Devotionals

Over the years, I’m sure most of us have had people say disrespectful or disparaging things to or about us. Some people are verbally abusive and bullies. When a thought comes to me to verbally retaliate to something mean spoken to me, I try to grab for the spiritual duct tape and hold onto the Words of Christ, “…on the day of judgment, people will be called to account for every careless word they have ever said” (Matthew 12:36). According to Scripture, our speech reflects the condition of our hearts and God knows. The Word has a way of calming my tongue; I pray you have noticed the Word has also done that for you.

In our passage today, Jesus has been teaching in the Temple. The Pharisees find a woman caught in adultery and bring her to Jesus, hoping to trap him, but the wisdom of Jesus causes them to reflect and move on (John 8:1-11). Then, Jesus tells those listening, “I am the Light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12). Jesus has several other encounters with the religious leaders and crowd before coming for a head-to-head climax when they call him a “Samaritan devil” who is possessed by a demon (John 8:48).

It is eye-opening that these religious leaders could accuse Jesus of blasphemy when they were the ones who actually did so. Jesus declares Himself in these passages to be God, but they just don’t believe Him. Jesus does not defend Himself; rather, he responds with clarity and truth: He points out falsehood, restates God’s authority, and refuses to be a people-pleaser. We would be wise to remember these three things when our integrity is questioned.

John 8:48-59 NLT
48 The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?”

49 “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. 50 And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. 51 I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” [spiritual death]

52 The people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

54 Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’ 55 but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”

57 The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?[How can you say Abraham has seen you?]”

58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am! [I have always been alive]” 59 At that point, they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the challenge You offer today in Your Word about our hearts and our mouths. Sometimes people are cruel, and their words can wound, but You have given us the ability to rise in Your strength. When we are challenged, please help us to identify falsehood with Truth, yield to Your authority and will, and to make pleasing You our highest purpose in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A majority vote [more than half of the total] is used in many areas of life, including education, business, social organizations, non-profit organizations like C2C Church, government, etc. Wisdom and dialogue are important because, without them, we struggle to put forward a godly vision for governing every area of life; we may not position proper boundaries. We can form a majority, raise our voices, and build a strong system of governance, but that does not guarantee we are building on truth. We need to invoke God’s help, vision, and blessing to be successful.

We can agree on many issues and still not be living the truth as God requires. If God is not given authority, then people will simply demand their own way. Human perspective alone is flawed and self-willed. We need to regain a fear of the Lord and call for His counsel because,“There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Our passage today, reminds us of something that is deeply human. Stephen is a man living his life according to the Truth—in Christ. Our passage finds Stephen sharing about people’s need for Jesus the Savior who has been made wisdom for eternal life—a life that begins here on earth.

A group of liberated Hellenistic Jews finds themselves arguing with Stephen, who is filled with the Spirit of Truth. These men were unable to refute the teachings of Jesus shared by Stephen, but they were able to lie and form a majority. These Jews encourage others to lie about Stephen, accusing him of wanting to change the laws governing the Israelites. He was then taken to the high council to stand trial. The majority was ready to act without revealing the Truth that the accusations were built on lies.

Divine wisdom and truth are under attack every single day. Research reveals the average person tells 1-2 lies per day (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse). Jesus is the Living Truth of how God created human beings to live in this world and He wants to lead us into a deeper understanding of life with God. He is embodied in Truth-speakers. Let Jesus make you alive with Truth! The world has too many liars trying to silence our Lord.

Acts 6:8-15 NLT Stephen Is Arrested
8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day, some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” 12 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.[Sanhedrin]
13 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 At this point, everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.

Prayer: Lord, please give us hearts that welcome Your truth. As Your children, guard us from pride that resists correction and from fear that avoids it. Fill us with Your wisdom so that our lives reflect Your presence, even when we face opposition. Help us to stand firm in what is true, with grace and humility, just as Stephen did. We do not serve the father of lies—satan—we serve the Truth—and we live for your glory. In Jesus’ Amen.

It would certainly be wonderful if we could gain every good thing God has for us without any struggle or sacrifice on our part, but following Jesus always involves denying ourselves daily and taking up a cross of some kind (Luke 9:23). God’s will must be our priority.  This means our sinful natures, egos, personal desires, and comfort are going to be crucified, because our Shepherd leads us toward self-denial.  In Christ, we learn to endure difficulties and hardships while remaining faithful to God.  

Everything in the eternal life journey requires self-sacrifice.  We must love and serve those who are not easy to love.  We will grow in patience while suffering inconvenience.   Following Jesus will cost us; therefore, Jesus asks His followers to count the cost and consider what is involved in following Him (Luke 14:33). Jesus suffered the cross for the joy ahead of Him, and we must do the same (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus does not offer His disciples a superficial relationship.

In our passage today, Jesus explains what will happen to Him because He chooses the will of the Father for the salvation of the world.  The disciples do not understand the sacrifice and how Jesus will lead them to sacrifice their flesh, as well. The disciples vie for positions and prominence, so Jesus deals with that fleshly spirit by setting before them the cost.

We must understand our need today to submit to the will of the Father, be willing to crucify our sin nature, serve those folks we would rather not, and endure painful difficulties, because obeying Jesus, enjoying His presence, and remaining committed to Him is worth it all.  Today, the world will serve up a feast of unrighteous choices, but let’s choose Jesus!

Matthew 20:17-28 NT Jesus Again Predicts His Death

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans [Gentiles] to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Prayer:  Lord, You have been the perfect example of loving the Father wholeheartedly and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.  We have no excuse for not knowing the cost, because You revealed it with the sacrifice of Your life.  Help us draw near and be willing to crucify our flesh to abide and grow in Your righteousness.  With each day, we will trust Your plans for our growth.  Thank You, Lord, for all You do to make us spiritually victorious.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.  

Our Shepherd leads us into fertile pastures of righteousness, producing a clearer image of Christ in our lives. We can eat of His supply as we choose to obey. Many times, the spiritual assignments the Shepherd leads us into stretch our souls, but the harvest is beautiful to the Father, who longs for us to become holy like Jesus. He is holy, and we are being transformed into His holy image one obedient step at a time.

Salvation is eternal, and as we follow, we begin learning how to walk by the Spirit in the eternal righteous steps of Christ. If we are going to be good stewards of this precious treasure of the Spirit, we will need to take steps to leave behind fear, comfort, and self-protecting efforts. Trusting God and allowing him to equip us will be essential for our growth.

Yet, what a blessing to know our obedience and even our suffering will produce good things within us that please our Lord. “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation” (Romans 5:3-4). Through the power of Christ, let’s produce the fruit of His character today.

Hebrews 13:20-21 NLT
20
Now may the God of peace—
    who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
    and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
21 
May He equip you with all you need
    for doing his will.
May he produce in you,[in us]
    through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
    All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

Prayer: Lord, we know You are the Giver of every good and perfect gift. We also know not everything You bring to help us grow makes us feel good, even when it is good for us. So, equip us with Your strength to form endurance that grows us in the character of Christ. We want to glorify You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Satan, the world, and our flesh work to silence the glory of the Lord! Evil works through our minds, will, and emotions to cover with darkness that which was born to shine with radiance. You were born to shine and give glory to God!

Jesus died to open the windows of heaven and welcome His human creation to enter and enjoy the abundance of God’s glory. The Lord knows we cannot reach our eternal inheritance or live in a way that glorifies Him without salvation. Jesus is the only Way. In fact, the glory of God is our inheritance, and glorifying God is our purpose. Therefore, believers should be people filled with joy and gratitude when thinking about the goodness of God.

In our passage today, the psalmist encourages all the earth to praise our Creator and Shepherd and bring him thanksgiving. We were created to worship and serve our Lord with joy and gladness. God is joyful, and He deserves to be worshiped by a joyful people. I will remind you that the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of JOY—the very nature of God.

Not every day is easy; we all face challenges. But our joy is not based on circumstances; it is produced by gratitude for God’s unfailing love, goodness, and mercy. He gives us strength when we are weak. Even when we face adversity, God desires to bring us rest, guidance, and blessing. He is our Good Shepherd, and His goodness is not temporary…it is eternal. So, shout with joy and thank Him for all He has done!

Psalm 100 A psalm of thanksgiving.
1 
Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
2 
    Worship the Lord with gladness.
    Come before him, singing with joy.
3 
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
    He made us, and we are his.
    We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
    go into his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 
For the Lord is good.
    His unfailing love continues forever,
    and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Prayer: Lord, we want to acknowledge Your goodness today and thank You for Your faithful love and care. We worship You and live to serve You. Lead us into Your precious Truth, today. Fill us with joy unspeakable and full of glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There are no perfect earthly governments, because there are absolutely no perfect people to lead them. There may be God-fearing people or even good people in leadership, but we are all inclined to selfishness and demanding our own way. We can easily let power taint godly wisdom and give a foothold to divisive behaviors that are not in the best interest of the people in our care.

I laugh sometimes when people think one leader will do everything perfectly. I don’t spend a whole lot of time being focused on the government leaders, but I always pray, seek God, and vote. My hopes are focused on God, who has allowed each leader’s positioning to fulfill His purpose. There are limits to that submission if a leader demands disobedience to God. Then, we must obey God. Other than that, respect is due. God is watching.

Friends, God allowed Nero to serve as the emperor of Rome from AD 54-68, when Peter wrote his first letter to Christians suffering under his reign. In fact, Peter was martyred in Rome under Nero’s persecution shortly after writing his letter to the church [mid-60s]. Yet Peter believed that voluntary submission to government was an act of obedience to God and had nothing to do with the quality of the leader. Why? We are citizens of heaven who do not participate in political rage or malice; earth is not our home. Jesus never raised His fist or sought to overthrow or criticize Rome, did He? How did Jesus treat Pilate?

We must put our trust in God to raise and lower leaders according to His plan for redemption, regeneration, and yes, revival. Jesus is the true Ruler of heaven and earth, so until he comes, we must seek to honor our leaders—give them respect because God calls us to do so (Romans 13:1-6).

1 Peter 2:13-17 NLT Respecting People in Authority
13 For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, 14 or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.

15 It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. 16 For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. 17 Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for placing leaders in authority to facilitate Your will and purpose for the world’s salvation. We pray for righteous leaders who will lead according to Your will. We don’t always understand our leaders, but we trust You because they answer to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If we understand sin [unbelief] properly, we will confess that we all struggle with it and need the mercy of Almighty God and His transforming grace. There is no more condemnation in Christ Jesus…but He does call us to be transformed to His image (Romans 8:1; Romans 12:1-2). This world is fallen and sinful [it twists the Word of God and separates us from the Truth], and we were never created to live isolated from God.

We all have weaknesses and have fallen for the lies of Satan and the lure of our flesh. Therefore, we wander around looking for something that makes us feel like we belong and choose to settle in and get cozy. Instead of turning to God to reveal our identity and where we belong, we turn to the world and our fleshly desires for affirmation. We do this in many ways and through a variety of life experiences. Sadly, as human beings, we can seek comfort in numbers rather than run to God’s goodness from obedience to the Truth.

Because of Jesus and the adoption we have received from our heavenly Father, we are a part of God’s royal family. We live to honor the Lord’s rule over our lives and to worship His glorious Presence and Goodness!

1 Peter 2:9-12 NLT
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[priesthood] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

10 
“Once you had no identity as a people;
    now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
    now you have received God’s mercy.”

11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world [day of His visitation].

Prayer: Father, thank You for affirming us as Your children and making us a part of Your family. Help us turn and share Your goodness with others. Thank You for seeing Jesus when You look at us, even when others reject us. We are covered by Love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I have always been pretty good with names and with remembering people’s faces and stories. I believe it is a gift from God to be used to touch the lives of His people, reminding and reassuring them of His love and care. He is the faithful Good Shepherd!

In our passage today, we pick up the work of this Good Shepherd as we find the resurrected Lord waiting patiently on the beach for his disciples, who decided to take a midnight fishing trip. Peter initiates the fishing trip because he is driven to do something that takes his mind off his recent failure of denying the Lord. However, the trip does not help him; he catches nothing. Suddenly, there is a call from the beach, “Hey, have you caught anything?” (John 21:5). “No!” echoes across the water. “So, throw your net on the right-hand side of the boat…” Why does this sound so familiar? The disciple John thinks for a moment and proclaims, “It’s the Lord!” (John 21:7).

Jesus came to reveal himself to the disciples for the third time, and specifically to Peter, who had struggled to pick up the pieces of his shattered faith. The Lord’s revelation comes to remind the disciples of His love, His grace, and His mission. Jesus knows we need forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Peter no longer wants to be the man in the boat, so he jumps into the water and swims to the shore. Once onshore, Peter gathers fish from the Lord’s supernatural catch to share with others. Through these acts, Peter’s faith lays hold of fresh manna: fresh fish and a fresh beginning to be a fisher of men.

Ultimately, no matter how many times we may fail in our own strength and effort, Jesus is always present—providing awareness of His love, abundant grace for our assignments, and reconnecting us to His purpose of fishing for people. Let’s accept the Lord’s offer, today.

John 21:1-14 NLT Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
1 Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied.

6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. 9 When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
12 “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

Prayer: Lord, we know Your Voice, and we know when we hear it. Thank You for making Your presence known to us and helping us walk according to Your plans and purpose for our individual lives. Your goodness overflows and finds its way into our hearts, filling us with praise and gratitude. Thank you for faithfully feeding us Your living Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We consume food for fuel. When we choose healthy foods, our bodies grow stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to function as designed. On the other hand, a poor diet eventually weakens us—physically and even mentally. The principle is simple: we become what we consume.

This truth extends far beyond the physical. Spiritually, what we take in shapes who we become. Scripture calls us not just to read the Word of God, but to consume it—to internalize it as nourishment for our souls. God’s Word is not mere information; it is transformation. It strengthens our inner life, aligns our thinking with truth, and leads us into a deeper understanding of God’s righteousness. In a world filled with deception and darkness, internalizing God’s truth is not optional—it is essential for survival. It is protection.

The apostle Peter gives a clear and challenging instruction to believers: we must intentionally remove what is evil and replace it with what is pure.

1 Peter 2:1-3 NLT
1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

Peter doesn’t suggest moderation with sin—he calls for elimination and that includes the subtle sins that often go unchecked—deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and unkind speech (2:1). These attitudes reveal what we have been feeding on. When they show up in our lives, it is evidence that we have been consuming from the wrong source.

Peter then gives us a powerful image: newborn babies craving milk. There is nothing casual about a baby’s hunger—it is desperate, persistent, and focused. The message is loud and clear. In the same way, we are to crave “pure spiritual milk,” the Word of God, with an urgency that reflects our dependence on it. Why? Because spiritual growth is impossible without spiritual nourishment.

If we are not growing, we must ask: What am I consuming? Are we feeding on the noise of the world—negativity, pride, comparison, and division? Or are we daily taking in the life-giving truth of God’s Word?

Peter reminds us that we have already tasted the Lord’s kindness. Once we have experienced His goodness, nothing else should satisfy us the same way. His Word becomes not a duty, but a desire. So today, fast from what is evil, feast on what is righteous, and crave what gives life. Because in the end, we truly do become what we consume—and those who consistently consume the Word of God will reflect the character, truth, and life of the One who gave it.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be mindful of what I consume—not just physically, but spiritually. Give me a hunger for Your Word that outweighs every distraction and temptation. Remove anything in me that does not reflect Your character, and fill me with Your truth. Let Your Word nourish my soul, shape my life, and draw me closer to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Yesterday, Chaplain Curtis shared a message on the importance of love—both in our relationship with God and with one another. Not just any love, but a love that lasts. A love that reflects agape—the eternal, divine love of God that never fails. The truth is, we cannot love the way our new life in God requires apart from the help of the Holy Spirit. Human love has limits, but God’s love does not.

I was reminded of this when I heard a recent interview with Dr. Chuck Swindoll. He and his wife were celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary over dinner when a waiter asked, “What’s the secret to staying in love for 70 years?” Dr. Swindoll responded simply, “This is the way marriage is supposed to be. Seventy years ago, we stood at the altar and promised God we would give to this other person our life, our love, and our commitment—no matter what came our way.”

Agape is not sustained by emotion alone—it is sustained by covenant, by commitment, and ultimately by God. Jesus demonstrated agape for us in Scripture. It was agape that held Jesus to the cross and die for us, not the nails.

Our lives here are fleeting. Scripture reminds us that we are like grass—here today and gone tomorrow. Yet within this brief window of time, we’ve been given something extraordinary: the opportunity to love with divine love. The older I get, the clearer this becomes.

I love my Lord, who has given me life, a loving husband, family, friends, and a deep focus on His Word. I am truly blessed to live with an awareness of being surrounded by the goodness of God. And yet, this life is not the believer’s destination—it is the proving ground. This is where faith-driven love is tested, refined, and revealed. Because this life is temporary, but life with God is eternal.

So, it only makes sense: if we are going to use our time wisely and fulfill God’s purposes, we must embody His Word. We must live the gospel—not just believe it. The gospel translates love into every area of life. It shapes how we think, how we respond, how we forgive, and how we remain committed—even when it’s hard. This is the new life we’ve been given. This is the life believers have promised to live.
Peter, learned the truth that while everything else in life may fade, God’s love is sure and will outlast this life and lead us into the next.

1 Peter 1:23-25 NLT
23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 24 As the Scriptures say,
“People are like grass;
    their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
25 
    But the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

Prayer: Father, remind us that this life is temporary, but what we do in love carries eternal weight. Shape our hearts so that we do not waste the time we’ve been given, but instead live each day reflecting the truth of the gospel. Teach us how to love the way You love. Help us to love with patience when it’s difficult, with kindness when it’s undeserved, with faithfulness when we feel weary, and with commitment that reflects Your covenant with us. Bless our relationships, Lord—our marriages, our families, our friendships. Strengthen them with Your divine love so that they become a testimony of Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.