Daily Devotions for Busy Lives
Religion & Spirituality
About
Too busy for quiet time this morning? Spirit running on empty before your day even starts? This short daily podcast helps you reconnect with God without rearranging your whole schedule. Join Dr. Bart Leger each weekday morning for a few minutes of Scripture, real-life encouragement, and a simple way to apply God’s truth—right where you are. Perfect for your morning routine, commute, or any moment you can pause and breathe to help you reset your heart and refocus your day, no matter how full your schedule is.
Episodes
- When Your Loss Doesn't Come with a Casserole
The episode explores grief for losses that lack societal recognition, like early miscarriages or ended friendships, using Ryan Cole's experience of pregnancy loss and Psalm 34:18. It addresses how such unrecognized grief can be internalize…
- When Everyone Leans on You and Nobody Asks How You're Doing
This episode explores the unique loneliness of being the person others rely on, referencing Moses' struggle in the wilderness and Barna data indicating increased loneliness among pastors. It highlights that the burdens we carry were not me…
- What to Do With the Life You Didn't Plan For
This episode discusses the grief that arises when life doesn't match expectations, using the story of Paul Helsby and the speaker's own experience with colorblindness. It explores Proverbs 16:1 to suggest that grieving the unlived life is…
- How to Keep Praying When You're Angry at God
This episode explores the biblical concept of lament, encouraging listeners to bring their anger and fury to God in prayer, drawing on stories from the Psalms and personal experiences to illustrate how lament can keep the lines of communic…
- When You've Decided You're Not Ready to Let the Grudge Go
This episode examines the nature of grudges and bitterness, using a true story and biblical references to illustrate their destructive effects. It emphasizes that releasing a grudge is an act of self-preservation, benefiting the individual…
- What to Do When You've Lost Your Sense of Purpose
This episode explores how purpose can fade when a chapter ends and offers insights from Esther 4:14 and the story of Sharon Stevens. It suggests that a sense of purpose often arises from a pull towards something directly in front of you, e…
- How to Tell the Truth When You Know It's Going to Cost You
This episode from Daily Devotions for Busy Lives discusses the challenges of telling the truth, focusing on Ephesians 4:15. It explores the idea of speaking truth in love and the potential costs associated with it, using Kristina's story a…
- When Someone You Love Is Struggling with Addiction
This episode explores the grief of loving someone struggling with addiction, drawing parallels with Hosea 11:8-9. It discusses how to support a loved one while setting boundaries and advises seeking outside help like Celebrate Recovery.
- What to Do When You're Afraid God Is Asking Too Much
This episode of Daily Devotions for Busy Lives discusses how to maintain faith when God's requests feel like too much to bear. It uses the story of Basil Scott, a POW survivor, and biblical examples to illustrate moving toward God despite…
- The Truth About Faith That Looks Right but Changes Nothing
This episode explores James 2's teaching on faith without works, using Kyle Wong's story to illustrate how intellectual belief can become detached from daily life. It questions whether faith is truly shaping actions and decisions, highligh…
- When You Love Your Spouse but You Don't Like Each Other Anymore
This episode addresses the common issue of loving a spouse but no longer liking them, explaining that marital distance often results from a series of small, unchosen moments rather than one large event. It references Malachi 2:15-16 to emp…
- How to Say No Without Feeling Like You're Letting God Down
This episode explores how to say no without guilt, using the examples of Jesus and a working mother named Deborah. It provides three steps to help listeners set boundaries kindly and clearly, emphasizing that saying no is not a failure of…
- How to Move Forward When Your Regret Won't Let You Go
This episode addresses persistent regret, using the story of Allison and Isaiah 43:25 to illustrate that God's mercy covers sin completely. It encourages listeners to move forward in obedience without waiting for feelings of forgiveness to…
- What to Do When God Closes the Door You Were Counting On
This episode examines how to navigate closed doors, using the Apostle Paul's experience in Acts 16 and Elana Duffy's transition after a career-ending injury as examples. It offers guidance on discerning God's leading when plans change and…
- The Blessing That Was Right in Front of You the Whole Time
This episode discusses how people often miss God's presence because He shows up in smaller ways than expected. It uses Joanna Watson's survival story and the Aaronic blessing to illustrate how to recognize God's presence in everyday moment…
- What to Do When You've Been Praying for the Same Person for Years
This episode discusses the weariness of long-term prayer for loved ones who are distant from God, drawing on personal stories and 1 Peter 3 to offer encouragement and perspective on trusting God's work even when results aren't visible.
- How to Finish Strong When Your Faith Has Grown Cold
This episode uses the story of Carol Wright, an 82-year-old marathon runner, and the Apostle Paul's final words to Timothy to illustrate how enduring faith can finish strong even when initial passion fades. It suggests that finishing well…
- You Don't Have to Have It Together to Come Back to God
This episode explores how shame prevents people from returning to God, using Autumn Miles' personal story and the parable of the prodigal son to illustrate that God meets you where you are. The message is that the return to God is the begi…
- When You've Outgrown an Old Version of Yourself
This episode discusses the disorientation and discomfort that often accompany spiritual growth, drawing on Shannon Jacobs' personal experience and the concept of "metamorphoo" from Romans 12:2 to illustrate transformation as a gradual, int…
- Trusting God in a Season of Waiting for a Spouse
This episode explores the longing for a life partner and what God is doing during seasons of waiting. It discusses Irene's 20-year wait for a spouse, the biblical basis of Psalm 84:11, and the importance of waiting well rather than forcing…
- The Sin of Indifference
This episode discusses the sin of indifference, exploring Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan and James 4:17. It highlights that inaction, or the good we fail to do, is a deliberate choice and a moral failure, not a neutral event. The epi…
- When Obedience Costs You Something
This episode delves into the nature of costly obedience, illustrating how following God can require profound personal sacrifice. It shares the stories of Ramata in the Ivory Coast, Abraham’s departure, and a personal family experience to e…
- The Gift of Unanswered Prayer
This episode explores the concept of unanswered prayer, using the survival story of Genelle Guzman-McMillan from the 9/11 attacks as an example. It suggests that God's refusals are not rejections but often loving actions, even when prayers…
- When You're the Only Christian in the Room
This episode addresses the challenges of maintaining faith in environments where it is not accepted, using the example of Joe Kennedy, a coach who faced consequences for his private prayer practice.
- Learning to Forgive Someone Who Isn't Sorry
This episode explores forgiveness when an apology is not forthcoming, drawing on Stanford research and biblical teaching. It emphasizes that forgiveness is a personal act of release, not dependent on the offender's actions or awareness, ul…
- The Danger of Spiritual Pride
This episode examines the subtle nature of spiritual pride, distinguishing it from arrogance and highlighting how theological knowledge can lead to superiority rather than compassion. It references scripture and the example of John Stott t…
- When You Feel Like a Burden to Others
This episode addresses the feeling of being a burden to others. It explores the origins and persistence of this belief, arguing that it is unhelpful and contrary to the Christian concept of community found in Romans 15:1-2, which encourage…
- The Slow Drift Away from God
This episode discusses the phenomenon of believers slowly drifting away from God rather than in a single dramatic moment. It explains how busyness and neglect of spiritual practices can lead to this gradual detachment, using the analogy of…
- The Holiness of Tears
This episode of Daily Devotions for Busy Lives, titled "The Holiness of Tears," explores the biblical perspective on crying and expressing grief. It contrasts the common expectation of stoicism in faith with the idea that acknowledging tea…
- Navigating a Major Life Transition
This episode discusses navigating major life transitions, such as moving, job loss, or retirement, by focusing on God's constant presence as an anchor. It shares the experience of Sarah, a military spouse who faced frequent moves and feeli…
- The Small Bites of Temptation
This episode discusses how significant moral failings often begin with small, seemingly harmless compromises, using the story of Rob's gambling addiction as an example. It emphasizes recognizing the subtle beginnings of temptation to avoid…
- Rebuilding Broken Trust
This episode explores the difference between forgiveness, which can be immediate, and rebuilding trust, a lengthy process. It uses the story of Jill and Mark Savage to illustrate the requirements for genuine reconciliation after betrayal.
- The Spiritual Danger of Nostalgia
This episode discusses the spiritual dangers of nostalgia, drawing parallels to Solomon's wisdom and the Israelites' longing for food from Egypt despite receiving daily manna. It highlights how an unhealthy focus on the past can hinder one…
- Silencing the Harsh Inner Critic
This episode explores the difference between divine conviction and self-condemnation, using the story of David to illustrate how to combat the inner critic. It guides listeners to replace lies with God's truth, distinguishing the accuser's…
- When a Spiritual Leader Lets You Down
This episode addresses the pain of being let down by a spiritual leader, using Christine Sneeringer's experience with Ravi Zacharias and Hebrews 12:1-2 to emphasize trusting in Jesus as the only unfailing leader.
- Carrying the Weight of the World's News
This episode addresses the spiritual toll of constant exposure to negative news, discussing how "doomscrolling" can lead to despair. It highlights the story of Jason Woodruff and The Pour Over, a Christian news organization, offering strat…
- The Courage to Say "I Was Wrong"
This episode explores the spiritual significance of a sincere apology, contrasting it with excuses that invalidate the remorse. It features the story of Louie Amundson, who apologized to someone he bullied years ago, highlighting how admit…
- Making Peace with the Unexplained
This episode discusses making peace with unanswered questions by trusting God's character, using the example of Laura Story's experience and the wisdom of Proverbs 20:24. It suggests that true faith involves trusting God's direction even w…
- The “Spiritual Imposter” Syndrome
This episode discusses the "Spiritual Imposter Syndrome," where the gap between one's beliefs and actions can lead to feelings of fraudulence. It highlights that this tension, exemplified by writer Emily P. Freeman and the Apostle Paul, is…
- When a Door Slams Shut
This episode discusses how closed doors in life are rarely punishments but often divine redirections. Featuring the story of author John Erickson and referencing Proverbs 16:9, it suggests that perceived setbacks can lead to greater opport…
- The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
This episode addresses the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) by exploring how trusting God's boundaries can lead to contentment and personal growth, even when life seems ordinary. It uses pastor Jeff Manion's story and Psalm 16:5-6 to illustrate…
- The Spiritual Test of Success
This episode explores how success can lead to spiritual forgetfulness and self-reliance, contrasting this with the story of businessman Stanley Tam. It highlights Deuteronomy 8:17-18, emphasizing that remembering God
- God Is Not a Vending Machine
This episode challenges the idea of a transactional faith, where good deeds are expected to guarantee a pain-free life. It explores the story of Kara Tippetts and the example of Job to illustrate why detaching faith from circumstances and…
- Finding Purpose in the "Empty Nest" Season
This episode addresses the challenges of the empty nest season, offering a reframing of this transition as a new chapter with God. It draws on biblical wisdom and a personal story to help listeners discover their continued purpose and call…
- When You Face Unjust Criticism
This episode discusses how to handle unjust criticism by trusting God with your reputation, rather than fighting to defend yourself. It uses the example of Jesus and NYPD officer Larry DePrimo to illustrate how to find peace by resting in…
- The Exhausting Trap of Perfectionism
This episode discusses the exhausting trap of perfectionism, explaining that God doesn't require flawless performance but offers His grace instead. It references research by Thomas Curran on modern perfectionism and its link to anxiety, an…
- Are You Caring for Aging Parents?
This episode discusses the challenges of the "sandwich generation" caring for aging parents, reframing it as a sacred act of worship that pleases God, and offers comfort and encouragement for caregivers.
- How to Stop Living for People’s Approval
This episode explores the exhaustion of seeking human approval, contrasting it with the eternal reward of living for God. It uses the example of Johann Sebastian Bach, who dedicated his work to God, to illustrate how shifting focus from pe…
- The Idol of Comfort
This episode discusses the idol of comfort, explaining how the desire for safety can prevent individuals from following God's calling. It highlights the story of Katie Davis, who left a comfortable life for Uganda, and references Luke 9:23…
- When You Feel Too Old to Be Used by God
This episode challenges the cultural view that age limits usefulness to God. It highlights examples like Jim Annis, Moses, Caleb, and Anna to show that older believers can remain vital and fruitful, offering unique wisdom and fulfilling th…