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God Brings Beauty From Trouble
What do you think? Do you believe it? Well, friend, I do. I believe for I’ve seen it with my own eyes. “God is the One who brings beauty from trouble and redemption from brokenness.” -Amber Jeann Parker It can be a painful process, this bringing forth beauty out of what was jagged, sharp, painful, & hurting. It isn’t done yet. Or did you see that— God is slowly at work, working out the roughness, the broken, the angsty bits of our heart & life… He is forming it into this new and other creation— forming our lives, our circumstances, our very selves— into something new. I turn in gratitude,…
- Bible teaching, Choose Joy, Choose Joy In the Midst, Faith, Fear, Fighting for Joy, Focusing on Truth, Hope in God
A Spirit of Fear- Getting Free From its’ Bondage
If you are wondering why there’s such a jolting color contrast of the words to the background, it is to show the desired change in our hearts and our lives. It is to emphasize the strong reminder that we are not to live in fear. A spirit of fear is not from God. If it doesn’t come from God, then it is from the enemy of your soul, from Satan. From God comes light— To live and walk with God is to walk in light and truth… To have power, love, and a sound mind as 2 Timothy 1:7 says. Are you walking with God or are you allowing the…
- Bible teaching, Encouragement, Faith, Fighting for Joy, Focusing on Truth, Life Storms, New Life, positive self-talk
New Life into the Dead & Broken Parts
God can breathe new life into what was dead, past hope, broken, & done for. God has been at work slowly doing this in my own life.It’s not over yet. It is a process. There are ups and downs as I move forward in it.I have to keep trusting that God is doing a good thing in my life— creating it. Forming it. Reforming the clay, me, as He desires. There is a submission and surrender.My role is to obey. To surrender. To persevere. To yield to what He desires.Hebrews 12: 1a–2 (ESV) says “…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us…
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Spiritual Battle- No Weapon Will Prosper.
Spiritual battle is real. Over this last week our family has been hit with spiritual battles— multiple ones. It is not new for us to be hit with spiritual attacks. Satan has the same playbook- and keeps hitting hard to back us down from what God is calling us to, but those who are God’s people have a promise found in Isaiah 54:17a. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. No weapon formed against me will prosper. God fights my battles. He is sovereign over all. The verse leading up to this one shows that God is the creator over the one who comes at you to attack you as…
- Bible teaching, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Fighting for Joy, Focusing on Truth, Life Battles, Life Storms, Mental Health, Overcome anxiety & worry, Psalms
God sits with you in your pain.
Hey friend- You know that thing that’s causing you heartache, pain, fear, anxiety, or questioning… God sits with you in the midst of it. He truly does. It doesn’t mean the hard thing in your life will be resolved or magically gone, but He will supply the strength you need to walk through it as you rely on Him.Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” God deeply cares about and is drawn to those who are hurting to come alongside in compassion and kindness. Jesus, Himself, walked through excruciating suffering when He was on this earth. He experientially understands.…
- Bible teaching, Darkness, Encouragement, Faith, Fighting for Joy, Focusing on Truth, God’s mighty power, Life Battles, Life Storms, Mental Health, Peace, Psalms, Pursuing health and wholeness, Resting In Peace
I Will Not Die But Live- A Word of Hope & Truth!
Friend- Can I ask- What in your life have you walked through that has felt like death or actually been death? Read these words and consider them. I will not die but live. It’s a statement based in the nature and goodness of God. The psalmist declares they won’t die but they will instead live… They have been so affected by how God has moved in their life and cared for them and fought their battles, that they are now determined to LIVE — & proclaim what the Lord has done. In what aspect of your life has there been a miracle, a shift, a change? Has peace come into…
- Declare, Declare Proclaim Boldly, Encouragement, Fighting for Joy, Focusing on Truth, God’s mighty power, Hope in God, Life Battles, Life Storms, Mental Health, Proclaim, Pursuing health and wholeness, Word of the Year, WOTY, WOTY 2024
2024 Word(s) Of the Year: Declare/Proclaim…Boldly
My 2024 Word(s) of the year are: Declare/Proclaim …Boldly. This comes out of Psalm 118:17 & Ephesians 6:19-20. The Lord brought these verses to me in late November and early December, and I began to notice the words- Declare. Proclaim. As Psalm 118:17 states, “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” This deeply resonates with me. There has been so much that has felt like death in the last 8 years. And there has been actual death (2 angel babies) and also the caregiving and navigating 3 very different life-threatening illnesses/diagnoses for my husband and 2 of my children and close calls with…
- Bible teaching, Christmas, Encouragement, God’s Love, Hope in God, Life Battles, Life Storms, Overcome anxiety & worry, Peace
Peace In & Through Jesus
Peace. In Jesus, we may have peace. Jesus is the One who brings peace, hope, & joy into a troubled world. He came down to earth to overcome the world and bring a way for True Hope & True Peace, through Himself. In this verse, Jesus was preparing His disciples for when He would not be present anymore. He told them they would have trouble. He didn’t say if or you might have trouble. He said— you will. We will have trouble in this world. When trouble comes, though, we can take heart in the knowledge that Jesus has overcome the world. We can be encouraged in the midst of…
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May We Be Joyful, Hopeful, Patient, Persevering, Faithful, & Prayerful.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [Rom. 12:12] Let’s focus our mind on this truth, asking God for His help and strength to do so. I’ve been sitting with this verse and considering its’ truth over this last week. The words and encouragement are empowering, and they resonate with my heart. I want to be joyful as I wait hopefully and in hope for what God will do and continue to do in my story, in my life, in my circumstances, in any unanswered prayers I am waiting on, waiting in hope. Let me be joyful as I wait, as I hope. Let me keep focused…
- Bible teaching, Christmas, Darkness, Encouragement, Faith, faith and psychology, Fighting for Joy, God’s Love, God’s mighty power, Life Battles, Mental Health, Peace, Prayer, Resting In Peace, spiritual warfare, therapy
Peace Over Darkness & Mental Health Battles This Christmas
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” [John 14:27] “Peace, bringing it all to peace. The storm surrounding me. Let it break at your name…. …Jesus. Jesus. You make the darkness tremble. Jesus. Jesus. You silence fear…” I have sung the words to that song, Tremble, many a time when going through the darkest battles for the life of my husband. Walking through the mental health battle for his life. Praying and asking the Lord for strength, for discernment, for wisdom. For peace. For breakthrough…
