1104 results for author: Ashlee Schmidt
Blessed Are the Merciful
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
-Matthew 5:7
Isn't that a nice verse? I really like the second part. I want God to show me mercy when I mess up. However, the first part, that's not my favorite. Sometimes, I don't want to show mercy. There have been times when people have really hurt me, and extending mercy to them is the last thing I want to do. So, is it really fair for God to ask us to show mercy all the time? And what about those people who don't even acknowledge that they've wronged you? Is it really necessary to be merciful to them?
First, I think we need a definition of mercy. It's defined as: compassionate or ...
Joy Comes in the Morning
Often I feel as though my outside and inside are experiencing a considerable disconnect. Underneath the clean house, washed hair, completed tasks, and plastered smile is concealed irritations, guarded insecurities, hushed up disappointment, and a near constant battle to truly believe that God is enough in the midst of my suffering.
But I shrug off this glaring inconsistency in my own life because I see you there too. In fact, I think that’s where most of us are dwelling. Shoveling on smiles to cover the ache inside. Labeling ourselves as “fine” and “good” when asked how we are doing—as if those words will serve to patch up our brokennes...
Blessed Are the Hungry
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
-Matthew 5:6
Several weeks after Chance’s funeral, a sweet friend from church stopped me when she spotted me across the church aisle. “I want you to know I have been praying for you. Specifically, I have been praying that God would reveal to you the purpose in Chance’s life.” With that one simple sentence, her prayer became my prayer too. I had never thought to pray this prayer, but in that moment, it sounded so profound. And it sure sounded like a good way to turn this tragedy back to truth.
So I would pray day after day after day, ...
Darkness Has Not Overcome the Light
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to Him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).” John 20:15-16
When Mary Magdalene first recognized the risen Christ, she spoke the word Rabboni, Teacher, a word of personal knowledge and a word of submission.
“Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, do you have any ...
The Day Jesus Died
Directly in front of me were church members standing to read the account of the crucifixion that Good Friday. I was dressed in black—something to outwardly signify my setting aside time to think of the day my Jesus had died. But I didn’t want to listen as the Scripture readers gave voice to the stripes, the crown of thorns, and the cross at “The Place of a Skull.” Stuck to my chair, I diverted eye contact from the readers—looking through vision soft and wet to the wall at my right. Some weeks have passed between that day and this one—sitting down with the account of Jesus’ death for this series. I still don’t want to look because I ...
Blessed Are the Meek
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
-Matthew 5:5
Meekness is a trait that isn’t always considered very attractive in the context of our current culture. We often think of meekness as being synonymous with feeble character, week-mindedness, or a spirit of constant compromise. If this is what Christ meant by meekness, it’s hard to imagine how such a person could be considered blessed, let alone inherit the earth.
Thankfully, God provides us with examples of meekness in Scripture that we can learn from. So, in order for us to accurately discern this beatitude, we must seek to understand meekness in a biblical ...
In the Word: The Light of My Eyes
Welcome to Hope Mommies In the Word devotionals. Over the next few weeks, we will be meditating on Psalm 19 together. As we study these truths together, we’d love you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you dig into God's Word each week with us!
“the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes”
Psalm 19:8b
READ:
Do you feel with the psalmist: “My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me” (Psalm 38:10)? The Word of God with its power ...
The Gift of Intimacy with Christ
“Oh, this thing of keeping in constant touch with God, of making Him the object of my thoughts and the companion of my conversations, is the most amazing thing I ever ran across. Now I like the Lord’s presence so much that when for a half hour or so He slips out of my mind—as He does many times a day—I feel as thought I had deserted Him, and as though I had lost something very precious in my life.”
-Frank Laubach
I stumbled across this quote the other day and was reminded of how incompletely I know God and the fullness of His presence. I want it to be so clearly evident in my life that I know God. I yearn for my knowledge of God to be ...
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
Grieving the loss of a child has a way of creating an urgent desire for solid, biblical answers for any theological questions that arise in the heart—what has God truly said in His Word about why this kind of pain exists in the world?
When this world feels devoid due to child loss, one’s attention can be well set upon knowing how to hope for another world. Hope is needed because all is not right. This cannot be it for us as people. The Christian hope, such a blessed hope, tells us that there is more to know than what only experiences can tell us.
Understanding what hope God gives can come through observing what kind of mourning Jesus speaks ...
