Annette R.

Day 1, Jesus’ Resurrection Appearances (Acts 1:1-3)

I find it hard to contain my enthusiasm each day as I take in the Acts Daily Devotional Podcast. I am convinced that I am truly living in a story God is writing. As someone exploring my purpose after retirement, I wonder: Is it serendipitous that God is gifting me with my new purpose, “Be a witness where you are”? No, it’s been part of my story since my beginning.

Nancy Tobin

Day 126, Division and Encouragement

I perseverate on past sins no matter how much I confessed or asked for forgiveness. In this podcast it was stated, Jesus doesn’t critique your past performance, he stands before you and points to what is next. The tone of Grace is have courage. There is still more story to be written. This hit home for me and I shared it with others I felt would benefit.

Christi Cristians

All of it as a whole.

This study has IGNITED a fire in me to share the gospel because God will use so many different people and ways for His plan to proceed just like He did in the early church.

Ron Renner

The development of the Church as an expansive event

My expectations are becoming broader. The successful spreading of the Gospel is not dependent on my honing a skill, perfecting a presentation, or defeating an argument. In doing so, some will see Christ through me while others will only see me merely as a threat.

Seeing Paul’s actions in context demonstrates wisdom; I am more likely to consider how Paul responded in multiple circumstances than to presume a mandate based on a singular instance. Life is replete with nuance and my responses must reflect nuance.

Megan B.

Acts 4:13-22, “Bold Witnesses Released”

I was praying this before the devotional came out, but it fits: “Lord, let the kingdom advance today, and let it begin in me.” I started seeing ordinary, present moments as places where I could either plant seeds of the Gospel, or water them. My mindset around sharing the Gospel has been radically refined into sharing pieces of my redemption in everyday conversations. I don’t have to stand on a street corner or get disappointed if I don’t lead an unbeliever to salvation in one conversation. I can slowly and deliberately reflect Jesus wherever I am that day.

Emily, Erie

Acts 25

Encouraged me to speak up when there is an opportunity to share what Jesus has done in my life.

Carolyn, Erie

Chapters 25 and 26, where God gave Paul clear direction

I am trying to act with obedience and am more aware of asking the Holy Spirit what to do. When in Europe recently my spirit felt so discouraged about the church being so dead. I knew I should pray, go, or send to act in obedience so I started praying. To my utter amazement, there were four people preaching the gospel in Amsterdam, a city so numb to the gospel. My husband and I prayed over these men as encouragement for their obedience!

Debbie R.

Day 25, Acts 5:12-16, signs and wonders

Started praying for God to increase my expectation of His power. I have become cynical, probably due to disappointments, and have become weak in believing that God still works in power through us today. This episode, as well as the entire book of Acts, placed a strong desire in me to go deeper in my faith and trust that God can still use me to proclaim the gospel through His power and still see signs and wonders working now.

Michael Smith

Day 124’s reflection

It changed my perspective on the situation and instead of remaining bitter, I went forward with a positive attitude.

Nancy, Erie

Acts 20:7-12

I was intrigued by the story and drawn in as the commentary set the scene with the lamps, heat, and the tired young man on the windowsill as Paul encouraged the believers in the upper room. Then amazed at Paul’s faith for God to heal Eutychus and return to preaching. The next step was to go out and encourage someone.

I knew of a Christian manager at work who was having a difficult time, both physically and emotionally tired. She needed to be encouraged. I was so excited, and I felt the Holy Spirit strongly nudging me to share the story and encourage her. So I texted her and asked her if she could give me 10 minutes at work today. She said yes. I couldn’t wait.

I walked into work and went straight to her office. I told her the story in Acts and felt like I was being nudged to encourage her. I asked if I could pray with her. We held hands and I prayed over her and her department and reminded her that Christ walks with us each day and will give her the strength to get through the park season. We hugged and I departed and that was that. I felt I had been obedient to the Spirit’s nudging.

Looking back we were both exhausted like that young man on the window sill and were struggling to get through the day to day grind of the season at the beginning of August. We were both in need of encouragement and the Spirit moved through that passage to provide it.

Rob, Erie

Day 44, Acts 9:10, when Ananias replied, “Here I am Lord”

What if Ananias had said no? Simply put, this statement changed my thinking. I always framed God’s plan as being perfect whether I was a part of it or not. I thought if I wasn’t available he would simply use somebody else, so it was no big deal. In the case of Ananias, God had already told Paul who to expect, so what if Ananias had said no? I was encouraged and emboldened by the words, “Obey before your fear builds a stronger case than your faith.”

Melissa T.

Day 132, Acts 25:1-12

I am still examining my daily life and decisions and what I ask of God in my petitions. Things like financial blessings or well being that I’ve gone to classes for and know what to do but don’t practice. Relationships, I pray for restoration when I could take a step in restoration. Derek also asks us, “What tool has God placed in your hand that you keep praying He would replace with a miracle?”

Then the next day, Derek asks, “Is Jesus alive or isn’t He? If He is then you should rearrange your life around the answer.” I question that, since I believe He is alive, why my life is arranged around me and my family more than around Jesus.

Lin, Edinboro

Day 130 (Acts 24)

My courage in sharing the gospel grew when I heard the words, “the Church grew because Christians told the truth about the Resurrection in rooms meant to silence it.” I am less afraid of a world that continues to try to reframe it.

Barb M.

Chapter 17

Although Peter did not understand what God was telling him in his vision he still followed through. The statement “Belief comes before understanding” grabbed me from the first time I heard it. This summarizes the challenge followers of Jesus had then and remains with us today. Choosing to believe first has given me the courage to move forward in uncharted territory. The path the Holy Spirit is providing is one I don’t understand completely, how or when I will get there. I know he has been on this journey with me a long time, so why would he quit now.

Bob & Shirley Schell

Day 136

We made a commitment to do better at finding our chair on New Year’s Day, including reading through the Bible in a year. It has been a wonderful adventure. Our chair moves on a daily basis from our bedroom to Presque Isle or somewhere on the water. Now we start our devotions with Derek’s podcast. It has highlighted the need to slow down and digest the Scriptures. A quote that touched us is, “If grace has reached you, it might be redirecting you, not retiring you.”

Meg Peterson

Acts 3:11-16, Peter Explains the Healing

I have practiced the redirect all summer. I’ve used phrases such as “I’m glad God let me be a part of that” and “I’m glad God keeps calling me to lead” when responding to compliments. As a worship leader I am grateful for this teaching. The worship team is visible within a church. People often come up to us to tell us we did great. It’s appreciated but at the same time it’s also an awkward part of being on team. We know it’s all for God but in the moment someone compliments you it’s hard to know what to say back. At first a comment like that can make you feel warm but then you find yourself saying thank you, trying to avoid the conversation and maybe even feeling shameful. I think that shame comes from realizing that you’ve accepted a compliment that was intended for God. Now I take those opportunities to point people past me and toward Jesus. It has also changed how I lift up my team as a leader. I’ve switched to phrases like, “I could really see the love of Jesus coming through you during worship today.”

Paul Ebert

Paul didn’t preach. He shared his story.

I started living in a way that people want to know my story.

Linda, Albion

Acts 8, Philip and the Ethiopian

I’m viewing my service on the music ministry team I serve on differently. We’re facing some challenges, and it’s been a bit discouraging. Philip obeying God and going out to meet the Ethiopian reminded me that I just need to be faithful to the call on my life. Only God knows how it might impact someone. We don’t know if Philip knew how that man lived his life afterwards. I don’t need to see the fruits of my service, if there are any. I just need to continue to do what God is asking me to do and let Him take care of the rest.

Emily Irwin

Day 123, Paul’s Defense: My Commission

My favorite part of these was in the reflections and the step of ordinary obedience challenges. Day 123 specifically, I did not need to meditate on the reflection or challenge. A specific person immediately came to my mind, and I knew I had to send them a text to tell them they were my Ananias. I was overwhelmed with gratitude to come to the realization that at one point in time I was blind, and there was someone in my life who opened my eyes. I started to remember that I too have been someone’s Ananias at one point in time. Why haven’t I continued to follow up with those people? Why do I not see that God sends me many Ananiases? Many more questions came to my mind after listening to this specific passage. It provoked deep thought and immediate action, which is beautiful!

Kaylynne W.

Acts 8

I focused on becoming more aware of my surroundings, the people I interacted with and those I didn’t. Then I started to take active steps towards sharing the Gospel in ways that made sense, speaking kindly, having lunch, and lending a helping hand. We aren’t perfect people, but through Christ, I believe we can be unstoppable. I’ve been working towards using kind words even when I disagree.

Donald B.

Days 29, 30, 31

I was struggling with pain and hurt from recent ministry failure and as a result of these devotions I was able to begin the healing and received clarification I needed in the midst of my struggle.

Karen, Erie and Punta Gorda

Day 95, Acts 17:22-28, Mars Hill Sermon: Unknown God

Daily, I have started to pray for more love and understanding of people that I come in contact with, less judgment, and am asking for eyes to see common ground and ways to build relationships.

Robert, Erie

Day 131, “Don’t be a Felix”

Felix was touched and convicted by Paul’s testimony (Acts 24:26), yet he chose to reconsider his words at a future and more convenient time. Derek reminded me that putting off change until a more convenient season was a fiction. I used this wisdom to clean up and better organize my messy office, and have reaped more energy, joy, and spiritual vitality. I wanted my testimony to be that I was found obedient to the heavenly vision He has given to me (Acts 26:19).

Shawn T.

The Roman soldier who wanted to know more about Jesus

After Peter was told to eat from the sheet full of unclean creatures, Peter was called to go address the needs of someone who sent for him. Peter willingly walked into the home of a Gentile who was also a Roman soldier, doubly unclean. Today I’m not hung up on Gentiles or Roman soldiers, but there are plenty of other categories I am wrestling to let go of. Applying that to me, I am taking a Muslim co-worker and his family out to dinner at a halal restaurant because he is going through a difficult time in his life. I was hesitant about halal food being sacrificed, but I know Jesus wants my friend to experience his love so he can see the real Jesus.

Rodney B.

Paul on trial

Reached out to encourage a young college student.

As a full-time pastor of over 40 years, I realized that this was a stroke of spiritual genius. Everyone I know from the church was listening to it and we always used it as a conversation starter. What an amazing blessing it was. In fact, I was agonizing over its conclusion.

GR Buell

Day 142. Like Acts 29, it’s the one we actually live out.

More than 30 years ago, the Lord called my wife and I to international ministry, but the timing never seemed to be right. Having followed along with Pastor Derek every day for the entire journey through Acts, I was encouraged and emboldened to take radical steps of obedience by following the Lord’s leading, and we now live and work in the place to which we were called to go.