163 results for tag: Ashlee
Hymns of Hope: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Written in 1849 by Edmund Sears, the words of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is one of the few Christmas hymns that does not actually mention the birth of Christ. Instead, this song focuses on the good news that the angels brought that first Christmas morn. After appearing to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem, the angels sang of the glory of God and the peace that is ours in Christ. In the fields that night, the song of the angels rang out, piercing the darkness and declaring the arrival of the long-awaited Savior. Hope had come at last.
It came upon a midnight clearThat glorious song of oldFrom angels bending near the earthTo touch their harps ...
Hymns of Hope: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Originally written by Charles Wesley in 1739, the hymn, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” draws its inspiration from the second chapter of Luke.
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrap...
Hymns of Hope: O Holy Night
The world had long been groaning under the curse of sin. Generation after generation pining for the Messiah that had been promised on that fateful day long ago when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and death spread to all mankind. But this night was not like all the others before it. For on this night a thrill of hope pierced through the darkness and broke forth into a new and glorious day. Weary souls rejoiced on the night when Christ was born.
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shiningIt is the night of the dear Savior's birth!Long lay the world in sin and error piningTill he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.A thrill of hope the weary soul ...
The Fount of Every Blessing
Robert Robinson was born in Suffolk, England on September 27, 1735. His father died when he was only eight years. As soon as he was old enough, his mother sent him to London to apprentice under a barber. While there, he fell in with a rough crowd and lived a life of trouble.
One day, his gang was planning on disrupting a gospel meeting of evangelist George Whitefield. But when he arrived, Robert was touched by Whitefield’s message so deeply that he could think of little else for weeks afterwards. Finally, on December 10, 1755, Robert gave his life to Christ.
He began traveling all throughout England in order to listen to some of the best preachers ...
A Prayer For The One Who Mourns
On this day set aside to remember the lives of our babies who have gone home ahead of us, my heart is aching alongside yours. I wish that October 15 did not hold this remembrance of sorrow for you. But it is my prayer that in the midst of your grief today, you will also see the unfading beauty of the hope of Christ pierce through the darkness.
A Prayer For The One Who Mourns
O Lord
You know the ache of my heart.
You see my suffering and draw near.
As I drink from this stream of sorrow, I turn to You.
What began as joyful anticipation has crumbled into an unsung song.
A story, never to be told.
You are familiar with the void that has been ...
Serve One Another: Her Story
I arrived at the doctor’s office and was almost immediately called back for my ultrasound. But as the first glimpse of this precious little one appeared on the monitor, I knew in my heart that something was not right. He was not as big as I had expected for being 14 weeks. And he was completely still. Schmidt babies are never still.
After a few moments of searching, our ultrasound tech confirmed what I already knew to be true. His heart was not beating, and mine was aching.
I was moved into another room to wait to meet with other nurses and doctors who would tell me what to expect in the coming days and weeks. As I sat in the silence, feeling ...
My Rock of Refuge
When I found out that my son’s heart was no longer beating, I instantly felt like everyone who saw me could tell that I was carrying his lifeless body inside of me—like they knew that I was the mother whose body had failed her baby.
As I walked around the nurses station, passed the reception desk, and through the waiting room on my way out of that terrible appointment, it seemed as though everyone I passed was staring right through me. I felt dirty, exposed, and marked by this devastating loss.
All I wanted to do was hide.
I wanted to go where nobody could see me and wrestle with the brokenness inside of me.
I wanted to find a safe place ...
One Another
The loss of a child changes your life. And sorrow of this magnitude also greatly effects your relationship with your spouse. When we are cloaked in such a heavy grief, it can be immensely difficult to remember that this heart-wrenching loss has not only altered your life, but that of your spouse as well. It is hard enough to learn how to walk through life without your beloved children in our arms, but we also must learn how to navigate this sorrow along with someone else. And in the wake of such hurt and pain, bringing two grieving hearts together can feel like an impossible task.
Our human nature tells us to turn inward in our grief. It tries ...
In You I Take Refuge
“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from You.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
You hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me;
because He is at my ...
Turning My Gaze to the Lord
I was sitting in the airport waiting to fly home after a weekend away. It was rainy and cold and overcast. As I sat there watching dark clouds continually roll in, I couldn’t help but think that so often that’s what pain looks like. If I could paint a picture of my heart in the weeks that immediately followed my losses, I would illustrate this sorrow with storm clouds. Even on the clearest of days I often found myself in the middle of a downpour. Even when I was surrounded by laughter and joy and hope it could so quickly turn into a tempest. Some days it just seemed like the storm clouds of sorrow rushed in out of nowhere.
I still had two hours ...
