Friends,
I love to bring you parenting and faith based resources information. I wanted to make you aware of a new devotional that has just been released. Seven of my author friends have joined forces and put this devotional together for you! Below is an excerpt from Faith-Pump written by Beth Duewell. Enjoy and be blessed.
~Lori

LIVING A BIG FAITH

by Beth Duewel , an excerpt from Faith-Pump 40 Day Devotional

Several months ago, my daughters and I (minus one who was still killin it and working hard on her nursing degree), went to Savannah, Georgia. And how much fun can you have there? All of it. My stretchy pants do not lie.
I walked what seemed ten wobbly, rockish miles (because I’m the dumb-dumb who packed heels to wear in Savannah), and then bawled like a baby when I finally got to her:

The Waving GIRL.
Florence Martus is a statue that stands 9 foot tall on River Street. She’s grand, with her arms held high while she looks to be holding a simple towel high in the air.

Why does she still stand by the shore? Because Florence is famous for having greeted each ship entering the Savannah Harbor. It’s said that over a period of 44 years she waved to the ships with a white towel by day—swayed a brightly lit lamp by night. She still waves, her legacy now cemented and tucked in by brackish waters. And they say she never missed a ship.

If this isn’t the picture of passion and strength and courage and kindness—of daily sacrifice with no parade and no fanfare—well, I don’t know what is.

All She Did Was Wave.

Standing there, I couldn’t get over it. Her benevolence. Her chasing ships. Her why. My faith moved by a woman who walked a well-worn path along the shore, waving a towel just to tell souls they would not pass by her unnoticed. My girls stood silent, watching, wondering why my mascara was running. Because all I could do was bawl.

It still moves me. Today, like right now. Maybe it’s because humble, hard, path-worn acts of kindness are opposite of the conversations we can have, but exactly the way Jesus lived. It seems to me, too, this entire world talks big. Big achievements, big dreams, big and exciting days. And hey, if you have a grande cup of coffee—I’ll take mine with whip cream. Thank you.

But no matter what your day-to-day looks like, this simple reminder says you can know a bigger life when you know our big God. We discover delight in the small ways we serve Him, small acts of kindness, and the tiny steps of faith we take to follow. Remembering,

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presences there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11 ESV).

The sacrificial love Christ demonstrated is our beacon. Cementing the truth that faith looks less like standing self-reliant on high mountaintops, and more like running well beaten paths of surrender along the shore. With Jesus—the more we empty—the fuller our souls. Full of joy, peace, love, and kindness. We see a bigger faith when we keep our eyes on our Grand God:

“Let us Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 NIV).

Just like the waving girl.

I think if you want to change the world. If you want to know your small efforts, tiny acts of kindness, large piles of laundry, sleepy bedtimes stories, repeated prayers and ministry efforts do not go unnoticed. If you want to understand that the precious person God created you to be, can—and WILL—make a big difference in this giant world. Behold.

This is the big stage. The celebration:

A towel.

A lamp.

A service of love.

A wave of kindness.

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
Proverbs 31:26

Let’s live the BIG faith…together. But not wear the big wobbly heels, not to Savannah anyway!

Excerpt from Faith-Pump 40 Day Devotional used with permission from Bold Vision Books.

Faith-Pump: A 40-Day Devotional

Fund your spirit soaring through faith-pumping wisdom, encouragement, biblical insight, and practical teaching–all via the sweetest, “we get you” girfriend-y camaraderie. You’ll laugh, cry, sigh, and probably laugh some more through personal and poignant stories.

From the Faith-Pump Bible study initiated by Rhonda Rhea and Beth Duewel, along with the full Faith-Pump author/teacher team, this 40-day devotional is like gathering for Bible study and coffee with your besties.