I want to encourage those of you who feel unseen and alone in your hardship. You may feel like your days are being wasted and if he would just take your pain, you could be serve him in greater ways.
But God sees you and his measuring stick does not measure by the world’s standards. Every moment you choose to trust God’s purposes above your own - he sees and it glorifies him. Every time you choose to find your identity in him, rather than your circumstances, he sees and you glorify him. Every time you choose to trust and rest and worship where he has you, even though you see no good purpose in it, he sees and he is glorified.
Friend, your humble trust in Jesus when you can’t leave your couch glorifies him just as much, if not more, than if you were praising him from a stage. You may feel alone and you may feel insignificant in the kingdom of God - but your quiet trust is seen by the One who matters most.
You are loved and valued not by what you do for Christ, but by Christ’s sacrifice for you. You declare him worthy of your all when you choose to trust, love, and serve him in the unseen.
If you are persevering at the throne of God’s grace, you are becoming a mighty warrior of the Kingdom. You may not see it now, but your treasure is coming and it will far outweigh everything you have lost and sacrificed on this earth. - In Christ, Sarah “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-8
#hopewhenithurts #hopewhenithurtsbook #behindafrowningprovidence
So much of the sufferings of this life leave us longing for eternity. If you’re a mom, you’ll love this gospel-centered Advent devotional by our friend @gentle_leading—and it's available at no cost to you!
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”Longings” is designed to come straight to your email inbox. Each morning between December 1 and Christmas Day, you'll receive a short devotional on how the coming of Christ fulfills a specific longing common to motherhood, along with questions for application and reflection.
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You don't have to remember anything, pay for anything, or print anything. Sign up by:
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1) Visiting @gentle_leading’s profile and clicking the link in her bio!
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2) Visiting www.gentleleading.com and clicking the "ADVENT" tab.
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3) Clicking the link in our bio.
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We hope and pray this nourishes your soul this Christmas season. 👉🏼 Sign up and tag a friend below to join you!
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#advent #devotionals #christmas #gospel #amwriting #reading #suffering #longings
I came across this picture from the weekend of our book launch and the night before speaking at TGC. These amazing men are part of the reason Hope When It Hurts is what it is and the reason it’s gotten into more reader’s hands than we ever could have imagined (although ultimately it’s been the Lord’s doing above all). This group designed, edited, and marketed HWIH, and on top of that, are godly (and hilarious in their British kind of way) and genuine. Shoutout to the incredible work of The Good Book Company who works tirelessly and with true character to get solid biblical truth into the hands of many people.
Are you curious about the book writing process? We certainly aren’t experts, but we’re happy to answer any questions you may have!
One thing is certain - we plan our way, but the Lord alone establishes our steps. In whatever we do, if Christ is not the one leading, it’s not worth pursuing. He alone deserves all the glory.
#hopewhenithurtsbook #hopewhenithurts #christianpublishing #thegoodbookcompany
I rose before the sun, made my coffee, and knew I desperately needed time in the Word before the chaos erupted in my home. I was emotionally weary and physically exhausted and needed this time. So I sat, pulled a blanket on my lap and, apparently onto my cup of coffee as well. Life then turned to slow motion as I helplessly watched my whole cup of deliciousness dump onto me, the carpet, the blanket, and everything else in its path. The tears (more like sobs) immediately followed.
These were tears for more than just an empty cup of coffee and a mess to clean up. I thought I needed this time and I thought the Lord knew it too.
This is such a picture of motherhood, isn’t it? Interrupted plans, comforting little ones when your own tears are one stubbed toe away from bursting out into a full blown ugly cry, and learning to cling to the Lord’s strength in your weakness.
And sometimes, on the mornings you spill your coffee and lose your precious alone time with the Lord, you learn that, though consistent time in the Word is incredibly important, our status before God is not dependent on our abilities to make things run smoothly, check off our spiritual duties, and keep our million plates spinning flawlessly. Our status before God is a chosen daughter of his - always dependent on him, whether we admit it or not; always in need of his grace, forgiveness, strength, and wisdom; and always able to receive what we need from his never-ending supply.
Weary mom - if you missed your devo time or are listening to a sermon in-between your child’s million random questions, or your carrying a verse in your pocket because your brain sometimes can’t even remember your own child’s name...remember...He gives more grace.
In our chaos, he sees our cries over spilled coffee and ridiculously sharp legos. He sees our desire to point our children to him, even when we blubber our way through it. He sees our heart’s longing for more of him, even when we struggle to find ways to get the Word into us during these crazy exhausting years.
Motherhood is one of the hardest jobs in the world, but it’s also one of the greatest ways we learn to throw all of ourselves at the feet of Jesus. -Sarah
