gray and brown mountain

God Knows Our Need, As We Suffer

Does God know how hard this is? Does He know how things are going to turn out? What if things get worse? Does He know my pain and the aching of my heart? Does He know my “what if” thoughts? To God my earnest voice I raise, to God my Read more

selective focus photo of bottle with cork lid

Loving Jesus In Our Suffering

Mary was about to lose our beloved Jesus to the cross. What did she do in the midst of this sad and stressful time? She broke her precious possession, an alabaster flask of expensive perfumed ointment, pouring it over Jesus’s feet (Jn. 12:3).  She has done what she could; she Read more

brown wooden dock

Help me to praise You when I don’t feel happy, God

When life’s suffering brings us to our knees, we need God’s help in many ways. If you’re like me, emotions quickly cloud my thoughts. I need His help. Praising God in the midst of pain somehow doesn’t feel emotionally authentic. Am I feeling emotionally happy when I’m in physical agony? Read more

gray asphalt road surrounded by tall trees

Finding hope when it seems there’s no answer

My knee-jerk reaction to suffering is to research, scrambling for solutions, aiming to find a way to make things feel more comfortable. I want to fix things and quickly. I want an answer. Back when my illness was the worst, my desperation for health had crossed the line into idolatry. Read more

brown wooden cross

Jesus, keep me near the cross

It is the holiest of weeks as we look to the cross. As we sigh heavy in our own suffering that overlays this week, we look to our Lord and Savior, grasping His grace in suffering. I chose this hymn because when trials scream and cry loud, its words become Read more

purple leaf

In my Sorrow, Sing to the Man of Sorrows

Is today filled with sorrow, beloved? It is for many of us, dear readers. Our Man of Sorrows, our suffering Servant, our Savior Jesus Christ understands our suffering, sadness, and loss.  This week, let’s remember Jesus who is so near to us in our sadness because He is our Man Read more

photo of a man sitting under the tree

Singing the Name of Jesus Into Loneliness

Suffering feels lonely, doesn’t it? So much suffering causes physical isolation, surviving away from others. How I’m praying for those who are widowed, sick, orphaned, and isolated right now. The list is lengthening daily. Even when people are physically near, we can feel emotionally alone, right? If you’re anything like Read more

red and green mistletoe decoration

Jesus, You are our King and Friend this Christmas

Merry Christmas, dear friends! Some of you have written to tell me you’re singing “O Holy Night” daily, even though it’s a challenging song to sing! You know, the Lord delights to hear us sing even if we don’t like how we sound. In Song of Solomon 2:14 (ESV), He says,  Read more

macro shot photography of tea candles

How to worship Jesus Christ into suffering this Christmas

It was a holy night. Jesus Christ, our Savior, was born. Can you imagine the sound filling the sky as the multitude of angels arrived? What a sound must have been the glory of heaven, lyrics from worship at His throne breaking into our earthly atmosphere, praising God! The song Read more

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