Monthly Archives: January 2025

Staying Strong in Uncertain Times

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It’s been quite the start to this 2025 year. A presidential change, the fires in LA, the plane crash in DC this week…and it’s only January. I’m reminded of a verse in Ecclesiastes chapter seven.

 Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 NLT

Solomon’s Observation

Solomon observes that nothing is certain in this life. That feels like a really bleak way of looking at things. We almost feel like we should throw our hands up in the air and give up. Why even bother?

But to understand the full context, we have to look at the beginning of this verse and the verse that comes before.


Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

Ecclesiastes:13,14 NLT

The Uncertainty of Life

The uncertainty of life is a very real thing. Solomon understood that. He grew up under the reign of David, his father, in a tumultuous time in Israel’s history. His dad was a man of war. Solomon understood war; he understood threats against the kingdom, against his father. He had first-hand knowledge of living in uncertainty. So when he tells us that nothing is certain in this life; he knew that truth himself. He’d lived it.

Acceptance

Solomon teaches us that there is a way to live in spite of this uncertainty in life. It’s called acceptance. Webster’s Dictionary gives a few different definitions of the word acceptance.

1. To receive willingly.

2. To endure without protest or reaction.

We can put those definitions back into the verse, and here’s what we get.

1. Receive willingly the way God does things…

2. Endure without protest or reaction the way God does things…

The Answer to the Uncertainty of Life

The answer to uncertainty in life is to accept the way God does things. We will never understand an infinite God with our finite minds. Consequently, we won’t understand why he does what he does. And that’s okay because he doesn’t ask us to understand; he asks us to accept it.

I love the next verse from Solomon. After we learn to accept the way God does things, Solomon tells us to enjoy prosperity when it comes. When blessings come your way, revel in them; savor them. Remember that we serve a good God that loves to give good gifts.

Find the Good

Solomon adds a caution at the end of the verse. He reminds us that hard times will also come. But when they do, we can choose to accept them and remember that both prosperous times and hard times come from God.

Instead of clinging to uncertainty, find the blessings that God is bestowing on you right now. Look for the good and enjoy it; soak it in. Love on your family, enjoy the income God has provided, travel and appreciate the beauty of God’s creation, get a coffee with a good friend, spend time each morning with God in a morning time routine. Find the good that’s all around you; celebrate that good. Draw close to the One who’s given you those good things. Remember that our relationship with God is more important than anything else.

When we choose to accept His plans and look for the good, we will find ourselves better able to navigate the uncertainty of this world.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check my post, 3 Ways to Remember God’s Goodness When We Forget.

A Roadmap to Building a Deep Faith

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I’ve been doing a deep dive into the book of Colossians with my new Bible study from The Daily Grace Co. I have to tell you, these Bible studies are my new favorite. It started with the Ecclesiastes study I got for Christmas. Ecclesiastes is probably my most favorite book of the Bible, so I really enjoyed that study. Now I’m following up that study with this Colossians study and absolutely loving it.

The Theme of Colossians

The reoccurring theme of the book of Colossians is In Him. Paul continually draws us back to Jesus. In this world, there are so many things that fight for our attention and focus. But Paul continually reminds us of what’s really important.

I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:1-3

A Glimpse into Paul’s Life

We get a glimpse into Paul’s personal life and goals. He writes that he agonizes for a group of believers, many of whom he has never met. Why would he be so torn up about a group of people he hasn’t even met? He answers that question in the next verse. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan. What was this mysterious plan? Well, it’s not so mysterious, even though we make it that way so often. This mysterious plan was simply…Jesus. Through Jesus, we find the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that we all seek after. There is no wisdom and knowledge outside of Jesus.

The Lack of Peace Around Us

We can take a look around and be so easily overwhelmed and discouraged. It’s a political week in which lines have been drawn in the sand, and people say hateful things to people who didn’t vote or don’t think like they do. At the same time, fires still threaten communities that have already lost so much. There are threats everywhere you look, and it feels overwhelming and daunting. If we’re not careful, we get buried in all of it—the uncertainty, the overwhelm, the discouragement.

And yet, in the midst of a tumultuous culture, over two thousand years ago, Paul told believers what that answer was. And that answer was Jesus. It was then, and it still is now. Only in him do we find the wisdom and knowledge we need to get through this life

Three Ways to Grow a Strong Faith

How do we find that wisdom and knowledge found in Him? Paul tells us how in the next few verses.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6,7

Paul breaks it down for us into three steps. He writes that if we do these three things, our faith will grow strong, and we will overflow with thankfulness.

1. Continue to follow Jesus

It’s not enough to accept Jesus by faith. Now we have to continue in that faith. Don’t turn back from following Him when it gets hard. Don’t let fear and doubt creep in. Refuse to listen to Satan’s lies that you aren’t important to God, that he doesn’t love you. Choose to follow Jesus, no matter what.

2. Let your roots grow down into him

We have to go deep in our relationship with God, or when the hard times come, we will cast our faith aside. The best way to grow our roots in him is to develop a morning time routine in which you spend the first part of your day…every day…with God. We have to make sure our roots run deep, so that when the storms of life come, we aren’t uprooted.

3. Build your life on Jesus.

Build your life around Jesus. Get involved in a local church. Find a small group to join. Teach your children how to have a morning time routine of Bible reading and prayer. Pray before meals. Pray as a family. Make God a priority in your home.

If you want the treasures that are found in a relationship with God—wisdom, knowledge, peace, thankfulness, and a life overflowing with God’s goodness, this is the roadmap.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, 6 Ways to Build Your Faith Today.

Depressed~in Need of Deep Rest

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January Days

January is upon us. I have a love/hate relationship with January. I love it because it’s the best time of year for snuggling under a warm blanket and reading. It’s the perfect time of year to light extra candles, read aloud to the kids, and experience quiet, peaceful evenings. Those are the positives.

But then there are also the negatives. The days are short; it’s dark before it’s even time for dinner. The sun doesn’t shine for days on end. The days drag by, and spring feels a world away.

Struggling with Depression

If you’re anything like me, you may struggle in the winter season. I so want to enjoy the winter season, and I do. But when there are too many sunless, dreary days…too many cold, dark days…sometimes it feels like too much. A lot of people struggle this time of year. Those of us who are prone to depression usually find it hardest to fight during these months before spring comes.

What does God say about our depression? What do we do when we feel discouraged, weak, and feel like we can’t go on?

Paul reminds us in Colossians that Jesus saved us and rescued us from darkness, so that we could live in the light.

…always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.  For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Colossians 1:12-14 NLT

Through Jesus, we can live in this world of light. The darkness does not have to define us; it doesn’t have to control us.

Deep Rest

I watched a clip from Jim Carrey about depression. Matt had seen it and thought I’d appreciate it. I won’t link to it because he swears in the video, but in this video, he points out the difference between sadness and depression. He explains that sadness is a result of something that happens; whereas depression is your body’s way of crying out–“I don’t want to be this way anymore. I don’t want to be this person or persona I’ve created.”

He goes on to describe being depressed as: deep rest. He says our bodies need deep rest. I would go even further and say that sometimes our souls need deep rest. I know for myself that when I’ve had long stretches of going and going and not getting enough sleep, my spirit gets to a dark place and inevitably, discouragement and depression will find me. When that happens, I know I need a time of healing for my body, a time of rest.

Examples from the Bible

David understood the concept of soul rest. In a chapter where he talks about his anxiety, he says these words:

Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.

Psalm 116:7 NLT

David understood that his soul needed to find a place of rest, and he could find that by focusing on God’s goodness to him. That would help to ease the anxiety.

Jesus told us how we could have rest for our souls in the book of Matthew. He taught us to let go of our own burdens and carry the load he has for us because he will carry the load with us; and then we will find rest for our souls.

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:29

When we get a place where we can’t find God’s goodness in our lives, it’s time for some soul rest and some physical rest.

How do you find deep rest for your soul?

Here are five ways to find deep rest for your soul.

1. Take a break from social media and the news.

I believe so many people are so stressed and anxious all the time because of a steady stream of news and social media. Watching the news ramps up our anxiety and makes us fearful, because the news covers everything bad that’s happening. And social media makes us feel like not enough, overwhelmed, and overstimulated. Taking a break from all of those outlets can give our minds a break and even a chance to heal.

2. Get actual sleep.

Give yourself the sleep you need. Take a nap. Go to bed earlier. Find a way to get the sleep your body needs to heal. As moms, we tend to burn ourselves out because we have so much going on. The kindest thing we can do to ourselves and our bodies is to get sleep.

3. Cut something stressful from your schedule.

So many of us are running around frantically from one thing to the next. This frantic pace leaves no room for our souls to rest, and eventually anxiety, fear, and stress take a toll on us and on our bodies. Find a way to cut something out of your schedule to give you one more night at home, one more free day in your week, a free weekend. With margin in our schedules, we can find time for that extra rest.

4. Find time for quiet in your life.

This is the kind of quiet when the tv is not on, nobody in the family is on screens, and there’s just quiet peaceful music playing. I know it’s hard to find that time, but this kind of quiet is so good for our souls.

5. Get out in quiet nature.

Getting outside can be one of the best things we can do for our souls. Even in the cold, it’s possible. Get outside for even just a ten minute walk. The sun does wonders for our bodies. Even walking outside in the stillness of the falling snow can be good for our souls. The fresh air works wonders and helps clear our frantic minds.

Looking at a list like this can overwhelm us and make us even more stressed. So just pick one. Look through the list and find the easiest one for you and do it this week.

*If you struggle with more than just a little depression, please seek medical help. Depression is nothing to mess around with, and there is nothing wrong with getting extra help if you need it.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post Encouragement for the Weary Soul. If you find yourself in a place of doubt and feel like your faith is wavering, my book, The Hidden Pain will provide encouragement.

    Creating Colorful, Fun Gratitude Journals as a Family

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    Each year, as we head into the new year, I am on the lookout for things we can do as a family to set ourselves up for the new year–setting goals, doing calendar planning for the year, looking back at what went well the year before, and more.

    Gratitude Journals

    This year, we created gratitude journals to use for the year and combined that with our word for the year. I was so happy with how it went, I’m doing it with our ladies at church as well. It was super simple and inexpensive…which is the best kind of craft! I love something that everybody can get involved in that’s colorful, meaningful, and fun. Gratitude journals fit the bill for that. We created ours on January 1st, but I think it’s something you can do any time of year. But January is a really great time to make one so you can use it all year. Here’s what we did.

    Our Supplies

    We bought craft notebooks from Amazon. Everybody got to pick their favorite. Next, each of us took the word of the year quiz. My word for the year is delight. Each of us wrote our word for the year on the front cover, and then we got to work decorating. We had a bunch of stickers we’d ordered from Amazon, lots of sharpies, and some pictures Matt printed off for us to use. I found actual gratitude stickers that I’ll be using for my ladies’ event when we make gratitude journals.

    Journal Entries

    Then, on the inside, we each wrote down three of the best things from last year. After that, each of us wrote down at least three goals for the year. Matt and I went a little further. We’re currently reading Jon Acuff’s book All It Takes is a Goal together. In his book, he teaches the concept of making a best moments list. You write down some of the best moments in your life up to this point, and then you use that list to help you take a good look at your life and be able to do more of what makes those best moments. (That’s the simplified version of it.) So we created a best moments list in our notebook as well. Matt added some more to the inside of his journal as well.

    Now, we add an entry for each day that we have something to write down that we’re grateful for. I try to remind the kids every few days or so to add something.

    At the end of the year, we will get to look back at our gratitude journals and see how God blessed throughout the year. Another fun take on this that I might still do is a blessings jar. Every time there’s a blessing or answered prayer, you write it down and drop it in the jar. At the end of year, you open the jar and read all the blessings. Such a fun idea, right? I love these kinds of ideas that bring our family together and help us focus on God’s goodness rather than all the negative around us.

    What about you? What are you doing to get your new year kicked off right?

    More Encouragement

    For more like this, check out my post, 5 Great Products/Ideas to Start Your New Year Right.