Scripture:
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

There are seasons in life when it feels like the final chapter has already been written. A disappointment, a delay, a betrayal, a divorce, a loss, or even a mistake can make us believe that what was is all there will ever be. We replay the past and assume the ending is set. But God does not write stories the way humans do. When we think it’s finished, He is often just turning the page.

Your story is not over because God is not done. The same God who authored your beginning is still actively involved in every chapter of your life. Even the chapters filled with pain, silence, and waiting are not wasted. God uses them to develop depth, wisdom, humility, and strength that cannot be formed in comfortable seasons.

Throughout Scripture, we see people who believed their story had ended yet God intervened. Joseph thought betrayal had disqualified him, but God used the pit and the prison to position him for the palace. Ruth assumed loss defined her future, but God wrote redemption into her story. Peter thought denial ended his calling, but Jesus restored him and entrusted him with leadership. What looked like an ending was actually a setup for God’s greater purpose.

Sometimes we mistake a pause for a period. God’s delays are not denials. Just because something ended does not mean everything ended. A closed door does not mean the hallway is empty, it may mean God is redirecting you to a door you never considered. When God closes one chapter, it’s not to punish you but to prepare you for the next one.

Your story is not over because God specializes in resurrection. What feels dead, forgotten, or beyond repair is the very place where God shows His power. He brings beauty from ashes, joy from mourning, and purpose from pain. Even your broken pieces can become part of a beautiful testimony when placed in God’s hands.

If you’re in a season where hope feels distant, remember this: you are still breathing, still believing, and still becoming. As long as God has given you breath, there is more ahead. The enemy wants you to live as if the worst chapter is the final one, but God wants you to trust Him as the Author and Finisher of your faith.

So don’t give up in the middle of the story. Don’t judge the outcome by the current chapter. Keep trusting. Keep praying. Keep showing up. God is still writing and the ending will be better than you imagined.

Prayer:
Lord, help me trust You when my story feels unfinished and unclear. Heal the places that feel broken and remind me that You are still at work. I surrender every chapter, past, present, and future into Your hands. Thank You that my story is not over. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection:
What chapter of your life have you mistakenly believed was the ending? How can you surrender that chapter back to God and trust Him with what comes next?

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Scripture:

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

There is a question that rises from deep places in our hearts, especially in seasons of waiting, stretching, and uncertainty. It is the quiet cry whispered through tears and the loud plea spoken in frustration: “God, why not now?” Why not now, when I’ve prayed faithfully? Why not now, when I’ve obeyed Your Word? Why not now, when I feel ready, willing, and available?

Waiting is one of the most challenging assignments God gives His people. It confronts our patience, exposes our expectations, and tests our trust. Yet waiting is not God’s punishment, it is often His preparation.

When God says not now, it is rarely because He is withholding something good. More often, it is because He is protecting something sacred. God’s delays are purposeful. He is not governed by urgency or pressure; He is guided by wisdom, love, and divine foresight. What feels late to us is right on time in heaven.

God is far more concerned with who we are becoming than with what we are receiving. Many of us want the promise without the process, the blessing without the building, and the breakthrough without the becoming. But God knows that receiving something too early can damage us, distract us, or even destroy us. Timing matters in the kingdom of God.

Consider Joseph. God gave him a dream early, but the fulfillment came years later. Between the dream and the destiny were betrayal, rejection, false accusations, and long seasons of waiting. Joseph had stepped into leadership immediately, he may not have had the humility, wisdom, or discernment needed to steward authority well. The delay wasn’t denial, it was development.

David was anointed king while still a shepherd boy. He had oil on his head but no crown in his hand. Years passed as he fled from Saul, lived in caves, and endured injustice. Yet it was in those hidden years that David learned how to trust God fully, lead people wisely, and rely on God rather than his own strength. God was shaping a king before seating him on a throne.

Even Jesus waited. Though fully God and fully man, He spent thirty years in obscurity before beginning His public ministry. If waiting was part of the divine plan for Jesus, how much more should we expect waiting to be part of ours?

Why not now?
Now may expose you to battles you are not yet equipped to fight.
Now may place you in rooms where your character has not yet caught up with your calling.
Now may give you access before you have the wisdom to discern what to accept and what to refuse.

Waiting seasons reveal our hearts. They show us whether we truly trust God or only trust Him when things are moving quickly. They reveal whether our faith is anchored in His promises or in our timelines. In the waiting, God strips away pride, impatience, and self-reliance. He teaches us to lean fully on Him.

There is also a hidden gift in the not now: intimacy with God. When answers are delayed, prayer deepens. When the door doesn’t open, dependence grows. Waiting draws us closer to God’s heart. It shifts our focus from outcomes to obedience and from results to relationship.

Sometimes God says not now because He is aligning multiple things at once, people, resources, opportunities, and circumstances that must come together perfectly. What you are praying for may not be just about you. It may involve others who are also in process. God’s timing ensures that when it happens, it happens completely and correctly.

And let us not forget this powerful truth: God’s delays often protect us. Some doors are closed because walking through them too soon would bring pain, confusion, or unnecessary loss. What feels like rejection is often redirection. What feels like silence is often God working behind the scenes.

When God says not now, He is saying, “Trust Me with the timing.” He is saying, “Let Me finish the work in you.” He is saying, “What I have promised you is worth waiting for.”

Instead of growing discouraged, allow the waiting to mature you. Ask God what He wants to teach you in this season. Ask Him to align your heart with His will. Choose obedience even when there is no immediate reward.

Reflection:

• Where have you been asking God, “Why not now?”
• What might God be developing in you during this season of waiting?
• Are you willing to trust God’s timing even when it stretches you?

Encouragement:
Your waiting is not wasted. Heaven is not behind schedule. God has not forgotten you. The same God who made the promise is faithful to fulfill it. What He has for you will come not early, not late but at the appointed time.

Prayer:
Father, help me to trust You when I don’t understand Your timing. When waiting feels heavy and hope feels distant, remind me that You are still working. Shape my character, strengthen my faith, and prepare my heart for what You have prepared for me. I release my timeline and choose to rest in Your perfect will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More Grace!

Donna Scott

Scripture:
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.”  Matthew 7:6
“After looking the man over, Jesus loved him and said, ‘One thing you lack…’ But the man went away sad.”  Mark 10:21–22.

Walking away is one of the hardest acts of obedience. We are often taught to endure, to fight, to stay, to pray harder but Scripture also teaches us discernment. There are moments when staying costs you more than leaving, when holding on becomes disobedience rather than faithfulness.

Jesus Himself knew when to walk away.

There were towns that rejected Him, and He did not beg them to listen. He instructed His disciples, “If they do not receive you… shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:14). That was not bitterness, it was wisdom. It was recognizing that not every door is meant to open, and not every battle is meant to be fought.

Walking away does not mean you failed.
Walking away means you recognized what no longer aligns with God’s purpose for your life.

Sometimes God allows resistance not to strengthen you to stay, but to give you permission to leave.

We must learn the difference between perseverance and prolonging pain.

• Perseverance is staying where God has assigned you.
• Prolonging pain is staying where God has already released you.

There are relationships God calls us to pray for and others He calls us to part from. There are conversations He invites us into and others He warns us not to revisit. When something consistently drains your peace, compromises your values, silences your voice, or pulls you away from God’s truth, it may be a sign that your season there has ended.

Even Jesus let people walk away.

The rich young ruler chose his possessions over obedience, and Jesus did not chase him. Love does not force. Wisdom does not cling. Faith does not manipulate outcomes.

Walking away is not giving up, it is trusting God with what you cannot change.

You are not required to stay in spaces where you are dishonored, dismissed, or diminished. God values your peace. He protects your purpose. And sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is step back, release it, and move forward.

A gentle reminder:
You can love people and still walk away.
You can forgive and still set boundaries.
You can trust God and still choose peace.

Prayer:
Lord, give me the discernment to know when to stay and the courage to walk away when You are calling me forward. Help me not to confuse fear with faithfulness or attachment with obedience. Teach me to trust You enough to let go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection Question:
What is God asking you to release, not out of anger, but out of obedience?

More Grace!

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
— Nehemiah 8:10

Every season of life carries its own weight. Some seasons overflow with celebration and clarity, while others feel heavy, quiet, or uncertain. Yet Scripture reminds us that joy is not seasonal, it is spiritual. Joy is not something we wait to feel when circumstances improve; it is something we receive when we remain connected to God.

Joy comes from knowing who God is and trusting what He has promised. It is the confidence that even when life feels unstable, God remains unshaken. When expectations fall short or prayers seem unanswered, joy becomes a deliberate choice to believe that God is still working behind the scenes.

The world often defines joy as excitement, success, or comfort. But biblical joy is deeper. It is the peace that anchors your soul when emotions fluctuate. It is the assurance that God’s presence has not left you, even when the season feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

In this season, joy may not look like laughter every day. Sometimes joy is quiet endurance. Sometimes it’s worship through tears. Sometimes it’s waking up and choosing faith again. Joy is found when we stop measuring God’s goodness by what we see and start trusting Him for what we cannot yet see.

The Apostle Paul wrote about joy while facing imprisonment, trials, and uncertainty. His joy was not rooted in freedom from hardship but in intimacy with Christ. He understood that joy grows when our focus shifts from our problems to God’s power, from our limitations to His sufficiency.

This season may be stretching you, refining you, or calling you to let go of what once was. But even here, joy is available. Joy reminds us that God is shaping us, strengthening us, and preparing us for what’s next. It is the evidence that our hope is alive.

When we choose joy, we declare that our faith is greater than our fear. We affirm that God’s promises still stand, His timing is still perfect, and His love is still constant.

Let joy rise, not because everything is easy, but because God is faithful in every season.

Reflection Questions

• What has tried to steal my joy in this season?
• Where can I choose gratitude instead of frustration?
• How can I remain anchored in God’s presence daily?

Prayer

Father God, thank You for the gift of joy that sustains me in every season. Teach me to trust You beyond my circumstances and to rejoice in Your presence. Strengthen my heart when I feel weary and remind me that You are always at work. I choose joy today—not as a feeling, but as an act of faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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More Grace!

We are living in a time where people are encouraged to take things as face value. This has been accepted and so we don’t listen attentively, look beyond the surface, speak what we hear and believe and do as we are convicted. Instead, as a people, we accommodate all things in light of wanting to be labeled as ‘inclusive.’

Discernment is something that most of us have but choose to ignore.  In general, it is the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure, what is not easily seen. It is an ability to judge well. The world’s version of discernment is an intuition based on experience, but that isn’t the case for followers of Christ. Our discernment comes from the Holy Spirit. It is one of the most important spiritual tools a believer carries.  It is the ability to recognize God’s voice, sense His direction, and distinguish the subtle difference between what looks good and what is truly God. In a world full of options, and opportunities, discernment keeps your spirit anchored.

Hebrews 6:14 says ”But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Discernment is more than a feeling. It’s more than intuition.
 It is the gift that helps you separate what is right from what is merely good, and what is God from what is merely noise.

Discernment grows when you slow down, listen deeply, and refuse to be led by emotions or pressure. It matures every time you choose prayer over impulse, and alignment with God over acceptance from people.

Psalm 119:66 : Teach me good judgment and discernment, for I rely on Your commands.” 

Discernment Begins With Devotion

Discernment is not something you stumble into; it is something that grows from time spent with God. The more time you spend in prayer, worship, and the Word, the more familiar your spirit becomes with the tone, rhythm, and movement of God.
You cannot discern God’s will without knowing God’s voice.

Just like sheep respond to the shepherd they know, your spirit becomes confident when His whisper becomes recognizable.

Discernment Protects You

God will often speak through gentle checks in your spirit—those quiet hesitations, those uncomfortable nudges, or the sudden lack of peace. That’s not fear; that’s protection.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit will show you the truth behind a smile, the motive behind a gift, or the spirit behind an opportunity.
Discernment keeps you from stepping into traps that were dressed up as blessings.

Discernment Helps You Choose God’s Best

Life will often present multiple good choices. But discernment helps you choose the right one. It helps you separate the urgent from the important, the temporary from the eternal, and the emotional from the spiritual.

Every door that opens is not destiny. Some doors are distractions.
Some friendships are seasonal.
Some opportunities are tests.
Discernment helps you know the difference.

Discernment Requires Surrender

Many believers struggle with clarity because they want God’s direction without surrendering their will. Discernment flows best from a yielded heart. When you let go of your own agenda, you give God space to speak clearly.

When you pray, “Lord, not my will but Yours,” you position yourself to receive divine insight that cannot be shaken.

Discernment Must Be Practiced

Hebrews 5:14 says discernment develops “by constant use.”
You sharpen your spiritual senses by:

• Obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit
• Testing every thought, voice, and opportunity by the Word
• Being patient before making decisions
• Asking God for wisdom
• Surrounding yourself with spiritually mature counsel

Discernment gets clearer with obedience. The more you honor God’s direction, the more He reveals.

Discernment Brings Peace

God’s will is always connected to peace—even when the decision is difficult.
Discernment doesn’t remove every question, but it settles your spirit. When something is God, there is a quiet “yes” that sits in your soul.

Peace is confirmation. Confusion is a caution.

Prayer

Father, open my spiritual eyes and ears. Sharpen my ability to recognize Your voice above every other voice. Remove every distraction, every counterfeit, every misleading opportunity. Give me the courage to obey Your direction, the patience to wait for Your timing, and the wisdom to see beyond what is on the surface. Teach me to walk in discernment daily. Amen.

Trusting can be one of the hardest things one does in his or her life. I’ve been in situations where trusting God, myself and others was a humongous task.  Sometimes I do struggle with believing that it’s going to work out for my good. Whenever I find myself in this mindset though, I’m reminded that “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” Jeremiah 17:7.

Trusting God is one of the greatest invitations of our faith, yet one of the hardest instructions to live out. We love the idea of trust, but the process often stretches us, humbles us, and pulls us deeper into God’s presence. Trust is not passive, it is a daily decision to anchor our hearts in who God is, even when life doesn’t make sense.

Trust Begins With Surrender

Many of us try to trust God and still keep our hands on the situation. But true trust starts when we loosen our grip.

Surrender is not losing control, it’s transferring control to the One who never fails.

God never asked us to carry the weight of outcomes, timing, or solutions. He simply asked us to place our confidence in Him. When we surrender, we discover that God’s plans are not only better, they are safer. ”Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

Stillness is not inactivity; it’s confidence in God’s sovereignty.

Trust Is Built Through Relationship

Trusting God does not come from a single moment — it grows through continual encounter with Him. You trust God more when you know His heart, and you know His heart through His Word, prayer, and quiet moments in His presence.

Consider how you trust a friend over time because you’ve seen consistency. God invites us into that same rhythm with Him.

“Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.” — Psalm 9:10

As you seek Him, He reveals His character: faithful, gentle, attentive and present.

Trust Is Tested in the Waiting

Waiting seasons reveal what we really believe about God. When the answer hasn’t come, when the door seems closed, when the promise feels distant, this is where trust grows roots.

Waiting is not punishment; it is preparation.

Sometimes God delays because He is developing you. Other times, He is protecting you. And often, He is aligning things behind the scenes in ways you cannot see.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him.” Lamentations 3:25

The waiting room is where God builds spiritual maturity. It’s where you learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

Trust Chooses Faith Over Feelings

Your feelings will shift. God’s truth will not.

Trusting God means believing what He said even when:

• your emotions are loud
• your circumstances are confusing
• your understanding is limited
• your heart feels weary

This is why Scripture says, “Lean not on your own understanding.” Your understanding is limited; God’s wisdom is limitless.

“We walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Faith is not denying reality, it’s elevating God’s Word above it.

Trust Leads to Peace

When trust takes root, peace follows. It doesn’t mean everything is perfect, it means you are held.

God’s peace is not the absence of problems; it is the presence of His assurance.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” Isaiah 26:3

When you trust God, your heart stops chasing answers and starts resting in His presence.

As we reflect this week, consider the questions below:

✨ 

1. What area of your life is God asking you to release to Him?
2. Where have you been relying on your own understanding instead of His Word?
3. How is God shaping your faith in this current season?

Prayer 🙏 

Father, I choose to trust You. Even when I don’t understand, I know You are good. Teach me to surrender, to wait with hope, and to walk by faith. Guard my heart with Your peace and deepen my confidence in Your promises. I rest in You. Amen.

More grace.

Scripture:
“See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.” — Isaiah 49:16

There are moments in life when the voices around you seem louder than the voice within you. Expectations, disappointments, the opinions of others, and even your own inner critic try to tell you who you are. But God gently reminds you that your identity is not up for debate. It is already settled in His Word and sealed by His love.

God says you are chosen, and that means you are not an accident.
God says you are loved, and that means nothing can separate you from Him.
God says you are forgiven, and that means your past no longer has authority over your future.
God says you are strong, and that means every storm has a limit and every trial has an expiration date.

The enemy’s strategy is always identity theft, he wants you to forget who you are so you will doubt what God can do. When you stand on God’s truth, you rise above every lie. You begin to walk with confidence, not because of who you are on your own, but because of who God created you to be.

Let God’s Word reintroduce you to yourself. Here are a few scriptures for your reference:

🌟 You Are Chosen
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” — Jeremiah 1:5
God didn’t discover you—He designed you.

🌟 You Are Loved
“I have loved you with an everlasting love.” — Jeremiah 31:3
Not based on performance, but His nature.

🌟 You Are Forgiven
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your past can’t define what God has redeemed.

🌟 You Are Strong
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — Philippians 4:13
Strength doesn’t always feel like power; sometimes it’s simply endurance.

🌟 You Are Enough
“His grace is sufficient for you.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
God fills every gap you think you have.

🌟 You Are Set Apart
“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.” — 1 Peter 2:9
Your life carries purpose, influence, and assignment.

🌟 You Are Protected
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” — Isaiah 54:17
Weapons may form—but they will not win.

Today, pause and reflect. Whose voice am I believing?
What label have I accepted that God never gave me?

Prayer

Father, remind me daily of who I am in You. Silence every voice that speaks against my identity. Strengthen my heart to walk boldly in the truth of Your Word. Help me to see myself through Your eyes, chosen, loved, forgiven, and purposed. In Jesus’ name, amen.

More grace!

Scripture: “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief…” — Isaiah 53:10 (ESV)

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‘The true you comes from the level of crushing you allow to take place in your life.’ Donna Scott

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There are seasons in life when it feels like everything around you is pressing in, when the weight of loss, disappointment, or delay feels unbearable. These are what the Bible calls the crushing seasons. It’s in these moments that God is not punishing you but He’s preparing you.

Think about the olive. Before oil can flow, the olive must be crushed. Before the fragrance of the rose fills a room, its petals must be pressed. Before Jesus could bring salvation to the world, He Himself was crushed on the cross.

The crushing doesn’t destroy the olive, it releases what’s inside. The same is true for you. The crushing reveals your anointing. It presses out the impurities of pride, fear, and self-reliance so that God’s purpose can flow freely through your life.

Maybe you feel broken right now. Maybe your heart is heavy and your strength is gone. But even in the crushing, God is near. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

You are not being crushed to be destroyed, rather you are being crushed to be transformed. God is shaping something powerful and pure in you. Oil that has not been crushed cannot anoint. And a heart that has not been pressed cannot fully pour out love.

I encourage you today to not despise the crushing. It is a necessary part of your growth and development as a true believer.  The crushing allows your relationship with Christ to become more personal, something you treasure. It forces you to rely solely on Christ and not your own understanding ( Proverbs 3:5-6). The crushing builds character. Here’s what Roman’s 5:3-5 says: ‘Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.’  

This week, worship through it. Trust that God is producing something eternal within you, something that will bless others and bring Him glory.

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father, i thank you for my brother or sister who is experiencing the ‘crushing’ at this time. I pray Lord that your presence will undergird them. They will understand that it is necessary for their growth and development. Increase their faith in you, Oh Lord. Father, I pray strength, courage, and tenacity for that soul today. I thank you.

‘If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward,” by Martin Luther King Jr.

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Scripture: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” — Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV)

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There are moments in life when standing still feels easier. The weight of disappointment, loss, or confusion can make us want to give up. But God calls us to keep moving, not because the path is always clear, but because He goes before us. Sometimes you may feel stuck, progress seems slow, prayers feel unanswered, and the road ahead looks uncertain. Yet, even in stillness, God calls you to keep moving, not necessarily in speed, but in faith.

To “keep moving” doesn’t always mean running fast or doing more. Sometimes it means trusting more, believing again, and taking the next small step even when you can’t see the finish line. 

When the Israelites stood before the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army behind them, fear tried to hold them still. Yet God told Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to go forward” (Exodus 14:15). As they moved, the waters parted. The miracle happened in motion, not in hesitation.

Sometimes your breakthrough won’t come until you take that next small step of faith. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep moving, even if it’s just one step at a time. God honors movement rooted in trust.

You might be in a place where your dreams are shattered. Those you thought loved you, walked away. It feels like life has happened and you are experiencing a set back. Please note that, not because it seems like a set back, means it’s the end. Scripture says, God is turning it around for your good. I’ve been in situations where I felt like God has forgotten me. Times when I felt like no one understood the pain i carried in my soul. The nights when I cried myself to sleep. The moments when my family rejected me, relationships failed, career dreams went through the window. I felt so stuck I couldn’t see any way out. What I didn’t realize, was that God was molding, preparing and purifying me for the greater good. I’ve lived to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Regardless of how you feel, God is not done with you yet. Don’t give up on yourself. Change your focus from the situation you face and allow the Holy Spirit to redirect your lens so that you can see God for who He is and not what life is dictating to you. Scripture says, He will guide you with His eyes (Psalm 32:8). MOVE!

 I encourage you this week, to persevere, to keep moving, one foot before the other.  As you move you will gather strength, only keep your eyes on Jesus. Be reminded that your race was already marked out for you (Hebrews 12:1) therefore you are able to move in victory.  Move in freedom and do not entangle yourself again with the yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1).  Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and we are called to stay the course and remain faithful to the end. Paul informed us in 2 Timothy 4:7 that he fought a good fight, he kept moving, finished his race and kept the faith.  The grace for movement is given to you and I.

Blessings and great grace.