Tag: Daily Devotional

Daily Thoughts for December

Published on by Isabella Alden2 Comments

This post contains the final installment of Isabella’s monthly Bible devotional series titled “Daily Thoughts,” which she wrote for The Pansy magazine in 1885.

Isabella’s “Daily Thoughts” for the month of December focus on Chapters 139 and 46 of the Book of Psalms.

Please Note: You will see that the PDF version of the original 1885 “Daily Thoughts” for December contains two errors:

  1. There is no verse for December 31 (unfortunately for us!).
  2. The verses for December 25 through 30 are incorrectly attributed to Chapter xli (Chapter 41) of the Book of Psalms. This was probably just a printing error in the original issue of The Pansy magazine. The correct chapter is Psalms xlvi (Chapter 46).

Click here to open a PDF version of Isabella’s “Daily Thoughts” for November, which you can read, print, save, and share with others.

Or, click here to download a simplified Word version.

If you missed Isabella’s “Daily Thoughts” for previous months, you can find them here: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October November

Daily Thoughts for November

Published on by Isabella Alden4 Comments

In 1895 Isabella published a monthly Bible devotional series titled “Daily Thoughts,” which appeared the first day of each month in The Pansy magazine; and we’re reprinting them in 2020!

Isabella’s “Daily Thoughts” for the month of November are from Chapter 40 of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Click here to open a full-size PDF version of Isabella’s “Daily Thoughts” for November, which you can read, print, save, and share with others.

Or, click here to download a simplified Word version.

If you missed “Daily Thoughts” for previous months, you can find them here: January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October

Daily Thoughts for October

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

In 1895 Isabella published a monthly Bible devotional series titled “Daily Thoughts,” which appeared the first day of each month in The Pansy magazine; and we’re reprinting it in 2020!

Isabella’s “Daily Thoughts” for the month of October are from Chapter 6 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, and Chapter 2 of the book of Revelation.

Click here to open a full-size PDF version of Isabella’s “Daily Thoughts” for October, which you can read, print, save, and share with others.

Or, click here to download a simplified Word version.

If you missed “Daily Thoughts” for prior months, you can find them here: January February March April May  June July August September

Pansies for Thoughts

Published on by Isabella Alden16 Comments

Yesterday you read a lovely letter Isabella wrote to the students of an elementary school, thanking them for planting a tree in her honor.

Isabella’s writings—her books, stories, letters, and lessons—are filled with quote-worthy lines. Here’s an example from her novel, Tip Lewis and His Lamp:

In the story, The Reverend Mr. Holbrook asked that question of young Tip Lewis to help him realize that his resentment toward another boy was jeopardizing his own standing with God.

It was Isabella’s way of illustrating the Bible verse: “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

That was Isabella’s genius: she had a talent for explaining the Bible in terms anyone—young or old—could understand.

One of the greatest admirers of Isabella’s talent was her niece, Grace Livingston Hill. When Grace was twenty-three years old, she was the newly published author of her first book, A Chautauqua Idyll. And she was ready for her next project.

Grace turned her attention to her Aunt Isabella’s books. She combed through them, selected inspiring quotes, and organized them into a daily devotional, with each quote accompanied by an applicable verse from the Bible.

The result of Grace’s efforts was called Pansies for Thoughts, and it became her second published book.

The original cover for Grace’s 1888 devotional, Pansies for Thoughts.

Isabella wrote a brief Preface for the book, with a prayer that . . .

The Holy Spirit would use these pages in a way to lead some souls daily higher, and higher, even into the “shining light” of the “perfect day.”

Pansies for Thoughts is a wonderful daily devotional, and you can read the book for free! Click here to download the e-book version for your Kindle, Nook, or tablet. Or you can download a PDF version to print or read on your computer.

This post is part of our Blogiversary Celebration! Leave a comment below or on Isabella’s Facebook page to be entered in a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card! We’ll announce the winner on Friday morning, September 21!