Category: Comfort and Hope

Comfort and hope for the weary, depressed, hopeless, fearful, anxious soul.

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Comfort and Hope / Encouragement / Prayer

“Go. Break In!”

This is the final portion of a four-part series. You can read the first post here. The second part of the story is here, and clicking this takes you to the third segment. Sheri’s irresistible invitation to break into the garden had us hightailing it to Sunset Drive. She told us how to gain access. How could we resist experiencing this miracle in the making? After easing the bulky chain with the giant MASTER padlock over the metal fencing, we ventured in.  Yes, God, You are Master over all—every detail, all timing, each gift, this moment, I thought.  Photo: Angie...

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Comfort and Hope / Encouragement

The Middle of the Story

PART THREE of the Following Jesus Birthday Trip. You can read PART TWO here. Sheri heard weeping the moment she stepped outside, beyond the smokey fire-charred remains of her store. It sounded like a child. Following the wailing to the garden, she discovered a little girl under the canopy of prayer requests. This precious one, unable to find the card she had written during a previous visit to the purple shop, was distraught. Sheri assured her not to worry, “Your prayer is safe with God.” Fire may have destroyed the building and its contents, but the real treasure—the prayers offered...

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Comfort and Hope / Encouragement / Prayer

Nothing Is Lost

PART TWO of the Following Jesus Birthday Adventure. The wide-open door of the purple building seemed like a warm, welcoming gesture. Two black benches adorned with perky yellow pillows flanked the entrance. So what if there was no signage outside, my friend and I were curious to discover the purpose of this darling establishment. Stepping inside was magical. Bright white floors, shiplap walls, and soaring ceiling planks enveloped us in peace. Light emanated from the space. An artful display of leather journals, meaningful jewelry, wooden signs, gorgeous clothing, and other goodies filled the store.  Eye AND soul candy—what can be...

Advent joy 0

Advent / Comfort and Hope

ADVENT JOY

What joy! To think—before the foundations of the world—this moment. This time in history when we find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of the already and the not yet. Christ has already come. In Him we live and move and have our being, but He is coming back. The not yet has us waiting—confident and hopeful of Christ’s return. We join the ranks of those who waited long before we arrived on the scene. Those who knew of what was foretold, believed, lived by faith, but died without seeing it’s fulfillment. Waiting in faith Hebrews 11 recounts the stories of...

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Advent / Comfort and Hope

ADVENT PEACE

ADVENT DEFINED The Advent season is a four week period before Christmas that celebrates the anticipation and coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The origin of “advent” is from the Latin word adventus which simply translates “coming” or “arrival”. Not only is the Christian meaning for preparation and celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, his birth at Christmas, but also to celebrate the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and lastly, the anticipation of Jesus returning again.  From Crosswalk.com “The Beautiful and Meaningful Purpose of Advent” peace noun 1: a state of tranquility or quiet: such as a: freedom...

ADVENT HOPE 0

Comfort and Hope

ADVENT HOPE

ADVENT DEFINED AD’VENT, noun [Latin adventus, from advenio, of ad and venio, to come. See Find.] A coming; appropriately the coming of our Savior, and in the calendar, it includes four sabbaths before Christmas, beginning of St. Andrew’s Day, or on the sabbath next before or after it. Webster’s Dictionary 1828 ADVENT HOPE THROUGH PRAYER The Valley of Vision – “The spring of my hope” Glorious Jehovah, my Covenant God, All Thy promises in Christ Jesus are yea and amen,and all shall be fulfilled.Thou hast spoken them, and they shall be done,commanded, and they shall come to pass. Yet I have...

substance and evidence 2

Comfort and Hope / Encouragement

SUBSTANCE AND EVIDENCE

You know the feeling—when life careens off the predicable rails or the bottom drops out leaving you grasping at air. Those moments you never imagined—startling like the sinister jack-in-the-box jester. All is well, turning the crank while sprightly music tinkles from within the metal box. Then in an instant—unexpected mayhem erupts. Perhaps that is a bit dramatic but you get the point. Life has a way of catching us off guard.  Surprises, and not always delightful ones, come. I have been thinking a lot about those unsuspected surprises lately. MAKING MEANING From what I have seen, humans like to understand....

When faith becomes sight 0

Comfort and Hope / Poetry

WHEN FAITH BECOMES SIGHT

Considerations—A Poem and Several Quotes CONSTERNATION, noun [Latin , to throw or strike down.] Astonishment; amazement or horror that confounds the faculties, and incapacitates a person for consultation and execution; excessive terror, wonder or surprise. Webster’s Dictionary 1828 You can find a few more poems here.

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Comfort and Hope / Poetry

THE HELPER

HOLY SPIRIT Hold me close—don’t let me spin A skillful tale apart from Him Wake me up to satan’s schemes Don’t let me die within my dreams Or fancied ways of coping with The constant trials, tilts, and shifts Do keep me in Reality With Your eyes, Lord, help me see, Discern and learn, live Your truth O Lord, I long to see the proof Of what You say and who You are Fleshed out whether causing scar, Joy or peace, pain or sorrow, Every moment, every hour Clinging to the glorious Vine Your life flowing into mine Your thoughts...

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Comfort and Hope

HOW TO ENCOURAGE YOURSELF AND BOLSTER YOUR FAITH

A dear friend invited me to help stage some new merchandise at their non-profit coffee shop. Happy to help, I had no idea God would use the experience to encourage me and bolster my faith. Zera Coffee Company supports the ministry of Denton Freedom House, where individuals enslaved by addiction find freedom through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In between tasks, I chatted with a couple of precious ladies currently going through the women’s program. Working at the coffee shop is part of their training. God used them, and our conversations, to remind me of His eternal goodness in a...