The Bridge: Devotions with Denise

Be Specific

Denise Harper — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

My mom and I were talking recently about someone we had seen listed in the obituaries. She shared a memory that she had of this man from more than 40 years ago. He was an answer to her prayer.

She shared that one morning as she was driving to work, her car quit. She managed to pull off to the side of the road. This was long before we had cell phones to call for help. So she prayed. She asked the Lord to send her someone who could help her...and...that it would be someone that she knew. Within minutes a gentleman pulled up ahead of her and walked back to ask her if she was alright. She recognized him right away. And he knew exactly what to do to help her!

I love the story of two blind men who encountered Jesus outside of Jericho. You can find the story in Matthew 20:29-34 (NIV). As these two guys were sitting by the side of the road they called out to Jesus to have mercy on them. Everyone told them to be quiet which made them shout louder. Jesus heard them and answered, "what do you want me to do for you?" and they answered, "Lord, we want our sight." These two were specific in their prayer need with Jesus. Jesus was moved. He touched their eyes...and immediately they received their sight.

Just like those two we can pray specifically when we have a need and Jesus hears us when we pray!

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...

If My People

Denise Harper — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I love God's promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Most likely you've heard it quoted when the topic of conversation is about how bad things have gotten. How we need God to intervene. Make a way in the desert. Save us from all the evil in the world. We DO need God in every area of our lives and in our world.

I have prayed 2 Chronicles 7:14 for our country so often. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Recently I was struck by this thought. This promise is not for the unsaved. This verse was given to those who call themselves Christians. You and I. He said, 'If My people' and then God makes it really clear...'who are called by MY name'.

There's a pattern that God laid out for us. Humble ourselves. Pray. Seek God. Turn away from sin. When we do this, God promises us, 'then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.' That's His promise to respond when we follow His direction.

So as we pray for revival in our nation, this promise from God is a direct link to see miracles happen across our land, for healing in our country to happen and keep happening. Humble ourselves. Keep talking with God and turn away from anything that creates a wedge between us and Him!

Heal our land, Lord. And let it begin with 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...

Taking Action

Denise Harper — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I bought my husband, Ken, a gift for his birthday and I wanted him to have it before his birthday. But he sat it on the counter, along with all the other cards that came in the mail before his big day, so that he would have them all to open on his birthday. Technically, the gift that I bought him was already his. But since he wouldn't open the gift he had no benefit, pleasure or concept of value of the gift. Ken could have been enjoying that gift all along if he had chosen to receive it. Instead, it sat on the counter for a week or two, wrapped up and unable to bring him joy.

There are scriptures in the Bible in which God clearly requires that we take action. If you do this...then God will do that. Romans 10:9 is a beautiful example. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Our salvation came at a great cost, purchased by Jesus' death and resurrection. The work was already done. The penalty for our sins has been met.

There is however something that we must do to receive it. We must confess that Jesus is our Lord and acknowledge that we believe that God raised Him from the grave. It is only then that we are saved. Salvation is a free gift. But we must receive it and walk in it for it to affect us. The good news is that when we do - it changes our lives forever!

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...

Fully Known

Denise Harper — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

We check our email, our voicemail, direct messages....and then we scroll. We scroll through what social media calls our 'news feed'. Before we know it we have scrolled through the feed for hours and still...we are hungry. Hungry for connection. And even when we say we are connected through all these different media outlets...still... we are starving to be known.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NASB) says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you." When we truly understand that our Creator, the God of the Universe, Jehovah Shalom, the Lord of Peace, knew us before He even formed us in our mother's womb, we will be able to silence the voices that tell us we are not enough. Knowing that we are known by God allows us to tune out the voice that says you have little significance.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with our communication outlets but we will never find our significance in the number of friends, likes and follows that we get there.

You are of great significance in this story because God Himself is writing it. Before you were born He knew you...and called you by name. As you are taking your next breath, responding to your messages, scrolling through your feed, don't search for connection and value there. Seek out God. Know that He has called you and set you apart for the plan He created you to walk in. And God knows you. You are His beloved and He is yours. In God, you will find connection and the joy of being fully known.

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 Fragrance of Time Well Spent

Denise Harper — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Nesting is one of my favorite things to do! When my husband, Ken, and I moved into our first home I began to make that house feel like home. After living on a bus for the first few years, with half a dozen other people sharing that same space, I was thrilled to have our own place...and that it wasn't on wheels!

One of my favorite authors of that era was Emilie Barnes. Emilie wrote over 80 books and while I haven't read all of them I've read quite a few over the years. She spoke to the busyness and clutter of my life and her book "Welcome Home" taught me some wonderful ways to really create the feeling of HOME in our house.

I'll never forget one of my favorite stories about her quiet time with God. Emilie would burn a scented candle every day while she was reading her Bible and praying. She said that long after she had blown out the candle and gone back to dishes and laundry and taking care of kids...she could smell the fragrance of that candle and it reminded her of her time spent alone with the King.

It reminded me of Esther who won the heart of the king and became Queen. Can you imagine a solid year of daily spa treatments? Six months of the oil of myrrh and six months of spices and cosmetics. Esther quickly found favor with the one in charge and found herself in the best rooms of the palace with attendants to take care of her every need. I'm convinced that during this time there was something happening in her heart as well. God was preparing her for the purpose and plan that He had for her. It is a beautiful story of courage and honor that is so worth reading from beginning to end if you haven't in a while.

Esther 2:17 tells us, "The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight... so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen."

I believe that the first thing the king smelled when Esther came before him...was her perfume. Her consistent daily regimen had prepared her to capture the attention of the king. And it opened the door for her to find favor with him.

Did you know that we have a fragrance too? Our worship is a beautiful fragrance before the King! And it delights His heart. God's heart is already FOR us but when we worship the Lord that sweet fragrance connects our heart with His so much that when we get busy in our day the fragrance of our time with God will still be noticeable. Not only will we be reminded of our time with Him...but I'm convinced that others will notice as well!

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...

We Are His Ambassadors

Denise Harper — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be an ambassador in a foreign country? We would represent our country in a land that is not our homeland. Our home in that foreign land would be called an embassy and considered a safe zone. While it is inside a country with different governmental laws and customs, within the walls of the embassy, the ambassador's home country laws and cultures apply.

Ambassadors are good negotiators. They are responsible to help with relationships between their home country and the country that is hosting them. And they are charged with the safekeeping of all their fellow countrymen and women who also work in the host country. They must be diplomatic in their interactions with everyone. One summary described it this way: "Ambassadors must navigate complex political and cultural landscapes while representing their country's interests. This requires a high level of emotional intelligence and the ability to handle difficult conversations and negotiations with grace and skill."*

Sound familiar to you? As believers, you and I are ambassadors for Christ! We are not living in our home country. THIS world is the host country and often we called upon to navigate through some pretty challenging political, cultural and spiritual conversations. It takes some skill, much prayer and a whole lot of grace to do this well. But do it we must! Our charge as ambassadors to the world that we are living in is to know God...and make Him known. To borrow the mission of Red Rocks Church in Colorado...our mission is to make Heaven a LOT more crowded!

1 Peter 2:11-12 (MSG) gives us this great responsibility: "Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life in your neighborhood so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives."

We ARE ambassadors for Christ!

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...

Just Ask

Denise Harper — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

"There are two moments in life. Those you miss and those you seize." That wisdom came from an unlikely source...a Hallmark movie! Wisdom handed down from one generation to the next about making wise choices. I'd like to believe that we get more wisdom the more we live life, but the truth is, at any given moment, we can miss out on a really important moment, and we can totally seize the wrong moment and find ourselves in a boatload of trouble.

For sure, the only way to know which moment is best missed and which moment should be embraced is to pray...every day!...for wisdom from God. After all, God knows the end from the beginning, and every page in between of our story. There is no one else more qualified to give us counsel, clarity, wisdom and discernment in every moment of our day than God!

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." That is James 1:5 (NLT)

If you're wondering 'how do I get everything done in a day if I have to pray before I do anything?' Here's what I have learned about talking with God. When I keep an open dialogue with God throughout my day I will have a thought to reach out to someone and text or call them. Or I might be about to do something, go somewhere, speak to someone, and the Holy Spirit will give me just a tiny nudge or pause before I do it. More times than I can count He stepped in to help me avoid something damaging or lead me to step into something that turned out to be amazing.

For all the big moments in life...and the little ones...just ask Him. We already know that we need His wisdom and His promise to us is that He will generously give us the wisdom we need as often as we need it! Just ask!

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...

Fulfilling His Purpose

Denise Harper — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I had dinner with a friend the other night that I haven't seen in over 20 years. It was so good to catch up on our families and on life. I was reminded as we shared stories of different things we've lived through that there have been a lot of good days and some hard days as well.

We talked more about the difficult parts of our journey for some reason. Perhaps trying to show that we have weathered some storms and we are still going. Maybe trying to encourage each other that we are warrior women and God is helping us to be courageous.

My friend left radio and became a nurse. And at one point in the evening she looked at me with a smile on her face and said, "I'm so glad I became a nurse. I love helping people." I know she has gone through some big things in the past two decades. But in that moment I could tell...she's doing what she was born to do...and it is well with her soul.

Psalm 57:2 (ESV) says, "I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me." Oh we've done some crying out over the years, haven't we?!! Consider this, that when we pour out our heart to God, He receives our prayers, and our tears, and He fulfills His purpose for me. What a beautiful thought that the hard things we go through are not in vain. That God makes something out of them and we can find fulfillment in His plan for us.

My prayer today is that we are doing what we were born to do, or moving toward that goal! And that it is well with our soul. God IS making something beautiful out of the pieces of our life. We can thank Him in that!

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 Lesson From My Pop Pop

Denise Harper — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

My grandfather died when I was about six years old. I only have a couple memories of him and this one made a very deep impression on me. Mom Mom and Pop Pop lived in a house on a bit of a hill. Their house was so fun and they had a nice yard to play in. And I loved staying with them!

On one particular visit, Pop Pop had told me that I could play outside anywhere in the yard but, he said, 'do NOT play inside the car'. He had left the car outside the garage a little ways down the hill. Well, you know, I investigated the flowers in the front yard and wandered through the garden in the back. I danced around on their back patio a little, but eventually... I got bored. Trying to think of something fun to do I considered my options. Pop Pop said I could play outside anywhere but inside the car...so what did i do? I got in the car.

Oh yeah, this is not going to end well. I don't know how long I was in the car. I don't think it was very long. But while I was standing up on the front seat I managed to knock the car out of gear...and it began to roll. Down the hill toward the street that ran in front of their house. The car was stopped before it could roll onto the street...by a telephone pole.

If ever I knew what the combination of fear and trembling felt like...it was at that moment. I remember overwhelming guilt that I had done what I was told NOT to do. I remember a very stern conversation and what kids from my generation would know as the punishment of the switch.

So when I read in Genesis 3 that Eve had all of that beautiful Garden of Eden to live in and could eat of ANY tree in that garden EXCEPT for the tree that is in the middle of the garden...although I get aggravated that we are in the world in the state we are in because she did it anyway...I remember that when I was about 4 or 5 I did exactly the same thing. I didn't eat a forbidden fruit but I did exactly the one thing I was forbidden to do...get in the car. Both of those were forbidden to us...to protect us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) says, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." Whatever the enemy is tempting us toward today, focus on this: God is faithful and He will make a way out. In the meantime, it is wise to focus on God's faithfulness and choose to resist the temptation of the enemy. God is greater...but we must choose Him.

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 Heart Of A Mom

Denise Harper — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Being a mom is the easiest... and the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life! The most fulfilling, exhausting, joyous and anxiety producing calling I've ever stepped into. When my first child was born I could watch him sleep for hours. I imagined that when he smiled while he was sleeping - he was dreaming of angels.

I remember wanting to create a perfect little bubble around him to keep him safe from anything that could harm him. A bang up with the coffee table turned into a skinned knee from the playground became dust ups with a bicycle and then a flip of a quad. I learned that far too soon motherhood goes from provider and protector to producer and promoter as we teach our children how to become well adjusted adults to live and love well and perpetuate the cycle of life as God planned it.

Before I had children I couldn't imagine how fiercely protective I could be or how tenderly I would love. I didn't know that I would wake up every morning with them on my mind and close each day whispering a prayer that God would watch over and keep them. And every other daily decision would be weighed by the impact those choices would have on my children.

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Proverbs 31:25-28 (NLT)

There are so many things I love about being a mom but one of the most beautiful revelations of motherhood is realizing that there is a tender side of God. And He wove that tenderness carefully, intricately into the heart of Mom.

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...

Beautiful & Battle Ready

Denise Harper — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Isaiah 52:7 (NKJV) tells us, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news. Who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Ephesians 6:15 (NLT) says, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” The gospel of peace is the message that Jesus gave to those who trust in Him.

I find it interesting that both of these bible verses talk about feet and also mention - good news... and peace. Have you ever thought when you planted your feet on the ground first thing in the morning that they have a mission from on high? It's true! When we've been introduced to the Good News of Jesus Christ we have a mission to share it. I've never thought my feet were beautiful. But God says that when we share the Gospel as we go through our day...our feet are beautiful!

And there's something we must do for our feet every day. There's a piece of God's armor in Ephesians 6 that is expressly meant to prepare our feet, and protect them, in our daily journey. Putting the gospel of peace on our feet looks like planting our feet firmly when the devil tries to distract us or tries to make us unsure of the promises that God told us we could trust and stand on.

Our feet can be beautiful AND ready for battle when we put on the gospel of peace, share the good news and trust God is with us every day!

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...

My Japanese Maple

Denise Harper — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Years ago I made the comment to my husband, Ken, that I would love to have a Japanese Maple tree in our front yard. It just never happened when we lived there.

Seven years ago, we moved into the home we are living in now. It was January when we moved in and the tree in our front yard was bare so I didn't even think about what kind of tree it was. When Spring came along and I realized that the tree with no leaves months earlier now had beautifully rich, red leaves greeting me every day was...a Japanese Maple...I couldn't help but hear God's promise echo quietly in my heart...."Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

Long before we knew we would live in this home God had prompted someone to plant a tree...specifically a Japanese Maple tree...that would be here when we arrived...to remind us that God knows the things we hold in our heart. And He delights to make even the little things come to be.

My friend, what is that thing that you've been holding in your heart and praying over? Maybe it seems little on your scale and you think it's insignificant to God. Maybe it's so big that you're even a little afraid to believe that God would do it for you! Let me encourage you today to focus on the first part of Psalm 37:4. Take delight in the Lord. I love how The Passion Translation directs us. "Find your delight and true pleasure in Yahweh, and He will give you what you desire the most. Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust Him along the way, you’ll find He pulled it off perfectly!" (Ps 37:4-5 TPT)

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...

It's On The Way

Denise Harper — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

While we sometimes long for simpler days, days before technology came to commandeer our attention all day and night, there are some things about it that I appreciate. For example, I love being able to shop online. If I need something, I can research it, view all the options available, compare prices from different sources, purchase it and have it shipped right to my front door...from wherever I am.

One feature I really love is being able to track my purchase. I can see where it is and just about when it will arrive. Have you ever been tracking a package and it seems to be stuck? At Christmas I ordered my son a flying orb spinner ball. It was an impulse buy, looked like fun, and I ordered it about two weeks out from Christmas.

The first sign of trouble for me was that it was shipping from Ireland. Every day, multiple times a day, I checked that little box marked 'Track Shipment' to see where it was...longing for the words, "Out for delivery" to show up! For days, it said it was being sorted through "Customs", then "in transit", then "US Customs". It took about five weeks, but it finally arrived. No matter how often I checked on it, that order wasn't going to arrive any sooner than it was supposed to arrive. I couldn't shortcut the delivery time...because there was a process.

We don't always know the 'process' of our answered prayers. We just know that some answers come quickly while many others are prayed over and over...maybe even for a lifetime...and still we wait for the answer to come. I'm reminded of the glimpse of heaven's process of answering prayer that Daniel gave us when he prayed to God for revelation in Daniel 10:12 (NIV). “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them."

21 days is how long it took the angel to deliver God's response to Daniel. That angel encountered spiritual warfare along the way and was deterred. We don't know what holds up some of God's answers. We can't shortcut the process of God's plan. But, we can continue to stand firm and keep the faith...that God has heard our prayer and help is on the 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...

Better Together

Denise Harper — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

When my kids were little they loved it when I was whipping up a cake. They always tried to patiently wait for me to disengage the egg beaters from the mixer out of the cake batter and since I had two kidlets...they each got one to lick. One of my favorite memories was teaching them that not everything tastes as good as it smells.

If you bake you are probably already ahead of me. I let them sniff the vanilla extract as I was getting ready to add it in the mix and it smelled so good!! So of course they wanted to taste it. Have you ever tasted vanilla extract?! Not very tasty. In fact, most of the basic ingredients it takes to make an incredibly tasty cake...taste pretty bad on their own. While each ingredient has a purpose and is needed, they are much better when you mix them all together. Together they make a sensational treat for your tastebuds!

When you think about it, that is a lot like people. I'm not saying that individually we aren't a treat to be around! Each of us was designed uniquely by God for a purpose with His great plan in mind. But when we come together as the body we are an amazing mix that can accomplish so much more than we can on our own. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT) tells us, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble...A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

God made us for community... not isolation! We are better 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...

Standing For Us

Denise Harper — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

My son, Cody, spent a lot of time playing sports when he was younger. So we spent a lot of time on the bleachers! When he played Little League we would cheer him on when he was up at bat, clapping our hands, making some noise! Everyone around us knew that Cody was our boy....and he was about to swing.

I can remember when he was rounding third base, headed for home plate, about to score, and the enemy....I mean...the opposing team was throwing the ball to the catcher to try to tag him out...I was up on my feet, hollering for him to go! Slide! Tag the plate!! The adrenaline was flowing and everything within me was focused on him finding success. Whether he scored or not, I was all in. And whether we celebrated a win or walked off a loss we kept encouraging him to keep at it and to know that we were always going to be for him.

There are dozens of scriptures in the Bible referencing that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. Like Hebrews 10:12 (ESV) that says, "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God." Jesus is always interceding on our behalf to the Father. That means He is always keeping his focus on us and what is going on in our lives.

One story, in particular, is a stunning example of how much Jesus is for us. In Luke 7, when Stephen was about to be stoned, verse 55 says, "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” I believe when Stephen was facing the hardest moments of his life...Jesus was standing...interceding. Right there.

When you and I are facing the hardest moments in our life....we can be sure...that Jesus is right there, alongside the Father, standing and interceding on our behalf.

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...

Soaking It Up Like A Sponge

Denise Harper — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Imagine for a moment that you reach for a sponge in your kitchen to clean up a spill. You'd been drinking a glass of orange juice and it got knocked over and spilled out all over the counter. The sponge soaked up most of the juice and you brought the sponge back to the sink to wring it out. What a surprise it would be if apple juice came dripping out?! Not only would it be a surprise....it would be miraculous! Why? Because we know we soaked up orange juice in that sponge. There is NO WAY that apple juice can come out instead.

The principle of this equation is this: what goes in will come out. Aside from being a law in chemistry, it's also a direct summation of how we think, believe and behave. It's exactly why Paul told the believers at Philippi in Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT), "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."

Because, like that sponge, we will be squeezed. Maybe not today or maybe multiple times today...something or someone is going to wring us out. What will come out of us? How will we respond? What we have taken in, in our thoughts, in our choices on television and other electronics, what we've read....that's what will come out when we are squeezed.

What are we soaking up 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...

A Catalyst For Growth

Denise Harper — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

There's a funny thing about growth. We don't often recognize it while it's happening. Growth happens at such a slow pace that many times we just don't notice it. We may notice the effects of growth sooner. Maybe our kiddos pants are getting shorter. Perhaps our pants are getting tighter. Our grocery budget doesn't bring home as much as it used to.

Some growth is what we long for in life. We want to grow closer to our spouse and other family members. Deepening our friendships with others is a reflection of growth in our lives. Growing in the knowledge of what we do for a living or the hobby we've taken up is admirable and helps us feel more accomplished. And all of those take time.

There is always a catalyst for growth. Something happened that stimulated change. The greatest change agent I know is the Holy Spirit. Something happens when we meet Him that alters our life forever. And the more we get to know Him, spending time with Him, the more we grow.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV) says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple? God's Spirit lives in you." ...I really want to repeat that. GOD'S SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU....and in me! Look for the change! We cannot help but be changed by the Spirit of Almighty God living inside of us. The more we are aware of and give honor to His Spirit taking up residence inside - the more growth we will see. And so will those around 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...

Peace with God

Denise Harper — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

You know that uncomfortable feeling of being in a room with someone with whom you've had a disagreement? That awkward silence. The tension. You know you should apologize. Whether you were right or wrong... The way back to restoration begins with 'I'm sorry'. Why are those two words so hard to say?!! Two pieces of advice always ring in my ear....my mama saying, 'two wrongs don't make a right!' and Pastor Bill asking, 'do you want to be right? Or do you want to be reconciled?'

Just as the argument brought tension being reconciled to one another brings peace. And what a beautiful sense of calm that brings to our heart. Restoration takes work. Honesty. Communication. Forgiveness. Sometimes we wrestle in our relationships to keep the peace, die to self, preferring one another to live in harmony.

Romans 5:1 (NLT) speaks of a peace that is beyond our ability to create ourselves because it is a gift that we receive from our Heavenly Father when we believe. "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." The Passion Translation tells it this way: "Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us."

No guesswork or working to 'keep the peace' needed. Because when we put our faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross and through His resurrection...we have peace with God...and oh the peace that floods our soul!

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...

Don't Forget To Whom We Belong

Denise Harper — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I am the daughter of great parents. Anyone who has known or worked with Charlie and Cathel Tanner are, no doubt, fond of them and love them too! Over the years they both have exhibited great work ethic, strong leadership skills, a deep and personal faith in God and the capacity to love well....really well.

The benefits and blessings of being their daughter are endless. Their love and care and confidence in me helped to shape who I am, how I behave and what I believe. I have so much to be grateful for in being their child.

It is possible to take who we belong to for granted. In our search to discover who we are as individuals ...we can forget whose we are. And that is a huge mistake. Forgetting who we belong to opens the door to doubt. When we live with mistaken identity we make poor choices. We pick up wrong behavior patterns and honestly....we live beneath our means.

I'm not talking about our financial status. I am talking about our inheritance from the King of the universe! John 1:12 (ESV) tells us "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." When we begin to breathe in - I am a child of God - it changes our perspective on everything. When we believe and receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord, He gives us the right, the privilege, the benefits and the blessings of belonging, as His children, to God.

We must never forget to whom we belong!

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...

Count It All Joy

Denise Harper — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

"Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds." That's what James said in the first chapter of his book in the New Testament. He went on to tell them. "You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James says in verse one that he is writing to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. I'll bet that they were facing more than a few trials at the time.

Think about the last time you found yourself facing a difficult thing. I'm guessing that pure joy was not the emotion you were feeling at the time. How odd to think we should receive hard things with joy. But that's what the Bible tells us will yield the best outcome. Know that when our faith is tested it produces a perseverance that keeps us hanging in there...growing us into maturity and into a place of lacking nothing.

I love how The Message tells us James 1:2-4. "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."

That really is a gift!

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 Fishermen

Denise Harper — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

At the end of my street is a very big pond. It's where ducks show up in the early Spring each year. The occasional rowboat or kayak appears when summer approaches. And on any given day of the year it's where guys love to meet up to hang out and dangle a line in the water for hours at a time.

It can be hot, cold, humid, breezy or a chill in the air. The sun may be shining or it could be raining and they still show up. Consistent. Patient. Persistent. I don't know how much fish they catch. I'll bet some days more than others. But they keep coming back. Perhaps it's as much about the company they keep as it is the fish that they take home.

When Jesus approached two fisherman named Peter and Andrew on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, His invitation to them was, "follow Me and I will make you fishers of men". I'm guessing it was an odd statement to them...to fish for men. And it may be even more odd to those of us who don't fish! But the principle of fishing...the act of fishing....to really successfully pull in a good catch?...is to be... consistent, patient and persistent. Sound familiar?

Jesus' call wasn't just to Peter and Andrew to be fishers of men. Matthew 4:19-20 (MSG) Jesus said, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed."

He wants us to keep showing up, hanging out and living our lives as God-followers. Consistently. Patiently. Persistently. Jesus will do 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...

Brace Yourself!

Denise Harper — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I was sitting across from a financial advisor whose office was inside an old train station. When he said, "brace yourself!" I wasn't sure what he meant. Within seconds a train came barreling past the building making it impossible to continue our conversation. The furniture nearly buzzed from the vibration of the thunderous machine moving on the rails just feet away from where we were sitting.

As the train was about to pass the crossing, it blew its horn several times, alerting drivers in vehicles that it was coming through. Once the train had cleared the area, vehicles proceeded across the tracks. And inside the office we continued our discussion. It was as if potential danger had never been present.

How often is it that very real danger passes right alongside of us? Sometimes we may be aware of its pending arrival...and often we have no idea what is headed our way. All the more reason that we must stay in touch with God. The Holy Spirit can alert us to danger and even divert our travel when necessary to fulfill His plan.

Psalm 121:8 (MSG) tells us, "God guards you from every evil. He guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, He guards you now. He guards you always." What an assuring promise He gives us to rest in today. He guards us always!

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 Flaw

Denise Harper — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

When we were about to have our kitchen floor re-finished I picked out this beautiful pattern and I couldn't wait to see it installed. It turned out beautifully...except for one small section...where the pattern just did not match. It went in the opposite direction. No one else seemed to notice...but it drove me crazy!

Every time we received compliments on the flooring I found myself pointing out the spot that bugged the daylights out of me. Friends would always say...'oh I didn't notice that at all'. And finally I came to the decision that instead of focusing on the flaw I should just enjoy the floor.

How often have I missed the beauty because all I could see was the one thing that seemed like a flaw to me? It seems like we do that often, don't we?! We are surrounded by the good...but instead of enjoying it ...we spend our time focused on the flaw. It might be in our power to fix...or it might not. It might not even be a flaw but it just seems off to us. It's a distraction from what we really should be thinking about...and isn't that what the enemy does?! He distracts us from what we really should be focusing on.

The Apostle Paul told us in Philippians 4:8 (MSG) exactly how to give up that terrible habit of being distracted. "Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."

Think on these things.

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 Deepest Love

Denise Harper — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

There is no one like our God. He made the world and all its individual nations and waterways. Every animal, bird, fish and flower are each their own design. And look how creative to make a giraffe so tall with such a long neck. A zebra that has the shape of a horse and yet is completely striped from head to hoof.

God took great pleasure in creating Adam and Eve. When He looked on all He had created He said "they are very good." I love to imagine what it must have been like for Adam to name each of the animals...and...wait for God to come and visit in the garden during the cool of the evening. Can you just imagine?

In all the pleasure God took in His creation, He also knew that we would botch things up. Still He made us ... and our way to redemption. Revelation 13:8 speaks of 'the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world'. From the very beginning...He knew.

God loves us just the way we are. And yet...He loves us too much to let us stay that way. God comforts us in our struggles and in our pain. At the same time, He also compels us, not to sit in our difficulties, but to grow and mature in our walk with Him. That's the deepest love of all!

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 Broken

Denise Harper — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Whether you've read The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John....or maybe you are getting to know about the miracles of Jesus by watching the hugely popular series "The Chosen"... you'll notice it clearly that Jesus didn't spend a lot of his earthly time with the religious leaders who focused more on appearances than what was in their hearts and judged others according to their stature. Jesus was drawn to the every day people in the communities he visited. In fact, he was most drawn to those who were hurting, sick or injured, the broken.

Jesus is the same today as He was in that day. Not attracted to beauty as the world would call beautiful. What draws the King of Glory to us is not how much money we have, or how we dress, or even how well behaved our children are. The magnetic pull between the heart of Christ and your heart and mine....is our brokenness.

Psalm 34:18 pulls at our heart. "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed." We are all broken in some way. It's inevitable because we live in this broken world. When we stop trying to cover up our pain and let Jesus come close He will heal the hurt. He is our rescuer. If you are feeling crushed by the weight of the world today - let Jesus in. He is faithful to His Word. The Lord leans in to our brokenness and rescues us when we are being crushed. Thank God for His promise to you in Psalm 34:18 even if you are still feeling very broken. Keep thanking Him and watch what God does!

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 Speed Of God

Denise Harper — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

One of the kindest things someone has ever said to me happened on a trip with a group of friends and co-workers while we were on a retreat. We were walking back to our vehicles after dinner from a restaurant on the Atlantic City Boardwalk and it was farther than I was used to walking. Our group had sort of broken into two groups and I was in the small group of those of us taking the leisurely, slow stroll back to where the vehicles were parked.

I needed to stop for a few minutes and a friend paused with me and said very gently, "would you mind if I waited with you?" I was so moved by his way of showing compassion and care. Not calling attention to my inability to keep pace with the rest of the group. Not making a big deal out of the moment. Just a quiet kindness of waiting alongside me until I was ready to move forward.

He reminded me so much of Jesus in that moment. Think about all the moving parts that God orchestrates around us every single moment! The pace of this world is enormous...and exhausting! There are times that we just need to take a beat. Press pause. Catch our breath. And it is in that moment, if we will listen, we can hear our Savior say...would you mind if I waited with you?...

2 Peter 3:9 kindly reminds us, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Whether its a physical walk, an emotional journey, or our story of redemption and how long it takes us to finally say yes to God....we may lose patience in the waiting. But God never does. And it is His kindness that leads us to repentance.

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 God Has Allowed

Denise Harper — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

We had been sharing our prayer requests with each other as we do each week during our staff meetings and as we prepared to pray together a colleague, who was visiting with us that day, led us in prayer. And he prayed, 'God, I pray that you would redeem what you have allowed in my life.' My heart grabbed a hold of that request that day and I've never forgotten it.

Jeremiah 29:11 is clear that God knows the plans He has for us. He declares they are plans to prosper us and not to harm us. Plans to give us hope and a future. And we know that many times His plans for us take us through dark valleys...the valley of the shadow of death, even (Psalm 23:4). Because we live in a fallen world we are subjected to difficult things. You and I know there are many hardships and trials that we face and those that we love must face and at times...life is just...hard.

What brings us comfort and gives us hope is that God is the Great Redeemer. His promise in Romans 8:28 (TPT) reminds us, "So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose."

So when we find ourselves facing dark days, trying to make sense of senseless things around us and just trying to remember to breathe, it is ok to pray with comfort and with hope...that God would indeed redeem what He has allowed in our life. He promised us that He would....for our good and His glory. We can trust Him.

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...

Trash or Treasure

Denise Harper — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

One man's trash is another man's treasure. Or in this case...another man's trumpet. When my son, Cody, decided he wanted to learn to play the trumpet we weren't sure if he would stick with it or not so we were talking about it at a family get together and my brother disappeared from the room. When he came back, he was carrying an instrument case. When he opened it up there was a trumpet laying inside. It had a few dings in it but it played great!

My brother played the saxophone when he was in school so I was curious to know how he happened to have a trumpet in hand. He said his uncle-in-law was driving through his neighborhood and noticed a neighbor had a big pile of trash at the curb waiting for pick up and he spotted the instrument case on top of the heap. So he asked his neighbor who told him it was his if he wanted it! My brother wasn't quite sure why it had been passed along to him...until he heard us talking about finding a trumpet for Cody to play in the band. Wow! Talk about God's provision! We had it cleaned up and Cody picked up playing it very quickly.

That trumpet wasn't perfect. Many would've looked at it and said it's not good enough. It's too worn out and beat up to play anymore. But in the hands of one who loved it and wanted to use it, it made beautiful music!! And what a story that horn could tell. Played. Discarded. Picked up and placed in the hands of one who wanted to make a joyful noise! Does this sound at all familiar to you?

Don't we discount our own worth at times? or the value of another? Regardless of the shape we are in, how hard we've been played or how long we've been left, discarded, treated like trash...we are a treasure! God lovingly picks up the pieces of our life, rescues us from our mess and reveals the treasure that we are and always were. When you have doubts, you'll find that truth in John 3:16. "For God SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life."

God gave His own Son to redeem us back to Him. You are absolutely His treasure!

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...

That's Not What I Said

Denise Harper — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Have you ever been misquoted? Someone blatantly said that you said something and it wasn't at all what you said! Whether you've ever had an adult misquote you...if you are a parent...I'm betting that you have been misquoted a time or two. Let me give you an example: your child comes into the room to ask you for permission to do something or go somewhere...pauses for a second and then adds..."Dad said I could!" Later you learn that Dad said..."If your Mom says it's ok, then it's ok with me."

Whether innocently misquoting or intentionally misleading someone by misquoting it is frustrating to find out that someone has believed something totally untrue about you or about your character when a simple conversation could have cleared it up.

There is a promise in God's Word that is so often misquoted that I believe it must truly grieve God's heart when we take it in as truth. How often have we heard "God won't give us any more than we can bear."? How long have we believed that to be true? It comes from misunderstanding 1 Corinthians 10:13. Here is what God promised: "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure."

There is no guarantee that what we face won't be more than we can bear. There IS a guarantee that He will never give you more than HE can carry! God will show us a way out so that, with His help, we can endure! That's the promise! The next time you're tempted to misquote God's promise, remember this: Nothing is too big for God to handle...so I am going to trust Him to help me through this!

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...