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Feeling Forgotten by God? This Is for You . . .
A single oak leaf glides on the breath of dawn like it’s in no particular hurry to meet its final resting place on the icy earth. I watch from the window and reflect on the events of the past day. We’ve been walking through some long months here, and a painful question lingers in my mind: Why am I feeling forgotten by God? I long for the gentle reminder that God is still at work in the areas where I’ve been waiting on him for years. Most of us know how it feels to wonder if the Lord has forgotten us. Whether we’re trudging through dark valleys of life-shattering losses…
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10 Bible Verses About Victory in Jesus
It rained last night—a penetrating, drenching rain. I sat beside the window this morning as robins pranced across the soggy earth, my heart feeling as melancholy as the grey sky above. Opening my Bible in search of Bible verses about victory in Jesus, I let the words wash over me. Bible Verses About Victory in Jesus Perhaps you could use some inspiration as you aim to rise above the cares of the world today, too. If so, let’s open God’s Word together. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook that will help you establish a rhythm of connecting with the presence of…
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5 Powerful Prayers for Strength When You Feel Weak
The poplar bows low like the weight of heavy sky has become too much to hold. I watch from the window with an empathetic heart, the weight of everything I feel like I need to carry bending me low in unseen parts of me. I’m praying prayers for strength, but I’m so bogged down that I wonder if God even hears. Perhaps you can relate. If you feel weary and need guidance as you pray prayers of strength, these prayers are for you. 5 Prayers for Strength Pray these prayers for strength as you continue to follow the One who carries your burdens for you. 1. “Lord, thank you that…
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Please Help Me, God! I Need You!
Dawn breaks softly, and I stare down another day with its never-ending tasks. “Please help me, God! I’m drowning over here,” I whisper as I prepare to descend the stairs and begin the day. We’re living in pandemic times, which means I’ll be juggling again today. I’ll teach my kids, cook dinner, keep the little one from drawing on the walls (maybe), fold laundry, try to exercise, shower (probably not), lock myself in the laundry room with something chocolate, and complete at least 200 small but cumulative tasks. It feels like a lot. I’ve been crying randomly and feeling ridiculous about it. These are the days when my life leaves…
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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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10 Bible Verses for Peace and Calm
Does the idea of greater peace sound inviting to you? Today, we’ll explore 10 Bible verses for peace and calm. We’ll also unpack five practical ways to add more peace to our lives. Bible Verses for Peace and Calm in Any Storm Let’s start by looking at God’s Word. Then, we’ll explore ways to step into God’s peace in our everyday lives. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you experience God’s peace. 10 Bible Verses for Peace and Calm 1. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in…
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10 Refreshing Bible Verses for the Weary and Burdened
The translucent breath of heaven lingers on the morning window panes, and the burdock lifts barbed hands toward a grey sky. Sometimes this season of darkness leaves us all feeling just a little too threadbare. We crave light and warmth. If this is you today, I invite you to soak in these refreshing Bible verses for the weary and worn. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook that will help you find victory in Christ as well as a library of free devotionals and eBooks for every season of life. 10 Bible Verses for the Weary and Burdened As I prepare my…
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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…
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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…
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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. …
