Hope & Encouragement Archives

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

I stood at the kitchen sink, arguing with God. “Why did Jesus have to die? I’m basically a good person.” Be nice. Love God. Be good. That was the mantra of my life. I stared out the kitchen window and smugly checked off those three little boxes. Every Bible story and Sunday school song drilled that formula into my head. Maybe you’ve believed you were doing just fine and had those same mantras. Just be good + be nice + love God = fire insurance. My argument with God took a turn when I stated, “Why did Jesus have to die? It’s not like I killed someone!” And with that arrogant proclamation, God started the dismantling of my heart. I quickly learned that I had…

10 Biblical Inner Beauty Traits For Christian Women

How do we cultivate an inner beauty that radiates Christ when the world around displays something different? Let’s take a look at ten biblical inner beauty traits for Christian women.. We live in a culture that is so consumed with looks but lacks depth and displays a foundation that will eventually crumble. The way we…

Four Creative Ways to Encourage Others: Stirring Hearts to Love

The gold heart sticker sealed the folded paper bag. Inside was a watercolor postcard, painted with care and prayer, bearing a cluster of wildflowers and the words of Psalm16:11: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.” Tucking it into my journal, I prayed, “Lord, show…

Waiting with God during Advent

What It Means to Wait Well with God During Advent Waiting and waiting well with God aren’t the same, but they often go hand in hand—like a plate of delicious Thanksgiving leftovers that touch even though they aren’t supposed to. In seasons of waiting, time drags—making even roasting a holiday ham seem fast. It often feels like time stands completely still. And during Advent—a season that celebrates the fulfillment of God’s promise through the birth of the Messiah—our own personal waiting can feel especially heavy. It’s a place where grief and joy touch and we learn to wait with God. Finding Hope in God Through the Pain of Waiting But there is good in our waiting, and I want to bring you hope today. It is possible to change your perspective on waiting with God from “Why…

10 Scriptures to Battle Anxiety

Silt-covered stones sleep on the creek bottom as if they’re entirely oblivious to the current threatening to wash them away. I’ve come to the woods because my heart is heavy, and I need space to sort through my worries. Pulling out my Bible and journal, I begin searching for 10 Scriptures to battle anxiety. I…

The Key to Choosing Contentment and Finding Peace in Your Life

My perspective gets all jumbled up most days. How about you? Our hearts can easily shift and sway as emotions bounce around us, instead of grasping reality. In this day and age, it can be hard to keep choosing contentment and finding peace in your life because of loud voices distracting you from what is truly…

Discover 3 Powerful Ways to Beat the Blues and Find Joy

Does your joy-o-meter seem to plummet to an all new low with the latest headline, heartache, or health concern? Do you find since the paycheck is stretched, so is your peace? Are you having wrestling with how to beat the blues and find joy again? With all the self-help guru’s out there it can be…

Help For The Self-Condemning Heart

What does your heart say? Chances are, if you are like most others, you may struggle with a self-condemning heart that is shrouded in negative thoughts, gloomy outlooks, and visions of defeat. If you’re looking for help for a self-condemning heart, you’re not alone. Many struggle with inner guilt and shame—but God’s Word offers real hope. The Enemy doesn’t want us to live with freedom, joy or a light heart. The Enemy doesn’t want us to live with freedom, joy, or a light heart; instead, he wants us to be weighed down with guilt, pain, regret, and sin. He will take every opportunity to remind…

Calming the Storms of Life

The unexpected phone calls, health diagnosis, or broken relationships can cause our hearts to churn with turmoil and our minds to race with anxiety. Are you stuck in the middle of a mess and need help calming the storms of life? Are you looking for God in the middle of your storm and wondering if…

3 Practical Tips for Helping Your Child Overcome Anxiety With God

How do you help your child overcome anxiety as a Christian? Are you looking for help on how to handle a child with their issues of fear or anxiety? As a parent, it’s hard to watch our children struggle with big feelings. Have you weathered the storms of life and are overcoming trials with God or…

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