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Trisha Keehn

Writer

Trisha Keehn is a creative writer fueled by a lifetime of faith. She is part of the Life.Church and YouVersion Bible App creative writing team, and uses her broadcast news background to help companies choose their words wisely. Trisha is a wife, mom, coffee connoisseur, lover of libraries, and a savvy traveler.

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Hurt Will Convince Us To Hide

‘When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.’ John 11:20 NIV

When a worshipper’s heart is broken by life, the natural response is to bunker down the hatches. Nothing makes us feel so out of control like the disappointments life carries. During the unstable moments in life, confusion might have us hiding in an attempt to hold onto what’s left until we feel safe and secure again.

resurrection, hiding

When her beloved brother died, Mary was confused. How could the miracle-working Jesus let this happen? While her sister Martha ran to meet Jesus, Mary stayed home. What was the use? Death had swept through her house and stolen what she loved.

Jesus didn’t give a reason for Lazarus’s death. He simply asked Martha to believe in His ability to raise dead things to life.

We don’t have to have the answers when we believe Jesus holds the power to resurrect hope and joy in our lives again.

What circumstances are you struggling to make sense of? Everyone reaches for something when it seems God is silent. Where are you hiding or finding refuge in the storm?

Jesus, I believe you are the resurrection and the life. I trust You with everything I hold dear, even when good things die and my heart is broken. I still choose Your timing in Your ways because that is what will most glorify You, God.

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Keep Your Focus on the Finish

God is faithful

‘Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’”’ Zechariah 4:7 NLT

Is the waiting period between here and where our dreams are living taking too long? Do you feel overwhelmed by the desire to do something but underwhelmed by the opportunities opening up? 

God’s timing will align with your tenacity when the pieces are perfectly in place for your advancement. Let go of all that is limiting you – thoughts of failure and defeat – and keep your focus on the finish, Friend.

Your patience might be tested in the process as you witness the world moving on while you remain planted in the same town, punching the same time clock, plateauing short of the target. It can be difficult to stay motivated when our days feel like more of the same. We might have a mountain of unfinished goals but it feels met by a whole lot of silence from God.

Take your eyes off of the undone and keep your focus on the finish.jesus, power

In the Bible, when Zerubbabel wanted to rebuild the temple, he got as far as the foundation, the very beginning of a dream, before he was forced to stop. Several years went by with no work before a prophet told Zerubbabel to “set the final stone.” The last stone here represented the completed project. This final piece of the vision stood as encouragement and assurance that the temple would be finished as the Lord had promised.

Though it’s tempting to get discouraged when we see a lack of progress, God hasn’t forgotten His promises.

We cannot know the reasons God has kept us from stepping forward, but we can hold tight to the truth in His Word that reminds us He hasn’t forgotten about us. He has our best in mind.

When our same old surroundings convince us we’re just running in place, we’ve got to choose to believe beyond what we can see and trust God’s timing is taking us somewhere.

Here’s how you can be content and confident with where God has you today: Focus on the finished work of King Jesus, our Savior sitting securely on the Throne of victory.

All worries about tomorrow have to bow to a King who has already been there and is reigning over that. Every difficulty that threatens to stand in your way today will only work out God’s purposes for your good tomorrow.

Let this vision of our Sovereign God replace any thoughts of helplessness and defeat. Our Creator God will let nothing go to waste.

Doesn’t that just make you feel grateful we have a God who doesn’t miss a moment? We can live in peace knowing He is in complete control. Your calling in life is being refined and worked out in your present-day circumstances. Let this truth be your confident assurance that not all is lost. Your dreams are not dead. They are still on the throne.

Keep your focus on the finish.

“… Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” Hebrews 12:1-3 MSG

When we keep the finish in front of us, we can be encouraged that with God’s strength and His grace, our Creator will complete the work He first began in us.

Your finish edifies God. Our Author wants to see the dreams He planted in you come to fruition. God plans on making his will happen. 

You have the power to keep going because Jesus has the power to both start and finish whatever it is you might face.

Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” With no vision of the future, you’ll get stuck in a cycle of frustration, defeat, and hopelessness. Friend, we need to envision the end and keep coming back to it when we’re tempted to feel helpless.

What does the finish look like for you? Is it a vision of what you still have to do or a view of what has already been done?

While you wait on God’s perfect timing for a promotion or any sign of progress, find something symbolic that reminds you of the finished work of Christ. It might be a word or specific verse in scripture that keeps you focused on Jesus. Perhaps it’s a picture that reminds you of just how big and sovereign our Creator God is. It could be an object, like a globe, that triggers your memory of our calling to go and make disciples of all nations. To spur on your faith, find that final stone, a symbol of His finished work in your life, and keep it in front of you, Friend.

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Taking the pressure out of discovering your purpose

‘In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.’ Ephesians 1:11-12 ESV

We live in an age where discovering your purpose includes a trail of personality tests, weekend retreats, and purpose-driven paperbacks. This often leaves us selfishly striving and stressed out.

What drives us to seek purpose in life is an inner longing to make a difference. We want to leave our fingerprints on the face of this earth as proof that we were here.your purpose, God's purpose

Changing the world is at the core of who God is. We don’t have to live with looming pressure to figure out our purpose when we’re making a difference in living God’s purposes. God desires us to live a life trusting and praising Him, loving and serving others, and to make His name known.

When we choose to live God’s purposes in our home, our job, and around the neighborhood, we live with a satisfied heart that radiates unmistakable peace and undeniable joy. 

Your purpose is to live out His purpose.

How are you living out God’s purposes in your life today? Where can you be more intentional with living God’s purposes in your life?

Father God, You are so gracious with us. We know that in all things You are working for the good of those called according to Your purpose. Help me to seek Your purposes, to live obedient to Your Word, and to honor You with the roles and tasks you’ve set before me that your greatness and glory might be revealed.

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The Miracle in a Common Man’s Prayer

Moving mountains with an expectant heart

‘Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.’ James 5:17 AMP

God loves to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. You might be tempted to make excuses for the extraordinary events in the Bible, but James points out that Elijah was a common man just like us with the same limitations. When Elijah prayed, God was listening. And when you pray, God is leaning in with anticipation too.

No matter what weakness you think you have, God wants you and I to believe a persistent prayer is enough. Our Almighty God wants to bring heaven down to earth to reveal His incredible power and glory through your faithful, fervent prayers.

Even if our prayers aren’t answered in the way we asked, God reaches down with His grace to comfort and strengthen us through the trouble. Sometimes the mountains He moves are within us. Heaven longs to touch Earth so that His power is made perfect in the very places we are most weak.

When you look in the mirror you might see “average”, but with God, you’re a powerful warrior with a quiver of mighty prayers at your disposal.

Pray on. Heaven is listening.

Your prayers hold the same kind of power as Elijah’s requests to stop the rain.

When ordinary people pray, it’s an extraordinary move in faith. Our belief combined with God’s power can multiply on earth as it is in heaven. That’s the supernatural power of prayer.

expectant prayers move mountainsGod can use ordinary people with expectant prayers to move mountains. 

Are you letting feelings of inadequacy keep you from believing God can work extraordinary things through you? What audacious prayer are you holding back from God because you don’t believe He can use you?

You have access to incredible power through prayer.

Surrender your requests, offer Him your dreams, and wait in expectancy. Faith believes even when things don’t work out the way we had wished, God is always moving exponentially for our good.

Prayer: Father, I commit every area of my life to you. I know that you are not limited because of my shortcomings or setbacks. I am confident that you, God, will make up the difference and supply everything I need to fulfill Your purposes in my life.

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The Hope You Need When Life Hurts

A meditation God gave us for those moments

Are you feeling hard-pressed, persecuted, defeated or in despair? If so, know that you are not alone. Many around the world are facing the same challenges you and I are facing. If your heart is weary and your strength is failing today, God’s Word holds the hope you need when life hurts.

God breathed these words [below] through the pen of Paul 2000+ years ago, to give you and I some hope when life hurts:

Do not lose heart [Insert Your Name]. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV.

Friend, press forward in your circumstances and keep your eyes on Jesus—all the while, remembering what He has waiting for you. These troubles are temporary and this hurt is brief in comparison to what is just ahead.2 Corinthians 4:16-18, fix our eyes, unseen, eternalWe can face suffering, shame, and hostility even if we feel weary and faint of heart because our goal is Jesus, standing at the finish line. This is the hope we need when life hurts.

We can remain steady in our focus, sure in our walk, and firm in our commitment to do His will when we keep our Savior in our sight.

Our eternal rewards far outweigh the temporary struggles we will face today. Stay surrendered to love and encourage God’s people. You can stand in full confidence knowing that the Almighty God’s plans with you will not be shortchanged.

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When your life feels off course

Three ways to stay the course with God when we feel stuck in life.

Have you ever felt stuck in life? A dream job on hold. A relationship strained. A plateau in your goals. Or it might be financial burdens, chronic illness, or watching a loved one make poor choices.

In Acts 27, the apostle Paul is taken prisoner for sharing the gospel and placed on a boat bound for Rome to stand trial. Before the crew could get too comfortable, a violent storm sprang up. The ship eventually broke apart and every man onboard was stuck on the remote island of Malta for a long winter. Paul’s faith literally led him to a storm.

Unfortunately, faith doesn’t prevent storms in our lives.

It can be difficult to reconcile God’s unfailing love for us when the storms of life throw us off course. This isn’t how we planned it, so now what do we do?

Paul shows us three ways to stay the course with God when we feel stuck in life.

  1. Surrendering to the detours is God’s grace period for you to grow.

So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island. Acts 27:25-26 NIV

Paul encouraged others with God’s Word. Even when it feels like we’re off course, God can still get us where He wants us to go. Paul is going to get to Rome, but first God has him here on an island. God is developing your character today for life just ahead. Remembering that Jesus is always standing guard for your good can help silence any grumbling.detours, grace, trishakeehn.com

2. “Snakes” happen, just shake them off.

Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Acts 28:3,5 NIV

When his unfortunate situation went from bad to worse, Paul could have become bitter and sunk his thoughts deep into despair. Even the islanders knew a snake bite could result in death. Instead, he shook it off and moved on with a mission to share Christ with others. We can move beyond our feelings so that the testimony of Jesus remains center stage of our circumstances.

3. No matter where you are, God’s presence and power are accessible.

Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. Acts 28:7-9 NLT

Paul had hoped to be in Rome, but right now, Paul was on the island of Malta. So Paul shared the gospel, prayed for the sick, and healed a man. Despite being a prisoner of his own circumstances, Paul allowed God’s power to move through him to help others.

Are you in a season of waiting?

We have a choice when we feel shipwrecked or when God takes us on a detour. We can sit and wait in misery to get off the island or we can make the most of where God has us. Instead of moping about his shipwreck in Malta, Paul turned the island into his ministry, his personal assignment from God.

How will you respond to your detour?

For additional teaching, check out When God Doesn’t Make Sense—a series for when life doesn’t go the way you expect.

I’m on this journey with you.

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Studies show gratefulness might be the key

Statistics on gratitude say those who are grateful live longer, healthier lives. Studies say people who live with a thankful mindset are also more compassionate, forgiving, and feel less lonely. But living a life of gratitude is easier said than done when life isn’t going our way.

How can we be grateful when our spirit is broken and the weight of our situation crushes the life out of our praise?

When life circumstances feel unfair, unjust, and simply uncalled for, we can quickly stop trusting God and try to take control of the situation. Especially when the tears won’t stop and our situation feels like it’s getting worse.

waiting, hope, trishakeehn.com

God doesn’t want us to hold back the pain or cover it up with cliches. In those moments of despair, our loving Father wants to hear from an honest heart. Our Healer wants to handle the heartbreak.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 NIV

God is making all things new. While the pain is real, He wants us to fix our eyes on His greater plan and promises. As we wait on God’s ways and His timing, refocusing our earthly hurts onto the heavenly hope of Jesus is for our own good.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 NIV

When our weary hearts anchor hope in the Word of God and believe He is always faithful, those worn out, wrecked thoughts transform into expectant, grateful hearts.

But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT

Practicing gratitude takes conscious effort. It’s easy to lapse into a negative mindset when life turns upside down. One easy way to help you see beyond your situation and reflect, recharge, and refocus on God’s Word is with one of our Bible plans focused on gratitude.

To create small reminders of God’s goodness during your day, use the YouVersion Bible Lens App to capture faces, places, and moments you’re grateful for. When you upload your photos in the app, Bible Lens will pair your picture with the perfect Bible verse. This can help transform your thoughts about the day. You can also try writing down one thing you’re grateful for either at the beginning or end of each day.

God does not push us away when we bring Him our pain. He brings us in even closer. When we refocus a burdened spirit on God’s unfailing love, we find hope that things will not remain the same. He is making all things new.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

In our struggles, we can be grateful that God hasn’t left us to fight these insurmountable battles alone. Our Great Defender has defeated the valleys of life and the grave of death to give us a new life, a new spirit, and a new heart in Him!

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What the Bible can teach a busy heart

And why we must find balance in it all

Twenty-four hours never feels like enough. If only we had more time! A couple extra hours a day could make all the difference. Or maybe an extra day in the week just to catch up, right? You might be juggling family time, social commitments, work demands, health goals, business ambitions, school assignments, relationships, and kiddos. Need we list more?

The problem with busy is that it’s often rooted in anxiety and worry. We might multitask out of fear we’ll let others down or because we struggle with letting others help. Or we might derive our value from an overpacked, overwhelmed schedule and wear our busy schedule as a sense of identity. If we’re not careful the results of our busyness can lead to pride.productivity, approval, trishakeehn.com

We’ve grown into a generation reliant on gadgets to get us instant results so we can “do it all,” but Psalm 39 says, “We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.”

Merely moving shadows. Rushing ends in nothing. The Bible makes it clear that all our scurrying is in vain. The Lord has ordered our days and is ultimately in control.

Before you go quit your job and resign from all your responsibilities, notice that the Bible never said being productive with our time is a bad thing. Work is actually one of our God-given functions. But even a busy-body can make worshipping God feel more like work than rest. A good heart might schedule time to read the Bible, join a LifeGroup, and commit to serving in church, but when the time comes, an overloaded soul cancels—suggesting another time when life doesn’t feel so busy.

Our productivity will not earn God’s approval. Here are three truths to help you re-prioritize your lists today:

1. God will accomplish through you what He needs to accomplish in the time available. You can’t make your days longer. Do your best, and leave God with the rest.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Job 38:4,12 NLT

2. We are created to be in God’s presence. As humans, we have a biological need for consistent rest and refreshment. Making time to rest in the Lord can be challenging, but there is rejuvenating power in pausing to be with our Maker.

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 NLT

3. We will always benefit with God’s presence. When we turn to God, He puts our days in perspective and it helps us prioritize the important stuff. Our worries can find rest and quiet strength in God’s Word for those situations when we feel weak.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 ESV

For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37 ESV

As God’s children, we don’t have to hustle to make things happen. His love for us goes beyond all the busyness. His help extends past our limits. In God’s eyes, your worth is not measured by your work. Your value, your significance is simply based on who the He is.

Is there a commitment you need to let go of to get your priorities right with God? Just remember, sitting at the feet of Jesus is for your benefit. God honors us when we honor Him with our time.

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15 Minutes That Can Change Your Life

Is your time in the Bible inconsistent or non-existent?

In the busy seasons of life, days can blur between school and work, home and church. We can get so caught up in the struggle and stress to be in all places at once that we bury precious priorities under growing demands. Our quiet time in the Word might get chaotic, inconsistent, or worse, cease to exist. Without God’s Word, life can be confusing with many options and few wise answers.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:25-27‬ ‭NIV

Crossing off a list of chores isn’t going to give us the kind of perpetual peace like time in God’s Word can. So how can we be consistent with the kind of wisdom we need in our lives each day? Train your mind and your time like an athlete. Here are a few ideas to help you remain relentless in reading the Bible.

Pray for the desire of your heart to change. It takes a change of heart for any discipline to stick. Just because we know we should do something doesn’t mean the discipline to follow through comes naturally. A change inside our heart will help what happens on the outside.desire of your heart, change, trishakeehn.com

Why do you want to read the Bible every day? Make up your mind about the benefits of starting the day in God’s Word. When we are faithful with our time and make a daily commitment to seek Him early, God will do the work and make a way for everything in your day.

Make it a non-negotiable part of your day. Just like an athlete prepares for race day, we must protect this time to practice and work out our faith in God’s Word every day.

Set your alarm and schedule time with God. You might write your commitment in the calendar to protect this time from “urgent” requests. Wake earlier than the rest of your household to ensure there are no distractions. Consistency creates a habit. Over time, this time with the Lord will become a non-negotiable part of your day.

Use your phone. Download the YouVersion Bible App on your digital device so the Word is always with you. Whether you’re waiting in a doctor’s office or waiting on a friend, you can make the most of your time in the Word. You might put your device on airplane mode while reading to avoid distracting alerts.

Subscribe to a reading plan on the YouVersion Bible App. The Bible app allows you to set a daily reminder for your Bible Plan commitment.

Connect with others. Find a friend to connect with you in the app and discuss the day’s devotional together. Get a group of friends to subscribe to the same reading plan and comment using Plans with Friends to create a community of reading accountability.

Start small, simple, and doable. A runner doesn’t run 20 miles on the first day of training. They start with small goals. As stamina grows, so does the workout. Starting with a lofty reading goal may lead to burnout or feeling like a failure when you’re short on time.

Focus on a few verses a day to keep your reading manageable with the time you set aside. You might find yourself learning more when you read less.

The book of Proverbs has 31 bitesize chapters, convenient for reading one a day. Look at the calendar and read the chapter that corresponds with the date (ie: On October 23rd you would read chapter 23 in Proverbs).

Set mini goals like memorization. Learning to memorize scripture will help you dive into the Word. The ultimate goal is to have God’s Word engraved in your heart when the Bible isn’t handy. Pick a new memory verse every 30 days.

Listen to the Bible on the go. A day might come when you find it hard to read God’s Word. Try the audio feature in the Bible app and listen to scripture while you’re driving in traffic or out for a walk.

Make reading the Bible a family practice. Subscribe to a Bible Plan the entire family can share together. Discuss the devotional during dinner or over dessert. Choose the Bible App for Kids or pick up a few bible stories that can be shared at bedtime.

Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Deuteronomy 11:18-19 MSG

It takes discipline to grow spiritually. That discipline will lead to delight in what we are doing, and delight will always guide us into an increased desire. When we stay committed to reading God’s Word daily, our delight for the Bible grows, and we find ourselves enjoying the discovery of wisdom in God’s Word.

There will be days when we fail to read even a verse, and that’s okay. The goal is not to check a box or cross off a list of activities that might be considered religious. We want to sincerely create a habit of being in His Word because we love God and truly believe His way is the only way to live our best life.

Reading and believing with you.