Faith, Trust, and Sushi (And an update on my new book)

Dear faithful friends,

Because you've blessed me so often with your prayers, I know you are praying people. I'd like to ask you to pray now. 

When Our Daily Bread Publishing extended a contract to write a devotional companion to Refresh Your Faith sharing uncommon devotions on the topic of prayer, I felt honored, humbled, and slightly afraid. I've been on a journey of prayer for more than 20 years, but I feel inadequate to tackle such an awe-inspiring and critical topic.  

But God called me to this task. He 's provided the opportunity, and He'll enable me to complete the project. 

Will you pray for me?

The manuscript is coming along well, but I need God's insight and empowering every day. I need courage to  trust that God is working through me to accomplish His purposes. (You know how easy it is to doubt our abilities and our callings.)

As a thank you, I wanted share a sample devotion. I pray our precious Father speaks to your heart today, grows your trust, and strengthens your faith.

I love you!

~Lori

"If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?"

Luke 11:11 

I’d been traveling for almost twenty-four hours. I’d flown across the continent, over Alaska, and high above the Pacific Ocean to Asia. When I landed, the clock said 8 a.m., but my body knew better. Somewhere between Columbia, South Carolina, and Tokyo, Japan, I’d lost fourteen hours and missed several meals. I was exhausted—and starving. 

After I exchanged hugs and happy squeals with my daughter and son-in-law, Michael announced, "You have to eat sushi for your first meal in Japan."

Still queasy from flying, lack of sleep, and jet lag, I wasn’t so sure. “I’m willing to be adventurous,” I said, “but I don’t do raw. And nothing strange. No fish eggs or octopus tentacles.” 

“No worries,” my son-in-law said. “Not all sushi is raw. You can trust me. I’ll take good care of you.” 

Before long we were seated in their favorite restaurant. There Michael navigated the menu with ease and ordered several entrees with me in mind. He lifted the brightly-colored plates off the conveyer belt that wound through the restaurant and presented them with a flourish. 

After my daughter gave me a quick tutorial on how to use chopsticks, I was ready to dig in. The food was so delicious, I ate it all—except for one piece that slipped out from between my chopsticks and landed in my lap. 

I’ve been a (cooked) sushi fan ever since. 

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He reminded them that faith and trust go hand in hand. This remains true for us today. We must believe God hears and answers prayers, and we must trust that the answer He sends will be good. 

Sitting there that day in the “sushi-go-round,” I had to admit my limited understanding and have faith in my son-in-law’s ability to provide what I needed. Then I had to trust him to furnish what was best for me. 

Because he loves me, he took my needs, desires, (and aversions) into account. When we pray to our heavenly Father, the God who created us and loves us, we must demonstrate faith in His ability to provide exactly what we need. 

And trust that it will be good. 

“If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?” Jesus asked his disciples. “If you then, being evil [compared to God], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give . . .” (John 11:13). 

I’ll admit, some of the items that arrived at our table looked a little questionable. One was downright scary. But because I knew I could trust my son-in-law to have my best interests at heart, I picked up my chopsticks and ate what he provided with confidence. 

We can rest in the knowledge that God is even more trustworthy than my son-in-law. He created us, fashioned our hearts and minds, and has good purposes for our lives. He knows what we need even better than we do and is fully able to provide it. 

We can trust him. 

Praise Prompt: Thank you, Father, for being trustworthy and good. You, who knit me together in my mother’s womb, are fully capable of ordering the events of my life. I trust you to provide exactly what I need just when I need it. Because You know me even better than I know myself, I will rest in your timing and provision. Thank you for being a God who loves to give good gifts to your children. Grow my faith and establish my trust. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, Amen. 

Live It Out: Think about a time when God answered one of your prayers differently than you expected. As you look back, can you see glimpses of God’s good purpose in that answer? Does it inspire you to trust Him more the next time? If you can’t see good, remember that we “see through a glass darkly” on this earth. Only in heaven will we fully understand all God’s purposes behind the events of our lives. Until then, ask Him to grow your faith and trust as you pray.

Does Your Faith Need Refreshing?

That's in the Bible? I've never noticed that before!

It's probably been too long since you've newly discovered a story that speaks to your soul or a verse that pops with truth. But that's about to change!


Refresh Your Faith contains 66 culturally relevant, story-driven devotions, one from each book of the Bible. Each real-life story spotlights an unusual verse or Bible passage that you may have overlooked in your usual Bible reading. Lori Hatcher challenges you with additional features like an uncommon thought to ponder; an unusual faith action step; and an unfamiliar passage suggestion for additional Bible reading.

When the fabulous has become familiar and your quiet times are more like nap times, it's time to step out of spiritual boredom and ignite the spark that will keep you growing. No matter where you are on your faith journey, Lori's conversational and engaging style will challenge you to think about things you've never thought about before.

“Real-life inspiration and candid wit. These 5-minute devotions will change your life.” —Psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Kevin Leman, commenting on Lori Hatcher's devotional style

Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive. 

Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.

Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.