Renewing Your Focus
New Year’s resolutions have a bad reputation. Often, our goal is to make this life as easy as possible, not regarding the Lord’s greater plan and trustworthiness, and elevating our own desires above His authority. We often find ourselves living with this temporary, humanistic view of time—we are impatient, frustrated in trials, lacking in perseverance, not living with eternity in mind, worrying, not trusting God for provision, or living in fear.
Grief has tempted me to live this way. In missing my baby, I ache so fiercely that, sometimes, I ...
Hope Mommies Retreat: A Place of Healing and Hope
I do not know where my words are [physically] finding you—curled up on the couch with a cup of tea, or up at 3:00am with tear stained cheeks. I do not know where my words are [emotionally] finding you—angry at the hand dealt you and withdrawing from all of your old daily rhythms, or desperately seeking and choosing joy as you rebuild your new normal. I do not know if my words find you tugging at the robe of King Jesus, begging Him to make sense of it all, or if you are running as far and fast away from the gospel as your weary legs can take you.What I do know, ...
Discussions in Grief: Surrender
Grieving involves new emotions and considerations often too many to numbers. When you find yourself in overwhelming grief, you likely feel buried and lost. In this series, we slowly and compassionately look at one aspect of grief at a time from a biblical perspective for the newly grieving mother. Click {here} to read past posts in this series.
I don't know what comes to mind for you when you think of the word “surrender”, but for me I picture the end of a long battle and the losing side has nothing left. Surrender happens when they give up and hand ...
The Weary World Rejoices
For weeks now, the world has been eagerly anticipating Christmas Day. That’s what the Advent season is all about—waiting. Clinging to hope. Knowing and trusting that help is on its way. The baby in the manger is coming. One day all will be made right. Advent invites us to sit in the tension between the promise and its fulfillment. It gives voice to the longing in our hearts.
The people of Israel expected the Messiah to liberate them from the oppression of the Romans. But Christ’s coming didn’t bring the political relief they were expecting. Much in the same ...
A Thrill of Hope
“For to us a Child is born,to us a Son is given;and the government shall be upon His shoulder,and His name shall be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Isaiah 9:6
We live in the space between the first and second coming of this born-to-us Savior. Jesus, who came to earth as a baby to save His people, will one day return to bring them home. We celebrate the first Christmas because we know Christ will come again to make all things new.
This Christmas may be filled with reminders of your ...
Hymns of Hope: O Little Town of Bethlehem
The City of David was situated on a hill just a few miles south of Jerusalem. Weary travelers, brought in by the census, were packed in every available room in town. Yet, in the quietness of night, while the streets lay in sleepy silence, the stillness was broken by the cry of a baby. Into the darkness, Light had dawned, and the course of history was forever changed in that little town of Bethlehem.
O little town of Bethlehem,how still we see thee lie!Above thy deep and dreamless sleepthe silent stars go by;yet in thy dark streets shineththe everlast...
Discussions in Grief: Searching
Grieving involves new emotions and considerations often too many to numbers. When you find yourself in overwhelming grief, you likely feel buried and lost. In this series, we slowly and compassionately look at one aspect of grief at a time from a biblical perspective for the newly grieving mother. Click {here} to read past posts in this series.
"I just want to know why!" I sobbed into the phone. I was standing in the NICU talking to a friend on the phone after being told my daughter would die. This friend had lost her baby girl 2.5 months ago. Through her tears, ...
Megan’s Story
My husband and I were married in June of 2012. We were very excited to learn in July that we were pregnant so shortly after getting married. We had a few scares at the beginning of the pregnancy, but at my 13 week appointment we heard the heartbeat and the doctor confirmed that everything was going well. Our excitement grew each day as we started to prepare to become first time parents.
A few weeks later, in late September, I traveled out of town to visit my parents while my husband was away for work. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I went to use the restroom ...
Hymns of Hope: Come, Thou Long Expectant Jesus
Although the people of Israel had been long awaiting the coming of the Messiah, He did not come as they expected Him to. They expected the triumphant coming of a king, but not one born in a humble stable. They expected Him to be adored and extolled at His coming, but not by lowly shepherds. They expected Him to confront their oppressors, not the piety of their religious leaders. In fact, all throughout the gospels, we see the long expected Jesus breaking all our expectations.
We tend to fill our thoughts of Christ with our own suppositions of what He ...
Discussions in Grief: Tears
Grieving involves new emotions and considerations often too many to numbers. When you find yourself in overwhelming grief, you likely feel buried and lost. In this series, we slowly and compassionately look at one aspect of grief at a time from a biblical perspective for the newly grieving mother. Click {here} to read past posts in this series.
Tears are a natural part of the grieving process. They are an outward expression of internal pain, anxiety, sadness, stress and frustration. They can come on suddenly while making a meal, talking to friends, or sitting alone ...
