Our Daily Bread Podcast | Our Daily Bread

When I was a little girl, I loved the old hymn “Count Your Blessings.” The song encourages those who are “tempest-tossed” and “thinking all is lost” to “count your blessings, name them one by one.” Years later when my husband, Alan, was discouraged, he would often ask me to sing that simple song to him. Then I would help him to enumerate his blessings. Doing so took Alan’s focus off his struggles and self-doubt and centered his thoughts on God and his reasons for thankfulness. The book of Ezra describes God’s people facing overwhelming challenges through focusing on God’s power and provision. After they’d endured decades of captivity in Babylon, King Cyrus allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Israel to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1-2). Only a fraction returned (2:64). Despite their “fear of the peoples around them” and the great task before them, they rebuilt the altar and laid the temple’s foundation (3:3, 10). Then “with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: ‘He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.’ And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord” (3:11). If you’re discouraged or facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, turn your thoughts toward God. “Count your blessings . . . and it will surprise you what the Lord has done,” and continues to do, for those who love Him.

When I was younger, I thought it improper to ask God to help me meet writing deadlines. Other people have greater needs, I told myself. Family problems. Health crises. Job letdowns. Financial needs. I’ve faced all those things, too. But meeting a writing deadline seemed too small to take to God. I changed my view, however, after finding multiple examples in the Bible of God helping people regardless of the challenge they faced. In one story, the Israelites were dismayed because they faced an attack at Mizpah by their enemies, the Philistines. “[The Israelites] said to Samuel, ‘Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines’ ” (1 Samuel 7:8). In response, Samuel sacrificed a lamb to God, crying out to Him on Israel’s behalf, “and the Lord answered him” (v. 9). “While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites” (v. 10). Later, “Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’ ” (v. 12). Samuel placed the stone to commemorate God helping His people. Ebenezer means “stone of help.” Asking God for help is always proper. Let’s call out to Him today.

Alida took a DNA test in 2020 and discovered a strong match to a man living on the opposite coast of the US. Later, she and her daughters found news articles from the 1950s that led them to conclude that the man was Alida’s long-lost uncle, Luis! He’d been abducted from a park in 1951 when he was six years old. That DNA test, taken seventy years after Luis’ disappearance, eventually led to a happy reunion with his biological family members. Alida said, “With [our] story out there, it could help other families . . . . I would say, don’t give up.” Seventy years is a long time to keep hope alive. Jeremiah and the people of Judah must have been heartbroken and fearful when God said they would “serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jeremiah 25:11). But they hadn’t listened to God and turned from their “evil ways and . . . practices” (v. 5), which had deformed them into “an object of horror and scorn” (v. 9). The people were condemned more than thirty times in Jeremiah for not listening to Him. Seventy years might have felt like forever, but God would be with them, and He promised that the hard season would eventually end (29:10). As we face challenging seasons that seem to go on and on, let’s remember that while we may struggle to trust God, He promises that He’s with us and loves us (v. 11). As we listen to Him and wait expectantly, we can find hope.

Mario was a 28-year-old crack and alcohol addict who was imprisoned for burglary. At his sentencing the judge said he was “a waste of a human life.” Mario sadly agreed. Midway through his jail time he saw an advertisement for a journalism contest. It piqued Mario’s interest, and he enrolled in a nearby university. He was hooked. Mario loved working on news stories, and after his release he finished his master’s degree in journalism and now writes for The New York Times. He’s a waste no more! The life of the demon-possessed man living in the tombs seemed a waste to anyone who knew him. His neighbors bound him with chains for their protection and his, but “he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet” (Mark 5:4). He ran back to the tombs where “night and day . . . he would cry out and cut himself with stones” (v. 5). Then he was changed forever. Jesus cast out the man’s demons and returned him to normal society. The town was amazed to find him “sitting there, dressed and in his right mind” (v. 15). The grateful man wanted to sail away with Christ, but He said no. “Go home to your own people,” said Jesus, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (v. 19). This man’s mission is our mission. Let’s tell others about Christ. Because of Him, no one’s life is a waste.

My father first locked eyes on my mother at a party in London. Next he gate-crashed a second party, then organized a third, just to see her again. Finally, he asked Mum out for a country drive, picking her up in his old Rover sedan—his treasured possession. Mum and dad became sweethearts, but there was a problem. Mum was about to move to Peru to become a missionary. Dad took her to the airport, then five months later arrived in Peru himself—to propose to her. And the best part of the story? He’d sold his beloved Rover to pay for the plane ticket. If you would’ve asked Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, what her most treasured possession was, she’d have shown you a precious bottle of “expensive perfume” (John 12:3). And if you’d have been at the party she and Martha threw for Jesus (v. 2) and watched her lavish that bottle’s contents on his feet, you’d have known just what Jesus meant to her. He was that precious, that valuable. For my mother, Dad selling his car wasn’t just about a plane ticket. It was a sign of how much he valued her. And Mary’s actions had deeper meaning too—she was preparing Jesus for His burial (v. 7). Like her, when we sacrifice for God what we treasure most, we take part in His redemptive work by echoing His great sacrifice for us.

Two pilots fell asleep in the middle of their flight over Indonesia. While the commanding pilot had permission to nap once the plane reached cruising altitude, he woke up to find that his co-pilot had also dozed off. The two were asleep for about thirty minutes with more than 150 passengers and crew on board and while at approximately 36,000 feet altitude. The plane had veered off course, but thankfully, the plane still arrived at its destination safely. Human pilots may snooze mid-flight, but we can rest assured that God never falls asleep. I find such comfort in the words of Psalm 121. In eight verses, we’re reminded that God is omniscient, or all-knowing, about our life; omnipresent, or present all throughout our day; and omnipotent, or all-powerful, and can protect us. The psalmist declares that our help comes from God (v. 2). He is our keeper and shade (v. 5), and He guards us from all evil while preserving our soul (v. 7). God never gets tired. “He will not let your foot slip; he who watches over you will not slumber” (v. 3). “The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore” (v. 8). When we’re wondering if God has forgotten us, we can rest assured that He is at the wheel. He is always awake and watching over us.

Do you ever feel like a fraud? You aren’t alone! In the late 1970s two researchers identified “imposter syndrome” as the condition of doubting one’s skills, talents, or abilities and interpreting ourselves as a fraud. Even successful and brilliant people struggle with inadequacy, worrying that if anyone peeked behind the curtain of their lives, they’d see how much they don’t know. Paul exhorts the people of the first-century church in Rome to be humble. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment” (Romans 12:3). We understand the importance of not elevating our abilities. But when we doubt our own value, we go too far, robbing others of the gifts God wants us to use to serve Him. To think of ourselves with “sober judgment” (v. 3) is to have a sane estimation—a realistic regard—for what we offer. Paul nudges us to overcome our hesitancies, to embrace who we are “in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (v. 3). In this way, God’s body of believers may be built up (vv. 4–8). Rather than degrading our offerings with imposter syndrome, let’s embrace God’s giftings within us. By gratefully accepting God’s grace, we can think neither too highly nor too lowly of ourselves. In doing so, we please our Father and build up His body of believers.

The freelance project wasn’t working out well. The clients were demanding what seemed to be the impossible, and I was stressed and discouraged. My first reaction was just to walk away from it, which would mean not getting paid for the work I’d done—and also eliminating the possibility of future projects with them. Then the thought came to me: Have you prayed to God yet? Mentally slapping my forehead, I realized that I’d neglected to ask God for help! And so I prayed . . . and immediately felt better. Nothing had changed—the project remained challenging—but I felt peace wash over me. Now, I knew I could rest in God: I’d just do whatever I could and leave the outcome to Him. Perhaps David felt the same way when he submitted his fears and worries to God. In Psalm 6, he started off describing his anguish at being hounded by his enemies (Psalm 6:3, 7). But as he continued turning to God for help, he felt reassured: “The Lord has heard my cry . . . the Lord accepts my prayer” (v. 9). That truth came with the hope that he would be delivered, in God’s time and way (v. 10). Prayer isn’t some feel-good technique, but it’s a direct connection with an all-seeing, all-powerful God who will help us in His time and way. Feeling down or discouraged? Just pray—God hears.

Physician Christian Ntizimira sensed God’s calling to provide end-of-life care in under-resourced areas of his home country of Rwanda. Colleagues often didn’t see the value of such care because “these patients were already considered hopeless.” But Ntizimira found that for patients and their families, his “presence offered a rekindling of hope when all seemed lost.” Ntizimira is grounded in his work by the conviction that Jesus’ death and life can transform how we approach death because “the death of Christ is the source of life.” In 2 Timothy, the apostle Paul testified to how the reality that Jesus “destroyed death and . . . brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (1:10) changed how he understood his suffering. Though Paul was a prisoner facing possible execution (2:9), Jesus’ resurrection grounded him in his calling—to point others to salvation through Christ (v. 10). For “if we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him” (vv. 11-12). Dying with Jesus doesn’t just mean what happens at believers’ literal deaths. In his letter to the Romans, Paul explained that, as symbolized in baptism, believers are united with Christ’s Spirit in His death and resurrection life (Romans 6:4-8). Because Jesus lives in us, even when we face death’s terrors, we can live for and witness to Him.

Could eight minutes change someone’s life? In a world where meaningful connections can be rare, author Jancee Dunn proposes the power of an eight-minute phone call. She believes such brief calls can help us connect with family and friends. Studies show that such calls a few times a week help reduce depression, loneliness, and anxiety. And Dunn cites the research of other experts who affirm that minor relationship adjustments can profoundly affect our well-being and that of others. This insight aligns with Proverbs 12:25, which states, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” In this verse, anxiety refers to a person’s emotional response to a threat to their well-being. Being anxious can also stem from fear and uncertainty about the future. For believers in Jesus, reassuring and encouraging words can help transform others’ anxiety into cheerfulness and lead to real life (v. 28). Those words can also provide signposts to help others “choose their friends carefully” (v. 26). Let’s pray and ask God who might need an eight-minute call with encouraging words based in Scripture. Though brief, this simple act of connection might just be the spark He uses to lighten someone’s load, brighten their day, and offer them hope and healing.

Locals call it “The Road to Nowhere,” but its official name is Lakeview Drive. It’s a scenic six-mile stretch overlooking Fontana Lake in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Bryson City, North Carolina. After the road goes through a 1200-foot-long tunnel blasted out of a granite mountainside, it abruptly stops. The government spent millions of dollars until environmental concerns discovered later ended the project. Jesus, who was a carpenter by trade, once told a construction parable about counting the cost of following Him. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower,” He asked. “Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28). Another parable follows about a king who considers the cost of going to war, and it makes the same point. Speaking to the “large crowds . . . traveling” with Him (v. 25), Jesus wanted them to understand that there was a cost to sincerely believing in and following Him. Following Jesus only because of what He can do for us is a “road to nowhere.” But following Him for Him—turning daily from sin and self-focus to live for Him and His kingdom (carrying our “cross,” as He put it in v. 27)—changes everything. The cost must be counted. But He’s worth it.

For her daily devotions, Julie began singing the Scriptures. “As I sang, my heart and mind actually began to do and believe what I was singing about!” Through vocalizing God’s Word in song, Julie wanted His truth to shed light on the things she disliked about herself, such as her voice and her height. She said: “I began to sing from Song of Solomon 1:5: ‘Dark I am, yet lovely.’ ” (In that agrarian culture, a woman tanned by the sun wasn’t seen as beautiful.)  Singing this Scripture passage, God changed her thoughts. Suddenly she understood: “God loves me even though I am not perfect.” Julie sang from a beautiful poem from the Old Testament’s Wisdom Literature. Some people interpret the Song of Songs as an allegory of God’s love for His people, but many view it as a celebration of marital love. In witnessing the beauty of the couple’s commitment to each other, we can echo the friends’ words: “We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine” (v. 4). However we interpret these ancient words, we can affirm with Julie that God revels in His chosen people. As He says elsewhere in the Old Testament: “You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you” (Isaiah 43:4).

When a country erupted in civil war, authorities conscripted a man into military service. However, he objected. “I don’t want any part in destroying [my country].” So he left it. Because he didn’t have proper visas, however, he eventually found himself stuck in another country’s airport. For months, airport employees gave the man food and thousands followed his tweets as he roamed terminals, knitted scarves, and clung to hope. Hearing of his perpetual plight, a community in Canada, raised money, and found him a job and a house. Lamentations presents the cry of Jeremiah who waited for God and the end of His discipline for the sins of his people. The prophet remained confident in an everlasting God who he knew could be trusted. “The Lord is good to those who hope in him” (3:25). God’s people can experience hope even when troubles overwhelm and relief seems impossible. Though they might need to “[bury their] face in the dust” and humbly accept God’s discipline, they can cling to the reality that “there may yet be hope” (v. 29). However desperate the situation, those who know God can experience a hope that flows from Him. “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (v. 26). Without answers or any clear way of escape, we wait for God to help us. We wait, with hope, for the God who’s proven Himself faithful over and over again.

One of the deadliest wildfires in US history decimated the town of Lahaina, Hawaii, in August 2023, killing ninety-nine people and destroying more than two thousand buildings. Still reeling from the devastation, residents experienced additional trauma when some looters pillaged buildings and greedy realtors attempted to gobble up land. The corrupt desire to take advantage of tragic circumstances is the backdrop of a strong message from God to the nation of Edom. The prophet Obadiah warned the Edomites, Israel’s enemies for generations (Ezekiel 35:5), of God’s coming justice because the Edomites used their geographic advantage (Obadiah 1:3), acquired wealth (v. 6), alliances with other nations (v. 7), wisdom (v. 8) and military strength (v. 9) to exploit the weak. Obadiah also rebuked the way Edom gloated as Israel was sent into captivity. Instead of compassion, Edom looted Israelite homes and marched through defeated cities in victory (vv. 12-13). Although Lahaina residents saw despicable actions, they also experienced kindness when churches on the island became hospitality centers offering shelter, hot meals, and emergency supplies. When someone is suffering, we face a similar choice. We can try to benefit from their loss. Or we can respond in the way God desires, like the churches in Lahaina, with kindness and generosity.

Each fall in my youth, my grandmother got the JCPenney Christmas catalog. With a zealous delight, I spirited it away to ponder its marvelous images. These days, those images show up on our smartphones daily—the algorithmic distillation of our hopes and dreams, a personalized feed tailored to us. It’s easy to get lost in them. Recently, experts have named this digital phenomenon dreamscrolling. A survey conducted by OnePoll indicates that the average U.S. smartphone user dreamscrolls more than two hours a day! The images that tantalize our hearts invite us to hope, to believe, that if we just had this one thing, it would all be good. Scripture, in contrast, invites us to relinquish our grip on material things. In 1 Peter 1:3-4, we read, “In [God’s] great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” Peter contrasts our temporal yearnings with the promise of something that will satisfy: placing our hope in God’s grace. Later, he adds, “Set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (v. 13).  Truth? I’m a dreamscroller. But I’m asking God to help me gradually learn to live into His bigger hope, to set my desire fully on Him.

Late autumn 1941. The Sunday service had just concluded. As their father lingered at the little north-country church, my dad and his siblings walked the short distance home. When their father came up the snowy hill to the farmhouse, he was crying. He’d just learned Pearl Harbor had been bombed. His sons—my dad included—would be going to war. Dad always recalled the moment in vivid detail. Researchers call such events “flashbulb memories”—moments seared into our minds. Think of 9/11, or the day you lost someone close. Think too of your most joyous experience. Imagine the flashbulb memories of Jesus’ disciples. They witnessed miracle after miracle. Suddenly, catastrophe struck. The Son of God was arrested and crucified. But then, resurrection! Mary Magdalene hurried to tell the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18). Still, the disciples hid in fear. They didn’t believe the news (Luke 24:11), not until “Jesus came and stood among them” (John 20:19). Then, “The disciples were overjoyed” (v. 20). John recorded some of those moments, saying, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (v. 31). “Flashbulb memories” with eternal significance.  

Rosie’s birthday celebration was unforgettable. The food was tasty, the table banter was fun, and the presence of her first grandson was icing on the cake! These good things, however, paled in view of her two sons’ tributes to her. Though Rosie’s marriage didn’t last, her exceptional skills as a single mom marked her sons. Their accolades reflected how she did everything possible to provide for their needs. The younger son’s comment best captured Rosie’s posture before them: “She [is] a God-fearing woman.” In Proverbs 31:10-31 readers get to see what “fear-informed wisdom” looks like in the home. The fear of the Lord (v. 30), a humble reverence for God, compels one to be trustworthy (vv. 11-12) and hardworking and thrifty (vv. 13-19). And, while the wise woman possesses a “home first” attitude (vv. 21- 28), that doesn’t mean “home only.” Meeting needs of outsiders also gets attention (v. 20). As with Rosie, the lifestyles of God-fearing women don’t go unnoticed—especially among those who live with them (v. 28). It’s not surprising when those closest to them sing their praises. Want to be a God-fearing follower of Jesus? Why not ask God for His help? And don’t be surprised when those prayers are answered—even when challenged by the pressures and circumstances of life.

Diognetus, a second-century pagan, noticed that followers of Christ “day by day increase more and more.” This was despite regular persecution they endured under the hand of the Romans. He asked a believer in Jesus why this was true. In a document we know as the “letter to Diognetus,” that early church father replied to him, “Do you not see that the more of them are punished, the greater becomes the number of the rest? This does not seem to be the work of man: this is the power of God.” As Jesus gave His final words to His disciples before ascending into heaven, they could little imagine the growth the church would experience in the coming centuries. He told them, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). This has become known as the Great Commission, but using this phrase to describe Jesus’ final words to His disciples can make it feel burdensome. In reality, this is what Jesus calls all those who follow Him to do: as we go about our day, make disciples. We don’t have to go to the ends of the earth; the message will travel wherever we carry it with us. Don’t be discouraged by the difficulties of the moment. Jesus also said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (v. 20). We take Him with us everywhere we go.

On a road trip to Montana one summer, we stopped at a rest area to stretch our legs. Inside one of the buildings was a young man who was singing a familiar praise song as he mopped the floor. Then he started singing the hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.” I couldn’t resist. When he called out the phrase, “It is well,” I repeated it. When he sang, “with my soul,” I echoed the words. Together, we sang the last line: “It is well, it is well . . . with my soul!” He grinned, gave me a fist bump, and said, “Praise God.” When I got back to the car where my husband was waiting, he asked, “What’s with the big smile?” Think of the things for which we can praise God, such as His goodness, righteousness, compassion, promises, provision, and protection. And Psalm 145 is one of many psalms that urges us to continually praise Him. David wrote, “Every day I will praise you” (v. 2). Many people praise God by playing an instrument; others by reading or reciting Scripture; or by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16). Some express their praise through liturgical dance. But all genuine praise springs from hearts that are full of gratitude. Our spirits were designed to praise God. It’s because of His sacrificial love for us that we can say with confidence, “It is well with my soul!”

“No matter where you are, what you’re going through; use what you have and make the most of it,” said the young woman in a TV interview. Her words prompted me to listen carefully to the full story. I learned that she was one of six sisters working toward nursing degrees. They were once homeless and struggling. Yet they worked together to reach their common goal. And at the time the story aired, all six sisters were completing the nursing program at a local university. Numbers 27 tells the story of another group of sisters who worked together and supported each other. The five daughters of Zelophehad challenged a law about inheritance. They gathered together and stood before Moses to plead their case, saying, “Our father died . . . for his own sin and left no sons. . . . Give us property among our father’s relatives” (vv. 3-4). God answered with this revolutionary statement: “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance” (v. 7). The five sisters came together and sought God’s mercy as they stood before Moses. And God provided what they needed as they banded together before Him. Working together isn’t always easy as believers in Jesus. But as we seek God’s wisdom and direction with humility, we’ll find He can help us serve well together in Christ.