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God Will Make a Way: When God’s Ways Don’t Make Sense
A thin band of pale light hovers over the horizon like a breath only partially exhaled. I watch from my window like I’m waiting for the day to exert itself by letting go of the light it holds in restrained lungs. I’ve been wrestling with God lately—the kind of wrestling you do when you begin to doubt the promise that God will make a way. I open the Bible with the turquoise cover, and my eyes fall upon the words: “For the Word of the Lord is right, and all his work is done in faithfulness” (Psalm 33:4). It sure doesn’t feel like God’s faithfulness when the dream you were…
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God Is Always Listening and Hears Our Cries
Today’s devotional post is adapted from my new 31-day devotional Mornings With Jesus. If you enjoy this post, find your copy of Mornings With Jesus at the bottom of the page. I pray this new online devotional book blesses you richly! And now, a gentle reminder that God is always listening. God Is Always Listening and Hears Our Cries “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). We’re living in the grey days of winter as I write these words. Already, I find myself craving the light and life of springtime. The winter seasons of waiting can feel never-ending as…
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7 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty Inside
Snow is sparse on the muddied earth, and I’m not so sure I want to get out of bed and face the day. I should probably find my Bible and look up some Bible verses about feeling empty, but I lack the motivation. Instead, five simple words scroll across my mind. They’re the words of Leanna Tankersley: “Each day we begin again.” My soul needs these words today. I need the simple reminder to get out of my bed and begin again. God’s mercies are new every morning. Every time I begin again, I trust in these mercies to fall fresh on me. 7 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty (and How…
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Abundant Life in Christ: How to Live It
The hayfield has been reduced to prickly stubble, and I wonder if the lush roots grieve what’s been lost. As the geese honk overhead, I stare at the sky and ask God to lead me into a more abundant life in Christ. A gentle breeze brushes against my skin, and a familiar face comes to mind. He’s a cashier at a store I visit often. Customers casually ask how he’s doing, and he always makes the same comment: “Livin’ the dream.” According to an online dictionary, the term “living the dream” refers to “a life in which a person experiences the achievement of every success that one has aspired to.” …
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8 Bible Verses for When You Feel Defeated
Most of us will feel defeated at times in our lives. In these moments, God’s Word offers encouragement. Today, I invite you to join me as we explore eight Bible verses for when you feel defeated. 8 Bible Verses for When You Feel Defeated I decided I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to make a difference in the world. Like most 22-year-olds, I had high ideals and big expectations. Two months into my teaching career, I felt discouraged and defeated. Managing a classroom of teens with special needs turned out to be more challenging than I imagined. Most days, I felt like we were just trying to…
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5 Calming Prayers for Peace of Mind
The blushing blossoms have withered and fallen from the tiny rosebush on the dining room table, quietly reminding us this place was never meant to be the wild rose’s home. I feel much the same: weary and aware that this world is not home. Staring at the shriveled bush, I utter a few prayers for peace of mind, and I come to a startling realization. I seem to expect this life to be free from trouble. All the while, the One who knit me together tells me to expect trouble. Our troubles aren’t terrible, relatively speaking. Everyone in the house succumbs to a weird virus. My bad knee flares up. Our…
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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 help me offer 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. 5 Powerful Prayers for Hope in Difficult Times 1. Father, thank you for holding me close in every storm. We all face…
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8 Scriptures on Purpose and Vision for Challenging Seasons
I wake up grumpy after a particularly difficult week of teaching my kindergartner while the one-year-old howls from the high chair. There’s no way around it: I’m struggling with life. I didn’t sign up for this. Pulling out my Bible, I begin digging for Scriptures on purpose and vision. Maybe you need these words today, too. Maybe the job that once felt like your calling now feels like drudgery, or maybe you’ve been trying to find God’s purpose for your life and falling short. Wherever this day finds you, I invite you to join our family in a challenging season as we explore what God’s Word says about purpose and…
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When God Disappoints You, Find Your Hope Here…
Here in the glow of hope rising upon a new season, we look to the future and give our dreams permission to set sail. But let’s be honest, new beginnings are also invitations to gaze behind us. Every new season is an opportunity to pause and look square in the face of a year’s worth of disappointments in life. Where do you turn when God disappoints you? What do you do when your plans fall to pieces? Where do you turn when the bottom falls out? When God Disappoints You Some of us are disappointed in our friendships. We’re considering giving up on the whole idea of community and accountability.…
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A Short Prayer for Strength During Difficult Times
Have you been walking through a difficult time in your life? Today, I invite you to join me during one of the most challenging years of my life, and I’ll share a short prayer for strength during difficult times of all sorts. I pray these words lead you straight into the arms of your heavenly Father. He loves you, and he hasn’t missed a moment of the trial you are walking through. A Short Prayer for Strength During Difficult Times The oaks flaunted butterscotch hands the year suffering marked our family’s Thanksgiving celebration. I watched from my quiet place on the couch as my family pulled out of the driveway…
