DEVOTION: Bought at a Great Price ~ by Kathi Macias

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions…what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me (2 Timothy 3:10-11, NKJV).

The Apostle Paul was no stranger to suffering, yet he was no whiner either. He patiently endured whatever hardships came his way as a result of his bold proclamation of faith in the risen Christ, knowing his Lord would keep him safe whatever happened.

Notice, however, that though Paul knew God would keep him safe, he didn’t expect Him to spare him from suffering. Paul understood that such things were part of the cost he must pay for serving the One whom the world rejected. Nothing much has changed in that regard, has it? Though we in many countries are free to worship God as we wish, others around the globe are not so blessed.

Jesus Himself set the example, didn’t He? Another Apostle, Thomas, wanted proof of that example. When he was told that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, he didn’t ask to see Christ’s face or to hear His voice. He said he must touch His wounds, the scars that proved His suffering on our behalf, before he would believe. Graciously, Jesus accommodated him.

Our redemption was bought at a great price, so great we can scarcely begin to fathom it. The scars on the risen Christ’s body are testimony to that redemption and the unconditional love that sealed it.

Can we, as followers of Christ, expect any less? Even if we are not openly persecuted for our faith, there is always a price to pray, a part of self that needs to die daily so our risen Lord can live within us. There’s no room on the throne for two; only Jesus has earned the right to sit there. When we are called to any sort of suffering in our walk with Him, may we endure it humbly, knowing that the scars it produces will provide evidence of Christ’s love for others to see, that they too might believe and be saved.


Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 


A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA with her husband. 

DEVOTION: Believing God's Promise ~ by Kathi Macias

The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought,
so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand”

(Isaiah 14:24, NKJV).

The Old Testament is full of instances where God instructed people to set up some sort of altar to commemorate something wonderful the Lord had done. God knew it was important for frail human beings to be reminded of His faithfulness. Think about it. How many times has God come through for us, causing us to rejoice and thank Him and believe—at that moment—that we will never doubt Him again? And then another trial comes along, and … sure enough, there we go again, wondering if God will do as He promised or abandon us to our own devices.

That’s one of the reasons I love Isaiah 14:24 and quote it often. The verse isn’t just a promise to us that God will be faithful; it is God Himself swearing to us that just as He has been faithful in the past, He will continue to be faithful in the future. If God has purposed something, it will happen. Nothing you or I or the devil himself can do will ever negate or thwart God’s purpose or plan.

Now let’s take that to the next step, remembering that we are an integral part of God’s plan and purpose. God has also promised in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plans for His people are good plans, to give us “a future and a hope.” If that is true—and we know it is because it is written in His Word—and if it is also true that as God has fulfilled His purposes in the past He will do the same in the future, then regardless of the circumstances or situations that threaten and swirl around us, we can rest in the peace and promise of God’s faithfulness.

If you don’t have a memorial of some sort to remind you of that great truth, I encourage you to establish one soon—a piece of paper with the above scripture written out where you can see it, a rock with the chapter and verse painted on it, anything that will serve as a reminder that God’s faithfulness is greater than anything that comes against you today—or ever. Remembering God’s promises has brought me great peace through the years, and it will do the same for you.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 

A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Three Things Required ~ by Kathi Macias

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

(Micah 6:8, NKJV)

I’ve always loved this verse, but lately it’s been rolling around in my heart and mind a lot, stirring up thoughts and feelings I hadn’t considered before.

First, I’ve been impressed by the opening words: “He has shown you.” That’s God speaking to us, isn’t it? He has shown us. But what has He shown us . . . and how did He do so?

He showed us that He requires three things of us: to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with Him. And, of course, knowing that we are unable to fulfill those requirements on our own, He sent His Son to model and live those requirements for us.

If you consider the life of Christ as depicted in the gospels, I believe you can find that every act or deed falls into one of the three categories of God’s requirements for us. Isn’t that amazing? Another proof that God is righteous and requires righteous behavior from His children, but also another proof that He is merciful and provides a way for us to fulfill those otherwise impossible requirements.

The next time you read through the gospels, I challenge you to consider each scene of the Savior’s life and ask yourself which of God’s three requirements Jesus models in that scene. I believe it will give you a fresh appreciation for the amazing life of our beloved Lord and Savior during the time He walked this earth.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 


A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA with her husband. 

DEVOTION: Blessed Reminder ~ by Kathi Macias

Your own eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD
which He did (Deuteronomy 11:7, NASB).

I was 26 years old before I came to know the Lord personally. Prior to that I knew and, to some extent, believed the basic tenets of Christianity, including that Jesus “died for the sins of the world.” Unfortunately that didn’t impact me until I understood that He died for ME, for MY sins. That changed everything.

It’s amazing how me-centered we are, isn’t it? Even after we become believers and spend time growing spiritually, we still fight that tendency to think the universe revolves around us. And yet there are times that God wants us to personalize our faith; Deuteronomy 11 is a great example of that.

As a matter of fact, God spends a lot of time in Deuteronomy reminding and recounting His many amazing and merciful deeds on behalf of the Israelites. He wants them, as a nation of chosen people, to remember all that He has done for them so they won’t be drawn away by false gods or start thinking they accomplished anything by their own efforts.

But Deuteronomy 11:7 makes it personal: “Your own eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD which He did.” Yes, God is speaking to Israel as a nation, much as He speaks to the Church as a whole. But He also speaks to individuals, reminding us of what we have personally seen Him do for us. I am always blessed to read stories of what God has done for His people throughout the ages, but I am also blessed when I stop and remember all that He has done for me as an individual. My eyes truly have seen amazing things, times where God intervened on my behalf, and reflecting on those times encourages me when I face trials today.

Like the Israelites of old, we must not allow ourselves to be drawn away by false gods—and the world is full of them!—or be lulled by our egos into thinking we’ve accomplished anything on our own efforts. If we will make it a practice to meditate on God’s acts of love and kindness to us over the years, both personally and as a corporate Body of believers, we will certainly be more apt to cling to and trust Him for all that yet lies ahead.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 


A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA with her husband. 

DEVOTION: Be Still and Know ~ by Kathi Macias

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10, NKJV).

With all the running around and deadline-meeting I’ve been doing lately, I wasn’t surprised to find myself immersed in the Psalms, focusing particularly on the first part of 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” That’s a scripture I come back to often, reminding myself of the need to break away from all my busyness and just listen to God. But today I found myself snagged by the rest of the verse: “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Isn’t is amazing how we can make even the verses of the Bible “all about us”? I mean, seriously, we know life doesn’t work that way, and we even proclaim it—sometimes loudly and often. But oh, how often we forget that great truth and go right back to that tiny little universe that revolves around ourselves!

As I read and re-read the second part of that verse today, I realized God wasn’t telling me to be still

and remember that He is God simply for my own sake (so I could rest and reflect and re-prioritize, though that is certainly a byproduct of practicing this scriptural admonition), but rather He is telling the residents of the earth to abandon their own pursuits and realize that only His purposes will be fulfilled—and that it is His Name that will be lifted up and glorified among the nations, not our own or anyone else’s, for that matter.

What a reminder this has been for me! Though I realize God wants me to slow down and make a point to spend time with Him regularly, He is also calling out to all mankind to stop its futile self-worship and to honor Him—while there is still time. For one day very soon God will no longer extend His mercy by withholding His final judgment. That day will come suddenly, and judgment will arrive with no more time for repentance or reflection or re-prioritizing. 

It is time for each of us—all mankind, in every nation, across the earth—to “be still” and know that God reigns supreme, and His Name will indeed be glorified throughout the earth. For those of us who have acknowledged Christ as Savior, what a magnificent day that will be! Meanwhile, may we rededicate ourselves to praying for countless multitudes who have yet to bow their knee to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. May they do so before it is too late!

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 
A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: A Christmas Gift We Can All Afford to Give ~ by Kathi Macias

 “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord;
and they shall be My people, and I will be their God,
for they shall return to Me with their whole heart” (Jeremiah 24:7).

Is it just me, or has the bad news added to more bad news put a damper on the approaching holiday season? It’s so easy to get focused on our country’s (and personal!) financial woes and therefore lose heart for Christmas and all it represents to us as believers. In the Apostle Paul’s words, Beloved, it should not be so!

I won’t deny that for many of us, finances will impact the extent to which we celebrate the gift-giving aspect of Christmas. But finances (or lack thereof) do not need to impact our giving of the very best gifts to those who so desperately need them.

What are those gifts?

We need to shine the Light of the world to those who walk in darkness—and we can do that because that Light lives within us.

We need to proclaim and model the Love of God to those with broken hearts and skewed perceptions of love—because that Love has already reached down to us.

We need to pray that many, regardless of how dark or bleak the days (or maybe even because of that very fact) would turn to the One who alone is the Light of the world and the Giver of unconditional Love to all who ask.

Specifically, why not offer up Jeremiah 24:7 as a prayer gift for your loved ones, as well as for those you don’t know? On a regular basis between now and Christmas, let’s agree together to pray, “Lord, give _________ a heart to know You. Show ______ more clearly each day that You are the Lord. We believe that _________ will be Your son/daughter, and You will be his/her God, for __________ shall return to You with all his/her heart.”

I’m going to do it. What about you? It’s the best gift we can give to anyone—and the Giver of all good gifts will be sure to answer.

Blessings to you all as we enter this wonderful season together!

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 

A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: No Place Like Home ~ by Kathi Macias

How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty (Psalm 84:1)!

I’m in a season of traveling right now, flying in and out of national and international airports, speaking here and teaching there, promoting and signing books, staying in hotels or with friends, and often eating on the run. Each time I complete a trip and the plane’s wheels touch down on the runway, I think, “There’s no place like home!”

It’s true, isn’t it? Even if you enjoy traveling (it has long since lost its glamour for me!), it’s still a good feeling to come home at last. I enjoy being reunited with my loved ones, experiencing the familiar, settling back into my own personal “nest.” Yet I know that this is truly not my home—at least, not for much longer. One day, very possibly sooner than we would imagine, we will each breathe our last on this earth and, assuming we have received Jesus as our personal Savior, be transported into His presence. Then we can truly say we are home at last. The best part isn’t so much that our home is some glorious place where sin and sickness and death no longer exist, but that our eternal home is with God—in His very presence. For that is what makes it heaven.

Through the millennia those who dismiss and reject God spend their earthly lives trying to create their own version of heaven, yet all fail miserably. Even an island paradise on earth would be hell without the presence and love of God. But with Him? Ah, there’s the difference. Even when I’m landing in another city or country where I’ve never been before, where I may not know the geography or customs or even the language, focusing on the fact that God is with me wherever I go reminds me that I truly haven’t left home at all.

There is an old saying that “home is where the heart is.” If my heart is full of love for Christ and I know His Spirit dwells within me, then I never really leave home at all—no matter where my body goes. And that puts an entirely different perspective on it all, doesn’t it?

The Lord’s dwelling place is indeed lovely, and I for one plan to spend every moment there, both now and for all eternity.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 

A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: No Need to Fear ~ by Kathi Macias

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them;
for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.
He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6, NKJV).

Fear. Sometimes its identity is terrifyingly clear; other times it is but an unnamed, vague sense of unease. Either way, it can be a formidable enemy, one that may drive us to make unwise choices or to stand paralyzed, unable to move in any direction.

God hasn’t purposed for fear to control us in any such manner. Fear does not come from God; it is a tool of the enemy of our soul. And our faithful Lord has provided all we need to defeat it. “Be strong and of good courage,” He calls to us. “Do not fear nor be afraid.” Why? Because there is NOTHING in our lifetime that we will ever have to face on our own. The Lord our God, He is the One who goes with us, who stands with us, who fights for us, and who carries us when we are too weak to stand.

Today, whether fear whispers your name or screams its threats, stand strong, beloved, for underneath are the everlasting arms, strengthening and holding you, fighting for you and declaring victory over you. Be strong and of good courage, for God has promised NEVER to leave or forsake you. And that’s a promise you can believe in.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 
A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Moses of Her People ~ by Kathi Macias

 Public Domain: Harriet Tubman by
Squyer, NPG, c1885.jpg

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27, NKJV).

After writing a four-book fiction series based on people in various countries who are persecuted for their faith, followed by a three-book series based on human trafficking victims, I am now in the midst of writing a novel built around the life of Harriet Tubman. Researching and writing these books have challenged my faith beyond measure, as well as helping me to re-prioritize my life and my goals.

Harriet Tubman was indeed one of the most amazing women who ever lived. Yet she was penniless and uneducated, a slave with a dozen siblings, none of whom ever had enough to eat or even any say in whether they lived or died. Harriet was beaten more times than she could remember and sustained an injury at the hand of one of her masters that left her with a permanent dent in her forehead, as well as headaches and a strange sleeping sickness that lasted her entire life.

But none of that stopped her. This young slave girl acquired a strong personal relationship with God from her earliest years, cultivating it daily and practicing it under the cruelest of conditions. As a result, she became one of the most courageous and admired women who ever lived.

Harriet Tubman, known as the “Moses of her people,” escaped to freedom as a young adult and then went back into slave territory, where there was a sizeable bounty on her head, nineteen times, successfully rescuing some 300 slaves, including many of her own family members. God used this uneducated woman, who remained penniless most of her life, to do incredible feats that affected countless lives—and He wants to do the same with us.

Does that intimidate you as much as it does me? How can we possibly live a life as powerful and meaningful as this amazing woman? Here is the secret: Harriet Tubman was able to lead a lifetime of great heroism because she cultivated a lifetime of great faith.

Don’t let the enemy intimidate you or tell you you’re ill-equipped to lead a noble, courageous life, inspiring others by your great faith. Remember, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.”

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 

A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Losing My Mind! ~ by Kathi Macias

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation (Daniel 4:34, NKJV).

Have you ever caught yourself saying something like, “I think I’m losing my mind”? I have, and it’s usually because my brain is overloaded with multi-tasking. All I really need to do is slow down a bit and things come back into focus.

It wasn’t that easy for the once great King Nebuchadnezzar, who had gazed upon his empire and boasted that it was all of his own doing. God quickly gave the arrogant ruler a reality check, driving him out into the fields to eat grass with the animals. It wasn’t until he lifted his eyes to heaven that his understanding returned to him and he finally gave glory to God, recognizing Him as the sovereign ruler over all.

How easy it is to become like Nebuchadnezzar and gaze out over our own little kingdoms (home, family, occupation, possessions) and begin to think that we’ve achieved it all in our own strength! And how important it is to keep our eyes lifted toward heaven so we don’t do such an evil thing! Apart from God’s mercy and grace we could not take our next breath, let alone amass fame or fortune. May we never be so foolish as to think we are in charge of anything, for it is only in Him that we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Personally, I find that very comforting, don’t you?

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 

A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Watching Those Words ~ by Kathi Macias

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14, NKJV).

In addition to polishing a couple of manuscripts that need to go in to the publishers shortly, I’m focusing a lot right now on preparing for several speaking engagements, including keynotes, teaching, panel discussions, TV and radio. I enjoy all that, particularly the impromptu, spontaneous events that require few if any notes, such as media interviews and panel discussions. But the keynotes and teaching demand that I at least have a few notes jotted down about what I will say and how I will say it.

All of that’s important, I know. So much more important, however, is what I say and how I say it in light of the Lord, who not only hears each word I speak but knows the meditations of my heart as well. How I want both to be acceptable in His sight! And how much more likely they will be if I am careful what I put into my heart and mind, for the Scriptures are clear that whatever words we speak come out of what we have stored in our hearts.

Knowing that ultimately I speak for an audience of One, I must be much more careful of what I choose to store up in my heart, for that will determine my meditations as well as my words. No matter how much time I spend trying to perfect and polish the words I speak to others, it is God alone who knows the purity of my intent. We live in a world that bombards us with thoughts and words that demean our faith walk with Christ; may we continually ask the Lord to strengthen us and not allow those negative influences to enter our heart and taint our meditations and words.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 
A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Time to Keep Silent? ~ by Kathi Macias

The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent (Exodus 14:14, NASB).


Is there any better example anywhere of God fighting for His people than in Exodus, where He used Moses to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt? The story of God’s deliverance involves plagues, death of firstborns, and the parting of a great body of water. God’s people escaped on dry land, while others drowned when the waters of the Red Sea returned to their original place. Quite a dramatic and epic event!

I suppose the one thing that stands out to me most in this story is the statement above, that the Lord will fight for his people when they keep silent. Anyone else find that the toughest thing to do at times? Seriously, once we’ve sought (and received) God’s clear direction on something, why do we find it so difficult to keep silent as we watch His plan unfold? Is it because He most often chooses to do things differently than we think He should? Do we feel compelled to question Him, and even try to correct Him, when we grow uncomfortable with the way things are going?

I can only imagine how the Israelites felt when they realized they were trapped between the fire-breathing Egyptians and a huge body of water. Now what? Where do we go now? Did You really mean to bring us here, Lord? Couldn’t You at least provide a few boats so we can get across to the other side before our former captives annihilate us?

God calls us to prayer and obedience, not whining and second-guessing. I know that, but I confess on many occasions to giving in to the latter rather than sticking with the former. And then I wonder why God doesn’t step in and work things out as I think He should.

Is it possible He’s simply waiting for me to “keep silent” before Him, to trust that He will fulfill His purposes—in His way and in His time, for His glory? If you, like me, struggle with trusting God, particularly in the face of fears and uncertainties, perhaps it’s time we all practiced keeping silent a bit more—and watching to see how God will part the waters in front of us.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. 

A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. 

She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: The Myth of Old Age ~ by Kathi Macias

And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7, NKJV).

We live in a youth-oriented culture, where anyone over the age of 65 is supposed to hang up their work ethic and spend whatever years they have left chasing a little white ball around a golf course. Nothing wrong with playing golf, mind you, but when it becomes our sole purpose for getting out of bed in the morning, we’ve lost our direction.

God did not create us to serve ourselves. We are made in the image of the Creator, and God has called us to partner in that pursuit, to one degree or another; that partnership doesn’t end when our hair turns gray or our step slows a bit due to arthritis.

I love reading about Moses and Aaron, don’t you? They were in their eighties when God sent them to confront the most powerful man on earth. God didn’t send young men in their prime of life so they could flex their muscles and pound their chest and intimidate Pharaoh. He didn’t send rich rulers from other countries who could threaten him with their armies or bribe him with their riches. He sent two brothers who, between them, had lived more than 160 years on this earth. Neither had experienced an easy life, since Aaron was raised as a Hebrew slave, and Moses, after growing up in a palace, had to flee for his life into the desert. And though Moses initially resisted God’s call to go to Pharaoh, he finally accepted, with his older brother at his side.

We can learn a lot through the story of Moses and Aaron and their ultimate success in leading the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt. First, as long as we live on this earth, we are never too old to be useful to God. Second, if we continue to partner with God in whatever He has purposed for us, we can experience tremendous victories at any stage of life. And finally, though we may consider ourselves inconsequential in the scheme of things, God can use us to effect powerful changes in the lives of others.

So wherever you are today and whatever is going on in your life, listen for God’s voice. He just may call out to you from the burning bush and send you forth on the greatest mission ever.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. 

Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Choose Life ~ Kathi Macias

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:19, NKJV).

I recently saw a newscast about a teacher who was horrified when high school students posted pictures of themselves with dead animals, mocking the animals and using them in grotesque poses. That same week I saw a video of junior high students bullying a grandmother who had volunteered as a bus monitor, taunting her and making cruel statements that brought the poor woman to tears.

Heartbreaking? Sure. Shocking? Not so much. Not when you consider that today’s children have grown up in a society that for the most part does not value life or honor the One who gives it. Today’s youth has no memory of a culture that didn’t actively promote abortion or that wasn’t sliding more and more toward legalizing euthanasia. They watched as Terri Schiavo was starved and dehydrated to death by court order, and we wonder why they see no need to place a high value on God-given life.

But it isn’t just our children who have been blinded by what I think of as a “spirit of abortion,” meaning the bent toward doing away with any life that negatively impacts or interferes with someone else’s desires. If we aren’t careful we can all fall into it. When I served as my mother’s primary caregiver for the last twelve years of her life, there were times I was stretched to the ends of my physical and emotional endurance. Had it not been for the Lord’s strength to renew and carry me through, I could easily have succumbed to that same thought process that drives women with “inconvenient pregnancies” to sacrifice the most helpless among us for their own purposes and desires.

God’s Word to us is to “choose life”—in any and all situations. It may be the harder choice sometimes, but God has promised that when we make that choice, both we and our children will be blessed.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. 

Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: When Leaders Lead ~ Kathi Macias

“…the leaders led in Israel,…the people volunteered” (Judges 5:2, NASB).

After a great victory, Deborah and Barak sang a song that included the above words. I find it significant that in reference to victory, they mentioned the leaders leading and the people volunteering, don’t you? I believe it’s a concept that would serve us well today.

Whether in the local church, a social organization, or a family, leaders leading implies strength of conviction. It also provides safety for those who seek wisdom and guidance from their leaders. When followers feel secure with leadership, they will also feel free to volunteer whatever they may have to offer—time, talent, devotion—regardless of personal cost.

When any organization operates under these guidelines, chances of victory are greatly increased. Of course, that premise works best when the leaders who are leading are submitted to the One who fought for Israel and enabled them to prevail. That same One fights for us today when our leaders are submitted to Him and leading accordingly, and the followers are selflessly volunteering whatever they have to offer in the cause.

Conversely, those who consider themselves leaders and yet are “doing their own thing” instead of pursuing God’s heart and purposes are not truly leading at all. The followers will then be led astray and lose confidence in their leaders, therefore holding back on volunteering and giving their best. Ultimately, failure and defeat are sure to follow.

Heeding the words of Deborah and Barak, may we as leaders truly lead as God directs us, and as followers commit to freely give our best in whatever trials or battles come our way. For we all follow a God who has promised to fight for us and to bring us to that place of complete victory.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. 

Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Promises With a Warranty ~ Kathi Macias

“Not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14, NKJV).

One of the things my late father taught me was the importance of keeping your word. If you made a promise to someone, you must do everything possible to follow through. That was such an important concept in my parents’ generation (and those previous) that a handshake was enough to seal an agreement.

Times have changed, though, haven’t they? We sign multi-page contracts when we buy a house, a car—even a cell phone. And still we sometimes look for ways to break our contracts and renege on our promises.

Aren’t you glad God isn’t like that? When He makes a promise, you can not only “take it to the bank,” you can rest the destiny of your very soul on it. When Joshua, like Moses before him, had led and served the Jewish people for many years and was approaching the time of his death, he found it important to remind them of the faithfulness of God’s promises, using God’s faithfulness in the past as an illustration: “Not one word of them [God’s words/promises] has failed.”

I wish people could say that about me; sadly they can’t, though I hope I’m doing better at keeping my word as I grow and mature in the Lord. I also wish I could say that about the people closest to me—and most of the time, I can. But we humans aren’t as faithful as God, are we? There really is no one besides Him who can be counted on to fulfill His every word…all the time.

Isn’t that amazing and comforting? We serve a God who says what He means and means what He says. Furthermore, He follows through on His word and makes sure his promises are fulfilled in the lives of His people. He is the only One we can depend on, no matter the worst attacks from the enemy of our souls, the dire circumstances of our lives, or the failings of our own character. No wonder the Prophet Isaiah declares to God, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV).

If we will just remember to trust in the One who keeps His word and fulfills His promises in our lives, we won’t need to worry about loopholes and litigation to break contracts, for God will keep us in perfect peace.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. 

Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: Sin No More ~ Kathi Macias

“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11, NKJV).

The story of how Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery is an all-time favorite for many of us. We love that the Savior was merciful and compassionate, even turning the spotlight from the woman to her self-righteous accusers. But to focus on the Lord’s lack of condemnation to the exclusion of His admonition to “sin no more” is to misrepresent the truth and power of His words.

A few decades ago I came across a popular book titled I’m Okay, You’re Okay, and it struck a chord of concern in me because the book was selling like crazy and readers were extolling the virtues of its anything-goes message. Some years later I had the privilege of working on Josh McDowell’s manuscript for his book The New Tolerance, in which he cautioned the Church not to get caught up in the world’s ever-increasing love affair with that “I’m okay, you’re okay” type of mantra. Josh rightly predicted that our society was well on its way to making tolerance the number-one virtue and intolerance the gravest sin. We now live in that culture, where the most oft-quoted (and misused) verse in the Bible is “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1, NKJV). Though it is true we are not to judge others based on our own opinions or personal values, neither are we to toss out the absolutes of God’s Word in fear of being considered intolerant.

The Scriptures are clear that murder, stealing, lying, adultery, and other behaviors contrary to the character of Christ are absolutely wrong. Period. Not because we say so but because God says so. To proclaim His Word is not judging; it is simply believing that what He says is True because, after all, He is Truth, and God cannot contradict His own nature and tell a lie.

The Scriptures also instruct us to “[speak] the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15, NKJV). Certainly we need to proclaim God’s truth from a heart of love, desiring to see people saved and healed and set free, for truth without love causes terrible damage to the hearers. However, love without truth becomes license and allows people to remain in their sin and continue in their separation from God.

And that is why Jesus so clearly said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” He assured her that she did not have to live under condemnation, but He also admonished her to change her ways. “Sin no more,” He warned her, for if she truly understood His message and received His forgiveness, her life would be marked by repentance, an “about-face” from her previous walk away from God to one heading straight for His heart, a life epitomized by a desire to please her Lord and reject a life of sin.

By all means may we refrain from imposing our opinions and personal values on others, but may we also love enough to speak the truth of God’s Word so others can turn from sin and enter into eternal life.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. 

Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: My Way or God's Way? ~ Kathi Macias

A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9).

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans”? I’m not sure if God laughs when we outline our plans to Him, but I do know He doesn’t change His plans to fit ours. And seriously, aren’t we glad of that?

When I look back on my life (and trust me, there’s a lot to look back on these days!) I find that my greatest regrets came about as a result of trying to pursue my own plans instead of God’s. Conversely, when I chose to walk in His ways—even if they didn’t make sense to me at the time—I always ended up in a place of blessing and peace.

So why do I still try to make my own plans and go my own way—and then, almost as an after-thought, ask God to bless the outcome? Okay, I know, I know. Even after nearly forty years of walking with Him, I’m still trapped in this imperfect physical existence and living on a broken planet. Hence, the call to serve self still echoes in my heart, despite the fact that I know better than to heed such a deceitful siren song.

You can relate, can’t you? You too are trapped in an imperfect physical existence and living on a broken planet. It won’t always be so, and that’s something to anticipate with joy. Until then, however, let’s continue to pray for one another and to commit our hearts to follow hard after Him, rejoicing that He is directing our steps, that His plans for us are good (see Jeremiah 29:11), and that He will never lead us down the wrong path.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. 

Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

DEVOTION: No Other Name ~ Kathi Macias

“There is no other name under heaven given among men 

by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NKJV).

When we were young (or maybe not so young) and people called us derogatory names, it hurt our feelings. If we ran home crying about it, our parents may have tried to make us feel better by telling us that names don’t matter. But is that true?

In many cultures, names matter a lot. Parents don’t choose their children’s names based on current trends or popularity contests. The names they assign to their offspring mean something, whether the name of an older relative or a name denoting the parents’ dreams or wishes for their child’s future.

God didn’t pick a name out of a hat for His only Son. He called Him Yeshua (Jesus), meaning “God’s Salvation” or “Rescuer/Deliverer from God.” Later, in the Book of Acts, we see Peter and John confronted by the Jewish religious leaders and asked in whose authority they preached. Peter proclaimed the name of Jesus as not only his authority but as the ONLY name given by God and carrying the power of salvation for mankind.

No other name. None. Only one. Exclusive? Absolutely. Not Buddha or Mohammed or Moses or anyone else. Only Jesus. Do names matter? They certainly do. And the enemy of the souls of mankind knows this full well. It is the reason you never hear people use the names of other religious leaders as curse words—only Jesus. It is the devil’s attempt to mock and denigrate the only Name that can bring salvation. May we, as Christians, be found faithful to not only honor that Name when we speak, but also in our everyday lives and actions. For names truly do matter—especially the Name above all names, the Name of Yeshua/Jesus.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. 

Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

Real and Imagined Dystopias

Even if you haven’t read The Hunger Games, you probably saw the movie or at least heard all the hype about it: teens from the different regions of a future North America are drawn from a lottery to be sent to compete in a reality TV series where they kill each other and the last one alive wins. It’s a fascinating book about the horrors of violence and the gifts of compassion and cooperation. That is book 1. I found book 2 (Catching Fire) needed to augment the violence the author purported to despise in order to hold its audience. Book 3 (Mockingjay) is a cynical twist on just war that ends with hope that cannot be justified apart from the gospel.

The series is part of a popular trend in YA literature—the dystopian novel. Dystopia is the opposite of Utopia (meaning “no place” in Greek). It’s the name Sir Thomas More gave to the idealized community he wrote about in the sixteenth century. Instead of the perfect society imagined by More, a dystopia is a totally dysfunctional society, a horror story where the monsters are human.

I have recently been reading two dystopian series (alternating as my name comes up for the next book on library holds.) The first is the Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer, beginning with Life as We Knew It. An asteroid hits the moon, setting off a series of environmental disasters and the collapse of modern civilization. It begins as a pretty ditsy teen novel, which actual provides a strong sense of this-could-happen-to-me to the survival story that follows. It’s enough to make you appreciate a bottle of shampoo and a tin of string beans.

In The Maze Runner series by James Dashner (beginning with The Maze Runner) we are thrust into the dystopian world from page one. I’m on book 3 and still have no idea what is behind it all except that this is some kind of scientific experiment designed to save humanity from a disaster even worse than what the teens trapped in the maze are experiencing. Sounds wacko, as it does to the characters, but the action will definitely keep you reading.

In each of these series, I am completely hooked by book 1. Unlike certain vampire books that were recently the rage, the writing is excellent. But the more I read, the more I find myself thinking, what’s the point? I have never been a fan of horror movies. There is enough really bad stuff in reality. Why do I need to be scared by imaginary axe murderers and walking mummies? (You can tell what generation I come from.)

Can you imagine a society more dystopian that ISIL? Or how about North Korea where starving people are told they are so much better off than the rest of the world? Authors on this blog have written about real dystopias. I think of Kathi Macias's Red Ink or Jeannette Windle’s series on Afghanistan beginning with Unveiled Freedom. Jeanette has other books involving drug cartels that control whole regions of countries.

For me a dystopian novel needs to be more than a series of graphic events that chill and horrify in a society without hope of justice. It needs to show me something about myself or reveal realities that should be on my prayer list (like China or Afghanistan). I admit, that I have had a dystopian idea in my head for several years now. I ask myself, what would be the point?

What dystopian fiction have you read? What made it worthwhile for you? We can expand the conversation to horror if you like. What makes a book like Dracula or Carrie worth reading? Or are they? How would the gospel change The Hunger Games or other dystopian fiction you have read?

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LeAnne Hardy has lived in six countries on four continents, including two civil wars, a military government and an emerging democracy. Along the way she has been challenged to depend on God rather than the American constitution. Her fiction reflects her faith, her passion for storytelling that stretches the mind and soul, and the cultures she has lived in. Learn more at www.leannehardy.net .