1104 results for author: Ashlee Schmidt
His Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
Fear has always been an unwelcome companion in my life.
As far back as I can remember, I was well acquainted with that tight feeling in my stomach and the shortness of breath in my lungs that I would get when I was afraid. Many of my decisions were shaped by it.
I didn’t make it through many sleep overs as a child because fear would call me home. I wouldn’t open up to many people, because fear was always there to remind me that others may not accept or understand me. Fear convinced me to say no to countless opportunities as I got older because it would whisper dozens of excuses to me;
Don’t try, you might fail.Don’t reach out, you ...
Sarah’s Lament
To lament is to turn to God in honest, desperate prayer, expressing the reality of our emotions—as intense and tumultuous as they may be. Ultimately, a lament is an expression of faith in the God who hears our cries and responds with mercy and grace. In this series, we seek to write our own laments in the style of the Psalmists, beginning by giving voice to the real and raw emotions that accompany our grief, and then lifting our eyes heavenward in trust and adoration of the One who is greater than all of our sorrow.
To the God who was, and is, and will always beWho gives growth and strength.To the maker of galaxies and builder of ...
Refiner’s Fire
We have all heard the term “refiner’s fire,” but up until recently, I never knew exactly what that entailed. One day, I decided to research what the precious metal refining process really involves.
The first stage is referred to as the "breaking,” and as one might think, it involves breaking the rough ore into smaller pieces with the intention of bringing forth the more precious materials hidden within. The second stageis known as the "crucible,” in which the broken ore is placed into a fireproof melting pot so that the metal can be exposed to extreme heat. The final stages involve exposing the crucible-encased ore to increasingly high ...
Purposed: Made For Eternity
“The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”Psalm 138:8
I know that “purpose” is a big word—it carries some heavy weight. So before we really get into God’s purposes, I want us to consider this verse from Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
There are many things about God and His divinity that we can’t know—they are the ‘secret things’ that are for Him, for His glory. But sisters, He has revealed ...
Every Tear Wiped Away
Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying Revelation 21 together, which gives us a beautiful picture of the eternity that awaits those who are in Christ . In this series, we seek to lift the grieving mother's eyes up towards heaven and the imperishable inheritance that is hers and her precious baby's in Christ.
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”Revelation 21:4
READ:
Can you imagine a world without sadness? A ...
He Will Rise Up to Show You Compassion
God’s Word is filled with rich promises for His children. How do these “precious and very great promises” inform and direct your grief? How does keeping your eyes fixed on these truths anchor your hope in the Lord? In this series, we write about how God, through the promises in His Word, comforts and strengthens us in our sorrow.
In four years, I suffered four pregnancy losses, gave birth to my healthy daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with cancer, underwent a total hysterectomy, and consequently lost my ability to conceive and bear more children. And hot flashes.
I’d like to say I held fast to verses like James 1:2-4 ...
You Will Never Walk in Darkness
God’s Word is filled with rich promises for His children. How do these “precious and very great promises” inform and direct your grief? How does keeping your eyes fixed on these truths anchor your hope in the Lord? In this series, we write about how God, through the promises in His Word, comforts and strengthens us in our sorrow.
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12
“Mommy, don’t shut the door, I don’t like the dark.” I hear my daughter say after I kiss her goodnight. I smile and reassure her ...
Night of Worship with Caroline Cobb
When you suffer grief as deep and wide as the loss of your very loved and wanted baby, life can feel so unsafe. When my own daughter was stillborn at 22 weeks and five days, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to be okay again. It was all too heavy—the weight of my empty arms, the ache in my heart. Nothing felt secure. Everything seemed as if it were sand that could slip through the fingers of my clenched fists. My prayers were often, “Lord, I don’t know how to go on. I need you. Help me.” Did you have simple prayers like this, too?
This kind of prayer reminds me of King Jehoshaphat from the Old Testament story found in 2 Chronicles ...
