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A Prayer for Strength and Healing When Life Hurts
The Queen Anne’s Lace stands in full bloom—sprinkling the fields with flourishes of ivory. Admiring it from the window, I utter a silent prayer for strength and healing. Not long ago, I slipped into the woods on a balmy evening. As I gazed into the murky creek water, I assessed the state of my soul and realized I was wrestling with uncertainty. The creek bottom exhaled the pungent scent of decaying earth, and I immediately sensed an invitation: Anyone can declare trust in God when life’s going well, but it takes faith to declare our trust when life feels uncertain. A Powerful Prayer for Strength and Healing: “Lord, I trust…
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8 Hope-Filled Bible Verses About the Storms of Life
We all face storms in life. If you feel like your ship is about to sink, let’s dig into God’s Word together as we uncover eight hope-filled Bible verses about the storms of life. Bible Verses About the Storms of Life Twenty years ago, I boarded a plane in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvnaia and flew to Anchorage, Alaska. I spent the next three months working in a deli outside Denali National Park and traveling across the state on the weekends. One weekend, I took a ferry through the fjords near Seward. I vividly remember the way a cloud of mist shrouded the bay like a crumpled quilt as our small vessel inched…
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Feeling Lost in Life? This Is for You . . .
Twelve years ago, I stepped into a season of major transition. I remember looking out the window one balmy summer morning and feeling lost in life. I felt like my identity was being slowly dismantled, and I didn’t know who I was anymore. We’ll revisit my identity crisis in a moment. First, take a moment to consider your most common responses when another person asks you to describe yourself. You might talk about your job, your family, or your hobbies. Maybe you share your interests and talk about the place where you live. Now, imagine how you would feel if these aspects of your life were suddenly stripped away. Consider…
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7 Empowering Scriptures on Insecurity
Most of us deal with insecurity. This week, let’s take a few minutes to explore the ways comparison keeps us from fulfilling our God-given assignments and explore ten powerful Scriptures on insecurity. 7 Empowering Scriptures on Insecurity Are you feeling insecure today? Let’s look at what God’s Word has to say about overcoming insecurity. 1. Psalm 139:13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” God created you just the way you are to fulfill his unique purpose for you in this world. You might feel like you don’t have what it takes to step into the calling he has placed in front of…
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How to Give Thanks to God in Tough Times
Not long ago, I sat down with an older, wiser woman, and we had an honest conversation about our lives. We talked about how to give thanks to God in tough times, and she shared her wisdom and experience. No matter what you’re facing today, if you can learn to cultivate gratitude in difficult seasons, God will use it to lift your head. Here are a few things my friend offered to me as we sorted this out. I pray they encourage you to keep looking for God’s gifts in your life as well. How to Give Thanks to God in Tough Times 1. Every day, take a moment to…
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8 Bible Verses About Being Worthy Enough in God’s Eyes
Have you ever asked yourself, “How does God see me?” Your ideas about the way God sees you will radically impact your ability to connect with him in a close, loving relationship. Let’s explore eight Bible verses about being worthy enough in God’s eyes today. First, I invite you to join me at the creek with my child, and we’ll talk about how God sees us. 8 Bible Verses About Being Worthy Enough My little boy and I inch closer to the creek beneath the silver arms of the sycamores. Expectantly, we walk to the bend where the water pools in shades of ethereal emerald, and he wiggles with excitement. …
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Seeking God’s Wisdom: Are You Praying or Ruminating?
Do you ever feel afraid of making the wrong decision and messing up your life? Maybe you need to choose between two jobs, two future spouses, or two different houses. In your uncertainty, you’re afraid you’re going to choose incorrectly and derail your life. You’ve been seeking God’s wisdom, but for the most part, heaven seems silent. A few years ago, I was desperate for wisdom and direction from God. I wasn’t sure whether to continue fervently pursuing my writing career or slow my writing and consider the possibility of having a third child. I reached out to a mentor and asked for advice. Secretly, I hoped she would tell…
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God Is Sufficient When You’re Weak, Worn, and Weary
A skirmish of maple leaves flutters to the earth—the color of moonrise on a cloudless night. It’s early in the season for falling leaves, but perhaps these leaves have grown tired from holding on. I’m tired tonight, too. I could use a gentle reminder that God is sufficient to help me in my weak, worn, and weary seasons. I decide to sit beneath the maples with my Bible, and I stumble into these words: “Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God” (1 Corinthians 3:5 NASB). Here in the silence of the words, I’m reminded that God wants me to…
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God Hears Our Prayers—Even When He Seems Silent
The summer air was thick with humidity as we made our way into the wilderness. Hemlocks breathed their pungent, piney scent, and the river rolled along casually—inviting us into the clear, cool water. I had no idea this backpacking trip with a friend was about to become a lifelong reminder that God hears our prayers. We reached our campsite and erected our tent as storm clouds gathered overhead. With the invincibility of 25-year-olds, we didn’t worry about the ominous clouds and ran to the river for a swim as soon as the tent was in place. After a short swim, the thunderous clouds descended upon us, and heaven unleashed in…
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Is God Mad at Me?
Smoky wisps of fog wrap their fingers through the goldenrod as I sit by the window in prayer. I’ve been distracted lately, and my thoughts have been far from God. A familiar question runs through my mind: Is God mad at me for neglecting my relationship with him? Summer days are full in these parts. I rarely find a quiet moment in this house filled with life and activity. Life has me stretched thin, and by the end of most days, I’m running on fumes. I imagine you know all about the rhythm of the ragged. Maybe you’ve felt guilty for neglecting your relationship with God, but you’re not sure…
