person s scooping water by hands

“Jesus, Lover of My Soul” in Times of Loss and Waiting

Are you walking through a time of “unanswered prayer?” Does it seem like a lifetime of waiting for something? Are you experiencing discouragement and loss? I wrote this last week, not knowing that I would be suddenly walking in “the valley of the shadow of death” a few days later. Read more

two brown trees

Jesus, You are the lover of my soul

What if this suffering means my faith isn’t strong enough? What if God doesn’t actually love me?  The enemy loves to dagger these questions into our thoughts. Just as in the Genesis 3 garden, the tempter wants us to forget the gospel, doubt God’s love for us because pain is Read more

panoramic photography of road between grasses and body of waters

God’s Rescue in a New-Hard Season

As this New Year begins, are you begging God for rescue from a new-hard season? If you’re like me, as I pray for rescue, I also must look back, rehearsing His past rescue when my circumstances overwhelm. I first need to remember that He’s already rescued and delivered us!  So, Read more

scenic view of dramatic sky during winter

Rest of a New-Hard Season

Are you walking in a new-hard season as the New Year approaches? Is this Christmas song lyric your own context right now? In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter, long Read more

red lighted candle

Emmanuel in my “Already and Not Yet” this Christmas

As God’s people waited for Messiah after Malachi’s prophecies, they heard no new words from God…for about 400 years. They thought God’s blessing would come after they’d restored the temple, but it didn’t come for many generations.  Had He abandoned them into darkness? Were their prayers falling on deaf ears?  Read more

withered leaves photo

Yet, I will rejoice in the LORD

My suffering appeared hopeless. Every circumstance pointed to endless hardship, permanent challenges, a life of tribulation. It felt Job-like, impacting health, finances, family, work and home tasks, relationships. My husband and I were now walking through years of long-suffering affliction and endless pain. And now my soul is poured out Read more

old castle on rocky cliff

Battle Fear with Praise to God

David’s Psalm 56 song lyrics resonate with me when I battle serious illness symptoms and have fearful thoughts of “what if.” David was afraid of what might happen because, practically based on his human understanding, his enemies would likely kill him (1 Sam. 21).  David’s lyrics acknowledge our very real Read more

gray concrete triumphal arch surrounded by flowers

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms in Crisis

Crisis screams. A phone call that shatters, symptoms that destroy, an emergency that swirls into chaos. If you’re like me, you grasp for control and try to hold things together as you pray, “Help me, help me” or just “God,” until you finally breathe and melt. In the siren lights Read more

writing morning blur business

God’s beautiful, wonderful words of life

Are you dealing with frustrations at every turn? Battling Goliath-sized giants on many fronts? Does this old hymn sing your prayer to the Lord today?  Sing them over again to me,wonderful words of life;let me more of their beauty see,wonderful words of life.Words of life and beauty,teach me faith and Read more

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