Two weeks ago we looked at the life of Moses and the way he responded (and the way many of us respond) when God didn’t seem to deliver on His promise. But God was just getting started, beginning the layered process it would take to deliver the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity. Through this initial […]
I’m a type-A perfectionist. As such, one of my biggest strengths is what some might call optimism and what others might call idealism. It’s also my true Achilles heel when this optimism is disappointed and these ideals aren’t met. I aim my expectations at star-level and struggle to pick up the pieces when, after a […]
The life of Joseph is one of the most familiar and beloved Bible stories, with timeless themes of God’s sovereignty, beauty out of ashes, forgiveness, and restoration. (See Pastor Israel’s sermon on the life of Joseph: Part 1 and Part 2.) It’s no wonder Christians in a valley of hardship—chronic illness or otherwise—find solace and […]
Enjoy Melissa’s review of The Gift of Pain: Why We Hurt & What We Can Do About It by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey. For more resources, check out our Resources page. Originally published in 1993 and republished in 1997, The Gift of Pain: Why We Hurt and What We Can Do About It […]
We live in a culture of full schedules and frenetic activity. An aspiring college applicant fills her time with co-curricular activities and volunteer hours to set herself apart from the thousands of other applicants to her dream school. The businessman stays late at the office yet again even though he’s already over 60 hours this […]
We know God knows about our hardships. The Bible clearly and often states that God is omniscient: all-knowing. Yet think about the difference between “see” and “know.” For example, if my friend on the East Coast is dealing with an injury, I can know about it if she tells me about it on the phone. […]
Originally published on Vaneetha.com on August 24, 2023. Republished with permission from Vaneetha Risner. What do you do when you feel anxious or afraid? Ask a friend for advice? Roll over everything endlessly in your head? Try to distract yourself? Or do you go immediately to God? I’m learning to do the latter but it’s […]
Enjoy Melissa’s review of The Rested Soul: 30 Meditations to Quiet Your Heart by author Tessa Afshar. For more resources, check out our Resources page. I first learned of Tessa Afshar and her award-winning biblical fiction novels when I heard her speak at a writer’s meeting a few years ago. I appreciated her workshop, and […]
Scripture tells us that, under the control of the Holy Spirit, we should be “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). May you be encouraged by the spiritual truth in this song! What God Hath Promised words by Annie J. Flint […]
Thank you, Angela, for sharing your story with us! Tell us about yourself! I’m Angela, and I am a bestselling and award-nominated author. I’m a Christian, freelance editor, and artist, and I reside in Tennessee, USA. I’ve been struggling with multiple illnesses for years now, but was recently diagnosed with Lyme disease, Hashimoto’s, Alpha Gal, […]
The Valley