The Daily Memo

Ephesians 4:32 is a heartwarming invitation from God: “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” These words serve as a loving blueprint for our relationships and urge us to mirror the Father’s love in our interactions. God’s instruction is clear: Be kind. Compassion must be the foundation of our actions. It helps us to be tenderhearted and empathetic. Understanding the joys and sorrows…

Myra Hindley was one of the most notorious murderers of the twentieth century. Her crimes were almost unbelievably horrific. Yet, one person took it upon himself to visit her regularly while she was in prison. Lord Longford (1905–2001) was a controversial figure who spent much of his life visiting prisoners, including Myra Hindley. Yet, no one can doubt his compassion and his faithfulness, both to God and to those he visited. When he died, former prisoners joined…

Let’s go through a time of hearing from God in a step-by-step way. This process is called meditation or, as I like to call it, sitting before the Lord.There are five basic steps in this process:1. Setting Aside Time — Meditation requires a commitment of time. I encourage you to think of this as a season of time. The exact length of time will be determined by your purpose and your state of being as you come before the Lord. Your goal is to have a mind committed…

After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Christina Costa noticed how much of the talk around facing cancer is dominated by the language of fighting. She found that this metaphor quickly started to feel exhausting. She “didn’t want to spend over a year at war with [her] own body.” Instead, what she found most helpful were daily practices of gratitude—for the team of professionals caring for her and for the ways her brain and body were showing.…

Picture this: You find yourself in a bitter dispute with a member of your church. Your relationship turns sour, affecting both the environment and your peace of mind. Frustrations mount and gossip spreads, deepening the divide. Yet, amidst the turmoil, you remember today’s passage, and the Holy Spirit nudges you to seek reconciliation. Jesus’ words offer a compassionate guide to handling conflict within relationships. He calls us to approach our brothers and…

God gives Adam some instructions on the care of creation and his role in the unfolding story. It's pretty basic, and very generous (see Gen. 2:16-17). But notice what God doesn't tell Adam. There is no warning or instruction over what is about to occur: the Temptation of Eve. This is just staggering. Notably missing from the dialogue between Adam and God is something like this: "Adam, one more thing. A week from Tuesday, about four in the afternoon, you and…

If you’ve ever enlisted in the military, joined a rescue team, or even given birth to a baby, you know people don’t take on dangerous tasks because they falsely believe the mission is safe. No, we agree to face potential peril because someone or something we love dearly is worth taking any risk. This can help us understand why God so often tells His followers not to be afraid and then gives encouragement to boldly move forward in obedience, courage, and trust.…

What you hear from God is determined in part by the attitude you carry into any conversation with Him. Our mind-set toward a conversation with God is affected by these things: Our Prior Relationship With God — Each of us has a history with God that began even before birth (Jeremiah 1:5). He ordained us to be on earth, and He has a plan and purpose for us, even though we may not have recognized them. However, until a person has received Jesus Christ as his personal…

I always felt it strange that God needed to command us to love him. (It is the first and greatest of all the commandments.) Now I see better. When God calls us to love him as our “first love,” it is not only because he deserves to hold that place in our hearts, but also because he knows what pain will come when we get that out of order. If you give the part of your soul that is meant for God to lesser things, they will break your heart because they cannot…