salvation

person hands on holy bible

The blessing of Jesus Himself, within the suffering

Begone, unbelief, my Savior is near… (“Begone, Unbelief, My Savior is Near,” Newton, J., p. d. Sing to the tune of “O, Worship the King!”) Into my fears. Into the tempter’s sneer that You aren’t with me, Emmanuel. That this suffering must mean You’re not pleased with me.  And for Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
shallow focus of a woman holding a bible

God, help us focus on Your past, present, and future blessings

Blessed Father God, On this difficult day, it comforts me to know that Your strong believing children felt “so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself” (2 Cor. 1:8 ESV). Their affliction brought this on…and I’ve experienced the same. Focusing on God’s past blessings Turn me and 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
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
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
grayscale photo of person holding feet and hands

God’s promised forever family of love

Abba Father,  You made a most beautiful promise to Your people, offering them hope…six years before Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. You knew they would need it, and You know I need to remember my hope in Christ today. Into this very judgment for their sin, You promised:  “I will Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago
lit candle on the paper with notation

“Joy to the world,” in our painful Christmas

To Him “who loves us and has freed us from our sins” (Rev. 1:5 ESV), You’ve come, Lord and King Jesus! Joy to the world! The Lord is come: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Lk. 2:11 ESV). For the Son of Man 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
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
selective focus photography of hand

Blessed assurance in our gospel hope in Christ

Five years ago, obeying the clear voice of our Lord to create an online ministry of gospel hope alongside my suffering sisters in Christ, all of us under the weight of a frightening pandemic, this hymn rolled into my thoughts continually. It still is…even more so today! Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Read more

By Lauri Hogle, ago

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