Overcoming Trials
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10 Comforting Bible Verses for the Death of a Loved One
I light a white candle, and it casts long shadows on the wall. As the flame flickers, I open my Bible in search of comforting Bible verses for the death of a loved one. Close friends recently lost a beloved relative, and the heavy cloud of loss has settled like a cloak over us all. I wonder if it just might suffocate me. Comforting Bible Verses for the Death of a Loved One How do you find comfort in loss when sadness is your constant companion? Today, we’ll explore 10 comforting Bible verses for the death of a loved one. I encourage you to soak in these words and let…
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Jesus’ Words for Your Troubled Times and Mountaintop Moments (with Deb Wolf)
The pines dance silvery-white in the morning sunlight, and if I listen closely enough, I swear I hear them singing in unison. Winter is the quiet season in this part of the world. It’s also the time of year when my soul starts itching for Jesus’ words to reach down from the fiery firmament and speak into my weary heart. Not long ago, God sent more than just a few of Jesus’ words to speak into my life. I was in a season of faithful Bible-reading, but I felt spiritually dry. By God’s grace, he led me to Deb Wolf’s new devotional journal for women. Deb’s 52-Week Devotional Journal for…
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5 Ways to Encounter God in Unexpected Places
I’ve been thinking about how to encounter God in the ordinary moments of my days for a few years now. Today, we’ll discuss 5 ways to encounter God in tough times and unexpected places. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with God. 5 Ways to Encounter God Looking back over these years, I smile as I consider the ways God has most frequently revealed himself in my life: God did the most soul-shaping work in my life in very unexpected places. I consider these thoughts as I put myself in the shoes of a young man who…
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A Short Prayer for Strength During Difficult Times
Have you been walking through a difficult time in your life? Today, I invite you to join me during one of the most challenging years of my life, and I’ll share a short prayer for strength during difficult times of all sorts. I pray these words lead you straight into the arms of your heavenly Father. He loves you, and he hasn’t missed a moment of the trial you are walking through. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a short devotional eBook to help you find strength in the Lord. A Short Prayer for Strength During Difficult Times The oaks flaunted butterscotch hands the year…
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Trusting God in Difficult Times: 3 Powerful Insights
Raindrops hang from the picnic table like glass beads on a string. Morning has come with heavy air and an ashen sky that goads us to sleep longer. Life has consisted of one rainy day after another here. It’s been a hard season of learning about trusting God in difficult times. Perhaps you can relate. If you could use encouragement on trusting God in difficult times, you’re in the right place today. Trusting God in Difficult Times What happens when the thing you prayed would never happen becomes your reality? A friendship that was once life-giving suddenly becomes strained and difficult. You are misunderstood in an area that matters deeply…
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How to Lean on God for Strength When You’re Ready to Give up
I wrote this post a while back, at a time when I was ready to give up on the calling of the season. Looking back, I’m glad I kept going. Here are a few words of encouragement if you need to lean on God for strength in a hard season. How to Lean on God for Strength A chartreuse glow rises from the wood line, and I’m ready to throw in the towel and call this season over. I’m ready to give up, check out, and get on with the next thing. I sincerely believed this would be easier by now. I believed I’d have more energy, more normalcy, and…
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8 Encouraging Bible Verses About Change in Life
I wrote this post about how to embrace change as we adjusted to life with a tiny new member of the family. If you feel like any area of your life has been flipped upside down lately, these words are for you. Be sure to keep reading to the end of the post for eight Bible verses about change in life, followed by a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God amid changing circumstances. Navigating Transitions (With 8 Bible Verses About Change in Life) Our family recently stepped into a transition that startled us all. After nine months of enduring my couch-bound illness, we welcomed our…
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When You Feel All Alone in the World
Do you feel all alone in the world? I invite you to read these words slowly. Let them wash over you and shape you from the inside out. When You Feel All Alone in the World The clouds are laying low tonight. Layers of powder blue rest on smoky white. I hold my baby boy in my arms and get lost in the moment. We sway on the glider as blackbirds flutter overhead. They’re headed east, like maybe they’re chasing down the dawn. I glance down at the fuzzy head to see if his eyes have closed. Every time, those bright blue eyes are still open, gazing at me in…
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Satisfaction in Jesus: A Question to Ask Yourself
I’m not thinking about how to find satisfaction in Jesus as the wind rustles the maple leaves. However, as I open my Bible for inspiration on the warm afternoon, I discover stumble a surprising scene. A blind man named Bartimaeus is crying out to Jesus from the roadside. Stopping, Jesus looks at blind Bartimaeus and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” For an instant, I imagine I am the blind man, and Jesus is asking me this question. “Jesus, you know what I want you to do for me,” I whisper in the deepest part of my soul. As the words leave my lips, I realize…
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Empty Inside? Take These 3 Steps Today and Get Filled
Fog hovers over clear water this morning. I sit in silence as my soul waits for the Healer to reach out and touch these empty places inside of me. When’s the last time you stilled your soul long enough to be real about the places where you feel empty inside? King David penned these words: “My soul waits in silence for God only.” I could use this reminder every day of my life. Because we all have empty spaces. Places where we’re longing for someone to reach out and offer something substantial – something that lasts. David continues his song like this: “From Him is my salvation. He only is…
