We’re blessed when God fails to live up to our expectations yet we continue in faith, knowing his purposes are greater than our own.
Source: Hope in the Midst of Suffering
Photo Credit: Desert pictures · Pexels · Free Stock Photos
Inspiration
After the Cross
When night sets in and hope is lost
Remember
Upon a hill there was a cross
When you must stand but feel too weak
Remember
Upon that cross – the nail-pierced feet
When you must let go of all you have
Remember
Upon the cross – the wounded hands
When you are mocked, rejected, scorned
Remember
Upon His head – the crown of thorns
When you question how your suffering came to be
Remember the voice that cried
“Father why
Have You forsaken Me?”
When you walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death
Remember
His final breath was for you
And when all you’ve ever wanted
Is buried beneath ashes of regret
Do not forget!
That after the cross
Came an empty tomb
After the cross
All things – made new!
After the cross –
A Resurrection
Suffering became perfection
After the cross
A Saviour lives
After the cross
This Savior gives
Beauty for ashes, joy for pain
Eternal hope in His name
Come to the cross
Heaven’s only Door
Believe — He lives!
Thirst no more
Spring Awakening
i buried hope long ago
as the final leaf made its descent
to an earthen grave below
i watched the world
become entombed
in a sepulcher of snow
and wondered
if i would survive
this winter of my soul
the bitterness of life
became my shroud
the barrenness enveloped
like a cloud
while winter’s wind
fought fierce and strong
and proud
relentless in the force
it was endowed
through endless months
of emptiness and tears
i wrestled with
the darkness of my fears
forgetting every promise
once held dear
doubtful that new life
was drawing near
but suddenly
with unexpected power
the warmth tore through
the coldness of the hour
and rain fell
like a cleansing,
welcome shower
the earth unfolding
like a fragrant flower
songs of a new season
calling forth
the forgotten,
frozen soil
now gives birth
spring presents
its treasures of great worth
a breath of life
awakening the earth
Photo Credit: File:Mustard Flower in Morning.JPG – Wikimedia Commons
You Are Loved
I’m sitting at my computer, searching for words to let you know how loved you are. Until now, my screen was blank, just waiting to be filled with the right words…for you. Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about love, but all my words fall short of what you really need to hear. Even now, I know there’s nothing I can say to convince you that you are loved. And that true love CAN heal you.
You’ve been told many different things about love. But every definition has failed to live up to your expectations. If anything, you feel like you’re wandering in a barren desert—and each well you’ve come to has run dry.
Love that was supposed to fulfill you has instead left you wounded and alone. Arms that were meant to protect you have broken you. Hands that were meant to help you have hurt you. Words that should have built you up have torn you down.
You need to know that you may be broken, but you are not beyond repair. You may be crushed, but you can be restored. You may have been torn down, but you can be rebuilt—and you can come out stronger than before.
What I’ve written is true. Yet beyond this, the greatest words I can give you are not my own. These are the words that you need to hear. These are the words that will bring healing.
“O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” (Psalm 30:2)
“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits–who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.” (Psalm 103:2-4)
“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” (Psalm 107:19-20)
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
There is hope. And you ARE loved. Just thought you should know.
Source: You Are Loved
Unmelting Hope
As much as I love the atmosphere of snow during this season, I’ve learned it’s not any more necessary than gifts or decorations. A snowless Christmas can’t take away the symbolism. It can’t erase the story of a baby born to die for our sins. So let it snow, or let it…not snow. I will be grateful for the hope that can thaw the coldest of hearts…a hope that will never melt away.
Photo Credit: Christmas Ornament | Free Stock Photo | A red Christmas ornament …
The Missing Ingredient
I was looking forward to preparing a delicious meal for my family until I opened the spice drawer and realized one of the main ingredients was missing. Without it, I couldn’t make what I’d planned.
It’s amazing that just one small ingredient can make or break an entire meal. When it comes to the recipe of faith, there is one ingredient that often gets overlooked: patience. During seasons when our faith is put to the test, this is the one thing that will carry us through.
The Bible is filled with stories about men and women known for their great faith: great—due not to their own merit, but due to the greatness of the God in whom they placed their faith. Such people had an intimate knowledge of God that enabled them to walk with confidence in His promises. They were so sure of His faithfulness that they were willing to wait a lifetime and beyond to see the fulfillment of His Words. Their faith was accompanied by patience.
We will develop the same patience to persevere in faith when we look to “the author and finisher of our faith.” When we look to Him, we are reminded that it is not so much our faith that keeps us, as it is His faithfulness. An understanding of His faithfulness will fuel our willingness to wait for the fulfillment of His promises.
Abraham was promised that he would father many nations, yet he did not see the birth of his son until he was old in years. Joseph was given dreams of how God would do great things through him—but before his dreams became a reality, he endured rejection, enslavement, false accusations, and imprisonment. Moses asked to see God’s glory, yet his prayer was not answered until years after his death when he visited Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. David was anointed as King, but he had to live under the ungodly rule of Saul before he could wear the crown. The disciples heard from Jesus’ own mouth words of the coming kingdom, but they endured severe persecution and even death without seeing the fullness of the kingdom come.
In these dark days, we’re not only going to need faith to stand firm until the end. We’re going to need the key ingredient of patience. And patience will only come through an intimate knowledge of God. When we know Him intimately, we will be sure of His faithfulness. And He who is faithful is able to keep us.
“…imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12)
Photo Credit: chilli-con-carne-recipe | deepdarksquid | Flickr
Thanksgiving, Hold the Whine
A bad experience accidentally sampling wine as a six-year old permanently scarred my taste buds against any desire for it. The only association I now have with the drink is…yuck. But there’s something I like less: the kind of wine spelled with an “h”.
As much as I despise whining, I find myself doing an awful lot of it. Didn’t I just do the dishes? How did the laundry basket fill up so fast? Why does the alarm have to go off so early every day? Does the cat really have to cough up a hairball every morning? Do I have to whine about everything? (Yes, I even annoy my own self with my whining.)
The controversy over coffee cups devoid of holiday images stirred my awareness of just how ridiculous whining can be. Really? Complaining about a cup? Why can’t we just be grateful we have sufficient income to purchase overpriced lattes when more than half the world hopes for one good meal a day? Why can’t we focus our energies on something more productive, like helping the poor or fighting the gross injustices of our generation?
A perceptive children’s author wrote a poem about WHYning and Complaining. Most of our whining is just that. WHYning. Wondering WHY the world can’t be more conducive to our own comfort, security, needs, and desires. Otherwise known as…discontent.
I’ve decided once and for all to stop all my WHYning. After all, the sink is full of dishes because I have an amazing family who just ate a great meal together. An overflowing laundry bin means we have enough clothes to keep us warm each day of the week. That aggravating alarm goes off so early because I have a job I love, and income as a result. And the cat? Well, the kids love her.
My prayer is that I’ll live a life of gratitude—for the big things and the little things. For the annoying things. And even for the painful ones.
As my favorite holiday approaches, I want to serve up a platter of thanksgiving. Hold the whine.
This Life & Beyond 
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