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What to Do When the Walls Are Closing in
There’s a pileated woodpecker pounding at the bird feeder, and Caleb stands entranced at the window. The vibrance of autumn is a distant memory, and there are long, dark weeks until the first signs of spring. As I watch Caleb by the window, I admit it to myself: The walls are closing in, and I’ve discovered no helpful escape route just yet. What do you do when you’re in the middle of a long, dark season and can see no way out? Do This When the Walls Are Closing in Elisabath Elliot, the wife of martyred missionary Jim Elliot, often quoted a poem titled “Do the Next Thing.” A portion…
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How to Have Hope in the Difficult Seasons of Life
February came in waves of smoky grey. Patches of blackened snow lined the country roads, and overcast skies cast dim shadows. I was desperate for a quiet reminder about how to have hope when life feels bleak. The aging farmer down the road hadn’t left his house in weeks. I missed the stark contrast of his blaze-orange stocking cap against the beige landscape. I thought of the farmer as I admitted it to myself on a quiet Saturday morning: I struggle to find hope in winter. The combination of darkness and coldness pushes our family inside. Grace grows thin. I went to the woods to find hope on a monochrome…
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What to Do When You Feel Spiritually Empty: 5 Steps
Are you struggling with what to do when you feel spiritually empty? Most of us face times of spiritual dryness. The disciplines that once helped us feel connected to God stop working. Instead of feeling life-giving, they begin to feel empty and dry. Today, we’ll talk about what to do when you feel spiritually empty. I invite you to join me as I gaze out the window feeling apathetic and disconnected from God on a cold winter morning. What to Do When You Feel Spiritually Empty The golden abundance of autumn has been swallowed by the monochrome grey of winter now. As I gaze into the ashen landscape, I wrestle…
