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Articles of Encouragement
On Sunday, we sang a song at church about the “overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.” Have you thought about that lately? …
December 21, 2021
There’s a reason you and I struggle with forgiveness. But I don’t think it’s because of how deeply we’ve been wounded by …
September 20, 2016
You hear it every year (at least I hope you do!). You might have called it “The Story of Baby Jesus” when …
December 17, 2015
Are you dreading the holidays because of all there is to do? Or all you have to buy? Or all there is …
December 17, 2015
It’s that time of year again…the time of year that stresses your schedule, stretches your patience, and drains your finances. About now …
December 17, 2015
As the busyness increases this time of year it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, isn’t it? You and I have so much to …
December 2, 2015
Do you have lofty expectations this Christmas? I hear from many women who fear the family won’t get along or their husband …
December 23, 2014
It’s easy to be a woman on the edge at Christmas. After all, there’s so much to do, and so much to buy, and …
December 16, 2014
Young girls swoon today over the music, looks, and happenings of the popular British Boy Band, One Direction. But what if I told you that you could compete for that kind of influence in your daughter's life?
October 30, 2014
Our daughters watch us, look to us for what they need, and often imitate both our weaknesses and our strengths. So being aware of what they most need can help us focus on getting them through their teen and young adult years.
October 30, 2014
While going through my daughter's backpack when she was in second grade, I found a paper on which she had written her spelling words for the week. I was pleased to see an "A" for correct spelling and grammar.
October 30, 2014
For some children, it's obvious what their calling is. They come out of the womb, it seems, with big plans of what they want to accomplish with their lives. For most, however, it can be a mystery - a secret worth pulling out of them.
October 30, 2014
Every day that your daughter lives and breathes is a special day for the two of you to make a memory. But some memories the two of you make together will no doubt stand out more than others. Through the years, I've noticed that the special dates I planned with or for my daughter were among the memories she cherished the most.
October 30, 2014
Why do I have to feel so alone, God? I prayed. I can't live in this silence! Can't he come home once in a while and talk about how he feels? Or better yet, can't he come home and be willing to listen to how I feel? Where are his words of encouragement for me?
October 30, 2014
Early on in her marriage, Jennifer realized her struggle was not with her husband, but "against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms"
October 30, 2014
There are powerful stories in the Bible about women who were alone in worship. One of them was Hannah, the mother of Samuel. She knew well what it meant to worship alone, pray alone, and carry burdens on her heart alone.
October 30, 2014
If you're single and hoping for a spiritual partner in life, or married but not on the same page spiritually with your husband, chances are you feel you "walk alone" in your spiritual life. But you aren't alone. Throughout time, countless women have walked alone, spiritually. And you're in good company.
October 30, 2014
I knew I should be salt and light to a dying world. But I preferred to be around the Christian crowd, living a separated life far from those people who were so different from me. "I want to minister among Christian women," I told the Lord one day. "Preaching to pagans is not for me."
October 30, 2014
Jesus told us to forget ourselves and focus on a life given over to Him. "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it."
October 30, 2014
Can we meet some time and talk?” Heather asked as I was packing up my teaching materials after the Bible study. …
October 30, 2014
Jesus' advice in Matthew 6 was more practical than I realized. To store up treasures in heaven rather than in my home means I never have to worry that they'll break or be stolen or destroyed. And treasures in heaven will greet me someday when I arrive; my trinkets on earth will not.
October 30, 2014
I just want to go somewhere far away, I found myself thinking. I am not appreciated. I am not feeling respected or supported. I am not feeling understood or loved. (Now did you notice how many times I used the word "feeling" and how many times I used the pronoun I? We get that way when we're on the edge.)
October 30, 2014
Our heart is closely attuned to our bank balance, rather than our life's balance. Yet God instructs us in Colossians 3:1-2: "set your hearts on things above." If our priorities were in heaven, not on this earth, we would not only be happier and healthier, but less financially drained and emotionally spent.
October 30, 2014
We want that so much that it drives us to the edge when aspects of our life seem out of control. Now that we are living in a sin-stained world, life this side of heaven will never be completely under control, and working harmoniously.
October 30, 2014
Is God withholding something from your life? If so, it could be that He is preparing you for ministry - a ministry that will turn the bitter areas of your life into a blessing...What are you still waiting for God to bring about in your life?
October 30, 2014
God speaks in various ways by the Holy Spirit to those in relationship with Him – through His Word (the Bible), through prayer (and what He lays on our hearts to pray for), through circumstances in our life, and through the church (godly advice from believers).
October 30, 2014
How many times have you sensed a voice telling you to do something but you considered it a distraction? Maybe other times you've felt the inkling to do something, but brushed it off as silly or too elemental to be the voice of God.
October 30, 2014
“Why did I have to hurt like this?” It’s a question we often ask to try to make sense of God …
October 30, 2014
It may be easy for you to believe that God didn't care about you and that's why you've experienced pain in your life. But a closer examination of the Bible tells us that God is intimately acquainted with the events of our lives.
October 30, 2014
Hurtful times are opportunities to grow closer to God. Tell Him you're ready to see what He wants you to see and to know Him in the way that He desires. By doing this you are placing yourself in the position where He can teach you what He wants you to learn.
October 30, 2014
I remember waiting upon God for a second child and wondering if He was even there during that struggle. But now I realize - 20 years later and still no second child - that God knew what He was doing all along. He did hear my prayers. He did see my tears. And He had a better plan.
October 30, 2014
God not only sees your tears, but His Word says He collects them in a bottle (Psalm 56:8, NASB). He is mindful of all that is on our hearts and all He wants to do in our lives to bring about His desired purposes.
October 30, 2014
Whether I was trying to get a book published, trying to have a child, or trying to pry open a door of opportunity, every time I received a "no" I later learned what God was really saying was "Wait - I have something far better for you than you thought to ask for."
October 30, 2014
Sometimes...we don't feel God's love... We feel only the sting of an insult, the ache of loneliness, the pain of an unhealed wound. We feel rejection in relationships – or lack of them. And we feel the isolation that comes from longing for something more.
October 30, 2014
With tears in her eyes, Janie recounted the last thing her husband told her before she left the house for the weekend. “He said ‘When you figure out how I can meet all your emotional needs, let me know.’” His comment cut deep into her heart. And it still hurt.
October 30, 2014
Whether it be from the pain of rejection, the sting of betrayal, loneliness in your marriage, the ache of an addiction, or even the loss of a job or dream, we can begin sinking down into a dark, slimy pit and before long we're wondering if we'll ever be able to crawl back out.
October 30, 2014
As Valentine’s Day approaches, this is often a time when women find themselves longing for more. Whether your husband appears inattentive to your needs, your boyfriend appears uninterested, or you don’t have a man in your life at all, this is actually the time to celebrate what you do have.
October 30, 2014
Try This Remedy When You’re Running on Empty If you’re like most women, chances are you often feel like you’re running on empty. And the problem is that chocolate, bubble baths, a shopping trip to the mall, or a long massage are only temporary ‘fixes.’
October 29, 2013
Are you struggling with motivation today? Is it taking all you’ve got to just face what’s on your to-do list? I remember waking up one morning and thinking “I don’t feel like getting out of bed. I don’t feel like doing all that I have to do today.
September 29, 2013
The problem is we can be as stressed and busy as we let ourselves become. Most of the time stress rears its ugly head in my life when I’ve taken on too many commitments that are not within the realm of my dream and purpose.
August 29, 2013
I know how you feel. Life seems to be going in a million different directions. There are so many things for you to do in so little time. Kids are pulling at you or your job is pushing you. I, too, know what it’s like to feel like you’re running on empty.
June 30, 2013
I’ve never had more of a potential for stress than this holiday season. Since I put off my November 1st book deadline …
December 17, 2012
It’s natural for us to feel like we’re running on empty as the holidays approach. I remember waking up one morning, about …
December 10, 2012
As the holidays approach, you might already be feeling like a woman on the edge. We can feel edgy because there’s much …
December 3, 2012
Are you one of those women who gets stressed out at Christmastime? If so, you’re not alone. But regardless of the reasons …
November 26, 2012
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Articles of Encouragement | Strength for the Soul