Jesus, the greatest Teacher of all, so often taught through stories—inviting hearts to see truth, to recognize themselves, and to be drawn closer to God. The stories we listen to and the words we fill our minds with form how we think, what we believe, and how we walk through the world.

That’s why what we read matters.

At Just Between Us, we’re intentional about the stories we share. Each week, through real-life experiences and the truth of Scripture, we offer stories that lift the mind and steady the heart—stories that point women back to what is good, what is right, and what is lasting in Christ.

In a world filled with noise and competing messages, these stories become anchors. They remind a weary woman that she is seen. They help a discouraged heart find hope again. They guide her back to God’s truth.

When you give, you help place these truth-filled stories into the lives of women around the world—women who are longing to be encouraged, to be grounded in God’s Word, and to be reminded of His presence in their everyday lives.

Would you partner with us today?

Your gift helps ensure that one more woman encounters a story that draws her closer to Jesus—and changes how she sees everything.

Help Share God’s Word

Dear Friends,

There’s a kind of friendship that goes deeper than a shared hobby or a familiar face at church. Do you have a friend like this? The kind that shows up when life gets messy, when the dishes pile up (literally or figuratively), and when you can barely find the words to ask for help? It’s what we might call a soul friendship, and Scripture has a lot to say about why we need it.

This week, we’re talking about the friendships that carry us, just as God intended. The book of Ecclesiastes says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor” (Eccl. 4:9).

Whether you’re in a season where you feel good about your connections, or you’re in a place where friendships feel far away, we pray this issue meets you right where you are.

Encouraging you in God’s truth,

How Friendship Makes Us All Stronger | Kari Bale
When depression made even basic tasks impossible, Kari discovered that accepting a friend's help wasn't weakness. Can you relate? She began to understand what soul-deep friendship looks like, and she shares how it mirrors God's design for community.

Friendships Through Thick and Thin | Tammy Whitehurst
With humor and honesty, Tammy celebrates the beauty of friendships that endure life’s ups and downs. She reminds us that laughter, grace, and shared experiences can carry us through even the most exhausting seasons.

Friendship Beyond Social Media | Gail Goolsby
Are your closest friendships living mostly inside a phone screen? Many of us spend large chunks of time on our electronic devices. Gail explores what Scripture says about real friendships. Here’s a hint: they often develop when we close our laptops and show up in person.

Also:

• For Your Heart

• Bible Verse of the Week

• Prayer of the Week

How Friendship Makes Us All Stronger

God’s Strength Often Comes Through a Friend.

By Kari Bale

The sink was filled with dishes: pots, pans, plates, bowls—all caked with dried, rotting food. The countertop on both sides had begun receiving the overflow, and the smelly tableware now reached all the way to the corner, where a particularly disgusting pile was swarming with fruit flies. That area, I had decided, was lost. I had ceded it to the flies.

For weeks, I had been eating fast food and takeout meals simply to avoid having to use my kitchen. Whenever I looked at the disaster zone that used to be my sink, I quickly looked away in shame, berating myself for failing to live up to even the most basic standards of adulthood. Frankly, I was willing to write off all of my cookware and dishes as beyond redemption, but I couldn’t even work up the motivation to throw them all into a garbage bag and take them to the dumpster behind my apartment building.

A Vicious Cycle

This may be impossible for some of you to understand, but this is life with a chronic major depressive disorder. Once a cycle of shame begins, it can be very hard to break. I got a little behind in doing my dishes and I had trouble finding the energy to catch up. Soon, I was ashamed of myself for not being able to get the dishes done, because there must be something wrong with me to fail at something so simple. But the shame only led to deeper depression and further exhaustion, which in turn led to more and more dishes piling up in the sink, until an entire 16-piece dinnerware set has been lost to a swarm of fruit flies. “Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Eccl. 4:10).

The fact is, I was not going to be able to pull myself out of this hole—not on my own. I did not have the energy, I did not have the willpower, and frankly, I did not have the skills. I needed help.

Read more

By Tammy Whitehurst

Life - it doesn’t get easier, but we get better at it. And, we learn it’s much more enjoyable having friends along for the journey, through thick and thin.

Ranting, Raving, and Ready to Roll! That pretty much describes life over the age of 45 for most women. This season in our lives is filled with life-changing moments. I am going to rant and rave and this might disturb a few of you. I am a Christian woman whose about to get real about life, love, and laughter. Brace yourselves, this might be a rough ride.

Getting REAL about Life

By this age, I realize that even though life didn’t turn out the way I dreamed it would, it has still turned out really well. I made mistakes, battled regrets, and faced fears head on. I know how to grit my teeth and give it all I’ve got. Perseverance will pay off. I have discovered tattoos are not the end of the world even if I do not like them personally. Life, it’s how we look at it. That’s what I call living on the brightside.

I have been blessed to have a group of friends who stick together and share our thoughts and feelings about life. We didn’t get the white picket fence and a marriage proposal from an airplane banner flying through the sky, but we did get the gift of friendship with women who are living life alike. Some of us tried marriage more than once and we truly understand why in most cases it was meant to be only one time. We have loved and raised children we did not give birth to, yet by the grace of God we love them as if they were our own. Our children have let us down at times and we have let down our children. We can love our grandchildren whether they were conceived before or after the marriage. We can even love them if their parents never got married. We have learned to lean on each other, to live life fully alive, to cry our eyes out, and to laugh till our bellies hurt. Being around each other makes us all better wives, mothers, and grandmothers. One thing we all agree on is that life hasn’t been easy but it has been worth it. We realize we get better at life when we work hard at finding the good and not stressing over the bad. We remind each other that we can live a blessed life.

Read more

By Kari Bale

The sink was filled with dishes: pots, pans, plates, bowls—all caked with dried, rotting food. The counter top on both sides had begun receiving the overflow, and the fetid tableware now reached all the way to the corner, where a particularly disgusting pile was constantly swarming with fruit flies. That area, I had decided, was lost. I had ceded it to the flies.

For weeks, I had been eating fast food and takeout meals simply to avoid having to use my kitchen in any way. Whenever I looked at the disaster zone that used to be my sink, I quickly looked away in shame, berating myself for failing to live up to even the most basic standards of adulthood. Frankly, I was willing to write off all of my cookware and dishes as beyond redemption, but I couldn’t even work up the motivation to throw them all into a garbage bag and take them to the dumpster behind my apartment building.

A Vicious Cycle

This may be impossible for some of you to understand, but this is life with a chronic major depressive disorder. Once a cycle of shame begins, it can be very hard to break. I got a little behind in doing my dishes and I had trouble finding the energy to catch up; soon, I was ashamed of myself for not being able to get the dishes done, because there must be something wrong with me to fail at something so simple. But the shame only leads to deeper depression and further exhaustion, which in turn leads to more and more dishes piling up in the sink, until an entire 16-piece dinnerware set has been lost to a swarm of fruit flies. “Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Eccl. 4:10).

The fact is, I was not going to be able to pull myself out of this hole—not on my own. I did not have the energy, I did not have the willpower, and frankly, I did not have the skills. I needed help.

Read more

By Gail Goolsby

Would your social media friends respond to your post to help you move? Would they cuss you out online for different political or social opinions?

Maybe we should pause to reflect on what true friendship means and how to be a better online friend with less people.

A Good Friend is Hard to Find

How do we develop real, meaningful relationships in short phrases, food and family pictures, and emoticons from a cell phone or a computer screen? What do online friends actually contribute to our lives?

A dozen synonyms from the thesaurus for friendship include: affection, closeness, intimacy, love, understanding, alliance, attachment, company, empathy, familiarity, fondness, and regard.

Can we form a genuine attachment to people that we do not share physical presence with on a regular basis? Can we read others’ theological debates, political rants, favorite Bible verses, daily updates and hope to become emotionally or spiritually connected?

Read more

For over 35 years, Just Between Us has been more than a magazine—it’s been a lifeline. From city streets to remote villages, it has carried the hope of Jesus Christ into the hearts of women “across the street and around the world.” In places where spiritual resources are scarce or nonexistent, JBU has become a treasured companion, speaking into lives with timeless biblical truths and practical encouragement.

What we’ve discovered through three decades of ministry is something profound: no matter what country a woman lives in or serves in, her heart’s deepest needs are strikingly similar. The longing for a closer walk with Christ. The comfort of authentic friendship. The struggle to balance responsibilities. The ache of sorrow and change. The weight of stress and conflict. These are not regional issues—they are universal cries of every woman’s soul.

This shared heartbeat was the very reason founder Jill Briscoe dreamt of a magazine that would meet women in those places of need. When JBU launched in 1990—despite publishing experts’ doubts about its sustainability—it did so with humble beginnings and bold faith. “As I have been able to travel the four corners of the earth and meet women from every culture, clime, and nation,” Jill said, “I have come across the same needs, have heard the same questions, and have had the same basic problems presented to me.”

So, with what felt like only five loaves and two fishes, a handful of ordinary women serving an extraordinary God stepped forward, and the magazine began its journey to reach women everywhere. God has multiplied that offering in ways we never could have imagined.

We continue to be amazed at how God’s Word transcends borders, languages, and every culture—making our content relevant to women all over the world. We want to share just a few of those remarkable JBU global stories with you.

Vietnam

A missionary and subscriber to JBU smuggled copies overseas with her five times a year. One woman told her that she had shared her single copy with over 100 women! She later told us, “I just returned from another ministry trip to Vietnam. I wish I could have taken a picture of the women seated on the floor of the room where they were secretly housed for five days for their Bible studies with Jill Briscoe. During free time, they would gather around and listen as one of the only women who could read English translated Just Between Us articles. They loved the photos and the messages. The magazines encouraged them that they are not alone.”

United States

Each week, I love seeing the articles arrive right in my inbox—it feels like a quiet invitation waiting for me. I can open them whenever I have a few peaceful moments, read slowly, and even come back again later to linger over a sentence that spoke to my heart. There’s something comforting about knowing they’re right there, ready whenever I am, letting me take my time and truly soak them in.

India

For a long time, I was looking for something that would truly encourage me, not just surface inspiration, but words that consistently pointed me back to Christ. When I found JBU, I immediately sensed its sincere desire to reach women in every season of life. Whether I’m in a busy stretch or a quieter one, the steady, Christ-focused voice feels like a trusted friend. I love that I can read it when it arrives, then keep it saved for the days I need to come back and be reminded again—without adding to the piles of paper around my house. It’s become a simple, meaningful source of encouragement I can return to whenever my heart needs it.

Australia

Jenny Edwards had been receiving the magazine in the Australian outback for over nine years. She shared, “I have found answers to tough times in ministry and encouragement to hang in there for the Lord. As a ministry wife, with the closest decent shopping eight hours away, the isolation can be a bit hard at times, but JBU has been water in the dry desert. It often arrives at times of great hardship with answers to a situation currently happening. Thank you for this life-saving magazine.”

Women are movers and shakers for the kingdom of God everywhere—especially when they’re supported, seen, and spiritually nourished. That’s exactly what Just Between Us is all about. More than a digital magazine, it’s a lifeline—offering encouragement, biblical truth, and the comforting reminder that no woman walks alone.

Through every story, every page, and every digital connection, God meets women right where they are. Whether through online articles, email devotionals, or social media, we’re humbled and grateful to watch Him use this worldwide ministry to bring a lifeline of hope to women across the globe!

Will you help us keep this lifeline reaching women around the world? Your gift today helps place biblical encouragement into the hands and hearts of women longing to know they are seen, loved, and not alone. Together, we can continue carrying the hope of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world. Thank you for prayerfully partnering with us to pass this encouragement on.

Give Today

Dear Friends,

So many of us know what it means to give out of obligation. We tithe because we should, or we volunteer because someone asked. Somewhere along the way, joy begins to slip quietly out of the door.

This week, we’re asking what happens when generosity stops being a duty and becomes a delight. Our writers share stories about learning to loosen a grip on money, to honoring a mother whose world has been rewritten by dementia, to discovering what it truly means to give your life away in service. Together, they remind us of something we need to hear again: everything we have was given to us first.

Maybe you’re reading this in a season when giving feels costly. If the idea of open hands sounds more like a burden than a freedom right now, that’s exactly where this issue wants to meet you. Because joyful giving isn’t something we manufacture. It’s something we receive, again and again, from a God who gave first and gives still.

Come with open hands and an honest heart. He’ll meet you there.

Encouraging you in God’s truth,

Serving from the Heart | Elizabeth Murphy
What does it really look like to serve the way Jesus served? Elizabeth Murphy walks us through the heart, the place, and the expectations that shape meaningful service, reminding us that when we give our lives away, we find them more fully.

Giving the Gift of Honor | Christy Miller Bell
When a parent receives an Alzheimer's diagnosis, everything changes. Christy Miller Bell shares how she and her sister have learned to honor their mother with dignity, compassion, and love even as dementia rewrites the rules.

From Rote Obedience to Joyful Giving | Joanna Eccles
Joanna Eccles grew up treating money as her security blanket, but God had other plans. Her honest, often funny story about learning that everything belongs to Him will challenge and encourage you to give with an open hand.

Also:

• For Your Heart

• Bible Verse of the Week

• Prayer of the Week

Serving From the Heart

Change the World by Giving Your Life Away to Others.

By Elizabeth Murphy

My neighbor wanted her children to learn empathy and to experience a world different from their own, so she and a group of other moms made plans to serve a meal at a nearby shelter. After carefully explaining to her wide-eyed children that they would be feeding dinner to some homeless folks, she asked if they had any questions. With a fearful expression and trembling lips her son asked, “Do we have to actually put the food in their mouths?”

Learning to serve is a process. Jesus commands us to love each other deeply and to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms as He provides the strength and receives the glory (1 Pet. 4:8-11). Our part is to go where He would go, see what He sees, and then do what He would do. We were made to serve, but how?

A Right Heart

Service to others begins with loving deeply, as The Message paraphrase says, “As if your life depended on it.” That can only happen when we reach out with the true understanding that we are all alike, bearing the image of God. “Otherness” will be a barrier to the best of intentions. A wise friend once told me to speak these words to my heart at the beginning of every day and before stepping into every act of loving service: “I am like them, and they are like me. But for the grace of God, our roles could be reversed, and I could be the one in need.”

Follow Jesus’ example of taking on the very nature of a servant (Phil. 2:7). Be curious, listen before you speak, come to an opportunity with questions rather than answers, and be willing to submit to the authority of those in charge. Volunteerism is giving back on your terms, giving to someone; biblical service is about giving from someplace — a heart overwhelmed by gratitude for the gift of God’s undeserved grace. A right heart comes first.

Read more

By Elizabeth Murphy

My neighbor wanted her children to learn empathy and to experience a world different from their own, so she and a group of other moms made plans to serve a meal at a nearby shelter. After carefully explaining to her wide-eyed children that they would be feeding dinner to some homeless folks, she asked if they had any questions. With a fearful expression and trembling lips her son asked, “Do we have to actually put the food in their mouths?”

Learning to serve is a process. Jesus commands us to love each other deeply and to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms as He provides the strength and receives the glory (1 Pet. 4:8-11). Our part is to go where He would go, see what He sees, and then do what He would do. We were made to serve, but how?

A Right Heart

Service to others begins with loving deeply, as The Message paraphrase says, “As if your life depended on it.” That can only happen when we reach out with the true understanding that we are all alike, bearing the image of God. “Otherness” will be a barrier to the best of intentions. A wise friend once told me to speak these words to my heart at the beginning of every day and before stepping into every act of loving service; I am like them and they are like me. But for the grace of God our roles could be reversed, and I could be the one in need.

Follow Jesus’ example of taking on the very nature of a servant (Phil. 2:7). Be curious, listen before you speak, come to an opportunity with questions rather than answers, and be willing to submit to the authority of those in charge. Volunteerism is giving back on your terms, giving to someone; biblical service is about giving from someplace, a heart overwhelmed by gratitude for the gift of God’s undeserved grace. A right heart comes first.

Read more

By: Christy Miller Bell

I cried the day we got the diagnosis. What started as minor memory loss issues in my mom had developed into full blown Alzheimer’s. My sister and I were stunned, and we didn’t know what to do next. Within a few months, we moved Mom to a new home, took over managing her bills, and began making difficult, life-altering decisions on her behalf.

The process of taking on the role of a parent with my mom has been challenging. We want her to feel like she is still autonomous, yet we must protect her from danger. Juggling these dynamics is a constant struggle.

The question we wrestle with constantly is this: How can we honor our parents as they live with dementia?

A Command to Honor

The fifth commandment, found in Ex. 20:12, says, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (see also Deut. 5:16). This command begins with the word “honor,” which carries with it the idea of weight. To honor someone means clothing them with a mantle of respect and reverence. It also suggests submission to their authority as our elders.

In God’s original design, we were to receive instruction and moral guidance from parents. They were to be revered as teachers of wisdom. Though broken relationships are common today, the command to honor our parents remains. It also extends to grandparents, stepparents, and other parental figures.

Read more

By Joanna Eccles

Growing up in my home, D-E-B-T was a four-letter word. Owing money was something we avoided. When I was 12, my family had some debt. It dangled over us like a saw, threatening to chop us up. When that money was repaid, a load lifted. My takeaway—hoarding money equaled security.

Moving into adulthood, my friends teased that I could squeeze a quarter out of a dime. I didn’t have a set budget. Instead, I only bought necessities. I considered myself thrifty. My friends thought I was miserly.

I always tithed to my local church because that money belonged to God. I felt good about myself. Then the Lord challenged me in my late 20s. He revealed that I’d put my trust in my bank account instead of Him. God wanted me to seek His provision instead of relying on my own income.

To stretch my faith, I felt led to buy dessert for a couple of ladies after Bible study. While we discussed God’s Word, I experienced a shift in mindset. I realized that investing in people with money for Christian fellowship blessed all of us (Luke 6:38).

When God Challenged My Trust

Next, God revealed that He didn’t own 10 percent of my income, He owned 100 percent. I couldn’t give anything to the Lord that He hadn’t already given me. First Chronicles 29:14 says, “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” When we see our possessions as gifts from God to steward well, it breeds generosity. Greed flees.

Read more

Last month, we shared how God uses faithful voices to encourage and strengthen women through Just Between Us. Today, we’re excited to introduce another writer whose words beautifully point readers back to Jesus with honesty, wisdom, and hope. We’re continually grateful for the way God weaves together different stories and perspectives to remind us we’re not walking this faith journey alone.

Today, we’d love to introduce you to one of those voices: Shanda Fulbright.

Shanda Fulbright is a former California public school teacher turned Christian apologist who combines her background in education with a passion for equipping the next generation in biblical truth.

She is the host of Her Faith Inspires, a globally top-ranked podcast that addresses cultural issues through the lens of Scripture and equips Christians to stand firm in their faith. A wife and mom to three boys, her work is driven by a deep conviction to disciple others in truth. Find out more about her on her website.

Shanda recently recorded a short video about an article she wrote for Just Between Us. We think you'll love hearing from her in her own words.

Read Shanda’s most recent article:

Truth That Transforms

Why the Bad News Still Matters

By Shanda Fulbright

“Do you want the good news or the bad news?”

That question makes most of us cringe. Who wants bad news? Just hand over the good stuff and let’s call it a day, right?

Unfortunately, that’s not how truth works—especially when it comes to the gospel.

Evangelism is one of those churchy words we often toss around without fully grasping its weight. It simply means “to share the good news.” And the person who shares it? That’s an evangelist. But here’s the catch: a good evangelist doesn’t skip over the bad news. Why? Because without the bad news, the good news isn’t all that good.

Even Jesus didn’t give people the good news in isolation. He told the truth—the whole truth—and that included the hard stuff. He’s the ultimate example when it comes to evangelism. And nowhere is that more evident than in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4.

Let’s walk through that story and uncover the keys to sharing the gospel like Jesus did: with honesty, grace, and a message that saves.

When the Bad News Meets the Thirsty Soul

We meet the Samaritan woman drawing water at noon—an odd time in a hot climate. But when you’re trying to avoid side-eyes and whispers, the heat is worth the solitude. She wasn’t just fetching water; she was hiding. Her past likely made her an outcast, and that daily walk to the well was probably as routine as the shame she carried with her.

Here’s the bad news: she was searching for satisfaction in all the wrong places. And that’s a relatable truth. Whether it’s relationships, success, or even religion, we all have “wells” we go to when we’re thirsty for something deeper.

But the good news? Jesus met her there.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE

• Are you interested in writing for us? Please visit our writer’s guidelines.

Help Us Grow the Mission

Through you, women around the world are being encouraged and equipped to live out their faith. A weary soul is lifted. A discouraged heart is renewed. A woman on the edge of giving up is steadied by Christ’s love.

This is our mission: to encourage and equip women for a life of faith. Your donation makes it possible. Will you join us by giving today—so one more woman can be strengthened with biblical hope tomorrow?

DONATE TO THE MISSION

Thank you for being part of this ministry. Your membership fuels more than a magazine—it fuels a movement of encouragement. We’re so grateful you’re part of the Just Between Us family.

Dear Friends,

Have you ever held onto a promise so long it started to feel like maybe you’d misheard God?

Most of us have been there. Waiting past the point where it made sense to keep waiting. Wondering if God forgot, if we got it wrong, or if the window somehow closed while we weren’t looking. That quiet uncertainty is real, and we don’t want to rush past it here.

But these stories won’t let us stay there, either. This week, you’ll meet a woman who spent years chasing her calling, only to find it in a season of failure and flour. You’ll hear from Lysa TerKeurst about a pumpkin that showed up uninvited and became a parable. And you’ll follow a family who said yes to moving across the globe when yes made no earthly sense.

None of these stories are tidy, but running through each one is the same conviction: God does not make promises He intends to abandon. He doesn’t waste a single season, a single surrender, or a single moment of faithful waiting.

Encouraging you in God’s truth,

Purpose-Fool: Finding My God-Given Purpose | Lisa Banirian
What does baking bread have to do with discovering your calling? Lisa Banirian traces a journey of surrendered dreams and hard-won clarity, learning that purpose isn't found in striving but in trusting the One who designed us for it. A beautiful meditation on timing, obedience, and becoming who God made you to be.

That’s How Seeds Work | Lysa TerKeurst
Lysa TerKeurst reflects on a surprising pumpkin growing in her yard to illustrate a deeper truth: what we plant in our hearts matters. Spiritual growth takes time, but God faithfully produces fruit when we stay rooted in Him.

God's Mysterious Ways | Nancy Kreitzer
Why would God call us away from everything familiar? Nancy Kreitzer reflects on her family's move to South Korea and what it taught her about surrendering her own map for God's. An honest and ultimately freeing look at what it means to trust a God whose ways are higher than ours.

Also:

• For Your Heart

• Bible Verse of the Week

• Prayer of the Week

Purpose-Fool: Finding My God-Given Purpose

Finding Your Calling by Trusting God’s Timing.

By Lisa Banirian

I spent most of my adult life chasing my calling in a wayward pursuit. But if God had handed me the roadmap of my purpose in life, I would have missed the privilege of knowing and walking alongside Him through the masterful journey He designed for me.

My journey toward God’s purpose for me did not begin with clarity, but with the scent of bread.

An Early Gift

There is no scent quite like freshly baked bread or the sweet, intoxicating aroma of pastries drifting through the air as you step into a bakery. That smell has the power to transport me into a memory. Since I was a young girl, I always felt an uplifting joy walking into a bakery and seeing the beautiful variety of pastries through the display glass. Baking was always there, quietly woven into my story.

Yet that gift lay dormant for years—not forgotten by God, but held in reserve for His perfect timing. Though I worked in my neighborhood bakery in high school, I never imagined it becoming more than a summer job. What I didn’t know then was that God would later use that very gift to reveal a hidden dream—at the most unexpected time of my life. During COVID. On maternity leave. With a newborn in my arms. In between moving houses.

This was not the season I would have chosen, and it certainly wasn’t the success story I had imagined. In fact, my greatest spiritual breakthrough came not from achievement—but from failure and despair.

Read more

By Lisa Banirian

I spent most of my adult life chasing my calling in a wayward pursuit. But if God had handed me the roadmap of my purpose in life, I would have missed the privilege of knowing and walking alongside Him through the masterful journey He designed for me.

My journey toward God’s purpose for me did not begin with clarity, but with the scent of bread.

An Early Gift

There is no scent quite like freshly baked bread or the sweet, intoxicating aroma of pastries drifting through the air as you step into a bakery. That smell has the power to transport me into a memory. Since I was a young girl, I always felt an uplifting joy walking into a bakery and seeing the beautiful variety of pastries through the display glass. Baking was always there, quietly woven into my story.

Yet that gift lay dormant for years—not forgotten by God, but held in reserve for His perfect timing. Though I worked in my neighborhood bakery in high school, I never imagined it becoming more than a summer job. What I didn’t know then was that God would later use that very gift to reveal a hidden dream—at the most unexpected time of my life. During COVID. On maternity leave. With a newborn in my arms. In between moving houses.

Read more

By: Lysa TerKeurst

While walking on the prayer path on my property one day, I saw a thick, swirly vine I’d never noticed before. I knew it wasn’t part of the landscaping, and my curiosity was piqued.

As I traced the twists and turns of its branches back through the fence, I was shocked to discover a huge, fully grown pumpkin right there in my yard. Yes, a pumpkin!

That may not be unusual for you, but I don’t have a garden in my yard. I remembered that my granddaughters had been carving a pumpkin there months earlier. What I could see now was the obvious fruit of seeds that must have fallen to the ground. I never saw the seeds, but I didn’t need to. The fruit I could now see was undeniable evidence that the seeds had been there. That is simply how it works with seeds. Whatever kind of seed goes into the ground is the kind of fruit that eventually comes out of the ground.

The same is true of our hearts and lives.

When we spend consistent time with Jesus, the seed of His righteousness grows in our hearts and produces the fruit in our lives that today’s verse talks about—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23, NLT).

Read more

By Nancy Kreitzer

From the beginning of Creation, God has been masterfully working to establish His Kingdom and righteousness through the lives of people just like you and me who, by His grace, have surrendered to His Lordship. About twenty-five years ago He took my broken, sin-scarred life and sealed it with His beloved Spirit, giving me a new heart that’s not only able to see and hear His call to follow, but one that longs to see His kingdom come and His will be done.

Together with Christ my spirit yearns for the fulfillment of His purposes, but my flesh often resists (Rom. 8:7). This internal conflict that Paul speaks about in Rom. 7:15 forms the reality of my daily life as I seek to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5) and resist the world, the flesh, and the devil so that I can joyfully follow God’s calling and produce fruit for His kingdom.

The Tension Between Spirit and Flesh

One of the most difficult, yet incredibly amazing, aspects of living by faith has been coming to grips with God’s mysterious ways. Sometimes His will just feels right — like when He answers “yes” to a request I’ve been praying about for a long time, or when He delivers me from a difficult situation, showering me with unexpected blessings. When these scenarios play out, I’m able to marvel at His ability to masterfully control even the most intricate details of life, and contemplating His character brings great comfort.

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Not long ago, JoAnn wrote to us to share her story. She shared that she had come incredibly close to walking away from her faith, not because she stopped believing in God, but because she felt completely alone in her walk with Him. She didn’t know how to keep going when everything inside her felt worn down. Her prayers had grown quieter, her days felt heavier, and she began to wonder if she was the only one barely holding on through a season that felt dry and discouraging.

Then one Tuesday morning, Just Between Us landed in her inbox. She wasn’t expecting much, but she opened it anyway. As she read, something shifted! She told us it felt like someone finally understood where she was, as though God was speaking directly into her life, meeting her right in the middle of all that weariness. What had been a slow drift away from her faith became a turning back, as truth began to take root in her heart again.

Stories like this remind us exactly why this ministry exists. Women like JoAnn are out there — tired, struggling in silence, wondering if anyone understands. And we get to be part of how God reaches them right where they are. Today, stories like hers are unfolding in more places than ever before.

Over the past year, more than 1.9 million people have read the Just Between Us digital magazine. Women in all 195 countries have opened this biblical encouragement, many in moments of need, many carrying burdens no one else sees, and many simply longing to stay close to God in the middle of real life.

What once arrived in a mailbox now arrives instantly, right when it is needed most.

A woman can open her phone on a hard morning, in the middle of a difficult afternoon, or late at night when sleep will not come, and find biblical truth waiting for her. She can return to it again and again, wherever she is, knowing she has access not only to the current issue but to a library of encouragement that meets her across seasons. This is the beauty of what God is doing in this new season of our ministry.

The message and mission have not changed. But the reach has grown in ways we could have never imagined.

Our word for this year is enrich.

“Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith…” — Colossians 2:7

This is what we see happening every week. Women are not simply reading, they are being strengthened, reminded of what is true, and anchored in Christ as His Word meets them in the middle of their everyday lives.

One woman said, “Just Between Us magazine is a relaxing spot in my inbox where I can take a cup of tea and 15 minutes to read to myself.” Another said, “JBU has a sincere desire to encourage women in all walks of life, with a consistent, Christ-focused voice.”

Every week, women across the street and around the world are opening Just Between Us magazine. Some are new to faith. Some have walked with Christ for years. All are in need of encouragement that is rooted in Scripture and grounded in the hope of Jesus.

There are still so many more who have not yet been reached.

Your gift today helps carry this encouragement to her, meeting her in both the hard places and the hopeful ones, and reminding her that God is present in it all.

Because of your support, she will open her inbox and find words that point her back to Christ. She will be reminded that she is seen, that she is not alone, and that God is still at work in her life. She will have access to encouragement that strengthens her faith and helps her remain rooted in Him.

For more than 35 years, Just Between Us has been a place where women encounter the hope of Jesus. Today, that same hope is reaching farther, crossing borders and languages, meeting women in places we may never go but where God is already present and at work.

Would you prayerfully consider giving a gift today so that even more women can be reached, strengthened, and enriched in Christ?

Thank you for being part of this mission and for helping bring the truth and encouragement of God’s Word to women around the world.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Support This Ministry

Dear Friends,

Most of us have heard the phrase “forgive and forget” so many times it has lost its weight. But for anyone who has been deeply wounded, those three words can feel less like wisdom and more like a verdict. How do you forget something that shattered your trust? How do you stop a memory from surfacing at the worst possible moment?

It does not mean what happened was okay, or that the pain wasn’t real. Forgiveness also doesn’t mean we’re “over it,” because God helps us heal over time.

Whether you’re carrying bitterness toward someone else, struggling to believe God could truly forgive you, or confused about why forgiving feels like it never quite “takes,” there is something here for you. We are so glad you are here for this conversation.

Encouraging you in God’s truth,

Pushing at the Wrong Door | T. Windahl
When conflict with a Bible study teacher left T. Windahl and her husband trapped in bitterness, it took an ordinary moment in a grocery store parking lot to show her what God had been trying to say all along. This story will change the way you see every door you push against.

What Does It Mean to Forgive and Forget? | Debbie W. Wilson
Debbie Wilson unpacks what God actually means when He says He will "remember our sins no more," and how that truth became the lifeline someone needed to save her marriage and her heart.

The Key to Restoring Our Joy | Lynne Farrell
Lynne Farrell thought she had forgiven the man who broke her heart in college, until she saw him at a reunion and realized the bitterness had simply gone quiet. Her honest reckoning on the side of a highway became a turning point, and the truth she discovered there just might unlock something in you too.

Also:

• For Your Heart

• Bible Verse of the Week

• Prayer of the Week

Pushing at the Wrong Door

A Memorable Lesson on Forgiving Others.

By T. Windahl

My husband, Pete, and I once belonged to a Bible study group where conflict arose between us and one of our teachers. This conflict began soon after we had agreed to take on the role of heading up the prayer ministry within the group.

More than burdened by this conflict, Pete met with our teacher for lunch to discuss the shocking and difficult situation that had arisen between us. Unfortunately, nothing was resolved over lunch. Nothing could be agreed upon, and the tension between us persisted. It hung over us like a cloud during our every interaction.

Unforgiveness within Pete and me eventually bore the fruit of bitterness. That bitterness eventually consumed our minds and our conversations. For weeks, we were angry, hurt, sad, and confused. The situation did not make any sense to us, and we remained stuck in our ugly bitterness.

A Sobering Lesson

One day, Pete and I were driving somewhere when we realized we needed to stop at a cash machine. So Pete drove to the nearest grocery store, and I waited in the car while he ran in to get the cash.

While waiting for Pete, I happened to notice a man with a young boy walking towards the store’s main doors.

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By Lynne Farrell

I never expected to see him at our 20th college reunion, but the moment I stepped out of the car, I recognized his laugh echoing across the lawn. It had been years since Sam* ended our relationship—a sudden, painful exit without a word of explanation. At twenty years old, I was convinced my heart would never recover. But years later, standing across from Sam was a very different woman. Blessed with a Godly husband, two precious children, and a deep faith in Jesus, my life was full, and the biggest heartache of my youth was a distant, healed memory. Or so I thought.

Seeing Sam joyfully engaging with a child on each hand and a woman by his side triggered an emotion I didn’t immediately recognize. When I came to Christ in my thirties, I had intentionally gone through an exercise to forgive Sam for what he had put me through. I didn’t consider that the feeling surfacing that day might be unforgiveness. But on the drive home from the gathering, alone with God and all of my raw emotions, I realized that it actually infuriated me to see Sam happy. I didn’t like the smile on his face, or those beautiful children embracing their father with love. I wanted him to hurt and to suffer as I did. You see, although I thought I had forgiven Sam, the Holy Spirit made it clear that there was a residue of bitterness in my soul that still needed to be dealt with.

For many Christians, the stickiest part of faith isn’t a complex doctrine—it’s the command to forgive someone who has hurt us, and it seems to be the place where a lot of us stay stuck. Forgiving those who have wronged us and letting go of the grudge seems contrary to every fiber in our fleshly being (to which the world and the devil will gladly encourage). I used to think the reason our Lord instructs us to forgive so many times in the biblical text is because we are most like Him when we do. After all, Jesus’s example of the ultimate sacrifice given for love includes the relinquishing of His will, forgiving those who had wounded Him, and erasing the enormous debt we owe because of it.

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By Debbie W. Wilson

“Forgive and forget.” I bet you’ve heard that phrase. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wave a magic wand and do just that? But anyone who has been deeply wounded knows how impossible—and condemning—this admonition can feel. How do we stop remembering something that shattered our trust?

Rita wrestled with this. Her struggle and victory offer hope to those reeling from betrayal.

When the Hurt is Clear and Present

“I thought I was going to die when my extended family told me my husband had cheated on me,” Rita said. “My whole family knew about the affair that had taken place years earlier. I felt like a fool. I was the only one who hadn’t known. I couldn’t breathe.”

Rita knew her husband loved her, and she loved him. But in that moment, her world crumbled. She knew that if their marriage had any chance of surviving, she would have to forgive him. Yet forgiveness felt impossible while her pain was so intense. Her struggle led to a greater interest in the Bible. She needed solid footing to move forward.

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By T. Windahl

My husband, Pete, and I once belonged to a Bible study group where conflict arose between us and one of our teachers. This conflict began soon after we had agreed to take on the role of heading up the prayer ministry within the group.

More than burdened by this conflict, Pete met with our teacher for lunch to discuss the shocking and difficult situation that had arisen between us. Unfortunately, nothing was resolved over lunch. Nothing could be agreed upon, and the tension between us persisted. It hung over us like a cloud during our every interaction.

Unforgiveness within Pete and me eventually bore the fruit of bitterness. That bitterness eventually consumed our minds and our conversations. For weeks, we were angry, hurt, sad, and confused. The situation did not make any sense to us, and we remained stuck in the ugly bitterness.

A Sobering Lesson

One day, Pete and I were driving somewhere when we realized we needed to stop at a cash machine. So Pete drove to the nearest grocery store, and I waited in the car while he ran in to get the cash.

While waiting for Pete, I happened to notice a man with a young boy walking towards the store’s main doors.

Read more