LISTEN “Be patient in trouble” The last thing we want to hear while going through a difficult situation is to be patient. I am the last person to be writing about patience as my natural tendency is to challenge, resist what I do not like, and search for a strategic solution to change the situation…
Listen “Rejoice in our confident hope.” My third cycle through seasonal depression has reminded me of the pain and struggles those with depression experience. Shame, isolation, avoidance of social interaction, tears shed in secret, and an overall lack of motivation making even the simplest of tasks seem monumental; these are a few of the symptoms….
LISTEN “In the beginning, God created…” Silas finished painting the world the other day; it was a Social Studies project where he chose to create a poster-size map of the world labeling the continents and oceans. According to Silas, it had to be painted, no markers. One evening, while he worked and I made dinner, Silas…
LISTEN “You have stored my tears in your bottle and counted each of them.” “Mom, what are we supposed to do when we feel like crying? Are we supposed to pray or….” My daughter asked one night, after I had crawled into bed with her and held her tight, and cried like a baby stricken…
LISTEN (This was first posted as a reflection for Good Friday in April of 2012) “The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water.” Have you ever noticed when someone is uncomfortable; the first response is to do or say something to help minimize the discomfort. I find it odd…
Dear Faithful Readers, I want to thank you for your consistent support of the God’s Word Gives Hope blog. Your reading, sharing, and comments encourage me to continue the work God has placed on my heart to lead people into God’s Word as a primary source for direction and encouragement in their lives. I will…
Listen “In all they do, they prosper.” We desire it, we feel we need it, but we don’t know how to get it. Scroll through Facebook, browse the books at the checkout, or look at the ads that pop up on our computers; they are there. The numerous options are there enticing us to better…
“My heart trusts in God, and he helps me.” It was cold, cloudy, wet, and dreary the weekend we traveled to Cartersville, Georgia, to interview for a potential staff position at a church. Our daughter was eighteen at the time and son fourteen, both plenty old enough to stay by themselves in our sunny warm…
“For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.” Am I where I desired to be at this point in my life? No! I am not where I expected to be at this point in my life. I had dreams, aspirations, and a personal God-given mission. How does one deal with the disheartening…
“May the LORD smile on you…” The smile of a toddler when they see their mom has arrived to pick them up. The smile of friends when seeing each other for the first time in years. The heart of a parent glowing on the face when their son or daughter has returned safely and willingly…