Purses, Prayers, Priorites

by Shari Braendel

A few summers ago I walked into a department store and saw the purse of all purses. Oh, let me tell you, this bag was the most amazing of bags! It was the biggest, grandest, most beautiful Coach bag I had ever seen.

I asked the sales associate to unlock it from its case. You see, this bag was so expensive and grandiose it needed to be put behind glass doors. The sales associate went on to tell me that she had just gone to a training class where they said if you were ever lost in the desert, this bag would certainly be all you would need! It could hold a small child if necessary, I am not kidding you! I was impressed.

For weeks, all I could think about was that purse. I would go to sleep and wake up thinking about how amazing this purse would look with my outfits. I even dreamed about it one night. One morning I was having my quiet time and as I was praying, I heard God whisper to my heart: “I don’t care if they GIVE you that purse, you can’t have it.”

“Excuse me, God,” I replied. “Did you just tell me I can’t have that beautiful, amazing, large purse that I might need if I’m ever stuck in the desolate, dry desert?”

“Yes, Shari, you cannot have that purse, even if they give it to you,” God answered.

I was dumbfounded. Why would God care if I had that purse or not? Then I understood. I was spending more time obsessing about that bag than obsessing about Him.

A few weeks later, I was speaking with a woman outside a church when I heard God instruct me to give her my purse. Another conversation ensued.

“What?” I said.

“Give her your purse,” He answered.

“But God, I like this purse. You said I couldn’t have the other purse, and as a matter of fact, I just cleaned out my closet and I have two other really nice purses I can give her, but not this one, okay, God?”

“Give her your purse.”

Now mind you, this entire conversation was going on in my head as I was attempting to have a conversation with her. I excused myself, went to my car, dumped the contents of my purse in the back seat, went back and handed her my purse. “God told me to give you this,” I said.

She burst into tears and told me she was a single mom with three children, and couldn’t afford a new purse. When she discovered my expertise in fashion, she had hidden her purse on the chair next to her because it embarrassed her. Here I was, giving her a purse that looked like new to her.

God knows me and purses, and obviously wanted to teach me a few lessons. To do so, He used a couple of them to drive the point home. I often say purses are my Jesus love language! It must have been the other woman’s love language, too, because He certainly made her happy with one.

About a month later, I received a phone call from the manager of a local department store. She told me to come by the store because they wanted to give me a gift. You guessed it! She told me I could choose any handbag in the whole department!

Now remember, God had told me I couldn’t have that particular Coach bag, EVEN if someone gave it to me. So, I took my husband along to guard the Coach department so I wouldn’t be tempted! And guard he did. As the Coach sales associate was waving me toward her to see her beautiful bags, my husband told her, “I’m sorry, she can’t cross into this department; God told her she can’t have a big Coach bag!”

She looked at him like he had two heads and just shook her own. Isn’t God amazing? He didn’t mind if I had a purse, in fact, He didn’t even care if it was an expensive one. What mattered to God was that I had my heart right.

Shari Braendel, of Proverbs 31 Ministries, is the author of Good Girls Don't have to Dress Bad: A Style Guide for Every Women . This full-color style and fashion guide is the first of its kind in the Christian marketplace. Shari helps you develop your unique style by teaching you how to dress for your body shape, what colors to wear, how to find the perfect jeans and swimsuit and much more. For your free on-line color analysis, visit www.FashionMeetsFaith.com and find out what colors are best for you!

Someday is Now

By Marybeth Whalen

There have been several surreal moments along the way to publishing my first novel.
I shared it with an author I respected and got tongue tied. There was the day I paused outside a Barnes and Noble with my publisher as she wrapped her arm around me and told me that a year from that moment my book would be on its shelves. Then, I received endorsements from other authors and realized they had actually read it, and had to shrug off the urge to throw up. I discussed my novel with my husband in detail after he read it, and reveled in all his questions. Then, I heard about the marketing campaign on a conference call with public relations professionals.

The truth is, I am not a person who does such things. I prefer my jammies to most any other article of clothing. I like hiding out at home and typing thoughts into my computer … but am not sure those thoughts should be displayed for others to read. I dreamed of being a novelist all my life, but really doing it? That seemed like a dream for someone else. At any rate, a dream for someday and not now. I hid behind the safety of “someday” for a long time. The word “someday” was a promise I didn’t have to fulfill, a risk I didn’t have to take … yet. I could put it off for as long as I wanted, yet still hold on to my dream.

I would have hidden behind “someday” for the rest of my life if not for God sending someone into my life who stopped letting me hide. One by one, she plucked out all the excuses I had to offer and urged me towards “now” instead of “someday.” She held me accountable. She accepted no substitutes. She urged me forward and didn’t let me languish on the corner of Self Pity and Apathy. She was my friend while being my taskmaster - continually refocusing my vision on the end result, admonishing me to keep my eye on the prize, even when I doubted a prize awaited.
When I met my friend Ariel, she was already pursuing the dream of becoming a novelist. She had done the hard work of writing a novel and was looking for a publisher, while I was afraid to write the first word.

Doubts and questions plagued me. What if my efforts were wasted? What if I failed? I would rather not try at all, than fail and admit my dream was out of reach. And yet, if I never tried I would never know. How could I bear to live in dream limbo, Ariel wanted to know? Just do it, she urged me. “If I can, you can,” was her refrain. When I look back, I see how much I needed her prodding, her unrelenting pep talks. It was the difference between someday and now.
My first novel, “The Mailbox,” is based on a real mailbox that sits on a desolate stretch of North Carolina beach. People come from all over the world to write notes to the Kindred Spirit and leave them inside the mailbox. It is a place that houses people’s dreams … words they hold close to their hearts and keep secret, sharing with no one else. It is fitting my novel centers around a place where people share their dreams, many for the first time. And yet, if they only leave them there and do nothing else, how far will that take them?

Do you have a dream you’ve been holding on to, keeping safe? Have you been hiding behind “someday?” Can I be an Ariel voice in your ear today? Stop putting off your dreams. Take just one step toward the passion God has placed in your heart. If you don’t know what that is, seek Him and let Him tell you. Listen to those things that make your heart beat faster. I believe God has called us all to live passionate, purpose-filled lives.

I believe He has an extraordinary plan for each of us. Your plan may not include writing a novel, but it might include leading worship, running a marathon, discovering something new, creating something beautiful. Whatever it is, don’t put it off. You don’t have to plunge headlong into it all at once. A small step every day is better than no step at all.

Someday is safe. There is no doubt about that. But someday is also boring. I am grateful God sent someone into my life who stopped letting me hide behind someday and whispered “Now.” An exciting adventure waited within that three letter word.

Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. They live outside Charlotte, North Carolina. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions, reaching over 350,000 people daily. She served as general editor of “For The Write Reason” and “The Reason We Speak.” She and her husband Curt co-authored “Learning To Live Financially Free” and her first novel, “The Mailbox” will be released in June 2010. Additionally, she serves as director of She Reads, Proverbs 31 Ministries’ fiction division. Marybeth speaks regularly to women’s groups and enjoys sharing stories from her daily adventures as a wife, mom, writer and, most importantly, a follower of God. You can find her online at www.marybethwhalen.com.

Please see the back page to order Marybeth’s latest book, “The Mailbox.”

Reframe Your Memories

By Susanne Scheppmann

Mom, please give me the $50 for the prom photos. I never want to forget my senior prom. It’s the most important day of my life!” my son begged.

Fast forward ten years.

“Mom, I can’t believe you kept those old photos. Just tear them up and get rid of them!” he said.
Photographs are memories on hard copy. Usually, photographs remind me of times in life that I want to recall - those “Kodak moments.” I reminisce with the prom pictures, wedding albums and baby books. Time reverses to the paper moments I clutch in my hands.

What about those memories I do not want to recall? Of course, I can throw away a paper photograph (or use computer technology to erase a person out of the photo). But what about those pictures of life that pop into my thoughts unbidden? What about regrettable mistakes, sorrowful incidents and haunting words that flash through my thoughts without invitation? Something triggers the movie in my mind and the flashbacks begin to play in living color. I wish I could hit delete and be done with them forever.

Recalling Regrets
Over the years, I was held back from a deeper relationship with God by hauntings from the past. Both the hurts in life from others and my own mistakes hindered me. Because of painful memories, I kept God and His purpose for my life at a distance.

Mercifully, my memories do not affect God’s love for me. I am grateful for the Bible stories of people who endured horrible hurts or sinned terribly and God still asked them to follow Him. Moses is a great example. He murdered at age 40, but at age 80 he spoke to God through a burning bush, then led the children of Israel out of slavery. The Bible declares Moses a Hebrew hero.

Stories like these are for us to read when our troubling memories linger too long. Over the years, God has taught me three precepts to help reframe the negative memories that replay through my mind.

Reframing the Past
The first precept is that while I might dwell in my past mistakes and regrets, God does not. He transcends my past. Isaiah 43:18-19 encourages me with the Lord’s words, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19). God invites me to step out of the wasteland of regret-filled recollections and reframe them with a new point of reference … His.

New Frame of Reference
The second precept is that the Lord has plans for my life. He assures us with, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11). A hope and a future is what Moses received, although he never expected his life to take the twists and turns it did. Moses decided to stand with his face to God, and his back to the memories of murder. Oh, the memories were still there, but He chose to believe God’s truth of a hope and a future.

The Renovated Frame of My Future
The third precept is that my gifting and calling are still with me. Even though Moses had murdered, a colossal error, God still called him. Scripture tells us that Moses “was no ordinary child” (Hebrews 11:23). Neither am I; neither are you. We are special in the eyes of God. We are all His children – specially gifted and called. And for the sake of reference, let me state, “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).

God called me into ministry at a Christian youth camp when I was 17 years old. I was so excited and committed. Was I ready at 17? No! Was Moses ready at age 40? No. Did Moses’ act of violence prohibit God‘s calling on his life? No. Have the pain and sorrows in my life left me with a hopeless future? No.

Thankfully, God has not revoked the gifts and callings in my life. He hasn’t in your life either. Sin in our lives puts the calling on hold until we repent, then our gracious God forgives and proceeds to renew our calling. It may look different, but it will still be God’s plan to give us a hope and future with His irrevocable gifts and callings.

For myself, I remember the night I felt that I might still have the privilege of serving God in some type of ministry. I filled the bathtub and slid into it, reflecting on how it seemed God was calling me to lead a high school girls’ small group in my home. I plunged deeper in the hot water and excitement bubbled up as ideas blossomed like water lilies. I could renovate those past hurts and mistakes. I could use those ugly recalls as examples to help girls avoid the same mistakes I had made. I could share how to release the pain and bitterness of the past. My purpose and calling would begin with teaching others how to reframe broken memories.

We can each take hold of those old memories and learn to reframe the past. We can look at them with a new frame of reference – God’s viewpoint. And most importantly, we can renovate those past hurts and mistakes into a picture for others to witness the faithfulness of God in our lives. Let’s reframe those old negative memories and create a future of hope and purpose.

Susanne Scheppmann resides in Nevada. Her newest book, “Embraced by the Father: Finding Grace in the Names of God,” is now available for purchase. A speaker and author for Proverbs 31 Ministries, Susanne speaks and writes to equip women to find God’s peace, perspective and purpose in their daily lives. For more information, go to www.proverbs31.org.

When God Calls, Answer Yes

By Luann Prater

“Luann, our station is missing a female perspective and we would like you to prayerfully consider doing a show for women.”

I’m not qualified, I thought, as I looked around. A stun gun could have produced a more lively response. Did they really mean me? Were they talking to someone else in the room?

As I agreed to prayerfully consider their request, the words, “I’m not qualified,” echoed in my head then burrowed into my heart.

Have you been there? Has a God-sized challenge ever stepped into your life and your first response was, “Who, me? You sure about that God?”

Take heart, one of the Bible greats shared our angst. We read about him in Exodus 3:11, “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’” My heart felt compelled to read and re-read the Moses story.

Sometimes we just aren’t sure God is behind that burning bush or in that opportunity. We think He must have someone better in mind for the job. Moses argued with God. Moses couldn’t see the God-sized vision ahead so he repeated those two words that I’ve said myself, “What if?” What if I take this on and fail? Moses repeatedly told God all the reasons he was not qualified. And God kept reassuring him. Moses needed confirmation.

Although Moses spoke directly to God, we speak to Him through prayer. Maybe you think of prayer as a formal ritual, but God says to bring Him your cares. He says: Tell Me what worries you. I hear you. I see you.

As I left the radio station I prayed, “Lord, if this is Your will, make it clear to me. You know my life is packed. How could I jam one more thing into it? I’m sure there are more qualified people who would jump at this chance. Lord, I need confirmation.”

I told my husband. He looked me square in the eyes and said, “You didn’t open this door, God did. Run through it.” The next morning at church I told my pastor about the opportunity. He replied, “You said ‘Yes’ didn’t you Prater? You didn’t open this door, God did.” On Monday, I called Lysa, our Proverbs 31 Ministries president, because I wanted to be in line with the direction and calling of our ministry. She said, “Luann, this is an answer to prayer. We have been asking God to provide new opportunities for all our speakers. You didn’t open this door, God did.”

The confirmation was clear. My mind still raced with questions, “How? Who? What? When?” As I prayed about these anxious thoughts, God didn’t show me the entire road ahead, just the next step. He clearly laid it on my heart to first gather a group of ladies who would walk this journey with me. I sent an email to women across the country asking them to prayerfully consider joining the adventure.

At our first meeting, I told the ladies I had been praying that God would lay it on their hearts to know where they fit into this project. One by one, He placed just the right folks in key positions on the team. Sweet, soft-spoken Ramona whispered that God had laid it on her heart to be my Aaron. Holy goose bumps trickled down my arms. Had she been camped out in my head, or did God really orchestrate her to relate the same Bible characters to me?

One by one, steps of obedience followed intense times of prayer and fasting. The old saying is true, “You can eat an elephant one bite at a time.” Though it would be tough, it is possible. When faced with an overwhelming challenge that only God can accomplish, break it down into bite-size pieces. Develop a list you can follow in stages. Ask yourself reporter type questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

Enlist others to pray and help. Recognize when to engage someone gifted in the areas you are weak, and delegate key responsibilities to him or her. Bathe each task in prayer. Then march victoriously through the stages one at a time, knowing if God called you, He will guide you.

I won’t tell you setting up the radio show was easy. Sometimes it was just like an elephant’s hide! But God delivered the answers whenever we asked, and that is the key. He will never force His way into our plans, but He is faithful to come alongside us when we call. He is a full-time Father who walks with us.

Finally, all the pieces came together and today we are on the air every week sharing life with women across the country. Who knew? Only God.

God didn’t check the list of my qualifications. He didn’t expect me to have the answers. He was qualified. He had the answers.

Where is God leading you? Simply take the first step of obedience when He says, “Go.” v

Luann Prater is a wife, mother of three children, friend of two step-daughters as well as a grandmother. She runs a small business, is a real estate agent with Keller Williams and is active in her church. Luann has been with Proverbs 31 Ministries for almost 10 years, is part of the speaking team, and is a contributing author to the books “God’s Purpose for Every Woman” and “The Reason We Speak,” as well as the “P31 Woman” magazine and “Encouragement for Today” e-mail devotions.

Pursuing Your Passion

By T. Suzanne Eller

My father left home on his 16th birthday and lied about his age to join the Navy, escaping the poverty of his childhood. My mother gave birth to her first child when she was a child herself.

She’s smart beyond a diploma, but even in her early 70’s she still wishes she had finished school.

As a teen I dreamed of college while working as a grocery store cashier on nights and weekends. After graduation, I traveled by bus to another city to live on my own at 17. I was accepted into a small two-year college and won a scholarship for tuition. I worked two jobs during college to pay for room and board, determined to run after my dreams. From the outside looking in, it might appear that fate was my biggest obstacle. No one was going to hand me my dreams. While that’s true, it wasn’t my greatest challenge.

My biggest problem was I had not discovered my true passion.

Distractions or Destiny?

Has someone ever told you that God has a plan for you? Distractions might make you believe otherwise. As a girl, circumstances weren’t on my side, and yet that didn’t cloud God’s view of my life or my future.

Allison Bottke, an author and speaker, married young because she was pregnant. Her husband physically abused her. Later she aborted a second pregnancy. She divorced and sought safety from the abuse. When she became a believer, she took the lessons learned from those situations and reached out to women who faced the same things. They trusted her because she had walked in their shoes.

For the last three years I served as a community mentor in a program called Women of Vision. Along with several other women, I went into area high schools and mentored more than 400 freshman girls. My favorite was an alternative school for teens who hadn’t fared well in traditional high schools. One day I asked a class of girls to share their dreams. One stood, put her hand on her hip, and eyed me up and down. “I don’t have a dream,” she said. “I only have a fantasy.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“My dreams are fantasies because they’ll never come true.”

This girl was a 14-year-old mom. Boys had lied to her. Her parents had failed her. When I asked about her dreams she only saw my high heels and pretty jacket. Her instant response was, “What does this lady know about real life or my life?”

But when I shared my story, I saw the light come on. We became friends that day and she decided if I could do it, so could she.

Distractions? Or destiny in God’s hands? My obstacles shaped me and taught me as I overcame them, but more importantly, they allowed me to come alongside others in the same situation and offer hope. For Allison and for me, our circumstances and past shaped our core passions.

Determine Your Passion

“Your passion must be writing and speaking, Suzie!”

I love what I do, but if I were writing or speaking about municipal projects or real estate, I’d have zero enthusiasm. Writing and speaking are only vehicles that allow me to share my core passion. My passion is my belief system.

It is this message: God can redeem the stories of our lives, no matter what we’ve faced, or what we’ve been through.

This message plays out in everything I do. As a parent, I wanted to give my children safety, stability and a home filled with laughter. It became a vehicle for my passion. God redeemed my childhood as I learned what not to do, and how to raise three beautiful children with laughter and love.

This is the underlying message when I speak. It’s the core of my books and freelance writing, no matter the audience or topic. It’s not what I do, but who I am. If I had to walk away from writing or speaking tomorrow, I would still be a passionate woman of faith who trusts God to redeem the stories of our lives.

What is your core passion? What have the distractions taught you? How can you take those truths and live them out—no matter what you do? Answer this question and you’ll take a giant step toward pursuing your passion.

T. Suzanne Eller is a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker, family life and teen columnist and author, and has been featured on hundreds of radio and TV programs. She’s still in love with the guy of her dreams, and has three beautiful grown children and their spouses. Suzie lives in Tahlequah, Oklahoma where you’ll find her rafting down the Illinois River or hiking Sparrow Hawk bluffs.

Proverbs 31 Ministries is pleased to offer Suzie Eller’s book “The Woman I am Becoming: Embracing the Chase for Identity, Faith, and Destiny” in this issue of the magazine. Please see the back page for ordering information.

When My Ugly Comes Out

By Lysa TerKeurst

I couldn’t even blame this one on hormones. It was just too much, happening too fast, in too condensed of a time period, with too many people determined to get on my last good nerve.
I’ll give it to you in two-word snippets. And while I’m running down my list, see if any empathy starts to find its way to your heart. I’m convinced if there is one way all us girls are alike, it is in the reality that life ain’t always so pretty.

Computer crash.
Birthday forgotten.
Starbucks closed.
Whiny child.
Stained pants.
Pounds gained.
Feelings hurt.
Tempers short.
Dog fleas.
Pantry ants.
Throbbing head.
Interrupted nap.
Sibling spat.
Time out.
Messy car.
Gas prices.
Urgent errands.
No time.
Doctor appointment.
Waiting room.
Waiting room.
Waiting room.
Misplaced belonging.
Futile search.
Hand wringing.
Messy kitchen.
Chores undone.
Laundry piles.
Paper piles.
Dinner flop.
Sheer exhaustion.

Can you relate to days like this? And yes, all that and more happened on my birthday. And all the girlfriends sighed a unified, “Have mercy.”

I really wish I could put a spin on how I reacted to all this, to make it seem more godly. I would love to share how I smiled and remained calm and didn’t yell at those I love and didn’t pout about the forgotten birthday. I would love to be able to say I took the high road and handled everything with grace as I shined my little halo.

But I’m afraid only one word describes my overall attitude: ugly.

Since days like that are a reality, what’s a girl to do? Especially a girl on a quest to live out the realities of Jesus in the midst of everyday life … everyday life that sometimes gets quite messy, inconvenient, ill-timed and ill-tempered, I might add.

She heads to the pantry to eat her weight in chocolate pretending she’s never heard the word “calorie” before. Simultaneously she also calls her girlfriend who she knows will understand her slurred words despite all the smacking in her ear. And she huffs and she puffs just wanting to blow her whole house down.

Oh I do know that of which I speak.

No, I was so spent after my little ugly meltdown I didn’t even want to head to the pantry. I didn’t want to forget the word “calorie.” I didn’t want to call my friend.

I wanted help. Real help. Jesus help. I picked up my Bible and got really honest with God. “Help me in this moment. Please Lord intervene in my natural flesh response right now. Block me from acting how I feel like acting and show me how to diffuse my frustration and anger.”

There were no lightning bolts. No booming voices. No phone calls telling me of instant fixes. And there certainly was no sudden loss of appetite where chocolate was concerned. So I waited.

From across the room, I heard my computer make a sound indicating an e-mail had come through. Since it was the first thing that happened after my prayer, I decided to investigate. I opened the e-mail and sat back stunned. It was an urgent prayer request for the family of a fellow author and blogger. She lost her battle with cancer.

As I clicked the link to her blog, it was shocking to see her name with two dates listed below it. One was the date of her birth. The other was a date I’d written on hundreds of forms and celebrated with many a cake; my birth date and her going-home date.

Because a blog is like an online journal, I was able to read much about her life. Things she thought and felt before she got sick, and after the diagnosis came. There were vibrant pictures of her doing life with her loved ones. There were hard photos of her in a hospital bed with loved ones singing hymns over her. All things that had occurred during that little dash between the two dates.

As I kept reading my friend’s blog, I stumbled across an entry written by her daughter. In the entry she told of a particularly hard day where she grabbed the Bible and cried out to God in much the same way I had just minutes before. Only the Bible she grabbed was on a shelf beside her dying mother’s bed. Her mother’s Bible flipped open to a page with a blue sticky note citing this passage:

“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5)

I felt as if I was suddenly drinking living water from a fire hose. So many life lessons coming at me so fast. The biggest of them all was how easy it would have been for me to miss the answer to my prayer. I prayed for God to help me and to intervene in my natural flesh response. How easy it would have been to miss connecting the dots between my prayer and this e-mail. I suddenly realized that God is always present, always aware, always available and always actively participating in our lives if only we’ll make the choice to see Him … really see Him.

While my circumstances can still be frustrating and beg my emotions to get a little ugly, I know God is only a prayer away. The reality is that He is with me. All I need to sense His presence is to acknowledge it, ask for His help, and make the choice to praise Him despite my feelings.

Lysa is a wife to Art and mom to five priority blessings. She’s the award-winning author of 12 books who speaks frequently at national conferences drawing each listener into a unique adventure with Jesus. You can find her at: www.LysaTerKeurst.com where she blogs daily.

This article is taken from Lysa’s latest book, Bible study, and DVD teaching series, “Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl” being released by Zondervan this month. If you are looking for a fall Bible study for personal use or to use with a group, please see the back page or center envelope for ordering information.

Surrendering Your Strongholds

By Wendy Blight

Have you ever felt your life spinning out of control, and you didn’t know if you would survive another day? Have you felt like all you had in this world was ripped away? Have you experienced a physical or emotional pain so deep that nothing could numb the hurt?

On June 7, 1986, one week after my college graduation, an unknown armed assailant broke into my apartment, held me captive, stripped me bare, stole my perfect life, and walked away never to be seen again. My heart grew cold. I put a wall around myself, not letting anyone or anything penetrate it. I lived for years cocooned in a prison of fear, despair, and hopelessness.

I searched desperately for answers but found none. Though surrounded by people, I felt alone. I vividly remember one desperate night sitting on my bathroom floor, cradling a Bible in my arms, and crying out to God: If this Book is true, if You love me, if You want the best for me, and if You have a plan and purpose for my life, then You have got to show me. Because right now, I can’t trust You, and I don’t believe in You.

From that helpless place, something new began. God taught me that His incredible storybook, the Bible, is not merely a compilation of interesting stories. It is alive, written by His chosen ones to speak to us today. Little by little, God spoke powerful truths into my life. He also blessed me with times of great joy like marrying my college sweetheart, Monty, giving birth to my wonderful children, Lauren and Bo, and graduating from SMU School of Law. Though many of the truths I learned answered my questions and healed my hurts, I still lived with the practical realities of being afraid.

My battle with fear reached unmatched intensity when we moved from Dallas, Texas to Charlotte, North Carolina. It thrust me into unfamiliar surroundings and plunged me into a place of extreme vulnerability. Once again, God had His hand upon me. I joined my first Bible study, where we studied the topic of strongholds. Although I was unfamiliar with that word, our teacher defined a “stronghold” as any deeply rooted sin in your life that prevents you from growing in your relationship with God. She listed specific strongholds like bitterness, anger, pride, addiction and fear. Fear? When she said the word, a shiver ran down my spine. I was afraid. In fact, fear controlled my life. Could this be my stronghold?

As our lesson continued, I knew God had brought me to this study to bring me face to face with my fear. We learned about spiritual warfare. She taught about the invisible spiritual battle between the forces of good and evil that we all face. I am in this battle. She also taught us that we had powerful weapons with which to fight this battle and one was the “Sword of the Spirit” - God’s Word.

After Bible study that day, I put my son down for a nap. I was so tired of being afraid. I had lived with my fear for over a decade, and now I knew that it was keeping me from a deeper, richer walk with God. Tears poured down my cheeks, and I prayed, but this time instead of asking God to take away my fear, I asked Him to help me overcome my fear. Taking away my fear meant asking God to do the work for me. I knew God was calling me to be an active participant in the work He was about to do in my life.

I eagerly dug into His Word for the answers I longed to hear. Over the next few months, God taught me a powerful Truth about fear: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). The Bible is unequivocal. The minute I received Christ as my Savior, God sealed me with His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the Living God lives inside of me, and in Him there is no fear!

I sharpened my Sword as I searched God’s Word for more verses on fear. This verse leapt off the page: “He will shield you with His wings! They will shelter you. His faithful promises are your armor. Now you do not need to be afraid of the dark any more, nor fear the dangers of the day; nor dread the plagues of darkness, nor disasters in the morning” (Psalm 91:4-6, Living Bible).

That verse spoke deeply to me because I feared the dark. At night, nightmares flooded my mind. I awakened terrified, fully expecting to see the masked man standing over me. I feared the day. Should I get in the elevator with that man? Should I park that far away in the parking lot? Can I let the cable man in? I was fearful 24 hours a day.

I took these verses and began praying them back to God. My greatest moment in this journey to wholeness and healing was when my husband left for a business trip and I found myself struggling with spending the night alone. I searched in closets, turned on all the lights, turned on all the televisions, and turned on the alarm. I called my friend to pray for me and forced myself into bed. As I lay there, I felt compelled to turn off the television. I fought the urge at first because I knew it meant I would hear every noise, but I succumbed. I lay there in silence, waiting ... waiting for the fear to come as it had done for 15 years. It never did. Instead, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and security! A feeling so foreign that I could not even remember the last time I felt it. In that moment, I had a vision of a wall of angels surrounding my house. After more than a decade of living locked inside a prison of fear, in one single moment it was gone!

I felt compelled to call my prayer warrior friend and share my miracle. When I finished recounting my story, there was complete silence on the other end. I did not understand. Finally, she spoke and her words brought me to my knees ... literally. She said that after I had called, she and her husband immediately prayed for me. He specifically prayed for a wall of angels to surround my home. I was astonished! His prayer was my vision. God wanted me to know that He and He alone was the reason for my freedom ... no rationalizations, no logical explanations. God and God alone accomplished this marvelous work in my life. His faithfulness, His goodness, His Word, His Truth and His power set me free!

Wendy and Monty, her husband of 20 years, live in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they are raising their two children Lauren (15) and Bo (11). In addition to being a wife and mother, Wendy is a Bible teacher, author and speaker. Before moving to Charlotte, she practiced law in Dallas, Texas for several years. Wendy’s book, “Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God’s Story,” offers the reader a step-by-step walk through God’s Word to find physical, spiritual and emotional healing.

Overcoming the Fear Factor!

By Micca Campbell

Worry, fear and anxiety were never meant to be a part of our vocabulary, and yet most of us worry more than we’d care to admit. What are you afraid of? Are you scared of waking up to an intruder in the middle of the night? Perhaps it’s flying on an airplane. Maybe it’s the fear of sending your child off to college. Your greatest fear might be not being able to provide for your family. Most of us can identify a few that haunts us.

Panic best describes the emotion I felt when the nurse rolled Jimmy into the living room. Jimmy was the father of my son’s friend. Beset with diabetes, doctors had amputated both of his legs and most of his fingers. Jimmy was at the end of his life, but refused to let go. Concerned about whether or not Jimmy knew the Lord, I phoned his wife, Juanita, and asked if I could visit him. I wanted to be sure Jimmy would meet his Creator as Savior when that day came.

Jimmy’s deteriorating condition took me by surprise. When I saw him, I was terrified. I whispered to the Lord under my breath, "Oh, God, how can I minister to this man when I don't know what he's been through?" Even though I was scared stiff, somehow I knew God would show up to do what I couldn’t … and that’s exactly what He did. As Jimmy and I talked, it was apparent he knew the Father, but I sensed there was more. We weren’t far into our conversation when I discovered the real trouble - Jimmy was afraid to die.

I told Jimmy Bible stories about God sending angels to people in need, people just like him. Those angels had a special message: “Fear not, for God is with you!” As I shared with Jimmy, peace washed over his face as he received the message for himself.

At Jimmy's funeral, his wife shared his last moments with me. Jimmy would often wake from his sleep wide-eyed and call out, "I'm afraid!" Juanita would pat him gently and remind him of God's promise: "Don't be afraid, Jimmy. God is with you." Then he would sleep again. The last time Jimmy opened his eyes, he just stared at the ceiling. His wife asked, "Jimmy, are you afraid?" Jimmy whispered, "No, I'm not afraid. I'm just looking at the angels." With that, Jimmy stepped from this world into the next.

I find it interesting that while Jimmy’s outcome didn’t change, the way he experienced death changed because he trusted in the promise of God. I experienced this same truth in my life. Even though I pleaded with God to save my first husband from death, it wasn’t God’s plan. Yet I chose to trust God’s purpose. In spite of my fear, I chose to believe what I couldn’t understand. Doing so changed the way I journeyed through life and the valley of death. I had a companion named Jesus.

Jimmy’s story reminds me that when I’m afraid, I need not fret because the same promise God made to Jimmy, He makes to you and me: “Fear not, child, for I am with you.” In fact, did you know that the phrase “fear not” is stated in the Bible 366 times? That’s one “fear not” for every day of the year, with one extra left over for those really hard days. Why does God faithfully remind us over and over to “fear not”? He does so because we are not created to live in fear.

Second Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” You and I were created to live by faith, and in God we have all the power we need for a faith that is stronger than all our fears.

It’s a Problem of Faith

The truth is, most of what we worry about never happens, but we insist on tormenting ourselves anyway. Worrying about what may or may not happen can nearly drive us crazy. A lot can go wrong in life, but God doesn’t want us to become worrywarts.

It takes faith to battle fear and learn to live with assurance in a God we can bank on. Unfortunately, most people go through life missing opportunities because they’re afraid to really live the way God intended. Fear becomes a stumbling block that leaves us with regrets. Relying on our faith allows us to live fearlessly.

False Advertisement

My youngest son loves chocolate milk. One day as I stirred syrup into a tall glass of milk, I noticed that the label on the bottle read “Genuine Artificial Flavor.” I was shocked! What appeared to look and taste real was actually artificial! I felt cheated and deceived. This was false advertisement.

In the same way, the father of lies specializes in false advertisement. He’s good at making our fears look real when they are not. In fact, Satan’s greatest tool for causing us to doubt God’s protection is the fear that God will not follow through with His promises. The enemy works hard to convince us that God is too busy to do anything about our concerns. If anything is going to be done about our situation, we’ll have to do it ourselves.

Like the legendary “boogeyman,” Satan’s spooks are all smoke and mirrors. We can easily expose his trickery by determining if there is really something to fear or if our concerns are simply…

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

This acrostic for fear is the kind of shock wave Satan uses to stun us. While the sting of fright feels real, in truth it’s merely Satan’s trickery that gets our heart pounding. It’s important for you and me to determine if our fears are real or simply Satan’s hocus-pocus. If it’s a real concern, I heed its warning. On the other hand, if my worry is false evidence that just appears real, then I know the enemy is involved.

You may be skeptical right now, but when you realize you were created for faith, not fear, things will begin to change for you. You’ll learn how to rely on God’s care while giving Him your cares, be able to identify His goodness and mercy in your life, and overcome your fears of loneliness and insecurity. Before you know it, you’ll be able to say along with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Desperate Prayers, Divine Answers

By Susanne Scheppmann

“Have you ever wondered how many of these prayers God has answered?” I asked, thumbing through the notebook I’d kept for years.

“Hasn’t it been amazing to watch God work in our families?” my friend replied.

“What’s your favorite answered prayer?” I asked.

“Hmmm . . . my son’s recovery from the methamphetamine addiction. No wait! The ordeal of Ashley—or . . . I can’t. There are too many. What about you?”

“My grandchildren are the best. With five years of prayer under our belts it’s hard to choose, but two of God’s greatest answers are my daughters-in-law. They’re a perfect fit in our family,” I said.

In a Family Way

Prayer has changed our families. On Monday afternoons, you will find my friend and me cozied up on a couch with a cup of tea, a Bible and our prayer journals. We have been awestruck by the answered prayers, even some downright miracles.

Our weekly prayer sessions began out of desperation. We each had two sons and one daughter. All six children needed divine intervention in some area of their lives. Between the two families we have battled:

-Methamphetamine addiction

-Immature decisions

-Homosexuality

-Career decisions

-Gambling addiction

-Adolescent rebellion

Desperation stalked my friend and me. Our strength diminished with each new crisis that our children faced. Finally, we realized our kids’ lives required divine intervention. We decided to pray together. We needed each other for encouragement, accountability and a reality check.

For myself, I find that concerns over my children magnify when I brood over them. Worry threatens to consume rational thoughts. I cast guilt upon my parenting skills and myself. My prayers experience paralysis. It seems as if my words fall like rocks into puddles instead of floating towards heaven’s throne. It feels as if God is ignoring me.

Find a Prayer-Friend

However, when I get together with my prayer-friend, I experience an uplift of faith; I know that God is hearing our entreaties. My friend gives me a reality check, keeping my feelings from overruling my faith. It is easier for me to believe His words: “They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:23-24)

God answers prayer. Over the years, we have experienced miracles that could have come only through the hand of God. One son was delivered from a methamphetamine addiction and is now a gainfully employed homeowner. A rebellious, strong-willed daughter now displays compassion and understanding as she prepares to marry a godly man. Another son launched a successful career after years of floundering in indecision. The answers astound us. We have experienced the reality of Christ’s words, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).

Do you want to be more consistent in prayer for your family? Would you like to squelch the guilt that mocks you during prayer? Do you need a fresh vision for prayers that seem delayed? If you answered yes, then I recommend a prayer-friend. Ask God to direct you to a friend with whom you can pray regularly for your children, your husband or any other needs you have in your life.

It’s important that you set guidelines for your prayer appointments. This is not the time to chitchat and catch up on the week’s events. Delegate the time to prayer. Share briefly the prayer requests, then pray. Record and date your prayers, so that you both have a personal record of the prayers and the praises for how God answers. And don’t allow discouragement to creep in and keep you from your prayer appointment - consider it a divine appointment.

Divine Delay

Not all of our prayers have been answered yet. Two of our children still walk in the darkness of immorality. They refuse to be part of our family. We rarely hear from them, but God hears from us. Although some prayers seem to go unheard, we wait and trust. A divine delay doesn’t deter us. We pray regardless of outward appearances because we have already witnessed the answers to so many other prayers concerning our children. We know He loves our children more than we do, and He is more patient than we are. The Bible says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He is patient with everyone and every situation. We’re the ones who become impatient and discouraged.

Regardless of whether God answers quickly or slowly, my prayer-friend and I will continue to meet, to pray and to wait. And we will rejoice and praise our Father in heaven for His divine intervention in our children’s lives. God hears our prayers. He hears yours, too. God hears our desperate prayers, and because He cares, He answers.

What's Wrong With Me?

By Melissa Taylor

What is wrong with me? I’m 40 years old. I’ve lived long enough to figure out this thing called life. I’ve overcome so much from the past. I love the Lord and long to please Him. I have an amazing family. I am a part of an incredible ministry. I aim to be authentic and truthful. I desire to be a good wife. I aspire to be a better speaker and writer. Why do I feel this way if I’m totally trusting God with my life? My husband wouldn’t understand my inner feelings. Friends would never depend on me if they knew my insecurity. No one would read my devotions or invite me to speak if they knew the real me. Who can I talk to? No one. What is wrong with me? Help me Lord; I need help now.

One year ago those words spilled forth from a secret, honest place deep within my heart. Not an isolated season, they characterized many difficult phases of my life hidden from others. On the outside I appeared a happy woman, who has it all together. If you looked a little closer, past the mask, you might have seen the emotional turmoil brewing beneath the surface. I was good at wearing masks; telling others one story on the outside and covering up a completely different story on the inside.

My name is Melissa Taylor, and I suffer from anxiety and depression. There, I said it. What a relief to acknowledge and handle it appropriately rather than attempting to fix it alone.

Out of shame, I hid these emotions. Embarrassment hounded me. How could I struggle with this? After all, I was a strong Christian woman, teaching Bible classes, having a quiet time, and praying. Yet I couldn’t overcome the anxiety and depression. I knew I needed help, but was too prideful to ask for it. Well-meaning friends encouraged me with, “all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27, NIV). A strong Christian wife, mom, friend, speaker, writer and Bible teacher should not need help with her emotional state. She should be able to pray the problems away - shouldn’t she? Guilt lied to me, “Yes!”

So I prayed eagerly, seeking God to take away the panic and anxiety. Yet it continued to attack. For four years, feelings of unworthiness, helplessness and anxiety motivated me to quit speaking and writing with Proverbs 31, at least 10 times. At home, nervousness, tears that came far too easily, and thin patience revealed the anxiety within. As a result, we suffered as a family, and I wondered again, “What is wrong with me?”

I really needed help. James 1:5 promises, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (NIV). On the brink of a nervous breakdown, I cried out for God’s wisdom to lead me to help. He directed me to my doctor and counselor, and gave them wisdom to prescribe medication. Initially I strongly objected and tried other avenues like dietary changes, relaxation techniques, exercise, journaling, and other means. I made changes, but none of them took away the anxiety or depression.

Eventually, I relented and tried medication. What a difficult decision. I felt like a failure as a woman and Christian, but have since learned that is a lie. Medication changed my life, giving me the ability to unmask my emotions. I realize the church falls on different sides of this issue. Some adamantly disagree with relying on external aids, while others see value in coupling tools to administer healing.

I have a good friend who has dealt with depression most of her life. Her biggest critics? Christians. She wishes she could say to people, “Don’t judge my faith based on my depression. Judge it on my faith in God who helps me through His Word, His presence, His people and even science. The meds don’t matter or have anything to do with my faith. Not letting depression rule me is what counts.”

Another friend spoke of her depression, “Pressure to maintain the ‘Christian’ image was suffocating me. The scar I carry from this year of wilderness wandering is deep, but God has healed me. The darkness still calls and the battle is strong, but victory is in Jesus.” I couldn’t agree more. Victory is in Jesus, and I give Him all the glory and thanks for leading me to people who could help.

Treatment of my depression and anxiety is like a team sport. My “Head Coach” is the Lord. My “assistant coaches” are my husband, doctors, counselors and a few friends. The Star Player is me. I play by the rules set by my Head Coach, but I also take instructions from the assistant coaches and it’s up to me to carry out the proper instruction.

Today I stand here as a woman who praises the Lord for hearing her cry for help and leading her to greener pastures. I have taken to heart what Isaiah 43:1-4a says and personalized it:

“But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, Melissa, he who formed you, Melissa: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior … since you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you …’” (NIV)

Yes, He loves me and I belong to Him. I’m not afraid or ashamed anymore. My name is Melissa Taylor, and I am a beloved, free and beautiful child of God. There, I said it! And I meant it too.

Embracing a Big World

By Amy Carroll

I couldn’t get the premise of the movie out of my mind. My husband and I discussed it all the way home. If you created a list of things to do before your death, what would be on your list? “I want to visit every continent!” I blurted out. I sat and mused for several more minutes before I added, “I want to share Jesus with people on every continent.”

My grandmother says that I have wanderlust, and she’s right. At the age of 14, I moved with my family to England for a year during my father’s sabbatical, and I was bitten with the travel bug. If someone mentions a trip, in minutes I’m throwing my things in a suitcase. Driving past an airport sets my heart racing, and I keep my passport updated and ready to go.

In my college years, God started to refine my passion for foreign lands as He planted a deep love for missions in my heart that has never diminished. Some things have changed in my life, though. I have two children and a budget that doesn’t include trips around the world! However, God has been good to give me other ways to contribute to missions and Kingdom building throughout the world. These are ways that everyone can spread the Gospel internationally. Some of them don’t even require leaving your state.

Adopt a Student

Revelation 7:9, “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb...”

The description from Revelation of standing before Jesus with people of every tribe and nation always grabs my heart. Beginning in my college years, I began to realize that my desire to reach people of every tribe and nation wouldn’t be as hard as I thought. Multitudes of men and women from other countries were right here in the United States pursuing degrees. I became involved in befriending international students and praying for opportunities to share my faith with them.

After college, my family reached out to international students attending a university near our town. The office that coordinated these students was eager to connect them with people who would introduce them into American life. The students were hungry for friendship, struggling with the language and far from their families. We built friendships with students from Malaysia, Japan and Pakistan.

One student, Ali, spent lots of time with our family. He even accompanied us to my parents’ house one year at Christmas, and we learned so much from him, too. After he cooked for us, I learned I can eat Pakistani food, but only with half the spice that a native uses!

Our friendship with Ali has had lasting results. I got an email from him several years ago that touched my heart. He had returned home to Pakistan to pursue a career, and the attacks of 9/11 had happened in the interim. Anti-American sentiment was running high in some areas of the Middle East, but Ali wrote to tell us that every time he heard someone speak ill of Americans, he told them of our family. He told them of how kind we had been to him, and how we had opened our home to him. I was humbled that God could use our flawed family to impact another’s world-view, and I prayed that the story of a Savior he learned that Christmas will continue to affect his life, too.

Many international students return to their home countries to become leaders in business, politics and education. They develop tremendous platforms and are trusted by the citizens of their countries. It’s amazing to me to think there is the possibility that Jesus can gain a platform through them if I’ll only open my home, cook a few meals and share my life and faith.

Train a Child

Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (NIV)

Financially sponsoring a child in a third world country has deeply impacted my family. We’ve found our child’s country on a world map, read about the culture and adopted the idea of eating a meal of beans and rice once a month. During our meal, we talk about the fact that Manuel, our sponsored child, is probably eating something similar. Our family prays for him and his family, and we write letters to build relationship. One night of eating beans and rice instead of eating out pays for our sponsorship, but more importantly, it’s changing our lives as well. Even though by American standards we’re not wealthy, my children have much. Child sponsorship is a way for us to focus on others in need and to put our own relative wealth into perspective.

Our Proverbs 31 Speaker Team had the amazing opportunity to travel to Ecuador last summer. In one area of crushing poverty, I sat at a school table surrounded by children sponsored through Compassion International. Looking into their glowing faces and sparkling eyes, I asked each of them what they wanted to be when they grew up. “I want to be a teacher,” one answered. “I want to be a fashion designer,” chimed in another. “I want to

be an engineer,” a child shyly added.

I couldn’t help but listen in wonder. In an area where many children didn’t even have basic necessities, Compassion had restored hope and built dreams in the hearts of these children. Their most basic needs are cared for so that they can follow Jesus’ call wherever He goes. Child sponsorship reaches not only the hearts of sponsored children but their entire family and into the next generation. Compassion International is a ministry that feeds children, takes care of medical needs, provides education and fills a child’s heart with the hope found only in Jesus. My family is blessed to join with them in ministry.

Be Willing to Go

Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...”

When It Rains, He Pours

By Tracie Miles

I had begun to believe the old saying was true: “When it rains, it pours.” Doesn’t it sometimes seem that challenging situations happen all at once? As hard as I try to keep my eyes focused on Christ during these times, I still find myself getting bogged down with stress and drowning in a myriad of emotions. I cry out to Jesus saying, “Lord, why?” and “Lord, do you really understand how I am feeling?”

Recently I experienced a very stressful season in my life, when I was not only over-committed, but overwhelmed with stress. I had volunteered for a leadership role in my child’s school, which brought with it the impossible task of trying to please everyone. Others consistently challenged and confronted me, despite my dedication to do a good job. I began to feel less confident and fretted over people’s opinions of me. I allowed harsh words to hurt me and resentment began to build in my heart. At the same time, several of my family members were facing serious health issues. I worried myself sick over them as I fervently prayed for their healing. One of my children was dealing with a difficult problem with bullies at school. I was exhausted from the daily responsibilities of being a busy mother of three, wife, coach, church leader, speaker, writer, maid, cook, laundress and taxi-cab driver.

I found myself praying the same prayer every day, repeatedly asking God to “fix” my problems. I was physically, emotionally and spiritually spent. I desperately needed to know that God saw me, and yearned for comfort and the reassurance that He understood my feelings. In the midst of the pity party that I had thrown for myself, God spoke two very important truths to my heart that I will never forget.

The first of these truths was a gentle reminder to pray for Christ-like joy and not rely on my circumstances to dictate my happiness. I began to recite Psalm 51:12 each day, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (NIV). It didn’t happen immediately, but it did happen. I gradually began to feel God’s precious joy returning to my heart. I realized that although people had said and done things to hurt my feelings, my battle was not with flesh and blood, but with the enemy. It suddenly became clear that I had allowed the ungodly actions of a few people to steal my spiritual joy, and God prompted me to seek joy in Him alone. He could have changed my circumstances at any time, but instead His desire was to change my heart through my circumstances.

The second truth was that Jesus did understand. I had been studying about a very stressful day in the life of Jesus that is so important, all four Gospels contain the story. On this day, Jesus awoke to a peaceful morning, which quickly changed into one of chaos:

• He learned of the death of His dear friend, John the Baptist
• King Herod was after His head
• He retreated to the sea alone to grieve and pray
• Upon returning to shore He found a celebration among the disciples and believers, encountering up to 25,000 hungry men, women and children
• And later that evening, His disciples were frightened in a fierce storm in the sea. He walked on water to join them, and then invited Peter to walk on water. Unfortunately, as Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. Jesus reached through the crashing waves and rescued him, despite Peter’s lack of faith.

Jesus began this day like any other, but faced many painful and unexpected situations. He was overcome with grief and felt anxiety for His own safety. He also felt loneliness, jubilation and crushing disappointment. Jesus was tired and overwhelmed. He was God in the flesh, and although His situations were different than those we may deal with in our everyday lives, His emotions were the same.

When you feel as if you have reached your limit and can’t make it through another day, know that Jesus understands. Our circumstances may be difficult, our lives may be stressful, and people may hurt us, but His joy and comfort are always available in great abundance if we keep our eyes focused on Him during the storm, and seek His unsurpassable joy and peace with our whole heart.

Romans 5:5 says, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us (NIV).” It may seem like it is raining stress in your life, but take comfort in knowing that God is always pouring His love upon you.