-
One Word to Help You Navigate Holiday Sadness
The burning bush blazed crimson, and I vividly remember the year when suffering marked our family’s holiday celebrations. I was alone, ill, and stuck on the couch. For the first time in my life, the joy of the holiday season was replaced by deep and lingering holiday sadness. I didn’t want the lot that had been assigned to me. I had prayed and believed for health, and I’d fallen into a stretch of sickness that was more intense than anything I’d ever experienced. Aside from a short half-hour in the mornings, I was forced to lie completely motionless and drown in my haze of illness. After a month on the…
-
The Lie You Might Believe if You’re in the Refining Fire
The yellowing leaves on the fringes of the property line remind me of an October years ago when the bottom fell out. The first full month of autumn felt like a journey into a refining fire that went on without end. First, the puppy died suddenly. Then, there was a serious health scare, followed by the loss of another precious pet dog that had been a part of the family for four years. We all stared at each other and wondered how in the world God saw fit to take them both in two short months. When we prayed it wouldn’t get worse, it did. We faced life-long diagnoses, thousands…
-
4 Gifts Hidden in Your Pain and Suffering
The tangerine glow on the horizon marked the first sunrise after a bleak winter of pain and suffering. I drew back the curtains to watch the fiery light rise in the east. It had been overcast for weeks that felt more like months that felt more like years. The state of my soul had been equally bleak for however long it actually happened to be. The Valley of Pain and Suffering We’d been in a valley of pain and suffering for far too long. It was a long valley with foreboding walls on both sides. I was afraid it was a box valley, a canyon with walls on three sides. …
-
A Refiner’s Fire Story and a Prayer for the Fires of Life
The snow outside was knee-deep when I counted the days and realized I hadn’t left the house in 28 days. I was living out my own version of the refiner’s fire story. The refining fire was burning away the dross in my life, and it hurt. I’ll share my story from the fire shortly. First, let’s visit the refiner’s fire story as we consider the various fires we face. The Refiner’s Fire Story The refiner’s fire story shares the story of a group of women who were studying the book of Malachi. They came upon Malachi 3:3, which reads, “He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; He…
-
To the Mom Who Is Barely Hanging on
I drove past you in the dusky light this evening. You looked like you were barely hanging on. With an infant strapped to your chest, the handle of a stroller in your left hand, and the leash of your small and energetic dog nearly yanking your right shoulder out of the socket, your face said it all. Your face told me that you’re barely hanging on. I wonder if you were stuck in the house all day. Maybe the walls started closing in, and you grew weary from changing diapers and cleaning up the same fifteen toys a dozen times. You were barely hanging on, and you needed some fresh…
-
10 Anchoring Bible Verses for Uncertainty in Life
Somewhere along the blurred line between the lush days of summer and the frosty mornings of autumn, I stared out the window and realized we were stepping into an uncertain future. I’m a planner, and the uncertainty threatened to make me come unglued. I needed to find some anchoring Bible verses for uncertainty. 10 Bible Verses for Uncertainty Opening my Bible, I began my search. As I scanned the pages, I considered my tendency to cling to control. I reminded myself that my loving heavenly Father holds all things together, and he never worries about my uncertain future. An Uncertain Future You might be facing an uncertain future as well.…
-
How to Trust God in Difficult Times: 4 Ways
It’s a bitter winter evening, snow falling like a white veil, when I realize that I need to let myself feel the disappointment I’ve been running from. Not long ago, a dream fell apart, and I decided it would be best to pretend I never cared about the dream. Perhaps facing my true feelings on this brisk winter evening will help me learn how to trust God in difficult times. To be honest, ignoring the pain seemed easier than dealing with disappointment directly. Most of us know all about this kind of false resilience. We say we’re rolling with the punches and bouncing back, but what we’re really doing is…
-
Where Is God When We Suffer?
There are chickadees at the bird feeder, and the world is quiet as we step slowly into another year. It has been a year of looking for God in suffering and pain, and I’m still trying to make sense of it all. I’ve been wrestling with the question, “Where is God when we suffer?” Last year was a challenging year for our family. We face a few shattered hopes and crushed dreams. Perhaps you can relate. Most of us will face seasons that lead us to look around and wonder where God went. Where Is God When We Suffer? That’s kind of how our last year went. If you’re anything like…
-
5 Unexpected Things God Is Doing When You Are Suffering
The maples tower grey and unclothed in the valley behind the house. This place looks nothing like the lush sanctuary that enveloped me in its arms two months ago. It’s surprising how your world can flip upside down in what feels like a breath, especially when you are suffering. This season has not come easily here. It has not met our expectations. Some of our dreams have come to life, and some have fallen apart. It’s not always easy to sense God’s presence when you are suffering. But faith isn’t about feeling; it’s about believing what we cannot see. I wonder if you’ve walked through a similar season of your…
-
Thanksgiving Encouragement for When Thanksgiving Is Hard
The first rays of morning sunlight stretch through the frosted windowpane. For an instant, I forget that it’s Thanksgiving day. On this day when much of the world celebrates, I could use some Thanksgiving encouragement for my hurting heart. Maybe Thanksgiving is hard for you this year, too. You want to embrace this season and give thanks for the gifts in your life, but giving thanks just isn’t cutting it. If this is your story today, I invite you to join me as we stand on encouraging words amid our discouragement. Thanksgiving Encouragement for the Hurting What do we do when our worlds fall apart and the holidays suddenly hurt?…
