endurance with faith

woman holding christmas gift

A suffering Christmas with God’s gift of purifying and refining

I’ve been pondering the wondrous truths God reveals about His saving gift. I once asked Him, “What are believers in Christ saved from, exactly?” If anything brings me to my knees in humble gratitude within this year’s suffering Christmas, it’s His answers throughout Scripture. Handel’s Messiah echoes the truth, the very bad Read more…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
boat out at sea at dusk

God knows what is best for my suffering loved one

A mighty fortress is our God,a bulwark never failing;our helper he, amid the floodof mortal ills prevailing. (“A Mighty Fortress,” Luther, M., 1529) Mortal ills and storms of life in this fallen world, raging temptations to sin, all of us desperately needing God’s help. Here’s one of the greatest of Read more…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
an elderly man consoling a woman

Bringing our emotions to the feet of Jesus

God made us emotional beings, housed in a body with a cognitive brain that thinks and an emotional brain that simultaneously “feels.”  Beloved in Christ, God not only understands our emotions, but He created us with physical brains… that automatically have them.  Many faithful and mature children of God (e.g., Read more…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
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…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
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…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
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…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
person holding a stencil

Praising our Savior for His victory as we suffer

Father God, even as we rejoice in our Savior’s resurrection, sometimes our suffering so overwhelms us that we can hardly pray or read Your Word. Yet, You know we desperately need Your Word’s truths as we suffer. Strengthen and encourage us, just as You did other disciples of Jesus in Read more…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
white clouds with sun piercing through it

Clinging to hope in God’s purposes as I suffer, like Jesus

Father,  It’s Your promise.  Please strengthen our hearts by fixing our eyes on Jesus today. Help us cling to hope in Your always-good purposes for Your beloved in Christ, as we suffer. For it can seem like there are no good purposes for our earthly suffering. But Your Word gives Read more…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
green aurora lights in the sky

What if I don’t have “enough faith, weak faith?”

The enemy is such a liar and accuser when we live with suffering. Especially when it’s chronic, ongoing throughout this life. Especially in a crisis that lasts. Satan can tempt us to think that suffering means we’re “weak Christians” who don’t have “enough faith.” We easily feel shamed, judged, afraid, Read more…

By Lauri Hogle, ago
close up shot of king s crown on brown box

Crown Jesus Christ, who carries us through, into new!

Happy New Year! I’m now six weeks from God’s miracle of a second lifesaving brain surgery and I’ve prayed about what to share with you. I’ve been unable to write a blog post for several months. Why?  I was again walking the valley of the shadow of death, for the Read more…

By Lauri Hogle, ago

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