star shaped christmas lights

Peace in suffering at Christmas…in the gospel of Christ

We’ve flipped the calendar and here we are, entering Advent. So, we begin to sing the old familiar hymn… Hark! the herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King!” (“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Wesley, C., 1739) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Lk. Read more…

fortification on cliff washed by azure seawater

God is a fortress in the overwhelming flood

Lord of heaven and earth, I confess that sometimes I fear the enemy is winning. I confess that I can easily think he is Your equal. Our accuser tempts me with lies, thinking that You are not all-powerful over the enemy and evil. He tempts me to disregard Your power Read more…

gray rock mountain

Faith as God’s gift, over fear

Facing this week’s scary possibilities, imagining very-plausible-horrible in my thoughts, also clouded by my grief of a sudden death last week, I wondered…was Jesus ever afraid? Scripture doesn’t reveal a time when He was. Why would He be? He’s God! But Jesus was also human and He faced anticipated suffering Read more…

Near to God by Lauri A. Hogle

You are worthy of my praise, Lord

God, I come to You in moments of despair and stress as I walk through this fallen world’s deep suffering. It’s exhausting, so I’m battling the enemy’s insidious lies just as Jesus did. Your Word is Your offensive weapon (Eph. 6). So, help me cling to Your Word’s truths about Read more…

green trees

Praying to the great I AM, Alpha and Omega

Lord Jesus Christ, when suffering overwhelms me, I must remember how big You are.  I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is and who was and who is come, the Almighty (Rev. 1:8 ESV). Jesus, You are I AM. You are self-existent, constant, and You always accomplish Your purposes. You Read more…

person s scooping water by hands

Help me trust You, my trustworthy God

It’s so easy for me to forget God’s trustworthy hold on me as I suffer. It’s so easy to forget my trustworthy Lord when I focus on the pain I’m enduring. My troubles scream loud and I quickly fixate on them, spiral into desperate fix-it mode, or helpless despair about Read more…

grayscale photography of hands waving

We have hope, Jesus is King!

The news is horrific, isn’t it? Suffering abounds. We’re in agony for many whose daily existence is threatened. We find ourselves praying, “God, please help me as I suffer. Please help our world and Your people.” Who are we praying to, beloved in Christ? Maybe today we need to remember Read more…

landscape photography of clouds

Finding peace instead of “what if” anxious thoughts

Do you find your thoughts drifting into the “what if” zone? They can keep us up at night. The loud voices of the media fuel them. We Google around, looking for possible answers, fretting. Wondering. Trying to take control…again. “What if” thoughts jab our souls when we suffer. We try Read more…

yellow sunflower and red apple fruits on green table

Give thanks to God, in all circumstances

Our precious Father recently introduced me to a new friend in Christ, older and refined by many surgeries and lifelong complications. We immediately and empathetically understood one another, having walked through similar challenges in our earthly lives. We laughed, cried, shared stories, and praised the Lord together. What was her Read more…

gray concrete triumphal arch surrounded by flowers

Sing of God’s kingdom plan to battle today’s fears

I was afraid of what might happen. My tiny human mind couldn’t figure out how the situation could possibly resolve. Like the songwriters of the Psalms, I needed to battle today’s fears about the future. I needed to battle the enemy’s made-up lies by singing truths of God’s Word, as Read more…

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