Q: Writing a devotional is an inherently spiritual process, so don't just reduce it to word counts and catchy anecdotes. Before you write—and throughout the process—pray earnestly that God will guide you so you can share His truth in a way that glorifies Him. It may help to write your devotional after you've done your own morning prayers and Scripture reading. When you're choosing the topic for your devotional, try not to let it become overly complicated. It's easy to take a deep dive into theology, but devotionals are meant to inspire the reader to meditate on some aspect of their own life.  If you narrow your focus, it will also be easier to meet word count limits. For instance, if you're writing about John 15:13, which says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends," you wouldn't write about all of the different types of love people have for each other. Instead, you might write about the deep love shown when someone sacrifices themselves. The most effective devotionals are able to strike a balance between being very personal and universal. To ensure you're able to craft a message that will really hit home with your reader, think about who you're writing for, and use stories, examples, and language that will apply to them. For instance, if you're writing about forgiveness and you're submitting to a market geared toward married Christian couples, you might write about forgiving your spouse. However, if the market is geared toward teens, you might write about forgiving your friends, parents, or siblings instead. Even if your devotionals are calling out a specific sin described in the Bible, it's important that you avoid having a judgmental tone or seeming like you're talking down to the reader. Instead, try to write in a way that's relatable and encouraging, and that always emphasizes God's love, goodness, and forgiveness. For instance, you wouldn't want to say, "You've probably told a lie, right? That's a sin, and everyone who sins is going to hell." Instead, you might share a story about a time you told a lie to be polite, then got caught. Sometimes, theology can be a landmine full of differing opinions and interpretations of Scripture. With that in mind, try to steer away from complex, emotionally-charged topics that are frequently a source of division. Instead, try to focus on truths that anyone could apply to their own life, regardless of their stance on morally ambiguous issues.  For instance, it's best to avoid writing about politics, sexuality, free will vs. predetermination, or whether Scripture is meant to be interpreted literally or as a metaphor. You may need to take the publication's denominational affiliation into account when you're deciding whether a topic is controversial. For instance, many Southern Baptists frown on drinking any alcohol at all, so it would be best to avoid writing about drinking in moderation if you were writing for a Baptist devotional magazine. If you do feel led to write about topics that are controversial within the church, consider publishing them as blogs, articles on Christian websites, or even in book form. Devotionals might not be the best fit for these subjects, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't write about them at all.
A: Pray before you write. Try to focus on one aspect of the passage. Consider the market's target audience when you're writing. Write with a positive, uplifting tone. Avoid controversial topics.

Q: Eating breakfast will prevent hunger throughout the morning, and give you a fuller feeling throughout the day. In addition, eating breakfasts regularly may reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Try oatmeal with fruit, milk and nuts in the morning. This breakfast is an excellent mix of protein, whole grains and fiber. It will keep you feeling full past noon. Another option is an omelette with spinach, cheese and avocado. The mix of protein, healthy fats and fiber will also increase the time you can last until your next meal. Try turkey, chicken, pork, egg whites, beans, tofu and non-fat Greek yogurt to feel more satisfied all day long. Don't limit your protein consumption to meals, but include protein during light snacks throughout the day.  Peanut butter may also help you feel less hungry. According to a study conducted by Purdue University, peanut butter seems to lessen appetite for up to two hours longer than a low-fiber, high-carb snack such as potato chips. Make sure your protein isn't laden with high fructose corn syrup or other sucrose-based additives. Cooking fats like olive oil, avocado, nut oils, coconut oil and even butter can make you feel more satisfied with your meal. You might start to feel hungry if fat levels drop too severely. Including some olive oil or other heart-healthy fats may help you feel less hungry.  A recent study showed that volunteers who included an avocado with their lunches were 40% less likely to report feeling hungry later in the day than people who didn't. Part of olive oil's appetite suppressing abilities appears to come from its aroma, so including aromatic olive oil as a regular part of your diet may serve to decrease appetite.
A: Eat breakfast every morning. Eat plenty of lean protein. Eat healthy fats.

Q: . If you have a desire to reboot your life, it may be because you don't feel like you are living according to your principles. Values are the beliefs, opinions, and ideas that drive your decision-making and serve as a foundation for your life. To ensure that your life reset gets off on the right foot, figure out your values. Perform a self-assessment in order to pinpoint your personal values. Ask yourself:  What kind of things get you fired up talking about? What would you be willing to sacrifice your life for? If your home was on fire, assuming all living beings had been rescued, what three items would you want to take with you? What aspects of your community or the world would you like to change? To further direct your path, do a visualization exercise. Visualization can be a powerful tool to clarify our desires and move us closer to obtaining them. Spend some time imagining who you would like to be in 5, 10, or 15 years.  Go someplace quiet where you can sit without distractions. Close your eyes. Picture in your mind's eye yourself at a specific point in the future (e.g. 1 year or 5 years). Imagine that you are at the peak of success during this time. You have realized all your goals. What are you doing in this vision? What is your career? What kind of lifestyle do you have? Who are you surrounded by? What do you do for fun? Absorb this image fully. Then, grab some paper and write out some details about it. What skills or strengths do you need to make this vision a reality? How can you gain these skills? It's often said that most people overestimate what they can do in a year, but underestimate what they can do in a day. True enough, life consists of weeks, months, and years. However, you get there day by day. Think about the kinds of things you do daily. Do these actions or habits line up with your ultimate goals? After you have spent time envisioning your dreams and assessing what you are doing daily, you can develop an action plan to bring you closer to where you want to be. What can you do today to get you closer where you want to be tomorrow?  Set SMART goals that you can break down into smaller steps. That way, you can take some positive action towards reaching your goals every day.  For example, perhaps in the visualization exercise you saw yourself running your own business. Your ultimate goal may be to “Be an entrepreneur,” but that's a lofty goal to take on all at once. Break your goals down. You might need to “Develop a business idea/plan,” “Secure investors,” or “Rent a location” to house your business. These steps may serve as starting places to move you closer to the larger goal.
A:
Define your personal values Envision your best possible self. Take a look at your daily choices. Set realistic goals.