landscape photography of clouds

Finding peace instead of “what if” anxious thoughts

Do you find your thoughts drifting into the “what if” zone? They can keep us up at night. The loud voices of the media fuel them. We Google around, looking for possible answers, fretting. Wondering. Trying to take control…again. “What if” thoughts jab our souls when we suffer. We try Read more

aurora borealis

A prayer-song to our glorious God

Is this world’s ugly invading your thoughts and emotions lately? Is it hard to see any light right now? When darkness and ugly infiltrate our thoughts in suffering, we grasp for light and beauty. Sometimes the pain in this world becomes so big in our suffering, that we’re desperate to Read more

beige sand with hear engrave

Loved with everlasting love, as I suffer

In the heavy weight of ongoing suffering, it’s so easy to doubt God’s love for us. I suppose this is why I write about His love so often. Because it’s an age-old question, deriving from our Genesis 3 fall with Satan’s hiss, “Did God actually say?” What if my suffering Read more

white flowers and leaves on an open book

Near to God as I praise Him for His character

God’s songs in Scripture drip with honest emotion. So we know He understands our emotional needs when we suffer; He gives us words to pray when our hearts run dry. In our pain and suffering, He even gives us moments of praise, interspersed within those tearful songs in His Word. Read more

woman in white sweater and blue denim jeans praying on bed

How to sing the Lord’s song when we’re suffering

Is your landscape starting to look foreign? With head-spinning changes, escalating evil all around, pervasive hardship, and seemingly impossible suffering? I’ve had that kind of week as I write this. Many of us have. Psalms 137 and 138 have been the Lord’s gift to me this week.  God’s people, exiled Read more

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

macro shot photography of tea candles

Abiding in the Joy and Love of Jesus at Christmas

As we celebrate Jesus’ first coming this Christmas, we’re celebrating love. Love incarnated! The Lord of heaven and earth became human.  Yes, He was born to die for us. What an undeserved and gracious gift of His love for sinners like you and me. It’s astounding. Lately, I’ve also been Read more

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