Spiritual Growth

When Jesus Calls

/ Christine Maynor / 1 Comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

Melodies & Musings

A while back, I wrote a poem about how Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we are His beloved sheep. You can find the link to that poem at the bottom of this post. As I reread that poem and thought about the message, I wondered if I am in tune enough with Jesus to hear His voice when He calls me?

Sometimes we get so distracted by other things in this life that we might lose track of the important things. Even though the things that we do for our home and family are important, listening for and hearing Jesus’ voice should be among the most important thing in our lives.

We should prioritize spiritual things above anything else. As we learn more about Jesus and learn from His example, I think we will become more in tune to His voice. Then when He calls us to do something, we can be ready.

What helps you stay spiritually in tune with Jesus when life becomes busy and distracting? Have you ever felt Jesus guiding you toward something you might not have recognized if you hadn’t been listening?

Here’s the link to the poem about this topic:https://faithcenteredinspiration.com/2026/01/17/the-good-shepherd/

Here’s a link to the YouTube video of me reading part of the poem:https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5Kr4_vOyTvA

A Place Prepared For You

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

My Daily Musings-August 12th, 2026

I read John 14:2 again today and it really intrigued me this time.

It reads, “In my Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you.”

It’s always been interesting to me how I can read a scripture many times and it just hits me differently one time than any other time. I think this verse intrigued me this time for a couple of reasons.

Jesus said this to His disciples at the Last Supper. I learned that the Greek word for “mansions” is monai, which can mean dwelling places, rooms, or abiding places. Since I have been focusing on “Abide” as my word of the year, this translation really resonated with me. So basically, what Jesus is telling us is that we can abide with Him and His Father in heaven, after our lives on earth.

When Jesus was on the earth, He picked so many different people to be His apostles, from a few fishermen to a tax collector and a Zealot who had a very different political background than the others.

Then Jesus wasn’t particular about whom He blessed and healed. He healed the poor, the rich, men and women, Jews and Gentiles. So basically, all are welcome to “abide” with Him, no matter our background, our wealth, our family, etc.

But We need to do our part and follow Jesus, keep His commandments and do the things we know we should do. Then we can abide with Him and our Heavenly Father after this life on earth is done.

What does it mean to you to “abide” with Jesus? How does knowing that Jesus’ invitation is open to everyone bring you comfort or hope?

Feeding Our Faith

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

My Daily Musings-August 2nd, 2026

I really like this quote by C.S. Lewis: “We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief of any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed.”

I completely agree with him that our beliefs and faith must be fed to remain alive. If you think about it, our bodies must be fed multiple times a day to feel nourished and full. Likewise, our faith and beliefs must also be nourished so they can remain alive in our hearts.

I think that’s why we have church so that our spirits can feel nourished and fed. We also study the scriptures for the same reason. We should share our beliefs and faith with others because doing so strengthens and feeds our own faith as well as the faith of others.

What are some ways you nourish your faith throughout the week? What has helped strengthen your testimony or beliefs the most during difficult times?

Because I Know Him

/ Christine Maynor / 1 Comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

Backstory:
While watching The Chosen, I was touched by a conversation between Philip and Matthew. When Philip asked Matthew what he did before following Jesus, Matthew replied that he had been a tax collector. Philip gently reminded him that what mattered wasn't who he had been before meeting the Messiah, but who he was becoming because of Him. That conversation made me wonder: even though I can't walk beside Jesus as His disciples did, is knowing Him changing me? As I learn more about the Savior and strive to follow Him, am I becoming a little more like Him each day? 

Because I Know Him

As I strive to follow and be more like my Savior,
I must ask myself can I see changes in my behavior?
Am I becoming more kind and loving toward others
In this world that we share as sisters and brothers?

Am I becoming more patient with others on our journey?
Am I showing myself more patience and mercy?
Do I think before I speak when my thoughts are unkind?
Am I thinking the way Jesus would of the rest of mankind?

Am I seeing everyone around me through the lens of love,
Like Jesus would if He were here from up above?
Am I serving my fellowmen willingly like Jesus would?
Because He would look at everyone and just see the good.

Am I loving and giving myself more grace
As I look in the mirror at my imperfect face?
Am I becoming more faithful as I walk through every day?
Or does my faith depend on the lack of troubles that come my way?

I may not be able to see the change in my behavior,
But I hope that my transformation is visible to my Savior.
It doesn’t matter who I was before I met Jesus,
But what matters is that I am trying to overcome my every weakness.

The Takeaway: Spiritual growth is often difficult to see in ourselves. We may still notice our weaknesses and shortcomings, but Jesus sees every small step we take toward Him. The true measure of discipleship is not where we started, but who we are becoming through His grace. As we continue to know, love, and follow Him, He quietly shapes our hearts to become more like His. 

Watch my YouTube short on this topic here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o76M3IAsMrE

Strength Born From Hard Days

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

My Daily Musings-May 30th, 2026

Roger Lee said, “Don’t get angry when life gets too hard on you, be thankful that you’ve been given the opportunity to learn to become stronger.” I really like this quote because it is so true. It also makes me think of the Kelly Clarkson song lyric, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

We are here on this earth to learn and grow and become more like our Savior and our Heavenly Father. Life was never meant to be easy all the time. Trials and hard moments help shape us into the people we are meant to become. Even though we sometimes wish our struggles could simply be taken away, they are often the very things that help us grow stronger in faith, compassion, and endurance.

I have days when I wish my chronic illness and all of its symptoms would disappear. Some days it makes life feel incredibly hard. But even in the middle of those struggles, I can see how it has changed me. It has made me stronger. It has brought me to my knees in prayer more than I used to, because prayer is often the only way I make it through my hardest days.

What trials in your life have helped shape you into a stronger person? How have your hardest moments brought you closer to God?