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5 Life-Changing Prayers for Hope in Difficult Times
Thin bands of ivory lace the spines of the spruce’s outstretched boughs. As I admire them, I wrestle with the difficult circumstances surrounding me. Closing my eyes, I ask God to guide me in praying prayers of hope in difficult times. If you’re struggling through challenging circumstances today, these prayers are also for you. God wants to carry us through our darkest days and fill us with hope when we feel defeated. Prayers for Hope in Difficult Times Let’s look at five powerful prayers for hope in difficult times. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find hope in…
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7 Comforting Bible Verses for Miscarriage
If you are reading these words, you are most likely walking through one of life’s darkest valleys. My heart aches as I write these words to you today, precious friend. You might be navigating a miscarriage yourself, or you might be supporting a loved one who is coping with this loss. Today, we’ll turn to God’s Word for seven comforting Bible verses for miscarriage. First, I invite you into my own journey through this heartbreaking loss. From Chapter One of my book, Lean Into Grace, here is the story of one of my darkest days. After I share my story, we will look at these Bible verses for miscarriage. I…
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5 Ways to Encounter God in Unexpected Places
I’ve been thinking about how to encounter God in the ordinary moments of my days for a few years now. Today, we’ll discuss 5 ways to encounter God in tough times and unexpected places. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with God. 5 Ways to Encounter God Looking back over these years, I smile as I consider the ways God has most frequently revealed himself in my life: God did the most soul-shaping work in my life in very unexpected places. I consider these thoughts as I put myself in the shoes of a young man who…
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Christian Devotions for Kids: Blogs, Books, and More!
Throughout the past year, our daughter Bekah has been asking to start her own blog for kids. A few weeks ago, I told her if she could write fifteen Christian devotions for kids, we would do it. Honestly, I expected her to write a post or two and lose interest. Christian Devotions for Kids Much to my surprise, she wrote all fifteen posts with focus and determination. With sheer ten-year-old vision and insight, she has proven herself. Her vision is to write devotional posts each Wednesday and posts with fun activities every Friday. It looks like we’re doing this! This isn’t a vision I pushed upon her because I have…
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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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20 Bible Verses About Trusting God in Difficult Times
It’s easy to trust God when life is going well. But when difficult times come, we need an anchor to hold us steady in trust. Today we’ll look at 20 Bible verses about trusting God in difficult times. These verses are promises to cling to, anchors to hold us in life’s storms. Meanwhile, may we never forget that it’s not up to us to cling to the anchor. Our heavenly Father is holding onto us. I also invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you have hope in difficult times. Bible Verses About Trusting God in Difficult Times Let’s turn…
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3 Ways to Cultivate Joy When You’re Struggling in Life
It had been the longest winter of my life, the winter of counting down the weeks, days, and hours until my health returned. I spent it mostly staring at the dead landscape out the sliding glass door – beige earth folded under ribbons of grey sky that felt dismal and bleak. I’d been trying to cultivate joy by looking to the future, but the discouragement of my illness was like a black cloud blurring my view. You might not be stuck on the couch with a long stretch of illness, but I imagine you have your own brand of discouragement lingering low. Discouraging seasons take all shapes and forms: stress…
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15 Powerful Bible Verses for Times of Trouble and Grief
Dawn comes quietly this time of year, the rising sun pushing out the chill of night. My heart is heavy as I watch the light ascend. Pulling out my Bible, I begin listing them: hope-filled Bible verses for times of trouble and grief. 15 Bible Verses for Times of Trouble Perhaps you need this encouragement today as well. We live in a broken world, and we all face times of trouble. Meanwhile, God offers hope for even the darkest days. He invites us to draw near to him, and he will give us the strength to endure grief and trouble. Bible Verses for Times of Trouble and Grief Today, we’ll look…
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The Truth About God and Your Emptiness in Life
The first red-winged blackbird appeared from out of the pasty white sky on a Sunday, and we marveled at the feeder like we’d never seen such a miracle. We were at the end of a season when all the emptiness in life had us feeling poured out. Everyday moments suddenly feel like miracles when everything else has been stripped away. In the aftermath of the longest kind of winter season, that first red-winged blackbird looked something like a scarlet-caped wonder. At the end of a never-ending night, just a little flicker of light can change everything. Emptiness in Life We knew a thing or two about emptiness in life that…
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3 Ways to Draw Close to God When You’re Weary and Worn
I’m feeling weary and burdened as we make the long walk to the end of the driveway to wait for the school bus. I know my soul longs to draw close to God. Sadly, setting aside the time feels like work, and work is what’s worn me thin. Ann Voskamp’s words pass through my mind: “It’s never the things you carry that hurt you, but how you carry those things.” Meanwhile, when I’m honest with myself and with God, there are times when it feels like I’m carrying an unbearably heavy load, and there’s no way this load could do anything other than crush me. Truth to Help You Draw…
