A Different Ending – Two2Grow, June 1 “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” John 11:4 (NIV)Have you ever felt as if God has forgotten you and that the prayers you prayed have gone unanswered? We have all been there. Mary and Martha certainly must have felt that way when their brother died. Even though they sent word to Jesus...  Read More

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30 NKJV“Sir, how tall do you think you are?” The officer looked up from examining my driver’s license renewal application. She had spotted a mistake. I had misplaced a number, so instead of indicating that I was 6 feet tall, I claimed to be 6 inches tall! We had a good laugh.As I left the office, I thought of John the Baptist. He had an incredible mi...  Read More

Submit Your Problems to God – Two2Grow, May 30 “By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. 'This is a remote place,' they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”” Mark 6:35-36 NIVA guest post by Josephine Stenhammar I am sure many of us are familiar with the...  Read More

“Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.” Luke 5:18–19 NIVChristian relationships are absolutely essential for success in life. At some point...  Read More

You Don’t Have to Live with Regrets—Two2Grow, May 28 “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Mark 16:7 NIVRegrets are part of life. Often, we cannot escape the remorse of having made the wrong choice and wondering what would have happened if we had acted differently. Yet what we do with our regrets can affect our...  Read More

Power in Not Knowing — Two2Grow, May 27 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:7–8 NIVIt is very hard to be in a place where you don’t know what to do or how long...  Read More

Make Room for Suddenly — Two2Grow, May 26 "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting." Acts 2:2 NIVSuddenly marks the key moment in the book of Acts; the disciples waiting for the promise of the Spirit in the Upper Room experienced God’s sudden move that changed history forever.You can find yourself caught between a rock...  Read More

Fear Not — Two2Grow, May 25 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Luke 12:7 (NKJV)The world contains many things that make us afraid. If we were to write a list of things that can cause us to worry and feel anxiety, I’m sure the list would be very long. As if we didn’t have enough with fears about our personal life and ...  Read More

Speak Words of Life – Two2Grow, May 24 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 NLT Words are very important and the way we use them affect our relationships: to others and most importantly to God.Have you ever been around people who use their words to tear down, to spread fear...  Read More

Seeing God – Two2Grow, May 23 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8 NIVA Guest Devotion from Josephine StenhammarI wonder what comes to mind when you read the words ”holiness” and ”sanctification.” Maybe you think of legalism and a list of don’ts to restrict Christians.Maybe you read the words, look at your own life, and feel a sense of guilt and shame. God never inte...  Read More

“Be It To Me According to Your Word” – Two2Grow, May 22 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38a NKJVGod is not a bully. He will not force you to do something against your will. Rather, He invites you to partner with Him.Mary, the mother of Jesus, sets an example of what it means to partner with God for the fulfillment of His will.Man...  Read More

Sent with His Scent—Two2Grow, May 21 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 NKJVMy mother loves strong perfumes. When we had our first daughter, Josephine, I let grandma hold her for a while, and when she gave her back to me the baby no longer had that new...  Read More