The Prayer Porch

Tag: christianity

  • Lessons from John the Baptist: Living with Purpose

    Lessons from John the Baptist: Living with Purpose

    John the Baptist was not polished, popular, or powerful by the world’s standards. He lived simply in the wilderness, wore rough clothing, and preached a message many did not want to hear.
    Yet Jesus said of him, “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).

    So what can we, as modern disciples, learn from John?
    How can we imitate his way of life while living in our everyday world?

    Point to Jesus, Not Ourselves

    When crowds gathered around John, he reminded them, “I am not the Messiah.” His mission was always to point people toward Christ. We imitate him when we live in a way that gives God the glory. Our words can reflect this. Our choices and even our struggles can too.
    When someone praises you for your kindness, work, or strength, you can simply say, “I’m grateful.” You can explain that God has helped you through so much. It doesn’t mean preaching a sermon, but gently shifting the focus to Christ.

    Live Simply

    John lived with little. His simplicity freed him to focus on God’s call. We don’t have to wear camel’s hair. We can choose contentment and avoid excess. Remember that our true security isn’t found in possessions but in Christ.
    Practice contentment by simplifying your home or schedule. Maybe it’s choosing not to buy every new gadget, or carving out quiet evenings without screens. Simplicity frees your heart to notice God.

    Speak Truth with Courage

    John boldly preached repentance, even when it cost him. In our own lives, we can speak the truth in love. We can do this by standing for integrity at work. It also means being honest in relationships or gently offering God’s wisdom when others need it.
    At work, this might look like choosing honesty over going along with gossip. In family life, it could mean lovingly setting boundaries, even if it’s hard. Speaking truth doesn’t have to be loud – it can be quiet faithfulness.

    Prepare the Way for Christ

    John’s mission was to prepare people to meet Jesus. We can achieve this by making space for Christ in our own lives through prayer. Forgiveness and surrender are also ways we can do this. We should encourage others to seek Him, too.
    Make a difference in your circle by praying for friends. Be quick to forgive. Offer encouragement to someone who’s searching. Small acts of kindness can open the door for others to experience Christ.

    Practice Humility

    John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). His humility is a reminder that we’re not the Savior. Our role is simply to point to Him. Celebrate other’s success without comparison. Share credit freely at work. In your heart, keep asking, “Does this lift me up, or lift up Jesus?” That simple prayer keeps us grounded in humility.

    A Reflection for Us

    To imitate John the Baptist is not to retreat to the wilderness. It means living with the same spirit of humility, courage, and devotion in the midst of our daily lives. It means pointing people to Jesus, even in quiet ways. It means living simply and speaking truthfully. It means remembering that our lives are not about us – they are about Christ.

    Lord, help me to live with the boldness and humility of John the Baptist. Teach me to point others to You. Help me to live simply. Prepare the way for Christ in my heart and in my community. May my life be a lantern that shines toward Jesus, and not myself. Amen.

  • Finding Light in Darkness: The Power of Gratitude

    Finding Light in Darkness: The Power of Gratitude

    From the outside, life can look picture-perfect. Smiles for the camera. A clean, orderly home. The perfect pictures on social media. Work always done on time.The likes and followers suggest everything is going just right.

    But underneath, many of us carry quiet struggles. These are worries that never make it into a post. They are heartbreaks that can’t be captured in a story. Darkness often lingers in the unseen places of our lives. We have worries that don’t show up in the photos. We endure heartbreaks that can’t be seen in a passing conversation. Darkness often lingers in the unseen places of our lives.

    And yet, it is often in those hidden shadows that God meets us most tenderly.

    “Even the darkness will not be dark to You;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to You.”
    — Psalm 139:12

    Joyce Meyer, a well-known Bible teacher and author, has shared openly about her painful past. She experienced abuse, brokenness, and years of inner turmoil. Even after becoming a Christian, she struggled with anger, shame, and fear. Yet through it all, she has often spoken about the practice of gratitude. She chooses to thank God in the middle of the mess. She discovered that gratitude changes perspective: it doesn’t always erase the darkness, but it reminds us of the Light.

    Mother Teresa was remembered for her radiant smile and tireless love for the poor. She carried an unseen heaviness of spirit for many years. Even when she felt distant from God, she continued her daily rhythms of prayer and service. Gratitude, for her, was often found in the smallest things. It was food for the hungry and the touch of a hand. It was the chance to serve “Jesus in disguise” in the poor.

    Their lives remind us that struggle does not mean failure. It is part of being human. And gratitude, even in darkness, can open our eyes to God’s nearness.

    Maybe your life looks fine on the outside. On the inside, you’re carrying questions, grief, or a weight that feels too heavy to name. You’re not alone. God does not turn away from the darkness within us; He enters it. He walks with us there.

    And sometimes, the simple act of giving thanks in the dark becomes a lantern of hope. Living gratitude looks different for everyone. A few ideas might look like:

    • Gratitude journaling: Write down 3 small things each day you’re thankful for. These can be simple pleasures like a warm cup of coffee. It could be the sound of rain or a text from a friend.
    • Breath prayers of thanks: Whisper “Thank You, Lord” as you breathe in and out, naming one gift in the moment.
    • Porch pause: Step outside, notice one piece of creation around you, and thank God for it.

    These small acts of gratitude don’t deny the darkness – they invite God’s light into it.

    Lord, You see the struggles I hide. You know the shadows I carry. Teach me to give thanks even here, in the middle of the night. Let gratitude become a lantern to guide me, until I see the fullness of Your light. Amen.

    As evening settles, the last light fades. I sit on the porch and watch as the stars start to glow. They were there all along, unseen in the brightness of day. Gratitude feels like that, too – reminding us of blessings we couldn’t see until the darkness fell. And perhaps that’s how it is with God. His light is never gone. It simply shines differently in our darkest hours. 🌙✨

  • Trusting Jesus for True Security

    Trusting Jesus for True Security

    When I look around at our world today, I see so much fear, division, and mistrust. For many, guns feel like security, like the only way to be safe in a world gone mad. But when I sit quietly with Jesus, I am reminded that He offers us a very different picture of peace.

    The prophet Isaiah spoke these words long ago:

    “He shall judge between the nations. He shall decide disputes for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares. Their spears shall become pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. They shall not learn war anymore.”
    — Isaiah 2:4

    It’s a vision of a world no longer shaped by violence, but transformed by the presence of God. Tools of destruction are remade into tools for growth and life.

    I know the conversation about guns is complicated. People carry deep convictions, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But I believe Jesus calls us not into fear, but into faith. Not into grasping for control, but into trusting His protection. Not into arming ourselves for battle, but into laying down our weapons and lifting up our prayers.

    On the porch today, I imagine what our world would look like. What if we trusted Jesus enough to live into Isaiah’s vision? What if we spent less time stockpiling for safety, and more time sowing seeds of peace? What if our courage did not come from what we carry in our hands? Instead, what if it came from Who we carry in our hearts?

    Jesus told us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9). Peacemaking takes more bravery than violence ever will. It involves stepping out of the cycle of fear. We entrust ourselves to the One who conquered death not with a sword, but with a cross.

    Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. Teach us how to lay down our weapons. These weapons can be of any kind. Help us live as people of faith, not fear. Give us courage to be peacemakers in our homes, our communities, and our world. May Your kingdom come, where swords become plowshares and guns are no longer needed. Amen.

  • Hope Amid Chaos: Lessons from Corrie Ten Boom

    Hope Amid Chaos: Lessons from Corrie Ten Boom

    The world feels heavy these days. The headlines are noisy. Politics are divisive. It can be hard to find hope when fear and anger seem to dominate the landscape. But history reminds us that God’s Spirit has never stopped producing fruit even in the most barren times.

    One woman who lived this truth was Corrie Ten Boom. During World War II, she and her family hid Jews in their Dutch home. They risked everything out of obedience to Christ. When discovered, Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, a place of unimaginable cruelty. Yet even there, the light of the Holy Spirit shone through Corrie’s life.

    “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
    – Galatians 5:22–23

    • Love: She risked her life for strangers, showing Christ’s love in action.
    • Joy: She rejoiced over a smuggled Bible and sang hymns in secret, finding joy where none seemed possible.
    • Peace: In the face of terror, she clung to God’s promises and became a calm presence for others.
    • Patience: She endured long days of hunger and suffering with steadfast trust.
    • Kindness: She extended compassion to fellow prisoners, even when she had nothing to give.
    • Goodness: She chose what was right, even when it was costly.
    • Faithfulness: Her trust in Christ held firm through persecution.
    • Gentleness: She cared for the wounded and brokenhearted, reflecting Christ’s tenderness.
    • Self-control: After the war, she chose forgiveness over bitterness even toward her captors.

    In times like these, when division seems louder than unity, it’s easy to wonder if anything good can take root. Yet Corrie Ten Boom’s life reminds us that the Spirit’s fruit is not limited by the landscape. It often grows brightest in dark soil.

    Her life is proof that the Spirit’s work is stronger than the world’s brokenness. If fruit bloom in a concentration camp, it can bloom in today’s troubled times too.

    The call for us might not be to get swept up in the world’s chaos. Instead, it is to quietly and faithfully let the Spirit tend our hearts. To bear love where there is hate. Joy where there is despair. Peace where there is unrest.

    “Lord, help us to live as Corrie did, with courage, forgiveness, and hope. Cultivate the fruits of Your Spirit within us. In the chaos of today’s world, that others will taste and see that You are good.”

    As I write, the sky outside feels unsettled – clouds moving quickly, the air heavy with change. Maybe you’ve felt that way too, watching today’s world unfold. Here on the porch, a cup of tea warms my hands. The birds start their evening song. I am reminded that God still tends His garden. The Spirit is still at work.

    May we be like small trees planted by living water, steady and fruitful, no matter what storms rage around us. 🌿🍃

  • Understanding God’s True Nature: Love and Holiness

    Understanding God’s True Nature: Love and Holiness

    Pull up a chair for a moment. Let’s talk about something that quietly shapes the way we live: how we see God.

    In our world today, God is often spoken of in soft, comfortable terms. For some, He’s seen as a distant force. He is like an energy that exists “out there.” This energy doesn’t touch our daily lives. For others, He’s imagined as endlessly permissive – a God who never corrects, only affirms. And for many, He’s optional: one spiritual path among many, something we can adjust to fit our preferences.

    This view of God can feel safe, even convenient. But it often ends up shaping Him into our own image. We make Him smaller, gentler, and more manageable than He truly is.

    The God We Meet in Scripture:

    When we turn to the Bible, though, we meet God. This God is greater than we can imagine. He is also nearer than we can fathom.

    • Holy and Just: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty” – Isaiah 6:3
      He is holy and just. He is pure and set apart. He is not simply a reflection of ourselves.
    • Loving and Merciful: “God shows his love for us. Christ died for us while we were still sinners.” – Romans 5:8
      His love doesn’t ignore our sin; it redeems it.
    • Personal and Near: “The Lord is close to everyone who calls on him.” – Psalm 145:18
      He is not a distant deity. He listens. He cares. He draws close.
    • Unchanging: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” -Hebrews 13:8
      Our culture shifts. Yet, He remains steady and true.
    • Lord and King: The Bible shows us a God before whom we bow, not a God who bends to us.

    This can feel like a tension – God is both infinitely loving and perfectly holy. He welcomes us with open arms, yet He calls us to be transformed.

    How we see God shapes how we live. If we see Him as only a gentle encourager, we might miss His call to holiness. If we see Him as only a strict judge, we might miss His tender love. But when we hold both together, His holiness and His mercy, we truly understand Him. When we hold His majesty and His nearness together, we truly understand Him. This is how we find the fullness of who He really is.

    And in that fullness, our hearts are changed.

  • Trusting God’s Timing

    Trusting God’s Timing

    “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

    Life so often feels like a waiting room. We pray, we hope, and yet the answer seems delayed or different from what we imagined. Trusting God’s timing can be one of the hardest lessons of faith.

    Even the saints wrestled with this. One of my favorite examples is St. Hildegard von Bingen. She was a 12th-century woman of great faith. She is now honored as a saint and Doctor of the Church. Early in her life, she received visions that left her uneasy. She wasn’t sure if the experiences were truly from God. The weight of that uncertainty filled her with fear. It also caused her hesitation.

    Instead of keeping her struggle to herself, Hildegard turned to someone she deeply respected: St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a holy monk known for his wisdom. They were separated by distance. Despite this, she reached out through a letter. She shared her anxieties. Should she stay silent or speak about what she had seen? Was this truly God’s call for her life?

    St. Bernard’s reply was simple but steadying. He reminded her that God’s grace was at work within her. His encouragement gave Hildegard the courage she needed to step forward in faith. In time, she embraced her calling and became a trusted counselor to popes, emperors, and countless others.

    Her story reminds us that even when our path feels uncertain, God provides what we need. Sometimes He provides through His Word. Other times, He provides through the quiet nudges of prayer. Often, it is through the wisdom of others He places in our lives. Just as Hildegard leaned on St. Bernard’s encouragement, we too can find strength in a mentor, a pastor, or a trusted friend. They remind us of God’s presence when we are unsure.

    Trusting God’s timing doesn’t mean we never feel anxious or restless. It means we bring those feelings to Him. We must stay open to the ways He uses others to guide and steady us along the way.

    For your reflection:

    Where in your life do you feel caught between waiting and moving forward?
    Who might God have placed around you to encourage you as you learn to trust His timing?

    Lord, help me to rest in the truth that Your timing is always good, even when I cannot see it. Give me patience to wait, courage to trust, and faith to step forward when You call. Amen.

  • Reflecting on the Assumption: Trust, Love, and Purpose

    Reflecting on the Assumption: Trust, Love, and Purpose

    We pause today. We contemplate a mystery filled with light and hope. Today is The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the close of her earthly life, Mary was taken body and soul into the glory of Heaven.

    For Catholics, this day is a reminder of God’s promise to bring His people into eternal joy. For anyone seeking hope, it is a moment to reflect. It reminds us that life on earth is not the end. Mary’s story invites us to consider: What am I living for? What is my heart set on?

    Mary’s Assumption offers a glimpse of our created purpose. We are made for life, love, and fullness beyond what we can see here and now. We may not share Mary’s specific faith tradition. However, we can all be encouraged by her example of saying “yes” to the good, the true, and the beautiful.

    We honor her in this feast. We are invited to lift our gaze above the distractions of this world. We remember what truly lasts. Like her, we can choose trust over fear. We can choose love over self-protection. We can also choose hope over despair, knowing that every faithful step shapes the story of our lives.

    Mary, assumed into Heaven, draw my heart closer to your Son. Teach me to live with faith, humility, and hope, until the day I share in the joy of His Kingdom.

    For your reflection:

    • What distractions keep me from fixing my eyes on what truly matters?
    • In what small way can I say “yes” and choose trust and love today?
    • How does the hope of something beyond this life shape the way I live now?

    Mary’s story invites us to lift our gaze beyond this world and live each day with trust, love, and hope.

  • Quiet Acts of Ministry: Serving at Home

    Quiet Acts of Ministry: Serving at Home

    This morning, over steaming mugs of delicious lattes, my friend shared her excitement for an upcoming ministry trip. As we talked, I couldn’t help but think about what her days will hold. They will include long hours and deep conversations with people she has never met. She will pour herself out for others. I reflected on how ministry can happen in many places. Sometimes, it begins right where we are.

    It’s easy to think of ministry as something that happens in far-off places. We often consider it on mission trips, in church programs, or through big events. Often, ministry is as close as the person sitting across from us at the kitchen table or coffee shop.

    We can care for someone’s needs in so many ways. We can make a meal, mow a lawn, watch someone’s children, or tidy a space while they’re away. In doing so, we offer the love Jesus modeled. It will never make headlines, but it matters deeply to the heart of God.

    “Serve one another humbly in love.” – Galatians 5:13

    Service done quietly is still noticed by the One who sees all things. In fact, Jesus often served in ways that were simple and hands-on—washing dusty feet, breaking bread, and sharing meals. These moments weren’t grand gestures; they were grounded in presence and care.

    Maybe you can’t board a plane for a mission trip right now and maybe you never will. Each of us has a different calling. Your calendar or the season of life might be keeping you close to home. That doesn’t mean God can’t use you in powerful ways. Your living room can become a place of ministry and so can your front porch.

    The next time a friend heads off to serve far away, consider how you might serve right where you are. It could be as simple as a prayer whispered on their behalf. Perhaps a home-cooked meal could be waiting for their return. You might also consider doing a small project in secret to lighten their load.

    “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16

    One saint who beautifully lived this truth was Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, known as The Little Flower. She never traveled on great missions or preached to crowds. Instead, she chose to serve God through the “little way”, doing small acts of love with great devotion. Whether it was a kind word or a hidden sacrifice, she believed nothing was too small to offer to God. A task done in silence was also significant to her. Her life reminds us that every simple act of service, when done in love, becomes holy. Ministry doesn’t always need a suitcase – sometimes it simply requires a willing heart.

    Who in your life can use a quiet act of kindness this week?
    How you can be the hands and feet of Jesus to someone right where you are?

  • Finding Peace in Silence: The Art of Listening

    Finding Peace in Silence: The Art of Listening

    There’s something about August that invites stillness. The hurried pace of early summer begins to slow. The gardens start to rest. The porch feels like a place to breathe again. It’s in this quiet, in-between space that we’re reminded of the gentle power of listening.

    Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen. Be slow to speak and slow to get angry.
    James 1:19

    In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians, because Christians are talking when they should be listening.” Those words have lingered with me. Because if we’re honest, listening, truly listening isn’t always easy. It asks us to quiet our own thoughts, resist the urge to fix, and offer the holy gift of presence.

    James 1:19 gives us a rhythm to live by: be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

    What would our homes, relationships, and communities look like if we truly lived that way?

    Listening isn’t passive. It’s a practice of humility. It’s a way of saying, “You matter. Your story matters. I’m here.” When we slow down and open our ears, we create room for healing. We open our hearts for truth. Sometimes even God speaks through the silence.

    So as summer winds down, let’s lean into this quiet gift. Let’s sit beside one another with compassion and curiosity. Let’s listen more than we speak. And let’s trust that even in the stillness, God is at work.

    Lord, help me be quick to listen and slow to speak.
    Let me be a safe place for others to share, and give me the grace to hear with love.

    Sometimes, quiet moments offer the best space to reflect and be still. I created a simple coloring page for you. A gentle way to slow down and to help meditate on the beauty of listening.

    👉 James 1:19 Coloring Page

    Print it out. Grab your favorite crayons or pencils. Let your heart settle as you color. Let it be a soft pause in your day – a sacred little Sabbath moment.
    In what areas of my life is God inviting me to listen more deeply? Where can I use fewer words and have a more open heart?