close up photo of a woman listening to music

Singing Christ’s hope when chronic pain and illnesses abound

Lists of uncontrollable symptoms. Adding-up ailments. Incurable. Chronic. Pain. Whack-a-mole managing. You too? I’m so thankful my husband drives us to church to worship and praise our Lord with our church family. Sometimes, I’m sitting in agony, but God always fills me with His strengthening love among His people.  As Read more

warm candlelight with flickering flame

Singing to Jesus by name in a suffering Christmas

We love the names of Jesus, don’t we? Christmas songs are filled with them, echoing God’s Word. They remind us of God’s unchanging character, on display in His incarnated person, God the Son.  This week, our playlist gift is sing-praying the names of Jesus, singing to Jesus by name in Read more

woman praying

Giving my litany of losses to my Lord of love

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

eyeglass with gold colored frames

Need strength for today? Afflicted saint, to Christ, draw near

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

woman in blue and white dress standing in the middle of a road

How can I live within this suffering? Speak, oh Lord!

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

person carrying child wearing white top

Releasing into joy, in my dread of suffering

Why do I assume that tomorrow will bring more suffering?  Even if it did, why would I assume that I couldn’t possess any joy?  Maybe I need to simply ask God for His Spirit’s promised fruit of joy, to release my imagined assumptions. Who am I to predict what tomorrow Read more

job print on book

When we feel like nothing, and no one is helpful in battles, we need our Helper 

I opened my phone, and social media tore into me. Memes complaining about “the world,” suffering and sin, and Scriptures meant to warn unbelievers wrecked my already-aching heart. When I realized I was suddenly feeling condemned and wallowing in “self” thoughts, I knew…these people’s posts were not helpful. When we Read more

photography of pool near fence

Do you want to be healed?

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

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