6 Ways to Build Your Faith Today

For my birthday, Matt got me a book I’ve been wanting for a little while–A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene Peterson. Eugene Peterson is the author of The Message version of the Bible; he was a pastor and a theologian that passed away in 2018. I’ve been reading through it just a few pages at time. His books aren’t something you read quickly; there’s a lot there to take in. You have to kind of work through it. But I’m enjoying it; I like the change-up from what I’ve been reading recently.

The thing I love and respect the most about Eugene Peterson was the humble life he lived. Here’s a man that translated the entire Bible into common language because he wanted his church congregation to love the Bible and understand it. He had a deep understanding of Greek and Hebrew and used it to give us the Bible in a way we could easily understand and apply. There are so many good things about this book I’m reading, but one of the things that has stuck with me is his understanding of faith and the faith journey.

When Hard Times Come

I had a conversation with a friend recently, and they said verbatim, “I thought the Christian life would be easier than this.” So many of us love God and want to grow in our faith. Yet, as soon as hard times come, we’re ready to jump ship. We get mad at God, and we blame him for everything wrong in our lives. We quit going to church; we quit believing in his goodness and faithfulness.

And yet, the Bible warns us time and time again that this life will be difficult. Eugene Peterson puts it this way.

No literature is more realistic and honest in facing the harsh facts of life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that the life of faith exempt us from difficulties…On every page of the Bible there is recognition that faith encounters troubles.

More Than We Can Handle

And yet, God reminds us that he won’t give us anything we can’t handle. He doesn’t promise the lack of problems; He simply promises his presence.

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

I Corinthians 10:13 MSG

The Only Mistake We Can Make

Eugene Peterson goes on to say that “the only mistake we can make when trials come is to assume that God’s interest in us waxes and wanes in response to our spiritual temperature.” It’s that thing we do when things aren’t going well for us. We believe God doesn’t love us or is being hard on us because he’s angry with us. Or worse, we believe he doesn’t truly care about us.

But the fact of the matter is that this life of faith isn’t a giant what if? It’s not an I hope. From the book I’m reading, he says this about faith.

Faith is the solid, massive, secure experience of God, who keeps all evil from getting inside us, who guards our life, who guards us when we leave and when we return, who guards us now, who guards us always.

How’s Your Faith?

How’s your faith today? On a scale of 1-10, how are you doing?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

One: I don’t have any faith. Ten: My faith has never been stronger!

It’s funny; I used to think I was a solid ten. And then life hit. Now, even on my best days, I think I may be at a seven or eight. On my worst days, I was down near a two or three. Our numbers may fluctuate, and that’s okay. As long as we stay on this journey and don’t quit, that’s okay. It’s okay to hit a two or three once in a while; just don’t stay there.

6 Ways to Build Your Faith Today

If you’re below a five today on the scale, that’s okay. But don’t stay there. Continue to grow your faith. Pick one of the things from the list below and start there.

Listen to worship music.
Spend time with God every day through a morning time routine.
Get out in nature, even if it’s for just a few minutes.
Spend a few minutes writing down what you’re grateful to God for.
Get plugged in to a good, local church.
Read a Christian inspirational and encouraging book

This life of faith is a daily journey, so choose today to grow your faith. Refuse to be the person you were yesterday.

More Encouragement

For more like this, check out my book, The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life.

The God Who Sees Me

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“Mommy! Look at me.” You will hear this phrase shouted across just about any playground or park. Between the giggles and the shouts, children are driven by the approval and attention of their parents.

A young couple after a few years of marriage slam doors after angry accusations. In separate spaces and places, they wonder, “Does he … Does she … see me?”

The heartbreak of disappointment leaves us begging God for help. In a moment of desperation, we cry out to God, “Don’t you care? Can you even see me?”

God’s Promise to Abram

Life can be complicated especially when we jump the gun with God.

The infamous story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar unfolds like a script from a day-time soap opera. It all started when God promised Abram (before God changed his name to Abraham) that he would be the “father of a great nation.” Even Abram’s name meant “exalted father.” That’s a tough name to have when you don’t have any kids. Imagine the snickers and taunts Abram got. God promised. Abram and Sarai (before God called her Sarah) pined. Birthdays come quick when you enter your sixth and seventh decade of life. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Sara’s Servant Hagar

Enter stage left: Hagar. Undoubtedly younger than her 75-year-old counterpart, Hagar was Sarah’s personal assistant. Sarah gave up on the hope that she could have kids and schemed up a whopper of an idea. “I’ll just have Hagar sleep with my husband to give us a baby.” It takes surrogacy and in-Vetro to a whole new level. In our culture, we can’t wrap our minds around this desperation of irrationality. For Abraham and Sarah, it was a cultural and financial decision.

Without an heir, Abraham, the wealthy businessman that he was, would pass on his business and all his assets to his right-hand man Eliezar, as was custom. Another option, however, was for Abraham to father a child by the “handmaid” of his wife.

Hagar’s Pregnancy

Hagar got pregnant. As you can imagine, things didn’t go well between Sarah and Hagar. Two women who were presumably friends at one time, now had a falling out. Hagar treated Sarah with contempt and looked down on her. Sarah was scorned and you know what they say, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

Abraham, like any good husband, simply said, “You’re her boss. You handle the situation however you see fit.” (Genesis 16:6) Sarah made Hagar’s life difficult. It was tough enough that Hagar abandoned her job and went on the run as a single expectant mom. Abandoned by everything she came to know and love, Hagar found herself alone by a well in the wilderness.

God Sees Hagar

In this moment, God sees her in need and sends help. An angel appears and gives direction to Hagar to return back to Abraham and Sarah and to trust God to bless her. Hagar’s response, “Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” (Genesis 16:13)

God Sees You

Crazy story, right? Hagar did what was acceptable in the culture, but not the wisest decision. Yet God still honors her, blesses her, and sees her. Life isn’t always cut and dry, black and white. It is complex and messy. At the end of the day, life can leave us confused, unloved, and unnoticed. In spite of the situation, God saw her. God sees you. No matter how far you go from God, he still sees you. No matter what you’ve done, El Roi sees you. David knew this when he wrote, “Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7)

Don’t lose sight of your call and purpose because you are in obscurity. Refuse to believe what people say about you. Remember the one who sees you.

God’s Name for Today

El Roi- “The God who sees”

אל ראי

“You are the God who sees me.” -Genesis 16:13

An Excerpt from Our Newest Devotional

This is an excerpt from our newest devotional, God is for You. It’s a thirty-day devotional of the names of God. if you are looking for some encouragement right now, some hope…check out this devotional. I think it will really encourage your heart.

For more like this, check out my post, God is Working on Your Behalf Today.

8 Hacks to Becoming a Morning Person

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I absolutely love mornings–like love, love them. Getting up early, starting my morning time routine, and having a quiet, peaceful morning with God before my day gets going is my favorite part of the day. Add in a beautiful sunrise, and I’m in Heaven.

However, I don’t like getting out of bed. I don’t like not getting enough sleep. I don’t bound out of bed every single morning, ready to start my day. Honestly, I don’t think many people do. Most people, even the ones that get up early, would probably say that they have a hard time getting up in the morning. I think that’s a universal thing.

So how do we become morning people when it’s hard to get out of bed? Here are eight hacks to turn yourself in a morning person, even though you may not technically be a morning person.

1. Take a shower

One of the best things you can do to wake up is to take a shower. Add some shower gel that helps you wake up, and you’ll be awake in no time. Matt got me the set pictured below for my birthday. It’s my favorite for waking up in the morning. I’ve used the lotion and shower gel before, but the shower steamers were new to me. They are amazing! The entire bathroom smells good. The orange ginger scent is so refreshing and revitalizing; it wakes you right up.

2. Light a candle.

Candles are my love language. One of the things that helps me get going in the morning is to come downstairs and light a candle. My favorite places to get candles are TJ Max, Kirklands, and Bath and Body Works.

3. Start a new journal.

A way to refresh your morning is to pick a new journal. We just rolled out our new fall covers for our Faithfully Stepping Journals, and I am loving my new cover. It’s just an added perk to my mornings.

4. Make a cup of coffee.

I make an iced coffee every morning, even in the winter. I’m crazy; I know. But it really helps me to wake up; it also give me something to look forward to. I have coffee that I only drink in the morning. Right now, I’m enjoying Java. By saving it for mornings, I look forward to it even before I go to bed the night before.

5. Put on music.

My husband loves listening to music first thing in the morning. Before he even gets out of bed for the day, he snags his noise-canceling headphones and slips them on. It helps him to wake up and be a ready to start the day.

6. Grab a Blanket.

If you want a great morning time, start collecting warm throw blankets. Bonus if they can change out with the seasons to keep things fresh and fun. Except for the middle of summer when it’s super hot, I pretty much always snag a blanket from the back of the couch for my morning time.

7. Hang up white lights.

This one is a little extra but is one of my favorite things about my morning time. Last year, we strung white lights in the dining room. We left them up because I love coming down in the morning and turning them on. It’s a softer light than the overhead lights, and it just makes my morning time extra special.

8. Go to bed at a good time the night before.

This is so key to being able to get up in the morning. If you truly want to become a morning person, you have to learn how to go to bed at night. It’s a discipline–just like getting up early. It takes time and practice, but it’s so worth it.

These are just some hacks that work for me. I can say confidently that I have never regretted a morning that I got up early, but I have plenty of times I have regretted not getting up early.

Start Small

Start small. Get up five minutes earlier; then ten minutes. Then work it up from there. Start implementing some of my morning time hacks; try some of your own. See if you can’t fake yourself into becoming a morning person!

What are your morning hacks that help you get out of bed?

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out our free guide on how to have a morning time routine.

Don’t Push People Away

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Sometimes we forget that God uses people in our lives–both the good and the bad. If we don’t let people in our lives to help shape us, we will miss out on who God wants us to be.

Joseph’s Story

Joseph’s story from the Old Testament is pretty familiar. He had some really bad things happen to him. His brothers sold him into slavery. His boss’s wife falsely accused him of trying to force her, and his boss threw him in prison for it. While in prison, he interprets the butler’s dream, who promises to put in a good word with Pharaoh for him. But the butler forgets about Joseph…for two long years.

There are a lot of things that people did to him that would be impossible to forgive. And yet, each of those people played an intricate role in shaping Joseph’s life. Taking it a step further, each of those people helped put him in the position of second in command of all of Egypt.

God Worked in Every Detail

Think about this: If Joseph’s brothers wouldn’t have sold him, he wouldn’t have been in Egypt where Potiphar bought him. If Potiphar hadn’t thrown him in prison, he wouldn’t have met the butler and baker and interpreted their dreams. If the butler hadn’t forgotten about Joseph and left him there for two years, he probably wouldn’t have been able to track Joseph down when Pharaoh needed an interpretation of his dream. God was working behind the scenes in every detail of Jospeh’s life, so that when the time was right, Joseph was able to step into place and save an entire nation from starvation.

Allowing God to Work

We get so frustrated with people when they don’t think like us or do what we want them to do. And when people hurt us? Forget it! They’re dead to us. Yet, God uses all kinds of people to shape us and direct us and challenge us so that ultimately we become who he wants us to be. if we’re not careful though, we can circumvent that process. We can sidestep what God is trying to do, how he’s trying to work when we push people out of our lives.

We can also take it a step further and do this in our kids’ lives. Instead of stepping in all the time, we have to let others help shape our kids and correct them. It’s all part of growing into who God wants them to be.

If we want to be who God’s created us to be and step into the path and plan he has for our lives, we have to allow people to influence us along the way. It may mean putting up with a little more hurt and a little more frustration; but it can also add more love, fulfillment, and contentment in our lives as God uses those people to help shape us into who he wants us to be.

Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, God Uses Trials to Develop Iron in our Souls. A book to read to know when to allow people to help shape us and when to step away is Good Boundaries and Goodbyes by Lisa TerKeurst.

My Life isn’t Great

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My life isn’t great. I cringe even as I write those words, but let me finish the thought. My life isn’t great, but it’s really, really good. One of the greatest enemies to good is great, and I think it’s doing a lot of damage in our lives.

A Book I’m Reading

I’m reading and loving When Less Becomes More by Emily Ley and loving it. I love all her books! I’ve been reading it as a part of my morning time routine each morning. The chapter I read this week, entitled Chasing, was so good and really got me thinking about the fact that we chase great instead of good, and that is entirely the problem.

“I keep coming back to good. I want more good, less great. Sometimes good is beautiful…and great can be a little exhausting. Sometimes good feels like a job well done…and great feels like a job never done. Sometimes good is full bellies and happy smiles around a table of paper plates and sandwiches…and great is the complicated monster of a “perfect” meal that stole our joy before we even sat down to eat it. Sometime good is a staycation full of slow memories…and great is that over planned vacation that wasn’t relaxing or fun.”

~Emily Ley

Being Good

Nobody wants to just be good; we want to be great. Nobody wants to do a good job; we want to do an amazing job. But there is so much pressure behind being great.

making a great meal
having a great home
being great at your job
being a great mom
being great at homemaking
being a great neighbor

There is so much pressure behind each one of those. What if we simply replaced great with good?

making a good meal
having a good home
being good at your job
being a good mom
being good at homemaking
being a good neighbor

Maybe you don’t make three-course meals every night, but you made a good dinner last night for your family. You may not be a hotshot employee, but you show up on time and work hard. You’re not supermom. You let your kids drink juice and eat sugary cereal sometimes and even allow them screen time. Gasp! But you’re a good mom who loves your kids and prays for them, and you’re doing the best you can to raise them. You may not be Martha Stewart, but you do your best to keep your house picked up and make it a haven for your family.

Our Home

Let me use our home for illustration. Our home is 1100-square-feet and is connected to our neighbor’s home. It has street parking only, and there’s rarely room on the street for visitors to park. It’s old and needs constant fixing and updating. Yet, it’s a good home. It’s the home that we could afford when the bottom dropped out for us financially. This is the house that we come home to after a long day. It’s the home we’re raising our children in. It houses the dining table that has hosted many people around it, not for amazing meals…but for good meals together. Those people have been friends, church family, neighbors, and even strangers. It’s a really, really good home.

Missing the Good all Around Us

If we are constantly striving for and looking for greatness, we will miss the good all around us.

Your children might not be great, but they are good.
Your husband may not be great (aka–perfect) at times, but he’s good to you.
Your church isn’t great, but it’s really good.
Your finances may not be great, but they’re good. There’s food on the table, and for today, that’s enough.

Whatever is in your life, I challenge you to see it as good. Stop striving for more and simply enjoy the good that God has given you, that’s all around you. If we’re not careful, these indicting words will be said about us.

Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

Ecclesiastes 1:8 NLT

Encouragement from Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes has so much to say on this topic. It’s one of my favorite books in the Bible. Here’s a few verses to think about:

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 NLT

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

I challenge you today to look around you and find the good things in your life and thank God for them and let go of the quest for great.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, Finding the Good Happening in Front of Our Eyes.

6 Things We Can Do for Soul Health

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We got the kids out of bed early yesterday morning, so we could get on the road. Our field trip for the day was the Cape May Zoo, a favorite of ours. It’s a favorite both because it’s an amazing zoo, and it’s free! So it’s a win-win for us. But before the zoo opened at ten, we wanted to spend an hour or so on the beach.

We got there early, before it was too busy. We set up our chairs, and I grabbed my notebook and pen. With an iced coffee in hand, I stared out at the waves and felt the sun warm my skin as I began to write down some ideas for books I want to write. It was so relaxing and peaceful. There’s something about sitting on the beach on a sunny day before it gets too crazy busy. It brings peace to my soul. We stayed for about an hour and a half before it started getting busy.

What Makes You, You

Your soul is the basic essence of what makes you, you. It’s your mind, your emotions, your will. You can add character, feelings, thoughts to that as well. We don’t think about our souls a lot, but the health of our soul is so important. We are the only ones that can protect our souls. Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew.

Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28 NLT

It’s so good to remember that nobody can touch my soul; it’s protected by God. Our soul is what will go with us to Heaven one day. But a challenging thought is that I can touch my soul. I have the power to protect or corrupt my soul.

Be Careful What You Put In

What I put into my mind affects the health of my soul–the things I read, watch, think, believe, the conversations I have. All these things affect me, so I have to guard myself.

Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23

Jesus spoke about this idea in Matthew as well.

But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you…”

Matthew 15:18-20

What we put into us is what is going to come out, and it’s from within that our outward actions of sin start. If we want to protect our soul, we have to watch what we let into our lives. We also have to add good things. What are things we can do practically for soul/heart health?

woman sitting in the sun for soul health

6 Things you can do for soul health:

Develop a morning time routine. Spend the first part of your morning with God.
Set limits for social media and the news, or take a break all together. A steady diet is too overwhelming and sends puts brains on overload.
Listen to uplifting worship music.
Get outside and go for a walk.
Go somewhere that is beautiful–the beach, a garden, a creek, the mountains, a place with a view. Enjoying nature is a great way to give our soul the reset it needs.
Memorize verses.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post What I’m Feeding My Soul.

What I Do Every Night So I can Sleep

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Years ago, I started reading a Psalm before I go to bed at night. I started the habit during a particularly fearful time in my life; that habit has stayed with me over the years.

Our Daughter’s Fear

Our daughter, Maggie, has taken up the habit in a slightly different way. She has several verses that she’s written on paper taped to the wall above and around her bed. Most of those verses are taken from Psalms. Every night, she stands next to her bed and reads over those verses before crawling into bed. It’s the only thing that has helped her over the years to be able to calm herself and go to bed at night. She has always had a hard time going to sleep at night and has always been our most fearful child.

Sometimes I forget she does this every night because she does it after I leave her room for the night–after she’s tucked in and prayed with. But she reminded me the other day when we were working on our Scripture memory for school. We started reading our Psalm, and she stopped me. “Mom, I already know this one because it’s one of the verses I read every night before bed.”

Good Habits

Some habits can be really bad and difficult to break, but some habits are freeing and life-giving. Reading or reciting a verse or two from Psalms before bed is a habit that is both of those things. I’ve watched it make a difference in not only my life but also my daughter’s. Sometimes it’s the simplest things in life that make all the difference in the world.

Reasons We Can’t Sleep at Night

There are so many reasons we have a hard time going to sleep at night.

Fear
Worry
Anxiety
Shame and Guilt
Feelings of not enough
Reminders of our failures
A mind that refuses to shut down
An overactive imagination
Drinking too much caffeine
Feeling overwhelmed

Whatever the cause, there are plenty of reasons we have a hard time falling asleep at night. The best way I’ve found to fight back is to calm my mind and my spirit by reading the Psalms. Sometimes it’s just a few verses. Sometimes, it’s a few chapters. Other times, I need to recite a few verses multiple times in my head before I finally drift off to sleep.

If you’re struggling with any of these reasons for not being able to sleep at night, try reading the Psalms. See if it doesn’t make a difference and help give you the peace you need to calm your mind and sleep.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out the video Matt and I made a little while back about Praying through the Psalms. You can also read my post, What to do When You Can’t Sleep at Night.

Making it Through the Storms of Life

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The Effects of the Hurricane

It’s been raining all week here as we’re getting some of the effects of hurricane Debby. Twice in the past week, I’ve gotten caught up in really nasty weather while driving. The first time it was that really hard, driving rain where it’s hard to see anything. I was on my way to Panera to put in some writing time when I get caught in the downpour. The second was on the highway. We got caught in a downpour again; only this time, it turned into a hailstorm.

On the drive to Panera, I almost convinced myself to turn around and go back home. But I just kept going. It took a long time to get there, but I finally made it. I ran inside Panera and dried off and got to work. An hour later, I looked outside, and the sun was out. The storm clouds were gone, and I was really glad I had stuck it out.

The Storms of Life

Storms are not fun, and yet they’re a part of life. Some storms are bigger than others; some cause more damage than others, and no two storms are the same. But there is one thing about storms that always remains the same—they don’t last forever. Every storm, no matter how bad, comes to an end.

In the midst of the storm though, it doesn’t feel like it will end. If you’ve ever gotten stuck in a bad storm, it can be terrifying. Fear tells you to turn around and go home, to run, that it won’t be okay. The fear can twist us up and make us see and feel things that aren’t there; it can also heighten our feelings. And yet, if you just wait it out, the storm will pass…just like the storm when I was at Panera.

Scary Storms

Sometimes, however, the storm is terrifying; and it doesn’t pass quite so easily. We were stuck on the side of the highway for a good fifteen minutes, along with all the other cars and semi-trucks. The hail finally stopped, but there was no sign that the driving rain was going to stop anytime soon. In fact, it was supposed to continue for hours. We had to keep going; we knew we couldn’t just sit on the side of the road for the rest of the night.

We had to pull back onto the highway and continue on, even though we couldn’t see the car in front of us. It was nerve-rattling, but we eventually made it home. The rain didn’t stop that night. In fact, it’s continued all week. It’s a good thing we didn’t wait for the rain to stop, or we’d still be sitting on the side of the road.

Waiting for the Storm to Pass

Some storms last a long time, and if we’re not careful, we will let life pass us by while we’re waiting for the storm to pass. Sometimes, we have to continue on, even in the midst of the storm. It’s not fun, and it’s scary at times. But if we try to wait it out, we might lose days, months, or even years of our lives to the storm. We have to figure out a way to keep going, even in the midst of the storm. We have to choose to keep showing up, keep spending time with God, keep loving, keep serving, and keep choosing joy…even in the midst of the storm.

Seasons of Life

There are seasons for everything in our lives, and that includes trials. The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us of this.

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT

Storms are just for a Season

Everything has a season, and every season has a time. Storms are a part of a season, and they don’t last forever. The good news is that God makes an end to things. He allows tests and trials into our lives for a time and for a specific purpose. That test will come to an end, and he will strengthen us and place us on a firm foundation.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

I Peter 5:10 NLT

Stand Strong

Are you in a storm right now? Maybe you’re in a series of storms, and it doesn’t seem like the end is anywhere in sight. Don’t let fear make you run. Keep your feet firmly planted in faith. Spend time with God each day; show up to what you have to do. Stay faithful. Because there’s a time coming, maybe in the not-too-distant future when the rain will start to ease up, the clouds will begin to roll back, and the sun will shine brightly once again.

There will be an end to this storm; don’t lose your faith or your testimony in the meantime.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post Adapting and Growing Stronger through Storms or check out our 30-day devotional, He Still Calms Storms.

When You Don’t Feel Loved

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There’s a story in the New Testament that sort of throws into question everything we understand about Jesus and who we perceive him to be. We see him healing the blind and lame, encouraging people, loving the unlovable. And then everything is flipped on its head when we see that his friends ask him to come heal their brother, and he ignores their request.

Jesus’ Friendship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

No one can argue about the fact that Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He was friends with all of them. We get the understanding that he fellowshipped with them often. They were comfortable with him enough to demand why he hadn’t been there when Lazarus died.

And yet, when Jesus receives the news that Lazarus is dying, he doesn’t go. Mary and Martha send word to him, and he chooses not to go to them. He could have gone and healed him, kept him from dying in the first place. But he doesn’t. We see that from John 11.

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,

John 11:4-6 NLT

Martha’s Accusation

Jesus finally decides to go to Mary and Martha. They are understandably upset and confused. Martha meets Jesus and stares into his eyes as she accuses, “If you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” That’s how Martha tackled it–straight on. We know the rest of the story. We know that Jesus brings Lazarus back to life, but Mary and Martha didn’t know that ending. They only knew that Jesus failed to come when they needed him, and now their brother was dead.

A Powerful Lesson about Being Loved

There is a powerful lesson to learn here, one that’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a lesson that all of us will learn the hard way in this life.

What God does or doesn’t do in your life is not an indicator of his love for you.

Take a moment to reread those words. Now let’s unpack those seemingly harsh words. We have a basic understanding of God that is based on a one-to-one ratio. If God loves me, he will be good to me. If God blesses me, he loves me. If he provides for my needs, he loves me. When good things are happening in my life, God loves me.

Our Understanding of God’s Love

We also believe the opposite in this one-to-one ratio. If bad things are happening in my life, God doesn’t love me. If he’s not blessing me or providing for my needs, he doesn’t love me.

Yet, we can see from this story, that that’s not always how God works. Jesus loved Mary and Martha deeply, and yet he allowed them to go through this horrible tragedy. He didn’t change it for them or make it any easier. He had a different plan, a better one; though it was not necessarily a less painful plan.

God is Greater than Our Feelings

We have to remember that how God works in our lives is not an indicator of his love for us. How we feel is not an indicator of his love for us. Our feelings will never be an indicator of God’s love for us, because feelings change all the time. God’s love never changes. I love this verse from I John.

Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

I John 3:20

God is greater than our feelings. It may seem like God has forgotten you; it may feel like he’s so very far away. But never doubt his love for you. The moment you begin to doubt God’s love, Satan gets a foothold and comes barging in, ready to wreak havoc in your life. After all, he’s the one whispering lies to you about God’s love.

Reminders of Being Loved

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

Psalm 143:8 NLT

For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:17 NLT

We love each other because he loved us first.

I John 4:19

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

Psalm 36:5

I don’t know what you’re walking through today, but don’t ever doubt God’s love for you. Sometimes, when it feels that he is so far away, he’s actually working on your behalf. He’s making a better, a greater plan, one that you can’t see just yet. Trust in his love today; trust that he’s bringing everything together in your life to make it work out for his glory and your good.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, Living Loved or check out my book, The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life.

3 Ways to Remember God’s Goodness When We Forget

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I am one of those people that just doesn’t have a great memory. My husband can remember details of things that happened when he was a kid in detail. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday morning, or why I entered the kitchen at this moment. Whenever somebody needs to remember something–a name, an event, etc–I always send them to Matt. They have a way better chance with him than with me.

Often, even people that have really good memories struggle with being forgetful when it comes to the good things God has done for us. How quickly we forget what God did for us in the past. And yet, we have long-term memory of all the ways God has failed us in the past. Why is that? Why is it so easy to remember the bad and forget the good?

The Disciples’ Short-Term Memory Loss

The disciples had a problem with short-term memory loss as well. Jesus does the miracle of the loaves and fishes and provides supernaturally for hundreds of people. And yet, soon after, they forgot about it. Jesus calls them on it in Matthew 16.

At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread?Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up?

Matthew 16:7-9 NLT

Their Lack of Faith

Jesus asks this question, “Don’t you remember?” He questions the fact that they already forgot what he did. And he directly ties their lack of faith to the fact that they couldn’t remember what he had done. His indictment of their faith was simply because they forgot. They forgot the incredible miracle he had performed right in front of their eyes.

If the disciples forgot and they spent time with Jesus every day, what are the chances that we won’t forget? Pretty slim.

David’s Long-Term Memory

How did David remember God’s goodness? He wrote it down. That’s why we have the book of Psalms today. David recorded God’s goodness, so he wouldn’t forget.

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;
I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.

Psalm 77:11

If we want to remember God’s goodness, we have to reprogram our minds to remember. How do we do that? Here are three easy ways to do that each and every day.

3 Ways to Reprogram Our Minds

Cultivate daily gratitude. I do this through my Faithfully Stepping Journal. I take the first five minutes of my morning time routine to write down all the things I’m grateful for.
Cultivate long-term gratitude. Write down what God has done in the past, so we don’t forget in the future. Matt has a leather journal that we write down the things God has done for us–how he’s provided for us, the ways he’s blessed us, etc.
Choose to trust in God’s goodness. It’s a choice, a choice to believe in God’s faithfulness and goodness. It’s a choice today to choose to remember the good God has done for me. It’s also a choice to focus on all the bad things that has happened in the past. The choice is yours to make…each and every day.

Remembering God’s goodness and focusing on that, even in the midst of hard circumstances strengthens our faith. And it’s that faith that will see us through this storm and the next. But we have to choose to strengthen that faith; we have to make a choice to remember God’s goodness and not forget when the times get hard.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, read my post, 10 Things to Try When Today is Too Hard to Face.