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…

a person wearing a cross necklace

I belong to the Lord, conquering and overcoming victory in the battle!

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…

person holding a stone

Singing Christ’s gospel love song, into crisis attacks and depression

O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? (“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” Lemmel, H. H., 1922) I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble  I seek the Lord; in the night my Read more…

crop faceless woman showing small gift box on palms

Give yourself grace…the wonderful grace of Jesus

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…

clear glass bottle on white paper

“Being,” in Jesus Christ, as “doing,” with Jesus Christ

I felt defeated, discouraged, guilty, lazy. Unable to “do” what I’d planned. Letting others down. Now, nine months after my second chiari malformation brain surgery but still rehabilitating, I’d forgotten that I may look “fine” and I’m able to “do” at times, but other times? I just…can’t. Those times come Read more…

an eagle flying in the sky

Lord, please give me “Be still, my soul” patience

As grief overwhelmed me, I lost my patience. Anger welled up and had to be honestly released with a shout. Shrouded in loss and shocked by my unusually loud reaction, I asked God to help me see what lay beneath my tear-full explosion.  My anguish had started with an unexpected Read more…

person holding hand

Keep. Yourself. In. the Love of God. Waiting.

Has God ever slowed you way down as you read His Word? His Spirit gently nudges me into this slow-motion encouragement, many days! One day, I was overwhelmed by my body’s pain alongside the incessantly fear-full noise of the news, the divisive slander of Christians against one another, and the 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…

bonfire at night

Finding courage! God is redeeming this suffering, purified gold in the fire

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…

a person wearing a cross necklace

The power of the gospel, the power of the cross

Do you ever have days when you wonder if maybe Satan is winning? Does it feel like the grip of evil in this world is just too much to handle? Does it seem like someone you care about is just too immersed in this fallen world to possibly become part Read more…

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