Devotions
A weekly devotion by Laurie Hampton. Created to encourage women to find peace, grace, and hope in Christ Jesus, to inspire women to live authentic, not perfect, lives, and to point them to Jesus to heal and beautify their brokenness.
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Six Ways to Make Courageous Resolutions that Last
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9 I recently found this quote on Pinterest (Author unknown): “Your entire life can really change in a year. You just gotta love yourself enough to know you deserve more. Be brave enough to demand more and disciplined enough actually to work for more.” Are you looking to make any changes in the new year? I usually avoid making resolutions on New Year’s Eve, and instead, have, with the help of God, found my own timing for growth and change. Every year, in August, as we are getting ready to start the new school year, God gives…
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The Best of Beautifully Broken
We have reached the end of the year and are turning our attention to a new year, filled with new adventures. But I want to pause for a minute here at the end of 2019 and reflect upon some of the best moments we shared here at Beautifully Broken. So Without Further Ado… Here are the top three posts you guys liked the most in 2019: #3 Avoiding the Trap of Comparison and Envy (Click photo to read) #2 Five Prayers for Your Home (Click photo to read) #1 Does God Care If I Go To Church (Click photo to read) My favorite devotion (Click photo to read): Most viewed…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Fifteen, Treasured
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 From the time the angel, Gabriel, greeted Mary, she treasured all these things – the angel, Gabriel’s greetings as the favored one, the shepherds’ words, and even the events of Jesus’ strange childhood. She pondered them in her heart. Mary gave great thought to her God’s words and acted upon her faith as she raised His son. Without the spiritual discipline of pondering and treasuring God’s Word, we will lose it. When we fail to remember the promises of God or when we turn our attention to the ways of the world, we find ourselves…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Fourteen, Spread the Word
“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:16-18 The shepherds wasted no time going to find this thing that happened. They hurried out to find Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. They were so excited about the implications of the birth of the Savior that when they leave the stable, they tell everyone the good news! We, too, need to waste no time in sharing this good…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Thirteen, See
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’” Luke 2:15 The Shepherds’ very first response after hearing this good news was to leave everything and go see this thing that has happened. They were not just popping over to the maternity ward at Bethlehem General Hospital to drop off a quick baby gift. No, they were going to see an event that changed the world. The shepherds realized that the prophecies passed on from generations of old, had come to pass and that the…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Twelve, Suddenly
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”Luke 2:13 Have you ever been startled by something? Maybe, if someone jumps out at you from behind a wall, you might feel scared or startled: your heart may skip a beat at the unexpected sight. The shepherds were quietly tending to their own business when suddenly angels appeared out of nowhere. I’m not surprised they were afraid. Even though the sudden appearance of angels startled the shepherds, they were not startled by the announcement of a…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Eleven, A Sign
“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12 Seeing the bell ringers outside the local grocery store with cheerful smiles and earnest well wishes, urges us to take a holy pause in the middle of crossing off a task on our to-do list. This is my favorite sign of Christmas. Every time I hear the bells ringing when I get out of my car and walk towards the store, my heart pauses to remember the real reason for the season. Over the past 10 years or so, we have saved all the coins found in the…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Ten, Good News
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11 Many have asked why the good news of the birth of Jesus was first delivered to the shepherds. Here are three reasons to consider: God chose to announce the arrival of a King to a group of people who were looked down upon by many. He would be looked down upon by many throughout history. The shepherds represent all of us. None of us are…
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Oh Holy Night, A Journey to Bethlehem – Day Nine, Watch
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over the flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.” Luke 2:8 On August 21, 2017, millions of people from Oregon to South Carolina took their chairs, protective eyewear, and camera’s and sat outside in the middle of the workday to watch the sky. Just like the shepherds in the fields, what they saw was a rare vision. That day, we saw the first total solar eclipse visible from coast to coast in 99 years. Had we, or the shepherds not been…
