’t the enemy.  For it is in the road less traveled that we truly find ourselves.  In the difficult times when we reflect, journal, process, and do whatever it takes to work through our sense of loss that we become stronger and healthier and whole.

Grief isn’t the enemy.  Denial is.  Only when we acknowledge our loss and our need can we begin the journey of healing.  Grief draws us closer to the God of All Comfort, the God who loves us more than we can ever hope or imagine.  For it is in the darkness that we reach for the light, the light of God’s Word for our path (Psalm 119:105) and for Jesus, the Light of the world (John 8:12).  Through His healing power, we are made whole.  It starts with awareness.  Let yourself grieve.  Embark on a path of healing today.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are the God of All Comfort.  I thank You for walking with me in my loss and for using grief to bring me to a place of hope, healing, and wholeness.  In Jesus’ most precious name I pray, Amen.

 
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Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12

Today is my birthday.  Not one of those milestone birthdays.  Just one in-between.  I’m not as excited about my birthday like I was when I was kid as I anxiously awaited parties and presents.  But this day is still my special day.  Birthdays are days to celebrate life and to anticipate many more years to come.

My brother Logan was just shy of his 49th birthday when he died suddenly of a massive heart attack.  While family members and friends gathered on his special day to memorialize his “almost” birthday at his favorite restaurant, our celebration was markedly different that year.  To celebrate what would have been is bittersweet at best.   To remember what will never be is in the very least agonizing.  Being together, however, did help bring a small bit of closure to our tender and aching hearts.

Psalm 90:12 says “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  Life is short.  We don’t know how many days or years we have left.   Our “death day” is unknown to us.  God’s Word tells us to consider the shortness of our days which are only shadows of the life eternal.  Ponder what you want the rest of your life to be.  Gain God’s heart of wisdom through prayer and reading His Word so the choices you make today will positively impact the rest of your days.  Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first.  Determine your values and priorities and be true to them.  Live a life well-lived.

For those of us who have lost loved ones, birthdays, ours and theirs, are difficult days.  While these times are bittersweet as we recall birthdays that are gone forever, live in the present.  Dwelling on the past or being anxious for the future is futile.  Thinking of what might have been or what will never be is depressing.  Commemorate these special days in ways that both are meaningful and healing.  Spend time with those who matter most to you.  Spend time with the God who loves you.  Make each day count.  Life is too short not to.

Heavenly Father, I know You hold my days in Your hands.  I know not how long I have left on this earth until You call me homeward.  Give me a heart of wisdom so I can live each day to the fullest.  Help me to seek You first in all I do.  May my life be a celebration to Your glory every day.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 

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Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Days are dark and nights are darker.  Walking a path of grief may feel like we are meandering around aimlessly without seeing where our next step will be.  Life doesn’t make sense anymore.  We have questions but no answers.  Sometimes we have unformed questions we don’t even know how to articulate.  Our brains are in a fog.  On some days it’s just difficult to think, much less get out of bed.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to us?  There is no easy answer.  Perhaps He allows pain and suffering because through those difficult experiences, we learn to trust Him more.  The Lord desires us to be in relationship with Him.  Trusting Him with the painful circumstances of our lives draws us closer to Jesus and into a more intimate relationship with Him.

What does it mean to trust God?  The dictionary says the word trust means to believe, to have confidence in, and to hope.  Do you believe God is ultimately in control of your life?  Do you have confidence in His ability to take care of you?  Do you have hope that God will lead you on a path of healing?

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to place our trust in God.  To lean on His understanding means to rely on His wisdom through His word to us, the Bible.  Seeking Jesus in all we do, in all our ways, will enable Him to guide us on that straight and direct path to healing.  We won’t have to meander around anymore on a circuitous route where we wander around in our grief.  Jesus takes us by the hand and leads us to wholeness and peace.

Even though our sense of loss is great, God is greater still.  Trust Him.  Lean on Him.  Walk with Him on your path to hope and healing.

Dear Jesus, thank you that You desire to be in an intimate relationship with me.  Teach me to trust You more each day, to lean on Your wisdom and Your understanding, and to guide me along Your path to hope and healing.  Amen.


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Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3

On a sunny spring afternoon, armed with my camera, I took a walk in my neighborhood.  I love to take photographs, particularly of landscapes.  That day, however, I was on a flower photo expedition.  I knew there were huge, beautiful roses close by and I was determined to break away from my to-do list and enjoy photographing them.  As I approached these gorgeous pink roses, I got distracted.  There were other flowers climbing along the same fence in companionship with these roses, some of which I’d never seen before.  But what really caught my eye wasn’t a flower, but a leaf.  It wasn’t just any leaf.  It was a perfectly heart-shaped leaf.  Most people would have overlooked this little gem.  You see, some insects had had a proverbial “field day” with this leaf.  It was riddled with holes.

Our hearts are like that leaf.  While around the edges, our hearts may be perfectly “heart-shaped”, just like they are supposed to be.  But upon closer inspection, we discover that there are many holes in our hearts.  For those of us who grieve, we have a hole in our heart where our loved one once lived.  Death has created a cavern there.  The deeper the loss, the deeper the hole.  For those of us who love much, we grieve much. 

Sometimes other life experiences riddle our hearts with holes, too.  Some are tiny punctures, not visible to the naked eye.  Others are gaping.  We all have broken places in our hearts.  To say we don’t is to live in denial.  Life is full of shattered dreams, disappointments, and losses.  If you are feeling like you are the only “walking wounded”, you are not.  Trust me.  You are in good company.  To be human is to experience loss.

Thankfully, that’s not the end of the story.  God takes the holes in our hearts and heals them.  The Bible says in Psalm 147, verse 3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”  What a visual that verse is!  God takes our brokenness and He wraps His loving and healing bandages around our wounds, binding them tightly in His love and grace.  We are safe in the Great Physician’s mighty hands.

Lord, I know there are broken places in my heart.  There are holes, tiny punctures as well as gaping ones.  Wrap your loving bandages tightly around my wounds and bring me to a place of healing.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


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Text and photo copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.   Isaiah 40:29-31

I was recently in Portland, Oregon, and drove over to the coast.  Cannon Beach is a quaint, albeit touristy, beach town with a plethora of shops and art galleries.  While meandering through this charming hamlet was fun, I enjoyed the walk down to the beach to Haystack Rock.  This enormous rock sits at the edge of the shore and is indeed shaped like a haystack.  Hundreds of seagulls were flying around the rock, perching there for a while before taking off again over the water and the sand.

As I watched the gulls fly overhead, I was reminded of a verse in Scripture found in the 40th chapter of Isaiah:  “They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Although a seagull is a far cry from the majestic eagle, both types of birds expend much energy flapping their wings as they take off.  When they catch a thermal, they can stop flapping their wings and just glide.  Seeing all of those seagulls soar on the air currents, seemingly just floating there, reminded me that there are many times in our lives when we, like the people mentioned in Isaiah, are tired and weary.  We stumble and fall.  Life is overwhelming and requires a great amount of energy.  Seeing our journey from the ground can be discouraging.  But rising above it on “eagles’ wings”, catching a thermal and soaring above our difficulties, gives us a new perspective.  When we wait on the Lord, when we put our hope and our trust in Him, He gives us the strength we need to overcome the obstacles in our path.  He truly does increase the power of the weak.  We will indeed run and not grow weary.  We will walk and not be faint.

Just watching the birds fly overhead gave a lift to my spirit and reminded me that God does care about me and the details of my life.  How freeing it was to watch those seagulls flap their wings and fly, wafting onward with the wind beneath them.  And for a few moments, I too was soaring with them.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for moments of grace in the midst of life’s difficulties.  Thank You for the beauty of Your creation, for beaches and birds.  I pray for strength when I’m weary and Your power when I am weak.  Thank You for the energy to carry on, to fly on wings like eagles, to run and not grow weary, to walk and not be faint.  Amen.

 

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Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.  Isaiah 64:8

Some time ago I visited the beautiful city of Florence, Italy.  At the top of my list of things to see was Michelangelo’s statue of David.  Housed in the Galleria dell’Accademia, David was bigger than life, standing over 14 feet tall and weighing more than 6 tons.  Just gazing on this masterpiece in person was phenomenal.  To see the exquisite detail in the carving was amazing.

Although Michelangelo is credited for this masterpiece, and rightly so, the history of this famous statute began many years earlier when this massive block of marble was quarried.  Two other artists worked on this project, but neither made much progress.  Neglected and exposed to the elements for 25 years, the chunk of marble was given to Michelangelo to complete.  Chiseling the fine features and life-like detail consumed more than two years.  In 1504, after 40 years in the making, this now world-famous masterpiece was complete.

Sometimes I feel like that marble statue of David.  Not the masterpiece.  The work in progress.  A large piece of rough-hewn stone, being chiseled and hammered.  With each precise carving, I feel the pain of disappointments, loss, and grief.  Sometimes, just like the marble that was to become David, I feel abandoned to the elements, those circumstances that seem beyond my control.

The Bible says we are the clay and God is the potter.  Just as a master craftsman takes a simple lump of clay and stretches it, pulling it in many directions, and ultimately firing it in a kiln, God takes us as we are, tugging and growing us as He refines us in the fires of life here on earth.  The problem comes when we, as the clay, don’t like being poked, stretched, and prodded.  We can’t see the vision of the end result.  The chiseling process is simply painful, sometimes more than we can bear.  Yet chiseling has a purpose – to create in us the character, the faith, and the strength to endure.  To be the beautiful person God wants us to be – whole, healthy, and healed.  Just like Michelangelo envisioned his David as it would be someday, God sees us as who we will one day become - His masterpiece, lovingly created by the Master’s hand.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are the Potter.  Help me remember that I am the clay.  Give me even a tiny glimpse of the vision You have for me.  Bestow in me the strength to endure the chiseling process as You make me into who You want me to become.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 
 
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Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Direct my footsteps according to your word…  Psalm 119:133

For most of my adult life, I have exercised at least several times each week.  While I’ve tried different types of exercise over the years, my current routine includes walking on a treadmill. Although that may sound boring, the treadmill gives me time to read, pray, and sometimes just reflect.

During one such time of reflection, I happened to glance down at my feet where the tread meets the front of the treadmill.  I have to say that since this is a treadmill my husband bought, I really haven’t paid much attention to it other than learning how to start and stop it.  As I peered downward, I noticed that the brand of treadmill was called PaceMaster.  On days when I really don’t feel like exercising but doggedly pursue the treadmill anyway, it may feel like the treadmill is definitely the master of my paces and I am its slave! 

But it got me thinking.  Who is the “master” of my paces? Am I?  Do I determine my path in life?  Or am I tossed about in a sea of circumstances?  Or as a professing Christian, am I following in the footsteps of Jesus?  Who is the master of my life?  Is it me?  Or Christ?

If you are grieving the loss of someone you love or going through a difficult season of life for other reasons, you may feel you’ve lost your way and are walking around in a state of confusion and despair.  If you are aimlessly pacing up and down, maybe it’s time to stop for a dose of direction.  If you find your footsteps are taking you on a meandering walk through the wilderness, know that God can direct your path.  You don’t have to walk blindly through trying times alone.  If you are not in the habit of reading the Bible, it’s never too late.  The Gospel of John in the New Testament gives us a beautiful picture of how personal and loving Jesus is.  Like the disciple John who wrote the inspired text, we too can follow in Jesus’ footsteps.  Just as our bodies become healthy with regular exercise, our souls can be spiritually healthy when we regularly read God’s Word.  And true to His promises, God will direct our path.

Lord Jesus, thank you for Your Holy Word to me through the Bible.  Help me to pursue You by reading Your Word.  Help me follow in Your footsteps every day, even during seasons of grief.  Direct me on the path of life, love, and wholeness.  Amen.

 
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 Copyright © 2015 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™