The Bridge: Devotions with Denise

The Best Leaders

Denise Harper — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

The best leaders I've ever worked with - were followers first. They learned to follow well and understood the importance of being a good follower. We can't be leaders until we are followers. Perhaps the better way to say it is - we shouldn't be a leader until we are a good follower.

You may be thinking that you aren't a leader. But the truth is, we are all leaders in one way or another. If you are married - or a parent - you are a leader. Maybe you lead a small group or you have a group of people that you work with who look to you for leadership. God has given each of us a circle of influence and we are to shepherd them wisely.

Proverbs 21:1 from The Message says, "Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; He directs it to whatever ends He chooses." Instead of focusing on being the best leader, if we focus on doing what God wants us to do, that action of submitting to God's will, opens the door for God to use us in ways we never thought possible. It changes us and it impacts those people with whom God has given us to work.

What happens when we are willing to put God's will above our own will be beyond our imagination!

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...

Honor & Faithful Service

Denise Harper — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I received a call one day to audition for a Christian music group called Sound of Joy. The group was based in Pensacola, Florida and had gotten my name from a group I had traveled with previously. I politely declined. Little did I know that call would change the course of my life forever. A year later I found myself embarking on a three year tour with Sound of Joy.

It's true that God can move mountains (a.k.a.) anything that stands between us and God's plan for our lives. The man who owned the ministry, Art Crane, had been a Marine Officer, flew fighter jets, served his country well and for his twilight years felt called to begin a ministry and put together a group of young musicians who loved Jesus and tour them around the country. There were many easier ways to serve the Lord, but Art and his wife, Sue, followed this calling and impacted so many lives for the Kingdom.

My husband, Ken, and I learned so much from Art Crane and our hearts were broken when he suffered a heart attack and died while we were away on tour. His funeral included military honors. The 21 gun salute. A solitary bugle playing 'Taps'. The American flag folded with precision as the military guard leaned toward his wife and said, "On behalf of the President of the United States, the United
States Marine Corps, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.”

Honor. That act to honor Art's military service was beautiful but it pales in comparison to the honor King Jesus will bestow on him for the number of lives changed for the Kingdom of Heaven because he said 'yes' to serving God. Regardless of age or experience he accepted the call.

Regardless of career choice, how young or old we are, or how equipped we may feel...when we say 'yes' to the voice of God...all of Heaven pays attention to the ripple of impact that changes lives for eternity. Whatever He is asking you to do, say yes! We have the power of God's Word in Philippians 4:13 (NIV) to back us up! "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens 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...

Some Root Work

Denise Harper — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

My husband, Ken, and I were sitting out on our back deck one afternoon enjoying a beautiful day when I pointed out how strange it was to see a variety of leaves on the giant pine trees that run along the back of our yard's property line. There were plenty of pine tree limbs with pine cones on them. But there were also leafy vines that stuck out in various places all the way up the trees. They were green and blended in but just looked different from what pine trees are supposed to look like. Ken said, 'those aren't supposed to be there'. He went to get the large gardening shears and disappeared inside the tree line.

I had no idea what Ken was doing once he literally stepped inside the tree branches to get to the trunk of the tree. I couldn't see him but I could hear him clipping away. When I hollered out, 'what in the world are you doing in there?' he answered, 'I am cutting those vines off at the root. I can't pull them off the tree but I can cause them to die so they don't invade these trees anymore.' Do you know that within a week, those weeds that had grown all the way up inside those trees, that were green and almost blended in, had turned brown...lifeless. They'd been cut off at the root.

Oh my goodness. What a spiritual lesson that spoke to me. We can work so hard to extract ourself from things that don't belong in our lives. They may even blend in but in the end they can bring us harm. The answer often is finding the root of it...and cutting it off. We may need to find the courage to do it ourselves. Sometimes we need the Holy Spirit to do the cutting. The Bible is very clear that God will show us when we ask. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5 (ESV)

Be aware that when we ask God to help us cut away anything in our lives that keeps us from growing fully in His plan for us, things could get complicated. It might be messy. It could even hurt. But the end result will be a lush life that thrives in the presence of our Savior. And that is the goal!

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...

Squeezing & Crushing

Denise Harper — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

What do orange juice, coffee, peanut butter and lemonade all have in common? You can't get them without a lot of work first! There is a lot of energy that goes into the process before we are able to enjoy the finished product. The picking, inspecting, sorting, squeezing, crushing, mixing, tasting...it all has to happen first. There may be many involved in the journey from start to finish but always there is a master or supervisor that watches over the entire operation. Guarding, guiding and providing all that is needed to make the very best.

We are a work in process. Becoming more like Jesus doesn't happen overnight. We know that we are chosen. (Colossians 3:12) Psalm 139:5 (NET) says, "You squeeze me in from behind and in front; You place Your hand on me." Psalm 34:18 (NIV) tells us, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." God is right there with us, saving us, when we find ourselves being crushed. Jesus told us in John 16:33 (AMP), "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.”

Finally, we can be confident that our Master is with us in all of this journey. Jesus promised in Matthew 28:20 (NLT), "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” From beginning to end, as we are being perfected into the image of our Lord, He is with us, guarding, guiding and providing because HE is making the very best.

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...

Today's Chapter

Denise Harper — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

A friend of mine shared the most beautiful picture of a sunset from her vehicle's side window and it made me think about how glorious it is to watch the sun set on a day...and how breathtaking it is to watch the sun rise on a day. The anticipation of seeing the sun bring its light to our part of the world reminds us that there is hope for what's next. The night may have been very dark. We may have endured a really long, dark night...but there it is...hope coming up on the horizon. Reminding us that there is hope for light to shine in our personal darkness again.

And that glorious sunset closes the chapter of this day in history. Regardless of the good, the bad, the ugly and every shade of every thing in between...there is a time that God says to the sun...that is enough for today. Whenever I get that moment to just stop and take in the beauty of the sun finishing its purpose on my side of the earth I am grateful that God has walked with me through every part of this day. I am reminded that there a beginning and an end...of this day, of this work, of this life.

Lamentations 3: 22-26 remind us of who we put our trust in and have hope. "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

I think that is why a hush comes over me every time I am able to watch the sun rise and set. My soul remembers God's compassions and mercies never fail toward us. I am reminded that HE is our portion for this day. And will be for tomorrow. I breathe in hope that He will be with me on every page of this day's chapter. And tonight I will breathe out thanksgiving that my hope continues to wait and rest in 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...

It's Time

Denise Harper — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Waiting is an all too familiar place for us. It feels like such an enormous waste of time most often. Every day, it seems, we are required to wait for something or someone. For those of us who like to keep things moving along, and especially for those adept at multi-tasking, having to wait can be frustrating!

How about waiting on God? From our vantage point we pray and ask God to answer our prayer in a specific way. But we can't see what is up ahead. We cannot see how the timing of our need being met might intersect with another's expectant prayer. But God. I can't even begin to imagine how God manages all of it...and all of us. Except that He is God...and there is nothing that God cannot do.

I think maybe the first time I really got a glimpse of the intricacy of God's plan was one day while reading the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah in Luke 1. They were serving the Lord, careful to keep His commands, in fact the Bible says they were blameless in how they lived. And they were childless....and now they are old. You know they must have cried out to God fervently for years to have a child. And yet...there were none. Until God said "it's time" and sent His angel Gabriel to Zechariah to confirm...'God has heard your prayer.' Luke 1:13 (NIV)

Their child would be known as John the Baptist. The one who would pave the way to say the Messiah is coming and baptize Jesus at the start of His ministry. While John and Jesus were born only months apart...the age difference between Elizabeth and Mary the mother of Jesus was counted in decades. While Elizabeth and Zechariah prayed over and over...and waited and waited...their answer was dependent on the timing of Mary's story! I'm guessing that their prayers for children began long before Mary herself was even born. And so they waited...until God said, 'it's time!'

What you are waiting for, believing God for...don't give up! Sometimes our answer is dependent on another's. But God. He is holding all of the pieces in His hands. We know that God is faithful. He hears our prayers. And His answer will always be right on time.

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...

Filling Up the Space

Denise Harper — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

The Apostle Paul told us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." We know that it is easier said than done. If it were easy then we wouldn't struggle with thoughts like "what if they don't like me? what if I mess up? what if I have an epic fail?"

We find ourselves trying to fill our lives with all kinds of things to fill up that space. More clothes, more shoes, more food, more stuff. "If I have all of that - perhaps people will like me more?!" Even more things to do on our calendar can be a way we try to fill up the empty place in our heart that makes our head try to fill it with the most immediate gratification. We may even put pressure on the people in our lives to fill us up with accolades and answers to our deepest needs. Which is really unfair...because they have an empty place that needs filling too!

The only way to appease the emptiness in our soul is to open our heart and life to Christ. C.S. Lewis said, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."

Only Jesus can fill our longing for more. And even then...while we are in this world...we may still feel a little lost sometimes, a little out of step sometimes. Because that need to find our way home...even when we are where we call home for now...is because we just aren't home yet. We were made for another world. Only Jesus makes it possible for us to finally make it home.

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 That Smell?

Denise Harper — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Years ago I heard a story about limburger cheese that I've never forgotten. I've never tried this kind of cheese but the way I've heard it described it smells like really dirty socks. Anyway, as the story was told, Grandpa was sleeping in his favorite recliner in the living room when his grandkids decided to play a little trick on him. While he was asleep the kids took a little piece of limburger cheese and wedged it in his bushy mustache.

When he woke up, Grandpa sniffed and said, 'this living room stinks'. He got up and walked into the kitchen and said with a little more emphasis, 'this kitchen stinks!' Finally, Grandpa walked outside the house onto the front porch, took a deep breath, and exclaimed with his fists in the air, 'the whole world stinks!!'

Everywhere he went, it smelled awful because Grandpa was carrying the offending source of the terrible smell with him! Are we guilty of doing that same thing ourselves at times? We're not hauling limburger cheese around. Bad attitudes and hard feelings toward others around us will cast a shadow over everything and everyone. Allowed to hang out indefinitely those attitudes and offenses can really stink up our world!

Proverbs 4:23 (NCV) tells us to "be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life." It's dangerous to give our thoughts free reign. Positive attitudes and giving grace to those who have offended us doesn't just happen. We have to choose good thoughts. And we need to decide to keep short accounts with others. When we do, we'll find that the atmosphere around us is different. Kinder. Sweeter. So take care of what you think...and your thoughts will lead you into a better 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...

Remember the Promise

Denise Harper — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

"You can't have a rainbow without a little rain." You've probably seen that saying before. I don't think I've ever met a person who didn't pause to appreciate the sight of a rainbow in the sky. Can you imagine what it must have been like to look up in the sky and see the very first rainbow?

In Genesis 9:12,13, 17 (CEV) God said, "The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever. When I send clouds over the earth, and a rainbow appears in the sky, I will remember my promise to you and to all other living creatures. Never again will I let floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the sky, I will always remember the promise that I have made to every living creature. The rainbow will be the sign of that solemn promise."

After all that rain. All that loss. When Noah and his family finally emerged from the Ark, with all of that uncertainty and maybe even some anxiety, there in the sky was the most unusual, spectacular sight. A rainbow. A sign of the presence of sunshine and rain. And a sign that even today, all of these thousands of years later, God still keeps His promises to us.

I heard an interesting take on life's struggles that we go through and the blessings we receive every day. They said "blessing is not an escape from struggle. The man paralyzed (in the New Testament) couldn't have received the blessing of healing without the struggle of paralysis. The blessing wasn't the healing. The blessing was the whole journey of that struggle. Sometimes we may not see the fruit of the blessing this side of heaven."

We don't really understand the depth of our blessings without experiencing the pain in our struggles. But God is faithful and good and kind. And He will not leave us to walk through any of it alone. And just when we feel like we cannot go on - in the midst of the rain - the sun will peek through - and we will get a glimpse of the colors in the rainbow...and we remember His promise.

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 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...