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For When You’re Disappointed by God
I climb onto the elliptical as a new day dawns, and I have no motivation to follow through with my usual routine. I’m feeling disappointed by God, and I’m not sure I feel like going through the motions today. I don’t feel like working hard, sweating, or watching a motivational message about God and all of his goodness. Maybe it’s the lack of energy lately. Maybe it’s the early morning cries from the little boy’s room that drew me from sleep three hours earlier than usual. Or maybe it’s the disappointment. Lately, I’ve been disappointed by a shattered dream. Everything I had planned for and hoped for has been thrown…
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4 Surprising Truths for When You’re Under Spiritual Attack
The year I started writing words for the world to read, things started falling to pieces all around us. The kids were constantly rundown with various viruses. There were financial strains, serious health scares, and much more. It felt like we were under spiritual attack without reprieve, and we were worn thin. We were about ten months into a sequence of unfortunate events when I heard a single statement through a static-blurred radio station. I don’t remember who spoke the words or exactly how he phrased them, but the man’s message was this: “Satan’s not out to break your car, wreck your finances, or steal your good health. What he…
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5 Inspiring Bible Verses About Discouragement
It’s a brisk autumn morning with lacy frost whitening the lawn. It’s been a discouraging season here, and I am worn out. As I stare at the never-ending to-do list, I realize I could use a few Bible verses about discouragement. This fall has been marked by big bumps along the usually smooth road of our lives, bumps that make us step back and appreciate the simple things of life, bumps that make us grateful to still be here together laughing and crying and kicking soccer balls across wide spans of green grass. Bible Verses About Discouragement I stare into the hazy coral firmament, lost in thought, when a…
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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?…
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Detours in Life: What to Do When Life Is Interrupted
Our daughter, Bekah, was born on a clear November evening. As we celebrate her birthday this month, I reflect on her life. I also remember the long months leading up to her birth, months that taught me what it means to navigate detours in life. Throughout those months, I planned to continue teaching high school students in my Life Skills classroom right up to my due date. My husband and I planned to vacation in the summer. I imagined that I would continue mentoring teens throughout the pregnancy. I was sure I’d be able to keep running five miles a day until at least the seven-month mark. None of that…
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How to Glorify God in Your Body: 5 Practical Ways
Have you ever wondered how to glorify God in your body? Perhaps you’ve read Romans 12:1 and want to apply it to your life: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (NIV). Today, we’ll talk about how to glorify God in your body with five practical steps. I invite you to join me on a clear winter morning, and we’ll explore the idea of bringing God glory in all we do. How to Glorify God in Your Body Birdsong tangled in the spruce boughs the morning…
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How to Get Out of a Slump
Tufts of moisture spot the sky in shades of periwinkle as we stand along the shoreline. My little boy is wearing white socks under his sandals to protect a large bandage on his wounded foot. I’m not thinking about how to get out of a slump, but what happens next will be a lesson in obedience for years to come. It’s never pretty when disobedience leaves you stuck in the mud, wondering just how in the world you’re going to wiggle to freedom. “Stay out of the water,” I warn as he splashes a playful toe in the muddy water. The little guy is ten feet away, and he figures…
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5 Things to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life
There’s just something about the long walk through winter. There’s something about the piles of muddied snow, the grey days, and the darkness falling early. It all makes me feel more than just a little bit stuck in life. What to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life It doesn’t have to be winter in your world for you to feel stuck in life. There are about a million ways to fall into a pit and find yourself clawing at the walls with no worldly clue of how to climb out. I know because I’ve been there. One thing I’ve learned is that the worst thing I can do is…
