grace upon grace

green gift box with peach ribbon

Blessings all mine as I suffer, by God’s amazing grace

Abba Father, If I’m honest, I’m crying to You along with Job. This suffering feels Job-like. “I loathe my life” (Job 9:21 ESV).  And yet, as I suffer today, I remember that You gave me eternal life, life that is in Your Son, Jesus Christ. You gave me to Jesus.  Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
woman unwrapping a christmas present

He Giveth More Grace as Our Burdens Grow Greater

I’ve been sharing some of my testimony on YouTube recently. Like a cancer survivor, I’ve been in a season of reflection in the last year, now that our Lord has spared my earthly life once again. Being a musician, I look back and liken it more to a sonata than Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
a woman opening curtains

God’s promised best when I imagine the worst

Lord, You know my frame. When suffering is chronic in my earthly life and I wake up with pain-full, ongoing problems, You know I quickly imagine the worst when I look into the near future. Comfort me to remember Your promised best. Change my thoughts when I only imagine the Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
photograph of variety of fruits on a table

All good gifts around us

This week’s hymnwriter, a pastor’s kid, wrote this in serious illness, re-turning to the Lord after falling away for over twenty years:  We plow the fields and scatterthe good seed on the land,but it is fed and wateredby God’s almighty hand. (“We Plow the Fields and Scatter,” Claudius, M., 1782) Serious Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
foot prints on desert during daytime

All the way my Savior leads me

Good Shepherd, thank You for guiding me through this suffering journey. Psalm 23’s promises are precious to me, for You are indeed leading me in paths of righteousness, giving me needed moments of rest, restoration, and comfort in Your always-good and compassionate presence. You’re leading me through the darkest places Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
human standing beside crucifix statue on mountain

Have you ever heard of spiritual depression? 

Particularly when our bodies suffer from chronic illness or ongoing fatigue and stress, we can become prone to what Martin Lloyd-Jones describes as “spiritual depression” or joyless unhappiness, a temptation of Satan for a believer.  My harp on yonder willow lies, Silent, neglected, and unstrung; My cheerful songs are turned Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
people playing the piano

Jesus, teach me, guide me in this suffering’s learning

I sat with God’s Word and my prayer journal, exhausted, in pain, not sure what I should even attempt to do after an unexpectedly short and challenging night of “sleep.” Like Job, my prayers floated between “help” and “how?” I had a list of things I’d planned to do, but Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
a person holding a bible

Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face

Faithful Father, Because You are faithful, I can walk through this trial, even if You choose not to remove it on earth. Your promises hold me when my emotions and thoughts spiral. Suffering can bring such temptation to doubt Your love or to fall into sinful self-pity and bitterness toward Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
woman with umbrella on beach

Who is our hope as we suffer?

Lord Jesus Christ, You are my only hope as I suffer. Exalted Jesus, help me to daily celebrate Your resurrection! For You are risen and reigning now! Christ exalted is our song, Hymned by all the blood-bought throng; To his throne our shouts shall rise; God with us by sacred Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
distressed middle aged woman in black blazer holding a woman beside her

A glorious love story’s chapter

A sweet medical helper tried to encourage me, “Your story isn’t over yet. This is just a chapter.” Amazingly, this world has invented positive thinking “mantras,” faintly shadowing Biblical truth. With each chapter of ongoing suffering’s ebb and flow of hardships, a Christian’s story isn’t over yet! Why? Because our Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago

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