How do we enjoy life? Each Day Totally We do not know how long we have to live, so we should live every day with gusto. Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight…
God’s Blessings Just For You: Praying Scripture
The Written Word of God God’s Word truly is life-giving, guiding us through the years on this earth and preparing us for eternity. Its divine message is timeless, relevant through the generations and across cultures. Its ancient wisdom speaks even to contemporary readers. The Bible fuels our growth as believers. Its four biographies of…
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…
Pray for Our Leaders
Editor’s Note: American friends, Election Day is tomorrow and we have the great privilege of making our voices heard. But, more than anything, let’s pray for our leaders… not just today and tomorrow, but regularly! Enjoy these short prayers from A Prayer for Every Occasion. We hope it helps offer some hope and aids in…
All Things New: The Hope of Renewal
Picture a treasure chest. Not a small box that might hold jewelry on a girl’s nightstand — a large treasure chest, larger than any suitcase you own, larger than any suitcase you’ve ever seen. Picture a massive oak treasure chest, like pirates might have used, with large iron hinges and a huge clasp. The size…
Grabbing the Lifeline of Hope
We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God… — Hebrews 6:18-19 The Message I am haunted by this passage. The promised hope.…
Hope During Unemployment
I lost my job! I was jolted by my husband’s words. Later that morning when he arrived home, I hugged him, then listened to him share the details of this unexpected happening. His position was eliminated due to budget cuts in defense spending. I encouraged him to take time to grieve the loss of his job. Over the…
Knowing Hope
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. — Psalm 25:5 I was running late to an appointment. To make matters worse, traffic on the freeway was stopped as far as I could see. I’ll never make it, I thought.…
Depression: The Lord is Close to the Brokenhearted
Selection by Barbara Hunsaker, excerpted from Hopelifter: Creative Ways to Spread Hope When Life Hurts by Kathe Wunnenberg As a principal of a small Christian school, one phenomenon I saw from time to time was “cutting.” Students would cut themselves, not deeply enough to do permanent damage but enough to inflict pain and leave scars. I…
Conquering Anxiety in the Face of Uncertainty
Whew. We’re all certainly living in uncertain times. It feels like every time I turn on the television or scroll through my newsfeed, there is an unsettling photo of someone gravely sick or a heated political debate among friends. Seeing the constant stream of upsetting stories, unprecedented health warnings, and watching buildings destroyed in my…