For He will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. — Malachi 3:2-3 The embers glowed as the blacksmith stoked the fire. One callused hand held a piece of metal to…
God’s Gift of Laughter
No, You Did Laugh The finest snippets of life are those in which laughter is at the core — events meaningful enough to be etched into our brains. Such times bring deep healing and shape who we become. They’re the kind we frame and display in a place of prominence, the ones we bring up…
Enlarge Your Soul through Grief and Loss
Enlarge Your Soul through Grief and Loss Loss is a place where self-knowledge and powerful transformation can happen. Paying attention to our losses enlarges our souls — when we pour them out before the Lord (see Psalm 62:8) and participate in what God wants to do in us. We all face many “deaths” within our…
In Times of Sorrow
Trust in Me at all times. I know the pain and sorrow you are feeling, and I want you to pour out your heart in My Presence. You need to release all those emotions in a safe place. Demonstrate your trust in Me by opening your heart to Me; as you do so, I promise…
Through a Season of Grief Where Is the Hope?
Editor’s note: Jesus didn’t tell us that we might have trouble, could go through heartbreak, and should be shocked if we ever surprisingly endure sudden loss and bereavement. He told us that in this world we will have trouble. Because of that, even as Christians, we experience grief and sadness. If you’re there today, you…
What to Do While Grieving
You can’t stay here. The journey of grief is one that you must ultimately decide to complete. You cannot remain where you are right now. Time moves forward, and so must you. “You can’t stay here because God’s Word is always going forward,” says Dr. Ray Pritchard. In Philippians 3:14 Paul says that he moved…
Don’t Fast Pass Your Grief
Decrease Today’s Reading: John 12:44-50 Fifteen months1 after John the Baptist was imprisoned, Herod Antipas — the son of Herod the Great who reigned at the time of Jesus’ birth — beheaded John to save face at a banquet.2 John’s decrease was now complete. All eyes turned to Jesus. Matthew recorded that, “When Jesus heard…
The Dance of Grief and Gratitude
Editor’s Note: It’s Thanksgiving — a day of thankfulness and joy. As we celebrate this season of gratitude, remembrance and recognition of God’s provision, and celebration, we also acknowledge that we and those around us may be in a season of struggle or pain. We pray that you find comfort and encouragement from this…
The Believer’s Code: He Is with Us Through Grief
He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. — Isaiah 25:8 In Psalm 23, David spoke of walking through the valley of the shadow of death. That valley was not his final destination. David knew that we enter this valley from time to time as we…
Jesus’ Tears Give You Permission to Shed Your Own
Martha sat in a damp world, cloudy, tearful. And Jesus sat in it with her. I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. — John 11:25 NLT Hear those words in a Superman tone, if you like. Clark Kent descending from…
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