As I began my morning routine of filtering through my email, I found a welcomed post I subscribe to by Kathi Lipp. She asked for comments that would share how God showed up when life had us down. The poor girl. I know she probably didn’t think anyone would write a book in her comment section, but I just couldn’t help myself.
Today, I’ve decided to post the comments I shared on Kathi’s post to my own blog. In reality, life is seldom easy. Many of you are being tossed around by the storms of life. I pray that God will use this post to help you rest in your hope, encourage your faith and inspire your heart.
Prisoners of Hope
Just the other day the culmination of my need to see God move in a specific area of my life, both my mothers battling cancer, my husband’s impending neck surgery, his lack of employment and doctor’s orders to change careers, along with several other issues I won’t mention had left me overwhelmed and exhausted. I just wanted to crawl in bed, pull the covers over my head and cry like a baby. I felt like my hope was faltering.
But as I was talking to a friend who was preparing a series of messages to preach, he told me he had asked God for fresh rain this year and as he was sharing his own experience, he said, “You’ve got to ask the Lord for rain…fresh rain.” I felt like the Lord was talking to me through him.
So, I quickly made my way to my office, pulled up biblegateway.com and commenced to read the entire book of Zechariah. Not only did I ask God for fresh rain, I was reminded that I was a prisoner of hope (Zech 9:12). That I couldn’t escape the hope He has instilled in my heart. Like Paul, I may be down, but I’m not out. I may be hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. I may sometimes feel like life is crashing in around me, but I am a prisoner of hope.
I’m so thankful God uses other people and His Word to bring healing to hurting hearts! What about you? Share your story about how God has shown up when you were feeling down. I’d love to hear from you!
A Word From Me About Kathi Lipp:
God used Kathi’s post to remind me how He has been working in my life and in my heart. You can visit Kathi’s site by clicking here. She is the author of The Marriage Project and The Husband Project, as well as several other books. God is using her beyond her wildest dreams! GO KATHI – GO GOD!!
My cybery friend Stephanie – Anytime you want to write a book – you just come on over to my blog. You are such an encouragement to me and I was blessed by your words this morning and reminded to pray for you in all that God is holding you up in!
Thanks for your transparency Stephanie. There are many on this journey and it's a huge help to have people like you brave and bold enough to say this is where you're at. I've heard it said that “when God is all you have, you find that God is all you need” and have experienced that myself. But he also uses people in community to hold us together…or, to pick up the pieces when we fall apart. It's all good. Really. And He uses it for good that we might have a clearer sense of who we are, who He is, and our mission in this hurting, searching world. Thanks again, you're an encouragement! J
Steph,
God has given you such a gift with words; putting things the rest of us feel into words that are not gripey-just real. I pray that you continue to allow God to use your writing for His glory! Thanks for your encouragement. I need that “fresh rain,” too.
I agree with Kathi … come to my blog too anytime you want to write a book. 🙂
God uses all sorts of means to bring me up when I am down (which is quite often lately, as the storm of life have been ecompassing me for years). Sometimes it's blog posts, such as yours, sometimes it's a friend that tells me they're praying for me, sometimes it's His Word reminding me that He is still there and cares. That's what's exciting about our walk with Him. He never changes, but the way He shows Himself to us does.
Thanks for stopping by my place, and please stop in anytime! 😀
~Brenda
Tanyia,
Thanks so much for the kind words. You are forever encouraging! I pray God gives you heavenly refreshing for this new season of your life, my sister!
Love ya,
Steph
Phil 3:7-14
Hi Brenda,
I did enjoy your site. Are you a professional photographer. The pics were great! Thanks for the sweet words. I actually have a book coming out in July. It's a Bible study on Ecclesiastes and is available for pre-orders on Amazon now. God is so good!