The Power of Counting Your Blessings - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - April 23, 2026
“May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness—an abundance of grain and new wine.” Genesis 27:28
“You’re living the dream,” my husband’s friend responded. My husband, Josh, had just apologized for replying to his friend’s text so late. Josh sent a photo of our oldest son sprawled on his back, a snapshot explaining that “Dad life” delays the simplest forms of communication (as does “Mom life”).
Indeed, texts from friends are put on the back burner when diapers and toddler demands dictate your schedule. But rather than being frustrated or offended by the slow reply, Josh’s friend said, “You’re living the dream.”
A day or so later, Josh said to me, “I guess we really are living the dream.” We took in the scene before us, our oldest son toddling through the yard, and our newborn boy snuggled in my arms. We were sitting on the front porch swing, rocking back and forth, surrounded by God’s undeniable miracles.
Financially, we shouldn’t have been able to purchase the house we now call home. We were too young with too little money to our names. Our credit scores were hardly competitive, and the market was too hot with retired buyers looking to cash in their life savings. Even our realtor called us and said, “God wanted you guys to have this house.”
Medically, we were told that having children would take time, as my body presented a myriad of problems. A test here, a procedure there, and a few diagnoses sprinkled in between stacked the odds against me having a normal experience conceiving a baby. Yet, we had no trouble conceiving our boys, and I had two of the healthiest, smoothest pregnancies and deliveries a woman could ask for.
In short, man’s understanding and planning couldn’t deny us the gifts that God granted. Truly, the Father loves to give His children good things, and He does, with every breath we take. But how often do we miss the power of His blessings because fear, frustrations, or feeble attempts to chase checklists rule our hearts and minds?
The beautiful blessings surrounding us on our front porch that day were realities I had possessed for quite some time (aside from our newborn, of course). We had owned our house for years, and our first son was nearly three years old, but I had neglected to believe in the power of God, as proven by these blessings. I had ignored God’s everyday grace, the pieces of heaven He lets us taste on earth, because I granted the power of my perspective to fear and pessimism.
Sure, I was grateful to God for His good gifts, but I wasn’t allowing them to bring joy into my heart, the kind that stifles the enemy’s voice. I wasn’t letting gratitude finish its God-ordained work in my soul.
As a mother, it’s easy to stay stressed by the constant demands of little ones, and it’s only natural to fear for their health and safety. But if it takes an outside person to remind us that God has granted us things that others only dream of, it’s as if we’ve told God His blessings don’t deserve our joy. It’s as if we’ve told God that there is no power in His everyday work in our lives.
Friend, don’t deny God the daily opportunity to bring you joy and encouragement. Keep your heart and mind open to see the dreams the Father has granted you and the power they offer your perspective as you set your mind on what’s good and lovely and eternal.
Don’t wait for a friend’s text to remind you that God’s goodness sustains your everyday moments. Don’t wait to access the power and joy God has given you today.
Let’s pray:
God, may we never neglect to praise you for the blessings you grant us each day. Let us see our spouse, children, friends, and community as a testament to your faithfulness and love, and may we allow these good gifts to keep our hearts and minds focused on you. Give us strength to deny the enemy’s voice any access to our perspective, and may we recognize the power you grant us when we let our blessings bring us joy and contentment.
Thank you for your unending generosity, mercy, and grace. We praise you, Lord, for who you are, what you’ve done in our lives, and all the good things you will continue to do. We choose you and the power of your blessings today. In your holy name I pray, Lord. Amen.
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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
