The Quill and Me—Devotional Blog•Oswald Chambers Reflections

This devotional is a direct answer to Chambers' June 13 devotional...  based on Luke 18:22, "...come, follow Me" A Testimonial Devotional with Scripture Reflection Scripture:     Psalm 139:16 "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."   There are moments in life when God lets us look back and finally see what we could not understand when we were living it. The other day, He brought me all the way back to a playground when I was seven years old — a little girl who should not have survived what happened there, yet somehow did. For years I thought I was forgotten that day. But now I see the truth: He saved me then… for today. Not just to keep me alive, but to keep unfolding the story He had already written. "The Lord will keep your life… from this time forth and forevermore."  —   Psalm 121:7–8 God does not reveal our lives all at once. He unfolds them like the petals of a flower — slowly, gently, in...

My Testimony The testimony that follows is the story of how Christ met me in the middle of chaos, lifted a lifelong burden, and led me into a surrender I didn’t know I needed. These past months have reshaped my spiritual life in ways I could never have imagined, and I felt led to share it for anyone who may be walking through their own season of confusion, striving, or spiritual exhaustion.  This is not a story of my effort, but of Christ’s intervention, His timing, and His unmistakable work in the hidden places of my heart. I share it because someone else may be standing where I once stood, searching for peace in all the wrong places, not knowing that surrender is the doorway. He has strengthened me, given my life purpose, lifted burdens and anxiety from my life, and my days and nights are filled with His peace, for I rest in Him. He carries me now. I am safe. I am protected. I am at peace in Him. Because I know that I know, I am certain—He is closer to me than my next breath. •...

  The End of the Self-Love Series I wrote the Self-Love Series during an earlier season of my walk, and I’m leaving it in the archives because it is part of my story. Since then, God has deepened my understanding of what it means to care for the body and life He entrusted to me. I no longer use the word “self‑love” the way I once did; today I see it more clearly as stewardship—honoring God with His temple. Thank you for walking with me as I grow. ~Quil I didn’t expect the Self‑Love Series to end here, but the Word of God settled something in me. Romans 6 and the last two devotionals made it plain: self cannot fix self. Self‑love workbooks, self‑improvement courses, and all the things we reach for when we want to “get better” can only rearrange the furniture. They cannot change the heart. The truth is simple: Sin ruled the house.  Self cooperated with sin.  The will was powerless to stop it. That’s why we stay stuck in the same patterns — the overthinking, the procra...

Releasing Self-Doubt Self-doubt is a shadow that whispers we are not enough. Yet the truth is this: you are already worthy, already beloved. To walk in freedom, we must challenge and release the negative beliefs that cling to us. Ask yourself gently: Where did that critical voice originate? Often, it is not your own voice at all, but echoes of old messages that no longer serve you. Let them pass like clouds across the sky. Do not wrestle with them. Instead, breathe in confidence, breathe out self-doubt. Replace the thought with a brighter one, and let your heart rest on it. The Importance of Body Language Your body speaks before your words do. Hold yourself upright, shoulders back, chin lifted in quiet assurance.  This posture tells your soul:  I am confident.  I am worthy. Even a simple walk can become a prayer. Take 10–15 minutes to move, repeating mantras of love and strength:  I am enough.  I am loved.  I am growing. Practices of Self-Love • Write a l...

My Journey to Obedience Psalm 46:10 (KJV) “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Deuteronomy 31:8  "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you." My Path to This Blog My path to this blog has been a long one. I am 67 years old. I was saved at the age of nine, yet I wandered far from the Lord for many years. I looked for love in all the wrong places, carried burdens I didn’t know how to release, and lived through seasons that left deep marks on my heart. Through broken relationships, painful losses, and long stretches of wandering, I learned how fragile human strength is — and how faithful God remains. The deepest wound of my life has been the absence of my son, a grief that never fully leaves. Yet even in that sorrow, the Lord carried me. I have lived a life many have judged. But obedience is not perfection — it is s...

Self-Love Devotional Series Quiet Grace Notes   A Self-Love Practice I'm Trying This entry is part of my Self-Love Devotional Series, a gentle collection of reflections and practices I'm trying as I heal. Quiet Grace Notes is where I share small, honest moments of surrender, prayer, and the little practices that help me breathe again. Morning Invitations I recently stumbled upon a practice that many say can change a life: positive thinking, daily affirmations, and a short morning prayer. The name that kept appearing was Louise Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life. She taught that our words and thoughts shape our experience. I watched a short clip of her speaking and learned she was inspired by others to explore how language and belief can transform a life. I’m not adopting everything she taught — but I am gently adapting what aligns with my faith. All Is Well With My Soul A Morning Prayer I’m Trying When I wake, I close my eyes and whisper a prayer. I add my own lines becaus...

Self-love and Self compassion continued... Voice-Changer Hack When you’re feeling low or can’t summon self‑compassion, try a voice‑changer app. Record a simple, kind statement to yourself and play it back in a silly voice — a robot, a cartoon, or anything that makes you smile.  Laughter loosens tension.  It interrupts harsh self‑judgment. It opens a small doorway to gentleness and perspective. Mindfulness  Mindfulness helps us cultivate self‑compassion by teaching us to observe the present moment without judgment. Judgment labels feelings as right or wrong, good or bad; mindfulness simply notices what’s happening in the body and mind.  Practice by naming sensations when emotions arise: • Where do you feel tightness? • Where is there warmth? • How does your breath change? Feelings are like ocean waves — they rise, crest, and pass. Try listing recent emotions on paper and note how each one arrived and faded. This builds trust that feelings move through you, not d...

Prayer of Release Laying down years of self-hatred at His feet Before I could move forward in this workbook, I needed to pray: Lord, forgive me, and help me forgive myself for years of self-hatred.  I lay it at your feet—the pain and the reasons behind it.  I carried it so long I don’t know how to walk without it.  For years I kept the door shut, afraid of the hurt inside.  With your help, I finally opened it and faced the pain. You have been patient; your love enduring.  I don’t know why you ask me to share this, Lord—I don’t want to be this vulnerable.  Yet I submit, because my thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to you.  I trust you to protect me. I am weak, but you are strong.  Be my refuge, my courage.  Help me stay faithful on this journey.  Continue breaking the chains and walls around my heart— you’ve already been doing this, as my tears have prepared me for today. Father, guide my mind, my prayers, my words,  so all ...