Overcoming Trials
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8 Prayers for Bad Thoughts & Moods: Shift Your Focus
Spring rain falls warm and soft against my skin. I lift my hooded face to the grey sky as it spits the cleansing rain, and I have an honest moment about my life. Lately, I’ve been in a perpetual bad mood for no reason I can identify. As I continue walking, the walk becomes a prayer, and I spend my time praying prayers for bad thoughts and attitudes. When I return to the house, I feel cleansed, as if God has washed something away. Today, we’ll explore eight prayers for bad thoughts and attitudes. Then, I’ll share a list of questions to ask when you’re in a bad mood for…
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God Will Make a Way: When God’s Ways Don’t Make Sense
A thin band of pale light hovers over the horizon like a breath only partially exhaled. I watch from my window like I’m waiting for the day to exert itself by letting go of the light it holds in restrained lungs. I’ve been wrestling with God lately—the kind of wrestling you do when you begin to doubt the promise that God will make a way. I open the Bible with the turquoise cover, and my eyes fall upon the words: “For the Word of the Lord is right, and all his work is done in faithfulness” (Psalm 33:4). It sure doesn’t feel like God’s faithfulness when the dream you were…
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Life-Changing Scripture About Leaning on God in Tough Times
Dawn breaks beneath a bitter chill today. The sparrows don’t seem to mind. They chatter at the feeder while their Maker dabs the world with tufts of white lace. I watch from my spot by the window as I search for Scripture about leaning on God. Scripture About Leaning on God Winter is beginning to wear on me, and we’ve only just begun. I have a feeling I’m going to need some strong words to carry me through the long months to come—months when leaning on God will be the secret for pressing forward. You might not be worn down today, but a time will come. A time will come…
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15 Bible Verses About God Hearing Our Prayers
We’re living in the grey days of winter as I write these words. The winter seasons of waiting can feel never-ending as we look to the ivory firmament and wonder if God hears our cries. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about God hearing our prayers. Then, we’ll find comfort as we focus on one verse about God hearing the cries of our hearts. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find comfort in God as you seek him. Bible Verses About God Hearing Our Prayers Let’s see what God’s Word says about God hearing our prayers. 15 Bible…
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11 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty Inside
Snow is sparse on the muddied earth, and I’m not so sure I want to get out of bed and face the day. I should probably find my Bible and look up some Bible verses about feeling empty, but I lack the motivation. Instead, five simple words scroll across my mind. They’re the words of Leanna Tankersley: “Each day we begin again.” My soul needs these words today. I need the simple reminder to get out of my bed and begin again. God’s mercies are new every morning. Every time I begin again, I trust in these mercies to fall fresh on me. 11 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty (and How…
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How to Grow Closer to God: 9 Practical Suggestions
I walked down the road for the sheer joy of stepping into the ivory firmament and breathing deeply today. Maybe I needed a fresh lesson on how to grow closer to God. I’d been feeling distant and disconnected from him, and I hoped that time outside might help me reconnect with him. I was still within eyeshot of the house when something caught my eye. Surrounded by sleepy beige earth, a single sprig of yellow-crowned goldenrod danced in the afternoon breeze. Bending low, I stopped to admire the tiny ray of hope in the middle of the desolate, almost-winter world. There is always beauty woven into barrenness. Somehow, that tiny,…
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“Has God Abandoned Me?” (12 Promises From God)
I sit in the canyon where the granite is ribboned with a thousand shades of earthy beige. I’ve come to this canyon to find answers and seek direction for my life. Feeling alone and uncertain, I whisper painful words to the wild Wyoming sky: “Has God abandoned me?” I’ve endured some rough years, and I can’t help but wonder what God thinks about my life. Is he looking at me with folded arms and a disappointed scowl on his face? Is he rolling his eyes and writing me off? I surely deserve to be written off. I’ve been living for myself and not for him. From where I’m sitting in…
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3 Ways to Hold on to God When You’re at the End of Your Rope
Someone tied a ragged rope swing over the creek last summer. I walked by that rope all winter, its frayed edges hanging grey and frozen over icy water. Sometime in the middle of those long winter months, the old rope started to remind me of the truth I needed when the sun hid its face for weeks on end: Sometimes you have to reach the end of your rope and lose your grip before you realize God was holding onto you the whole time. It’s not easy to hold on to God when your life falls apart and your grip loosens. But maybe the best news of all is this:…
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7 Bible Verses for Frustration: Reclaiming God’s Peace
Recently, I asked the kids what they wanted to do on a balmy afternoon. Little did I know how frustrating our day would be. By the end of the day, I was locked in my bedroom transcribing Bible verses for frustration into my journal. Bible Verses for Frustration Perhaps you’re here because you’ve been facing frustration, too. Let’s start by reading some Bible verses for frustration and stress. Then, I’ll share the story from our afternoon. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with God in frustrating times. 7 Bible Verses for Frustration and Stress 1. James 1:19,…
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17 Bible Verses for When You Feel Defeated
Most of us will feel defeated at times in our lives. In these moments, God’s Word offers encouragement. Today, I invite you to join me as we explore a list of Bible verses for when you feel defeated. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to encourage you and help you draw near to God. Bible Verses for When You Feel Defeated I decided I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to make a difference in the world. Like most 22-year-olds, I had high ideals and big expectations. Two months into my teaching career, I felt discouraged and defeated. Managing…
