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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Sarah’s Story
Of all the big moments in life, nothing has quite changed me like grief. Most moments close one chapter and open a new chapter. But grief practically changes your DNA. I will never see life or circumstance the same way again. After two normal, uncomplicated pregnancies, I took pregnancy for granted. So, when we went to the doctor with our third pregnancy and they couldn’t find the heartbeat, our whole world seemed to stop. On May 17, 2014, we had to say “hello” and “good-bye” to Solomon Elijah. God’s peace was tangible in the hospital room. We had friends who ...
A Prayer for the One Who is Afraid
The death of a child goes against the natural rhythms of life. Parents should not outlive their children. There is just something so incomprehensible about the sight of a tiny coffin at a funeral, the stillborn body of an infant, or a silent, motionless ultrasound screen. In these moments, there is something inside all of us that screams, "This is not right! This is not how things are supposed to be!"
When my son's heart stilled while his precious body was cradled within me, there wasn't a category in my mind to process this unimaginable grief. I was now living a ...
