When You Wonder if God is Faithful and Good | Hosanna Revival

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When You Wonder if God is Faithful and Good | Hosanna Revival

I’m honored to be a guest contributor at Hosanna Revival | WHEN blog. You can find an excerpt below and click the link to read the full article.

When my father’s substance abuse could no longer be hidden, denied, or explained away, his public fall––unavoidable as a pastor in a small town––wasn’t even the most painful part of it all. It was the sorrow that happened behind closed doors in the hearts of my immediate family and within my own soul.

Shattered, broken, and questioning God’s love, goodness, and faithfulness, I sought Christian counseling. Nestled between two pillows, I slumped on the leather couch within the cozy surroundings of my counselor’s office when she prompted me to admit my struggle with seeing God as a faithful Father. 

I sat in my car in the counseling center parking lot after our session, bent over the steering wheel as tears formed puddles on my lap. Before turning on my car’s ignition, I sputtered a prayer that I….

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God as Father: Finding His Faithfulness When Earthly Fathers Fail | Family Life→

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God as Father: Finding His Faithfulness When Earthly Fathers Fail | Family Life

I’m honored to be a guest contributor at Family Life. You can find an excerpt below and click the link to read the full article.

Throughout my childhood and early adulthood, I counted on my dad to be my rock. He was a pastor who consistently studied the Bible, introduced me to Jesus, fueled my desire to serve the Lord, and imparted unto me a love for the Scriptures. I was secure in his love and care.

But in my thirties, my relationship with my dad shifted. After decades of suffering with chronic illness, the medication that was meant to help him turned into an addiction. My father’s drug abuse changed him––and it also shifted something inside of me, as his behavior produced a distance that caused me to question his goodness. It also brought a question to the surface of my heart: Is God a good father to me?

It was difficult to admit, but because it seemed….

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Holding Tight to What is True

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Holding Tight to What is True

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Life gets hard sometimes, doesn’t it? Daily we’re bombarded with catastrophic news reports, fluctuating prices, and political unrest. And that’s on top of what we’re facing in our personal lives. Uncertainty abounds.

We’ve all heard the saying that “the only thing certain in this life is death and taxes.” But even in these things, there’s uncertainty: the amount we pay in taxes differs from year-to-year and none of us knows the moment our lives will end.

This world will try to convince us that even “truth” is uncertain. It says that you can have your truth and I can have mine. What a desperate, disappointing, and disillusioned way to live?!

Blessedly, there is Someone––and Something––we can be sure of….

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If You've Ever Asked, "Where is Jesus?"

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If You've Ever Asked, "Where is Jesus?"

While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Luke 24:15-16 ESV

Two men, Jesus’ disciples, are walking down a dirt road leading into the town of Emmaus. They witnessed the death of Jesus on the cross three days ago, and they just heard that His body has disappeared from the tomb where He was buried. The women told them an angel proclaimed Jesus had arisen from the dead, but they’re finding this news difficult to believe.

Heads hung low, and brokenhearted, they’re wondering how they could have gotten it so wrong. After all, when Jesus said He was the One they were waiting for––the One who came to set the captives free––they wholeheartedly believed Him. They’d sunk their hopes into His promise of a better life. But now, all those dreams have vanished, and they are filled with dismay.

Jesus begins to walk with them, matching their pace, and joins their conversation. “What are you talking about?” he asks. Despairingly, they stop and look….

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Enduring to the End | Brianna Barrett Blog

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Enduring to the End | Brianna Barrett Blog

I’m honored to share one of the devotions found in my book 40 Days to God, My Father on my friend Brianna Barrett’s blog. You can find an excerpt below and click the link to read the full devotion.

He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.” therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

God never audibly said no to me. But on the day I turned forty years old, the hope that swelled in my heart to have children one day wouldn’t rise above the floor. Before that moment, I’d gripped expectation and pled with my whole heart for God to give me babies. As far back as I could remember I wanted five, but I resolved to settle for just one—it never happened.

Chronic illness stole my child-bearing years, and although forty is not too old to conceive, I knew my window of opportunity had slammed shut. This realization shook me with grief. Throughout that day, even during a surprise birthday party orchestrated by my husband, one question burned in my mind: Why, God?

Looking back on my fortieth birthday (over a decade ago)—the day I knew the Lord’s answer to my prayer for children was no—I latched onto God’s words to….

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Trusting the Father When I Don't Understand | Melanie Redd Blog→

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Trusting the Father When I Don't Understand | Melanie Redd Blog

I’m honored to share one of the devotions found in my book 40 Days to God, My Father on my friend Melanie Redd’s blog this week. You can find an excerpt below and click the link to read the full devotion.

The tune of ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus plays softly in the background as I sit to tackle the day’s tasks before me. Deadlines loom, messages piling in my inbox scream for my attention, and a list of personal needs must be addressed. But the song catches my attention and its familiar lyrics slip easily from my tongue.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take him at his word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

I’m ushered into a holy moment—and I don’t want to miss it. The Lord prompts me to answer this question: Do I—and can I—trust Jesus? Memories flood my mind. All the hard trials that I didn’t—and still don’t fully—understand. My father’s debilitating health that began during my teenage years and eventually led to medication dependency. It wrecked our family.

My chronic illness diagnosis at age twenty-six and all the dreams shattered by the years I suffered with it. Times of financial upheaval and anxiety about the future— the list could go on. I bet yours could, too. 

Then I recall verses I memorized as a youth…

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How God Comforts Us: 4 Special Ways | Butterfly Living

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How God Comforts Us: 4 Special Ways | Butterfly Living

I’m honored to be a guest at ButterflyLiving.org. You can read an excerpt below and follow the link to read the full article.

“BEEP  B-E-E-P!” Our family’s brown Toyota Corolla’s horn echoed off the walls of the rock-walled tunnel we zipped through in the Smoky Mountains.

Daddy held his heavy hand down on the horn from the moment we entered the tunnel until our car popped into the sunshine on the other side. Belly laughs, and joyful squeals rang out from the back seat where I sat, squished between my brother and sister.

Being the youngest child, I was always summoned to sit in the middle. I abhorred the position most of the time, but my childhood family vacations only happened once a year, and I was glad for any place to enjoy the ride.

As the daughter of a pastor whose life seemed to always be under our small town’s microscope, I relished a week of uninterrupted time with Daddy and the rest of my family.

We enjoyed our adventures by dashing through the dark tunnels along the Smoky Mountain National Park highway with our car horns blaring. But other dark tunnels I’ve traveled through have not brought such exuberance. And one of those tunnels was a different kind of adventure…

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Trading Fear For Joy | Core Christianity

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Trading Fear For Joy | Core Christianity

I’m honored to be a guest at Core Christianity. You can read an excerpt below and follow the link to read the full article.

All my life, I’ve wanted to be the brave one—even though I cling to life’s safety zone. So, when I asked my family to take part in a whitewater rafting adventure, they met my request with wide eyes. After the initial shock, they willingly agreed—and that’s how our family vacation to the Smokey Mountains began.

When the day for the adventure arrived, I bounced in the seat of the retired school bus that wound up the mountainside. Filled with nervous excitement, I sat up straight and tucked my feet underneath the bench as our tour guide explained the safety procedures for our whitewater rafting experience.

Once he started listing the possible catastrophes and how to avoid them, it took all of five seconds before I regretted the whole thing. My perceived bravery….

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Our Heavenly Father Gives Comfort in the Valleys

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Our Heavenly Father Gives Comfort in the Valleys

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

I associated the 23rd Psalm with death for most of my life. As a pastor’s daughter, I attended numerous funerals and the majority of those services––in some way––included Psalm 23. And I understand why. This psalm gives great comfort in times of mourning.

Yet, it’s not only a song to sing when we experience the darkness brought on by the loss of a loved one. It’s a passage to cling to in every dark experience we endure in this life.

Sometimes the darkness is in the form of rejection, an unexpected diagnosis, job loss, familial discord, or a child who walks away from the faith. In these valleys, we battle fear, despair, and doubt.

One miserable valley I’ve circled in and out of throughout my adulthood is….

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A Prayer of Trust for Another Year

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A Prayer of Trust for Another Year

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

It’s never easy to walk into the unknown. Whenever I begin a new project, face a new day, or start a new year, it always feels a bit daunting. This January isn’t any different.

A bit of angst shadows the multi-colored notes I write in my crisp calendar. And I can’t help wondering what the future holds. My past experiences have taught me to hold my plans loosely––and to expect the unexpected.

Control is an illusion. Ultimately, what happens isn’t up to me. What an hour, day, or year brings rests in the hands of our sovereign Lord. And when we’re tucked securely in….

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The Promise for All We Need

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The Promise for All We Need

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

The rich smell of Douglas fir fills my nose as it wafts through the air. The white lights from the Christmas tree catch my eye. Watching the glowing beauty surrounded by the darkness outside my home, calms my spirit and gives serenity to my heart. 

Knowing what the tree represents––the celebration of our Savior’s birth––and the fulfilled promise of the peace it stands for, reminds me of the familiar verse in Isaiah 9:6.

The prophet Isaiah foretold Jesus’ birth and revealed the great gift His coming to earth would provide. The ultimate gift of all we need to make it through this life––Jesus Himself!

Friend, if you’ve come to this Christmas season (and the end of another year) filled with uncertainties, unanswered prayers, and unmet expectations, join me in sinking deep into how Jesus fulfills the promise for all we need.

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6 Scripture Passages to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude

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6 Scripture Passages to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude

I wish I woke up each morning with an attitude of gratitude. But the truth is: I tend to approach life focused on what’s wrong and undone. I’m often anxious about the unknowns lurking around the corner.

Instead of lips full or praise, I run to God babbling a litany of requests for certainty, assurances, and utterances of “Please fix it now, Jesus.”

And while our good Father welcomes our pleas, He also desires us to walk through life with grateful hearts and joyful minds (Col. 3:15-17).

Yet, when we experience a health crisis, rejection, or any sort of grief, it’s hard to….

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3 Steps to Gain Hope in Life’s Disappointment

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3 Steps to Gain Hope in Life’s Disappointment

Life will bring disappointment to each of us. Discouragement knocks when a valued relationship suddenly ends, we’re denied the job opportunity, or an unexpected health crisis throws us into a tailspin. I’ve endured all these things.

One particular season filled with disappointment was the long years of chronic illness I endured because of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Stripped of my independence, enduring physical pain, and watching my friends celebrate milestones that seemed impossible for me weighed heavy on my heart. 

When fall rolled around, I experienced another blow to my spirit. I was unable to return to my role as a classroom teacher.

I watched the yellow school buses drive by my house, signifying the beginning of schoolhouse festivities. Yet I sat in the same place as….

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Someone's Praying for You

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Someone's Praying for You

Christ Jesus who died—more than that,

who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God

and is also interceding for us.

Romans 8:34 NIV

A notification flashed across my phone’s screen as I ambled through my morning routine. I swiped to read the words enclosed in a gray bubble: “I’m praying for you today.”

 

When my friend shared her message with me, she had no idea I had endured a restless night of sleep. My mind had looped through a series of questions: How will I accomplish the endless tasks on my to-do list? When will God answer my prayer for my loved one? And where will I get the resources I need to fulfill a commitment?

 

During the night, I vacillated between giving my worries to the Lord and trying to figure out how to solve my own problems. But instantly, peace washed over me as....

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An Anchor of Hope for Your Soul

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An Anchor of Hope for Your Soul

We have this hope as an

anchor for the soul,

firm and secure.

Hebrews 6:19a NIV

I slathered sunscreen on my shoulders as my husband turned the key to our speedboat. The motor roared to life. He shifted the accelerator and pointed the bow to the farthest side of the lake. The boat’s hull split the water, and we jumped over the wakes in our path. My husband enjoyed racing across the lake, so I braced myself in my seat. Closing my eyes, I prayed, “Lord, meet me here.”

In the weeks before our outing on the water, I had wrestled with health setbacks. The headaches that I thought were gone had suddenly reappeared, and my nights included more time awake than asleep. The weight of my pain, along with a handful of other personal struggles, weighed on my heart, and I questioned if hope had grown wings and flown away.

Within minutes, we reached the....

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When Trouble Sets You Aside

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When Trouble Sets You Aside

Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.

Psalm 4:3 ESV

Shadows from the morning sunlight danced across my bedroom ceiling and caught my eye as I awoke, but it was difficult to welcome its presence.  After another fitful night of sleep, my physical forecast for that day appeared the same as the long stretch of days preceding it: sprinkled with gloom and containing a splash of doom.

Years had passed since…

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Overcoming Fear and Walking in Faith | A Character Study of Moses→

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Overcoming Fear and Walking in Faith | A Character Study of Moses

I’m honored to be a guest at Living By Design. You can read an excerpt below and follow the link to read the full article.

Years of chronic illness, sudden shifts in circumstances, and long seasons of difficulty decreased my confidence and increased my anxiety.

What if I get it wrong? 
How do I find the strength to show up? 
Where do I find the resources I need to complete the task?

Many of the saints of old from the Bible faced the same battle. By their examples, we find hard-won lessons to glean from––and promises to cling to––which can help us move forward and walk in faith.

One such example is Moses. By pondering the character of Moses, we can…

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Finding God's Presence in Clouds of Uncertainty→

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Finding God's Presence in Clouds of Uncertainty

I’m honored to have an article published in the Just Between Us Print Magazine, “Finding God’s Presence in the Clouds,”Spring 2024. You can read an excerpt below and follow the link to order to continue reading.

I wrapped the pink towel around my neck to support the weight of my head––the only answer to the screaming muscles in my weakened neck. Clumsily, I stooped to secure the leash to my yorkie’s collar and guided him down the porch steps as the screen door banged behind us. 

We slowly wound the path around the mountainside next to the rented farmhouse that I had called home for the last two years. This farmhouse was a place that represented so many fulfilled dreams––a new job that offered independence after college graduation, a life in the NC mountains, and budding friendships that solidified around its table––and it was the home I was preparing to bid goodbye.

My declining health was robbing me of the ability to support myself financially and meant that I would ….

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New Hope for Never-Ending Seasons

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New Hope for Never-Ending Seasons

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

I swept the brown needles from the dying Christmas tree into a tidy pile. The smell of fir still wafted through the air, but the discarded tree slumped on the woodpile outside my window, awaiting a bonfire. 

As I cleaned, my cell phone chimed several times, alerting me to New Year’s greetings from friends and family. But instead of celebrating, a weight of despair hung heavy on my shoulders.

In all the newness, nothing had changed in my painful circumstances––not in that year, nor …

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A Reason to Hold on to Hope

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A Reason to Hold on to Hope

HOPE is a beautiful four letter word.

But sometimes it’s hard to hold onto hope when all I see are the struggles, strife, and hardships in the world around me. Constant reports of growing crime rates, increasing prices, and rising global conflicts fill my newsfeed. And that’s besides the difficulties to get by day to day in my own life. It’s enough for me to question whether there is any hope left in this world.

In the Old Testament the prophet Jeremiah endured his own battles with hopelessness, both internally and externally. He was appointed to spread God’s Word in a time when people…..

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