DEVOTIONALS
An invitation to nurture and grow your spiritual life.
Experience the fresh grace of God with Chronic Joy® Devotionals. Take one gentle step today, lift one precious life, pray for one more minute, and discover greater joy in Jesus.
Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. (Ephesians 6:18)
HOW TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY DEEPER INTO PRAYER
Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out how to start. Chronic Joy Devotionals extend a warm invitation. Step in, hush the voices of the world, and enter into holy conversation with God.
God longs for us to bring ourselves. He delights when we bring our time and attention, our words and questions, our frustrations and laughter, our joy, and even our tears. Then He promises something even more – He promises that the One who searches our hearts for the feelings too deep for words “intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
“When life is going smoothly, and our truest heart treasures seem safe, it does not occur to us to pray,” writes Timothy Keller.
Tonnya Blaylock adds, “One thing I have learned about my prayer life is that it is enriched through pain. It may not be the thing one wants to hear or acknowledge, but that doesn’t make it any less true. It is through pain that my prayer becomes deeper and more authentic. I love Psalm 31:7, which says, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.”
Can you think of a time when your words have felt futile, when you’ve prayed but haven’t felt heard, when there were no words? Maybe that’s where you are now. Or where you’ve recently been.
We understand. You are not alone here. And it’s why we’ve lovingly crafted these prayer prompts to meet you exactly as you are, right where you are, as is.
YOU’RE INVITED TO…
YOU’RE INVITED TO…Nurture and grow your relationship with Jesus.
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WHAT IS A DEVOTIONAL?
Chronic Joy Devotionals are an invitation to take one gentle step, to pray in a comforting and familiar or perhaps new-to-you way, or to cry out on behalf of one precious life today … maybe even yours.
Devotions:
- Strengthen and deepen our relationship with God
- Change and enrich us (Psalm 51:10)
- Help us to engage with Scripture
- Shed a whole new light on interruptions! (Theology of disruption)
- Equip prayer to nourish and inform the rhythms of our lives
- Develop consistency over time.
PRAY IN THE SPIRIT & DISCOVER GREATER JOY IN JESUS
Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and requests. (Ephesians 6:18)
We know how difficult prayer can be, how hard it sometimes is to find the words, to feel that our hearts are heard, and that our prayers for someone matter. We understand the days when our prayers seem to bounce back off the ceiling or echo into space, the days when we’re so exhausted, so burdened by pain that we cannot pray. And those days when we sense the Spirit’s gentle nudging, but let the moment slip away.
You are not alone. We are in this together.
It’s why we created our new Let’s Pray page.
Charles Spurgeon wrote, “True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length.”
And Brennan Manning said, “prayer is first and foremost an act of love … born of a desire to be with Jesus.”
Join us as we nurture and grow our spiritual lives, discovering greater joy in Jesus.
FREE PRINTABLES
Devotional Guide
Chronic Joy® devotionals are an invitation to take one gentle step, to pray in a comforting and familiar or perhaps new-to-you way, or to cry out on behalf of one precious life today … maybe even yours.
Prayers for the Journey
These short prayers can strengthen, encourage, and inspire you to step into the comforting presence of God, where you are fully known, infinitely cared about, and deeply loved.
Make Your Life a Prayer
Scripture verses and quotes inviting you to step into the compassionate and tender-hearted presence of God.
DEVOTIONAL POSTS
Awareness: The Gentle Art of Noticing the Sacred in our Midst
I have a goal of seeking to sense the sacred in the everyday, then write about my experiences (which are often expressed as poetry). This poem arose from a desire to listen better and sense God’s presence more deeply. It also stemmed from a reflective look at times when noticing has paid dividends for me in terms of heightened awareness of the sacred in my midst.
Surrendered to God’s Anything
There are times we pray safe and there are times we pray dangerous. In the moment of surrender, we declare “Lord, let Your will, not mine be done. Glorify Yourself in my life. Whatever it is you want from me, I’ll do anything.” The anything He chose for me was to walk through a medical condition I didn't expect.
What’s Your Sign from God?
Timely encouragement could point others to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That would be the very best sign from God!
DEVOTIONALS WE LOVE
100 Names of God Daily Devotional
Christopher D. Hudson
Experience the peace, joy, and hope that come from deepening your understanding of who God is with this beautiful devotional. From Adonai to Jehovah-Jireh, each of these stunning full-color daily devotions usher you into the very presence of God by having you reflect on who God is. In God's names, you will find new reasons to worship Him, trust Him, and praise Him even more!
Beside Still Waters: Words of Comfort for the Soul
Charles H. Spurgeon
This devotional is an inspired collection of Scripture-based readings that offer daily encouragement for dealing with illness, loss, depression, anxiety, and other personal problems.
Bread for the Journey: A Daybook Of Wisdom And Faith
Henri Nouwen
A daybook of reflections written as Nouwen suddenly found himself on "a true spiritual adventure." In these 366 original, interlocking morsels of daily wisdom, he provides both sustenance and a trail for us to follow as he unveils, to his surprise, his personal map of faith.
Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver
Throughout her celebrated career, Mary Oliver has touched countless readers with her brilliantly crafted verse, expounding on her love for the physical world and the powerful bonds between all living things. Identified as "far and away, this country's best selling poet" by Dwight Garner, she now returns with a stunning and definitive collection of her writing from the last fifty years.
God’s Prayer Book: The Power and Pleasure of Praying the Psalms
Ben Patterson
There is no better place in all of Scripture than the Psalms to learn to be with God and see with the eyes of faith the face of the One who longs to form us fully in his image. The psalms often stretch and perplex as they teach, but they open a divine window on prayer.
He Will Be Enough: How God Takes You by the Hand Through Your Hardest Days
Katie Faris
Each of these 20 biblical reflections examines a truth about God and shows how it provides an anchor for the soul in hard times. With warmth and compassion, Katie weaves together stories of her own family’s struggles with complex medical conditions and God's truth.
Pearls of Great Price: 366 Daily Devotional Readings
Joni Eareckson Tada
Joni Eareckson Tada wants to help you become rich in faith and wealthy in hope. Some people focus on material treasures, but Joni reminds you that life’s true gems come from God―priceless pearls that are worth everything to purchase and own. Pearls of Great Price follows in the helpful tradition of Diamonds in the Dust and More Precious Than Silver.
Searching for Sea Glass: Journeying with God Through Chronic Illness 30 Devotions
Kara J. Plett
Journeying with a chronic illness is hard, but as Christians, we don’t have to walk alone. God wants us to press into Him for strength, understanding, and perspective. These 30 self-paced devotions invite you to meet with God in a special way as you interact with His Word and complete the journaling activities within the pages.
The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms
Timothy Keller
The Book of Psalms is known as the Bible’s songbook. Jesus knew all 150 psalms intimately and relied on them to face every situation, including his death. The Songs of Jesus is based on Keller's accumulated years of study, insight, and inspiration recorded in his prayer journals. Inviting readers into the vast wisdom of the Psalms, Keller guides us in finding distilled meaning in each verse.
Through a Season of Grief: Devotions for Your Journey from Mourning to Joy
Bill Dunn
If you've lost a spouse, child, family member, or friend, you've discovered that few people understand the deep hurt you feel. Where do you turn for daily comfort and help? How do you move forward? This book is a helpful 365-day devotional designed to support and uplift you in the first, most difficult year of bereavement.
Whispers of Rest: 40 Days of God’s Love to Revitalize Your Soul
Bonnie Gray
Life is noisy. What would happen if every day for the next 40 days, you soaked in God’s love as He intimately whispered words of rest just for you? This 40-day devotional detox for your soul lays out a spiritual journey to refresh you and guide you to great peace while helping you discover who God truly made you to be: His beloved. Renew your spirit with powerful affirmations of God's love, Scripture, journaling prompts, and practical challenges to spark joy. The guidebook will create space for your soul to breathe.
Word by Word: A Daily Spiritual Practice
Marilyn McEntyre
Word by Word is a beautifully written book of meditations on fifteen well-chosen words. Readers are invited to dwell intentionally with single words: remembering their biblical and literary contexts, considering the personal associations they bring up, and allowing them to become a focus for prayer and meditation.