Christian devotional

focused young woman reading the bible outdoors

Battling discouragement with God’s Word

Singing Christ’s Hope has a new creative team from within our subscriber family! This week’s praise interruption is offered by our sister in Christ who has shared a “couraging-into” writing…”A Walk Behind Enemy Lines: Why Discouragement is the Enemy’s Most Effective Tool and How to Overcome It.” Our accompanying playlist Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
golden coins on red background

How can God redeem our suffering?

Many try to comfort me by telling me what they think God is up to as I suffer with remaining chronic illnesses and pain. They anticipate what He must be teaching me through this. They peer into the future and imagine how He must be working. They attempt to give Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
little girl twirls in white dress outdoors

Maggie’s reality: Grieving loss, joyous hope in Jesus

Today, I share a story from a beloved sister in Christ (who happens to be my daughter), along with our weekly praise interruption of Scripture and song. May He tenderly encourage your heart if you, too, are grieving the loss of a baby or grandbaby. I am so grateful Maggie Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
silhouette of a boat in the ocean during sunset

Our Prince of Peace in this time of tribulation

Lord Jesus, our Prince of Peace, When sorrows and sea billows roll… and we feel like we’re drowning, calm me, and any Christian reading these words.  Settle us.  Peace by the cross of Jesus, past tense! It’s only possible in the forever peace we have with our Father, the peace Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
close up shot of two people holding hands

How to sing, “Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside,” when we’re suffering

Well-meaning and kind friends suggested they would pray for God’s “favor and blessing” so that my severe, chronic pain would disappear. So that the tribulation would end. So earthly suffering and affliction would stop. I silently cried an anguished response, “But I already HAVE His favor and blessing…because I’m in Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
close up of a blooming white lily flower

Fellowship of Christ’s suffering in the power of His resurrection

On this holiest of weeks, I’m sharing my husband’s favorite “Easter hymn.” First thing on Resurrection Sunday, he cranks up the volume and plays it!  He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! (“Christ Arose,” Lowry, R., 1874) Somehow, the truth that our beloved Savior is resurrected, risen, and reigning brings me Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
close up photo of bare hands

My suffering Savior’s songs of lament and hope

As my unmanaged chronic pain escalated on top of needed caregiving tasks, with long travel to help loved ones, and grief in losing a loved one…all at the same time…our Lord had already been inviting me to study the Psalms through my daily Bible reading plan. This time, He’d prompted Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
farmer holding lambs together

Christ will hold me fast, to the very end

When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast; When the tempter would prevail, He can hold me fast! (“He Will Hold Me Fast,” Habershon, A. R., 1906) I wonder if Ada wrote these lyrics into her deep suffering, so difficult that she feared she might leave Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago

Rest in the gospel, into loss and grief

Grief’s shock. Another loss? Affecting children, grandchildren? Emotion’s waves and storms. Exponential, thickening layers of pain. Overwhelmed. Darkness threatens to stifle joy and hope.  May this prayer be His rest in the gospel if you are also grieving losses. As I suffer, in my unrest, rest in the gospel Thy Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
woman hospital gown lying on bed crying

How to endure tribulation and suffering, singing the gospel to Job!

I’ll never forget it. As we interviewed to join a church after moving to a new state, one of the elders asked me, “What is your favorite book of the Bible?” I immediately responded, “Job.” He was shocked! Job’s words of lament became mine through years of undiagnosed and progressively Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago

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