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“But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John’” (Luke 1:13, NIV).

I love the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth.  It is a story of hope; a powerful story revealing that our God is One who listens to our hearts cries and hears our prayers.

Recently, I had been reading through the story of John the Baptist’s conception and Christ’s birth in the gospel of Luke.

When the angel of the Lord came to Zacharias he said, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard”.  Zacharias and Elizabeth were old in age and remained barren.  As we know, in those days it was a shame to be barren.  When I read this story however, I began to wonder what it was truly like for Zacharias and Elizabeth.  What was it like to live knowing within themselves that they probably would never conceive, (unless it was a miracle) only for this moment to occur?

I began to imagine the years that Elizabeth and Zacharias spend in tumultuous prayer, weeping before God, and grieving within their hearts over their barrenness.  I could almost hear their cry and see their faces turn numb over the years. Their hearts must have broken from grief and sorrow.  I’m sure they questioned and doubted where their God was in this seemingly “unanswered prayer”.  I thought about how they might have questioned God, but still remained faithful to Him and His Commandments.

And all the while, I could almost hear the voice of God calling from Heaven saying, “Just wait your time is coming!  You have no idea what I have in store for you. You don’t even have a clue of what I am about to bless you with.  Please wait and hold on a little longer!  Keep hoping, and even if you lose hope, I have still heard because I am God.  I am the One who hears the needs and the desires of my people.  And I have a purpose in all of this.  If you just wait, it will come to pass, and you will have what you desire.”

In truth, Zacharias and Elizabeth had no idea the plan that God had for them.  For years they had to trust God and stand on His faithfulness.  Eventually, out of Elizabeth’s womb would come the greatest Prophet of Old, paving the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ Himself!

Here’s the thing:  God is in the business of resurrecting our dreams!  He longs for those things that He has placed inside of you to be accomplished.  And even when we lose hope, our prayers are never ever lost, rather they are heard by God, and God remembers them.

I want to encourage those of you who have prayed, and have longed for things to come to pass.   God hears your prayers and your cries!  He knows your hearts’ desires.  And, maybe, just maybe, He is holding out for something you couldn’t have even imagined!  And if you just hold on,  He will bring back to life and resurrect those desires that seem to have died long ago, in His perfect time.

Our God is a God of resurrected dreams!  Know that with God, nothing is impossible.

Heavenly Father, I pray for all those reading who have dreams that have died.  I pray God, that the Word over their lives would be accomplished and that you would fulfill the desires of their hearts.  I thank You for hearing their thoughts and knowing what You have placed within them even before the foundations of the earth were laid.  I thank You that You are faithful to perform Your Word.  I pray for a measure of hope to be reinstalled within them, and a faith to believe that with You, nothing is impossible.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Questions: Can you tell us about a time when you felt that God was not hearing your prayers? How did you keep on trusting Him in spite of the situation?

About the Author Brigitte Straub

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

Do you agree that joy has it’s beginnings in grief?

“Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Paradox: a statement or belief contrary to received opinion, especially one that is incredible, absurd or fantastic.

“…true joy often is hidden in the midst of our sorrow, and the dance of life finds its beginnings in grief.” (Henri Nouwen in Here and Now)

Only to those who have experienced the discovery of joy “hidden in the midst of sorrow” does the paradox make sense. The Apostle Paul describes God’s peace as “beyond all understanding” and joy in sorrow is closely akin to such peace. How could Paul, imprisoned for his faith, write words like “I always pray with joy” and “Rejoice in the Lord always…I will say it again, rejoice!” How could the hymn writer pen, “It is well with my soul” after the death of his four daughters?

I believe the simple – though never simplistic – answer is found in the words of Charles Wesley:

Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and Kind adore;
Mortals, give thanks and sing and triumph evermore.
Jesus the Savior reigns, the God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains, He took His seat above.
Rejoice in glorious hope! Jesus the Judge shall come,
And take His servants up to their eternal home.

We are told in the New Testament to “fix our eyes on Jesus” and herein, I believe, lies the key to joy. When we consistently focus on Jesus – even in the midst of sorrow – we slowly begin to believe that He reigns, He cannot fail, He is the God of truth and love and then, we rejoice in glorious hope.

Father, I don’t like pain and sorrow, but help me see that no tears are wasted in your sight. Help me keep my eyes on Jesus.

Questions: Why is it hard for you to rejoice in difficult times? Why do you think Christians can experience joy in the midst of sorrow? The Apostle Paul says that we are not to be anxious for anything but to bring everything in prayer to God. What do you think is the relationship between choosing not to worry and experiencing joy?

This week memorize (Philippians 4:4 – 7) and journal any changes that occur in your life.

About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle

Global Aid Network (GAiN), humanitarian division of Power to Change, on the ground in Haiti

Langley, B.C. – (January 14, 2010) – After Haiti was rocked by a 7.0 quake on Tuesday, Power to Change is responding to the devastation with immediate financial aid and emergency response supplies.

Through the humanitarian division, Global Aid Network, Canada (GAiN), relief efforts are beginning. The national director in Haiti, Esperandieu Pierre, is operational on the ground and deeply connected to a distribution network of churches and volunteers in the country.

In a phone interview with staff in Langley, BC on Wednesday Pierre spoke of not knowing where his family was. “I am not alone in this situation,” he said. “I choose to believe God that my wife and children are fine and that I will be able to hug them when I get home.” He also expressed his thanks for those in Canada who are supporting his country at this time. “You let me know that we are not alone in this situation. It is a big spiritual boost and encouragement. Thank you very much.” On Thursday we received word that Pierre’s family had been found and were safe.

Esperandieu’s team and network of churches and volunteers are there on the ground helping now. GAiN is ready to deploy and distribute eight containers, each totaling $100,000 (CAN) worth of emergency relief supplies to Haiti. These containers are packed with food, medical supplies, water purifying tablets and other emergency response provisions. Six additional containers will be packed and shipped as soon as possible.

The Red Cross estimates 3,000,000 people are displaced and up to 50,000 people may have died with thousands more still trapped under rubble. GAiN is coordinating efforts to help immediately and long-term in Haiti. GAiN’s disaster response specialist, and Canadian GAiN representatives will arrive in the country as early as Friday.  A trauma counselor will follow to help with ongoing relief efforts as the needs escalate.

As the team in Haiti begins to mobilize, Power to Change is in need of urgent financial contributions in order to respond to the needs of the Haitians. Without immediate food, water and medical supplies to treat the injured, many more will die.

Donations can be made online at powertochange.org or by phone at 1.800.563.1106.

The latest on our relief efforts will be updated on our website at www.powertochange.org

#

Headquartered in Langley, BC, Power to Change is an evangelical Christian missions organization, consisting of 15 ministries working in Canada and around the world. GAiN Canada, our humanitarian division works to demonstrate the love of God to hurting and needy people around the world through relief and development projects.

For more information & media inquiries

Shanna Keen
Marketing & Corporate Communications Manager
Power To Change
Direct: (604) 514-2004
Mobile: (604) 505-6734
www.powertochange.org

*Photo courtesy of Thony Belizaire for Getty Images

In a report for CNN, anchor Anderson Cooper reported that in Haiti it’s rare for buildings to use reinforced concrete.  When a quake hits, buildings just crumble.  Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas are incredibly densely populated, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk in the wake the disaster.

“Because of the earthquake’s proximity to the capital, and because the city is densely populated and has poorly constructed housing, ‘it could cause significant casualties,’ said Jian Lin, a senior geologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.”(CNN.com)

Reports are pouring in of people running screaming from a collapsed hospital. There are photographs of incredible damage to the presidential palace – a beautiful building just days ago.  Ethan Park arrived in Haiti a couple of hours before the quake and was on the road outside the capitol when it hit.  He wrote, “we were in our vehicle on the way out of Port aux Prince when it struck…the road lifted and people were flying [through] the air.”

Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere.  Most of Haiti’s nine million citizens survive on only $2 a day.  Year after year terrible hurricanes slam into the island displacing hundreds of thousands of people.  Haiti has a hard enough time surviving on a good day.  A quake like this can be catastrophic.

You can help

Global Aid Network (GAiN) is an aid provider who has worked in Haiti before.  They are preparing Emergency Response packages with water purification tablets, food and personal hygiene supplies.  All it takes is  $115 to feed a family of six for a week – that’s less than $1 per meal.  You can donate now and know that your aid will arrive in Haiti as quickly as possible.  Since it began in 1998, GAiN Canada has mobilized resources to help people in over 35 countries around the world.  GAiN is a registered NGO.

Where is God in all this?

When disaster strikes, it’s common to wonder “does God care?”   The pain and agony of fellow human beings in the midst of disaster goes beyond our comprehension. Our minds scramble to make sense of human suffering and we simply cannot.  We can agonize over the possibilities as we seek to answer the heart wrenching, “Why?” Yet we cannot understand God nor can we always determine the answer to the difficult “why?” even though we try desperately. Is God on our side?

Tell us what you think

We want to hear your thoughts as you watch the aftermath of this disaster unfold.

*Photo courtesy of  US Department of State. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/index.htm

Join us as we pray together for Haiti in our daily online chats, or anytime … visit our online chat room to pray along with us.

On January 12, 2010 a devastating earthquake hit Haiti just a few miles south of the capitol.

In a report for CNN, anchor Anderson Cooper reported that in Haiti it’s rare for buildings to use reinforced concrete.  When a quake hits, buildings just crumble.  Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas are incredibly densely populated, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk in the wake the disaster.

“Because of the earthquake’s proximity to the capital, and because the city is densely populated and has poorly constructed housing, ‘it could cause significant casualties,’ said Jian Lin, a senior geologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.”(CNN.com)

Reports are pouring in of people running screaming from a collapsed hospital. There are photographs of incredible damage to the presidential palace – a beautiful building just days ago.  Ethan Park arrived in Haiti a couple of hours before the quake and was on the road outside the capitol when it hit.  He wrote, “we were in our vehicle on the way out of Port aux Prince when it struck…the road lifted and people were flying [through] the air.”

Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere.  Most of Haiti’s nine million citizens survive on only $2 a day.  Year after year terrible hurricanes slam into the island displacing hundreds of thousands of people.  Haiti has a hard enough time surviving on a good day.  A quake like this can be catastrophic.

You can help

Global Aid Network (GAiN) is an aid provider who has worked in Haiti before.  They are preparing Emergency Response packages with water purification tablets, food and personal hygiene supplies.  All it takes is  $115 to feed a family of six for a week – that’s less than $1 per meal.  You can donate now and know that your aid will arrive in Haiti as quickly as possible.  Since it began in 1998, GAiN Canada has mobilized resources to help people in over 35 countries around the world.  GAiN is a registered NGO.

Where is God in all this?

When disaster strikes, it’s common to wonder “does God care?”   The pain and agony of fellow human beings in the midst of disaster goes beyond our comprehension. Our minds scramble to make sense of human suffering and we simply cannot.  We can agonize over the possibilities as we seek to answer the heart wrenching, “Why?” Yet we cannot understand God nor can we always determine the answer to the difficult “why?” even though we try desperately. Is God on our side?

Tell us what you think

We want to hear your thoughts as you watch the aftermath of this disaster unfold.

Talk about disaster and pain

*Photo courtesy of  US Department of State. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/index.htm

God knows…God cares…God loves you…There is hope. Someone is waiting to talk with you now.

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loves us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17).

Are you weary today? Is your strength failing?

Often we find ourselves in situations that require us to pour out physical and emotional energy at such a pace that there is little or no time to be replenished.

Raising young children is one such season of life. There aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish all that needs doing; the necessity for constant vigilance is draining and a moment of rest seems weeks away.

Being the primary care giver to someone who is sick or aging is another period of unrelenting demands on your energy. Beyond the physical demands, grief often takes an added toll.

Perhaps it is the strain of broken relationship that is exhausting you. Estrangement from a friend, sibling, or son or daughter exacts a heavy price from your peace of mind. Confession, forgiveness and working through the issues take more strength than you possess.

Many times we desire to do these good things that God has called us to, but become discouraged and tired.

Thus it is wonderful to discover that our God gave us eternal encouragement and good hope! More than a momentary pick-me-up, by God’s grace and love we have access to a continuous supply of hope and encouragement.

Feelings fluctuate, but God and His word stand firm forever. Keep clinging to Him.

Please allow me to call on God on your behalf today:

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loves you and by his grace gave you eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your heart and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.

Questions: What does eternal encouragement and good hope mean to you? What unrelenting demands on your energy are you facing today?

About the Author Suzanne Benner

Are you struggling with anxiety? Do you experience panic attacks and afraid to face the day? You can talk to us.

When you come before the Lord in prayer, part of you empties out. It’s the part that is filled with the heartaches, hurts, soreness, grief and agonies you’ve experienced throughout your life.   As you pour the pain in your heart out to God, He refills your inner being or spirit with Himself.

God is love (1 John 4:16) and great healing is within Him (Psalm 103:1-5).

It’s a trade. You give God your pain and He heals you and refills your heart with His purpose. You lay down your fear, and God fills your heart with faith. You give God your sin, He gives you His sanctification.   Each time, an exchange takes place.

You could compare this exchange to the scientific transfer of photosynthesis. A leaf, for example, is light dependant. Photosynthesis begins when light hits a leaf. The leaf reacts to the light, capturing and absorbing the energy of the sun to produce more life-giving molecules, and the release of oxygen. This by-product is the fuel used by all living things. It’s the conversion of usable sunlight energy into usable chemical energy.

In like manner, men, women, and children are dependent on the conversion of their hearts by the light of Christ Jesus, God’s son, to make them whole.   We are grace dependant.  Just as each cell in a leaf absorbs sunlight, every fiber in your being is touched and restored by the nearness of a holy God. The by-product of that right relationship is life-giving oxygen.

“For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28, NIV).

Won’t you trade your pain today and allow your heart to be touched by the light of Jesus love?  Empty yourself of the old and receive the new.  It will bring great refreshing to your life today!

“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name. 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, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:1-5, NIV).

Questions: How do you exchange your frustrations for God’s peace?

About the Author Jacqueline Overpeck

Does God seem unfair to you? We invite you to share some of your struggles with us.

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

” I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The morning I met Anne in a book store, I sensed that there was something wrong. She seemed agitated and her face registered confusion and grief. When I asked her, “How are you?” She answered,? “I’m in shock.”

She had just received the message that her sister’s husband, a dear friend of the family, had died suddenly in a tragic accident. “I can’t imagine how my sister will manage without him,” she said. “And the children – they’ll be absolutely devastated.”

Alan, a wonderful family man had been a great provider. The family had just moved into their first – ever brand new home. After a tough beginning.

Business had picked up and the family was looking forward to more time together.

“Just when things are improving for them, this happens,” she moaned. “It’s so unfair.” Her eyes glistened with tears. “My uncle lives in a Care Home. He has Alzheimer–doesn’t even recognize his children. His life has no meaning anymore. Why didn’t God take him instead?”

Yes, life is unfair. We’ll never be able to figure out why young people, with so much to live for, die in the prime of life and old people, tired of living, linger on.

I find comfort in the fact that Jesus never promised us a fair world. In fact, he said, “In this world you will have trouble.” From personal experience He knew about unfairness: mocked by His brothers, slandered by religious leaders, betrayed by a friend, condemned to death for a crime He didn’t commit. He also died as a young man at the height of his ministry.

Jesus modeled for us how to navigate through a world that is grossly unfair. His attitude was: Keep trusting the Father for he knows best. When life is unfair, remember God is still good. Keep obeying Him and reaching out to those who are suffering.

Jesus hasn’t promised us a fair world but he has promised us victory. “Take heart!” He said. “I have overcome the world.” As a Christian, you have all the power you need for the problems you face.

Father, when I don’t understand, help me to trust you that in all things-the good and the bad-you are working out your good plan in my life.

Questions: How do you respond when God does not seem fair to you? How did Jesus respond in unfair situations?

About the Author Helen Lescheid

Sometimes things happen that force us to face weaknesses in ourselves that in fact the Lord desires to massage His love into.  Initially however, we don’t always see it that way and figuring that out can be messy and take time. God’s okay with that.

Do you sometimes get mad at God? Yourself? Others?

Facing my brother’s and Dad’s death’s in 2006, only six and a half weeks apart, plunged me into the deepest anguish, grief and anger I have experienced. I felt shame as the journey uncovered crusty parts of my soul exposing contempt for God, myself and it felt like every other human being on the planet.  This lurked behind an image management that appeared most honorable, sincere and dutiful by intention. As the truth of pain and loss hit me deep in my core, I struggled, but God’s requirements to be open and honest propelled me forward and upward.

How does one confront the unfriendly parts of one’s soul?

Does one see reality of one’s darkness as it really is? Or does one minimize, distort or spiritualize it?  Honesty requires a refusal to lie, steal or mislead in any way. It often begins by recognizing and admitting we may have been deceived.

Why must we recognize our sin and confess it as truth?  Because
dishonesty, or living in denial, is actually an attempt to dethrone God! It represents self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency constructs a world according to our own desire. By engaging in it we shut out God and others. That is idolatry.

Through courage, humility and brokenness we can pursue honesty about our true condition and find peace, hope and love. The Lord says:

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in
truth” (Psalm 148:18).

Our loving God invites us to meet Him at the intersection of experience and honesty. We find resolve there. My Dad and brother know that in full. You and i continue in our discovery. God’s love is sincere in action, character and utterance. He transforms us into the same. His truth can satisfy any soul, whatever the condition, if we believe and receive.

Father God, I thank You that You pursue my soul and draw me on in facing truth and finding You in it. Help me as I confront the unfriendly parts of my own soul. Meet me and pour Your peace and hope and love into me afresh as I pursue honesty in the inner part of my heart. Thank you Lord, for Your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Questions: What is forcing you to face truth? Do you resist or do you welcome the Lord’s presence in every corner of your life? Do you see reality as it really is? Or do you minimize, distort or spiritualize it?

About the Author Karen Braun

Daily audio podcast: Hear today’s daily devotional, Meet You at the Intersection of Experience and Honesty, read aloud today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

Today the Toronto Star provided a helpful list of questions and answers about Swine Flu:

Q: What can I do to prevent myself from getting the flu?
A: Wash your hands and cough in your sleeve. “If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol gel,” advises Dr. Richard Besser.

Q: Should I get a seasonal flu shot, and if so why?
A: The seasonal flu shot will not protect against swine flu.

Q: Can you get this swine flu from handling or eating pork products?
A: No. “It is perfectly safe to eat pork because that’s not a means of getting swine flu,” Dr. Andrew Simor says. (Read the rest of the Toronto Star’s Q&As)

One question not addressed by the Toronto Star is how does a person know if they have it? The symptoms are very similar to regular flu symptoms, and include fever, cough, headache, general aches, and fatigue. Others who have swine flu also report nausea, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Are you worried about Swine Flu? Do you have feelings of fear for yourself and your loved ones? Please feel free to share your concerns with us in the comments section, by contacting us privately, or consider Dr Muriel’s article Why Worry Yourself Sick?