Category: Suffering

Hope For A New Year – Advent #4

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Hope For A New Year - Advent #4
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A New Year is an opportunity to let go of some things, hold onto other things, and grab onto new things. It also involves various emotions. Even though a New Year can feel scary, not knowing what’s ahead, it can also be exciting with new opportunities. In some cases, it may be a relief to walk into a fresh perspective. Hope for new possibilities begins to rise. Sadness about aging, saying good-byes, or letting go of previous endeavors can be painful. Knowing there will be difficult challenges is sobering. Yet, overall, most people embrace hope as one year morphs into another. God gives hope for a New Year.

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Manage Christmas Sadness – Advent #3

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Manage Christmas Sadness - Advent #3
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You might be surprised to know Christmas sadness is a real thing. It hits when people go through difficulties that stretch into the season of Christmas. Or it happens with unexpected tragedy or bad news. But Christmas sadness can sometimes appear when everything is going fine. Unexpectedly, something rises up or invades without permission – and surprises you. In fact, you may even wonder why it’s there because there’s no identifiable reason.

Whatever the scenario, you are not alone if you experience Christmas sadness.

Subsequently, the kindest thing you can do for yourself is to learn how to manage Christmas sadness.

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Joy of Anticipation – Advent #2

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Joy of Anticipation - Advent #2
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You know the little kid in the back seat on a long trip? Every 15 minutes, they ask (with a tired sigh) – “Are we there yet?!” That’s the same little cherub, along with a host of other little kids – and just as many adults – who asks, “Is it Christmas yet?” The first exclamation – “Are we there yet?” – is more like – “Gosh! How much longer?!” An impatience and a feeling of being confined. The second exclamation – “Is it Christmas yet?” – is more like – “I’m so excited, I can hardly wait.” An expression of the joy of anticipation.

 

 

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How To Prepare Your Heart For Christmas – Advent #1

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How To Prepare Your Heart For Christmas - Advent #1
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Most people really like Christmas. There are a few grinches who despise the annual celebration. But many more cherish this annual holiday. They lean into invisible qualities of hope and joy connected to the evergreen tree, lights and decorations, beautiful music, giving and receiving, special goodies, and moments of reflection. Unfortunately, many of these same “Christmas-loving” people feel overwhelmed at the hustle and bustle. So, how do you prepare your heart for this beloved holiday?

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Your Words Matter – Scripture Dissection

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Your Words Matter - Scripture Dissection
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I’ve known a handful of people who know just what to say in any given moment. Their words are refreshing and fitting.  Afterall, “The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.” (Prov. 25:11) But I’ve also known people who definitely do not have that skill.  So, it’s reasonable to conclude – your words matter. Thanksgiving is an opportunity to express words of strong gratitude to family, friends, to God, and into your own soul. Today’s content explores how your words matter.

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Choose Hope Even In Trials

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Choose Hope Even In Trials
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“I’m just so tired of trials and challenges!” I’ve heard that exclamation, and I bet you have, too. Maybe you’ve said it. One thing is sure – we’ll all have trials and challenges in the future. We live in a broken world. But you can choose hope even in trials. This is today’s content.

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How To Rise Up When You’re Down

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How To Rise Up When You're Down
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Recently, we published “To Fail Is Not To Be A Failure.” I encourage you to read that article – or take a listen. It featured the life of Abraham Lincoln. He failed many times. But he wouldn’t give up. And he refused to think of himself as a failure. But today we consider a unique twist on failure. If you’ve embraced – “I’m a failure” – you need to know how to rise up when you’re down.

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It Had To Be You! – Scripture Dissection

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It Had To Be You! - Scripture Dissection



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You’ve heard of the song “It Had To Be You,” haven’t you? It’s a popular song composed by Isham Jones, lyrics by Gus Kahn, published on May 9, 1924. So, it’s an “oldie-but-goodie.” It’s been covered by many people, including Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble with Barbra Streisand. Well, I’d like to cover “It Had To Be You” in today’s content.

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Two Ways To Live

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Two Ways To Live



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Every person I know has lived through some pretty tough challenges. So many stories, my own among them. And I bet you have stories, too. So, a question for you: when everything seems tumultuous, when you can’t see, or when you feel overwhelmed and tired, how do you get through tough times well? There’s help by exploring two ways to live.

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A Thin Silence – Scripture Dissection

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A Thin Silence - Scripture Dissection



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Have you ever been surprised by a small thing that turned out to be a pretty big thing? I had that experience in my quiet time recently. Several “game-changer” ideas landed significantly as I read and pondered. Naturally, I’m eager to share these with you. Perhaps they will encourage you, too. Will you join me to explore this content about “a thin silence?”

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