thanksgiving

adorable goat kid gently held by hand

What’s our song? A sovereign Protector I have

I’m dancing and leaping and praising God as I humbly thank Him for His healing, compassionate mercy. Another cancer scare ended today as the incredulous doctor twinkled, “It’s gone! It was there…and it’s gone!” A few days prior, I’d felt a warm compression on that very area, like someone pushing Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
waves on a sea

Jesus calls us, over the noise of this world

Jesus, As we suffer, ebbs and waves of tumult threaten to drown us. Noisy uproar. Words of online and media crowds that confuse our thoughts. Expectations pulling us under. Changes and unrest that seek to rob us of Your peace and joy. It all aims to tug us away from Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
woman in white dress posing in nature outdoors

Jesus, help me to put on my new identity as I suffer

I don’t talk much about my daily struggles with chronic illness and pain symptoms and all their wretched effects on everything, certainly not on social media or in my blogs. I constantly tell God all about them, crying to Him for help, relief, and wisdom to deal. Honest lament continues Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
close up of ripe purple grapes in vineyard

How firm a foundation, producing abundant fruit of suffering

We’re moving to a smaller and more manageable one-story home this week. Our Lord made it clear to my husband and me that it’s time for this change. God has helped me quickly downsize and prune possessions from 39 years of marriage, raising children, and a multifaceted music career. The house Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
green gift box with peach ribbon

Blessings all mine as I suffer, by God’s amazing grace

Abba Father, If I’m honest, I’m crying to You along with Job. This suffering feels Job-like. “I loathe my life” (Job 9:21 ESV).  And yet, as I suffer today, I remember that You gave me eternal life, life that is in Your Son, Jesus Christ. You gave me to Jesus.  Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
cluster of small white flowers between pages of an open book

Watching the verbs in God’s precious and very great promises

Most High and Almighty God, as I pray the words of Psalm 91, I’m abiding in Your protecting shelter today, a cooling shadow in this intense heat. You are my refuge in this storm, a fortress in this battle, and I trust You today. Why? Because You are in supreme Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
photograph of variety of fruits on a table

All good gifts around us

This week’s hymnwriter, a pastor’s kid, wrote this in serious illness, re-turning to the Lord after falling away for over twenty years:  We plow the fields and scatterthe good seed on the land,but it is fed and wateredby God’s almighty hand. (“We Plow the Fields and Scatter,” Claudius, M., 1782) Serious Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
people on dinner during ramadan

Thanking God for Jesus when I’m under attack

How I’ve desperately needed to sing daily of our Redeemer’s propitiating work on the cross as I suffer. When I’m under attack, I need to remember that He became sin in my place and completely took all the punishment for sin that I deserve.  Jesus paid it all, All to Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
human standing beside crucifix statue on mountain

Have you ever heard of spiritual depression? 

Particularly when our bodies suffer from chronic illness or ongoing fatigue and stress, we can become prone to what Martin Lloyd-Jones describes as “spiritual depression” or joyless unhappiness, a temptation of Satan for a believer.  My harp on yonder willow lies, Silent, neglected, and unstrung; My cheerful songs are turned Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
person embroidering

As we suffer on earth, our Savior’s prayer of love for us

Lord Jesus, In my own agony, I can only turn to You, humbled and low before You. I feel so “wormy” when I re-realize the depth of my sin that separated me from our Father…and the depth of our Father’s love for me in giving me to You now and Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago

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