Tag Archives: Spiritual Growth

What To Do When God Fails to Meet Your Expectations

Posted on November 16, 2025 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

When God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we expect—or when His timing feels painfully slow—we often slip into disappointment, confusion, or even anger. This week’s post explores why our expectations of God can become distorted, how we mistakenly judge God through our own experiences or the stories of others, and why His names (Provider, Healer, Defender) don’t represent promises of predictability, but invitations into deeper trust. We also acknowledge the reality of church hurt and the way people—not Jesus—can push believers away. Ultimately, the path forward isn’t pulling away from God but drawing closer through prayer, worship, and Scripture—the “center rail” that keeps our faith aligned. Even when life doesn’t make sense, God remains good, present, and faithful. Our greatest act of faith is learning to trust Him, even without full understanding. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian encouragement, Christian Living, Encouragement, Faith & Encouragement, Faith & Spiritual Growth, Hope, Hope in Hardship, Spiritual Encouragement | Tagged Christian encouragement, Christian Living, Christianity, church hurt, Disappointment with God, Encouragement & Hope, Faith, Faith & Spiritual Growth, faith in trials, God, God’s faithfulness, God’s Timing, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus, Overcoming Disappointment, Prayer and Worship, Spiritual Growth, Trusting God, Trusting God in Hard Times, When God feels silent | Leave a comment

Pictures of God from Job

Posted on September 7, 2025 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

The book of Job is one of the most difficult books in the Bible, but it reveals timeless truths about who God is. In this post, I explore Job as wisdom literature and highlight four “pictures of God” that emerge: sovereign, patient, beyond our comprehension, and restorer. While Job doesn’t answer every question about suffering, it points us to the deeper truth that God Himself is the ultimate answer. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Reflections, Biblical Characters, Faith & Spiritual Growth, Suffering & Hope, Trusting God in Hard Times | Tagged bible, Bible study, Book of Job, Daily Audio Bible, Faith, Faith in Hardship, God, God’s Patience, God’s Restoration, God’s Sovereignty, God’s Wisdom, Job, Spiritual Growth, Suffering, Trusting God, Wisdom Literature | Leave a comment

Eternal Life AND Abundant Life

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

Jesus didn’t come just to offer eternal life after death—He came to give us abundant life right now. Discover how peace, gratitude, and perspective in Christ transform your life today, not just in eternity. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study and Devotion, Biblical insights, Biblical Reflections, Biblical Teachings, Biblical Truth, Biblical Truths, Christian, Christian encouragement, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Contentment and Gratitude, Daily Devotional, Devotional Reflections, Encouragement, Eternal Perspective, Faith, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Inspiration, Faith and Spiritual Growth, Faith and Spirituality, Faith Reflections, Following Jesus, God's provision, Gratitude and Thankfulness, Heaven & the Afterlife, Inspirational, Jesus's teachings, Life Challenges, Overcoming Challenges, Overcoming Worry, Personal Growth, Personal Reflection, Reflections, Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Reflection, Trust in God | Tagged Abundant Life, bible, Christian encouragement, Christian perspective, Eternal life, Faith, Faith Journey, God, Gratitude, Jesus, Jesus’ Teachings, John 10:10, Living with Purpose, Peace in Christ, Romans 8:28, Spiritual Growth | Leave a comment

Trusting Jesus, Even When It Makes No Sense

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

“Trusting Jesus, Even When It Makes No Sense” explores the challenges of trusting God when life feels confusing or painful. Reflecting on Holy Week through the eyes of Jesus’ disciples, the blog draws parallels to biblical figures like Abraham, Moses, and David, who faced uncertainty but chose faith. Through personal stories and scriptural reminders, you are encouraged to find peace in knowing that God’s ways are higher and His plans are always for our good. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study and Devotion, Biblical Characters, Biblical insights, Biblical Reflections, Biblical Symbolism & Lessons, Biblical Teachings, Biblical Truth, Biblical Truths, Christian, Christian encouragement, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Daily Devotional, Dependence on God, Devotional Reflections, Discipleship, Encouragement, Eternal Perspective, Faith, Faith and Dependence, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Inspiration, Faith and Resilience, Faith and Resilliance, Faith and Spiritual Growth, Faith and Spirituality, Faith and Trust, Faith Reflections, God's love, God's Love & Grace, God's provision, Grace and Redemption, Hope, Inspirational, Jesus and His Disciples, Jesus and the Gospel, Jesus's teachings, Overcoming Challenges, Overcoming Worry, Personal Growth, Personal Reflection, Salvation and Grace, Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Reflection, The Chosen TV Series Reflections, Trust in God | Tagged Biblical lessons, Christian encouragement, Faith, Faith Journey, God, God’s Timing, Holy Week Reflection, Jesus, Overcoming Doubt, Spiritual Growth, The Chosen, The Chosen Season 5, The Chosen Season 5 The Last Supper, The Chosen TV series, Trusting God, Trusting God’s Plan, Walking by Faith | 2 Comments

Clothes for the Wedding Feast

Posted on March 2, 2025 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

In “Clothes for the Wedding Feast,” we explore Jesus’ parable in Matthew 22 and the deeper meaning behind the man who was cast out for not wearing the right wedding clothes. This parable isn’t about fashion—it’s about wearing the righteousness of Christ. Many of us want to be part of God’s kingdom, but we try to show up on our own terms, clinging to self-righteousness instead of surrendering fully to Jesus. This post unpacks what the wedding garment represents, why it’s essential, and how to keep it on. Are you wearing the right clothes? Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study and Devotion, Biblical insights, Biblical Reflections, Biblical Teachings, Biblical Truths, Christian, Christian encouragement, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Daily Devotional, Dependence on God, Devotional Reflections, Encouragement, Faith, Faith & Salvation, Faith and Dependence, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Grace, Faith and Inspiration, Faith and Resilience, Faith and Resilliance, Faith and Spiritual Growth, Faith and Spirituality, Faith and Trust, Faith Reflections, God's love, God's Love & Grace, God's provision, Heaven & the Afterlife, Hope, Inspirational, Jesus's teachings, Personal Growth, Personal Reflection, Prayer and faith, Salvation and Grace, Scripture Reflections, Seeking Truth, Self-Improvement, Spiritual Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Reflection | Tagged Biblical Parables Explained, Christian Transformation, Christianity, Faith, God, Jesus, Jesus' teachings, Matthew 22 Meaning, Parable of the Wedding Feast, Righteousness of Christ, Self-Righteousness vs. Grace, Spiritual Growth, Surrender to God, Wedding Garment | 2 Comments

Live or Die

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This verse from Philippians has always unsettled me—until now. Paul wasn’t exaggerating; he was revealing a profound truth: our best day here is nothing compared to our first day in heaven. But until then, we have work to do. Let’s explore what this means for how we live today. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study and Devotion, Biblical insights, Biblical Reflections, Biblical Teachings, Biblical Truths, C.S. Lewis & Christian Apologetics, Christian, Christian encouragement, Christian Living, Daily Devotional, Devotional Reflections, Encouragement, Eternal Perspective, Faith, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Grace, Faith and Inspiration, Faith and Spiritual Growth, Faith and Spirituality, Faith Reflections, Heaven & the Afterlife, Hope, Inspirational, Jesus and the Gospel, Jesus's teachings, Personal Growth, Personal Reflection, Purpose & Calling | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Christian encouragement, Christianity, Eternal life, Faith, Faith over fear, God, God’s Promises, Gospel Hope, Heavenly Perspective, Jesus, Kingdom Mindset, Live for Christ, Living with Purpose, Philippians 1:21, Spiritual Growth, The Weight of Glory | Leave a comment

Where Are You Going?

Posted on October 6, 2024 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

Introduction In life, when things seem to be going well, it’s natural for us to want to maintain the status quo. We work hard to build a life where everything is in balance—where our relationships, careers, and daily routines run … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical insights, Biblical Teachings, Christian, Christian encouragement, Christian Living, Daily Devotional, Faith, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Inspiration, God's love, Inspirational, Personal Reflection, Prayer and faith, Prayer and Worship, Self-Improvement, Spiritual Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Reflection | Tagged Bible study, Christian Living, Christianity, Daily Devotion, Deepening Faith, Faith, Faith Journey, God's Purpose, Personal Reflection, Spiritual Growth, Trust in God, Walking with God | Leave a comment

Through the Cracks

Posted on September 8, 2024 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

Introduction Life has a way of breaking us. We’ve all experienced moments when we feel shattered, like everything we thought we could rely on has crumbled, and we’re left trying to pick up the pieces. It’s easy to feel hopeless … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian, Christian Living, Faith, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Resilience, Faith and Trust, God's love, Healing and Restoration, Inspirational, Life Challenges, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Reflection | Tagged Brokenness and Healing, Christian encouragement, Christian poetry, Faith in Difficult Times, God's grace, Kintsugi, Light in the darkness, Poetry, Resilience through Faith, Spiritual Growth | 2 Comments

Trusting God vs. God’s Provision: A Question about the Divine Partnership in Our Daily Lives

Posted on September 1, 2024 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

Introduction Following Christ was never promised to be easy—not even by Jesus Himself. Here’s what I’ve wrestled with this week: the tension between trusting in God’s provision and recognizing the role we play in solving our day-to-day challenges, using the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical insights, Biblical Teachings, Christian, Christian Living, Daily Devotional, Dependence on God, Faith, Faith and Dependence, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Inspiration, Faith and Trust, God's provision, Inspirational, Personal Reflection, Prayer and faith, Self-Improvement, Spiritual Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Reflection, Trust in God | Tagged Biblical Wisdom, Christian encouragement, Divine Provision, Faith and Action, God’s Guidance, Jehovah Jireh, Spiritual Growth, Trust in God | Leave a comment

Cultivating Contentment in Our Comparison World

Posted on August 25, 2024 by Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter

Introduction In today’s fast-paced, image-driven world, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the spirit of comparison. With social media platforms constantly presenting us with curated glimpses into the lives of others, we often find ourselves longing for … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical insights, Biblical Teachings, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity and Mental Health, Contentment and Gratitude, Daily Devotional, Faith, Faith and Encouragement, Faith and Inspiration, Inspirational, Mental Health and Wellness, Personal Reflection, Self-Improvement, Spiritual Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Reflection | Tagged Biblical Encouragement, Christian Faith, Comparison Trap, Contentment, Daily Blessings, Faith Journey, Galatians 6:4, Gratitude, Hebrews 13:5, Jesus’ Teachings, John 10:10, Joy in Christ, Philippians 4:12-13, Spiritual Growth | Leave a comment

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