Character Studies

30 Days with Elijah: Pointers from Elijah’s Spiritual Journey for Yours (A Devotional)

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30 Days with Elijah: Pointers from Elijah’s Spiritual Journey for Yours is the third in a series of devotionals written to pick up pointers from Bible characters for our spiritual journey. Elijah’s story is uniquely helpful because “Elijah was a man just like us” (James 5.17). To trace his life is to look in a mirror at our own.
Elijah was as human as we are. He’s not so other-than-us it makes us believe it’s impossible for us to match his faith, his prayer life, or his walk with God. He battled the same roller coaster of emotions we do. He experienced life from both ends of the spectrum like we do — from periods of undaunting courage and unwavering faith, to struggles with deep depression and frantic fear.
The story of Elijah shows us God can transform an average Christian into a person he can use despite our foibles and weaknesses.
Elijah challenged a powerful king without wavering even with his life was on the line.
He devoted the best years of his life to prove Jehovah God was the only true God, and to call Israel to turn to the Lord God Almighty from the impotent, false gods they worshiped.
Elijah persevered even though he thought he was the only one loyal to God in the entire nation, and everyone was against him.
He endured the hardships of living as a Godly man in an ungodly culture — a culture not just indifferent to God but anti-God, making every effort to erase hum completely from their history, government, schools, and homes.
Above all, Elijah was a man who prayed and obeyed.
Because Elijah was no different than you and faced the same issues you do, and because God is the same God who works today the way he did in the days of Elijah, his story can become your story.

Meet Steve Wilmot

Steve’s lifelong passion has been to encourage and inspire Christ-followers on their long and sometimes treacherous spiritual journey Home. Over the years, he’s learned valuable lessons from his own journey of faith and developed indispensable relationships that kept him from giving up when discouragement and doubts enveloped him. His purpose for the remaining years of his life is to share what he’s learned in his everyday walk with God and in his study of the Word of God.

Steve married his college sweetheart, Becki, in 1974. She was an indispensable partner during their years together when Steve pastored five churches from 1976 to 2016. They have four grown children and eight grandchildren. From 1992 until 2017, Steve worked as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service while also pastoring a church in Edgerton, Ohio, where he and his wife still live. Though retired from his bi-vocational jobs, he continues to engage with others to help them love Jesus and follow him their whole life long.

Always with an itch for writing to spur spiritual growth, Steve now writes novels, spiritual growth books, and devotionals. He also writes a weekly column for two local newspapers called “Pastor’s Ponderings.”

In his spare time, Steve enjoys reading, gardening, and landscaping around his house and as a free service for anyone who needs his expertise and labor. He stays connected with his Band of Brothers small group as they live out Ecclesiastes 4.9-12, Hebrews 10.24-25, and Acts 2.42 together.

30 Days with Joseph: Inspiration from Joseph’s Spiritual Journey for Yours (A Devotional)

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How did Joseph do it?

For 13 years the circumstances of his life went from bad to worse. Slavery. Alleged rapist. Prison convict. He did nothing to deserve such rough treatment. Yet Joseph never whined or complained. He didn’t get angry or depressed. In fact, when he had the chance to take revenge, he gave mercy, grace, and generosity instead. How did he do it?

You’ll find answers in 30 Days with Joseph, the second in a series of devotionals that focuses on a Bible character. Each day of the month, you’ll accompany Joseph on his spiritual journey and learn how he overcame the challenges he encountered along the way.
And show you how you can too!

Meet Steve Wilmot

Steve Wilmot’s passion is to encourage and inspire Christians on their long and sometimes treacherous spiritual journey Home. Over the years, he learned valuable lessons from his own journey of faith and developed indispensable relationships that kept him from giving up when discouragement and lack of hope told him to. His purpose in life is to pay it forward whenever he can — first as a pastor for 40 years and now as a writer and mentor.
Steve married his college sweetheart, Becki, in 1974. She supported him — and many times served as his anchor and cheerleader — during their years leading churches from 1976 – 2016. They have four grown children and eight grandchildren. He retired from his bi-vocational jobs as a pastor and a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service. Along with devotionals, spiritual growth books, and novels, Steve writes a weekly column, “Pastor’s Ponderings,” for two local newspapers.
In his spare time, Steve enjoys engaging with his grandkids, reading, gardening, and landscaping around his house. He stays connected with his small group, the Band of Brothers, as they travel side-by-side toward Christlike character and Home. They’ve discovered the Christian life is not Jesus and me. It’s Jesus and we, and they are committed to encouragement, support, love, and unconditional acceptance of each other.
Steve also likes sharing his spiritual journey and teaching from God’s Word at churches and conferences.