My house has been a construction zone lately. Almost a year ago, my husband and I closed on our new-to-us home: a two-level house, built in 1978, that had only had one owner for 47 years. The house “spoke” to us from the moment we walked in, and there were many projects we envisioned when we bought this house.

In this last year, what started as a bathroom remodel, slowly evolved and changed into multiple home projects (some being the result of a major leak, see my post: Hawaii, Home Emergencies, and God’s Faithfulness for more of THAT story!). Life has been full of early mornings, displaced furniture, picking out paint colors, flooring, windows, and lots and lots (did I mention, lots?) of construction dust!

Recently, my husband and I tackled our next project: painting our master bedroom and closet. While some do not enjoy it, I on the other hand truly enjoy painting. It is hard work, but is beautiful watching an old, scuffed up wall become new again. Something as simple as a fresh paint color can completely transform a room. With the windows open and the sun shining, we worked on painting the old white walls with a new, warm tan color.

When it came time to paint our walk-in closet, I really did not realize how hard it would be. I thought, surely this is a smaller space than the whole room, it won’t be too bad.

I was wrong.

8 hours later, I was out of energy, covered in paint, sweating, and staring at my freshly painted closet.

And in the process, I learned a few things.

First and foremost, closets are not easy to paint! There are so many nooks and crannies, and areas that probably don’t need to be painted, but for the sake of uniformity, get painted anyway. You need a small brush, a big brush, a roller, the kitchen sink…. lots of tools needed!

Second, because of the lighting, I had to use a flashlight and extra lamp, in addition to the overhead light, to make sure I could actually see what I was doing. Just when I thought I had gotten a surface fully painted, when I shined a light on it, there was a big white spot that I missed.

Third, painting a closet is like examining the interior of one’s heart.

We just celebrated Easter this past Sunday (yay!), and came out of a 40 day journey in the desert. During Lent, it is a time to examine our hearts and identify what needs to be made new. In transforming and renewing our hearts, we have to take a light to the darkest corners to illuminate the areas that need Jesus.

Jesus is that light that will illuminate the darkest corners of our hearts.

Like painting a closet with fresh new paint, Easter is a beautiful season to let the love of Jesus into the dusty, cobwebbed corners of our hearts. And it’s okay if those corners look a little scuffed up. Jesus will illuminate them with His soft, gentle light, and help us be made anew.

We just have to invite Him in.

In Christ,

Lauren

First of all, WELCOME if you are new here! My name is Lauren Seymour, and I started The Persistent Christian as a place to share devotions from my walk with the Lord. I am grateful to have this space to share, and I just transitioned The Persistent Christian over to Substack from another platform in December 2025.

On my previous platform, I sent out monthly updates to subscribers. It took me some time to get settled in on Substack, and I finally have created a separate section to my blog where monthly newsletters will reside.

You are automatically opted into these monthly newsletters as a subscriber. If you would like to update your email preferences, you can head over to your settings page by clicking here. Simply click on “The Persistent Christian” to manage your email notifications.

What to expect…

As a subscriber, you can expect approximately 3-4 emails a month. New posts come out every other Thursday, and you will receive one monthly newsletter at the beginning of each month.

Every other Thursday - New devotion. My regular topics are seasonal reflections, chronic illness, grief, and Catholic faith. However, I always look to the Lord for help about what to write, so each devotion that comes out is unique to the time it’s being posted.

Monthly - Newsletter about what’s going on with The Persistent Christian. Receive an update with links to last month’s posts, a little blurb about the latest, and an opportunity to submit prayer requests.

What’s new?

In the month of March, I posted two new devotions. The devotion “Grief Tells a Story” is particularly near to my heart, as it is a reflection on three things I have learned in the first 18 months of my grief journey since my twin brother passed away.

Follow the links below to read March’s posts.

Prayer Requests

If you would like to submit a prayer request directly to me, please click the button below to send me a message. I will write your prayer down in my journal and offer up your prayers to the Lord.

If you would like to submit a prayer that other subscribers can see and pray for as well, join The Persistent Christian subscriber chat. A new thread went out this morning in the chat that subscribers can reply to with prayer requests.

Your Feedback is Requested…

In Closing…

Thank you for being here! It is a blessing to be able to share my writing, and I am grateful for your reading.

May the Lord shine His face upon you as we approach the Easter season!

In Christ,

Lauren

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Everyone’s grief journey is different.

Whether you’ve lost someone yesterday, 10 years ago, or are anticipating a loss, your grief matters. If you have lost one person, or seemingly everyone close to you, God sees you.

Your grief tells a story.

On a late summer day, 18 months ago, my twin brother passed away. After a 25-year battle with a rare form of epilepsy, and one week after turning 28, the Lord called him home. He was my best friend, and one of the strongest people I have ever known.

These past 18 months have been uncharted territory. In fact, the entire grief journey has felt like navigating through uncharted waters. I thought I was prepared for my brother’s passing, because he had been ill for quite some time, but I simply wasn’t. And I had no idea what was up ahead as I began grieving.

I am no grief expert. However, as I have been processing my own grief, 3 things I have learned and observed on this journey are:

1. Grief is biblical.

2. Grief can be random.

3. Talking about grief is healing.

Grief is biblical

A story that has resonated with me greatly over the last year and a half is when Jesus wept with Mary about the death of Lazarus. Mary was Lazarus’ sister. After Lazarus died, Mary wept at the feet of Jesus and talked to Him about the death of her brother, and then:

Jesus also wept (see John 11:28-37).

I think this is such a powerful image. In my grief, I am reminded that Jesus knows what I am going through. Jesus was friends with Lazarus, and He experienced grief when He witnessed Mary weeping over the loss of her brother. Grief is biblical, and Christ understands grief, because He too experienced it. How comforting it is to know that the Savior understands.

When grief gets heavy, I can look to Christ to help me.

Grief can be random

Not long ago, I was with friends, and we decided to watch a movie. When the movie started, I suddenly felt sad, and I felt like I couldn’t be in the room. It turned out that the movie put on was one of my brother’s favorites. Out of nowhere, I felt like I was going to cry. I had not been thinking too much about it at the time, and suddenly it all came rushing back, as I heard the sounds of one of my brother’s favorite movies.

Grief can truly be triggered at the most random times. And that’s okay. There are things in this world that we won’t even realize remind us of our loved one.

I choose to see these reminders as signs of my love for my brother. They are a part of his story.

When things remind me of him, I remember how much I loved him on Earth, and how much I continue to love him as he spends eternity with the Lord.

Talking about grief is healing

About a month after my brother passed away, a friend of mine recommended that I try attending a grief support group. I am normally a very introverted person, but something pushed me to go to this group. Through attending this weekly support session, I found healing and understanding in others who have walked the journey of grief too. While no two people will ever understand fully the other’s loss, it is validating and helpful to hear from others who have been grieving, too.

We were not meant to walk alone.

Grief tells a story. Reminders of our loved ones show us just how important our story is, and talking about it is healing.

Your grief is important too. I pray that in the times you have been grieving, that you will draw closer to the Lord. He knows what you are going through.

Christ’s love is part of the story, too.

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.”

– John 14:2-3, NRSV-CE

In Christ,

Lauren

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– Psalm 34:1, NRSV-CE

I long for spring.

Yet, I also love winter.

I love the fresh sparkling snow on a cold, crisp morning, but the gray, rainy days that follow a thawing of snow can be long.

I love waking up to a frozen yard and a pink, mountain horizon, yet the icy roads that follow can be treacherous (see my post, Icy Coastal Morning for how an icy road reminded me of my walk with the Lord!).

Winter is beautiful, yet it is always wonderful when spring finally arrives. When the warm days begin to show up and the sunlight stretches into the evening hours, it feels like we are coming out of hibernation. As the seasons slowly change, there is beauty to be found in the transition.

Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, we have what we call “Fake-Out Springs”. The weather warms and daffodils start poking up, only for a layer of frost to come a few days later. It will seem as if spring is upon us, but then the temperatures drop and winter shows its face again. It can be quite hilarious, yet confusing to not know what the weather will do.

“Should I plant my bulbs now?”

“What should I wear today? I am cold now, but it is supposed to warm up later.”

Even though the weather changes, the seasons change, and my mood changes, I can still choose to continually praise the Lord. The book of Psalms says: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1, NRSV-CE). In all things, gratitude can be found.

Even when I do not feel like giving thanks, when my mood is down, and the weather is gray, God is there.

It is important to continually offer up praise to Him: the Creator, the Author, and the One who knows what is going on in our restless hearts.

He, “ . . . is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1, NRSV-CE). When I read this verse, what comes to mind is a snowstorm on the side of a mountain, and God is like the shade under a tree canopy, where we can take refuge from the storm. As the snow continues to fall, we can find warm safety under the Lord’s protection.

In life, it may sometimes feel like the snowstorms are endless. You may be turning to the Lord constantly for refuge. God is our loving Father, who we can run to daily.

In the valleys and in the mountains, we can praise Him continually.

So, when we long for spring amid the heavy winter storms, take refuge in the Lord’s embrace.

And when the snowstorm settles, there is still beauty in the sparkling snow.

In Christ,

Lauren

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I think we have all experienced this at one point or another … maybe multiple times (guilty).

Plans are simply that: plans. They are not set in stone. Things will not go as thought all the time, and that is completely okay.

Yet, I am still learning daily to relinquish my plans to the Lord. I know it’s what He wants me to do, yet I continue finding myself drafting out a course of action before consulting the One who knows what is best for me. I can get pretty carried away with my own plans, only for the Lord to gently say to me, “Not that way, this way.”

Daily, it is important to turn plans over to the Lord. It doesn’t mean, “oh yay, I don’t have to plan anything” but rather, it is important to invite the Lord into the day. It is good and beautiful to make plans, but it is important to consult Him constantly with minor and major decisions alike.

A prayer that comes to mind about offering our plans up is the “Morning Offering”:

“Oh Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father.”

Furthermore, Proverbs 16 says to: “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3, NRSV-CE).

Also, “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9, NRSV-CE).

There are so many times I have planned out my own way, but then it ends up being that the Lord had a different path in mind.

When planning this week’s reflection, I had planned to write about something completely different. However, then the words that came to my mind and heart changed. Words don’t change, but the order in which they come to mind does.

So maybe the beauty is not in making the plans, but in witnessing what the Lord has in store for the instances we didn’t plan, but rather offered to Him.

In Christ,

Lauren

However, while visiting the Oregon Coast this week, winter arrived! On a cold morning, I got up early to take the dog out for a walk. It was icy and just above freezing. I bundled up, leashed up the dog, and off we went.

When we got out to the steep road in front of the house, I quickly realized it was iced over. As I started walking up the incline along our usual route, it occurred to me: “Maybe, this was a bad idea.” However, the dog pulled me up the hill gently and guided me to a flat area. We turned and walked down a flat road. It then occurred to me: “How am I going to get back down to the house? The road is iced over! I should not have gone this way.”

After we walked along the flat road, we turned around and came back to the steep area that leads down to the house. I decided to walk on the crunchy, icy grass on the side of the road for traction, rather than the “ice rink of a road” that I came up. However, the grass was on the opposite side of the road from the house, so I then thought: “Okay, now how do I cross the road?”

I walked a little further down and found a spot in the road where it was not iced over. After much careful tiptoeing and cautiously walking back uphill, I finally made it, thinking: “Well, that was interesting.”

This whole time, I had a sweet dog walking along with me. She guided me up the hill gently when I was afraid I would fall on the ice. And, she escorted me back down the hill, walking with me and patiently waiting for me to find my footing.

Dogs have textured paw pads, so she was not having any issues walking. Yet, she didn’t rush me down the hill. She waited and walked with me.

I believe the Lord walks with us much in the same way.

He is the gentle guide who leads us up the hills of life that seem so steep. And, He is the calming presence that escorts us back down safely. He knows the way, and He could walk so much faster than us.

Yet, He chooses to walk WITH us.

Lent just began this week. It is a beautiful, yet challenging time where we are invited to examine what in our lives is hindering our relationships with God. We are invited to fast, pray, and give alms.

I didn’t realize that an icy coastal morning walk (before having coffee!) would turn into a lesson about the Lord. Yet, it reminded me that He is always there, waiting for me. He knows the way, and He wants me to walk with Him.

The season of Lent helps us to identify the icy spots on our walk with the Lord. When we identify them, we can walk closer to Him.

In Christ,

Lauren

February 14 elicits different emotions. For the single heart, it can be a day of loneliness. For the dating and married, it is a day to show one’s love. And yet for others, it’s somewhere it between the former and the latter.

Yet, regardless of how one celebrates February 14, Valentine’s Day is a reminder that we are each loved deeply, intrinsically, and fully by God.

The love we celebrate on Valentine’s Day prepares us for a journey towards remembering the ultimate act of love – when Jesus died and rose for all.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, and this marks the beginning of a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Ash Wednesday is always around the time of Valentine’s Day. Some years Valentine’s falls before Lent begins, some after, and even sometimes on the same day as Ash Wednesday (which is sad for chocolate lovers everywhere)!

Lent is a time prepare our hearts and to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice – God sending His Son into the world to save us from all our wrongdoings. On Valentine’s Day, we show our love for others through gifts, kind words, and thoughtful gestures. During Lent, we give up things that bring us comfort, in an act of denial of self and pursuit of closeness with the Father.

Both Valentine’s Day and Lent are opportunities to share love. On Valentine’s, we show our love for others. During Lent, we are invited to love God and others through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

And when it comes to fasting, this doesn’t always mean from food. We can fast from the things that distract us from God, so that we can hear His voice better during the Lenten season.

This Valentine’s Day, remember how much the Father loves you: enough to send His only son into the world to save you.

He went on a rescue mission.

Let us prepare our hearts and make space for Him.

In Christ,

Lauren

Despite what social media often portrays to us, every day life is not multi-course meals, the latest product, or an extravagant trip to Europe. While these things are fun and a blessing every now and then, it’s not the norm. And social media is just the highlights.

Life, for most of us, is ordinary. And there is beauty in the ordinary.

Christ meets us in the ordinary.

In the Catholic tradition, there is time in the Church calendar literally called “Ordinary Time”. This is time in the year in between major celebrations and fasting periods like Lent, Advent, and Christmas. In fact, Ordinary Time makes up a majority portion of the Church calendar. We live much of the year in Ordinary Time.

So, how do we embrace “the ordinary”?

I think we can learn how to embrace the ordinary by looking to the One who is quite extraordinary! God sent His Son to save us from our sins. Jesus became a human like us. He lived a human life. However, we don’t meet Jesus in the gospels fully until he is approximately 30 years old.

For 30 silent years (excluding the story of his birth, and in Luke’s gospel, his encounter in the temple with teachers at age 12), we don’t know quite what Jesus was up to.

Presumably, he was living a fairly ordinary life.

It was only when God the Father signaled him that it was time, that his ministry began. So, for 30 years, our Savior presumably lived a relatively normal life, likely as a carpenter. Can you imagine meeting Jesus on a normal day prior to when his ministry began? What would that have been like?

We can’t know for sure what went on prior to Jesus’ ministry because it is not documented. What we can know for sure, is that Jesus served God the Father fully. Jesus said to God the Father in prayer towards the end of his three year ministry:

“I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do” - John 17:4, NRSV-CE

In the ordinary of our lives, we can still serve God fully. We can serve him in the mundane, in the seemingly unimportant, and in the daily.

Every day was not meant to be a big breakthrough in faith or miracle or answered prayers.

Quite the contrary.

I believe we are called to find God in the ordinary. He is everywhere. Signs of Him are all over, because He created this world. We must simply be attentive enough to the details to see Him.

So, if life has felt too ordinary for you lately, remember that there is beauty in the ordinary. God meets you in the ordinary. Simply be open to looking for Him in places you may not have considered before.

In Christ,

Lauren

Recently, I went on vacation to the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii. This trip had been planned for many months, and it came at a wonderful time. In the middle of cold and dreary January, I got to experience the island sunshine and warmth. Every day was beautiful.

It was a week full of friends, shave ice, sandy toes, local fish, and ocean air. There were slow mornings drinking Kona coffee, many board games, and lots of reading for fun. At the end of the week, with a rejuvenated, yet sad that the trip was ending heart, I boarded the plane home to the cold Pacific Northwest.

I planned to center this devotion on how visiting a tropical place in the middle of winter is like looking for God’s warmth in a spiritual winter. Lately, I have felt like I have been in a spiritual winter. Life’s circumstances have been difficult recently, and sometimes it is hard to feel and recognize the warm gaze of my Creator.

I know He’s there, waiting patiently for me to tell Him about my trials. However, I had been struggling to feel His warmth.

Then, I came home to an emergency.

When I returned to my home after a week in island paradise, my husband and I found a water leak that had caused extensive water damage to our basement. Carpets were soaked, the ceiling was bulging, walls were wet, and things did not look good.

Why did this have to happen while I was gone? What’s going to happen to the house?So many thoughts were swirling through my head.

In 48 hours, I went from sitting in a beach chair in the warm sun of an island paradise, to standing in a water damaged, cold basement.

My circumstances had drastically changed.

But, God hadn’t.

Coming home from vacation to a water damaged house is stressful, no doubt. This situation reminded me just how blessed I am to own a home, and that at any moment, something could happen.

And while I am not a huge fan of the phrase “it could be worse”, this situation was fixable. My entire basement had not flooded. My house had not caught on fire. A tornado had not come through and destroyed everything. Rather, a large leak caused water damage that was, inconvenient, but fixable.

In the midst of all of this, I was reminded that God never changes.

Even though my circumstances change, even though I change, I sin, I fall and get back up again. . .

He doesn’t.

The same God who sat with me on the sunny beach in Hawaii stood with me in my cold, water damaged basement. The same God who sits with me when I cry and rejoices when I succeed continues to be present with me. It is my choice when I choose to praise Him.

I could only turn to Him in the happiness of my life, like sitting on a warm beach in Hawaii. When things are going my way, I could choose to talk to Him only then.

Yet, I am called to praise Him always.

The first letter to the Thessalonians reminds us:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NRSV-CE

In all circumstances, even when it’s hard, even when I don’t want to, I must choose to give thanks.

He is the Author of all. He is my Creator. I have so much to be grateful for.

From the beaches of Hawaii, to cold, waterlogged basements, He is faithful.

He never changes. He is consistent. He can be trusted.

In Christ,

Lauren

Each day can be unpredictable.

One day feels great! Many tasks get done, the day feels good, and it’s great to feel “normal”. However, the next day, the fatigue sets in. Symptoms flare, and suddenly you’re sick. Not the communicable kind of sick with a fever, sniffles, and cough. No, the kind of sick you’ve been living with for so long. It showed up today, uninvited, making the most simple tasks feel incredibly difficult. Plans get canceled, you rest, and in a few days the flare subsides.

And then the cycle repeats.

Chronic illness is experienced by SO many, yet understood by few. We do the best to manage symptoms, find the cause, and try to get healthy again. But, there is illness that still remains chronic.

In the midst of a chronic illness flare, it can be easy to forget to turn to God. The pain of the present moment can easily blind us from the love that is always present to us. It is difficult to see forward, when the current day’s troubles weigh so heavily.

Yet, even when the symptoms are bad, even when life feels so difficult, He is there.

We can call out to the Lord when we need Him; “From the end of the earth, I call to you, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; for you are my refuge, a stronger tower against the enemy.” – Psalm 64:1-3, NRSV-CE

When life gets dark, God illuminates. He is our refuge and who we must look to for strength.

And God’s love is unchanging. It will not cycle like chronic illness symptoms do.

It stays consistent.

When life is changing, when illness becomes chronic, and when things seem so dark, God stays the same.

We can trust in God’s consistent love for us.

He is faithful.

In Christ,

Lauren

The Story Behind The Persistent Christian

In the summer of 2023, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and chronic bartonellosis. You may have heard of Lyme, but bartonellosis is like a “cousin” to Lyme. Bartonella (also known as “cat-scratch fever”) is often transmitted by fleas, and Lyme is usually transmitted by ticks. And lucky me, at some unknown point in my life, I contracted both.

This diagnosis was a big surprise, yet made sense. For years, I had suffered from many uncomfortable symptoms. However, these symptoms were passed off as other conditions. It wasn’t until the symptoms starting piling up, that I realized something else could be wrong. As someone in her mid-20s, having this many health issues, something didn’t add up.

When I finally received the correct diagnosis, I soon would discover this was only the beginning. While it is a win to finally name the condition, now I had to address it properly.

I resigned from my job as a youth minister at my local parish, so that I could focus solely on getting well. I moved forward in commitment to an intense treatment plan. I was prescribed high doses of antibiotics, supplements, and more. And for months, Lyme disease treatment became my life.

There were many days I could not get off the couch. I was crippled by this illness. Life became so different. As someone who had once been out in the workforce and living a very busy, active life, suddenly, I had to adapt to life at home.

In the midst of all of this, I heard the gentle call of His voice. It became clear, slowly, that the Lord was calling me to write. Writing is something I can do from anywhere. I can write, even when my body confines me to the couch.

So, in the summer of 2024, I decided to launch my own website. I started posting devotions, and found new purpose in the Lord through writing. I also wrote my first book, which I just finished, and I am now trying to get it published!

Today

In the summer of 2025, the Lyme disease and bartonellosis were in remission. I had a great summer of finally feeling like I had my life back. However, in the fall, symptoms flared again. I am now working to get that flare under control. As a chronic Lyme sufferer, and a Christian, I am learning that good health is a precious gift to not be taken for granted.

There are days I am tempted to despair, but I know the Lord is with me through it all. My faith is something I lean heavily on daily. And God is my ultimate guide! He sustains me and strengthens me through the most difficult of days.

Last month, I transitioned my website over to the Substack platform. Yay! I transferred my devotions, and they can all be found here! I write about mental health, physical health, grief, my Catholic faith, and more.

You are most welcome here, and I thank you for reading.

May God bless you in this new year!

In Christ,

Lauren

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, Bartonella, or another vector-borne illness, please know of my prayers for you! Do not hesitate to reach out - I would love to connect with you.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Silent Night”. The verse “All is calm, all is bright” reminds me of a calm, bright winter evening with gentle snow falling. If you have ever lived in a snowy climate, then you know that there is a stillness that comes when it is snowing. It is as if the world slows down. On a snowy evening, when you step outside, the world is blanketed in a bright stillness, and the night is not so dark anymore. While we don’t know if it was snowing the night Christ was born (most likely not), we do know that Jesus came into the world with humble beginnings. And He seeks to bring us the same bright calm of the night He was born.

I pray this Advent season that you will find the kind of peace in your heart that only Jesus can bring. He brightens our worlds and seeks to give us the rest we desire (Matt 11:28). Advent is a season of waiting and preparing for the Savior to be born. In this season, (even if it isn’t snowing where you are) I invite you to embrace the stillness and peace of a calm, snowy winter’s night. While Christmastime is one of the busiest times of year, God still calls us to Himself to experience this calm.

Find a time in your day where prayer works best for you. Even if it’s only 5 or 10 minutes, the Lord acknowledges the time you give Him. Any time you can spend with your Creator is well worth it. And in this prayer time, consider the stillness of a bright, snowy night.

In this Advent season, I pray that the peace of the night Christ was born will inspire you to find, in your life, the peace of God that can be likened to a gentle snow.

In Christ,

Lauren

Jesus knows exactly what will calm our restless hearts. The God of all Creation knows His people and seeks to give you the rest you need. You simply must allow Him to help you.

Matthew 11:28-30 details a beautiful invitation from Jesus. In this passage, He invites us to come to Him with the things that are weighing us down. He knows what you are carrying, and He invites you to allow Him to help you with it.

Jesus wants to hear what is on your heart.

It may feel difficult to give it to Him, to give up control. However, He invites you to do so. And He will give you the rest you need.

He also will teach you, when you take His yoke. When two animals are yoked together, they must work as a team. Jesus wants to work with you, and help you along in this life.

So whatever challenge you are facing, mountain you must climb, or valley you must descend into, yoke yourself to Jesus. Allow Him to teach you and lighten your load. As Matthew 11:29 says, He is “gentle and humble in heart”. He will lovingly show you the way.

When life feels heavy, let Jesus lighten it.

In Christ,

Lauren

– Hebrews 2:1, NRSV-CE

In modern society, it can be very easy to “drift away” from God’s word. We have so many distractions that demand our attention. The things of this world can rob us of precious time with the Lord. Work schedules and social calendars alike, while important, can take over. Beyond just going to church on Sundays, the Lord desires to have a relationship with us. And this relationship should be nurtured daily.

As Hebrews 2:1 reminds us, “. . . we must pay great attention to what we have heard”. We must be careful to not drift away from the gentle current of living waters that Jesus offers to us. In John 4:7-15, Jesus explained to the woman at the well that he is the living water that gives us eternal life and truly satisfies our souls. Jesus wishes to give us what we need.

We also must be attentive to the still voice of God. It takes daily practice to nurture our relationship with Him. We must devote time to Him. When our mental noise gets loud, it can drown out what God may be trying to say. He wishes to guide us on the river of life towards our final home. However, we must be careful to not allow the distractions of this life to cause us to drift away from the current.

In this life, there will be many conflicting messages. There will be things that distract us from the One who knows us best. It is in these moments that we must follow the current that God provides for us: the current which will guide us home to Him.

In Christ,

Lauren

In the hustle and bustle of life, it can be easy to lose our way. Sometimes the path God wants us to walk is not always clear. However, if we allow Him to, Jesus will show us the way home.

In the gospel of Luke 15:1-7, Jesus told the story of a shepherd who had one hundred sheep, and one of them went missing. Well known as “The Parable of the Lost Sheep”, this story teaches us an important lesson about our good and loving God.

In this story, the shepherd went after one lost sheep. When he found the sheep, he rejoiced and placed the sheep on his shoulders (Lk 15:5). When the shepherd returned home to his flock and friends, he rejoiced in finding this one lost sheep (Lk 15:6). Jesus teaches us through this parable that just as the shepherd rejoiced over his one lost sheep, “. . . there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7, NRSV-CE). Heaven rejoices when its citizens find their way back to God. Jesus cares about you. He knows your story. And there is still hope to come home to Him.

In this life, we all will wander at some point from His loving embrace. However, the parable of the lost sheep teaches us that there will be much rejoicing when we finally find our way back to Him. For anyone who has found themselves lost (knowingly or unknowingly) and far from God, it is never too late to find your way back to Him. We can always allow ourselves to be found by Jesus.

In Christ,

Lauren

Everyone has a favorite season. For me, it is fall; it is a beautiful time of year. As the hot summer days give way into crisp mornings, I find myself taking a deep breath and relaxing into the changing colors. There is something about the cooler air that refreshes the soul. However, it isn’t this way for everyone. For many, fall signals school starting, the hustle and bustle of activities, and returning to a busy schedule. Days may be filled with school drop offs, after school activities, and weekend gatherings. Summer might have been the relaxing time, and fall is the beginning of another busy season.

No matter where you may find yourself this autumn, remember that you are free to fall into God’s loving embrace. He will be right there to catch you. As the leaves change, it is okay to allow yourself to find rest in God’s arms. Rest is essential. John 10:10, NRSV-CE tells us that Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”. God wants His people to live an abundant life, and part of that life is knowing when to rest.

May this seasonal change remind us all that no matter how busy life gets, we are always free to fall into God’s loving embrace. This rest will lead us to a more abundant life.

In Christ,

Lauren

Jesus knows what it is like to grieve. He was fully human, and grief is an unavoidable part of the human experience. In the story of the rising of Lazarus, Jesus encountered the sister of Lazarus, Mary. In their conversation, Mary was greatly distraught after the passing of her brother. And we learn that Jesus was capable of great emotion, as he wept for the passing of Lazarus and for the grief that Mary (and others who knew Lazarus) was experiencing (Jn 11:35).

This story in the Bible reminds us that Jesus cares deeply for us. He knows what trials you are facing, your sorrows, your joys, and your dreams. Jesus grieved during his human life, and he knows what grief you are facing as well.

Grief is a part of life, yes. But, grief is unique to each person. No two people grieve the same. It is important we do not generalize grief, but rather honor each person’s unique journey. Jesus honored Mary in her grief on the loss of her brother. Jesus gives us an example of not always having to say the perfect thing. Jesus did not say much to Mary, he simply wept with her.

We don’t have to have all the answers. We don’t have to fix others’ grief or our own. Sometimes, as Jesus did, we must simply honor one another’s grief, acknowledge that it exists, and give it the space it needs.

In Christ,

Lauren

The seasons are beginning to change. While where I live, it is still quite hot, there are signs all around that we are about to leave a season behind us. Back to school supplies are in stores (and have been since July!), kids are beginning school, pumpkin everything is emerging, and the heat of the summer will come to an end soon. Fall has always been my favorite season. However, this seasonal change is bittersweet this year.

This time, one year ago, I was preparing to say goodbye to my twin brother, Kyle. One year ago, I packed up a suitcase and left my house to be by my brother’s side. I left my home in the heat of the summer, and in those weeks that my brother lay dying, the seasons changed. By the time he went home to be with the Lord, the mornings had turned crisp and fall was approaching.

The beginning of Psalm 139 says “O Lord, you have searched me and known me.” and it goes on to say, “even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely” (verses 1 and 4, NRSV-CE). The Lord knows each and every one of us completely. He knows what I will write before the thoughts come to my mind. He knows what I will say, what I will think, and He has my future in His heart (Isaiah 49:16). It is comforting to know that we have a Creator who knows us completely. He is the only one who understands us totally.

I find the beginning of Psalm 139 comforting in times of grief. God knows what we are going through at any given time, and He is waiting for us to speak to Him about it. Even though He already knows what we are thinking, He delights in hearing from us. Just as any other relationship needs to be maintained by communication, so too we must maintain our relationship with God by speaking to Him regularly.

Kyle and I’s birthday is at the seasonal change between summer and fall. How fitting it is that Kyle returned home to Jesus in this same seasonal shift. How reassuring it is to know that our Lord searches and knows us completely. He knows what we need and how to speak to us in a way that will reach us. From now on, the shift from summer to fall will always remind me both of the goodness of God, and of Kyle, who now walks freely with Him.

In Christ,

Lauren

If you are experiencing grief, I highly recommend - https://www.griefshare.org/

(The Persistent Christian is not sponsored by nor affiliated with GriefShare)

I seek the peace that only God can give, that transcends my understanding. The anxieties of this life can be overwhelming. Yet, God promises His peace to those who turn to Him. That peace may not come in the way we expect, but it, “. . . will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7, NRSV-CE). We are never alone, we are never forgotten, and we are loved by the One who knows us perfectly.

In recent years, mental health has been talked about more and become more widely accepted. Society has taken steps forward in acknowledging the invisible battles that many people face. Just as our physical bodies ail us, so too can the mind stumble and fall. There are the daily anxieties, but then there are those who struggle chronically with persistent, increased panic. There is the expected sadness and grief that comes with the loss of a loved one, but there are also those who spend years at war with their own minds. Mental health is real, it is important, and it is not a sign of poor faith.

Jesus invites us to turn our struggles over to him. St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:6-7, NRSV-CE). It is impossible to not worry about anything. It is a part of life, and I do not believe Paul was expecting the Philippians to never worry. Rather, Paul invites readers to turn over their worries to God; “in everything by prayer . . . let your requests be made known to God”. Keep the dialogue open with the Lord. When something comes up, tell God about it.

Some may say, “God already knows everything, why would I need to talk to Him about my issues?”. God wants us to talk to Him. God wants relationship with us. Psalm 37:4, NRSV-CE says to “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart”. God desires a real relationship with His people. He is a good and loving God, who wants you to tell Him everything: the good, the bad, the difficult, the joys, and the losses. Even though He already knows it all, it’s different when we tell Him about it.

When we watch a friend go through something, it means something when they feel safe enough to come talk to us about what happened. In a similar way, I believe it means something to God when we feel safe enough to come to Him with our struggles, especially our mental health. When we turn our difficulties over to Him in prayer, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus”. That peace may take some time to come. It may not come right away or in the way we expect, but it will come.

Mental health is real, valid, and necessary to be acknowledged in the spiritual life. It’s not a sign of weakness of heart, but rather a reflection of the interior battles we all face. I pray that you will allow God into the inner rooms of your heart. Invite Him in, and tell Him everything.

He is listening.

In Christ,

Lauren

The Good Shepherd knows His sheep. He knows what they need, and the sheep know His voice. The shepherd and his flock are beautifully in harmony. And the Good Shepherd, “lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, NRSV). He will leave the ninety-nine to rescue the one: and that one is you.

Ever since I was young, the 23rd Psalm has spoken deeply to me. In particular, the verse, “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me besides still waters; he restores my soul” speaks directly to my anxious heart. I love the imagery of this verse (which is beautifully depicted in the illustration above). The Lord invites me to rest in a lush green pasture. He wants me to walk beside the still waters He offers me. He wants me, the one sheep of the ninety-nine, who has a tendency to stray away, to rest in His presence.

The Lord, the Good Shepherd, offers all who seek Him, rest and solitude in the lush green pastures of His heart.

And, “even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me”. Another translation of this verse is, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4, RSV-2CE). In other words, though I near the end of my days, I will not be afraid, for You are near.

When my twin brother approached his final hours, I read the 23rd Psalm to him. It is a verse that is near to me in multiple ways. It calms my anxious heart, and it reminds me of those final days as I sat near my brother, as he took his final breath. The Lord called one of His sheep home, and Kyle has found eternal rest in a lush, mountainous pasture.

Today, I invite you to meditate on the 23rd Psalm, alongside the beautiful illustration above. Where in your life is the Lord inviting you to stop and take a rest? Do you feel as if you are walking through a dark valley? If so, be assured that the Good Shepherd knows what you need. Listen for His voice. He is waiting to rescue you.

In Christ,

Lauren

Many thanks to Alicia Strauss for allowing me to use her illustration! I saw her illustration on social media recently, and it inspired me to center this week’s devotion on the 23rd Psalm. You can find her work on Instagram: @liela_draws

Scripture inspiration for this post: Psalm 23, Matthew 18:12, John 10.