The Morning Focus Daily Devotional with Rick and McKenna

What are the thoughts that rip through your mind and steal your joy? Sound anything like these? "But how could God forgive someone like me?"  "God is surely going to give up on me any day now."  "He just be so disappointed in me."  You can know the truth and still struggle to believe it. If that's you today, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. For he has rescued us from...

Do you ever feel like life is two steps forward, three steps back? When you're already in a season of life that is difficult to fight through, setbacks can be heartbreaking. If you're close to giving up, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!     Hebrews 10:35  

Have you ever missed something that was happening right in front of you? No matter how convinced you may be that you are the next Sherlock Holmes, we all miss things. Maybe we miss them because we don't believe that our day to day matters. If God only works in the big moments, why give the little ones any attention? The enemy is sneaky like that. Join Rick and McKenna for a reminder of the truth w...

Have you ever heard of a guy named Paul in the Bible? Of all people, he had an abundance of reason to let shame keep his eyes in the rear view. Maybe your past doesn't exactly look like Paul's, but it does have moments that you regret, or make you hurt even to think back on them. If that's you, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. I focus on this one thing: Forgetting th...

You ever watch a friend go trough something terrible in their life. It can be so hard to watch someone who you love be hurt by something you can't take away or fix. But then, have you ever watched that same friend build a stronger relationship with God through it? If you're curious about how that happens, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. The LORD is a stronghold for...

Do you ever feel stressed out by all the things you have to take care of? Being responsible is a great trait, but what happens when all the things land on your shoulders? What happens when it's all up to you, and you just don't feel strong enough? Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,        so the Lord surrounds his people, both...

Do you ever feel like the bar is too high? Like the expectation is way above anything you could meet? It feels so discouraging to look at life and all the different struggles it will bring, and know that you won't be able to escape pain entirely. Then come the questions about God's part in this. Does He expect us to just deal with the pain? If you're asking these questions yourself, join Rick and...

Have you ever wanted to be famous? Follow up question, as a Christian, is it wrong to want to be famous? If you've wondered this before, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. They'll be discussing our own glory and what God thinks of it. Those who are wise   will shine   like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness,   like the stars for eve...

Caleb and John join us for this Full Focus episode as we talk about what it looks like for God to change someone, no matter who they are. Coming from different backgrounds, they'll share about how God has transformed their own lives, in the big moments and the day-to-day ones too.

What does freedom mean to you? Is it choosing whatever you want, or is it making choices that allow you to be who you were made to be? If you've felt captive to your choices and their consequences, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. Now the Lord is the Spirit,   and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.   2 Corinthians 3:17  

There was a man in the Bible who had been paralyzed all his life. He didn't really expect to be healed. He asked for money so that at least He could survive. Have you ever been there? Asking God for the bare minimum- or maybe you've  given up on asking at all. Would you join us this morning if that's the case for you? Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. Then Peter said,...

Has religion ever felt cold to you? It's not that you aren't a Christian. Maybe you'd say you believe in God, you try to obey Him in your day to day, and you ask the Holy Spirit to call you out when you sin. As great as all that is, the enemy can sneak in and tell you that that's all God has for you. Believing that is a quick way to find yourself dissatisfied with life with Him. Does this feel lik...

Anyone who says they've never done this before- I think they're lying. Some of us may give more weight and worry to it than others, but all of us stress to some degree about what others think of us. If you want help breaking out of these anxious thoughts, join McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus.    As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human auth...

Okay so what's your… "thing"? You know, that weakness that you try your best to compensate for. Maybe it's something that you're embarrassed about and you really work to hide it so that other people don't see you differently. The enemy tells us that these weaknesses disqualify us fro being loved or used by God. But the truth is all together different. Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of T...

Aren't you glad we aren't story book characters? The main characters in a story book always have some huge villain they have to face, and even once that enemy is defeated, there's another one around the corner. For the sake of plot of course. We aren't story book characters, but we do have an enemy who opposes us. Here's the good news: we don't fight Him alone, and we know His tactics. Join Rick a...

You know that Sesame Street game where you sing "One of these things is not like the other"? When you play, there's normally an assortment of objects in front of you. Maybe a banana, an apple, an orange, and a basketball. The point of the game is to point out which of the items doesn't belong. It's one thing to see how the basketball is different than the fruits, but do you ever feel like you're t...

For you created my inmost being;      you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

Waiting is hard, and it's definitely not any fun. Whether you re waiting for food to finish cooking, or waiting for God to change your life, it's hard to remember what's true when we are waiting on God. For a reminder, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."   John 13:7  

When you think about being a "good Christian" what do you think of? What to do list starts counting off in your mind? Maybe you're less worried about making sure you do x y and z, rather it's the knowledge part that concerns you. A good Christian would be able to answer any questions a non believer has right? While knowledge and obedience are important, Jesus puts His focus elsewhere when He descr...

What if, instead of constantly seeking God's approval, we believed that one we already have it, and two we don't have to do something grand or impressive to earn it. Curious? Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. "You are the salt of the earth." Matthew 5:13a  

It's kind of interesting driving on the highway not long after a snow. You have to guess where the lines are, and hope you're in the right lane. Without being able to see what's ahead of us, moving forward can be scary. For the believer this is where faith comes in. But what is your faith banked in? Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. Now faith is the assurance of thing...

Do you ever feel inadequate to handle life, let along to do what God has called you to do? There's good news, when Jesus went back to heaven to be by God's side, He promised that God would send us a helper called the Holy Spirit. To hear more about the power you have as a believer, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come...

Do you miss being in school? Personally, I don't. I do not miss sitting at my desk at home wracking my brain trying to work out a math problem that just felt impossible.   In general, being left to work out something that is complicated and confusing can be well, yeah, confusing. When it comes to following God, we don't have to work things out on our own. Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode...

Do you have any qualities that you wish you could get rid of? Maybe you don't like your laugh, maybe you don't feel emotional enough, or maybe you feel too emotional! But the way that you are wired is no accident. If you need a little encouragement this morning, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our pot...

Can you tell when someone is faking it? When they're coming across as joyful and happy, but you can tell it's just a facade? What about the people who you would expect to be anything but joyful, yet they have a joy that doesn't feel fake? When we're in a place where we can't manufacture that radiance for ourselves, where does that joy come from? Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Mor...