Hope When Your Trust is Failing – Guest Post by Becky Harling

by Jennifer Slattery on July 25, 2024July 25, 2024

Sometimes life pummels us so fiercely, we can barely breath. In those seasons, it can feel hard to hold tight to the truths we’ve learned. When our hearts are breaking, we need to know that we’re not alone and God won’t abandon us in our pain. If that’s where you currently find yourself, I hope my guest’s post encourages you.

Hope When Your Trust is Failing

by Becky Harling

I am convinced that trusting God is a lifelong journey. There are days when our faith is strong and steady and then life hits. We receive a cancer diagnosis, or a relationship crumbles, or financial difficulty hits. During those seasons we may start to wonder, “Does my faith really work?”

You are not alone in your wondering.

Asaph the Psalmist cried out, wondering if God had rejected him or if God was really listening to his prayers (Psalm 77:1-2,7).

John the Baptist, when in prison, sent word to Jesus asking, “Are you the one, …or should we look for someone else?” (Luke 7:18-23).

Jerry Bridges, author of Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, writes that “Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelm us.”¹

In other words, there are action steps we can take when we feel our trust is wavering.

What are those steps? Here are just a few:

Remember. When I feel my faith shaking or my anxiety rising, I look back to remember how God has provided or met me in the past. The Psalmist Asaph does this in Psalm 77; he boldly declares, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD” (Psalm 77:11). A few weeks ago, I was having difficulty trusting God with a certain situation. But as I paused and made a mental list of the miracles I had seen God do in the past, my faith was strengthened. The same principle holds true for you. Take time to remember.

Lean In To Your Community. Everyone needs 3-5 close friends who will pray when a crisis hits. Who are the close friends you have with whom you can be vulnerable and honest? Dare to be authentic. Take the risk and call or text them for prayer.

Praise Him, Even Though You Don’t Feel Like It. This type of praise is not all “happy clappy”. It’s more of a grunt and groan. It’s where you declare by faith what God’s word says is true about God. Asaph writes, “Your ways, God, are holy” (Psalm 77:13). My guess is he didn’t feel that, he just declared it. Don’t wait to praise God until you feel like it. Instead, take action and praise by faith, and trust that your feelings will follow.

Friends, the truth is trusting God may always feel challenging. But I have found in my own life that taking these three steps strengthens my faith enormously. I believe they will help your faith as well.

Check out Becky’s latest release, Cultivating Deeper Connections in a Lonely World:

Loneliness is an epidemic, but you can live life with a deep sense of belonging.

If you’ve ever felt that ache to connect and belong, you’re not alone: three out of every five people are suffering from loneliness. No group is excluded—married, unmarried, parents, pastors, leaders, elderly, and teenagers. We all experience moments . . . or long seasons of heart-aching loneliness. And it hurts. It can hurt right to the core.

In Cultivating Deeper Connections in a Lonely World, relationship expert, mother, grandmother, and John Maxwell Certified Coach Becky Harling taps into the deep ache of loneliness and shares with readers a rich theology of belonging. Does God ache for us? What does it mean that we belong to Him? How do we establish a deeply bonded relationship with others? What steps can we take to improve our relationships?

Because we were made for God and for community, relational isolation or brokenness is incredibly painful. But we don’t have to live isolated and unconnected. In fact, we must not. Our souls were designed for more. Deeply rooted in Scripture and joined with reflection questions, this book shows us how we can strengthen our relationships and experience deep connection.

Get to Know Becky Harling:

A best-selling author, Becky Harling has written 15 books. She is a popular speaker at conferences, retreats and other events. She has been a guest on many media outlets including Focus on the Family, Family Life Today and Moody radio. Becky is the host of, The Connected Mom Podcast and is a John Maxwell Leadership and Communications Coach.

Why You Feel Overwhelmed Even When Life Seems Okay – Faith Over Fear

Life feels okay. So why do you still feel overwhelmed? Maybe you're constantly on edge. Maybe your body won't relax. Maybe you find yourself carrying the weight of heartbreaking headlines, other people's pain, or experiences you thought you'd already moved past. If you've ever wondered why you feel exhausted even when nothing seems "wrong," this conversation will help you understand what may be happening beneath the surface. In this episode, Jennifer's cohost, Carol McCracken, sits down with Rebecca Taguma of the Trauma Healing Institute to discuss why overwhelming experiences affect our minds, bodies, and faith, practical ways to calm our nervous system, and how God gently leads us toward healing—one step at a time. In this episode, you'll discover: Why you can feel overwhelmed even when life seems okay What trauma really is—and why it affects us more deeply than we realize Practical ways to calm your body when anxiety rises How safe relationships and biblical practices can support healing Why you don't have to carry your pain alone Guest: Rebecca TagumaExecutive Director of Restoring Hope Ministry, Trauma Healing Institute (American Bible Society) Bible Passages Discussed Genesis 2:18 Psalm 42:1 Psalm 46:10 Psalm 34 (lament) Job 33:4 Connect with Rebecca Taguma Trauma Healing Institute Trauma Healing Basics (Free Resources) Trauma Healing Institute on LinkedIn Find Carol McCracken: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When You Feel Spiritually Weary – Guest Post by Kathy Howard

by Jennifer Slattery on June 20, 2024June 20, 2024

We all endure exhausting and discouraging seasons. How can we rejuvenate our souls when the climb ahead of us feels insurmountable? Thankfully, as today’s guest relays, if we’ve trusted in Christ for salvation, we can also trust that we’ll never take one step alone.

Hope for the Spiritually Weary

by Kathy Howard

My husband and I enjoy spending time on St John, the smallest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands. However, getting there is not easy. It requires planes, taxis, and a ferry. But weary travelers are rewarded with incredible beauty and the peace that comes from smaller crowds. We wanted to share our favorite island paradise with our kids and grandkids, so a few years ago we arranged a family trip. Our group of thirteen ranged in age from almost three to sixty-three.

They exhibited a lot of excitement on the first leg of the trip. But by the time we changed planes in Miami, then landed in St. Thomas, where we endured a long wait for our luggage even the most travel-hardy among us were weary. And of course, the little ones just wanted it to be over.

Wayne and I tried to energize them with descriptions of the sunsets and stories about our favorite beaches and snorkeling trips. While our efforts didn’t accomplish a complete makeover, it did bolster them enough to finish the journey. By the end of the vacation they all declared they would do it again!

The Jewish Christians who first received the letter we know today as “Hebrews” were “road weary.” Following Jesus had led them into some painful, difficult places. Although they had not yet died for their faith, they had endured public reproach, imprisonment, and the confiscation of their property. Due to this persecution, they were considering abandoning their faith in Jesus and returning to Judaism. So the author of Hebrews harshly warned them that if they rejected Jesus they would not find salvation in the Jewish faith (Hebrews 10:26-31). The Law of Moses only revealed sin, it could not cleanse it.

Then the author followed the warning with an exhortation to hold onto their faith in Christ. He asked them to remember what they’d already endured and urged them to keep an eternal focus. He also encouraged them to patience. God might seem slow to deliver, but if they persevered, the Messiah would return and bring justice. The earthly hardships would soon pass, but the spiritual benefits would last forever.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what was promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 NASB

The author also reminded them of their joy in the face of past suffering (Hebrews 10:34). Although seemingly counterintuitive, we see this spiritual principle throughout Scripture. For instance, Peter described suffering for Christ as a blessing and privilege because the “Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14). Persecution in this life for the name of Christ makes us partners with Him in His suffering and means we will share in His glory in the life to come (1 Peter 4:13).

Like those first century Jewish Christians, too often our fear of persecution outweighs our joy of anticipation. But we must not become discouraged and turn back. Suffering is temporary, but the reward is eternal. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and our focus on eternity. One day our temporary suffering will yield to unimaginable blessing.

This post was adapted from Kathy’s new devotional book “Deep Rooted: Growing through the Book of Hebrews.”

About the author:

Kathy Howard is a treasure hunter. She hunts for the creamiest chocolate, richest coffee, and cherished stories of faith. She also digs deep into Scripture, mining God’s eternal truths. Kathy has a Masters in Christian Education and has taught the Bible for more than 30 years in a wide variety of venues. Kathy is the author of 14 books, including “Heirloom: Living and Leaving a Legacy of Faith” and the “meaty” devotional series “Deep Rooted.” Kathy and her husband live in north Texas. They have three married children and six grandchildren. Find free discipleship resources at www.KathyHoward.org.

About her Devotional:

Are you spiritually exhausted? Following Jesus can be hard. Discouragement, difficulties, and defeat often wear us down. So, why bother? The book of Hebrews answers that question. This 40-day devotional journey provides encouragement to run our race of faith with endurance and reminds us that our Savior is far superior to anything and everything the world can offer.

Like the rest of the Deep Rooted devotional series, the Hebrews volume uses the 4-R Bible study framework to help you learn how to interact with and respond to Scripture, not simply read it. These meaty, daily devotions will increase your hunger for God’s Word, encourage spiritual growth and stability, and lay the groundwork for a life-long, spiritually-healthy habit.

The “NASB,” “NAS,” “New American Standard Bible,” and “New American Standard,” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by The Lockman Foundation. Use of these trademarks requires the permission of The Lockman Foundation.

Why You Feel Overwhelmed Even When Life Seems Okay – Faith Over Fear

The God Who Sees and Acts

by Jennifer Slattery on June 13, 2024June 12, 2024

Young plan sprouting from the ground with a quote pulled from the post.

(This first published April 29, 2021)

When my world was coming undone during my teenage years, I felt alone. I thought for sure God had turned His back on me, and honestly, I expected Him to. I certainly wasn’t doing anything to draw Him to me. To the contrary. My behavior had given Him every reason to walk away.

When my marriage was struggling and my husband quit his job mere months after moving our family across the country, far from the close-knit community we’d grown so attached to—I felt unseen then as well. Abandoned.

I told God, quite clearly, all about it. Actually, more accurately, I cried out, “Don’t You see, Lord?”

I’ve hurled that accusation at my Father numerous times throughout my life, only to later realize the inaccuracy of my perceptions. In fact, more often than not, it was during those frightening and heart-wrenching moments that God was doing His greatest work. He was lovingly, carefully creating beauty from my rubble.

He saw me in my pain, in my mess, even in my rebellion. In each instance, His compassion moved Him to action and His action brought increased life.

This has always been Christ’s way. When others reject us, He seeks us out. When we’re betrayed, He stands beside us as our most loyal and ever-present friend. When life feels chaotic, He remains a firm, immovable rock beneath our feet. And He comes to us when we’re overwrought with despair.

Before we can even speak the word, He’s there.

Quote from post with sunrise background.

Just as He was, some two-thousand years for a poor widow who’d lost her only son. As a parent who adores her daughter, I can’t imagine the pain this woman felt as a mom. Agony exacerbated by her utterly destitute state. In her male-dominated society where the majority of women were completely dependent on men, her situation probably felt hopeless. Today’s equivalent of losing a child, a job, all resources, and your ability to work in one day.

Did she cry out for God’s miraculous intervention, His presence—prior to her son’s last breath or after?

Did she feel abandoned in her pain?

Or was her heart too broken for her mind to even form a cohesive thought, let alone for her to utter the words, “My God, please help.”

We don’t know how she did or didn’t respond, did or didn’t pray. And that is precisely why this account is so powerful.

Luke 7:11-13 states, “… Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a large crowd went along with Him. ¹²As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, ‘Don’t cry’” (NIV).

Notice, the woman didn’t ask for His help. So consumed with her grief, she might not have even known Jesus had come to town. But He knew her and felt deep compassion for her pain. The original Greek literally means to be moved in one’s bowels. When was the last time something hit you so strongly, you experienced a gut reaction? As a mom, I’ve felt that way numerous times—times when my intense emotions for my beloved daughter elicited a physical reaction.

If you’re a parent, you can probably relate. Our hearts are intricately tied to our kids, am I right?

Just as, I believe, Christ’s heart is inseparably tied to ours.

This story assures us Christ sees and He cares. Our pain does much more than stir His emotions. It moves Him to action as well.

“Don’t cry,” He said. ¹⁴“Then He went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother” (V. 14-15, NIV).

He met the woman in her pain, in her need, and brought life to what she and everyone else deemed irrevocably dead.

This story reminds me that no situation is so bleak that God’s light can’t break through.

Is there an area of your life that feels beyond hope? How does Jesus’s response to this grieving widow from Nain help breathe fresh life into your circumstances today?

Share your thoughts in the comments below, and make sure to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

Before you go, make sure to listen to the latest Faith Over Fear podcast episode:

Why You Feel Overwhelmed Even When Life Seems Okay – Faith Over Fear

concerns with ‘This Too Shall Pass’

by Jennifer Slattery on April 25, 2024April 24, 2024

Some phrases spoken in hard circumstances remind us of comforting truth. But when we use those same statements to numb our emotions, we’re apt to get stuck in our pain and circumstances. The cliché Kathy discusses below is one of those well-intended, but at times, ineffective, lines.

Biblical Concerns with ‘This Too Shall Pass’

by Kathy Collard Miller

Have you ever considered a trials and found comfort in thinking, “This too will pass”?

That phrase may sound benign enough, but I’m wondering if it leaves out God in some way. Because, at least for me, it supports in my heart an attitude of, “I’ll just grin and bear it until this trial goes away.” It doesn’t support James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (ESV*).

See if the following ideas support the truth of James 1: 2-4:

1. Recognize how “grin and bear it” leaves out God. I became aware of how I was leaving out God with that attitude years ago. As I struggled to trust God for his provision of joy and contentment in the midst of being my mother-in-law’s caregiver, I often mentally recited, “This too will pass.” And then on the heels of that thought came, “If I just knew how much longer Audrey was going to live, I could be more patient and kind.” I was thinking I could be more patient because I would be gritting my teeth, just waiting for the trial to end. But that’s not depending upon God.

2. Choose active joy, not passivity. “This too will pass” is very passive. It allows circumstances to dictate our responses, rather than looking to God for our joy.

James 1: 2-4 contains active and “being aware” words, not closing our eyes to God’s help. Being active is when we pay attention to the purposes of difficulties. Problems can become God’s vehicle to growth. That can’t happen if we’re closing our eyes to what God wants to do.

3. Be aware moment by moment. In the midst of caring for my mother-in-law, I examined that phrase, “This too will pass,” more deeply. I saw that I wasn’t living in real time but in the future when things were guaranteed to get better. But there’s no guarantee life will get better. Life doesn’t become perfect until we enter heaven. Each moment and day of our lives is an opportunity to see God’s love strengthen us.

No wonder God doesn’t tell us the future. If we knew a trial was going to last a long time, we’d give up. If we knew a trial was going to be short-lived, we would grin and bear it. We’re supposed to relax in God’s power moment by moment, depending upon Him, allowing him to provide all we need. And then He’ll receive the glory, not us.

Those three truths began to transform my thinking. No longer was I depending upon my limited knowledge and my strategy of passivity, but I was seeking God more passionately and seeing his hand of provision. I became more patient with my mother-in-law and saw how God was doing a work in me.

When my mom-in-law departed for heaven, I knew I hadn’t been perfect, but I knew God had transformed my life in the now, not just in “the sweet by and by.” That was affirmed when a short time later I became the main caregiver for my own mother. God took what He’d taught me and applied it to this new challenge. God never wastes anything; but we won’t see that if we’re just grinning and bearing it.

Get to know Kathy Collard Miller

About the author: Kathy Collard Miller loves to help women trust God more through her 60 books and her speaking in over 30 states and 9 foreign countries. She is the author of the “Daughters of the King Bible Study Series” including, God’s Heart for Your Marriage, appropriate for individual, couple, and group study. Kathy and her husband, Larry, who married in 1970, live in Boise, Idaho, and are parents of 2 and grandparents of 2.

Scripture taken from *The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Why You Feel Overwhelmed Even When Life Seems Okay – Faith Over Fear

Is God Always Good – Guest Post by Ava Pennington

by Jennifer Slattery on January 26, 2024January 26, 2024

When I read Ava’s post below, I immediately thought of my friend Iris Peters, who died of brain cancer about five years ago. Prior to her death, when the tumor was slowly stealing her eyesight, speech, and mobility, she took a picture of the passage Ava quotes below, with her personal declaration written in her Bible’s margin. I know, from conversations she and I had during that painful time, that she wrestled with the question Ava poses. Perhaps you do as well.

Is God *Always* Good?

by Ava Pennington

A friend recently posted on social media about her successful recovery from illness. She announced the results with the observation, “God is good!” You can probably imagine the resulting comments:

God is good!
God truly answers prayer!
God is an awesome God!

We rejoiced in her results because we understood the magnitude of what might have been. Still, our collective responses started me wondering. What if she had not recovered as quickly as she did from the illness? Would we still have said:

God is good!
God truly answers prayer!
God is an awesome God!

. . . or would we have questioned God’s goodness?

I’ll admit, it’s easy for me to proclaim God’s goodness when life is going well. But what about when we find ourselves besieged by illness or loss? Or by relational or financial obstacles? That’s when we’re called to be intentional about what we say we believe. And not just what we say, but how we live it out.

We read these words in Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV). The prophet Habakkuk wrote:

“Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

It’s difficult to rejoice in the midst of trial and suffering, isn’t it? But notice, Habakkuk is not saying we’re to be joyful for the difficulty. He said he will rejoice in the Lord. He will be joyful in God his Savior.

Can you and I say the same thing? It means being intentional about our perspective. I’m not suggesting we plaster fake smiles on our faces as we hear fearful news or experience loss. No, this is about responding to reality without allowing fear to overwhelm us. Will circumstances determine how we view our faith or will faith determine how we view our circumstances?

We are living testimonies. Think of family, neighbors, and friends who have not been interested in the gospel. The ones who give us figurative pats on the head and say something like, “That’s nice for you if you need it.”

This is our opportunity to live differently because of who we belong to. To live out the reality of the relationship between what we believe and how we live. To show God’s peace is real. And we are the recipients of His peace because we belong to the Prince of Peace.

So would you allow me to paraphrase Habakkuk for us? Today, we might say:

Though the cancer is not healed

and I can’t pay my mortgage,

though my marriage has failed

and the economy produces no jobs,

though I have been misunderstood,

and I have lost someone I love,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Be encouraged. No matter what happens, God is good.

Whether we understand our circumstances or not, God is good.

Whether our days are difficult or easy, God is good.

Do we believe this—truly believe this in the midst of our present circumstances? An unbelieving world is watching to see if this faith of ours really does make a difference in the face of trouble.

Believe it in your heart and speak it aloud because it is always true:

God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good!

***

Jen here. I wanted to circle back to my opening introduction to Ava’s post. I mentioned that my friend, for a time, questioned God’s goodness. But I can also say that He met her in her wrestling and gently, lovingly led her to a place where she came to say, like Ava, God is good, all the time–even when life feels hard. If you are currently wrestling with a similar question, I encourage you to listen to my conversation with Bible teacher and radio host Susie Larson on a recent episode of the Faith Over Fear podcast titled “Is God Still Good When Life is Hard?”

***

Get to Know Ava Pennington:

Ava Pennington is an author, speaker, freelance editor, and certified writing and speaking coach. She teaches a weekly Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) class. Ava also received an Adult Bible Studies certificate from Moody Bible Institute and is trained as a Precepts Ministries instructor. She is the author of Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully, and has contributed to numerous magazines and anthologies. Visit www.AvaPennington.com to learn more.

Check out her book, Reflections on the Names of God:

Every name God calls himself and every name his people call him hold clues to who he is, how he relates to his children, and the promises he has made—and kept.
Spend time each day getting to know God more intimately by exploring his names and attributes with Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully, a giftable devotional from Ava Pennington.

Why You Feel Overwhelmed Even When Life Seems Okay – Faith Over Fear

Painful Seasons – Guest Post by Tanya Stowe

by Jennifer Slattery on November 16, 2023November 15, 2023

Today someone asked me if I tend to fall into a rut during the winter. I paused to consider my answer, suspecting the person’s question went deeper than weather humdrums. I wondered, if perhaps, this friend was wrestling with the melancholy that hits many this time of year. If you can relate, I hope you’ll gain comfort from today’s post, written by my guest Tanya Stowe.

Light and Darkness

by Tanya Stowe

My husband took a new job which required leaving our home in California for training in New Jersey. We left our family in October and headed to our rented East Coast apartment building. It was a long winter without much sunshine for this So Cal gal and I was very homesick.

As soon as the days turned warm, I started taking long walks, more than ready for summer. I could stand on the hill and look across the Hudson River to the New York skyline. I loved the sun and the Garden State’s flowers, especially its giant blue hydrangeas.

Nearby was a synagogue and my daily walk ended just about the time the boys finished their religion classes. As a mother of three grown sons, I loved to watch the little guys come tumbling out. They’d run to the sidewalk, pushing and shoving, boisterous as boys are. But they had shiny baby–like curls on the sides of their heads and backpacks bigger than their bodies. They never failed to make me smile.

So when I heard that one little boy, coming home from religion class, was kidnapped and murdered, it broke my heart. I found myself angry, bitter and full of hatred for the man responsible for such tragedy. He had sucked all the sunshine from my summer. Not just this summer but all my summers going way back to my childhood.

Like a picture book flipping through scenes, I remembered summers past. A four-year-old girl, not much younger than I, climbed in an abandoned freezer. The lid closed and she suffocated. A man trapped nine nurses in their dormitory. In another sizzling summer, a man held San Francisco captive with murder, rhymes and astrological signs. I questioned why these horrors crept into our lives on the coattails of the most beautiful season of the year.

In my own area of Los Angeles, the Night Stalker prowled the streets, broke into secure homes and did terrible things to his victims’ bodies. I was a young wife with two babies and I felt particularly vulnerable. I lay awake night after night, listening to every creak of the house, wondering how this man got in—and sweltering in the heat because I was afraid to crack the window even a little.

That was also the summer I found God. I don’t know if so many sleepless nights finally broke my hard head and pride or if in fear and desperation I ran into His arms. I’m not sure, but I do know my Christian friends exuded calm. They were frightened and sleepless like the rest of us, but there was a peace about them I could sense but not explain. I wanted that peace for myself so I went in search of my God.

I found Him, patiently waiting.

That was many years ago and I like to think that sometimes, I’m that island of calm for someone else. So it made it particularly difficult that summer in New Jersey when an evil man brought such a heavy shadow into my days.

Within one week, I received news that three of my acquaintances were dying of cancer and we were called to pray. Cancer was another shadow, threatening to darken my beautiful summer. In my mind’s eye, I saw it like a black, sticky glob, oozing across a white map, eating up states and lives, leaving behind nothing but days of black misery.

Then I heard that our prayers had been answered. One tumor had shrunk. One tiny pinprick of sunshine broke through in my dark closet.

I knew there must be other shafts of light so I went searching again. I found one in a picture my son sent to my cell phone. His pregnant wife was cleaning house. Their baby grew fussy so my daughter-in-law sat down in the middle of the mess to rock her and they both dozed off. My son walked in and snapped the picture. His love for them glowed from that captured moment.

My daughter called and I heard laughter in her voice as she told me of her family’s vacation adventures.

Even in my busy apartment building, I was friendless, but suddenly, I found one poolside. We stood in the water chatting until we grew cold. We talked about our homes, our children and oh, by the way, she was a Christian. I laughed out loud and said, “We always manage to find each other, don’t we?”

Silently, I thanked the Lord.

It was a sweet reminder, a gentle nudge in the right direction. So I’m passing it on to you. Enjoy your summer…no matter what time of year it might be. Walk down the beach hand in hand with your love. Sip tea with a friend under an umbrella. Listen for the shouts and laughter of children. Count your many blessings. Thank Him for them and keep them close to your heart. Praise Him continuously because he is our hope, our joy and our comfort.

Should that black ooze come to surround you with darkness, reach out. Search for the switch plate and flip on the light.

He will will be there … patiently waiting.

Get to know Tanya:

Tanya Stowe is a Christian Fiction author with an unexpected edge. She is a Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling Author who fills her books with the unusual…mysteries and exotic travel, even a murder or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a train down a mountain or a suspenseful journey packed with danger…be prepared for the extraordinary.

Check out her novel, A White Christmas in Arizona:

Can White, Arizona’s bountiful Christmas spirit heal Chad and lead him to a happy ever after?

After his very public break-up from his fiancé, Chad Fletcher is convinced that a healthy marriage and his rising political career won’t mix. Christmas at his Aunt Nell’s home in White, Arizona is a great way to forget. Political watch dog, Tessa Conway, plans to spend her Christmas enjoying her grandparents’ ranch before they must sell it. Neither Chad nor Tessa are pleased with Grandma Sophie and Aunt Nell’s matchmaking efforts…until they accidentally bump into each other and the feisty redhead charms Chad. Is Tessa the perfect antidote to his unhealthy relationships? Can Chad really be as perfect as Tessa thinks or is she just caught up in White’s Christmas pageantry?

Grab a copy HERE.

Why You Feel Overwhelmed Even When Life Seems Okay – Faith Over Fear

Finding God in the depths – guest post by Jessica Brodie

by Jennifer Slattery on July 27, 2023August 10, 2023

This past year, I endured one of the most difficult seasons in the over two decades. I felt like I was being hit on every side. Relentlessly. During this time, someone I served with, and with whom I hadn’t shared much, texted me to tell me her husband had dreamt that evil was chasing me.

And I was like, “I so feel that!” But, I also knew that good had already won and my victory was sure because no matter how far I sank, I would always find God holding me.

If you can relate, today’s post by a sweet friend and Wholly Loved team member will encourage you.

Finding God in the Depths

by Jessica Brodie

Have you ever been in a body of water, certain you could touch the ground, only when you fumbled for footing, there was none?

Our family spent some time last week at a waterpark, where my favorite activity has always been the wave pool. In case you’re not familiar, wave pools are giant swimming pools that start out shallow and grow increasingly deep, and every so often, water courses out in giant, slow waves for about fifteen minutes while everyone gently bobs up and down in the water. After fifteen minutes, it stops, and the water is calm again.

I love the soothing, rhythmic motion of the waves. My body relaxes as the waves guide me up and down, up and down, my feet gently lifting up off the bottom and then back down again. All is safe and well.

Unlike the ocean, in the pool I can relax. I don’t have to worry about sharks or riptides. My only concern is getting a little too close to a stranger or when I need to reapply sunscreen.

But one day, as I let the waves lull my body into relaxation, I didn’t realize that with every lull I was also inching deeper and deeper into the pool. At one point I bobbed up, then came down, expecting my feet to find the bottom—only they didn’t. I was in too deep, the water now over my head.

Quickly, I swam a few feet toward the shallow end and regained my footing. My peaceful motion began once more. Everything was fine.

But in life, sometimes it’s not so easy. I find myself rolling along, not paying much attention to my surroundings, and suddenly I’ve gotten myself into deep waters—a situation a bit over my head, with all sorts of unexpected dangers. And unlike the wave pool, swimming toward swallow water isn’t so easy, nor is there always footing to find.

Sometimes I’m stuck there in those deep waters, flailing about, not sure how to extricate myself from the situation.

Perhaps you’ve been there, too—a temptation that got out of hand, a “white lie” that became deception, a health worry that turned into an all-out panic, a quarrel that evolved into the utter dissolution of a relationship.

What then? What do you do when you can’t find shallow ground, when you’re surrounded by deep water and there’s nothing you can do but scramble to stay afloat… or surrender?

For me, those are the times I’ve found God to be the closest—right there in the depths of my affliction, my pain, my struggle, or my fear.

God, who as “Word became flesh” (John 1:14) suffered a brutal, humiliating, tortuous death on the cross after the worst betrayal imaginable, understands what it means to be in deep waters. God understands what it means to want help so desperately, yet there’s nothing to do but endure the pain.

It can be incredibly difficult to seek and trust God when we are in the depths of pain and despair, when the darkness looms so powerfully we cannot even imagine light, let alone a way through.

Yet He is there, and He always has been.

He was there before creation, beyond time, the Alpha and the Omega. He is our rescuer and our redeemer, our brother and father and Maker and friend all in one.

We may have ashes, but God brings beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:2-3). We may have dry bones, but we know God can turn dry bones into life (Ezekiel 37:1-10).

Trusting God and knowing that everything will truly be all right doesn’t mean the situation will right itself in this earthly realm. We might indeed lose that relationship, succumb to that illness, get fired from our job, or wind up on the streets. We might spend a lot of time in those deep waters, suffering and begging for reprieve—maybe a reprieve that doesn’t come until we draw our last breath.

But what we can know in the depths of our soul is that we will find reprieve in eternity. Our hopes lies in Jesus.

Today, if you are floundering in the deep, take a breath and know you are not alone. God is with you.

As the apostle Paul teaches us in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (NIV).

We truly can. Amen.

Get to Know Jessica Brodie:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, and part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.

Why You Feel Overwhelmed Even When Life Seems Okay – Faith Over Fear

Overcomer or overwhelmed – guest post by Ava Pennington

by Jennifer Slattery on January 19, 2023January 18, 2023

Quote from Anonymous regarding strength.

What do you do when you feel bombarded on every side? How do you stand when it feels as if life has kicked you in the gut and you find it hard to breathe? My guest today, a woman I adore and greatly admire who serves with me on the Faith Over Fear podcast has been there and shares some insights on how we can remain standing when hardship threatens to knock us flat.

Overcome or Overwhelmed by Ava Pennington

It had not been an easy week. An anniversary of loss I’d rather not remember, yet it’s impossible to forget. A reminder of my husband’s greatest season of victory in the face of what the world would call a season of deepest defeat.

After receiving a terminal prognosis five years ago, Russ determined to use his final months to remind Christians to look up in the midst of their difficulties. That’s easier said than done. Yet, for the final months of his life, Russ shared his testimony about a different kind of healing. He encouraged believers to look beyond their trials and suffering.

How do we do that? How do we find the strength to see beyond our circumstances? To not be defeated by a diagnosis or beaten by a broken relationship? How do we become conquerors instead of one conquered? To be an overcomer instead of overwhelmed? Victorious instead of vanquished?

The answer is found in how Russ lived out these four principles in the face of death:

Remember who we belong to:

The early church in Ephesus needed to be reminded of who they belonged to. So the apostle Paul wrote:

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:13-14 ESV).

Living in a sin-sick world can make it easy to forget who we belong to. Our situation may cause us to think God has forgotten us or doesn’t care, leading us to lose faith. We can let our circumstances define our relationship with God or we can let our relationship with God define how we view our circumstances.

Maintain an eternal focus:

Difficult circumstances have a way of capturing our focus to the exclusion of all else. But the Bible reminds us that our circumstances are temporary:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV).

We’re often consumed with making this life easier. More comfortable. While those goals are not bad in themselves, they often become obstacles to what God is accomplishing in and through us. We become focused on making this life our best life, rather than remembering the best is yet to come.

Stop trying so hard:

The world has convinced us that with just a little more effort, we can fix anything that’s broken and bring it to a state of wholeness. But the apostle Paul reminds us the work of completion is not in our control:

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 ESV).

Living a victorious Christian life is not about willpower. It’s not about trying harder, working smarter, and doing better. It’s about drawing on the strength of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Our job is to surrender to the Holy Spirit. He is the one who will bring the results.

Do the next right thing:

Ongoing crises and turmoil can wear us down. That’s when we need this reminder:

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 (ESV).

Painful circumstances often cause us to feel overwhelmed. Russ battled a sense of his own body betraying him as the cancer grew. And even as I watched helplessly, I also wondered what his prognosis meant for my own future. What would life look like without my spouse?

But the Lord promised to care for His children’s needs. Our job is not to worry about the future, but to obey, one day at a time. And when that seems too difficult, then one hour or even the next five minutes at a time. Don’t ask what will happen a year from now. Rather, ask what has the Lord placed in front of me today? Then do the next right thing.

Fast forward to today . . . the anniversary week of remembering also brought reminders that God is still providing. Within a few days, several people came into my life to bless me by meeting new needs I didn’t have a clue about how to handle.

We can allow this broken world to overwhelm us or we can be overcomers. The answer is not found in our circumstances, it’s found in our relationship with Jesus Christ. We’re victorious when we remember our situations are temporary, but our life in Christ is eternal.

As you face your difficulties, how can you maintain an eternal focus? What is the next right thing your heavenly Father has placed in front of you to do?

* * *

Ava Pennington is an author and speaker. She’s also a freelance editor and certified coach for writers, a Wholly Loved Ministries podcaster, and a Word Weavers Intl. mentor. She teaches a weekly Bible Study Fellowship class, is trained as a Precepts Ministries instructor, and received an Adult Bible Studies certificate from Moody Bible Institute.

Ava is the author of Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully (Revell Books), co-author of 2 picture books and has contributed to numerous magazines and 35 anthologies including 28 Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Find her at www.AvaPennington.com.

Check out her book, Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully:

Every name God calls Himself and every name His people have called Him holds clues to who He is, how He relates to His children, and the promises He has made – and kept.

Cover image for Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully by Ava Pennington

This devotional offers you a wonderful opportunity to spend time each day getting to know God more intimately by exploring His names and attributes. Perfect for both new Christians and longtime believers, these life-changing devotions will help you discover something new about who God is, who you are, and how you relate to others.

The Power of God’s Unfailing Love – Guest Post by Kathy Howard

by Jennifer Slattery on October 13, 2022October 12, 2022

Sometimes, hardship hits so hard, we’re not sure we have the strength to stand. Reeling from intense pain, we may struggle to hold tight to hope. Will God really turn our mourning to dancing? Did He truly mean it when He promised us joy?

These are valid questions we’ve probably all wrestling with at some point or another. But as my Kathy Howard, my guest today, shares, God has given us a powerful, immutable promise we can hold tight to the next time it feels as if the ground beneath us is about to give way.

The Power of God’s Unfailing Love

by Kathy Howard

She’s seen In August 2021, flash flood waters overwhelmed Waverly, Tennessee killing more than twenty people. Almost two feet of rain had fallen in 24 hours – nine inches in three hours alone. The area’s network of rivers and creeks, could not contain the deluge. A tidal wave of water barreled through the community like a freight train. One mother and her five children clung to a clothes line as the deep water roared through their home. But, the torrent ripped her two-year-old son from her arms and carried him away. The power of the water was stronger than the mother’s arms.

In the book of Romans, Paul beautifully assured those first-century believers – and believers today – that nothing can rip us away from God and His unconditional, unfailing love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39 NLT).

Quote from post on gray-blue background.

Yes, wickedness, hardships, and threats fill this life. Sometimes we fall into deep pits with no visible means of escape. We face enemies that gain ground and push us back. In those moments, we may feel as though God has forgotten us, that we stand outside His love. I’ve been there. During some heart-breaking times in my own life, I felt as though God had turned His back on me.

But then, He graciously and lovingly reminded me of His truth. it doesn’t matter how dire our circumstances appear. The strength of our enemies and the size of our problems are irrelevant in light of God’s power and the nature of His love. This wasn’t just intellectual knowledge for Paul. He spoke from experience. Paul had suffered imprisonment, beatings, a stoning, shipwrecks, persecution, hunger, and a myriad of dangers (1 Corinthians 11:23-27). Yet through it all God held him in His loving hands.

The Greek word translated as “love” in Romans 8 is “agape.” According to Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, agape is an act of the will, not an emotional feeling. God chooses to express His love to us. Agape is not based on the merit of the recipient. God’s love flows from His unchanging holy character. We cannot earn God’s love, but He gives it freely.

God’s love is unconditional because it depends on Himself and nothing else. Therefore, we can have complete assurance in God’s love for us. Nothing can dampen, derail, or defeat it. Nothing can separate us from God’s love – not even ourselves.

Quote from post on blue-gray background.

We see God’s love best demonstrated in our salvation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This ultimate act of agape love secures and guarantees our eternal salvation. God has declared us righteous through the saving work of Christ. Therefore, no one can accuse or condemn us. There is no court of appeals. God is the final and ultimate judge.

There will be times in our lives when we don’t sense God’s presence, seasons when we don’t see Him working. In those moments, let’s reflect on this incredible truth: Nothing can separate us from God and His love. Christ has already won the battle and victory is ours.

This post was adapted from Kathy’s upcoming devotional book “Deep Rooted: Growing through the Book of Romans.”

Book description:

Book cover for Deep Rooted: Growing through the Book of Romans

Have you lost the wonder of your salvation? Maybe you’ve forgotten the abundant riches of God’s grace. The Gospel isn’t just a statement of faith. It is more than hope for eternity. The Gospel of Jesus is the power of God for your life today. Recapture the awe of your life in Christ with this 40-day pilgrimage through the book of Romans. Like the rest of the Deep Rooted devotional series, the Romans volume uses the 4-R Bible study framework to help you learn how to interact with and respond to Scripture, not simply read it. These meaty, daily devotions will increase your hunger for God’s Word, encourage spiritual growth and stability, and lay the groundwork for a life-long, spiritually-healthy habit.

Get to Know Kathy:

Kathy Howard is a treasure hunter. She hunts for the creamiest chocolate, richest coffee, and cherished stories of faith. She also digs deep into Scripture, mining God’s eternal truths. Kathy has a Masters in Christian Education and has taught the Bible for more than 30 years in a wide variety of venues. Kathy is the author of 12 books, including “Heirloom: Living and Leaving a Legacy of Faith” and the “meaty” devotional series “Deep Rooted.” Kathy and her husband live in north Texas. They have three married children, six grandchildren, and one accidental dog. Find free discipleship resources at www.KathyHoward.org.