In There’s Beauty in the Broken When We Stay to Be Remade, Tabitha Deller reminds us that even when life feels messy or marred, God—the Master Potter—is still shaping something beautiful. Through the powerful imagery of Jeremiah 18, this devotional invites readers to trust God’s timing, embrace His grace, and stay in His hands as He lovingly reworks every broken piece into a masterpiece of His design.
Read MoreIn I Write Words, but He Rights Hearts, Tabitha Deller shares how writing becomes worship when surrendered to God. This heartfelt reflection invites readers to see creativity as a calling—where the words we write point to the Word Himself. Through Scripture and personal reflection, Tabitha reminds us that true influence comes not from content, but from Christ—the One who helps, gives hope, and changes hearts.
Read MoreThe world around us is always changing—especially in fall, when leaves fade, air cools, and beauty fills every corner. Yet even as the seasons shift, one truth remains: God never changes. In this heartfelt reflection, I share three reminders from autumn that point us back to His unchanging love, His steadfast presence, and His everlasting light.
Read MoreIn a world overflowing with noise, opinions, and endless scrolling, there is only one foundation that will never fail—the Word of God. When all else crumbles, Scripture stands faithful and true. Stop scrolling. Start seeking. Build your life on the unshakable truth that satisfies every hunger and anchors every storm.
Read MoreMaybe you, like me, need this message today…
I have been so burdened lately by all the ugliness I see in the world around me, but I know the reality is that sometimes the ugliness I see can reside in me.
It’s the condition of our humanity, mere symptoms of our sin disease.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23, ESV)
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, ESV)
I’ve cried. I prayed. I’ve read God’s Word. I’ve actually done these three things more lately because I’ve seen just how ugly sin can be, and just how necessary it is to address it and confess it so we don’t wrongly express it.
I’m calling it heart work because that’s what it’s been for me. Looking inside my own heart for the things that break the Father’s heart so I can get rid of them and get right with Him.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)
My encouragement to you…
Read MoreLiterally. Emotionally. Spiritually.
It’s been a week of heavy headlines as we’ve witnessed evil on display in real time. Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska in North Carolina aren’t the first time we’ve seen pure evil with our very own eyes, and they won’t be the last, but why do they seem more blatant now than in the past?
Just like many of you, I’ve been unable to shake the heaviness I feel, and I’m convinced the weight of the burden is because spiritual warfare is real.
Evil is dark. Truth is light. Darkness leads to death. Light gives way to life. There is a war waging between the two, and it has been won by only one, but the battle is ongoing until our time on earth is done.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)
Read MoreMaybe not always in our timing or the way we would, but His timing is perfect, His ways are higher, and His answer is always worth the wait and so much better than we could ever fathom.
So, just keep watching Him work…on the days it’s super evident and on the days it’s somewhat subtle, you have to look a little harder and dig a little deeper to truly see what He’s doing behind the scenes, below the surface, and on a deeper level.
Fruit is produced from the seeds of our prayers, and the longer we allow it to ripen while we wait, the sweeter that fruit will be!
Watching God work to answer our prayers (whether precisely or a little more methodically) is a beautiful thing, and the beauty of it all is further enhanced by our praise.
So praise Him now for the answer you see clearly today or the answer that may still be on the way.
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14, ESV)
Read MoreI’ve had a head and heart FULL of thoughts and feelings about the FULLNESS of God.
The word fullness implies being filled to capacity, and when referring to the fullness of God, it includes every aspect of who He is in all His Glory.
His love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, truth, and sovereignty are all far beyond our capacity because they are greater than anything we can ask, imagine, or fathom.
A few days ago I was out shopping for luggage with my son as he prepares to study abroad. When planning and packing, he has to keep in mind the airline restrictions when it comes to his checked and carry on bag dimensions. He can’t go over capacity in length, height, width, or weight, or it’ll cost him.
But that’s not how it works with the fullness of God. There are no restrictions, limitations, or stipulations.
His love is unconditional and everlasting.
His mercy dives to the deepest depth.
His grace reaches to the highest height.
His forgiveness spans the greatest expanse.
His truth is the standard for all credibility.
His sovereignty oversees all authority.
And the fullness of God can never be depleted or defeated. It never runs out, even though it is forever spilling out and filling us.
When we are full of Him, there’s no room for the things that keep us from Him, so when this crazy world we live in, bumps us again and again, His fullness spills out of us and onto others.
The fullness of God — with our head, we will never fully comprehend it, but with our heart, we can fully experience it.
Read MoreTis the season of send offs
From first day bus waves
To fall semester move in days
Learning to let go
Helps us all to grow
In oh so many ways
We cling so tightly because we care so deeply, and if that’s true, for me and you, just imagine how tightly God is clinging to us all as we learn this lesson of letting go.
His grip is greater than ours.
His love is deeper than ours.
His ways are higher than ours.
And that’s more than enough to keep them close as we let them go.
His plan will continue to work out, play out, and stand out center stage against the backdrop of our surrender.
So what do you say we trade the white knuckles of clenched fists for the white flag of surrendering our will to His?
We can let go
Knowing He never will
He’ll hold them fast
And keep them close
Working out His Will
Behind the scenes
Bringing greater things
From firsts to lasts
And all the in betweens
We can trust Him in the send offs
Every moment, milestone, and memory made
Learning as we let go
Knowing we all will grow
Read More“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16, ESV)
Grace upon grace
Not just enough
But more than enough
And endless supply
That extends beyond this space and time
This morning, this verse deeply resonated with me as I find myself (still) in the midst of this season of letting go.
I’ve experienced so much of God’s grace in this sacred space.
And this is what He spoke to my heart, and I will pass on to yours, because maybe you need to hear it, too…
Give up (trying to control it all) but don’t give up (trusting He’s in control of it all).
It is possible to give them up to Him without giving up on them or on Him.
“There’s no way to be a perfect parent, but a million ways to be a good one.” — Jill Churchill
Look for just one of those million today, and do that one well.
Have a good cry (sometimes you can’t stop the tears from flowing), but then wipe the tears and carry on, because a mother’s work is never done (and with God’s help you and your kids won’t stop growing).
Empty nest does not mean emptiness.
Life can be lived to the fullest at every age and life stage when our cup is filled by Christ alone.
Yes, the fullest and best days are ahead, because we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, and our children are doing it, too.
They are not ours. They are lent to us to give to Him over and over again. It’s in that kind of giving up we receive the strength we need to truly let go.
Embrace the grace in the sacred space
Over and over again
Yesterday, today, and tomorrow
Because each new day
Holds new mercies
More grace
Grace upon grace
“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16, ESV)
Read MoreThe Beauty of Becoming…
One day you will be older and wiser, and yet not that long ago, you were young hungry.
I’m not sure what’s best, but I think it’s probably best to learn from both.
Biblically, they both have place and purpose in the family of God, and they both can be used powerfully by God to further His Kingdom.
“Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:12 NLT
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” ~ Titus 2:3-5 ESV
So learn and grow older and wiser, but keep growing and learning as you stay young and hungry.
Grow in maturity, and as you grow more mature, always be open to learning more. Never think you’ve arrived. Always be teachable, because when you are, others are more reachable.
Embrace the age you are now. Celebrate where you’ve been. Anticipate where you’re headed. It’s a wildly beautiful process.
We experience the best of both worlds when we learn to live in the tension of the two, and then live to learn from the tension of the two. Don’t despise the one you’re not yet and don’t neglect the one you once were.
Step into multigenerational spaces. No matter your age or life stage, always have someone older and wiser pour into you, so you can overflow and pour into someone that’s young and hungry.
Live to grow. Grow to live. At every age and life stage.
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT
Read MoreFive things I’m learning as a wife, mom (of men), and follower of Christ in this season of life…
1️⃣ Humility is the key that unlocks true beauty. Beautiful things catch my eye more quickly when my eyes are not on me. Letting go of selfish desires allow me to embrace the things my pride threatens to take away. Beauty is more securely held with a looser grip, because it’s held fast in Him, not me. I must be held by Him to behold true beauty from a place of humility.
2️⃣ Life is short, but love is long. When I surrender the temporary, I remember the eternal. This life will pass, but God’s love will always last, and that’s what I want to be continually receiving from Him and giving to others.
3️⃣ Boys will be boys who grow up to be men who will be men, and that’s OK, because that’s the way God created them, that’s what He uses to steer them, and He will not lead them astray when they are following Him. I may not always understand them, but I can trust them to a God who does.
4️⃣ When in doubt, pray it out. I’m a verbal processor, but processing it all with God first helps me to communicate it to others best. My mantra is to “pray more than I say.” My words to Him are more powerful than my words to them.
5️⃣ Ministry is far more than what you see. As an author, speaker, and teacher, I can sometimes measure effectiveness in ministry by the things I’m producing, the likes and follows, the ratings and reviews. And while I know all those things are important, the most important aspects of ministry to me have become the things that are going on behind the scenes, beneath the surface, when no one‘s looking. That’s where the seeds are planted, the work takes place, and it can all grow in grace so my marriage, motherhood, and ministry can blend together in perfect harmony.
The beauty in each season is more noticeable in the change of seasons. One ends, another begins, and while we may miss things about the previous season, we can embrace and enjoy the one we’re in, love and laugh with the ones we’re with, and look forward to all the next one holds.
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven….Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11, NLT)
Read MoreTo all the mamas out there feeling all the feels of May, this is for you…
On this first day of May, I woke up thinking about all the “May things.” Things that touch the heart, trigger the emotions, and for me, turn on the tears.
In our family, we have so much to celebrate, a few moves to make, and lots of life to keep living in the midst of it all.
May, for me, and maybe for you too, is a reminder that these children of mine are not really mine at all. They are His and have been all along.
May is a month of transition. School wraps up as summer ramps up. Ceremonies and celebrations fill the calendar page, and Pomp and Circumstance plays as they march across the stage.
And each stage, and each May, has meaning and purpose as we walk with our children through the stage of life they’re currently in, from childhood to adulthood, learning to embrace with grace the most important lesson of motherhood…
We can let go because He never will.
I heard a song recently that reminded me of the truth we must cling to as we let go of them.
And ironically, the lyrics liken letting go to giving birth.
Mama, I know letting go is hard, but I also know trusting God is good. It’s good for them. It’s good for us. God’s got us all, and He won’t let us go. It’s a lesson we all have to learn, and these May days are some of the best teachers.
We may be letting go of them, but He will never let go of any of us.
{“I Won’t Let You Go” by Switchfoot}
🎶When it feels like surgery
and it burns like third degree
And you wonder, what is it worth?
When your inside’s breakin’ in
and you feel that ache again
And you wonder, what’s giving birth?
If you could let the pain of the past go
of your soul
None of this is in your control
If you could only let your guard down
If you could learn to trust me somehow
Well, I swear that I won’t let you go
If you could only let go your doubts
If you could just believe in me now
I swear that I won’t let you go
I won’t let you go
When your fear is currency
and you feel that urgency
You want peace,
but there’s war in your head
Well, maybe that’s where life is born
when our façades are torn
Pain gives birth to the promise ahead🎶
Read MoreI know I share a lot of thoughts in this space, and most of them are echoes reiterating the same message, because it’s a message that is the very reason I write the words I share.
My words are fueled by my faith. They start and end there, because this is my heart’s prayer…
Father, thank you for loving me, and thank you for saving me. Draw me closer to you that I may see you more clearly, love you more dearly, and walk with you more nearly as I seek to know you more and share your love with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
And God keeps answering that prayer through the ups, downs, twists, and turns of the life lessons I continue to learn. It’s actually through those lessons that the complexities of Christianity become a simpler reality for me because the Holy Spirit helps me see them through the lens of my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In this world, there are a lot of decisions vying for our immediate attention, but there is one decision, I believe, is the most important decision we’ll ever make.
So, I’m inviting you to simply push pause in your day, stop scrolling, and give me just a few minutes to tell you about this life changing decision that requires your undivided attention.
First of all, God loves you (us).
The creator of the universe created it all with you (humanity) in mind. He loves us, and He desires a relationship with us, but when He created us, He gave us the free will to choose to love Him or not. And it’s because of that free will that we sometimes choose to go our own way which is called “sin” because we miss the mark of the standard set by Holy God.
Secondly, sin separates us from God.
You see, we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We literally, because of our sin, are separated from Him...spiritually dead. And as long as we go our own way, do our own thing, live by our own standards, we stay separated from God.
But...
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” ~ 2 Peter 3:9
A price had to be paid because a way had to be made.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 6:23
God loved us so much that He sent his son Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin and reconcile us back to Him.
“but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God...” ~ Isaiah 59:2
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~ Romans 5:8
Jesus’s death was the price that had to be paid, and His resurrection was the way that was made.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” ~ John 14:6
His great love was manifested in His amazing grace.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ~ 1 John 1:9
If you’ve never accepted God’s free gift of salvation through confession and repentance of your sins and trusting God’s forgiveness and righteousness to cleanse you from them and reconcile you back to Him, would you do that today?
It is the most important decision you’ll ever make.
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~ Romans 10:13
If you have called on the name of the Lord for your salvation, join me in the same prayer with which I started this post. May it be our prayer from now until eternity…
Father, thank you for loving me, and thank you for saving me. Draw me closer to you that I may see you more clearly, love you more dearly, and walk with you more nearly as I seek to know you more and share your love with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,” ~ 2 Timothy 1:6-10
Read MoreAs I spent time today meeting upcoming writing deadlines and preparing for a speaking event I have this weekend, I was reminded that the truths I share with you are also true for me, too.
Sometimes, when I put on the writer/speaker hat, I can quickly forget that I don’t just share words to be seen or heard. It’s actually quite the contrary.
My words will always fall short, but His Word will never return void (Isaiah 55:11). Nothing I write or say has the power to change anything, but my words can point other others to His Word. And His Word is where the power is.
In my time of writing and preparing today, I experienced that firsthand. I did for myself what I encourage others to do. I memorized scripture. I meditated on it. And now I want to share that passage with you in hopes that your heart will be encouraged, too.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10, ESV)
By grace alone. Through faith alone. In Christ alone. Because of His Word alone. All for the glory of God alone.
Period. Full stop. Nothing more and nothing less, because Christ is enough, and that frees me to not have to be.
And true to God’s character, He didn’t stop there (because He’s an Ephesians 3:20 God, always doing more than we can ask or imagine).
As I was wrapping up my writing time, a new song started playing from my Spotify smart shuffle. I have several songs by Leanna Crawford in my playlists, but this was a new one to me, and the perfectly timed power of the Holy Spirit used it to purposely refine my heart even more.
Maybe your heart could use the reminder, too…
🎶There’s no such thing as too far gone with God
Nothing you can do to earn your spot
Nowhere you can go where He is not
I know it all sounds unbelievable
But believe me it’s that simple🎶
I’m not sure where your heart is today, but wherever it is, I pray these simple reminders can speak profound truths to you and your heart, too.
*song referenced is Simple by Leanna Crawford
Read MoreOne of my favorite verses in the Bible is John 8:12, “Jesus, spoke to the people once more, and said, ‘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.’”
A life in Christ gives us clarity of sight, because when we walk with Christ, we are walking in the light.
This truth becomes powerful and transformational when we are fully convinced that we GET to walk in the light (that leads to life) so we won’t HAVE to walk in darkness (that leads to death).
Why stumble our way through, when we can stand firm on God’s truth?
The free gift of salvation, given to us by God through His Son, Jesus Christ, is just that – it is a gift! It was freely given, and we can fully receive it, and boldly walk in it.
We WON’T HAVE to walk in darkness, because we literally HAVE the light that leads to life living inside us! We GET to walk in the LIGHT! We GET to turn to the LIGHT and allow Him to shed light on our sin, so we can repent and be born again, saying no to sin (death and darkness) and yes to Him (life and light)!
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:5-10, ESV)
Read MoreA divine delay is the necessary space and time needed for God to make a way.
Because He always does.
He is truly a “waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper, and light in the darkness.”
And the way is made clear, the miracle worked out, the promise kept, and the darkness made light oftentimes in the midst of waiting.
I can think of several examples in the Bible, and in my own life, where specific prayers were prayed, and requests made, but the answers were delayed.
Quite often the answers and outcome are far different (and far better) than we can imagine or fathom.
I think of Esther’s delay in presenting her request to the king. It was during that divine delay that she fasted, prayed, and asked her people to do the same. In that timely space of waiting from banquet to banquet, an evil plot to kill the king was uncovered. Had it not been, Esther wouldn’t have gained the favor needed for her request to be heeded. Her life, the life of those she loved, and generations to come were spared that day because she simply fasted and prayed during a divine delay.
I think of Jesus’s delay in showing up when his dear friend, Lazarus, was very sick. His sisters, Mary and Martha, were distraught and confused as to why Jesus would not come and heal their brother right away. But he didn’t. He delayed. For two days. He promised that “Lazarus sickness would not end in death,” and yet the miracle was more than a mere healing. A resurrection took place that day as a result of a divine delay.
Like Esther, the wait may be the space we need to fast and pray in order to trust and obey.
Like Mary and Martha, the wait may be the space we need to mourn and grieve in order to believe and receive.
His ways are always higher, because He always knows best.
He is the way, the truth, and the life, and He uses divine delays to give us the space and time necessary to see His love on display.
Read MoreI’m fifty-nine days into reading through the Bible this year with The Bible Recap.
Today we ended in Numbers 13, and the last seven verses were a sweet reminder to me of why we named our first two sons Joshua and Caleb.
I was also reminded that God‘s promises go far beyond names and places, because they stand the test of time throughout the ages.
At the very center of those last seven verses, we hear from Caleb, as he stands up to silence the crowd and remind them of God’s promise.
“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’” (Numbers 13:30, NIV)
The three verses prior, and the three after are full of grumbling and complaining fueled by a focus on the immediate obstacles instead of the eventual promise.
We must have a perspective that points us to the promise, and that perspective is not possible if we don’t continually remind ourselves (and each other) of the truth.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…”
Joshua and Caleb may have been in the minority among the spies, but they made trusting God a priority, and that trust helped them maintain a perspective that pointed them to the promise.
If our eyes are fixed on anything or anyone other than Jesus, we have a skewed perspective of the Gospel — so skewed that it leads us astray.
We must have a perspective that points us to the promise. Eyes that see Jesus. Eyes that see sin and those things that hinder us from seeing Him.
When our perspective is aligned with the truth of God’s Word, we can firmly stand on the foundation of His promises — steadfast and secure.
If our view of the truth is skewed ever so slightly at the source, it will be way off in the distance, leading us further away from where God intends for us to be.
We have to see past the obstacles in front of us so we don’t miss the promises beyond us.
Read MoreI don’t need to weigh in on it all, especially when I feel weighed down by it all, but this quote I read today from @hertrueworth rings true everyday, so this is where I’ll stay…
and if you’re feeling the weight of it all, I pray it encourages you, too…
“Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change.”
Prayer lifts my eyes off myself and all the things I can’t control and puts them on my Savior and what He alone can and always will control. It also lifts the weight of the world off me, where it was never intended to be in light of eternity, and places that burden on the only One who has the power and authority to bear it all, once and for all, and will always reign over it all.
While prayer does not absolve me of my personal responsibility, it does remind me of His sovereignty. I will always strive to do what I can to do the best I can to love others well. I’ll do my part to echo His heart in a world that needs His love — a love that leads to humility, repentance, and the realization that it is not about us, and all about Him and His perfect plan of redemption.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27
“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.” 1 Peter 1:13
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18
“And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.” 1 John 5:20-21
Read MoreShame tries hard to get the best of me
Hiding in the shadows of my insecurity
Shouting insults and threats at my identity
Playing mind games with my sanity
But I’m a child of God you see
And shame no longer has authority
In my head, my heart, or any part of me
Because condemnation is from the enemy
From sin and shame, I have been set free
To love and trust my God completely
So, father of lies, get away from me
In the name of Jesus, you must flee
No more wrestling with shame in obscurity
The light of God’s truth will forever be
My steadfast hope and victory
Over shame or any other weapon formed against me
Read More
