The Bridge: Devotions with Denise

The View From The Passenger Seat

Denise Harper — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

My husband, Ken, is a professional driver. He is such a good driver that I hardly ever play backseat driver from the passenger seat. But there have been times, when I drive, that Ken has called out about a road hazard or something that he thinks I might not have noticed. Of course, we both want to arrive safely at our destination but let's face it...the view from the passenger seat can be very different than that of the driver's side.

Riding in the passenger's seat is a challenge. You give up control to the one behind the wheel. The more you trust your driver...the more enjoyable your ride will usually be. The less you trust the one steering you along...the more you will grip the seat anxiously...maybe even call out to... look out! Watch that turn! Slow down! or maybe even...do you think we could we get through this section a little faster??!!

How much do we trust God to steer us through life? When we are busy telling Him what we see from our passenger vantage point...we can't hear Him say "I'm right here with you. I see those obstacles and I know there is a storm raging. If you will trust Me...I will deliver you through this...and it will be good. Because I am always at work for your good."

Romans 8:28 says, "We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him." We can trust His driving!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Loaves And Fishes

Denise Harper — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

You've got to hand it to the mama who packed her little boy's lunch with bread and fish. I mean think about that day when thousands of men, plus women and children, came to hear Jesus speak. While Jesus was asking the disciples to go find food to feed everyone, they were probably thinking, "why don't we just send them home? why is this our responsibility?" and the more they searched the crowd the more they must have thought, "this is impossible! no one brought anything to eat!"

Imagine searching and searching only to find one little boy who had five pieces of bread and two fish. They brought that little lunch to Jesus and He did what only He could do. Luke 9 tells us that Jesus prayed over it and told His disciples to start handing it out. Somewhere between Jesus' prayer over that little lunch and the very outskirts of the crowd that likely numbered more than 10,000 by the time you add in the women and the kiddos... everyone was fed!

Think about the next service at your church. What if you carried in a basket with five little loaves of bread and two Mrs. Pauls Filet of Fish in it? You ask the blessing over it...and hand it to the person in the front and tell them to pass it around until everyone has their fill. Are you getting a visual? Would your faith be enough to believe that there would be something for everyone in the crowd in that basket?!

Maybe the better question to ask is this: what are your loaves and fishes? What do you have to offer the King? You might not think it is very much. You could be imagining that it's not even worth anything to bring it to Him. It's not our job to figure out what is or isn't worthy to bring before God. What God asks of us is this - what do you have? Will you bring it to Me? Our job is to bring it. What God does with it will be miraculous...and truly what only God can do!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

The Blessing Of The One Who Holds The Key

Denise Harper — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

There is a lyric in the song by artist Seph Schlueter called "Counting My Blessings" that says, "the more that I look in the details, the more of Your goodness I find. Father, on this side of Heaven, I know that I'll run out of time. But I will keep counting my blessings, knowing I can't count that high." Have you taken time to count lately? The Psalmist David said in Psalm 103(:2, NLT), 'may I never forget the good things He does for me.' The more we count - the more we will remember.

I realized another blessing the other day that I don't know if I've ever really counted. I found it in the Book of Revelations, chapter 3. I've read it before but I saw it completely fresh this time. This part of chapter 3 was written to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. Verse 8 reads, "I know what you do; I know that you have a little power; you have followed my teaching and have been faithful to me. I have opened a door in front of you, which no one can close." Here is the verse right before it: "This is the message from the One who is holy and true. He has the key that belonged to David, and when He opens a door, no one can close it, and when He closes it, no one can open it." (Revelations 3:7, NLT)

When was the last time we thanked God for opening a door that everyone else said should be closed? And how about when God closed a door to keep us from going where everyone else said we should go?Today I am especially grateful to God for the doors He has opened...and I am grateful for the doors He protected me from going through. How about you?

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

A Modern Day Parable

Denise Harper — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Have you heard the modern day parable about the man who prayed to be rescued from the rising flood waters in his town? He earnestly asked God to save him. Soon after, a neighbor showed up in a canoe and offered him a ride but the man declined saying that God would rescue him. The waters kept rising. The man moved up to his balcony and continued to pray for God to save him when a man with a motorboat showed up. Still the man refused to get on board. Just as the water was rising near roof level and the man was standing at the highest point of his house a helicopter appeared, dropped a rope ladder down and urged the man to climb onto the rope so they could take him to safety. The man refused...and drowned.

The story goes on to say that when the man got to heaven and asked God why He didn't save him when he prayed to be rescued, God replied to the man - I sent you two boats and a helicopter! While that particular story may have been crafted as a joke, a variation of that story could happen in our own lives. We pray and ask God to rescue us from a situation...and while we are praying...we anticipate HOW God is going to do it. And we totally miss His answer to our prayer! We ask God to show us something and then we overlook or ignore the signs we asked Him to reveal to us.

The Lord said in Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." We weren't looking for a way through the wilderness or the desert. We were hoping for a nicely paved expressway through the city to get us from point A to point B in a straight line! Here's something I've learned about God's ways. We pray for answers based on what's most comfortable for us. God knows the way that will develop our character. He hears our prayers and He answers them...just not always the way we expect. Don't miss today...what God is sending your way. If we are busy watching the flood waters rise, we will miss His way of escape.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Stick And Shine

Denise Harper — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Not long ago I watched a sweet little girl dance around holding a sticker that someone had given her. I'm not sure if her joyful jig came from the fact that it was a doggy sticker or just that someone had given it to her. But she was old enough to know what the word 'sticker' meant because she held it up to her shirt and pressed it against her chest for it to stick. As she moved her hand away, the doggy sticker fluttered to the floor. Surprised she just stared at it. I could sense her little mind trying to figure out why it didn't do what she knew that it could! After all, stickers were made...to stick!

One very important step was missed. Someone needed to help her peel the top layer off the sticky side! She didn't know it had a cover over it. Saving it for just the right moment to stick and shine! It wasn't made to stay in a package with a bunch of other stickers or stuck in a drawer somewhere. It was made to show up and bring joy, to the little girl...and to those who get to see her wearing it on her shirt! That sticker has a purpose...and its purpose is revealed when someone removes the sticky side covering and puts it on something for others to see and enjoy.

We have a sticky side too. Ours is on the INside. We are created in the image of God and meant to carry His Light to the world around us. We are meant to stick and shine! If we're not careful we can stick to the wrong things and not do what we were truly purposed to do. And even if you've been stuck there, the good news is that God's Holy Spirit can set you free, peel the layers off that have held you captive and give you a fresh 'sticky side' so you can stick to Jesus! 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV), "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." There's nothing more beautiful than connecting with the One who made you and adores you to help you fulfill your purpose...to stick and shine!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Falling Asleep On God

Denise Harper — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Have you ever fallen asleep on God? It's a complete accident. We set out with the best intentions to designate a certain amount of time to reading His Word and spending time in prayer. And before we know it we are waking up from a quick nap or a deep sleep! And then the guilt rolls over us. I can hear Jesus' words to Peter in Matthew 26:40-41 (NLT), “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

There are times that we must be vigilant in prayer. Jesus told us to keep watching and praying. And there is so much joy in being in His presence! And yet, there are times we just can't seem to stay awake. You have so much on your plate. It seems every minute of your schedule has a name. People depend on you. Your people need you to go and do and be present for every little thing and especially the big things!

So exhausted you are that when you carve out a few minutes to sit with God and think about His promises and breathe a prayer or two...you just slip into sleep mode. Sigh.

May I share a word picture that someone recently shared with me that sent every guilty feeling I've ever felt about that scenario... running right out of my mind? Have you ever held a child in your arms and enjoyed conversation for a bit? Maybe you were reading a book to them or talking with them about their day? And they fell asleep in your arms. Did you get angry with them for falling asleep? or did you take in their gentle breathing and state of repose as precious and endearing?! Maybe you held them even closer, moved that stray hair away from their eyes and stroked your finger down the side of their sweet little chubby cheek to their chin.

Psalm 127:2 is a precious Word of hope for us. "It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones." I can't imagine a better way to receive rest from the One who loves us most.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Because You Trust

Denise Harper — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Misplaced trust. When it happens to us we are offended. When we are the offender, it is very likely that we will need to make extra efforts to show that we can be trusted. Learning to trust again or to BE trusted again really is a miraculous thing. God can help us regardless of the side of the fence we find ourselves. It's a huge lesson we learn in life to know that guarding trust is so important.

There is a trust that we can place with great confidence in our God and there are incredible benefits that come to us when we place our trust in Him. As the Apostle Paul was finishing up his letter to the Gentiles in Rome, Paul wrote in Romans 15:13 (NLT), "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

The benefits that come to us when we place our trust in God are priceless: filled completely with joy and peace and overflowing with confident hope through the Holy Spirit's power. Today, if our joy or our peace feel lacking, the key to a complete filling...is choosing this day....to trust God. Trust Him with everything. Any thing that threatens us with anxious thoughts or tries to steal our joy...instead of focusing on that, choose to trust Almighty God.

Do you feel like you are walking in the overflow of hope in the Lord? If not, the key is right there in Romans 15:13. Trust in God. Really trusting Him opens us up to the overflow of the power of the Holy Spirit to hope with great confidence. You might feel far from it today but this moment is the moment that can change everything. Choose this moment...to trust God. Beautiful benefits await you!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

What Is That Accent?

Denise Harper — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite Christian music artists from the 90's was a group called FFH. Lead singer Jeromy Deibler is now helping people as a Life Coach and writes a wonderfully humorous and insightful newsletter through which I have enjoyed catching up on how God is writing his story these days.

In one of his writings he said that "taking on someone's accent is a healthy way to find connection" and immediately my mind drifted back to when I had been living in Charlotte, North Carolina for about six months. The first time I came home my family said, 'what in the world? why are you speaking with a southern accent?!!' Truthfully, I didn't even realize that I had begun to pick up the accent of the people I was living and working with day in and day out. It didn't even stand out until I got away from them and back home with family.

Have you ever noticed that if you spend enough time around people who were raised in a different area, maybe even a different country, you begin to pick up little nuances of language and mannerisms the more you're with them? I never really thought about it but it does make us feel more connected the more we can speak their language.

That's why it is such a powerful relationship builder when we spend time reading God's Word. It connects us to His heart and before we realize it we begin to speak more like Him. Acts 4:13 from The Passion Translation reveals this truth: "The council members were astonished as they witnessed the bold courage of Peter and John, especially when they discovered that they were just ordinary men who had never had religious training. Then they began to understand the effect Jesus had on them simply by spending time with Him."

Spend time with Jesus. You'll be so glad you did. Your connection to Him can help others want to connect with Him too!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

When The Wind Blows

Denise Harper — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

When the wind blows we cannot see the wind; however, we can see its effects. We hear the wind 'whistle' through the trees or 'howl' around buildings and bridges. We see the impact of the wind when its blowing. It can be as gentle as a light breeze or it can blow so hard it is capable of uprooting centuries old trees and moving heavy inanimate objects from one place to another. We feel the wind so we know that its there...but we cannot see the wind. We know the wind is present, not because we see it, but because our senses alert us to what it is doing.

Imagine when Jesus told His disciples right before He left them to ascend to Heaven that He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to lead and guide them...they had no idea the power and revelation that He would bring to them. Jesus told them to wait for the Holy Spirit. He said, in John 14:17 (CEV), "The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don't see or know Him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you."

Acts 2 describes the effect of the Holy Spirit on them when He arrived...(vs 2) "suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting." They could not see Him, but they knew that He was there with them. He brought the power...in a powerful way. And their lives were changed forever.

Our lives are changed forever when we receive the Holy Spirit. He brings the power for change and He will always show us what is true just as Jesus said. We may not see Him but we can see and sense what He is doing.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Look Out Or Look Up

Denise Harper — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

If you watch the news, read the headlines, listen to conversations in the supermarket and the gas pumps, you will see and hear that our world is in pretty rough shape. Poverty, corruption in government, earthquakes and weather phenomenons and wars are in no short supply. It can be discouraging and stir up anxiety in us that can threaten to take our breath away.

There is a reason why the Psalmist looked UP. Psalm 121:1-6 (NLT) reminds us, "I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the One who watches over you will not slumber...The Lord Himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade."

When we look OUT we can forget the benefits of belonging to the Lord. We are distracted and dismayed by the turmoil in the world which may even be happening in our own backyard. And when we do that, we open the door to anxiety and allow fear to take hold of us. Before we know it, our peace has evaporated and our faith is weakened.

Today we must choose to look UP. Regardless of what is happening around us, our help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth! On Him, we can put our trust.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Do What Is Right

Denise Harper — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I've been hanging around the book of Deuteronomy lately and this verse rose to the top in my reading today. It is Deuteronomy 6:18-19 (CSB), "Do what is right and good in the Lord's sight, so that you may prosper and so that you may enter and possess the good land the Lord your God swore to give your ancestors, by driving out all your enemies before you, as the Lord has said."

If you want to be prosperous God gives us the 'if this, then that' equation flat out in this passage. If you want to be prosperous...then DO what is RIGHT and GOOD in HIS sight. Putting God first in every thought and decision and doing what He wants us to do...that is His instruction to us and the benefit is this, in all that really matters, we will prosper.

God also tells us that when we do what is right and good in His sight He will open the door for us to enter and possess the good land that He has for us...and as an added blessing...He will drive out our enemies right in front of us. So if you've been feeling like the enemy has been robbing you of your territory lately, stirring up trouble and prohibiting you from moving into the good space that God has for you, this is your invitation to camp out here for a while. Do what is right and good in the Lord's sight. Watch and give thanks for what God will do because of your obedience to His Word.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

ReHEARsal

Denise Harper — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Have you ever participated in a play? Or maybe you play an instrument and you have a concert coming up? Lawyers present arguments in court. Those who sell practice their 'pitch'. Even if none of those have been your experience, perhaps you've asked your boss for a raise, or you've asked someone to spend the rest of their life with you. I'm pretty certain that you practiced what you were going to say before you said it for real! It's called 'rehearsal'. Repeating your thought process over and over in your mind and by speaking it out loud helps us frame our words and remember them.

We rehearse a lot of things. Practicing over and over until it is solidly memorized in our mind. I love that the word rehearsal is actually spelled with the word 'HEAR' in the middle. It's the re-hearing of something that solidifies it in our brain and eventually in our heart.

Deuteronomy 6:5 - 7 (CSB) tells us, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." ReHEARse them! God's formula for hiding His Word in our heart is simple. Keep telling it and retelling it. Hearing it over and over. It is not just for us but our children will hear it as well.

Today, let's start with this and reHEARse it all day long. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deut 6:5, CSB)

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Who's At Your Well

Denise Harper — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I've been thinking about the Samaritan woman at the well that Jesus intentionally sought out. Almost everyone went early in the morning to draw water from the well...NOT in the heat of the day. That makes me think she was trying to avoid people by walking all that way when it was so hot. By reading the Gospel accounts of their interaction she had no idea who Jesus was and most likely wished He wasn't there at the well.

During their encounter, she said things like, "why would you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan for a drink?" "You don't even have a bucket." "You aren't greater than our father, Jacob." "Give me this water so I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming back to this well." On every topic, Jesus kept a steady flow of intriguing conversation until she revealed her faith to Him. In John 4:25 the woman said, "I know that the Messiah is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us." And Jesus said in the next verse (26), "I, the one speaking to you, am He."

Just imagine this moment. She's tired from walking, hot, thirsty. They've been almost sparring conversationally. And when she quotes Scripture from the Old Testament prophets to Jesus, the One who IS the Word, Jesus removes any confusion, doubt or misunderstanding in her mind of who He is...clearly proclaiming that He is the One for whom she has waited.

I love this so much. Jesus knew where she was. He knew she was waiting...that she had questions...and that she needed Him. Jesus patiently listened and talked through all her baggage. And when she opened her heart to hear the Good News, Jesus, the Truth revealed Himself to her. Jesus will do that for us too. He is patient. He knows that sometimes we have to peel off the layers of baggage that we've carried to be open to receive who He is what He came to do for us and in us. He is here and He is ready.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Rubik's Cube

Denise Harper — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Remember when the Rubik's cube was the thing everyone wanted to play with? It didn't take me long to figure out that, for me, it was more a source of frustration than a challenge to be conquered. This square with rotating parts that had to be maneuvered in order to turn all the squares on each side to the same color might take me weeks to figure out. I'm not sure that I ever accomplished the challenge. And I'm ok with never trying it again! I was curious to know how quickly someone could do it...and the world record for setting the 3x3 Rubik's cube to completion is 3.13 seconds. I can't even fathom how that is possible!

Recently, a friend showed me a Rubik's cube that had a different family photo on each of its sides rather than a single color. How much more difficult that would be to put together! Each small square was part of a specific family picture. Sometimes in the effort to straighten out and connect one family photo...another side had to be disrupted in order to bring the whole picture together. And so often, others are impacted by one square or one picture not being in the right place.

Our lives are a bit like that Rubik's cube. Our current situation isn't altogether. Sometimes our space is impacted by someone else trying to straighten out their picture. Maybe our family picture won't ever look the same again in this life. Here's what we can know beyond any doubt: our great God is holding ALL of us in His mighty hand. Colossians 1:16-17 (MSG) states, "For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels - everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment."

Rest in knowing that there isn't a single part of your life that isn't being held by God...and He is holding it all together.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Show Up

Denise Harper — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I was listening to an interview with a professional football player after a game recently. His team was not favored to win going in to the game but that did not stop the guys from bringing their "A" game and leaving it all on the field. And when the final seconds of the game ticked away...Tyreek Hill's team, the Dolphins, had won the game. Something Tyreek said in his post game interview caught my ear. When asked about the team's win, he said, "it all comes down to who prepared the best and who shows up to play".

Isn't that a lot like life?! Preparation can look like a lot of different things. Sometimes the biggest battles are fought and won in our mind. Preparing our body, mind and soul is extremely important. Running drills for whatever God is calling us to do professionally, personally, spiritually....ALL of that makes us better at what we do and who we are. But we can do all of that and still lose the fight...if we don't SHOW UP! We have to show up. When we face difficult things, we must show up. Even when we feel unprepared, we show up. Especially when we're fatigued, tired of fighting and feel like we can't make it...show. up!

When we show up...we bring the Light. The Light dispels the darkness. It illuminates the ones who are trying to take us down. It shines a beam on those who need us to show love. After all, that's what Jesus did for us. He showed up. 1 John 4:19 (NLT) brings it all down to this: "We love each other because He loved us first." Jesus showed up....and because He did...so can we.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

What Fragrance Are You Wearing

Denise Harper — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

If you're a parent you know the effort it takes to get everyone into church on Sunday morning....dressed, fed, hair and teeth brushed...and all...on time. On good days you come strolling in with everything in its place, holding the hands of your littles walking beside you, with smiles all around. On the crazy, "alarm didn't go off" "woke up on the wrong side of bed" kind of days, you might be found running in, clutching your kiddos tightly, slinging your purse and diaper bag over your shoulder, just praying you can slip in the back door sight unseen once you've deposited your children in their Sunday School classrooms.

One morning I flew in...wrestling my purse, Bible, diaper bag and my oldest child, Cody. He was a toddler at the time. When I leaned forward to hand Cody off to the teacher, she said, 'you smell just like your mommy!' She asked me the name of the perfume I was wearing because she liked it so much. Side note: whether I'm in a hurry or have all the time in the world...I love hugging my kids. And when I had gotten Cody out of his car seat that morning I had hugged him tight. In that moment, I stopped the rushing and soaked in the sweetness of a quick compliment that reminded me of the gift I had to be able to hold tightly to my little boy.

I remembered that brief encounter, that happened years ago, the other day when I read 2 Corinthians 2:15 (NLT), "Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing." When we lean in closer to Jesus we are the sweet fragrance of Christ to God. Others can also sense that there's something different about us that comes from spending time with the Lord. That fragrance has the ability to draw others toward God. It can also repel those who are running from God.

Our mission is to stay close to the embrace of Christ and keep allowing the fragrance of His presence in our lives to permeate the atmosphere of those we connect with throughout the day. The Holy Spirit will take care of the rest!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Tension Troubles

Denise Harper — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Have you ever walked into a room and the tension was so thick you just wanted to exit as quickly as possible? The phrase 'so thick you could cut it with a knife' comes to mind. Although that seems really drastic! Regardless of whether you are a part of the situation or an innocent bystander you can sense tension in the air. That kind of tension isn't healthy and the Bible encourages us in Romans 12:18 (NLT), "Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone."

Tension gets a bad wrap at times. There IS a good kind of tension. You could hold a wire at one end and let it dangle and that wire would not fulfill its purpose. But when you attach it from the body of a guitar to the head of that guitar and tighten it up, the tension allows music to be played as the string is strummed. The tension is necessary to do what it was created to do. Deadlines create tension that help us plan, process and stay on track.

So when Romans 12:18 tells us to do all that we can to live in peace with everyone I don't believe that it means to avoid or isolate from those with whom we struggle to be around. The action word in that verse is "DO". Is there someone that creates tension in your heart when you're around them? Pray for them! Something happens when we pray for someone we are struggling with. It happens in our heart when we pray for theirs! When I pray, "God, help me to love that person like YOU love them", that tension that I felt begins to crumble...and that opens the door for miracles in relationships to happen.

Let that be your prayer today if God is bringing someone to your mind. He will help you to do all that YOU can do to live at peace with them.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Throwing Ahead Of The Receiver

Denise Harper — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I grew up with two brothers and a father who loved football. I married a guy who loves the sport and gave birth to a son who played football in high school and so there has been a LOT of football in my lifetime! One thing that always fascinates me is watching the quarterback scan the field and throw the ball ahead of where the receiver is to the spot that he is supposed to run to for that specific play. When that well executed pass is complete its a beautiful thing and can lead to great victory!

Some players make it look so easy. But there is so much preparation behind that well executed pass. Countless hours of practice, weight training, exercise, memorizing the plays, learning the strengths and weaknesses of fellow teammates, the thrill of victory...and enduring the agony of defeat!

Every day we must show up...for our family, for our class, our job...and for God! God has a plan for us today. He's already put it in motion. We need to suit up in His armor. We have to do more than just show up. We may not have run every drill for every play the enemy tries to block us with...but Jesus has! And He promised in Deuteronomy 31:8 that He would never leave us. It doesn't get any better than to have the One who knows how to execute every plan perfectly running it with us!

Prayer. Studying God's Word. Finding a group of believers in a local church that we can lean on and be there for. Sharing our faith with others. Those are all key elements to victory in our faith journey so that we are exactly where God needs us to be for His plan today!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

God's Math

Denise Harper — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Typically when I wake up in the morning the main focus of my thought life is....shower and coffee! I am not a fully functioning morning person without both. The other morning, however, I woke up with this thought repeating itself in my head...when you share hope...it multiplies. I jotted it down in my phone so I wouldn't forget that thought.

The more I've thought about what happens when we share hope the more I realize how miraculous that math is when it's calculated. Consider this: when you share a meal with someone, or you bake cookies and serve them to your family or your co-workers, the more you give away....the less you have for yourself! Don't get me wrong...it's good to give it away...and it helps keep us from eating it all ourselves! But when we share hope with someone, we are never left with LESS hope for ourselves. In fact, when we share the hope of Jesus with someone else, something really miraculous happens. Hope is multiplied!

It reminds me of the woman in 1 Kings 17 that told Elijah she only had enough flour and oil left to bake a little meal for her and her son and that was it. After that, they would die. Elijah told her to share it with him first. Even though she may have feared that she wouldn't have enough left, she decided to share what she had with him. 1 Kings 17:15-16 (NLT) reads, "So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah." The miracle math of God caused that flour and oil to not run out until more provision came later. Even though it seemed like subtraction should happen...it was multiplied back to her.

That same multiplication happens when we share with others the hope, the joy and the love we've received from Jesus. While we are actively giving it away....our supply is not depleting. In fact, when we get to see someone else catch the joy and the hope found in Christ...it gives US more joy and hope! I'll gladly participate in God's math every chance I get! I hope you'll join me!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

A Mile In Your Shoes

Denise Harper — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

When my husband, Ken, and I first settled down after three full years of traveling on the road in full-time ministry we soon found ourselves in unfamiliar territory. Our own home. We'd had a home...if you could call a tour bus, complete with a handful of other young, crazy people who loved Jesus and music always with us, a home! I am not complaining. We loved it...and planned to return to it...soon. And one thing led to another and before long we had jobs, rented and moved into a house, and found ourselves...in a new season.

We had already been together for three years and for the first time...coming home meant just the two of us. Suddenly, we had a different dynamic to our surroundings and it took some getting used to. Someone gave me advice that seemed a little strange at first but has become a cherished memory from those early days. The advice was this: when you are in prayer for your spouse - stand in his shoes. The first time just felt awkward. However, the awkwardness gave way to insight, understanding and connection.

I began to ask God in my prayer time to help me see the world through his eyes, to understand what he was thinking and feeling. Standing in his shoes and praying for him gave me an opportunity to lean into how God saw Ken. I considered Ken's story and how different things had impacted him over the years. And that...impacted my heart for him tremendously.

You know the old phrase never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. Aside from the directive that the Bible tells us in Matthew 7:1-2 (NKJV) “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." We still fight the temptation to judge others every day. What if we could stand in their shoes? What if instead of walking a mile in their shoes...we could stand in them...and pray for them? And ask God to help us see part of their story and help us to have His eyes of compassion for them.

Could I walk a mile in your shoes today? Would you walk a mile in mine? Standing in prayer for each other is a beautiful gift that God gives us to help connect us in this journey. It helps us judge less and love more. That's the measure that I want God to use with us!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

His Bride

Denise Harper — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

There is so much anticipation centered around a wedding. The planning and preparation moves the dreams from hopefulness into reality. Sometimes the day turns out to be more than we even imagined. And sometimes we realize that what we dreamed of doesn't matter nearly as much when we finally discover the gift of who we dreamed of.

I've witnessed lavish weddings that felt like no expense was spared for the day. I've seen ceremonies rich in cultural remembrances. I've been a part of the most simple gatherings including one where the bride and groom...and all of the wedding party...wore blue jeans and matching flowered shirts. They pledged their love to each other in the front yard beside a tree and then made their way around to the back yard for a big old picnic reception.

Simple, ornate or anywhere in between...my favorite moment is the same moment every time. The moment the groom sees his bride for the first time in the ceremony as she makes her way toward him is precious. Somehow everything they've gone through to get to that moment and all his hopes and dreams for the future combine with knowing the precious gift he knows her to be to him...and he is speechless, mesmorized and filled with great joy!

There is a wedding coming that will outshine every other. Ephesians 5:25-27 (NLT) gives us a glimpse of its splendor. "For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s Word. He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault."

As a believer, WE are the Bride of Christ. His Church is His Bride...and He is coming back for us. Just imagine the moment when we look into His eyes for the first time and His great love for us will be revealed. What a spectacular celebration of the greatest love and joy that will be!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Seasons of Life

Denise Harper — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

There is a beautiful Japanese Maple tree in my front yard and I love that God gave me such a precious gift. Right now she is beginning to let go of her leaves. Those leaves have changed from a lush green color to an extraordinary, fiery red. There's a collection of them scattered around the ground beneath her at the moment. But I know that soon a gusty wind will blow, the rain will fall, and most of her leaves will be gone.

Once winter arrives she will stand with empty limbs void of any color that resembles life or growth. Through the cold, the frost, the snow and even the harshest winter storms, that tree will seem to have shuttered itself, revealing no signs of life, almost unrecognizable to those of us who have admired her beautiful offering.

Just about the time we've forgotten that she's even there, as the very beginnings of Spring begin to show, we'll notice there are tiny little buds of green beginning to show on those branches that have been barren for months.

I think I love that tree so much because she reminds me of God's goodness and faithfulness in our own lives. You and I go through seasons. Some are sweet and fresh like Spring. Summer brings fullness and so much growth we can hardly contain all the blessings. Then Autumn comes and while we revel in the rich, vibrant colors that God has added to our lives, we find ourselves knowing that we must be willing to let go. Winter seasons can be so harsh, so empty. I've learned that in those seasons I am especially in need of growing deeper. Maybe that's what is happening inside my tree. Perhaps, without the leaves on her branches her roots are concentrating on digging even deeper into the soil. Absorbing all the warmth from the sun that she can contain.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 (NLT) tells us, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." In all of those seasons God is with us. Some things that we experience in life are inevitable. But we do get to choose how we live each season out. Even when we find ourselves in the harshest winter season we can choose to dig deep into the richness of our Creator. And there is hope that the next season of life is on its way.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

The Gentle Cycle

Denise Harper — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Have you ever watched how the gentle cycle in the washing machine works? I got curious one day and ..well, you know where curiosity can lead! While the normal cycle begins filling up with water and swishing clothes at a fairly high rate of speed; the gentle cycle is lighter, less vigorous. The clothes get to sit in the water and soak a little longer before the tumbling begins. The normal cycle uses hot water. The gentle cycle is usually a cold water wash.

Maybe it would be helpful to have a shirt that reads, 'Use the gentle cycle today, please'. A little warning to those around us that we might not be able to deal with the hot water and agitation that we can be served up with on a daily basis. Some days we just need to take in the cool water and have time to sit and soak in the cleansing suds of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) tells us, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Some days we need the gentle cycle. Most likely today we will encounter someone that needs the gift of the gentle cycle. They probably won't be wearing a shirt that reads it....but give it anyway. Be kind today. I have a feeling it will come back to us right when we need it!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Impression or Impact

Denise Harper — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

One of the tips my mom taught me when I first learning to bake a cake was to open the oven and press my finger onto the top of the cake to see if it was done baking. If it kept the impression of my finger on it then it still needed a few more minutes in the oven. If it bounced back up it was ready to come out.

A cake can look perfectly baked. We can layer it. Ice it. Decorate it beautifully. But until we taste it, the cake is just making an impression. The proof of its goodness...or not...is in the taste. Experiencing the taste will make it memorable long after the cake has been eaten and the cake plate is washed and put away.

God doesn't just want us to poke at what He has for us. It's not about impressing us although the mighty works of God are awe-inspiring. God wants us to open our hearts to His eternal impact in our lives. Psalm 34:8 (NIV) says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."

I also love how The Passion Translation shares this word. Psalm 34:8-10. This is real life-changing impact. "Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God. Experience for yourself the joyous mercies He gives to all who turn to hide themselves in Him. Worship in awe and wonder, all you who’ve been made holy! For all who fear Him will feast with plenty. Even the strong and the wealthy grow weak and hungry, but those who passionately pursue the Lord will never lack any good thing."

Don't settle for an impression when we can have the true impact of God in our lives!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Decisions, Decisions

Denise Harper — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I saw an advertisement for something I'd never heard of before...an 'interactive' movie. The main character was at a crossroads in her love life and with the touch of my remote control I could help her choose which guy she should pick and watch her decision play out. When it got to the end of the movie if I didn't like the ending, I could choose to send her back to the moment of decision and pick the other love interest and watch the movie with an entirely different ending. Fascinating and frightening all at the same time! Full disclosure, due to the curiosity in me, I had to watch all of the choices to see how each one played out.

We can be quick to give advice to others about life choices and most likely we receive advice from others about upcoming life choices. But, the One whose leading we need to seek most is God's. Unlike us, God knows the end from the beginning. He's not running the scenarios through to see which one ends up best like we would in that interactive movie. God knows exactly what we need. He knows what we will choose. And He knows how to work it all out for our good and His glory.

It's not always easy. And truthfully, it doesn't all feel good when we're in the messy middle of things. There is, however, one thing that can keep us hopeful through it all. Through all of our best and worst choices, our indecisions and our rash decisions...God never leaves us. Isaiah 41:10 (MSG) says, "I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you."

Regardless of the decision you are walking out today. No matter if you chose your path or someone else's decision has you in a place you never asked to go. You are not walking it alone. God will always stay right there with you.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

What's Your Order

Denise Harper — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

When you go to a restaurant you've eaten at before do you order the same thing on the menu that you did before? I think our answer to that question may reveal a lot about us. The adventurous me would love to sample different foods. But the foodie in me wants to KNOW that I'm going to enjoy and savor every bite. Just how much of a risk taker are you?

I confess that I usually order the same meal every time. Just like I have my favorite coffee order and about the only time I change things up...is when it pumpkin spice latte season! As I was sipping on a PSL the other day I thought about how grateful I am that I got brave enough to try something different.

While trying a different coffee flavor or menu item seems inconsequential, think about it! Trying something new can lead us to new discoveries about ourselves! We might discover we like spinach dip after all. And we may learn that we enjoy meeting new people and could serve as a greeter at our church. Maybe we find that we have a hidden talent for the creative like painting or scrapbooking...or writing! Perhaps taking a class at a community college opens our mind to explore a new career direction or signing up for Bible study and meeting new people deepens our love for studying God's Word and helps us find a new friend who adds more joy to our life.

Being open to the new is something I've been hearing a lot lately. And it reminds me of the scripture in Isaiah when God Himself said He was doing something new. Isaiah 43:19 (NLT) says, "For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

We know that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. So I believe He is still creating and making the new today. And He wants us to look for it! And since we are made in His image...we have the ability to do something new too. It may be as simple as trying a new thing on the menu. And maybe its something He's been prompting you about that you've been afraid to try. Just ask Him. He'll make a way.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

Seeing Value

Denise Harper — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

A woman set out for a thrift store one day. Maybe she was looking for something specific. Maybe she was doing what so many others do...looking for something that was 'old to someone else and new to me'. Either way, she noticed a piece of artwork which didn't mean anything to her...but it had a really nice frame ...and it was only 4 bucks! So she bought it, took it home and hung it up in her bedroom for a while until she got bored with it and eventually it wound up in the attic.

Years later she happened upon this painting, snapped a picture of it and posted it on social media to get rid of it. To her surprise someone reached out to her and told her to have it authenticated. Sure enough...this painting is being cleaned up and is set to auction off to the tune of, possibly, several million dollars!

Do we recognize the value of those around us? Do we treat others like a valuable work of art...or like a picture someone else gave away and we picked up for a handful of dollars. Maybe we don't see the worth in others...because we don't even know our own value. God paid the highest price for each of us. His own Son, Jesus, died for us. 1 John 2:2 (NLT) tells us ... "He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world."

You and I are so loved by God that He paid the greatest price of all for us. Let's walk in that today. Not like a four dollar frame but the priceless masterpiece He made us to be.

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...

What Dims The Light?

Denise Harper — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

One of the most infrequently cleaned things in my house is the globe around the light fixture in my ceiling fan. What a pain it is to take it down and put it back up. So by reason of its level of difficulty the poor globe doesn't get much attention.

The other night when I turned on the light I thought the light didn't seem very bright. I hadn't noticed it getting more dim but there I stood trying to remember the last time I had cleaned that globe. And if I can't remember...it's definitely been too long! That globe was dusty and also a death trap for unlucky moths and other pests that found their way inside just trying to get to the light.

Jesus told us in Matthew 5:14-15 (NLT), "You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it give light to everyone in the house." We are called to be a light to everyone around us. Like that globe on my ceiling fan light we can get dusty and worn. Daily wear and tear as well as difficult situations we go through could dim our light. Sometimes we find ourselves in the presence of those who would try to block our light from shining. We might not even be aware that our light is growing dim by the things that we are carrying around with us. It takes energy to keep our light burning...and we need to pay attention to what and even who is surrounding our light. In this dark world we are living in...this is no time to let our light grow dim. Stay plugged into THE Light who is Jesus and ask Him to help us keep our lamp clean!

Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1
Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.

Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2
Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.

Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...