96 results for tag: Lianna

Be Devoted to One Another: Her Story

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” -Romans 12:9-12 The goodness that was present in my relationship with my husband in grief was owed all to the Lord’s work in our hearts. We had made the confession of our sins before our holy God; gained the forgiveness and righteousness made possible for us in Jesus Christ alone; awed at the gracious, full acceptance we both received before the just, good, almighty, caring ...

An Extraordinary Funeral

“After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the ...

Has God Betrayed Us?

Sweet mom, are you tempted to feel betrayed by God due to your extreme suffering? Are you tempted to feel like He betrayed you to this enemy of death and pain? Think about this: when Jesus was betrayed by Judas, He knew He had not been betrayed by the Father. For Jesus knew the Father's purpose and plans in sending Him. Like Jesus, when being betrayed to death by Judas, we can look to God's plan. Like Jesus, we can have poignant perspective and peace from the Scriptures, perspective that directs our hearts toward God. The Gospel of John records in detail the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples prior to being betrayed. So we know exactly what ...

Book Review: “Be Still My Soul”

Though not every portion of Be Still My Soul: Embracing God’s Purpose & Provisions in Suffering, edited by Nancy Guthrie struck a chord, I was glad I read this collection of essays and excerpts—finding some especially meaningful. As opposed to being a guide through grief or suffering, or tackling a particular aspect of suffering in depth, the range of authors and viewpoints collected in this book makes its scope rather broad. So, if you are looking to delve into further study about biblical topics surrounding suffering, and you’re not sure where or with what authors to start, you’ll likely find portions of this book you apprecia...

Book Review: “A Heart Set Free,” by Christina Fox

Melissa Kruger, who blogs at The Gospel Coalition, wrote this in the foreword of A Heart Set Free, by Christina Fox, concerning her struggle to reconcile feelings with the Christian faith: “Each time I tried to push [my emotions] down, they would pop back up in another form. In some ways, I found myself struggling with the fact that I had any negative emotions at all. Wasn’t I supposed to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”? (1 Thess. 5:16-18)  Did this verse leave room for sorrow, fear, anxiety, or grief?” Kruger endorses Fox’s work as ...

Bear Much Fruit: Peace

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.” – Isa. 26:3 There is no more heartbeat for my little girl. But peace Sobbing while on the phone with my mom from a hospital bed. But peace A hand in mine, belonging to a crying father. But peace A wearied doctor with no answers. But peace Silence from the newly-birthed lips that resemble mine. But peace Watching the nurse walk my daughter's tender body from the hospital room and out of my earthly life. But peace Funeral flowers instead of welcome-home wishes. But peace A nursery now for ...

Bad Things to Good People?

I believe that you, Hope Mom, are tremendously brave for facing each day without your child or children. I believe that you, Hope Mom, are to be cherished because God has set His image upon you. I believe that you, Hope Mom, are loved by a Savior King who extends the offer of His salvation and His Kingship to the world. I believe that you, Hope Mom, are rightly longing for a redemption, a yet-to-be-fulfilled day, when all will be made right. I believe that you, Hope Mom, have God-given strength as you endure each minute of the indescribable storm of grief. So, why? Why do bad things happen to good people? R.C. Sproul ...

Life In Our Eternity {Part 2}

This article is a continuation of a previous post. You can read Life In Our Eternity {Part 1} here. Clue 3 – Our Moral Capacity The third clue about what our eternal state will contain is demonstrated in man’s moral capacity. In our eternal state, man's moral capacity will be only pure and good. While we work and live out of our cultural and relational capacities too, our moral capacity is the dominant theme of the rest of Scripture after Adam's disobedience. Man's moral capacity is of utter importance because our cultural and relational capacities do not function as God intends when the moral capacity ...

Life in Our Eternity {Part 1}

Have you ever observed that the Bible starts in a garden—Eden—and ends in a garden-city—New Jerusalem—both of which are places where God dwells with mankind? The Bible begins in Genesis with a very good creation. Adam and Eve dwelled in the garden of Eden with God. God gave them everything good: close communion with Himself, a relationship together to reflect Him, and the ability to respond to God's good commands with obedience. With all of this, they chose to disobey Him. We are made for communion with God, to reflect God in relationships with each other, and for responding to God's goodness and glory with obedience. ...

Presently With the Lord

Our babies don’t exactly experience all aspects of eternity yet, seeing as the new heavens and new earth have not yet been inaugurated. Some promises (for example, the restoration of the earth, and God making His forever-home on earth with man, and the resurrection of our bodies) are still forth-coming. Yet, Jesus made clear to the believing thief on the cross beside Him that he would truly see Jesus immediately after death—in fact, Jesus used the term “today” to describe this promise (Luke 23:43). To be away from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). Even though the soul will not be united with the body again ...