My heart is in agony, and I have to share. Thousands have written me, having been taught that if we “do” things a certain way, God “has to” remove suffering and give us “favor,” as a reward for our works. Beloved, do you see the pride and pain this brings? It’s making ourselves into gods above Him. Read more…
Lord of love, Job cried his litany of losses to You with honesty, in lament. In grief. In depression. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul (Job 7:11 ESV). He told You everything he’s feeling, echoing lament songs You’ve given Read more…
Into my utter exhaustion one afternoon, I read God’s promise, “As your days, your strength shall be” (Deut. 33:25), and this song immediately came to mind once again. Afflicted saint, to Christ draw near,The Savior’s gracious promise hear;His faithful word declares to thee,That as thy days, thy strength shall be. Read more…
Sometimes, it feels like being trapped. Like we’re victims, prisoners of war. Stuck in pressured darkness, feeling there’s no way out of problems, imprisoned in sick bodies, continually being revisited by trauma. It’s all within our contexts of ongoing battles in this fallen world decaying in sin. Sometimes, we’re faced Read more…
My compassionate doctor kindly encouraged me, “Give yourself grace.” Needing more rehab, more medication, more rest? Her words were God’s gift of grace, melting away a burden I’d been feeling. “Give myself grace” when my body, mind, and spirit endure ongoing suffering. As God continues His holistically healing work, He Read more…
Recently, I shared about some precious friends who’ve experienced our Father’s comfort in affliction, who then shared that comfort with me and my husband. It came after their intense affliction. But how can we experience His comfort within this suffering, a suffocating affliction? How can we know His desires for Read more…
Are your hard days becoming hard years of a hard life? As we both look ahead, let’s find courage as we pray together, for God is redeeming our suffering. God’s redeeming work of grace Father, I continually cherish Your rescuing gift of saving grace. My blessed Redeemer gave Himself for Read more…
Friends are lovingly encouraging me to “be patient” when I get my hopes up and then end up feeling discouraged and disappointed in this rehab and recovery time. It’s a waiting time, one step forward, two steps back. It’s one of “longsuffering,” God’s word for “patience.” Are you waiting for Read more…
When Jesus saw him lying by the pool, He asked: Do you want to be healed or “made whole?” The man at the pool had suffered from chronic illness and disability… for 38 years… desperately seeking to feel better… likely fighting daily with self-pity and hopeless angst. In such compassion, Read more…
My memories of last fall’s months are fading. Slipping in and out of consciousness, overcome by constant intractable pain and extra bouts of electric shocks, dealing with weakening side effects of treatment…well, it’s God’s mercy that I’m forgetting much of it now. Praise to our loving, powerfully healing, compassionate God! Read more…
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