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These two mental pictures are merely glimpses of Scott Hamilton’s life. There is no doubt that he has faced his own ups and downs; yet, when asked what he prays about, Scott discussed having a grateful heart. Gratitude! Despite being drained physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, in his heart, all he wanted to do is say: thank you. Even still, a heartfelt conversation with a nurse opened his eyes to the true meaning of being a Father.

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Learning to trust God during through tough moments?
Dealing with grief?
Need to speak with someone about grief? Talk to a mentor

 How would YOU describe your life?

Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. If stress dominates your life, you could be looking to move passed those situations. It’s hard to cope with stress when you can’t put the past behind you. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Are you ready to choose a different path?

Jesus came, and died, and rose again to wipe the slate clean. He was scourged, tormented, and finally nailed on the cross for humankind’s sins – this was all part of God’s plan to bring you and I back into relationship with him. God wants to be a part of your life … in fact, not just a part of your life, but wants you to live in full fellowship with Him. Is this the life for you?

God loves you and created you to know Him personally. He longs for you to have the kind of full life you were always meant to have. So why do people not experience this kind of life? People are lost and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love. Because of our sins, we justly deserve judgement. But God provided his Son, Jesus Christ, as the only provision for our sin. He died in our place, then he rose from the dead.

We must individually trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally, receive forgiveness for our sins, and experience His love: “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12)

We trust God through faith. You can trust Christ right now by faith through prayer! (Prayer is just talking with God.) God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?

If you have a question first, click here.

At some point in his life, Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton felt satisfied with his career accomplishments. It wasn’t until he faced death twice that he began to wrestle with the true purpose for his life. There is no doubt that he has faced his own ups and downs; yet, when asked about what he prays about, Scott discussed having a grateful heart. Despite being drained physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, in his heart, all he wanted to do is say: thank you. Even still, a heartfelt conversation with a nurse opened his eyes to the true meaning of being a Father.

Scott’s outlook on his life surpasses human rationality. Despite the storms he has weathered, he still says that “the only true disability in life is a bad attitude.” He had so much to lose; and yet, even more to give.

Take the next step:

Life!  Jesus Resurrection means LIFE for us! It is restoration of everything that Adam gave away to the enemy in the garden. It is our gift to have direct access to a relationship with the Father, authority over the enemy in Jesus name, the very power that raised Christ from the dead made available to us, we are seated with Him in heavenly places, and we have the mind of Christ.

Selah!

When we die to ourselves, we are resurrected with Christ and we allow Him to live His life through us, as we live our lives in Him (Gal.2:20). In surrender to Him, we have the power, the position, and the authority to impact change wherever He sends us. We become bearers and bringers of life and hope. When we walk in submission and unity with Him, nothing will be impossible for us. That is the power of the resurrection in our lives. Christ is manifested through us for the hope of nations.

Let us “put on” Christ, and walk in the fullness of everything the resurrection means for us!

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from  the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.

Romans 6:4-5

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Read more of Shoshy’s story
Are you ready to share what you’ve learned in your quest? Take the 35 Day Challenge
Are you looking to join a community? Visit The Life

I could see the fear and apprehension written so clearly on their faces when I went in the room to introduce myself. I tried to be encouraging as I asked questions concerning the pregnancy and assessed her condition. I too, had felt the same fear when I saw the blood present and began to pray silently that God, if it be his will, let this little one be carried full term.

My heart broke

This was not to be however. Several hours later, my heart broke when I saw the emergency light go off at the desk. Walking into the room, I learned the wife was going into labor and were about to lose their precious baby. I distinctly remember holding the patient tightly, rocking back and forth with her, tears falling down our cheeks. The sobs of her husband could be heard from the adjoining room. She was asked if she wanted to see the baby yet, and she declined.

The husband entered the small room and I knew it was time for me to leave. They needed to grieve alone. I helped the wife with her clothes and helped her back to bed. I cried all the way back to the nurse’s station.

The baby was a perfect little boy. He had everything he was supposed to have: ten tiny fingers and toes, small ears, nose and mouth. To me he appeared as if everything should have been fine. As I continued to look at him, I knew in that moment, that God had a better plan for this little guy than to suffer in this world this journey we call life. He would never have to know the heartache of losing a child, like his parents had. He would never have to suffer from a terminal illness or grow up in a world filled with temptations. He was where God wanted him to be, resting in the love and safety of God’s hand.

My hope holds on

I trust his parents will be reunited with him one day for eternity. That although they may not be with him in the present, that they will be together in the future. I hope that they too know of this perfect love from above. If not, I pray that they will discover it in this sorrowful step in their lives.

This experience, I am certain, changed them in ways they never wanted to be changed. I know this, because it changed me also. I saw the stark reality of losing a child and felt a small part of their loss. All I could do was cry. No words had been necessary and not one was spoken. Even when I returned later to check on them, silence, intermingled with quiet sobs, was all that echoed from the room.

This article is dedicated to all that have ever lost a child – whether it be one that was stillborn, or in life as they grew. God knows the tears you have shed and those that you will continue to shed. He has imprinted your hearts with a love that He too, knows very well; the love of a parent and the loss of losing a child. May He touch and comfort you with that same hand that holds your son or daughter in ways that only He can do.

Take the next step:
Unthinkable Loss: Miscarriage and Stillbirth
Starting over after a loss
Read the story of Ruth, a woman who lost a great deal and had to find the strength to start over.
Are you facing the loss of a child? We are here to talk.

I don’t know what possessed me to do it.

As the time for the trip drew near, I grew more excited. I looked forward to the trip because I dreaded the thought of staying home all summer. I had spent the last few summers taking care of my mom, who had been sick with cancer and had recently passed away. I don’t think I could have stayed home with those memories.

In the months after her death, my soul grew weary—I was literally walking in the valley of the shadow of death. But God says that when we’re in that valley, He’s with us and we need not fear. I trudged forth and climbed out somehow, but I thirsted for rest. Rest from the pain. Rest from responsibilities. Rest from school. I needed something different, something healing.

The thought of seeing somewhere green instead the dirty brown of Phoenix thrilled my senses. I also looked forward to my two classes about the history and literature of the British world but I expected in this great adventure to also include quite a bit of loneliness. Being a Christian, I knew I’d probably be different than the 40 other college students tagging along on my adventure. But God knew I wouldn’t be lonely. He had something else in mind.

Making friends and memories

I made friends instantly. Three other girls and I roomed together for almost the entire trip.  We did everything as a group – completing homework, and visiting parks in London.  We even found our way to the Irish Sea.

But these girls were quite different from me. One of them was a Taoist, the other two were agnostics. You might think we never broached the subject of religion, but it seems that every day there was a new conversation involving our beliefs.  The girls actually told me that they were amazed by me because they’d never met a Christian who would talk to them about beliefs without condemning them cruelly to hell.

Never alone

In spite of these differences in beliefs, I never felt lonely, but not because the girls were with me everywhere I went. God was there, too. Constantly. He permeated every conversation I had. I felt a calm reassurance whenever I had to negate the others’ claims or argue my own point.

Not only was He there when I was debating points with my friends, but He guided me in every experience I had. I’ve always been a person who wanted everything planned out, and as I’ve realized, the world doesn’t work that way. God stretched me that summer. I had to discover things on the fly and make decisions without knowing every consequence possible.

But the beauty of discovery was in knowing that God’s hand was pressed firmly against my back the entire time. It was just Jesus said a long time ago, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

God’s presence resonated in all of nature as well. As a favorite song of mine says, “Mountains bow down and the sea will roar at the sound of Your name.” Every tree, every mountain, every valley whispered to me the secrets of the glory of God. In response, my heart longed to climb to the top of one of those mountains and spin around like Maria in The Sound of Music.

Something I had feared before I went on the trip was being left in my room while my roommates went out drinking. It did happen a few times, but those times became some of my favorite evenings. I read my Bible, wrote in my journal, and spent genuine quality time with my Savior. He showed Himself to me in so many ways that summer. Verses I had never remembered reading before popped off the page.

An unexpected rejoicing

Rather than feeling sorry that I was left alone in my room, I felt so blessed to have that time with God. It was time I might not have discovered otherwise if it had not been “forced” upon me. I look back now and remember one of my favorite passages: “Rejoice in the Lord, always. I will say it again: Rejoice! … The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:4, 5b)

My faith matured a lot in the summer of 2005.  That experience deepened my knowledge of God. I knew Him better than I ever had before and I realized more than ever that He had always known me.

 Take the next step:

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Leap of faith: As followers of Christ, we will be called to step out of our comfort zones.
Take our online lesson: Developing a heart of worship

I have questions for God, do you?  Here are some of mine . . .

 God, did you see…when a broken-hearted couple lost their three year old son to cancer and just 10 short years later were sitting in that same funeral home grieving the loss of another son?

“When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. . .  Then Jesus wept.”  (John 11:33,35)

Lord, were you listening…when a young girl lost her innocence and cried herself to sleep night after night?

‘I keep track of all your sorrows.  I have collected all your tears in my bottle and I have recorded each one in my book.’”  (Psalm 56:8)

God, do you see…the mother who has run out of options and doesn’t know where to turn?  She’s exhausted, tapped out, and emotionally spent – her child has completely drained her.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’”   (Matthew 11:28-29)

Lord, where were you…when a family watched everything they owned burn to the ground?

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.  There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.’”  (John 14:1-3)

Where were you, Jesus…when a loving wife and mother lost her life to an insatiable disease, and a young dad was left to pick up the pieces and care for his two little daughters?

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God sees our sorrow, He knows every tear we’ve cried and every prayer we’ve prayed. Isaiah, the prophet says this about God who became flesh and dwelt among us (Jesus).

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.

He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.

                       (Isaiah 53:2-5)

God understands our pain, He hears our questions in times of great need and He answers! His greatest answer to our questions came in the person of Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God offers you a free gift – you cannot earn it, you are not born into the right family to receive it.  Each individual must accept God’s free gift for themselves. Each one of us has sinned and gone our own way and our just payment is eternal death.  But God sent His Son Jesus to take our punishment and die in our place!  When we acknowledge that we are a sinner and invite Christ to come into our lives and save us from our sins, we become one of His children and carry the promise of spending eternity with Him in our hearts.

If you have never accepted this free gift, I urge you not to wait.  He stands ready and waiting to come into your life and make you NEW!  Learn more about how to accept Jesus here.

Question: What are your questions for God?

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Is your heart filled with hope? Do you have a confident expectation of your tomorrow? What happens when the road ahead is filled with loss and stress weighs your shoulders down? When confident expectation in life’s tomorrow dwindles, what can you do? How can you walk in hope when you feel hopeless inside? The God of Hope is your answer.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

• Hope for H-elp
We are invited to come to Him and confidently ask for help. Hebrews 4:16 tells us “to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need”.

• Hope to O-vercome
Things that leave one feeling powerless and hopeless come in many forms. With Christ’s strength you can overcome great obstacles. 1 John 5:4 says “and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith”. Faith in Jesus gives hope and help to overcome.

• Hope for P-ower
Sometimes in life we find ourselves with a task that simply looks too big for us. We do not just need a cup of God’s strength added to our own; rather we need His strength in us to do what we need to do. He will give it! 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness”. Seeing our weakness as the entry point of God’s strength gives access to His power!

• Hope for E-ternity
When we put our faith and hope in Jesus, it not only gives us help, strength and power where we walk today but it also gives us hope for life after death. It is a confident expectation of the ultimate “tomorrow”.

The God of Hope sent His son to be our Savior. He is only one prayer away. If you want the confident expectation of His strength and wisdom in your today and His help and hope for your tomorrow, you need only ask. Just tell Him…

Dear God, I have gone my own way and have put my hope in so many things that have disappointed me. Thank you that You sent Jesus, that first Christmas long ago, to be my Savior. I believe He came for me. Forgive me and come into my life today. Show me how to live in the confident expectation of how You can impact my life, my character and my circumstances. I place my hope in You right now and ask You to make Yourself known to me in my life right where I walk. I thank you. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Questions: What do you place your hope in? Why is it so comforting to be able to place our hope in Jesus?