“If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?” Matt. 7:11
The first Christmas following our daughter’s downward spiral into rebellion, our hearts were filled with great sorrow. Wendi was sixteen – and pregnant. Where could we find “joy to the world” that season? How could we celebrate Christmas when we hurt so deeply? The only gift we wanted that Christmas—our only wish—was for our beloved prodigal to return home to Christ. Yet, during those days of heartache . . . and every single day of her waywardness . . . we discovered an abundance of gifts readily available to us, her parents. Where? . . . Under the tree called Calvary, where plenteous gifts were ours for the taking: Read the rest…
When God tells us to slow down, His message can be overwhelmingly direct. For me, the communication came in the form of a broken ankle. Caution: Beware of taking little black dogs for walks on dark, rainy nights! (Don’t worry – the dog is fine.)
The first week after my fall I was relatively miserable. This was followed by an unwanted (although necessary) surgery of a plate and six screws being placed into my right ankle. Altogether, I was forced to completely halt my life for almost an entire month.
Now, I don’t do inactivity well. Somehow I was able to get my school work done and did not miss even one class. But, that is all I did. No time was given to my internship. I did no cooking or cleaning. Basically, I laid on the couch with my foot elevated and iced down while reading and watching old movies. I was at the mercy of my family for every need I had.
Read the rest…
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
A new year is upon us and, as is often the custom, many of us reflect upon the past year as we look to the new. A word of encouragement to those who might be looking back or forward toward continued personal physical or emotional pain: All of us can begin this new year with hope—a hope that is based, not upon results or an outcome, but which is anchored securely in the Person of Jesus Christ. He is our hope.
The Bible tells us that those who come to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). To discover God’s mercy and grace (Heb. 4:16), we must come to His “throne of grace” in earnest prayer, daily seeking his face.
This year, each day, let’s just do it!
~ Karilee Hayden
“In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you”. . . (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NAS)
All of us, at one time or another, have been challenged by this verse, haven’t we—because during tough times, we just don’t feel like giving thanks!
Halfway through our daughter’s 20-year rebellion, I suddenly woke up to the fact that the majority of my thoughts were being focused on my problems: my fears for Wendi’s future—my frustrations with her poor choices—my feelings of personal parenting inadequacies—my struggles to help our daughter see God’s love and desires for her. At that particular moment in life, God had gotten my attention (through His Word) that He wanted me to find ways to be thankful to Him . . . to look for and appreciate the many good things currently present in my life . . . to discover the hope and joy and peace of a having thankful spirit . . . to thank and praise Him even when I didn’t feel like it (read pages 156-159 in Wild Child, Waiting Mom to see how God led me into a daily “two-mile-walk-of-praise”).
The Bible says that being thankful is not only important for our emotional and spiritual well-being, but the exercise of thankfulness—even in the hardest of times—is essential in our relationship with Christ, and an integral ingredient of personal spiritual growth. Praising God in tough times draws us more deeply into His magnificent love and generates a precious reliance of trust and rest in His sufficiency for all our needs. Read the rest…
