EQ with Lou

For the faithful few who are tired of trying to pour from empty places…

There are times when nothing is “wrong” yet something quietly feels off.

You’re still praying. Still showing up. Still believing God.

There are times when you’ve been building, working, and remaining consistent in the assignment. Yet, you feel drained instead of full. You’re faithful, yet tired in ways rest alone doesn’t fix.

This experience is named very clearly in scripture.

Jeremiah 2:13 shows us that broken cisterns are man-made sources that can’t hold what only He can give. This isn’t stated as a point of condemnation or to cause one to feel guilt. Rather, God uses this wording intentionally to serve as a diagnosis.

Why? Because without the correct diagnosis one does not get the correct treatment.

I’ve been in this place. I’ve been down in the mud and completely empty yet still tried to show up and serve. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way about making sure that the places I was pulling from were sustainable. I genuinely love God and people. I had to recognize something important. The way I was showing up didn’t allow me to be my best self for God. It also didn’t allow me to be my best self for people. Yet one night while I was studying, the words of Jeremiah came alive to me. I realized that I had been given insight into my problem.

This devotion was written for those who sense they may be drawing from places that once helped them survive. However, these places can no longer sustain them.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• “Why do I still feel empty even though I love God?”
• “Why doesn’t prayer feel restoring right now?”
• “Am I doing something wrong–or am I just unreachable?

You’re not alone. And you’re NOT failing.

Many believers were never taught how to recognize what they’re sourcing themselves from emotionally & spiritually–especially after times of trauma, over-commitment, over-responsibility, or long term service.

This devotional is NOT rushing you toward answers, completion, or perfection.

My hope is that it serves as an invitation for you to return to the source.

No More Broken Cisterns is a 14-day scripture-centered devotional designed to help you:

• Gently identify where you may be drawing from substitute sources.
• Re-Anchor your identity & emotional life in God.
• Learn how correct alignment restores regulation–not striving.
• Practice returning to God as your source withOUT shame.

Each day is written in a clear but simple rhythm:

• Observe what the Word actually says.
• Interpret what it reveals about ourselves AND God.
• Align your life in truth with authentic awareness, honesty, and compassion.

This devotion is NOT something on your to-do list. It is not:

• A quick fix.
• A competition.
• A checklist.
• A call to “try” harder

It IS a journey for the purpose of restoration & true connection. It’s a quiet reminder to stop building cisterns and a small still voice inviting you to drink from living water.

Jesus said in John 4:13-14 that some sources require constant refilling, while others become a spring welling within us.

This devotional helps you to tell the difference.

Who This Is For

This devotional is for you if:

• You are faithful but emotionally exhausted or drained.
• You feel responsible for holding everything together.
• You’ve survived difficult seasons & don’t know how to stop surviving.
• You love God, but you sense you’re not fully aligned with His will for your life.

It is especially for:

• Leaders who serve often but rest rarely.
• Caregivers & helpers who pour out more than they receive.
• Those who are believers learning to navigate burnout.

How to Use It

(drop your defenses)

• Pace:
• One Scripture a day
• Intentional Rest
• Honesty & Awareness in the presence of God.

Know this.

• Some days will feel clarifying.
• Some moments will feel like you’ve been exposed.
• EVERY day is meant to be safe.

The word reminds us of the origin of true healing in Ezekiel 47:1-12.

Flow, not force.

Your Invited. Not Pushed.

If you sense this invitation is for you, I’ve created this 14-day devotional to walk this path slowly, intentionally, and grounded in the word of God.

• You’re not broken.
• You don’t have to fix anything.
• You only need to return to the fountain of living water.

May this season be a season where you stop surviving. Stop substituting one source for another because you run out. May this season be a season of clarity instead of confusion. May you drink deeply and stop pulling from Broken Cisterns.

Be sure to subscribe to be notified of official publication information.