January 1, 2021 Word of Encouragement

Post by Dyane Forde

Featured Image by Ben White on Unsplash

I just finished reading a YouVersion devotional called “Meeting With God” (see link below). I love Day 6. It talks about prayer and how Christians sometimes try everything except prayer, when they face problems.

An explanation about why this is came to me while I was reading: we don’t pray because we don’t believe God really cares for or hears us, or we fear He won’t answer. Taking the latter point further, maybe we fear that when He answers, we won’t like His response.

During these extremely difficult times, it’s easy to feel defeated, discouraged, even helpless. The world is on edge, and we may be fearful for the future. I have been on vacation from my work as a social worker these last two weeks, but my subconscious has been fighting back waves of stress and worry about going back to work next week. I feel dread and anxious. I’m worried. But deep down, I know that God has me there for a reason, which means I have a purpose there. My struggle is to trust that He will carry me through whatever I will face upon my return. To do that–to grab hold of His strength and to deepen my faith in Him–I must pray.

In truth, regardless of what we think or feel, God is true. He is the Lover of our souls, and He works on our behalf for our good.

I hope these words encourage and support you, if you are struggling with something in your life. Let’s trust God today. As His children, let’s cry out to Him. Let’s pray to Him today.

Blessings!

In God We Trust—But Do We Really? Learning to Let God Handle Our Busyn – Armor Of God Coffee

If you’re a goal-driven person struggling with anxiety, stress, busyness, and learning to trust God, this post may be just what you need…

Thanks to Armor of God Coffee for publishing this devotional on their blog.

https://www.armorofgodcoffee.com/blogs/armor-up/in-god-we-trust-but-do-we-really-learning-to-let-god-handle-our-busyness

Book Review: Seasons in the Garden

Through books, writers can share wisdom and their life experiences with others. Judging from the following comments, Seasons in the Garden, by Sandra Fischer, is one of those books that does this successfully and in a manner that readers appreciate. 

 

About the Author:

Sandra Fischer taught high school English and owned a Christian bookstore in Indiana before she retired and moved to the Carolinas. Her stories and articles are gleaned from her life experiences growing up in Indiana. Her book, Seasons in the Garden, is inspired by living fifteen years in South Carolina.   

 

 

What people are saying: 

 

“This is a beautifully written book by a talented writer. How she used the seasons of the year connected to gardens is so inspiring. I read it through once and now I’m reading it each morning for inspiration. It is amazing how it connects with life with different journeys I travel. I love it so much I am giving it to friends for birthdays and Christmas…truly a treasure to share.” –Charlene Kinelski

“What a beautiful book. Every page is filled with inspiration. It allows you to look at everyday life from a new perspective. A great gift for friends and family.” – Susan Blackburn

“A beautiful book you will thoroughly enjoy even if you are not a gardener! Sandi has a wonderful way of inspiring her readers……get one for a friend!” – Jean Jones

“This book, filled with scripture and quotes from literature, would make a fine gift to a friend or to oneself! Noting that our lives parallel the seasons of the earth, the author writes about the splendor and riches to be found in nature and in our lives, if we only look for them. Original photographs and artwork beautifully illustrate the text.” – Gwen Myers

 

To learn more about Sandra Fischer and her writing visit:

Amazon Author Page 

Faithwriters

Blog 

 

Thanks for reading! Please visit Sandra on her social media and leave her an encouraging message. Or leave a message here! Let’s encourage one another with simple acts of support and kindness.

Blessings!

–Delia

Repost: Created for Good Works

Thanks to Inkspirations Online for the chance to write this devotional for their blog. Follow this link to see it. 

Blessings on this Monday morning!

Stepping Out in Faith

by Lela Markham

 

The other day I was explaining to someone how the process of a discovery writer works for me. I don’t often know where the characters are going to take the story until we get there. I sometimes know the broad strokes. So, for example, I might know that a character will live to the end of the series, but I don’t know how she plans to escape the vengeful Celtic goddess who is bent on her destruction even as I write. I am as surprised when I write it as I hope my readers will be when they read it.

That has spiritual significance. God does know the ending and even the twists and turns of our lives before we do. He’s omniscient. We, however, don’t. If we’re Christians, we know the end of the story … we will enter into His kingdom in the fullness of His grace and it will be nothing but good. But we aren’t told what the next five minutes holds or even our physical life’s ending. We are expected to take it on faith that God has only good in store for us.

Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know what I have planned for you,” says the Lord. “I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.”

There’s a cabin in the Alaska wilderness that my husband and I have hiked to a few times. Built by a friend of ours, it is accessed by a rope bridge across a turbulent and icy-cold river. During some parts of the summer, you could cross at the ford, but it’s safer and warmer to take the bridge … and crossing the bridge is a total act of faith.

Imagine three ropes disappearing into the mists. One is the foot path. The other two run parallel about three feet above the footrope. The two upper ropes are connected at intervals to the footrope, but there’s a lot of open territory and a scary drop to a deadly river. Then imagine that you can’t really see the other side because of the fog and even if you could, the anchoring tree is behind other trees, so you’re not even certain it will hold.

We knew our friend crossed it all the time. We trusted him not to want to kill us. But stepping out onto that bridge was a sheer act of faith in our friend’s character and skill.

The other side of that river is a cozy log cabin set in a beautiful glade. Well worth the crossing, but you have to cross it to get the reward. Moreover, you have to walk out on faith that the bridge is properly secured. You’re more than three-quarters of the way across before you can see the attachment and feel like this wasn’t the dumbest thing you’ve ever done.

When I crossed it the first time, a steady wind was blowing that kept jostling the bridge. I tried not to look down into the milk-chocolate froth 20 feet below and tried not to think about what would happen if I slipped and fell carrying a full pack. Swimming is beside the point in a glacial river. You’ll die of hypothermia a long time before you get to the shore. Turned out the best strategy (forged by a half-dozen crossings now) is to stare resolutely as the far shore … or the fog where the far shore ought to be … and put one foot in front of the other until you get there.

That’s so much like the walk God expects us to take through turbulent times and perilous places. We should know He has our best future in view, but it’s still going to be painful if there are mishaps along the way. The future God has prepared for us is worth it, if we only remember that each step gets us a little closer to it …

 

Lela Markham is the pen name of an Alaskan novelist who was raised in a home built of books. Alaska is a grand adventure like none other with a culture that embraces summer adventure and winter artistic pursuits.

“I don’t seek to be known as a Christian author, but as an author for whom Christ is so central to who I am as a person that He shines through.”