Sarah Geringer's Blog, page 5

Break Any Stronghold In Your Life

Break any stronghold in your life is a part of a quote I read in Barb Roose’s book Stronger Than Stress, and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 31 of Lent 2025 – April 4

I purchased this book last year and I’m just now getting around to reading it. The timing is perfect as I resume full-time freelance work, which can be stressful because my income is not guaranteed.

This week my stress has been triggered over and over. I spent almost a whole day trying to get a file to load, but then had to start from scratch in a different program. In that stressful period, I questioned my own abilities to perform well. This was unnecessary because the problem was with the operating system, not me. However, because my autonomic nervous system was flooded, I attacked myself – that’s my normal setting due to years of emotional abuse.

Renouncing the Spirit of Chronic Stress

I picked up Barb’s book from my big stack of to-read books last night. This quote hit me in the heart. As I recently wrote, my pastor talked about the stronghold of despair in his sermon, which I never considered to be a stronghold in my life. Now Barb points out that chronic stress can be a stronghold too. I’m glad she did, because now I can pray more intelligently about it. My pastor said he started renouncing the spirit of despair in his life, and I will do that too – as well as the spirit of chronic stress.

I am a true-blue overachiever. It’s part of my DNA as an Enneagram 1 and a firstborn, and also as a gifted student. But my natural high achievement style has also been exacerbated by other factors. These factors include being a child of divorce since age 4 who was doing all the homeowner tasks I do now by age 10. I was  I’m starting to realize just how much those heavy burdens at a very young age are still impacting me now in my work and personal life.

Learning from Paul about Stress

Barb frames her book around the apostle Paul’s life. He was a natural high achiever, just like me. However, she points out that though Paul endured many stressful situations and wrote honestly about them, he still experienced God’s peace in spite of them. He was extremely productive without letting work rule his life. I’m looking forward to learning more from Barb as I continue reading this book, and applying the examples from Paul’s life to my own.

Are you dealing with chronic stress like I am? Get your copy of Stronger Than Stress HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.

'Break any stronghold in your life...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post Break Any Stronghold In Your Life appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

You Cannot Change What You Do Not Confront

You cannot change what you do not confront is a part of a quote I read in Craig Groeschel’s book Winning the War in Your Mind, and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 30 of Lent 2025 – April 3

Winning the War in Your Mind is a powerful book to help you change your thoughts, which shape your life. I like Craig Groeschel’s writing because it is clear, concise, and ringing with truth. It’s also filled with humor and humility, which make the lessons even more meaningful. You can see my Lenten post about another one of his books HERE.

In the past three years, I have battled depression, which is a battle in the mind. I know that’s where all our battles begin, and it’s where Satan can whisper lies to us. Though I’ve written two books on transforming your thought life, I needed to confront lies I believed that the enemy planted. Lies like “things are never going to get better for me,” or “the shoe is always going to fall,” which are rooted in a lifetime of abuse. I had to confront the underlying traumas to change my thought life, as recommended in THIS BOOK.

You Cannot Change What You Do Not Confront

This journey of greater self-awareness in my thought life is an important part of my healing process. In a support group I joined through my church, we learned to name our emotions out loud. This practice of naming my emotions is helping me gain self-awareness. Now when a thought life problem develops, I name the emotion I’m feeling before God. It helps to say, “God, the reason I’m thinking this is because I’m lonely right now.” The feeling can be changed based on the moment. Just acknowledging it before God out loud helps decrease the negative feeling’s power. After I confess my feeling, I renew my trust in God with an audible statement. In this way, I’m winning the war because I’m not ignoring the battle going on in my mind.

Craig’s book is a powerful tool for gaining self-awareness of your thought life problems. I think it’s a good read along with my book, which is a tool to point you toward specific scriptures to help you fight back in specific areas of struggle. In fact, I know my publisher gave me a contract for my book the same year Craig’s book was published, because the topic of “thought life” was what the Holy Spirit wanted readers to focus on that year, along with this popular book too.

More quotes from Winning the War in Your Mind :A lie believed as truth will affect your life as if it were true.Who you are today is a result of your thoughts in the past. Who you become in the future will reflect what you think about today.The battle for your life is won or lost in your mind. Your thoughts will control you, so you have to control your thoughts.

Get your copy of Winning the War in Your Mind HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.

'You cannot change what you do not confront...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post You Cannot Change What You Do Not Confront appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

The Enemy Indeed Attacks

The Enemy Indeed Attacks is a part of a quote I read in Cheryl Lutz’s book Securely Held, and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 29 of Lent 2025 – April 2

 

Cheryl Pelton Lutz is a pastor’s wife and Bible teacher, and her husband Alan was my pastor in high school. I loved their family and even got to babysit their children a few times. I was so excited for Cheryl when her book Securely Held published, because publishing a book was a long-held dream of hers (and mine too).

Cheryl’s book reminds us that Jesus holds us in the storms of our lives. She has faced many trials in relationships, health issues, and ministry, which she details in her book. The quote I pulled from her book resonates most strongly with me. She writes about spiritual warfare with wisdom.

All of us in ministry will face severe spiritual attacks. That is true whether you are a pastor, teacher, writer, speaker, or influencer. Here is a list of some of the spiritual attacks I’ve faced in my ministry:

On the day my author copies were delivered and my devotion went live on a huge platform, six appliances in my home went out at once. Also, an area of abuse reached unprecedented heights.When I obeyed God’s directive to post my thoughts online after watching The Sound of Freedom , a stalker approached me as a direct result of my viral YouTube video.The week I published my most recent book, Hope for the Hard Days, I faced a devastating personal disappointment, and I “just so happened” to back into someone else’s car.The day I bought a new Apple computer to be able to support other Christian authors in kingdom work, my dog’s other knee blew out, requiring expensive surgery.

I could list many other attacks, but this is enough to prove the enemy hates my guts. This is also the reason I’m not writing another book until I heal from the trauma I’ve experienced and build the emotional reserves I need to face inevitable attacks.

The Bible tells us to expect this:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NIVFor our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 NIV“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12 NIV“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV

God never tells us to expect the Christian life to be easy, especially if we are in ministry. That’s why I always tell my clients to expect spiritual warfare to ramp up when their books are publishing. It’s part and parcel of what we do. However, Jesus securely holds us when we are attacked, and he gives us victory in the spiritual realms. This truth keeps moving me forward even when I’m facing the inevitable attacks of moving onto the front lines for God’s glory.

Learn more about spiritual warfare in Cheryl’s book HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.

'The Enemy indeed attacks...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post The Enemy Indeed Attacks appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

God Is an On-Time God

God Is an On-Time God is a part of a quote I read in Kelly Balarie’s book Take Every Thought Captive, and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 28 of Lent 2025 – April 1

I was the book launch manager for Kelly Balarie’s Take Every Thought Captive in 2023. I read her powerful book, as I always do with my clients’ books, and it resonated strongly with me.

I’m glad I reread my highlights from it this year. This quote about God’s timing is good for me to remember. I feel like I’m in a long season of waiting for God to redeem all that the locusts have eaten in my life. I want him to rebuild goodness in my relationships, finances, and faith – areas that have been shaken in the past three years.

Kelly’s quote reminds me to trust in God’s timing. I also think about Joseph, the Bible person with whom I most closely identify. In one moment, he was lifted from prison and set into a high position of authority. The Bible even records that he took time for a quick shave (Gen. 41:14). I think about Joseph shaving off his long beard as a sign of shedding off the old when he was getting ready to step into the new. Actually, he stepped into the prophecy God had spoken over him 13 years prior to that moment (Gen. 37:5-11).

Here’s another great quote from Take Every Thought Captive:

Disappointment makes us feel blocked, but trust in God delivers hope that good can come out of bad.

As I wait for God to fulfill promises he spoke to me in the Sunbeams chapter of this book I wrote, I must intentionally fight disappointment and impatience by focusing on hope. This builds my trust in God and heals my relationship with him. I’m grateful for God’s Word which gives me hope, along with all the Christian books I read for my edification.

Get your copy of Take Every Thought Captive HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.

'God is an on-time God...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post God Is an On-Time God appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

The Person Waiting to Offer Himself

The Person Waiting to Offer Himself is a part of a quote I read in Asheritah Ciuciu’s book Delighting in Jesus, and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 27 of Lent 2025 – March 31

I ordered this book because I need an infusion of joy into my life. What I appreciate most about it is how Asheritah weaves neuroscience into her spiritual encouragement. She talks about our brain’s fear center as well as its joy center. As I’ve written about in this book, the more we focus on Scripture to reprogram our thoughts, the more joy we can have in our lives.

In the past three years, severe trauma has impacted all aspects of my life, including my spiritual health. As I’ve written before, I’ve felt a sense of betrayal in my relationship with God that I want to repair. This book is helping me do that. I appreciate both the practical and spiritual approaches in this book. She lays out the five rhythms of delight: worship, word, whisper, wonder, and walk. I’m exploring the one on worship right now. I like her suggestions for carving out personal worship time each day. This will help me heal and recapture the joy of living the Christian life.

My Bible reading has felt more wooden at certain times in my recovery process. Though I kept up with reading devotions every day with scriptures in little bites, sometimes reading the Bible itself felt too painful. But I believe that season has passed, and I’m grateful that it’s over. As the quote states, I want to recapture my delight in the personhood of Jesus through my daily scripture readings, rather than just looking at Bible reading as another thing to check off my to-do list.

Sometimes we need a friend to help us recapture our joy and delight, and Asheritah serves that purpose in Delighting in Jesus. I encourage you to get your copy HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.

'The Person waiting to offer Himself...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post The Person Waiting to Offer Himself appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

God Brings Laughter

God Brings Laughter is a part of a quote I read in Janet McHenry’s book Looking Up, and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 26 of Lent 2025 – March 30

I was honored to be the book launch manager for Looking Up, a book written by my friend Janet McHenry. Because it’s her birthday today, I chose to feature it on my blog post today. It’s an encouraging 365-day devotional I am also proud to endorse. Here’s my endorsement:

As a melancholy person by nature, I need devotionals that help me focus on joy. This book is the perfect solution. Janet McHenry has written bite-sized devotions that don’t deny the hard facts of life. Yet she points you toward joy through engaging personal stories, meaningful prayers, and affirming declarations to help you look up into your Heavenly Father’s face every day of the year.

Today’s quote focuses on the gift of laughter that God provides. Because I am a serious person, I must seek humor outside of myself. In my healing journey these past three years, I’ve tried to be intentional in seeking times of laughter to lift my spirits. The most common way I’ve done this is watching sitcoms from the 1990s with my daughter. I also find humor when playing with my dogs. Humor has been a gift that has even pushed tears of grief to the surface when I was laughing. I could feel the grief welling up because it needed to get out.

After listening to my story of trauma for the first time, one of my coworkers suggested laughter as a solution. He is an enneagram 7, a personality type who seeks fun. He had heard that some Native American tribes intentionally use jokes at the end of emotional healing rituals to balance out the seriousness. I thought about all this deeply. If even unbelievers know the value of laughter for healing, certainly I can use the gift of laughter God gives me for my healing.

I’m grateful for Janet’s devotional that encourages me to look up every day and even laugh with the Lord when I find opportunities to do so. Here are more encouraging quotes from Janet’s devotional:

We are not victims of circumstances but vessels of God’s grace.Abundance comes through the filter of God’s fingers.Being thankful is the easiest offering we can give.Praising God for his faithful character is the best way to start a day.We can pray in all seasons that God will make our lives meaningful.

Get your copy of Looking Up HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.

'God brings laughter...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
Click To Tweet

Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post God Brings Laughter appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

If You Couldn’t Pray for Thirty Days

If You Couldn’t Pray for Thirty Days is a quote by Paige Benton I read in Nancy Guthrie’s book The One Year Book of Hope, and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for just five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 23 of Lent 2025 – March 29

I read this quote in Nancy Guthrie’s book, “The One Year Book of Hope.” It has been my morning devotional for several months, and you can buy a copy of the book HERE. It’s the only book I’ve quoted twice in this series of Lenten posts, and I thought the quote was too good not to share.

If You Couldn’t Pray for Thirty Days

As mentioned in Nancy’s book, here’s the context for this quote by Bible teacher Paige Benton. Because Daniel was a righteous and prayerful man in the time of King Darius, ungodly kingdom administrators were envious of his influence. They devised a law prohibiting anyone from praying to other gods besides Darius, who was believed to have divine powers. For thirty days anyone caught breaking the law would be thrown to the lions.

What did Daniel do when he heard about this law against prayer? Let’s look at Daniel 6:10 NIV to find out:

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Paige Benton adds that Daniel was only asked to give up prayer for thirty days. He was not asked to renounce his faith in God. She said, “We give up prayer so quickly and easily because we don’t get any public credit for it.”

Considering your current prayer life, would it make any difference if you couldn’t pray for thirty days? I think this may be the most provocative quote I’ve found in this Lenten series, and that’s why I want to explore it with you today.

If I Couldn’t Pray for Thirty Days

In this Lenten series, I’ve mentioned that the past three years have been extremely difficult for me. My faith has been shaken to the core with all kinds of severe trauma and resulting complex PTSD. I have gone through a long, challenging dark night of the soul. Sometimes, the struggle was minute-to-minute, especially after a stalker approached me.

However, in that whole time of suffering, I prayed every single day. Prayer was the unbreakable cord that tethered me to God. My prayers were not pretty. At times, they were angry rants. Other times, they were heartbroken cries. I questioned God, yelled at him about the unfairness, and desperately pleaded for justice and deliverance. Those wild, emotional prayers were the way I bore my heart to God in my suffering, and I don’t regret a single word I spoke during that time.

Another type of prayer I prayed was intercessory prayer. Praying for others gave me a sense of purpose when everything else around me didn’t make sense. I also chose to praise God despite my suffering, mostly through songs that expressed my feelings better than spoken prayers. The song Defender became my anchor in my darkest moments, and God, Turn It Around became my frequent petition.

The bottom line: I could not have survived the past three years without prayer. It was as essential to me as breathing. If I had to go thirty minutes without prayer, my life would have been insufferable. Thirty days without prayer would not have been liveable. If I had been under the same pressure as Daniel, I would have prayed anyway – that’s how important it is to me.

The Great Gift of Prayer

Today’s quote has moved me to praise God for the great gift of prayer. It has been a treasure to me, not just in the past three intensely painful years but for my whole life. It’s the channel through which I have developed an intimate relationship with the Lord.

In my days at Covenant College, we would use one day per semester as a Day of Prayer. All classes were cancelled for the day, so we had time to pray over our futures. This beautiful practice stuck with me as a way to stop everything, connect with God, read his Word, and seek his direction. I haven’t taken a whole day of prayer for a long time, yet I’m glad I can stop anytime during the day for a few minutes, connect with God through prayer, and gain a greater sense of peace.

I’m grateful God has taught me to seek him in prayer ever since I was a child. I pray today that if you’re reading this, you will also recognize the great gift of prayer and be moved to pray more. Since prayer can be a confusing and challenging topic, I’ve compiled the best books to help you on this journey HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote.

'If you couldn't pray for thirty days...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
Click To Tweet

Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

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The post If You Couldn’t Pray for Thirty Days appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

Living in the Now

Living in the now is a portion of a quote I read in Ruth Chou Simons’ “Now and Not Yet,” and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for only five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 24 of Lent 2025 – March 28

 

I love Ruth Chou Simons’ books, and I even got to interview her years ago on THIS POST. Her book, Now and Not Yet, is great encouragement for those of us waiting through a season we’d rather not endure, like I am now. I must admit, I bought it last year because I knew I should read it, but didn’t want to read it. I’m picking it back up now to be obedient to the Lord as I try to wait well in the now-and-not-yet season.

David’s Story of Living in the Now

I’m pondering the concept of living in the now as I watch the House of David series on Amazon Prime. As I watch David struggle with frustration in the space of being anointed as king, yet still subjected to living as a shepherd and musician, new life is breathed into familiar Bible stories I’ve known since childhood. I see David’s great potential even as a young man, similar to my story as a gifted student talented in the arts. In the series, I see the hidden strengths he’s perfected in the lonely wilderness, like the ones I’ve had myself against my will.

As a young man, David struggled with living in the now, just like me. Yet we can see from the Scriptures that God used that lonely time in the wilderness, before David was ever anointed as king, to shape him into a man after God’s own heart. In those lonely spaces, David honed his musical skills and writing talents, which we still enjoy thousands of years later in the Psalms. He also gained courage, physical strength, and poise as he fought lions and bears, which paid off in his epic battle with Goliath. All these benefits came from the season David would rather not have endured. They were shaping him to be the mighty king of Israel who was a forebearer of Jesus – that’s why God said his kingdom would have no end.

We know the end of David’s story, but he didn’t know what was ahead of him. He struggled with frustration, anger, impatience, and sadness as recorded in so many Psalms. I’m glad the scriptures show him as a real, imperfect human being, so we can relate to him in his struggles.

Living in the Now

Ruth’s book is a wonderful companion to help us learn to live in the now with hope and peace rather than resistance. Through her own stories and Bible stories like David’s story, she talks about the purpose God has for us in our seasons of waiting, even when we don’t see it. I can shift my thinking from seeing this as a season of surviving to a season of thriving, just in different ways, like David experienced in the wilderness. I’m grateful for her writing that points me toward positivity rather than the natural negativity I feel as I keep waiting.

Here are a few more quotes from Ruth’s book:

It’s hard to live on purpose in the present when your expectations take you somewhere else.God is indeed purposeful right here, in the midst of it all.The core belief of restlessness stems from thinking I can’t truly rest until I secure everything I think I need.If our desire is to experience more of God’s purposes and plans for our lives, then a posture of rest in the God we trust – free and unhindered- is exactly what we must cultivate right now.

Get your copy of Ruth’s book HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote. I encourage you to share your thoughts about today’s quote in the comments below.

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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post Living in the Now appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

Until You Get Quiet

Until You Get Quiet is a portion of a quote I read in “Rhythms of Renewal,” and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for only five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 23 of Lent 2025 – March 27

A few years ago, I was blessed to meet Rebekah Lyons in person. My friend invited me and another mutual friend to enjoy breakfast together with Rebekah before she spoke at our church. It was wonderful to have almost an hour of quality conversation with Rebekah, who is a wise, kind, generous person.

Her book Rhythms of Renewal helped me see many things in new ways, including the importance of silence, which I also wrote about HERE. In today’s quote, she talks about the importance of confession.

Lent is a good time for self-examination, when the need for confession can naturally rise to the top of our awareness. I’ve restarted the practice of examen this Lent. In this practice, you look over your day for times you sinned, then confess them to God. If you do this at the end of the day, you can go to bed with greater peace. It helps me sleep better because I wipe the guilty stains off my conscience before I fall asleep.

Two more quotes from this chapter:

Every pause is a chance to release and reset.You cannot heal what is hidden, but when you confess something out loud, you bring it into the light, where it can be healed.

Sin is a very unpopular teaching in our culture, so confession is unpopular too because it exposes sin. However, if we want to grow in our maturity as Christians, confession is essential. As Rebekah notes, it can promote healing for the broken connections between us and God and others. Confession is an important practice we can begin any time of year, yet Lent is perhaps the most natural time to start it.

If you aren’t yet in the habit of confession, let me offer a few tips:

Get quiet and ask the Lord to show you when you’ve sinned against him and others.Humbly confess – take responsibility for your thoughts, words, and actions without making excuses.Ask God to help you choose a better path forward.

Confession can help you apologize more easily. It creates greater self-awareness if you practice it regularly. It can build trust with others because you aren’t afraid to admit your imperfections. It’s one of the best spiritual practices to help you grow more like Christ, and I recommend it to you today.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote. I encourage you to share your thoughts about today’s quote in the comments below.

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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post Until You Get Quiet appeared first on Sarah Geringer.

When the Skies in Life Turn Dark

When the Skies in Life Turn Dark is a portion of a quote I read in “When Skies Aren’t Blue,” and I’m pondering it with you today.

For Lent 2025, I’ll be writing new blog posts every day. I’m writing for only five unedited minutes on a quote of the day to deepen our faith in this Lenten season.

Day 22 of Lent 2025 – March 26

This book is a powerful testimony of holding onto faith when the skies of life turn dark. Andy Laurie is both a doctor and a pastor. He is married to the love of his life and has four children. In the peak of his career and family life, he was struck with a terrible disease. It took years of testing and trials to discover the cause, and he’s lived with it for over two decades. Though the disease rocked his faith to the core, he held on with tenacity. He wants to help others hold onto faith when skies aren’t blue in their lives, especially if they are facing a tough medical diagnosis.

Andy’s writing is concise and to-the-point. He offers ten powerful steps, like prescriptions from a doctor, to help you when skies aren’t blue in your life. As a pastor, he writes with compassion and encouragement. Here are a few other quotes from his book that I found to be helpful:

Satan yields very real power, and he is the one who darkens even the bluest skies of our lives.Because we do not have realistic expectations, bitterness sets in. That bitterness eats away at our relationship with God, which in turn further darkens our skies.I cannot lament over what I can no longer do, but rather I need to take joy in what I can do.When our prayers are nothing but a desperate plea to God, we end up blinding ourselves to the truly amazing things He is in fact doing.

The most powerful part of this book is the author’s testimony of persevering through truly horrible circumstances. If you or someone you know is facing a difficult health situation, this book would be a great comfort to you. I recommend you order a copy for yourself or a suffering friend HERE.

Join me again tomorrow for another reflection on a different quote. I encourage you to share your thoughts about today’s quote in the comments below.

'When the skies of life turn dark...' - ponder this quote with me. #quote #quoteoftheday #lent #spiritualgrowth
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Find all my additional resources for Lent on this page.

Are You Looking for a Book Launch Manager or Virtual Assistant?

If you’re launching a book in 2025 or beyond, be sure to book a call with me HERE to discuss your book launch. I’ve had over 50 clients since 2022, and I’d love to speak with you soon. I’m also taking on new VA clients. You can learn more and book a call with me on THIS PAGE.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

Also, if you make a purchase from any of the links on this post, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!

Want to know more about me before you sign up? You can read my story here and learn more about my books here. By signing up, you are agreeing to the terms of my privacy policy.

The post When the Skies in Life Turn Dark appeared first on Sarah Geringer.