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Rejection Is God’s Protection: 8 Truths to Stand on
Last year, I faced a crushing setback in my writing career. I almost walked away from writing to pursue a different line of work. Yet as I sorted through my emotions, one truth became clear: Often, rejection is God’s protection. Perhaps you’re facing painful rejection today, too. I encourage you to give yourself time to grieve the loss of your hopes and expectations. Be kind to yourself as you process your feelings and give yourself space and grace to lament what was lost. In the meantime, remind yourself of this truth: God closes doors in our lives for our protection. What If This Rejection Is God’s Protection? Often, God’s protection…
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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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How to Put Your Hope in Jesus When Life Is Hard
The wind that ripped and tore all day finally calms, and I slip into the valley to walk in the silence. I’m here because I need to remind myself to put my hope in Jesus instead of putting my hope in climbing out of the valley of discomfort. Have you ever faced a valley so deep you wondered how you would possibly climb out of the darkness? Maybe the death of a precious loved one left you reeling with pain. Perhaps your marriage fell apart, your dream died, or you faced a devastating diagnosis. If you’re anything like me, you wanted to put your hope in Jesus, but, mostly, you…
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A Powerful Prayer for Healing Your Hardest Memories
Like a quiet sea at dawn, an orchid ocean of clouds hovers above the northern skyline. Even the oaks stand in awe—their lush summer canopies outstretched in reverence. I look to the heavens and utter a powerful prayer for healing as I think of a friend who’s been dealing with the sting of hard memories. Does any part of your past “sting” when it comes to mind? A stinging memory is sharp. It pricks you and deflates you—like a bee sting or a needle to a balloon. A stinging memory just might take the wind out of your sails or lead you into the pit for a few hours, a…
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What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered
Have you recently faced the loss of a dream? Maybe you’re wondering what to do next, and you’ve been wrestling with God about this dream. You are in the right place. Today, we’ll have an honest conversation about what to do when your dreams are shattered. I invite you to join me in the woods with my little boy, and we’ll talk about bringing our broken dreams to the Lord. What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered The earth breathes a new aroma, and we sit by the creek to watch the crocus rise. I could use a dose of hope today, but I don’t mention my heavy heart…
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The Power of Trusting God: 7 Ways to Grow in Trust
Layers of altostratus rest above the western tree line like wet towels hastily folded. Splinters of sapphire peer through their sparse creases and remind me of promises for better days to come. Closing my eyes, I remind myself of the power of trusting God in hard times. The darkness will pass. Light is coming for us all. We all need this reminder from time to time. The Power of Trusting God in Hard Times Not long ago, I sat with a friend whose heart was broken. We talked about how to find healing when we’re hurting, and I shared as much insight as I could offer. Whether you’re sitting beneath…
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8 Comforting Bible Verses for Trials and Tribulations
Are you walking through a difficult time in your life? No matter what you’re facing today, God wants to encourage your heart. He is with you, and he will never abandon you. Let’s take a look at eight comforting Bible verses for trials and tribulations. 8 Comforting Bible Verses for Trials and Tribulations The spring beauties are pushing white petals through the beige of last autumn’s fallen canopy, and I wonder if they’re some sort of sign. Would God really speak through the petals of a dime-sized white flower? In some quiet way, I wonder if he sent these little miracles to remind me that even amid the trials and…
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8 Encouraging Bible Verses About Overcoming Adversity
Are you facing a difficult time or walking through a challenging season in your life? Today, we’ll explore eight Bible verses about overcoming adversity as we align ourselves with God’s perspective. Let’s start with a conversation about embracing adversity instead of running from it. Bible Verses About Overcoming Adversity I take the boys to the woods on an almost spring morning. The skunk cabbage is rising through the muddied earth like a foretaste of the vibrant life soon to fill this wooded valley. Caleb’s seven-year-old legs have grown long and lean over the past year, and he hardly complains when we walk together now. As we hike, I remember when…
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Why Jesus Is My Hope—Even in My Disappointment
As the season changes here, I’ve been intermittently looking back and looking ahead. I’m reminding myself of one truth: Jesus is my hope for the future, and he is my hope in the face of my deepest disappointments. I don’t know what your past season looked like. Maybe you put everything you had into your career, and there’s still no fruit to be seen. Maybe you lost the job you loved. You might have had goals for your finances, your waistline, your marriage, or your ministry. Maybe some of these areas are worse off now than they were when you had all that hope. Even worse, you might have achieved…
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31 Prayers for Refreshing Daily Joy
A couple of years ago, a friend I knew from the online writing community reached out and invited me to a phone interview. We both write about encountering God in ordinary places, and it seemed like a great fit! Little Aiden was three months old at the time, and I happened to schedule the phone interview for the same day I was trying to sleep-train my little buddy. As my friend Emily Saxe interviewed me, I was overwhelmed with stress as I listened to my baby boy wail in his crib. I’m not sure I offered one cohesive thought that afternoon! But Emily was full of grace, and she managed…
