InstaEncouragements Blog

A Prayer for Those Who Are Grieving

5/12/2023

When overwhelmed by loss I long to lean on the arms of my Heavenly Father. He is my Comforter and knows what I need, even when I don't. Knowing how to express my feelings through #prayer helps my heart heal. Words are powerful and finding the right ones to tell #God about my sorrow helps. Recently, many I care about have entered different seasons of loss--relationship, child, health, job, loved one... Loss leaves us with #grief that stays long after others have forgotten, but God never forgets!

When I am emotionally overwhelmed by a loss, I long to lean into the everlasting arms of my Heavenly Father more than ever. He is the greatest Comforter, and He knows exactly what I’m feeling and what I need even when I can’t express it myself.

Sometimes, though, figuring out how to express what I’m feeling through prayer helps my heart to heal. Words are powerful things, and finding the right ones to tell God about my sorrow can help me heal.

Recently, many people I care about have gone through seasons of loss. These losses come in many different forms.

Loss of a relationship
Loss of an unborn child
Loss of health
Loss of a job
Loss of a loved one

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Cultivating Fruitful Habits of Grace: Meditation

4/28/2023

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Spiritual disciplines are practices that allow us to grow our #faith, deepen our relationship with #God, and reach others with His #Gospel. They are the daily practices that, if done effectively and authentically, make up the process of God’s sanctifying work in our lives. Studying and #meditating on His Word, meaningful #prayer, and being an engaged member of a local body of #Christ are tools God uses to shape our thoughts and actions to a greater likeness of the One we follow -- #Jesus Christ.

Back in January of this year, my husband, daughter, and I packed all of our belongings into storage and moved to Hawaii as my husband oversees a project here for work for most of this year. While we miss our family, friends, and church on the mainland, we have loved being here and feel incredibly grateful for this adventure! It has been a wonderful opportunity to live in a such beautiful place. But, it has also been a time where we have been pushed out of our comfort zone and stretched, especially culturally and spiritually.

We thank the Lord that we so quickly found a church family here in Hawaii that has warmly welcomed us and sought to love and serve us as we have transitioned to island life. Our pastor here recently finished a series on Godly habits that has really impacted the way I think about spiritual disciplines.

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10 Encouraging Truths for Victorious Christian Living

4/21/2023

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Have you ever watched the news or read the headlines and ended up just turning it all off because it is so #depressing? There's so much evil in our world today. The world, the flesh, and the devil make it very difficult to see avenues of #victory in our Christian lives amongst all the evil. Instead of focusing on the depressing nature of our world and the evil contained in it, may I share with you today some hope? Let's dive into these 10 encouraging truths for victorious #Christian living.

Have you ever sat down to watch the news or read the headlines and ended up just turning it all off because it is so depressing?

There is so much evil in our world today. The world, the flesh, and the devil make it very difficult to see avenues of victory in our Christian lives amongst all the evil.

Instead of focusing on the depressing nature of our world and the evil contained in it, may I share with you today some hope?

John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue share the following ten encouraging truths in their book Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth. These truths are meant to aid believers in their life to seek victory over evil instead of giving in to despair and defeat. Let’s look at these truths and draw some applications for our lives today!

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Does God Want Me to Be Busy?

4/14/2023

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We celebrate Easter--when our hearts are tuned to the amazing Gospel story. For a while, everything that is truly important comes into focus as we picture the empty tomb. Then we dive back into our week where we juggle housework, grocery shopping, meal prep, a messy family, work projects, relationships, volunteer work, business meetings, church ministries, and a never-ending to-do list... In our culture, being busy is a bit of a bragging right. Busyness is what it takes to be an adult, right?

We recently celebrated Easter—a time when our hearts are turned back to the amazing Gospel story of Jesus.

For a little while, everything that is truly important comes into focus as we picture the cross and the empty tomb.

And then we dive back into our week where we juggle…

Housework
Grocery shopping
Meal prep
A messy family
Work projects
Relationships
Volunteer work
Business meetings
Church ministries
And a never-ending to-do list

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How the Resurrection Impacts Mamas Who’ve Lost

4/4/2023

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I recall standing over my #baby’s fresh grave. #Tears streamed down my face. Waves of #grief welled up inside. I laid carefully-picked blue and white flowers down and looked up to the same colored sky. This #pain is too great! #Jesus, come quickly! So often, our reaction to pain is for Jesus to take us out of it. But what if He doesn’t? Where is #hope if not found in relief? Hope is in Jesus. He is the One who endured unimaginable pain and conquered #death so we could have life and hope. #grief

I remember standing over my baby boy’s fresh grave. Tears streamed down my face as waves of grief welled up inside me, about to explode through my chest as great sobs.

I laid the carefully-picked blue and white flowers down and looked up through the trees to the same colored sky.

This pain is too great! Jesus, come quickly!

So often my reaction to pain is for Jesus to take me out of it. But what if He doesn’t? (which is typically the case) Where is hope if not found in relief?

My hope is in Jesus. He is the One who endured unimaginable pain and then conquered death so we could have life and hope no matter the pain or death we experience.

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What is Biblical Fasting?

3/31/2023

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Fasting is arguably the most ignored of the #spiritual disciplines we see in #God’s Word. As believers, we more readily apply ourselves to #prayer, #Biblestudy, and even meditation. However, #fasting is often viewed with hesitation or apprehension. It can seem daunting, unattainable, and even impractical to some. While we find no direct commandment to fast in #Scripture, we do see plenty of evidence that fasting is a discipline that is meant for all believers for our good and the glory of God.

In my post last month, “Thoughts on Lent,” I shared how I learned the origins of Lent and how to view it through the lens of Scripture. In the process of my research on Lent, I discovered what is true biblical fasting for the first time.

Fasting is arguably the most ignored of the spiritual disciplines we see in God’s Word. As believers, we more readily apply ourselves to prayer, the study of the Bible, and even meditation on it. However, fasting is often viewed with hesitation or apprehension. It can seem daunting, unattainable, and even impractical to some.

While we find no direct commandment to fast in Scripture, we do see plenty of evidence that fasting is a discipline that is meant for all believers for our good and the glory of God.

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Truths to Cling to During Turmoil

3/24/2023

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Have you watched the news? It's sad to see the turmoil our world is in. If it’s not a natural disaster, it some kind of man-made disaster infusing turmoil into every fiber of society worldwide. When I read the #Bible, I find this is what it predicts will happen as time speeds along to the any-moment-return of our Lord and Savior #Jesus #Christ. But until then, how do we find stability and help in these tumultuous times? Let's look at truths from #Psalm 46 that will help us navigate these days.

Have you watched the news lately? It is really depressing to see all the turmoil in our world today. If it’s not a natural disaster affecting people adversely, it seems there is some other man-made disaster that infuses turmoil into every fiber of our society around the world.

When I read God’s Word, I find that this is what He predicted would happen as time speeds along to the any-moment-return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But until that Glorious Appearing, how do we find stability and help in these tumultuous times? May I share some truths from Psalm 46 that I believe can help us navigate these days of turmoil?

Psalm 46:10 is probably one of the more famous verses in the Psalms. Maybe you have it on a sign in your home. I have a magnet on my fridge in England with these words – “Be still, and know that I am God.” But what is its context?

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