Seeking Guidance: Apostle Paul and the Mentorship Question
Devotional Steinar Opheim Devotional Steinar Opheim

Seeking Guidance: Apostle Paul and the Mentorship Question

Saul was a well-educated man who hoped to become a vital member of Jewish society. He was zealous and convinced that by persecuting those who believed in Jesus, he was doing God’s work. This was until he met Jesus, and his life was turned upside down. Suddenly, he had to learn new ways of doing things, look at people, and walk alongside those he had formerly been persecuting.

Read More
Igniting Faith: Embracing Mentorship Through the Example of Paul and Timothy
Devotional Praise Mark Devotional Praise Mark

Igniting Faith: Embracing Mentorship Through the Example of Paul and Timothy

Growing up, I was raised to believe that sharing personal problems or victories with others makes us vulnerable. I learned that few people should know how I feel. While this belief holds some truth, it made me less open to meaningful mentoring relationships.

As I grew older and got to know Christ, I discovered that some of my prayers were answered through simple interactions with others. This guidance came as advice, encouragement, support, or simply helping me see things more clearly.

Read More
The Gift of Mentorship: Lessons from Jethro and Moses
Devotional Praise Mark Devotional Praise Mark

The Gift of Mentorship: Lessons from Jethro and Moses

There is a common African proverb that says "If you want to go fast, go alone if you want to go far, go together". Exodus 18:1-27 provides a powerful illustration of mentoring through the relationship between Jethro and Moses. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, visits Moses and witnesses the immense burden Moses carries as he leads the people of Israel.

Read More
Servant Leadership: Following Jesus’ Example
Devotional Praise Mark Devotional Praise Mark

Servant Leadership: Following Jesus’ Example

In Mark 10:42-45, Jesus turns the world’s concept of greatness on its head. True greatness, He teaches, is found in serving others. Jesus, the Son of God, had every right to demand service from others. Yet, He chose the path of humility and service. His entire life was a testament to this principle.

Read More
No fear in love
Devotional Praise Mark Devotional Praise Mark

No fear in love

After final submission of my master thesis, I felt relieved that the pressure was over, and I now have time to do other things in my life. This releif was short lived because almost immediately I found myself being anxious about the next step to take.

Read More
When we share, God uses our stories to grow the Kingdom
Devotional Elizabeth Strauss Devotional Elizabeth Strauss

When we share, God uses our stories to grow the Kingdom

In Matthew 28:20, we are mandated to go and make disciples of all the nations. How do we do this differently than those who went before us? We need to embody Christ in all our actions so that when people engage with us, they want the magic that lives within us. They need to be hungry for what sets us apart. We get to create moments to share stories that make us relatable. When people relate, they connect; that is where our opportunity lies in building the kingdom. 

Read More
The Power of Prayer: A Biblical Immigrant's Journey of Faith
Devotional Praise Mark Devotional Praise Mark

The Power of Prayer: A Biblical Immigrant's Journey of Faith

Abraham is well known as the father of faith, mainly because He heard God and obeyed. You see, like few other migrants in the Bible, Abraham’s response to God’s instruction was not borne out of necessity, situation or circumstances, it was on obedience to God’s desires. Abraham demonstrated his faith by quickly leaving his own nation in response to God's promise of a new one, even though he had no idea where or what that new nation would be.

Read More
Lessons Learned and Essential Tips for a Successful Move Abroad
Devotional Steinar Opheim Devotional Steinar Opheim

Lessons Learned and Essential Tips for a Successful Move Abroad

Most of us professionals and businesspeople who have moved cross-culturally have experienced life's challenges in a foreign country. Facing the unknown, developing new habits and building a new network of friends are lessons that help us grow personally and as believers. If we think of life as a school, living in a foreign country can help us achieve a life skill PhD. We can benefit from the lessons learned for the rest of our lives.

Read More
Migrating with Love and Understanding: Following the Example of Jesus
Devotional Paulo Ribeiro Devotional Paulo Ribeiro

Migrating with Love and Understanding: Following the Example of Jesus

My wife and I moved to a country in Southeast Asia for work. In other words, we became foreigners in a land very different from our own. As Westerners, we are learning to live in an Eastern culture. Cuisine, language, traditions, family structure, and social norms differ from ours in many aspects and have led us, to some extent, to a challenging process of adaptation. And even after two years, we continue to learn the nuances of a culture as rich, hospitable, and unique as the one that welcomed us.

Read More
This story of a migrant woman has inspired thousands. Now it is your turn.
Devotional Steinar Opheim Devotional Steinar Opheim

This story of a migrant woman has inspired thousands. Now it is your turn.

A few years ago, I met a West African woman who had a calling to serve Jesus in Central Asia. It had already taken her several years to prepare for the move. Along the way, she was approached by several young men who wanted to marry her. Her first question, in response, was whether they had a calling to serve Jesus in Central Asia. All of them answered no and were, in return, informed that there was no hope of marriage. Finally, seven years after she got the calling, the woman, who remains unmarried, was ready to go.

Read More
Change the way you think and Discover God's Will for Your life
Devotional Elizabeth Strauss Devotional Elizabeth Strauss

Change the way you think and Discover God's Will for Your life

Seeing life through the eyes of an artist is one of those beautiful things only God knew in His original design. Being a very practical mom, having a child who learns through pictures, patterns, and music was complex at the beginning of our homeschool journey.

But I had to change my thoughts about teaching her so she could understand.

Read More
Excellence has the power to transform a Christian's life
Devotional Elizabeth Strauss Devotional Elizabeth Strauss

Excellence has the power to transform a Christian's life

Perfection is impossible to reach. You can do anything you can and will still find fault, but excellence is achievable! Excellence is when you know you did your absolute best and still take one step back, look at the work again, and fix what you can with the tools or ability you have in the time allocated. Then, you hand it back to God to use for His glory.

Read More
Develop your God-given skills guided by Jesus
Devotional Paulo Ribeiro Devotional Paulo Ribeiro

Develop your God-given skills guided by Jesus

Living in Christ is a wonderful journey filled with inspiring prospects for the future. By accepting Christ, we embrace a new life where we experience His love intensely and understand His teachings more deeply. Along this path arises a blessed challenge: personal development. Growing in the Christian community is crucial, as is nurturing our individual growth that allows us to develop our God-given design.

Read More
Let Jesus redeem your work
Devotional Steinar Opheim Devotional Steinar Opheim

Let Jesus redeem your work

At Easter, Jesus also redeemed our work, allowing us again to experience how God intended it to be. From the beginning, our designer wanted us to serve him by cultivating the earth and working and caring for the garden he had planted and placed us within (Gen 2:8 and 15). The calling is the same to us today. The society we live in is the garden God has called us to work and take care of.

Read More