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:

Are you ready to take a risk in your faith walk?
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?

“ I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11b)

The word ‘change’ brings up many images in our minds. Some good images, some uncomfortable.  Some changes bring hope while others drag in disaster and despair.   If we encounter a job change we run into a wall of new surroundings, new acquaintances.  A mid-life crisis could bring health problems, or children leaving home. College looms and finances go thru the roof. And, how about the ‘change’ in your pocket or purse?

How we handle these changes depends on our own surroundings, our attitude and how we see others and ourselves. Do we handle them by trying to rely on ourselves or do we call out to the Lord for help? Walking with the Lord thru the changes in our lives adds a blessing that bring comfort, strength and the ability to help others thru the changes in their life.

Pause and Reflect

Among all the changes of life and what we encounter, whether we like them or not, there is no real returning to what ‘use to be’. We learn to sit back and look ahead to life in general and our family specifically. Life goes on, count your blessings, accept changes as they fall into your life, but, if you don’t like the changes as they happen, reverse course and transfer, reposition yourself and start again.

St Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11 “for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content” and although I laughingly twist his advice around, in all seriousness it holds wisdom for us. This same wisdom can apply wherever we are. The decision is up to us.  Are we sent to a place by the Lord for service to others, are we there, or here because of our own pleasure, advancement or retirement?

Finally, a change can be a calling from what we have known of an earthly home and life to a Heavenly home. Are we persevering toward that goal as we acknowledge our earthly plans and work ? Death is the final transition and change.

On September 21, 2011 we lost a beloved member of our TruthMedia family.  Dorothy Brown served with us for many years, both as an email mentor and also as a member of the editorial team, working diligently to prepare the daily devotionals which you all enjoy every day.  Dorothy had a very aggressive cancer and by the time the doctors discovered that she was sick, she was already very sick.

When she wrote to me to tell me that she needed to take a break from entering the devos she wrote that she hoped to be back the next month.  Dorothy was 74 and she had no plans to slow down. God’s plans were bigger than hers and now, as her husband Norm so beautifully put it, she has been “promoted to glory”.

In 1 Corinthians Paul writes of the reality of Heaven, how in that moment all of the things we have believed will suddenly be right before our eyes.  We have glimpsed Jesus, but Dorothy has seen him face to face.  She knows Him in a deeper way than all her years of Bible study could ever have taught her.  I wonder what she asked Him first?

I do not know what you are facing today.  Are you celebrating? Are you worried? Did you get the house?  Are you waiting to hear about that job? Whatever the day holds, know this: we may see “through a glass darkly”, but God sees us exactly as we are.

We don’t need to fear tomorrow because God is already there. We don’t need to carry the burden of yesterday because God’s forgiveness has already rewritten our stories. We can, we must, live in the hope that a day is coming when we will see Him face to face, just like Dorothy.

Face to face.  Can you imagine it? What an incredible promise. What an amazing hope we have.

Would you join me in praying for Dorothy’s family today? Her husband Norm has been fighting his own cancer for several years.  His health situation is complicated and Dorothy was his primary care giver.  Please pray that God would make a way for him.  If you would like to be prayed for today, please use this link to submit a prayer request.  We would love to pray for you.

Father, When I am confused and can’t see the way forward remind me of Your promises.  You will never leave me or forsake me and the plans You have for me give me hope and a future. Remind me that You always see me as I am and that a day is coming when I will see You as You truly are. Thank you for Dorothy and for her example of a life well lived. Please be with Norm and restore him back to health.  Thank you for loving me more than I can understand.  Amen.

Question: How does the hope of Heaven change the way you see your day?

April 12th, 2009 forced a change in my life.

Change comes suddenly and without warning, often in ways we are not prepared for. A loss of a relationship, job loss, bad news, unwanted circumstances are all outside of our control. The change forces new challenges and opportunities to navigate the road ahead and forge on to allow God to lead us to new destinations.

If you are facing change in your life there are a few keys in making change your friend rather than foe:

1. Allow yourself time to heal emotionally, physically and spiritually from the shock of the unexpected. Making decisions to soon or for the wrong reasons can complicate your situation. The Holy Spirit can heal the brokenness and emptiness and bring wisdom in making decisions about your future.
2. Surround yourself with wise friends who will guide you and provide Godly wisdom. Be open and honest even transparent in the feelings you are experiencing.
3. Accept the fact change is a part of life and understand your setbacks can be followed by comebacks.
4. Know your steps are ordered by God and He has a plan and purpose for your future.
5. Understand that disappointments have meaning. If you separate the word dis from appointment it means cut off or separated from your appointment. Stalling in the land of disappointment will keep you from reaching the great and exciting destination God still has for your life.
6. Postpone major decisions but when you are ready aggressively take action to move ahead. Don’t allow  doubt or fear  to camp in your thinking.
7. Believe that nothing happens that God is not fully aware of and has provision to bring you into a new level of faith and wisdom.

Got change? Whatever change you are facing today God is still in control. The clouds will roll back and the sun will shine again. Change when accepted constructively will become deposits and investments that will become more valuable over time.

Take the Next Step
Coping with Change
Finding Peace in Troubled Times

I remember the day it happened, wondering if the world would ever be the same again.  Ten years later we know that no, it won’t be.  We all remember where we were that morning.  Sujo John was in the north tower, his wife was due at work in the south tower.  Ten years later the memories of that day are still just as clear.  This is his story.

Take the next step:

10 Years later, I’m still waiting for “normal”
Life lessons from 9/11
I lived, now what? Lorraine learns to live with her miracle
Where is God when the world falls apart? Take a lesson.
Are you struggling with loss? We are here to talk to you today.

Almighty God has given us the privilege of helping our loved ones by our prayers.

For a purpose known by God alone, through a spiritual process beyond our understanding, God has ordained that our prayers have power to assist those in trouble.

It is a mystery that we do not understand, yet through the Bible, the very words of God, we know it to be true.

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:19-20, NIV).

In these words Paul has penned, there is direction for our prayers for our friends.

Deliverance:
Our earnest and most fervent prayers should be for their deliverance. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he gave them these words, “Deliver us from evil.” We pray that God would deliver our loved ones who suffer from cancer or other illnesses if that is His will. But also we pray He would deliver them from pain, deliver them from fear, and most of all that He would deliver them from the power of the evil one who wishes to conquer them by this trouble.

In no way be ashamed:
Some we know are facing death. Though the hope of heaven is real for every believer, still they walk a difficult road where there is no one to explain how to do it.  The process is as mysterious as it is painful. We can pray that they will in no way be ashamed. Regardless of what a day brings, we can call on our Heavenly Father to show them how to think and speak and act with the grace they desire to show.

Sufficient courage:
None of us knows how we will respond in a terrifying and excruciating experience. Will we remain faithful to God? Will we trust in His goodness regardless of circumstance? Will anger or fear or guilt overwhelm us?  We must diligently pray that our friends will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in their lives.

God, we pray for our loved ones who are suffering. Deliver them.  Let them in no way be ashamed.  Give them sufficient courage to walk the path You have put before them. Amen.

Questions: How have you been helped by someone else’s prayers? How can you be more diligent in praying for those who are suffering?

We will always experience suffering during our lives here on our fallen Earth. When we experience pain, especially the death of a loved one, our natural response is to question, to ask why, and perhaps even to doubt God. Because it hurts.

Some people will respond to evil they see by denying that evil exists. But what is perhaps easy to say is quite difficult to live, or as C S Lewis put it: “Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later.” There is a name for the person who denies good and evil: a sociopath. Clearly the proper response to evil is not denial.

Other people will respond to evil by removing God from the equation. But removing God does not make evil less evil, nor pain less painful. In fact, removing God also removes ultimate hope. Without God, our world seems permanently and irredeemably evil. Without God, there is no ultimate relief from pain, only pain.

With God we cry out to a loving Father who remains with us and comforts us as we hurt and Himself came to Earth as a human being to suffer and die for us. But without God we cry out into the empty void of nothingness that neither hears our cry nor cares for our pain. Removing God results in no gain and much loss.

When we have God in our lives and hearts, we have hope during difficult times and comfort in the midst of tragedy. We have hope grounded in the fact of God’s mighty power, His limitless mercy, and everlasting love. No matter what happens, God loves us because God is love. And nothing can separate us from Him.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Question: What do you need to say to God today in prayer? What questions do you have to ask God?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for May 2nd, AM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2011.

“I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world.” John 17:15

It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God’s own time: Going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord’s soldiers, who are now fighting “the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) will be done with conflict, and will enter into the joy of their Lord.

But although Christ prays that His people will eventually be with Him where He is, He does not ask that they may be taken at once away from this world to heaven. He wishes them to stay here. Yet how frequently does the wearied pilgrim put up the prayer, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away and be at rest.” But Christ does not pray like that. He leaves us in His Father’s hands until, like corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master’s presence.

Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by death. Our abiding in the flesh is needed for others if not profitable for ourselves. He asks that we be kept from evil, but He never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory until we are of full readiness.

Christians often want to die when they have any trouble. Ask them why, and they tell you, “Because we would be with the Lord.” I fear it is not so much because they are longing to be with the Lord, as because they desire to get rid of their troubles. If it were so, they would feel the same wish to die at other times when not under the pressure of trial. They want to go home, not so much for the Savior’s company, as to be at rest. Now it is quite right to desire to depart if we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish one. (Philippians 1:21-26)

Let your desire be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases, even though it is in the midst of toil, conflict, and suffering, leave Him to say when “it is enough.”

Question: How do you pray in times of toil, conflict, and suffering?