Announcement: “Heard” E-Book Release

Today, we announce the release of the 2018 e-book created for Hope Moms, “Heard.”

With genuine desire, the shattered human heart can yearn to know that God hears its cries, that they reach His ear. The psalmist says, “I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God” (Psalm 17:6a ESV). And He hears the humble, honest cries of our indescribably depleted hearts (or, what seems to be left after crushing loss) as we call upon Him through the one Mediator: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 ESV). He has heard and known our greatest need, for before we knew to ask, He determined to send His Son to us. We know because we have been given special revelation from God in His Word so that He can be heard by us: “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16a ESV). Through Scripture, we find in Christ the God greater than our circumstances and nearer than our sorrow.

In the e-book launching today, you will find articles, an interview, a Hope Mom’s letter to her Hope Baby, and a devotional series with prayers interspersed. In it all, the writers desire to take your hand and walk with you straight to biblical truth and hope in the spoken Word of God. Below you will find an excerpted article from the e-book.

To download this free e-book click here. 

Honest & Humble Words

It was a Friday night, exactly thirteen days since Chance’s funeral. I was home alone with the girls while Brandon was at a baseball game with friends. This was the first night since we’d lost Chance that I would be alone for a significant amount of time. Being alone is not something that has ever bothered me, and quite frankly, I enjoy moments to myself, but during that time, as I was grieving the loss of my son, I craved faces and people and bodies.

I knew I was taking a risk. I was putting myself in a vulnerable situation, but kept telling myself it would be good for me and all would be okay. I also knew that Brandon needed some time out of the house, time with the boys, since that, in and of itself, was healing for him.

I got the girls in bed at the early hour of 6:30 p.m., ate a quick dinner (even though I still didn’t feel like eating), and decided I would write some thank you notes, read a few blogs, and relax in bed for a little while.

And then the storm hit. I kid you not. Not just a little-bit-of-rain storm, but a storm so large I was scrambling for flashlights (and batteries because apparently we don’t think to keep working batteries in flashlights) and candles. I huddled in the middle of my bed with my phone and my (working) flashlight and no electricity. The storm kept raging. Flashes of lightning lit up the sky outside my window. Thunder pounded, over and over and over. And the rain just kept coming down.

Because, of course. It was the first night that I was alone. In that moment, I let loose the tears that were inevitable. Home alone, storm raging both outside my window and inside my heart, and tears flowing because, goodness, I just wanted to hold my son again. I wanted to kiss his nose and stroke his little hat and stare at his precious face. But I couldn’t.

In utter transparency I laid out my heart before the Lord.

God, my heart is aching. 

God, I feel so alone. Are you even near?

God, I don’t understand how you would allow this, the death of my child? My only son!

God, what good can come from this heartache?

God, why?

God, please show up, because I can’t handle one more moment of this pain.

Yet in that moment of deep vulnerability, I felt the Lord wrapping me up tightly, taking hold, and reminding me that, while right now life feels scary and sad and overwhelming, it is only time before the storm will cease and the sun will shine again. Because it will. God has proven this time and time again in my life and in yours. God promises we will not pass through this life without seasons of darkness. God also promises the dawn after the dark—every time.

Light always wins.

Darkness has its hours, but light always wins.

So I lay there, with flashlight and phone, thunder and lightning, and I let myself cry, and I let myself smile, because God was and is still faithful. And regardless of my longing, even in my longing, His promises remain true, and His ways so very good.

It’s in these moments of deep vulnerability, transparency during the storm, choosing to share with God the state of our hearts instead of conceal, that we open ourselves up to His truth that our spirits so desperately need. Without our honest and humble words, God has less room to reveal Himself. When we humbly yet honestly bow before Him with our truth, we make space for His truth. We make space for healing. What a gift from a good, good Father.

God is not impressed with our pretending. He welcomes our vulnerability. He understands suffering, dear one. He hears our cries, each and every one, and sweetly tends to our pain. His Word confirms this truth.

“I called on Your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: ‘Do not close Your ears to my cry for relief.’ You came near when I called You, and You said, ‘Do not fear.’ O, Lord, You took up my case; You redeemed my life.”
Lamentations 3:55-58

“I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O Lord, you brought me up from the grave, you kept me from going down into the pit. Sing to the Lord, you saints of his, praise his holy name. . . weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
Psalm 30:1-5

“I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.”
Psalm 31:7-8

“Praise be to the Lord, for He showed His wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. In my alarm I said, ‘I am cut off from Your sight!’ Yet You heard my cry for mercy when I called to You for help.”
Psalm 31:21-22

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”
Psalm 34:17-20

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever. Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:23-25

In vulnerable moments, it’s not about having perfect words or eloquent prayers or a heart that never asks “why,” dear sister.

It is about opening ourselves up to the Lord, with honest and humble words, so that in hearing us, He can intercede for us.

Honest and humble words are not a sign of ungodly weakness, but a sign of Spirit-given strength to depend upon Someone who is perfect.

Let’s bring God our transparency and confession, today and in the days ahead.

Let’s cry out in order to be filled up.

Let’s bow low, honestly and meekly, in order to be lifted high.

Let’s bring Him our honest and humble words.

Because remember . . . Darkness has its hours, but light always wins.

[A portion of this article is from “Desert Song: Claiming Joy While Walking in the Wilderness,” by Brittnie Blackburn]

Brittnie lives in Sugar Land, Texas and enjoys writing on her blog and other outlets, baking, lingering coffee dates, and soaking in moments with her family. She is a wife to Brandon and a mom to Clara, Camille, and Hope Mom to Baby A (Clara’s twin) and Chance. Psalm 62:1-2 is her go to verse when she needs quick encouragement. She is author of Desert Song, and you can visit with Brittnie at her personal blog, A Joy Renewed, where she shares her faith and family, and encourages her readers to claim joy despite circumstance.