Sarah Beth Marr's Blog

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Wherever you are today, wherever God has you, and whatever your circumstances may be, God is bearing fruit in your life. You may not be able to see the fruit. Perhaps all you can see and feel is a waiting season or a dry season. Maybe the results you’re looking for or praying for are nowhere in sight. Much of life, as you know, is a process, sometimes a grind, a delay, a winding road or a maze and life’s twists and turns take us to places we never imagined and down roads that sometimes can feel like dead ends.

But God has you, sees you, knows you, and loves you. Jesus is chasing after your heart.

God is producing fruit in your life that you cannot always see. He has beautiful purposes for your life that He dreamed up for you when He dreamed YOU up. And the pressure is off of YOU to produce His purposes in your life. All you need to do is cultivate your connection with Him. Focus on staying close to Jesus and keeping your connection with Him strong. Keep Jesus first and He will produce beautiful, abundant, and eternal fruit in your life. When you stay close to God, He will bear MUCH fruit in your life…in YOU.

Here are a few ideas to help you cultivate your connection with God this summer:

Put God first in your day. Consider setting your bible by your nightstand or coffeemaker so it’s the first thing your reach for in the morning.Make room to listen for God’s whispers to your heart. Create a space in your home that is distraction-free if possible like a cozy chair, the porch, or a rocking chair where you can simply sit with God and listen for His voice.Journal your thoughts to God. Consider taking pen to paper and journaling your heart to God. Nothing fancy, just talk to God through your pen and see if the act of writing helps you tune more deeply into God. Also consider journaling what you sense God is speaking to you in the depths of your heart.

I know you have big God-size dreams for your life, along with everyday tasks, to-do lists, and all the things! Know today that as you seek Jesus first and cultivate your connection with Him, He will bear MUCH fruit in your life through your God-size dreams and your everyday life. Try to let go of producing the fruit you want to see in your own strenght and might. Lean on Him. Go deeper with Jesus. God will take care of the fruit.

May you abide with Jesus today with a quiet moment on the porch or in a cozy chair and simply listen for His voice. May you rest from any striving and feel the love of God today, trusting that He is indeed bearing fruit in your life.

Thank YOU for being on my devotional email list – whether you have been on my list since the beginning when I wrote devotionals for dancers or you’ve joined me more recently, thank you for allowing me to slip into your email inbox with faith-filled encouragement for your heart. I have been on a little writing break for some time now, but I am excited to come back to this space and to deliver devotionals and resources to help you keep cultivating your connection with Jesus! I do have my most recent 365-day devotional available if you don’t already have it. Visit www.sarahbethmarr.com to find all three of my books. And please feel free to forward this email to a friend who may need a pick me up today. Lastly, please hit reply and just let me know how you are today and perhaps one way you would love to see God produce fruit in YOUR life!

Blessings,

Sarah Beth Marr

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“They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.” Psalm 78:35

God is your Rock and Redeemer as you walk through your day and your life. He’s the steady force that keeps you centered. The world is loud and busy, but there is a place where you can always find quiet again. The quiet is found in God alone. Protect your heart from the noise and find God in the quiet today.

Find Him on your back porch with a cup of tea.

Find Him on a walk around the block without the phone.

Find Him in the eyes of your children as you listen.

Find Him in a quiet moment without the television – where the only sound is the quiet tick-tock of the clock.

Find Him in an inspiring read.

Find Him in His holy Word.

Find Him in a beautiful song.

Step away from the noise of the world and find Him in the quiet. He wants to be your Rock and your Redeemer. Give Him space to speak, space to love you, and space for you to know Him.

He’s in the quiet. Where will you find Him today?

Journal your thoughts: When and where do you find God? When and where do you feel closest to Him?

May you find God in the quiet moments of your day.

Leave a comment or hit reply for questions, comments, or to say hello. :)

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Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. Nothing.

I have felt a little stuck over this past year in what to send to your email inbox. Words to address the year didn’t come. Nothing seem to fit. There weren’t words to ease the tension, calm the angst, or fix the pandemic. I wonder how you are today as you sit reading this note. How’s your heart? What hurt has struck you this year? What loss has emotionally exhausted you? What trials have caused you to feel unrest in your heart?

Here’s one thing to hold onto today.

Nothing can separate you from the love Christ. Nothing.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ” Romans 8:35, 37-39

There has been so much separation this year. You’ve perhaps been separated from your family, your loved ones, your church, activities you love, friends…normalcy. In all the social distancing, perhaps you have felt alone and isolated. There’s a physical separation you have experienced due to the pandemic, but there’s also an emotional separation. You miss your people. You miss the places you go. You miss normalcy. And as the world has been under such a trial, perhaps you’ve felt spiritually separate…spiritually disconnected from God. You’re wondering where He is. You’re wondering when He will bring us back to normal. You’re wondering how to cope with all your questions.

God has never left you. He never distanced Himself from you over the course of this year. Even in your hardship, your pain, and your trials, He is with you. When you can’t feel Him, He’s still there. When the world feels like it’s crumbly, He’s with you. When fear bubbles up in your heart, He’s with you.

A pandemic, a loss, or a trial can’t separate you from the love of Christ. Of course, that truth doesn’t wash away the ache we feel or take away the pain. But you’re not alone in your pain. You don’t walk alone through this life.

So today, when it feels like there’s no light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, when it feels like there’s no hope for your trial to resolve, when it feels like the sun just isn’t coming out in your circumstances,

Remember that NOTHING can separate you from the love of Christ. Nothing.

Hold on, dear sister. The Son is coming. He’s on a mission to bring light back into your heart and your life. He will redeem your 2020. And as you walk through 2021, remember that you do not walk alone. Not once. Not for second.

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“all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16

God sees all the pages of your life. He has written your marvelous story, and day by day He unfolds a new page. Day by day He draws you close to His heart with His unfailing love. Day by day He leads your footsteps, whispers to your heart saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21) Day by day and sunrise to sunset He relishes your company and holds your hand. I know that some days you yearn to see the whole story. Or perhaps you wish you could skip ahead a few chapters or even return to a previous chapter. Perhaps the season you are in is more treacherous than peaceful, more rugged terrain than garden-esque, or more dark than light. Your story is a mix of the hard and the good, and He has more than You can imagine for you just around the corner.

God is on every page of your story carrying you through. He never leaves you to write your story on your own or travel your path alone. He guides your steps and is your constant companion throughout your entire journey. God’s fingerprints are all over every page of the story of your beautiful life, and He will faithfully and continually guide and lead you from one page to the next – ultimately weaving together your one, unique and beautiful life.

Lord, help me trust You with each page, each chapter, and each season of my life and story. Thank You that You lead me day by day.

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, the Lord speaks to you. Just as the Lord was in control of Joshua’s circumstances in the Old Testament, God is in control of your life. The Lord is leading you day by day. The Lord is constantly at work – healing and restoring. We always have hope because of the Lord. The Lord is providing for you even when it doesn’t feel like it. The Lord is at work even when you can’t see it.

God’s call to us it to be strong and courageous, trusting Him as He works in our lives and in our circumstances.

Today, hold onto these truths:

God speaks and still speaks today.God encourages us to not fear but to be courageous.God is always providing even when we can’t see it.God is always with us.

Today, listen for God’s still, quiet voice. Choose faith over fear, gratitude over discouragement, strength over unbelief, and prayer over worry. Notice how God IS providing for you today and know that He is personally watching over and guiding you through every detail of your life.

Today, may you feel God’s presence in a fresh way as you trust that He is with you wherever you go.

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“you make level the way of the righteous.” Isaiah 26:7

Today, may you trust the Lord to make your way level even when obstacles and circumstances seem shaky. Trust Him to clear your path and smooth out your way. Trust Him to make your steps secure as you look to Him. Remember today that because you know Jesus, you are righteous in God’s sight. You are pure, holy, loved, forgiven. Jesus leveled the way for you to be God’s righteous daughter – cleared of sin, purified by His love, embraced into His family. The Lord will make your path level (steady, aligned with Him, calm, stable) because you are His beloved daughter.

Have a hope-filled day!

It’s been on my heart to send you hope during this pandemic. Please invite your friends to join us as we navigate these sheltered-in days together. They can sign up and receive my journaling prompt guide as a free gift for subscribing. Here’s the link —-> https://bit.ly/3auMjBe

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“You keep her in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because she trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4 (him/he changed to her/she) :)

Today, may you look to the One who provides perfect peace. May you look up to heaven when your heart feels worried. May you look up to Him when you wonder when your circumstances will smooth out. May you look to your Rock to shelter you from the storm. Remember today that the Lord is your peace, your rock, your shelter. Remember today that the God of the universe has you and everything that concerns you in His hands. Remember today that He promises to keep you in perfect peace when you look to Him and trust in Him.

Have a hope-filled day!

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“I’m trying my best to walk in the way of integrity, especially in my own home. But I need your help!”

Psalm 101:2 The Passion Translation

You are a woman who loves God and desires to walk with Him. You want to lead a life of purpose. You want your life to reflect the love of God to others. You want God to shine through you.

And He does – He shines brightly through you! But you don’t feel it. You can’t see it. And you don’t know it. A lot of days, you feel like you’re just struggling to stay focused on the things that need to get done in your day. You feel like you’re being carried by the wind of the pace of life. You’re running through you’re life, but you feel like your life is lacking purpose, aim, or meaning.

Self-doubt, perfectionism, distraction, insecurity, comparison, or fear run your heart – they’re steering the boat. They’re in the front seat.

Joy, peace, faith, steadfastness, hope, and grace – got lost somewhere in the backseat of your heart.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

What can we gather from Scripture to help us rearrange our hearts so that Jesus is front and center and our lives flow with joy and purpose?

David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was also flawed, imperfect, remorseful, and at times really frustrated with himself. He strived to follow God, but often, he went back and forth between following God with all his heart and feeling like he was messing up again. The Psalms are David’s anthems of crying out to the Lord, praising the One who showered him with grace, and renewing His desire to walk with the Lord.

I love David’s honesty in Psalm 101:2. The Passion Translation puts it this way, “I’m trying my best to walk in the way of integrity, especially in my own home. But I need your help!”

The NIV translation puts it this way, “I will be careful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart.”

David’s desire to lead a blameless (pure, virtuous, good) life was a good desire. But His realization that He needed God’s help was the key that lead to the life He wanted to live.

David reminds us that we need God’s help.

We need God’s help to live lives of joy, peace, faith, steadfastness, hope, and grace. We need God’s help to rise above self-doubt, perfectionism, distraction, insecurity, comparison, or fear.

We need to let God drive the boat.

So how do we do that?

This psalm shows us that we can tell God our desire to live a life that pleases Him. And we can ask Him for His help.

You have that desire in you to walk with God. You so desire to glorify Him with your beautiful life. But so many things seem to bog you down and get in the way of living life with God in a way that feels purposeful and joyful.

Dear sister, today,

Know that He’s already shining through you no matter your mess-ups or hang-ups.Linger with Him – tell Him about your desires for how you want to live, and then, like David, ask Him for the help to do that.Trust that He will show you how to live one day at a time.

A prayer for your heart:

Lord, remind this gal who is reading these words today that You live in her and You are shining through her even on the days when she feels like she’s stumbling. We praise You for Your grace – grace to walk and stumble and fall and get back up. Grace to run in faith, rest when we’re tired, and switch directions when we feel You pulling on our hearts. May this gal feel a fresh wave of your grace today as she brings You her desire to walk in faith with You. Release her from self-doubt, perfectionism, distraction, insecurity, comparison, or fear and fill her with all the precious jewels of Your Spirit: joy, peace, faith, steadfastness, hope, grace, and more. Like David, may she daily ask You for the help that she needs to walk with You. Thank You that we need You, Lord.

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In what ways do you need God’s help today? Hit reply, and I would love to encourage you. If this devo encouraged you today, would you consider passing it along to a friend?

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A little heart hydration for your day…

We are all living in a season, a place in time, a point in history where things have seemingly changed overnight. How unbelievable will it feel to go out to dinner with family and friends, dash into Anthropologie and pick out a heavenly-scented candle, relish a ballet performance with an audience of hundreds, or simply hug the neck of a friend, a parent…a person?

This season has us sheltered in, but not shut out from the presence of God.

Psalm 93 says,

“The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty…Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” (verses 1a & 2)

In our sheltered season, the Lord reigns. He is still on the throne. The world He created is established – it’s in His hands. Like the old sweet song, “He’s got the whole world, in His hands.” Jesus is still on His throne and He is…He IS here, with you, in our world, moving in these unsettling days. Jesus IS God, King, above all, in all, through all. Just like He always has been.

Dear sister,

In your sheltered season, the Lord still reigns over your life. He sees you. He’s with you. He hasn’t left your side. He knows you feel shaky. He knows you feel anxious and worried and scared. But you are His beloved daughter. He’s speaking to you throughout your day with whispers of grace, of love, of hope, of comfort. He wants to comfort you and carry you through this season of sheltering at home. He wants to become your shelter. He wants to become home for your heart.

Here are four simple ways we can persevere through this sheltered season:

1. Choose God first – The news will be there all day. Be gentle on your heart in this season and give it the nourishment it needs for the day by chewing on God’s Word and promises first. Be kind to your heart in this season by bringing all your cares and concerns to God in prayer. Let God take the weight of your worry by bringing your heart to His first.

2. Choose grace for yourself – This sheltering season is uncharted territory for all of us. Some days, you may feel like using this time to clean out closets, rearrange your workspace, or organize the kiddos’ toy closets. And some days you may feel like curling up with a good book. And somedays you may struggle to shake off the angst of the news so you find yourself eating jellybeans, watching the news, and struggling to focus on one thing. (this is me somedays) Choose grace. This is new for all of us. God showers you with grace and doesn’t expect you to dance through this season perfectly. Choose grace for yourself and rest in His grace. Let Him lead you day by day in how to spend this time.

3. Choose the power of prayer – Jesus said, “Pray about everything.” Prayer calms our hearts, soothes our worries, connects us with God, and moves the hand of God in our circumstances. Choose to bring Him your everythings. A praying generation can change a generation. Let’s pray for God to flatten the curve, bring many to Him, and to heal our land. I know He wants to answer.

4. Choose soul-care – Be tender with your soul during these sheltering days. Unplug for a while each day from the news and social media, turn off the news, power down the phone. Get outside, take a bubble bath, fuel your body with good meals, hydrate your body with lots of water, move your body – take walks, stretch, give yourself a ballet barre. Read, rest, recover from the busyness of life up until this sheltering season. Let yourself linger with God. Take a nap on the porch. Create something. Cook a meal with music on. Do what you need to do to take care of you.

In this sheltering season, God wants to hydrate your heart with His grace, love, and truth. He wants you to know that You are His beloved daughter so that when life returns to normal, you come out of this sheltered season different, changed. You live as His beloved. You lean into His grace more. You live with the sheltering comfort of His love over you. You know Him more deeply. You rest in the haven of His presence over your life. You leave this sheltering season NEW because God has become your shelter.

I leave you today with an excerpt from Whispers and Wildflowers that feels applicable to our sheltering season right now…

God made a way for us to have constant access to Him. Our hearts are home for the living God. Christ lives in you. Every morning when our feet hit the ground, the spark of your Creator shines bright already. Before you’ve even uttered a prayer, before you’ve opened your Bible, before you’ve poured your first cup of coffee, before you’ve looked at your calendar for the day, the light of Christ shines brightly right there in your beautiful heart. I know sometimes it feels like He’s not there. I know sometimes your human nature is to forget that He resides in you. I know it’s hard to feel Jesus right there in your heart in all the moments of your day, but He’s there. He’s there!

God’s doing our day with us. He’s guiding us. He’s constantly with us. He never leaves us. He’s working through us, he’s using us for kingdom purposes. He will show us what to say. He will show us where to go. He will show us what we need to do today. It takes faith to believe He’s taken up residency in our hearts. Our job? Tune in. Tune in to the spark within us. Tune in to God in us. Tune in to the Spirit that lives in us.

I would love to hear how your heart is doing in this sheltering season. Hit reply and let me know any prayer requests you have. I am praying for each of you – that you would have a deep peace in your heart that the Lord reigns over your life…even in this. And that you would come out of this sheltering season with a deeper awareness of God’s grace and love and a deeper security of your calling as His beloved daughter.

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“God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you; I thirst for you; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.” Psalm 63:1

May your spring-hungry heart remember that God is the Master Gardener of your heart, which He delights in nurturing so that it blossoms, flourishes, and thrives. This desire for spiritual growth comes when we feel parched and dry. We feel thirsty for more of God. And deep down we know He is the answer.

Lord, thank You for being the Master Gardener of my heart. Here are the ways I feel thirsty to know You deeper and to grow spiritually. (List those things here.) Thank You for allowing me to rely on You when I feel thirsty. You satisfy my heart and soul. Thank You for doing the transforming work in my heart. Here I am, Lord – transform me. Blossom spring within me as I gaze on You.

In what ways have your heart and soul felt dry in this season?

– Excerpt from Whispers and Wildflowers

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