Surprise endings – Guest post by Kelly hall

by Jennifer Slattery on January 23, 2025January 22, 2025

Surprise Endings by Guest Blogger Kelly Hall

I never could have imagined the surprise that awaited me at the end of the day.

Our son, David and his wife Danielle, were staying in our home for a few months as they transitioned to new jobs and a new home. It was a sweet gift getting to know them as a couple and watching them navigate through life decisions.

They were the ideal house guests: closets were organized, furniture was rearranged, broken things were repaired, our dryer was replaced, and all of our computer/phone issues were resolved. Danielle organized a “paint day” and we chose a blue-grey slate for an accent wall in their bedroom. We painted the entire room, while David repaired holes in the walls, moved furniture, removed blinds and cleaned up when we were done.

I could hardly believe the difference. It was gorgeous!

And I was exhausted!

Later that evening, over snacks of crackers and cheese, Danielle asked me to go downstairs so we could talk about painting my study.

Not at all excited about the prospect of another exhausting day of painting four walls, baseboards, window sills and doors, I followed her as she threw open the door to my study.

I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Danielle had already finished the hardest job of all – the rich blue-grey slate of an accent wall had completely transformed the room! My response reminded me of game show contestants who discover a brand new car awaits them behind door number three. Barely intelligible words and loud gasps were interspersed with wild flailing arms and punctuated with wide-eyed delight.

Best surprise ever!! Over-the-top-extravagance! Beyond anything I had even imagined!

It reminds me of the way God often surprises us with His goodness – throwing open doors suddenly and unexpectedly – revealing lavish gifts of personal love – when we least expect it and often when we need it the most.

In uncertain times, when we can’t see what God’s up to, He gives us a powerful promise to help us remain anchored to His heart of love:

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV)

If your patience is being tested and your heart laid bare by a season of unanswered prayers, remember that God often does His best work behind closed doors. We can always be confident that God is with us and that He also goes before us, preparing surprise endings for us that will warm our hearts and elicit wide-eyed delight.

Lord, today I choose to throw off my weariness with the breath-taking reminder that You are working behind closed doors, preparing extravagant surprises just for me. Jesus, I love you so much. Thank you for the evidence of your personal love and care that is all around me.

Get to Know Kelly Hall

Kelly Hall is a wife, mom, Bible teacher, speaker, author, occasional blogger, and the host of the Unshakable Hope podcast. She has a unique story enriched by her four children, three of whom have special needs. She and her husband, Lee , raised them in the constantly challenging world of Air Force military life. Their story evolves into an unexpected journey of chronic illnesses, medical treatments and ongoing caregiving.

She is intimately familiar with the ache of unanswered prayers and experienced in the anguish of wrestling with the Lord through the weariness of long waits. Her family’s deepest comfort is the unshakable hope we have through faith in Jesus Christ—through Jesus and Him alone, we have hope that holds us even when life shakes us.

Catch my and my cohost Carol’s conversation with Kelly in the Faith Over Fear podcast episode titled, “How God Frees Us From Imposter Syndrome.”

Calming Anxiety and Fear with Biblical Truth – Faith Over Fear

Main idea: Connecting with Christ through biblical truth when anxiety, fear and overwhelm hit. When your thoughts won’t slow down—when one worry turns into another and then another—it can feel impossible to find peace. You try to pray, reason, or fix it, but your mind keeps circling back to the same fear. In today’s episode, Jennifer and Carol talk about what’s really happening in those spirals and how Scripture helps us interrupt them—not by suppressing anxiety, but by redirecting our thoughts toward truth. Through a deeply personal conversation about health uncertainty, sleepless nights, and “what if” thinking, they explore how God meets us in our anxiety and teaches us to anchor our minds in His character and promises. You’ll learn why anxious thoughts feel so believable, how to recognize the stories you’re telling yourself, and how to begin retraining your mind—one thought at a time. Because peace doesn’t come from controlling outcomes.It grows where God’s truth takes root. Download our free When Fear Strikes: 7-Day Reset for Anxious Hearts HERE. (Scroll down for the reflective questions.) 💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why anxiety often starts with believable but untrue assumptions How “what if” thinking pulls us deeper into fear What it really means to “take every thought captive” Why suppressing anxiety can make it worse How to practice the “truth pause” when fear rises Simple, practical ways to retrain your mind using Scripture How God uses truth, presence, and time to increase your peace 📖 Key Scriptures: Psalm 56:3–4 — “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You…” Romans 12:2 — “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Isaiah 26:3 — “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on You” 1 Peter 5:7 — “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” Psalm 62:5–8 — “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone…” Find Carol McCracken: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Subscribe to her free newsletter Reflective Questions: When my thoughts begin to spiral, what “what if” scenarios do I tend to believe most quickly? What assumptions am I currently making that may not be rooted in truth? Which truth about God’s character do I most need to anchor to right now? When anxiety rises, do I tend to suppress it, fix it, or bring it to God? What would it look like for me to practice a “truth pause” this week in a small, everyday stressor? What one Scripture could I carry with me this week to counter a recurring fear? How has God proven His faithfulness to me in the past—and how might that strengthen me today? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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.

Calming Anxiety and Fear with Biblical Truth – Faith Over Fear

When Life Feels Gloomy: Holding Tight to the promise of spring

by Jennifer Slattery on March 28, 2024March 28, 2024

(Today’s post was proofread by Aneah Epshteyn)

I never fully appreciated the beauty and hope of spring until I’d experienced my first mid-western winter. I can easily bear it when the weather first turns cold, skies darken, temperatures drop, and wind turns brisk. I can even admire that first covering of snow, with its innumerable tiny ice crystals glimmering in the early morning sun like glitter spread across the otherwise bleak landscape.

By February, however, I find it harder to fight against the blanket of gloom invading my space. And, today is March. Wind howls outside my office window, and I can barely see the sun hiding behind a mass of wool-like gray. But then comes the promise, spoken by my husband—vacation is coming! And suddenly, the chill feels a bit more bearable, the wind more muted, and the glow behind the clouds brighter, somehow. More sunshine is certain to prevail.

Hope is a beautiful, soul-bolstering thing able to speak strength into the weariest hearts. Perhaps this is why, during one particularly painful season, God drew me to His promise, recorded in Isaiah 55:12-13, which states:

“You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.
¹³Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever” (NIV).

He first spoke these words to the people of Judah, prior to what scholars refer to as the Babylonian captivity—a time when the ancient Israelites would see their sacred temple and beloved homeland destroyed, and they and their families carted off to a foreign land.

Seemingly forgotten. Abandoned to their long, cold winter.

But through the words of Isaiah, God promised that spring was indeed coming. One day, they would go out in joy and He Himself would lead them in peace. Where once destruction in the form of thornbushes, they would now find thriving trees with purple berries. In place of prickly briers, delicate white flowers would greet them.

Why? Because the people of Judah were the Lord’s renown, His chosen children, His beloved, and He would once again plant a song of praise in their hearts.

Jesus reiterated this promise in John 10:10 when He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (NIV).

These words remind me of the phrase, “led forth,” in Isaiah, and the importance of seeking, wholeheartedly after God—in pleasant seasons and in pain. Knowing a thief lurks about, whispering lies in our ears, tempting us to believe the dark clouds hovering above us will never lift.

Tempting us to abandon hope.

To give in to despair.

Yet, deep in our weary hearts, may we listen for another voice—the words of our loving and gentle Savior, urging us to keep watch for spring.

On a practical note, the harder one’s current season, the more important it is to reflect upon and create things to look forward. Reflect–on promises of God’s goodness and faithfulness and on gifts, such as special relationships, He’s already provided. Create-intentionally schedule pleasant activities into your day or week. If your current gloom feels so heavy, nothing seems pleasant, intentionally schedule activities that once felt pleasurable. And, find ways to laugh, whenever and however you can. (Clean comedy clips on YouTube can help wiith that.)

Calming Anxiety and Fear with Biblical Truth – Faith Over Fear

6 Ways to Change the World

by Jennifer Slattery on October 21, 2022October 20, 2022

(This first posted on October 4th, 2018.)

Sometimes it feels as if darkness has overpowered light, sorrow dominates joy, and confusion and fear infiltrate peace. Watching the news play out before me, or perhaps even sitting with a hurting friend, can make me feel powerless. Ineffectual.

But Scripture tells me this is a lie. In Christ, I–we–have the power to transform our world. Each day, with every word and action we choose, every smile we offer, we can speak hope into despair, love into loneliness, and healing into the most broken and beaten down hearts.

We have the power of the risen, victorious, life-and-light bringing Savior residing within.

Here are six ways we can unleash that power:

Engage.

In our hyper-interactive culture, tweets, posts, and likes often replace face-to-face encounters. The result: Many feel unseen. Insignificant. Unvalued. Simply taking the time to engage others in conversation, even if but for a moment, can encourage a deflated heart. Because remember, we’re representatives and reflectors of El Roi, the God who sees. May we reflect Him well.

Choose grace.

I mess up a hundred times each day. I respond with frustration instead of kindness. I behave selfishly instead of releasing my Father’s love. And many, many times I let my mouth (or keyboard) run when I should simply walk away. But though each unChristlike reaction breaks my heart and, often, lead me to confession, I’m also very quick to offer myself grace. I was tired, stressed, overwhelmed … perhaps caught off guard. Yet do I offer the same grace to others? Do I make allowances for their faults or “make much” of every blunder? Whenever I choose the former, I reveal a bit of Jesus and point others to Him.

Stand up.

I don’t want to get political here, and yet … even as I type, I have to ask myself: When did standing up for the oppressed, beaten down, discarded, and marginalized become a political act? Or at least, deemed as such? It’s not. Rather, it’s honoring the commands of the One who left heaven to rescue the oppressed–those burdened and enslaved by sin–who tells us to speak out for those who don’t have a voice.

Bring light into someone else’s darkness.

Did you ever make flashlight shadows when you were a kid? Did you ever try to do this in a well-lit room? Didn’t work, right? So what’d you do? Most likely you closed yourself in a darkened bathroom where the beams from your flashlight radiated strong and bright. Whenever we seek out, reach out, and intentionally walk beside those shrouded in darkness, we flood their world with light.

Show kindness.

Offer a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement, and open door. Never underestimate the power of a simple yet intentional kind act done for another. It can soothe anger, counter distrust, and open hearts to the love of Christ. In everything we do and every word we speak, may we remember it’s God’s kindness that leads people to repentance.

Pray.

May we see every act of darkness, ugly display of hate, and destructive outburst of anger as a reminder to turn to our unchanging, unconquerable power source—Jesus Christ. Those moments spent on our knees may feel … anticlimactic. We may be tempted to think our time doing—serving in ministry, feeding the hungry, typing out oodles and oodles of words for books and blog posts—holds more value. But Scripture promises this is far from true. Prayer isn’t meant to be something we do in random still moments before our real work begins. Prayer is our first and most important work, regardless the task, because ultimately, only Jesus can truly change a heart and a world. When we prioritize prayer, we’re acknowledging we believe this to be true.

Imagine if we each chose to do one of the above each day. Imagine how our families, relationships, neighborhoods—our world—might change.

What is one way you plan to be a world-changer today? Share your “I’m gonna!” thoughts along with anything else you’d add to my list in the comments below, because we can all learn from and encourage one another! And in Christ, we can change the world!

I recently joined Barb Reveling from the Christian Habits Podcast for a discussion on modern day idolatry. You can catch our conversation HERE.

I also encourage you to catch the latest Faith Over Fear podcast episode:

Calming Anxiety and Fear with Biblical Truth – Faith Over Fear

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.

Calming Anxiety and Fear with Biblical Truth – Faith Over Fear

Are We Proclaiming a False Hope

by Jennifer Slattery on July 30, 2020November 1, 2021

Our world aches for a soul-reaching peace that transcends all that’s frightening and hard, for unshakable hope, and the promise that life won’t always feel so painful. That good awaits. People long for—need—everything we have in Christ, but I wonder if we convey these truths accurately, fully, and often enough. Or do our words, to ourselves and others, unknowingly, point to a hope rooted in today—the end of a virus, a better economy, or a transformed political system?

A few years ago, our daughter spent eight months in North Carolina, during which she became painfully lonely. Soon, deep depression took hold. Needing to know how best to help her, I sought guidance from a counselor. Through this, I was reminded of the power and importance of hope.

To persevere, our daughter needed to cultivate anticipation for what lay ahead. As a result, my husband and my conversations with her shifted significantly. While we talked about coping tools, we focused predominantly on counting down the days until she returned home. We also discussed, in detail, how we’d celebrate once she did—all she had to look forward to. Her hope for home increased her grit to endure.

This is true for our faith journeys as well. Our hope doesn’t lie in a better life today. Scripture tells us, numerous times, to expect the opposite. Many of us know this, but do our words reflect this truth?

Consider Paul’s letters to ancient believers living in dark and painful times, much worse than anything most of us will experience. He routinely reminded them to remain focused on heaven, where their true citizenship lay. His heart was firmly set on the joy that awaited him and all God’s children. And his anticipation became contagious.

This is clear from his praise of the Thessalonian believers: “We give thanks to God always for all of you …remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes. 1:2-3, ESV, emphasis mine).

Here’s what I find significant regarding this passage. These believers came to faith amidst great persecution. After preaching in their city for a mere three weeks, Paul was driven out by a riotous mob. I imagine he felt as if he’d abandoned the new believers in their fledgling faith. Considering all they could, and likely would, suffer, they probably dominated his thoughts. His greatest fear? That the gospel message hadn’t truly stuck. But then he received news, these baby believers were thriving! “The word of the Lord sounded forth” (1 Thes. 1:8, ESV) from them, like a glorious, life-giving trumpet.

Why? What enabled these persecuted new Christians to flourish during such a dark and horrific time?

Their knowledge that their pain wouldn’t last forever. They maintained an undeniable, unshakable, and indistinguishable hope in heaven.

We have the hope our world needs. May we proclaim it clearly, loudly, and often, because “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:19, ESV).

That’s not to say we shouldn’t ask God to intervene, that we shouldn’t long for reprieve, today. But may our proclamations regarding all we know, with certainty, is yet to come, ring louder, because that’s where our true hope lies, and that hope will always preach.

Let’s talk about this. How easy is it for you to anchor your heart in the hope of heaven?

Connect with Jennifer on Facebook and Instagram.

Join Wholly Loved‘s private online Facebook community, a safe and encouraging place to share your struggles, fears, celebrations, and prayer requests. Find us HERE.

Listen to Jennifer’s latest Thriving With Chronic Illness Podcast titled Irrevocably Called HERE.

Read Jennifer’s article on how the craziness in our world can actually be good for the church HERE.

When the Wait Is Over

by Jennifer Slattery on September 22, 2016November 1, 2021

JohnStudy1

The pain of infertility runs deep and cannot fully be understood unless one has experienced it. I suppose that’s true of anything we face, be it tragedy, joblessness, illness … Last week in For the Love Bible study, we talked about how to stay strong when it feels as if our prayers fall on deaf ears, and Chaka Heinze shared an incredibly powerful testimony revealing how this plays out in her life. You can read that HERE. Then, Monday, Maria Morgan talked about choosing faith over doubt. You can read that HERE. Today those two messages come together in a celebratory post by my sweet friend Susan Aken.

When the waiting ends
by Susan Aken

“But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.” Luke 1:7

“LORD, Please hear my prayer! You know my heart and how I long for a child. I want to shy-863056_640 hold my own baby and know the joy of motherhood. I desire this with all my soul. Will You give me a child? If not, help me bear this pain and find contentment with empty arms. If it is Your will, please show me what to do. Help me to trust You.”

The cry of a childless woman runs deep. This longing is confronted at every turn with a woman who is a mother. The new babe who smells so sweet. The woman lovingly caressing her swollen abdomen. The toddler who runs around on chubby legs. On and on.

Living in a culture where being childless was a sign of God’s displeasure added to Elizabeth’s pain. Maybe she asked herself, “What did I do wrong?” Sympathetic and condescending smiles mocked her.

“Look at poor Elizabeth! I’m glad it isn’t me.”

Elizabeth’s one recorded quote after becoming pregnant is telling,

“’The Lord has done this for me,’ she said. ‘In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.’” Luke 1:25 (NIV)

Why can’t I have a child Lord? Why do other women get this blessing and not me?

I felt that pain. I always wanted a husband, children and the American dream. But things didn’t happen the way I hoped. I found myself single at the age of twenty-nine. Not the way I’d have written my story. Then I met my wonderful husband, got married and prepared my heart for children. I soon discovered he wasn’t ready (he was younger than I) so I waited.

Years went by. He decided he didn’t want children. I won’t share the whole girl-926225_640 story here but I found myself at the age of thirty-eight hoping to get pregnant by means of insemination. Month after month nothing happened. After a year of special treatments, I faced the truth I might not ever be a mom and my prayers were similar to the one I began with. Similar to what Elizabeth may have prayed.

Then came a phone call about a baby boy who needed a mom and dad. Twenty-two hours later I was holding our son! Like Elizabeth my miracle came. The wait was over.

Euphoria! Grace in the form of a newborn baby. A love letter from God. Grace in every cry and squeak. Grace in arms filled with a sweet baby boy. I knew that I didn’t deserve the miracle God

gave. We made several decisions along the way that should’ve taken us off the miracle list. I hadn’t even been seeking God with my whole heart.

child-337540_640 Did Elizabeth feel that euphoria? I’m certain she did! Did she see grace in the face of that newborn boy? I believe so.

She went from shame to rejoicing.

I wouldn’t change one thing about how our son came to us. I imagine Elizabeth would say the same. God’s timing is always perfect.

In that moment, when the waiting ends, God’s grace is painted in living color and all we can do is bow and give thanks.

“For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.” 1 Samuel 1:27 (ESV)

***

Amazing Hope:

This is a 40-day devotional book on the topic of hope. Each day’s amazing devotion includes verses from the Bible, inspirational thoughts by the author, reflection questions and a prayer. The topics include many of the struggles common to us all such as parenting, death, fear, sin, and the futility of daily life. There are also devotions on the character of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the power of God’s word and other topics. These writings express the hope that gets me through each day and I pray they will also help you.

***

susanaken Susan is a homemaker, substitute teacher and writer. She lives in Nebraska but was born and raised in Oklahoma. Her greatest love is for the Lord Jesus Christ who has redeemed her and set her free. Her other loves are her husband and son (she is now an empty-nester). Susan enjoys reading, photography, spending time with family and friends and writing. She has a heart for prayer ministry and loves her church!

Connect with Susan on her web site and Lulu.com.

Let’s talk about this! When our prayers aren’t answered on our timetable, when our waiting takes years, even decades, we may assume God isn’t listening or that He doesn’t plan to answer our prayers at all. But Scripture tells us God is always working on our behalf. That doesn’t mean He’ll grant every one of our desires, but it does mean He will always and only do what is for our best.

This brings me to this week’s memory verse: “From ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who intervenes for those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 64:4 NET).

Can you share a time when it felt as if God wasn’t listening only to find out later He’d been working behind the scenes, setting things into motion, on your behalf? How might focusing on His promise to work things out for our good (Romans 8:28) help you maintain hope and spiritual strength during a time of waiting?

Share your thoughts here in the comments below or on Facebook at Living by Grace or For the Love Bible study, because we can all learn from and encourage one another.

All Things Renewed

by Jennifer Slattery on August 18, 2016November 1, 2021

Some decisions will affect the rest of our lives. What happens when, years later, you worry you chose incorrectly? My guest today, Christine Lindsay, shares a vulnerable story of how one of the most emotional, most important moments of her life went all wrong … and what God showed her through that experience.

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He Takes Away and He Gives Back
by Christine Lindsay

Do you ever wonder if God is cruel? At certain times I’ve curled my fist tight and shook it wedge-1471409_640 under the very nose of my creator, blaming Him for my heartache.

In 1979 I was an unmarried mother and when my baby girl was 3 days old I relinquished Sarah to adoption. Twenty long years of prayer later, I searched for and was reunited with my adult birth-daughter. Though I was happily married by then to a wonderful man and we had 3 children of our own, I yearned to see my firstborn. But the reunion I prayed for all those years was not the reunion I received.

I was so sure that because the adoption was done through a Christian organization, and the adopting parents were also Christians (like myself) that our reunion would be easy, filled with laughter at finally meeting each other. But people are made up of such different emotional stuff.

Here is an excerpt from Finding Sarah Finding Me:

The kids hear me sobbing, the three of them stay in the living room out of the maelstrom of my unleashed emotions. David pulls me into the kitchen and holds me close. I’ve kept a woman-1006102_640 lock on my disappointment all day, having hoped for so much more closeness than Sarah has been able to offer. Now it unleashes, a wounded tiger uncaged.

“I’ve prayed for twenty years,” I yell at David as I pull away, “prayed for twenty years that God would prepare their hearts so that no one would feel hurt. And this is the best he could do! This… this is the biggest disappointment of my life!” I cry out, “and God knows I’ve had enough of them.”

David takes hold of me again. I resist, but he holds tight while my mind fights to sift through the avalanche of my emotions. I want to get to know my beautiful birth daughter, but my dream lies at my feet like shattered glass. She is my daughter, but not my daughter. I’m not a part of her family, nor have Sarah or her parents ever considered such a thing. Her mom and dad don’t even want to meet me.

One of the greatest lies the enemy wants the followers of Christ to believe is that God is The Clan 2014 out to steal our joy. That God is out to torment us and make our lives miserable. Remember that our enemy is a deceiver, a liar. I discovered this a number of years later, when the Lord resurrected my old dream to have a special relationship with my birth-daughter Sarah. Instead of impatiently shaking my fist in His face, I should have waited in peace for the new beginning that He would devise in His timing. My life is a walking testimony to the resurrection of old dreams.

The next time you are tempted to believe that God is cruel, remember that He is the God of resurrections and new beginnings. Joel 2:25 (NIV) “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.”

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Small size Finding Sarah Finding Me girl (1) Sometimes it is only through giving up our hearts that we learn to trust the Lord.

Adoption. It’s something that touches one in three people today, a word that will conjure different emotions in those people touched by it. A word that might represent the greatest hope…the greatest question…the greatest sacrifice. But most of all, it’s a word that represents God’s immense love for his people.

Join birth mother Christine Lindsay as she shares the heartaches, hopes, and epiphanies of her journey to reunion with the daughter she gave up…and to understanding her true identity in Christ along the way.

Through her story and glimpses into the lives of other families in the adoption triad, readers will see the beauty of our broken families, broken hearts, and broken dreams when we entrust them to our loving God.

FREE Chapter One of Finding Sarah Finding Me by clicking HERE

PURCHASE FINDING SARAH FINDING ME on Amazon (paperback and ebook) and Barnes and Noble (coming soon).

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ChristineLindsay Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. Tales of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and the explosive finale Veiled at Midnight.

Christine’s Irish wit and her use of setting as a character is evident in her contemporary romance Londonderry Dreaming. Her newest release Sofi’s Bridge also features a dashing Irish hero.

Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is the release of Christine’s non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story.

Please drop by Christine’s website www.ChristineLindsay.org or follow her on Amazon and Twitter. Subscribe to her quarterly newsletter, and be her friend on Pinterest , Facebook, and Goodreads.

Let’s talk about this: Christine opened up to us about part of her journey as a birth-mother, and how the reunion wasn’t what she’d hoped or prayed for. What in life have you come up to, hoping and praying for one result, but receiving something different…something hard? Did you believe, at the time, that God was cruel? Were you able to overcome that belief? If you have any Scripture you’d like to share with us, please share in the comments below or over at Living by Grace. And know that I’m praying for each of you.

breakingfree_n1664109 Before you go! My newest release, Breaking Free, is now on sale! Visit Amazon to buy the paperback for only $3.58 or the Kindle version for only $2.99!

Peace In the Storms of Life

by Jennifer Slattery on August 11, 2016November 1, 2021

Rescue doesn’t always come, and we don’t always get those things that we desperately ask for. Why would God withhold something from us, when it’d be such an easy thing for Him to grant? If He’s all powerful, why does He leave us in our crisis? Does He not care? Can’t He hear us?

We all have them: “storms” in the midst of our lives. Whether those storms are relationships, jobs (or lack thereof), health, or any number of other trials, we all hope and pray for rescue. But maybe there’s something more than rescue that we need.

Peace

Can We Expect God to Rescue Us?
by Tamera Lynn Kraft

There’s a Bible story in Mark 34 is one that resonates to us all. Jesus told His disciples to
get on the boat with Him and go to the other side. Jesus went to sleep on the voyage. Meanwhile, a great wind suddenly appeared and tossed the boat to the point where the disciples were in a panic. At this point, one of them noticed Jesus asleep. They woke Him and said. “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

photo-1443376133869-19bce1f036e1 There are times when we all are in that situation. The wind is blowing, the waves are overwhelming us, and Jesus seems to be asleep at the wheel. It’s times like these we are tempted to wonder if God really cares. Can we really expect God to rescue us from this mess we’re in? The truth is there are times God doesn’t rescue His children. Peter was delivered from prison and certain death when an angel was sent to rescue him, but a few years later, he was martyred by hanging on a cross upside down. God doesn’t always rescue us, but sometimes He does.

Even when God doesn’t come to the rescue or send the cavalry, He still is there for us. The galile_c story of the disciples in the storm ends in Mark 4:39. “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”

In this case, Jesus rescued the disciples by speaking to the storm and rebuking the wind. He said, “Peace, be still.” Sometimes Jesus will rescue us by speaking to the storm, but sometimes Jesus will speak peace into our hearts in the midst of the storm.

In my new novella, Resurrection of Hope, Vivian has gone through lots of storms. Her fiancé died in the Great War. Her entire family died of the influenza pandemic. If that wasn’t bad enough, she was evicted from her home because of her father’s gambling debts. She lost hope that God would ever rescue her. At the point when she was at her lowest, God sent Henry in her life to save her, but she still needed the hope and peace only God gives. She needed God to speak peace to her spirit.

Sometimes God will calm the storms; sometimes He won’t, but we can always count on God to speak peace to our spirits.

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ResurrectionOfHopeCoverArt72dpi (1) Resurrection of Hope:

She thought he was her knight in shining armor, but will a marriage of convenience prove her wrong?

After Vivian’s fiancé dies in the Great War, she thinks her life is over. But Henry, her fiancé’s best friend, comes to the rescue offering a marriage of convenience. He claims he promised his friend he would take care of her. She grows to love him, but she knows it will never work because he never shows any love for her.

Henry adores Vivian and has pledged to take care of her, but he won’t risk their friendship by letting her know. She’s still in love with the man who died in the Great War. He won’t risk heartache by revealing his true emotions.

Resurrection of Hope is available at Desert Breeze Publishing, Amazon (eBook), Amazon (paperback), Barnes & Noble, and All Romance eBooks.

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Web1 Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense and adventure in her stories. She has received 2nd place in the NOCW contest, 3rd place TARA writer’s contest, and is a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest and has other novellas in print. She’s been married for 37 years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and two grandchildren.

You can contact Tamera on her website at http://tameralynnkraft.net, Word Sharpeners, Facebook, and Twitter.

Let’s talk about this: Peace in the midst of the storms of our life is impossible to attain on our own. Thankfully, Jesus has promised us His peace. What are some ways the Lord has given you peace when you’ve most needed it? Are there any Bible verses you’d like to share with us that give you comfort? Please share your thoughts in the comments below or over on Living by Grace. We can all use some peace and comfort!

Other articles, books, and blog posts you might helpful:

What Happens When God is Late?

Why Would an All-knowing God Test Us???

Thinking Right When Things Go Wrong

God Meant it for Good