Insufficient Funds

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day …”

“…to give His life a ransom for many.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NASB   Mark 10:45

It feels like only yesterday when I walked into the Big Bear grocery store… To my embarrassment, the grocery-bill total was greater than what my wallet contained. Hoping no one noticed the exchange taking place, I quietly pointed out to the cashier which items to remove from my grocery order, items we could live without until my next paycheck. Though this happened several decades ago (a few times), it’s still recalled with a twinge of embarrassment and shame.

As we near Good Friday and Easter, and I think deeply of what Jesus Christ did for me, for you, this decades old grocery exchange came to mind. Having insufficient funds to pay for bread, peanut butter and a few boxes of mac and cheese is nothing compared to being unable to pay the staggering price to redeem our soul. The price so high and the debt so great that  we are left entirely helpless and even worse – hopeless. That is our state.

And yet… And yet God so loved the world (that’s you and I) that He gave His One and only Son, that whosoever believes (trusts) in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.

This giving of His Son for us is not a pretty, pastel-colored Spring scene. It is a blood spattered, spit dripping, whiskers pulled, muscles contracting and torn – scene of the great exchange taking place. On that first Good Friday, the only begotten Son of God ransomed me. Ransomed you, with His very life. From the Greek, He literally, paid the slave price for us. He exchanged His righteousness for our sin so that we can stand before God sinless. The debt beyond our ability to pay has been paid for us. We add nothing but a grateful, thankful heart for what He has done.

Back to my grocery dilemma. Suppose a stranger overheard my situation and offered to pay what I could not, but out of compounded embarrassment, I said, “No thank you” or simply ignored the offer. Though the offer was made, it would do me no good if I were unwilling to swallow my pride and accept the gift. But if I were willing to admit my need, and accepted the payment offered to me, I could leave the store with all my groceries, debt free. The choice is mine.

We add nothing but a grateful, thankful heart for what He has done.

Becky White

Unlike my grocery bill, which only caused embarrassment, having insufficient funds to pay for our sin debt has eternal consequences. Either we pay the debt ourselves by an eternity separated from Him or we humbly reach out and take the gift of payment graciously offered on our behalf. The choice is ours.

I pray that He enables each of us to grasp even a thin thread of what He has done, of what He has provided for us through the ransom paid those many years ago. To Him be the glory, great things He has done!

Father, I am speechless at Your mercy and grace toward me. As Your word says, I am privileged to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light.” In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

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Rock of Ages, Cleft for me

Recently, while praying over a friend and thinking deeply about all they’re walking through, this old devo came to mind. I pray it encourages you today. He is our Rock of Ages. – Becky

Listen to devo

I called on Your name, O Lord, Out of the lowest pit. You have heard my voice…

O Lord, You have seen my oppression.

Great is Thy faithfulness.

Who is among you who [reverently] fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor [in his heart]? Let him rely on, trust in, and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God.

Lamentations 3 selected verses NASB   Isaiah 50:10 AMP

Jeremiah, the prophet, begins this section of Scripture by “crying out from the lowest pit” and ends by boldly declaring, “Great is Your faithfulness.” He said this, when as yet, his circumstances remained lowest-pitish. If we step back further into this book of lamenting, we see that he came near to the brink of hopelessness – often. So how did Jeremiah go from despair, to declaring God’s faithfulness? Did he watch a master-class on living an overcoming life?  No, this real-life man, known as the weeping prophet had a relationship with the One True God and had learned to lean into that relationship, to trust the Lord God, in spite of all that was wrong and difficult and heavy in his life. His circumstances did not dictate his faith or view of God.

Let’s be real.  Sometimes circumstances don’t change. Sometimes our “lowest pit” remains. The truth is, there will be seasons of no “shining splendor” in our hearts, but instead, darkness and deep trouble. Even for those who “reverently fear the Lord and obey His voice.” Our “lowest pits” may be canyon-deep crises that threaten to send us over an emotional cliff, like an unfaithful spouse or a rebellious teenager, an unexpected illness or the death of someone we love. A pit may be the day-to-day challenges of life that come like a steady and sustained drip of difficulty, wrapped in the form of a dead-end job, disappointment with life or struggling to make ends meet. If you’re breathing, I know you have a lowest-pit of your own that’s coming to mind.

It’s one thing to trust God for a particular outcome, but another thing all together, when we learn to trust Him no matter the outcome. Period.

To simply trust Him.

You will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings.  

01/04 Streams in the Desert

The Lord has literally kneaded these truths into my heart, maybe He’s done the same for you. Through the death of two of my children. Through the, not-enough-money–for-the-month life as a teenage mom, to heart wrenching betrayal. And even the ache of regret from my own past mistakes.  I have found that though the difficulties were seldom removed, when I leaned into God, He provided the ability to stand. To walk through. And I came out with this truth on my lips – Great is His faithfulness. Lean hard into that truth dear one, He will not fail you.

Father, I.  Trust. You. it’s so much easier to say the words than to walk it out, Lord. Help me trust You in spite of the pain, and in the midst of all that appears wrong… with disappointments, with crises that overwhelm or monotony or the fear of what if… I choose to lean hard into You, Father. You are worthy of my trust. In Jesus’ name, Amen

 Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

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Standing on the Promises?

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul boasts in the LORD; let the oppressed hear and rejoice. Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Psalm 34:1-3, 8 BSB

Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9 AMP

I love the classic hymn, “Standing on the Promises.” In fact, I have an old combo CD and cassette player in my van (no laughing), where I regularly play the song on repeat, belting out the tune with gusto. Never for an audience of course, my voice is not for the faint of heart. Standing on the promises is a succinct way of saying, “I see this Scripture, Lord. This promise in Your Word and I stand on the truth of it. With all that I am, I trust You and Your Word. Come what may.”

But I’ll let you in on a secret, sometimes (okay, often) I sing the song w/o faith or feeling. Singing instead, to praise and proclaim my trust despite what surrounds me or my lack of feeling. I know He’s good and He’s faithful to His Word. Period. So, I belt it out.

You see, standing on the promises is so very easy to say and so very hard to do. When we look a crisis full in the face. When we are confronted with the raw reality of our fears… When our worst-case-scenario actually happens. When all our prayed-for and hoped-for expectations are ripped to shreds. That’s when we discover if we’ve been “standing on the promises” or if our faith has been all talk and no Rock.

Any of us can have faith and toss out a cutsie scripture reference when the bank account is full, the family is well and life is running along smoothly. Right? Who requires faith for that? Faith is needed in the testing hour, not the resting hour. When everything appears contrary to His promises. Is that where you are? That’s okay. I’ve been there more times than I can count. Truthfully, there are a couple “promise tests” tests confronting me even as I type these words.  They are opportunities to take Him at His word and trust Him, no matter the circumstance. As a follower of Christ, If He allows it, He has promised to bring good from it.

If today finds you with a few promise tests of your own, I am so sorry. Allow me to encourage you to read His Word and while you’re at it, belt out “Standing on the Promises, of Christ My King…”  A newer song that was borne from walking this out in real-life is titled, Faithfully, by TobyMac. In rawness, he sings of re-learning to trust and stand on the Word, after the tragic death of his son.  

Heavenly Father, sometimes the trials of real life are all I can see … all I can feel. It’s at those times and in those moments that I am tempted to forget the Truth of Your Word and Your utter faithfulness. Cause me to praise You even as I wait for You to work Your perfect will in me and in my life. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

To purchase a hard copy of the devotional, Stony Paths or Shelter from the Storm visit the products page or visit Lulu Publishing. It may also be purchased on Amazon.

Learning to trust Him as we walk along Stony Paths – $14.99 A gritty devotional that confronts the hot-mess reality of life while landing on the bedrock of the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word.

Shelter from the Storm – 101 Messages of Authentic Hope for Difficult Times, $14.99 will remind readers that they are not alone and there is hope. Authentic hope. Not by ignoring the reality of pain but by viewing it through the lens of God’s great faithfulness.

OG – “Help! I need Encouraged!”

I have decided to share a few of my OG devos from years past, in their original form for the most part. These were written right smack in the middle of a decades -long season of great trial. I’m sure you may notice a few grammar issues or strange sentence structure. Please  try to look past that, and land on the lesson He was teaching me at the time, and maybe even use it to remind/or teach you as well. The following is pulled from its pages…

For His glory and your encouragement.

Becky White


Help! I Need Encouraged!

If you’re breathing, you qualify.

To be discouraged is to lose courage. Find it in Christ and His Word.

Recall the old song, His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches over me. God’s Word says; “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies and yet not one of them is forgotten or uncared for in the presence of God. Do not be struck with fear or seized with alarm. You are of greater worth than many flocks sparrows. And in the Old Testament, “I know and am acquainted with all the birds of the mountains.”
(Luke 12:6-7b and Psalm 50:11 Amp)

”Encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble, say to those with anxious heart ‘take courage, fear not.’ For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous. You number and record my wonderings; put my tears in a bottle — are they not in Your book? Those who feared the Lord talked often one to another, and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.” Isaiah 35:3-4 Psalm 1:6 Psalm 56:8 Malachi 3:16

Be encouraged, God knows your sorrow, He is aware of the path you take. He is not impotent in your situation. He is all powerful. He is the Sovereign Ruler of the universe and He loves you. He thinks on you. He has engraved you on the palm of His hand. Trials come and trials go (thankfully!). But He is faithful. Even when He allows struggles into our life you can be sure He will at the same time provide all you need to emerge as more than a conqueror. It will not always be this hard.

I remind myself (often!) of Romans 8:28, by saying; if He’s allowed (fill in the blank) into my life, He’s promised to bring good out of it as well. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians1:9 “Indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves, despairing even of life, but this was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God who raises the dead.”

Dead lives, dead marriages, dead relationships, dead finances, dead feelings….
He is THE resurrection and THE life… Behold, He [Jesus] makes all things new.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Devotions for Difficult Days – to purchase hard copy of DDD OG devo or click here for free pdf download

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Remember?

Your eyes have seen what the LORD did. Deuteronomy 4:3

“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children. Deuteronomy 4:9

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Deuteronomy 5:15

Be careful not to forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 6:12 Deuteronomy, chapters 4, 5 and 6 BSB

“Remember what your eyes have seen the Lord do.”  In reading through this Old Testament book, those words grabbed my attention. “Remember what your eyes have seen.” Reading further, I noticed that theme repeated several times. In context we’re reading about the ancient Israelites, but as always, we must apply His Word to our own lives as well. So, I asked myself; “What have my eyes seen the Lord do, what was my “land of Egypt” that required deliverance and am I remembering?” The question caused my thoughts to tumble back in time to a church service, some 43 years ago.

Pushing the yellow polka-dot stroller as I walked along High Street in the Short North area of Columbus, I arrived at the store-front church that was adorned with a large bygone-era lighted cross. The old country-style church embedded in an ultra-urban setting, was affectionately called, Old Time Religion Hall. Once inside, I pushed the stroller, and my now awake young son, down the narrow hardwood-floor aisle, lined on both sides with bare wooden pews. Also, from a bygone era. Adjusting the stroller to fit snuggly beside me, I slipped into the pew and exhaled even as I breathed in a still unfamiliar, but an amazing and soul-deep peace. His peace.

Rising to my feet with the rest of the small, mostly elderly congregation, we sang songs like Amazing Grace, Peace in the Valley, and Old Rugged Cross. Songs that were unfamiliar to me, but with words that clearly articulated what had happened in my life just a year earlier. So new to this “new” life, I was stunned that someone had penned the words of my own heart, not yet realizing that millions had gone before me as new creations in Christ.

I was also, utterly unconcerned at being the lone teenager in the gray-haired crowd, or who might hear my very off-key singing. Loudly and with great enthusiasm, I belted out the words, “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.”   Tears were a common occurrence as I took in the reality of the miraculous deliverance from a life of rebellion, heartache, and anything but peace. A gift that Jesus Christ had purchased for me with His Blood. So undeserved.

Remembering what my eyes have seen … not to necessarily remove my difficulties, but to walk me through them. And through them He has walked me! Not over, or around, but through.

What do you need to call to mind, what can you purposefully remember? What has the Lord done that your eyes have seen? Remember … thank Him, and then share it!

Precious Lord and Savior, though words can never adequately express our profound gratitude, we simply bow in worship and say, “Thank You.” We love You, Lord. Be gloried in and through our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus.

My Story

OG Devo – “Impossible”

I have decided to share a few of these OG devos from years past, in their original form for the most part. These were written right smack in the middle of a decades -long season of great trial. I’m sure you may notice a few grammar issues or strange sentence structure. Please  try to look past that, and land on the lesson He was teaching me at the time, and maybe even use it to remind/or teach you as well.

For His glory and your encouragement.

Becky White

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Devotions for Difficult Days – to purchase hard copy of DDD OG devo or click here for free pdf download

ddd-og-pdf-for-downloadDownload

Prison Doors and Prison Walls

Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name. –Psalm 142:7b NKJV

In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered and set me free. – Psalm 118:5 BSB

It’s a routine, yet bursting with meaning, procedure. Grasping the thick handle, we open the heavier-than-it-appears door, walk to the counter and exchange pleasantries as we slip our coats and belts into a plastic bin and slide it to the person behind the counter. Walking through the metal detector, we then hand- over our ID and sign under the “volunteer” column of the lined paper. After getting our hand stamped, we walk through another heavy door and wait as the group of us pause for someone to buzz us through yet another heavier-than-it-appears door. And so begins our evening of serving the Lord by serving those behind physical prison walls and prison doors.

As I have had the privilege of listening to and sharing with the ladies behind those hauntingly thick walls, barbed-wire fences, and heavy doors, I am reminded that prison walls come in all shapes and sizes. Physical walls that we can trace our hand across and feel the cold, sterile concrete, but there are also walls and doors that bind us emotionally, spiritually, relationally, and mentally.  The ravages of abuse, addictions, hurt and regret, to name just a few.

True freedom, soul-deep freedom, is possible, even if thick walls and heavy doors surround us.

Jesus Christ came to set the captive free, to proclaim liberty and announce freedom to those who are captive and bound. He says to us (those who admit that we are bound) “Come out into freedom, leave the darkness and walk in the light.” Whether we are bound by addiction, unforgiveness, anger, fear, or shame, He can set us free, even if/when physical walls surround us. True freedom is found in Christ alone. Not in a location. Not in ideal circumstances.

Freedom is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not lack of heavy doors and thick walls.

There are “free men” living as prisoners to their passions/addictions/bitterness or chained to the shame/pain of their past. And there are “incarcerated” folks living in soul-deep freedom.  Understanding their usefulness to the Lord isn’t dependent on circumstances or location or concrete walls.

We are limited only by our choice to surrender to Him or our pain, to Him or our bitterness, to Him or our anger. Surrendering to Him or our continued cycle of bad choices, blame and self-imposed bondage. Freedom is found in a personal relationship with Christ, not lack of heavy doors and thick walls. I have seen it first-hand as I’ve listened to the stories shared behind those prison walls. And though I’ve never been bound by physical walls, I was once a woman who walked in chains of bondage just as restraining as concrete and barbed wire. But He set me free, Oh, thank You Jesus, I am free!

Are you? He stands ready to pardon and redeem. Call out to Him now.

Father God, our Deliverer and Burden-bearer, please enable us to surrender completely to You and Your will. Help us walk in the genuine freedom that Your Son purchased for us with His Blood  on the Cross. Regardless of our circumstances. Thank You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Scripture references used:

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Isaiah 61:1b NKJV

The LORD sets the prisoners free, the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down. Psalm 146:b-8a BSB

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’ Jeremiah 6:16 BSB      

The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners. Luke 4:18b CEV

The LORD sets the prisoners free. Psalm 146:7a BSB

I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’ Psalm 149:9 NLT

Hebrew: Freedom: A sending away, a letting go, a release, pardon, complete forgiveness. From aphiemi; freedom; pardon.

Hebrew: Rest: Resting place  

OG Devo – “An Anchor for the Soul”

Recently, while “cleaning up” old files that were saved on my computer, I came across the original 20 year-old manuscript of Devotions For Difficult Days. As I’ve read through the OG devos, the memories of His faithfulness in the midst of pain,
come rushing back to my heart. I so clearly see the grace and mercy of God on my life and His ability to walk us through trials. Not necessarily removing the painful events, but giving us His wisdom and grace to walk through them. It’s also a real-life example of Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 1:11 which says in part, He is “working all things according to the counsel of His will.” And His promise to bring good from all we face – If we put our lives in His hands.

I have decided to share a few of these OG devos from years past, in their original form for the most part. You may notice a few grammar issues or strange sentence structure. Please try to look past that, and land on the lesson He was teaching me
at the time, and maybe even use it to remind/or teach you as well.


For His glory and your encouragement,

Becky White

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Devotions for Difficult Days – to purchase hard copy of DDD OG devo or click here for free pdf download

ddd-og-pdf-for-downloadDownload

OG Devo – “He is There”

Recently, while “cleaning up” old files that were saved on my computer, I came across the original 20 year-old manuscript of Devotions For Difficult Days. As I’ve read through the OG devos, the memories of His faithfulness in the midst of pain,
come rushing back to my heart. I so clearly see the grace and mercy of God on my life and His ability to walk us through trials. Not necessarily removing the painful events, but giving us His wisdom and grace to walk through them. It’s also a real-life example of Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 1:11 which says in part, He is “working all things according to the counsel of His will.” And His promise to bring good from all we face – If we put our lives in His hands.


I have decided to share a few of these OG devos from years past, in their original form for the most part. You may notice a few grammar issues or strange sentence structure. Please try to look past that, and land on the lesson He was teaching me
at the time, and maybe even use it to remind/or teach you as well.


For His glory and your encouragement,

Becky White

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Mr. (or Miss) Atlas?

The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 NKJV

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you.  Psalm 55:22a

Recently, while driving to work and mentally preparing for the day ahead, I began talking to the Lord about specific challenges confronting those I love. Ranging from minor irritations to gut wrenching trials, I poured my heart out to Him.

Throughout the conversation, I admitted that I was at a loss about how/what to pray for many of the issues, but I knew that He was faithful to do what was the very best and to do what must be done. Reminding Him (and myself) of His Word that says we don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit will intercede for us. Though nothing outwardly had changed, I felt His peace as I laid my life’s load into His strong, omnipotent hands. (Not to worry, tomorrow will have brand new challenges to pray about!)

During the process of unburdening my heart, as I drove through the thick morning traffic, a memory of decades past washed over me. A memory of what felt like the weight of the world and the lie I had believed concerning prayer.  Promise not to laugh and I’ll share it with you.

There was time when I felt that the whole outcome of whatever and whoever I was praying for, depended on me. On my prayers. On me knowing the exact words to say.  As if everything would fall apart if I dropped the prayer ball for a moment of time. Not only is that a lie, it’s exhausting. And I hate to admit, it’s prideful. And it’s anything but trusting in God.

Have you ever believed that lie?

Like Mr. Atlas, pictured bent over with the weight of the world in his hands. We can feel as if all the weight of prayer’s answers are in our hands. How we pray. What we pray. How long we pray. How often we pray. Our faith or lack of… As I said, exhausting.

The truth is, everything depends on Him, not me. Not you. Whew! Yes, we are to pray and keep on praying. Believe and keep on believing. Yes, we are to call to Him and He will answer. We are to ask specifically and with thankfulness. And then walk away, as we trust His will and His ways. Always with a willingness to defer to His will and whatever outcome will bring Him the most glory.

Prayer is weakness, leaning on omnipotence.

– W.S. Boyd

As promised, a new day has brought new challenges, but His faithfulness remains.  He who formed the ear, does He not hear, and He who formed the eye, does he not see? Yes. On all counts. Let’s choose to rest in His ability to hold the world and all our problems in His hands.  Whew, we can stand now! 😉

My Father and my God, I laugh at the absurdity of thinking I can carry the weight of my problems, let alone the world’s! Please grant me wisdom for how and what to pray and the peace of knowing You take my feeble attempts and turn them to answers that are beyond my imagination. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus