The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

God created every believer with purpose, passion, and a calling that extends far beyond themselves. This Christian devotional explores how a heart ignited with purposed passion presses forward in pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom. Rooted in Philippians 3:12–14, it encourages believers to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, pressing on toward spiritual maturity and Christlikeness.
Highlights
God gives every believer passion with a purpose

Spiritual growth requires perseverance, not perfection

True passion flows from devotion to Christ

Scripture fuels zeal and keeps our focus on Jesus

Letting go of the past frees us to press forward

God’s grace sustains us when passion feels weak

Christlikeness is the ultimate prize we pursue

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This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org
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Full Transcript Below:
A Heart Ignited with Purposed Passion
By: Emily Rose Massey
Bible Reading:
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14, ESV).
What excites you and drives your passion? Being made in the image of God means that we all possess a unique passion. The vital question we must ask ourselves is: Is my passion directed inward, or does it fuel me to pursue Christ and His purposes? Our drive and passion for the Lord and His Kingdom are closely tied to our devotion to Him, revealing our purpose of knowing Christ and serving Him. Most of all, reading and studying the scriptures should fuel our passion because it sets our eyes upon the Lord and helps us take our eyes off of ourselves.
What motivates your drive towards Christ? For the Apostle Paul, it was the prize of the upward call of God:
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14, ESV).
Intersecting Life & Faith:
We can remind our hearts that if we are born again, Christ purchased our lives for a purpose and has made us His own. He did this so that we would bear fruit for His glory. Christ reached down and rescued me, so I should always be reaching for Christ. We press on to know Christ relationally and serve Him faithfully, and we must press on even more when we feel weak. We can look to Christ and ask for strength to keep going, and He will be faithful to give us His abundant grace. We shouldn’t be entangled by our past sins, sorrows, or even successes, as these things will distract us and hold us back from pressing on in our pursuit of Christ and His purpose.
If you are lacking in passion regarding the things of God, perhaps you can write down some temptations and convictions regarding distractions that may be draining your zeal for the Lord. It is easy to become entangled by worldly pursuits, but God’s grace is available to us to turn away from anything that would keep us from running hard after Christ. May the Lord give us zeal and an increased pace and an increased engagement in Kingdom pursuits as we press towards the prize. Ultimately, Christlikeness is our prize. Let us seek the Lord and ask Him to increase our passion to become more like Him! He is faithful to give us more zeal, especially if our aim is that He would receive all the glory, not ourselves.
Are you reaching for the upward call, longing to become more Christ-like in your pursuits and in the fruit of your life? What worldly pursuits might be hindering you from being conformed to the image of Christ? Let us not resist the call to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Our flesh is weak, but we must trust that we can find strength and grace in Christ to keep pressing forward, straining for the prize. Ask the Lord to ignite a zeal in your soul for God and His Kingdom. In your striving and running, we must trust that God chooses the pace as we move forward, linking arms with other believers. He empowers us with His Spirit and is faithful to complete the work He has started. Run your race for God’s glory, fixing your eyes on heaven.
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In a universe vast beyond imagination, God’s attention remains deeply personal. This Christian devotional reflects on the comforting truth that we are constantly on God’s mind and lovingly cared for by our Creator. Rooted in Psalm 8:3–4, it invites believers to marvel at God’s power while resting in His intimate, unfailing love.
Highlights
God is mindful of every detail of our lives

His love for us is constant, personal, and unconditional

We are valued not because of our achievements, but because of God’s character

Living mindfully of God means staying aware of His presence each day

Noticing God’s blessings builds gratitude and trust

God’s love frees us from the need for others’ approval

Awareness of God’s care transforms how we live and love

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This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org
TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org
Full Transcript Below:
We’re on God’s Mind
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” – Psalm 8:3-4, NIV
Do you enjoy looking up at the night sky? I love to look at the moon and stars as often as I can on my evening walks, and sometimes on clear nights, I’ll even go to a park away from city lights to get a closer look at the heavens. The beauty and vastness of space are awe-inspiring!
In Psalm 8:3-4, King David considers our awe-inspiring universe and wonders: Why us? Why are we, these tiny creations on a small planet, the focus of the Creator of all that? The truth, David discovered, was that we’re on God’s mind. God – the gigantically powerful Creator who has made everything and everyone and sustains it all – is mindful of us. God constantly pays close, loving attention to us. In a cosmos of unimaginable scale, every single detail of our little lives matters to God!
God’s care for us isn’t based on how good we are or how important our work seems. It’s a reflection of God’s character, which is pure love. Jesus describes God’s wonderful loving care for us when he teaches us that God even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7) and is mindful of his whole creation, including us and even small, common creatures like sparrow birds (Matthew 10:29).
This incredible reality – that we’re always on God’s mind – can inspire us to think of God, as well. After all, since our Creator is mindful of us, shouldn’t we be mindful of him?
Being mindful of God simply means to live with an awareness of God’s presence. It means letting the reality of God’s presence with us shape our thoughts, feelings, and decisions throughout each day.
Just as God is mindful of our needs, we can be mindful of how God is constantly meeting those needs by pouring blessings into our lives. The more we pay attention to those blessings, the more we can be inspired to thank God for them and trust God to answer our prayers for our future needs.
When we’re especially busy, it’s easy to push God to the margins of our lives. Being mindful of God involves placing our relationships with God at the center of our lives and choosing to live in the awareness of God’s love from day to day. The ultimate reason we’re on God’s mind is that he loves us so completely. We can’t earn God’s love, and we can’t lose it. We have it forever, and we can just enjoy it, because God is mindful of us. When we’re mindful of God, we remind ourselves to embrace the wonderful love that our Heavenly Father offers to us, and to love him back.
The distance between us and the stars is nothing compared to the closeness of a God who carefully centers his attention on us. So, let’s live today and every day with the awareness that we’re loved and cared for because we’re on God’s mind!
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you consider how you’re on God’s mind, reflect on these questions:
When you look at the natural world (such as the sky, an ocean, or a forest), what’s one feature that inspires you with awe at God’s power, and how does that make God’s focus on you seem even more amazing?
How can you change your daily routine to live with more of an intentional awareness of God’s presence with you?
What was a time recently when you felt God’s mindful attention for you, such as an answered prayer, a timely piece of guidance, or encouragement?
Since being on God’s mind means you’re completely loved and accepted, what’s one area of your life where you can let go of the need for other people’s approval and rely more on God’s unfailing love for you?
How can you make more time in your schedule to become more mindful of God by communicating with him in prayer and meditation?
Further Reading:
1 Peter 5:7
Isaiah 49:16
Matthew 6:26
Psalm 139:17-18
Jeremiah 29:11
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Sometimes life’s challenges feel overwhelming—but God is always at work in us. This Christian devotional explores how trials and difficulties refine our character, strengthen our faith, and deepen our hope in Christ. Rooted in Romans 5:3–5, it reminds believers that endurance through hardship produces lasting growth and a confident assurance of God’s love.
Highlights
Trials develop endurance and refine character

Hard circumstances strengthen confident hope in salvation

God’s love and the Holy Spirit fill our hearts even in suffering

Endurance through trials brings glory and honor to God

Faith is refined like gold through testing and perseverance

God works in us even when we cannot see the outcome

Scripture passages provide hope, purpose, and reassurance

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Full Transcript Below:
God Working in Us
By Lauren Fletcher
Bible Reading:
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” - Romans 5:3-5
Maybe what God is doing is working in you, I told my friend. I had run out of ideas. I didn’t know what to suggest. Her circumstances were not easy, and I could hear the frustration in her voice and tears on the other side of the phone. God must have a plan right now. In a season where she didn’t know what God was doing, I was sure He was doing something.
I had heard this idea at church recently, that during challenging circumstances, God works in us. He works things out in us and through us. Whenever I go through trials or hard times, Romans 5:3-5 have been my favorite verses. It says that when we go through trials, it develops within us endurance and strength of character. There is something good that can come out of our suffering.
One time, in particular, I can remember these verses speaking to me. During quarantine, sickness hit our home. At the same time, our air conditioner stopped working (it was late summer). I got a painful bite from what I guessed to be a horsefly. Then, our ceiling started leaking due to a storm. Surprisingly, at that point, I took it in stride, because so many things had been happening. I found my strength in the Word, in God. I turned to my Bible and read this passage from Romans aloud. If nothing else, I could trust that there is a purpose behind the hard things that happen. God is still doing something. He can work in us.
Not only does God develop endurance and strength of character in us, but this passage in Romans says that “… character strengthens our confident hope of salvation” (Romans 5:4). This encourages my heart. Paul continues, “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” There is a purpose for our struggles, and we are reminded that our loving God is trustworthy.
In this time of trial, my friend has also said that God is refining her. In 1 Peter, there is a passage that says, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:7).
There have been many moments in my life that I haven’t understood, but the changes within myself have been worth it. His saving me and growing me brought me to the closeness I have with God and a better understanding of the Gospel.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Another passage to lean on during hard times is James 1:2-4: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
How can the passages in Romans and in James encourage you during challenging times? Are you going through a hard time right now? Let His Word give you hope.
Lord,
Thank You that we always have hope in You. Thank You that there’s always a purpose for our suffering and that You are working something out in us. Thank You for what You are developing in our hearts. Lord, draw near to and comfort those who are suffering right now.
In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Further Reading:
James 1:2-4
1 Peter 1:7
Ephesians 3:16
Colossians 1:11
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org
TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Feeling vulnerable, exposed, or weighed down by the words of others is a universal experience. This Christian devotional explores how God provides a shield of protection around us, guarding our hearts and lifting our heads when we feel isolated or criticized. Rooted in Psalm 3:3, this devotion reminds believers that God is our ultimate protector, ever-present and actively surrounding us with favor and strength.
Highlights
God is our shield, lifting our heads high when we feel down

His protective favor surrounds us in ways we often cannot see

The Psalms describe God as a shield repeatedly, showing His faithful care

We don’t need to shrink, retaliate, or be consumed by shame

Leaning on God enables us to prevail, persevere, and press forward

Confidence and strength come from God, not our circumstances

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Full Transcript Below:
Your Shield of Protection
By Cindi McMenamin
Bible Reading:
But You, Lord, are a shield around me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head. (Psalm 3:3 NASB)
Have you ever received a comment, observation, or insinuation that left you feeling vulnerable or exposed?
Don’t you wish at times you had a protective shield you could hide behind, or at least have in front of you to catch those piercing arrows or darts, even the unintentional ones, that leave you feeling sad or defeated?
My daughter is an only child who has always been quite independent and never needy of a man in her life, and never feels alone until someone (who means well, of course) asks her if she’s “in a relationship yet.” And after they express their confidence that she’ll one day “find a husband and be happy,” she can tend to feel singled out as inadequate or incomplete, even though she’s very content with where God has her, and is not striving for a relationship.
A friend of mine who is recently divorced and knows a closeness with God she hadn’t experienced while married, will suddenly feel awkward and unprotected when someone mentions her “struggle” and expresses their sympathy—or judgment—for her predicament.
And a young mom I know feels isolated and alone when she faces a decision concerning her toddler that other moms might criticize or at least not agree with. When there doesn’t seem to be any right or wrong answer or anyone to walk her through the right answer for her situation, she feels inadequate and lacks confidence in either choice.
Oh, how you and I need a protective shield. Something to guard our hearts from even unintentional comments that feel like arrows piercing our hearts. And oh, how our God has already provided.
David sang in Psalm 3:3 (NIV): “You, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.”
Our God is a shield of protection around us and the One who lifts our heads high when we would otherwise hang them low—feeling outnumbered, outclassed, outvoted, or just left out. Because He is a shield of protection around us, He enables us to hold our heads high in God-confidence.
David also sang in Psalm 5:12: “You bless the righteous person, Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.” That means God’s protective shield around us is also a shield of favor. Do you realize, as His child, you remain in a circle of God’s favor that protects you in ways you can’t imagine? In Psalm 139:5, David must’ve been describing God’s shielding circle around him when he sang, “You have encircled me behind and in front, and placed Your hand upon me.” God, as a protective enclosing shield, goes before us, moves alongside us, and guards our backs.
David continued his description of God as a shield in Psalm 7:10 when he sang: “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.” God, Himself, is our shield.
And in Psalm 18, David described God as a shield of refuge when he said the God who is his rock, fortress, and deliverer, is also his “shield and the horn of [his] salvation, [his] stronghold” (verses 1-2). After describing God’s mighty rescue of him, David proclaims in verse 30: “As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the Lord is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” And in verse 35, David declares his personal praise to God as his shield of support when he sings, “You protect me with your saving shield. You support me with your right hand. You have stooped to make me great.” (NCV)
Intersecting Faith & Life:
When someone says something to make us feel awkward, isolated, or alone, you and I don’t have to stoop down to their level for a cutting comeback or wilt inside with a sense of awkwardness, embarrassment, or shame. God has already stooped for us and toward us to be our shield and protector. In the New English Translation, the end of verse 35 reads: “You give me your protective shield; your right hand supports me. Your willingness to help enables me to prevail.”
The God of this Universe is willing to help you. And just by knowing that, you and I are enabled to prevail, press forward, and persevere on the path He has placed us on.
Go to the book of Psalms in your Bible and highlight every time God is described as a “shield.” I found more than a dozen descriptions of Him as a shield, and it encouraged my heart and made me feel strong and protected.
Remember your shield of protection wherever you go, whatever you do, whatever you may hear.
Further Reading:
Psalm 84:11
Psalm 91:4
For more on connecting more closely with God, your shield, see my books, The New Loneliness and The New Loneliness Devotional.
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org
TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Life is not accidental—it is sacred, intentional, and God-given. This Christian devotional explores the biblical truth of the sanctity of life and why choosing life matters more than ever in today’s culture. Rooted in Deuteronomy 30:19, this devotion calls believers to honor God’s design by valuing life at every age and stage.
Highlights
Life is a sacred gift intentionally created by God

Scripture calls believers to actively choose life over death

Every person is made in the image of God and has inherent value

Our words have the power to influence life or destruction

Biblical truth affirms life from the womb to the grave

God’s design for humanity does not change with culture

Christians are called to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves

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Full Transcript Below:
Why Life Is Sacred
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” - Deuteronomy 30:19
Why are so many people choosing death over life these days? If asked, many individuals might disagree, not realizing what they are doing.
Still, when we consider our culture’s views on the sacredness of life, we see the reality that individuals are choosing abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, suicide, and more.
Because death is a popular choice for so many people, it’s more important than ever for us to speak out and help lead others to choose life over death.
As Christians, we recognize that those who reject Jesus are choosing death, rather than receiving the life God gives us.
A Day Set to Choose Life
Every January since January 22, 1984, many Christians observe Sanctity of Life Day, a day set aside to commemorate God’s priceless and sacred gift of life.
The United States' 40th President, Ronald Reagan, first issued the national proclamation setting aside a day to honor life and remember the millions of lives ended through abortion.
It’s a day to remember those who can’t speak for themselves, committing to pray for and protect their life at every age and stage. Proverbs 31:8 urges us to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”
Like Deuteronomy 30:19 urges, we, who are believers in Jesus Christ, are daily called to choose life over death, to believe that life is sacred.
So, how do we put this into action daily? By choosing life through the words we speak, write, and communicate about it to ourselves, friends, family, community, and the world at large.
Speaking Influential Words
As Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Whether we realize it or not, the words we choose to speak and write influence those who hear and read our words. Because they do, it’s vitally important, a matter of life and death, that we celebrate and support life for those around us.
Choosing God’s Truth
God describes the very beginning of humankind, of their sacredness of being made in His image, as Genesis 1:27 describes, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”
Christians who replace biblical truth with other ideologies are choosing creator-less options, calling God a liar, along with removing the need for a Savior and devaluing life.
But as believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to embrace and cherish the sacredness of life, of the truth of being formed in the image of our amazing Creator, who breathed His breath of life into us.
There should be no doubt in our hearts and minds about who created us, the One who formed us with His own hands and has called us priceless in His sight. As Genesis 2:7 explains, God is very clear about where humans began and by whose hand. “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Sanctity of Life Remains
Nothing changes God’s truth about life and the sacredness of it, despite the world’s efforts to promote abortion, assisted suicide, and selecting and euthanizing those who have physical and mental issues and disabilities, various illnesses, and the elderly.
God’s plan for each individual is life, as Psalm 139:16 describes: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”
Men and women, from the womb to the grave, are God’s glorious, sacred creations. As Psalm 8:4-6 describes, “What is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of Your hands; You put everything under their feet.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
How are we speaking about life? Are we sharing with others the sacredness of it?
Further Reading:
10 Things Christians Can Do to Celebrate Sanctity of Life Day
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