Daily InsPirational MOments with Rev. Dr. Precious Prothro

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Prepared Before the Moment

Every Sunday, I prepare my children’s clothes for the week. I’ve learned that taking time on the front end makes for smoother mornings.

Recently, I applied that same school of thought to another situation. I am preparing for a meeting — not because I fear the meeting itself, but because I know my nature. It is easy to sit in a posture of defense, ready to protect ourselves at any cost. Instead, my preparation has been laying every feeling before the Lord and seeking Him for guidance and peace.

Not every trial or encounter comes with the gift of preparation. Sometimes we are caught off guard. So when we sense that gentle warning in our spirit — that nudge to pray, reflect, and ready our hearts — we must take advantage of that grace.

As my father often says, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

Ephesians 5:15–16 reminds us to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. In other words, tread carefully and live with spiritual awareness, because evil is always present.

We do not have to fear what lies ahead, but we should prepare ourselves by staying prayed up and watchful. Wisdom prepares the heart long before the moment arrives.

Preparation is not panic.
Preparation is wisdom.
Preparation is trust.

Peace isn’t found in knowing what will happen—it’s found in knowing Who goes before us.

Lord, thank You for the discernment that prepares us before we even recognize the need. Quiet every defensive place within us and replace it with Your peace. Teach us to walk wisely, remain prayerful, and respond with hearts aligned to You. Amen.

Handle People With Care

Most in my immediate family have never met a stranger. Loving people comes naturally to us, and often that love is returned. Sometimes, it is not — but we are still called to love.

I was blessed to be taught to respect and care for all people. Yet wisdom reminds us that every encounter carries purpose. As the familiar poem says, people enter our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. The challenge is that we don’t always know which is which, and if we are not careful, we may treat temporary connections as permanent ones — or overlook the divine purpose within a brief encounter.

Scripture reminds us that relationships matter: “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” — Proverbs 13:20

This is why discernment is essential. We must seek the Lord for guidance in every relationship, whether new or longstanding. Ask God for the wisdom to recognize assignment, alignment, and authenticity.

Let us never miss the purpose of an encounter because we failed to entreat someone with the love of Jesus. Whether a person is present for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, everyone deserves to be handled with holy care.

Lord, grant us discerning hearts so we may recognize the purpose You place within every relationship. Teach us to love wisely, walk with the right people, and reflect Your heart in every encounter. Amen.

Grieving What Never Was

Did you know there is a type of grief that occurs when an expected outcome never becomes reality? It is called intrapsychic loss — the grief that comes from losing an image, a hope, or a “what might have been.” Pretty interesting, right?

I have felt this sadness when I didn’t get a job, when had financial strain, and when a relationship ended. But one place I have felt this type of loss most deeply is in motherhood.

It isn’t Mary Poppins, Leave It to Beaver, or even The Cosby Show in the real world. Motherhood is beautiful, but at times it is also incredibly difficult.

Sometimes our concepts and expectations cause us to anticipate outcomes that were never part of God’s plan. We say, “God’s will be done,” yet we also try to name and claim what we desire. But what if what we are naming and claiming was never His will for us?

We must train our flesh to understand that it is not in charge. When we insist on following only our own minds, hearts, and carefully crafted plans, we can find ourselves grieving losses for things that were never meant to be.

You’ve heard the saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” Proverbs 16:9 says it this way, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”

Our thoughts and intentions may be good, but God’s ways are higher, wiser, and far more purposeful than our own.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” saith the Lord. — Isaiah 55:8-9

So today, let us loosen our grip on the pictures we have painted and trust the hand of the Master Artist. What God ordains is always better than anything we could have imagined.

Lord, thank You for loving us enough to make a plan. Please help us release the plans we have clung to and trust the path You have designed. When we grieve what might have been, remind us that Your will is still good, still perfect, and still working for our benefit. Align our hearts with Your purpose and give us peace in every season. Amen.