About the Author

Jen encourages women to embrace both the beauty and bedlam of their everyday lives at BeautyandBedlam.com. A popular speaker, worship leader, and author of Just Open the Door: How One Invitation Can Change a Generation, Jen lives in North Carolina with her husband, five children, and a sofa for anyone...

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things we love
& you will too!
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  1. Jen, I’m encouraged this morning that my tiny acts of service, dropping off the casserole or sending the check in the mail, are multiplied when I place them in God’s hands. What a privilege it was for those brown-bag-fillers to come alongside you and your family in your time of upheaval. We need Him, and we need each other.

  2. So much transition and change. So many stops and starts. Praying for my ability to wait and trust God’s timing.

    • Thank you for this reminder! Life is hard but I know GOD is good. Praying, trusting and waiting is the season I’m in as my husband lost his job after 24 years of employment. With many challenges, my marriage, depression, health issues and financial I’ve found that even when God takes away everything, I can still say with resolve that if I still have GOD than I have everything in this life and even more in my next life! It’s hard heart place to be but that’s where I’ve experienced His true peace and joy! God’s best to you.

    • I pray with you to trust Gods timing in the many roller coasters rides of transition. I want to trust that he knows my path and I maintain my faith. I love my life and feel very blessed so that has carried me through the tougher days . May God bless you with inner peace today.

  3. Waiting on the Holy Spirit to guide my next step instead of me choosing what I want. I need peace and clarity.

  4. I pray for the peace of. Mind that only He can give, and that I will come out of my anxiety state knowing He is in control. Thank you form our always encouraging words x

  5. Jen,
    I just read your condensed version of this post in “A Moment To Breathe” several days ago and here it is reminding me again. In this world I WILL have trouble (not I may have trouble), but I take heart because He (Jesus, Lord and Savior, God) has overcome the world. I know how the battle ends. Sometimes it’s hard to take an eternal perspective. We expect the victory in this lifetime. Yes, we have victories along the way, but it’s our ultimate victory that we/I need to stay focused on. If everything resolved itself in this lifetime there would be no reason for me to have utter reliance and dependence upon the Lord. My ultimate victory will be in eternity and this life will seem like a blink of an eye. I focus on the end prize and that’s what keeps me persevering. That and having the continual presence of the Lord along the way. His presence IS the prize. Beautiful post and I could use prayers for being overwhelmed (in a good way) with the workload of Redeemer Christian Foundation. We are growing and the children are prospering, but I am weary and need strength. Also have had continual health problems that could use prayers. Thank you….
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    • Yes, I wrote this a few years ago and it was last week’s Moment to Breathe devo. I needed the reminder again because He continually teaches us new truths from the exact same experiences.

      Praying for you as you steward all that He’s given you with the Redeemer Christian Foundation. For strength in weakness, for renewed energy amidst exhaustion and for someone to come alongside you to help you carry out all that He is doing. xoxox

      • This was so good & I needed it at this moment. My mom was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma and begins treatments next week. I’m 5 hours from her & have a special needs son. I have guilt over not being able to be there for my mom at her treatments. Praying for totally healing for my mom & minimal side effects. My husband, son, & I will be facing some big changes in the months to come; I pray that God will lead us every step of the way. Thanks for your words today & in A Moment to Breathe. I sent my mom a copy to read during her chemotherapy & infusion treatments.

  6. Thank you for your heartfelt words. Yes, it is a choice, everyday (sometimes minute by minute) to lean into God fully in all of our circumstances. Today, I choose to trust God and faithfully walk with Him.
    Blessings,

    • In humility, I read every one of these posts; after each one I prayed God would administer to you all in your needs, your grief, the threat of helplessness sweeping over you. I’ve been there, had the black cloud hover for so long. Now, reading this blog and the responses, I see even in your pleas, the strength to cling to God’s promise is so apparent in each and every one of you. You are strong, full of grace – and human, so don’t ever berate yourselves for anything.
      May the Holy Spirit be ever with you, strengthening in the bleakest times.
      Eliz

  7. Thank you, Jen!
    If I worry…
    Matthew 6:25-34 (for me, verse 33 especially)
    Matthew 10:29-31

    Faith…Hebrews 11:1
    Peace…John 14:27

  8. Jen, thank you for your story! It really spoke to my heart today. I have become the care giver to my 27 year old daughter who has Epilepsy. She is just draining the life out of me. She has since separated from her husband and her 2 children are going back and forth between out house and her husbands. She is getting no money from him since she can’t work and now we are paying her cell phone bill. She has become very hostile, mean and expects us to give her what ever she wants. My husband and I went to visit my mom and sister for Christmas to just get away for a few days because I needed a break. When we got home it was totally nuts in my house to the point that I wanted to turn around and walk out the door, get back in the car and leave again. Ever since then I have been having a hard time, I have been praying and asking God how can I do better to fix this and how can I see the positive in the situation. But it just seems like it’s a lost cause and that he doesn’t hear me. I know that we are supposed to be still and listen but sometimes I don’t even know if hear him. I know also that everything in his timing not ours but it’s so hard to wait for the answers. I don’t know what to do anymore.

    • OH Gina – what a blessing you are for your daughter and your grandchildren. I can’t even imagine how tough that must be, especially amidst a pervasive entitlement attitude. I will pray for direction for you on how best to love her unconditionally, yet also for wisdom in establishing boundaries that are healthy for all of you.

      Do you have any one in your immediate sphere that has experience in a situation like this who could help give direction on how best to maneuver the next steps?

      • No, I have no one else to help with the next steps. I really wish I had someone to help with this, but I don’t know anyone. Thank you so much for your reply. I’m very thankful that there are wonderful people that understand.

        • Hi Gina,

          I am praying for you, your daughter, and your family and all medical and other people involved.

          I know some of what you may be going through, both as a caregiver to loved ones with severe illnesses and conditions, and also as a patient who has had to depend on family and friends and my new husband for care and help. Both these positions hold challenges and also opportunities for leaning hard into Jesus for His help, love, peace and strength in our weakness.

          I encourage you to ask a friend about a local church that you can go to or call for prayer and help, and to go to worship as often as possible. Jesus offers us so much help through the church, the Body of Christ.

          I also encourage you to call Focus on the Family and tell them the whole situation, and ask them for prayer, for counseling resources or phone numbers of counseling in your area, and for books that may offer help and hope.

          Praying for you all. God is faithful! God is greater than the enemy who is in the world! God loves you and your family with a perfect and everlasting Love!

          Love in Christ,
          Tammie

          • 855-771-HELP is the phone number for Focus on the Family Counseling line.

            Love in Christ,
            Tammie

  9. So many yucky things are coming to light in a family relationship. I carry an unexpected responsibility, which I’m trying to do my very best, and am getting attacks years long surfacing and it is taking a toll on my emotional and physical health. I fight daily to not remember the negativity and hurtful things publicized.

  10. Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing yourself and your walk with Christ with us today. I’m in the same way as I recently moved to a new state by myself at the Lord’s leading. Being older, not knowing anyone and the second time I’ve been giving the opportunity of journeying as Abraham did long ago. More endings, new beginnings and the challenges that follow. It can seem that we get to the end of ourselves time and time again. And thankfully yet however painfully so. He has provided for me time and time again when I simply couldn’t see. His word has been that anchor to my soul as my faith gets tested and refined as His ways and timing certainly aren’t mine. His faithfulness is revealed not only in the big things but in the tenderest of whispers, that He sees me, knows me and above all, loves me. The Lord has physically changed my perspective from oceans to farmlands and mountains. All the while continuing to show me the lessons of being in the present over the perfect that my heart can desire. He remains faithful. Take heart that your faith is not in vain as your world seems to be at a dead standstill while whirling all around you. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him” Nahum 1:7

  11. This was me this morning. When I saw the title, “Life is Hard”, I snickered and said to myself, “Boy, you’ve got THAT right.” I was hurting, deeply, and shedding many tears as I drove to work. I had already decided to stop at my favorite shop to get a bite for breakfast, so as I parked in their lot, I thought I would take the time to read the full devotion. Crying some more, I recognized me in every word. When I was done reading, I went to the shop’s door only to find it locked and a sign that read, “New Winter Hours” that began a half hour later from when I was standing there. Seeing it as one more strike against me this morning, I grumbled my way back to the car wondering where I would get breakfast. As I pulled out of the lot, my phone rang and it was my husband calling to see how I was doing, and to share a verse with me, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; lean not on your own understanding.” My jaw dropped. I had purposefully left my phone in the car when I went to run my breakfast errand, so if the shop had been open, I would have completely missed his call and his encouragement. You wrote – “I wanted to quit. I was done. I was exhausted, and my circumstances were not changing, but then He fed me — literally.” Amazing. He did not feed me with my favorite pastry from my favorite shop, for He knew that would only last for a while…but instead He fed me with His Word as my husband called to share it with me. Which do you think I needed more?? 🙂

    • Oh Beth – thank you for sharing that. I wish I was closer and I would feed you some sweet pastries and we’d share the fact that life is hard, but God is good. So grateful for your husband’s call and His perfect timing. xoxox

    • Wow, our God is awesome!! So glad you got to experience that firsthand 🙂 ! Thanks for sharing your experience!!

  12. Soo many challenges. Mom and brother battling cancer. I am not local to help on a daily basis and feel inadequate.
    Struggling to accept the new state I currently live and find myself angry.

  13. When I read the headline, I thought “You can say THAT again”. And when I read your article about the porch I must say I thought: It’s all very well if you can do it but what if you have neither husband nor your own home, don’t know how to pay for your rent and your car, and your health just does not allow you to have a proper full-time job? It seems I have to rely on the Lord’s provision more than ever and just work as much as I can. Finding peace in knowing that no one can provide for me like HE can. And HE does. Just yesterday, there was an extra 111 EUR on my bank account from one of my sisters to give me some hope. To me, it was more than that. For the first time this year, I could buy some petrol. It seems God took the pastor that prayed for me during New Year’s Service at his word: to provide for me very practically. Thank you, father.

    • Oh Anne –

      Isn’t that amazing how He provides at the exact time to give hope? Thank you for sharing that with us. And I do know how hard situations can appear. Building that porch is something we didn’t need at all – a complete want, not a need – and it came after 17 years of having similar feelings to what you are having now. Not knowing how our basics would be taken care of but ultimately understanding that He is the only one who provides exactly what we need in His timing.

  14. This morning, as I sit in the spare bedroom/library, tears fell freely. This season I’m in has seemed like an eternity, and I am beyond weary. It seems God is taking one thing after another from me. The most recent loss was yesterday when my beautiful cat went downhill fast, and I made the heart wrenching decision to have her put down. This morning my heart is broken. Another loss; another cry out to God, “Do you hate me?” Deep down I know He does not, but at the surface right now I feel abandoned.

    • Becky, I’m praying for you…
      Heavenly Father, our hearts are beyond heavy when we feel forgotten and/or abandoned. We know that in this life we will have hard times and trials but sometimes the burden is overwhelming. As someone who has uttered these same words when grief and loss overwhelms me, I pray for mercy and comfort for my sweet sister, Becky. Lord, you are the God of all comforts, would you please bring someone alongside Becky to be a “tangible” comfort and encouragement that she can see and feel. Thank you, Jesus. Amen

    • Becky,

      Praying for you sweet sister!!

      Father please send some peace & contentment to Becky’s weary soul. Help her not to feel abandoned, but loved. You said this life will be hard & full of troubles. You have overcome this world-help her to realize this & lean into you hard. Send someone to comfort & encourage her in this struggle!

      AMEN!

  15. Prayer for the Semien family who lost their father & for his daughter who is battling terminal cancer . Another daughter passed away 18 years ago from cancer. Heal the family please Jesus. Also , keep my sister Aliah safe on a business trip to Rome this Summer & help her to have a blessed marriage as she marries in September. Amen!

  16. I’ve dealt with some serious health challenges for the last 20 yrs that seem to be escalating. Im seeing a doctor this morning for a second opinion on whether or not to have another surgery. I’ve had about 9 so far so I’d rather not have another surgery but don’t know how/if I can continue on in this pain. Just surviving/living life seems overwhelming right now. Thank you for your prayers.

    • Wow, Rebecca! That’s really tough! I’m praying for you – that you would have peace and also relief of your pain if such be His will. I’m sure He’s using your circumstances for His glory and ultimately your good (even if that seems unimaginable!!!) – Romans 8,28
      Hugs and much love!!
      Mary

  17. Wow! This truly ministered to me this morning. Pray for my strength and that my faith fail not. So many things are uncertain in my life right now. Fear is paralyzing me.

    • A long time ago, I was told that “fear is lack of faith”. Every time I feel fear surfacing, I remember that.
      Faith…Hebrews 11:1

  18. This is so encouraging. Im a mom of three and have been bedridden with vertigo due to an inner ear infection. It has been so dibililitating. And I ask Him why? But God has a plan. I love that verse of
    John 16:33. Very encouraging.

    • John 16:33 means so much to me, too. And I often remember that “God has a Plan” with a capital “P”

  19. I work in a toxic work environment where our male boss is verbally abusive. The owner of the business is not involved with her business that she inherited from her parents, so we can’t bring our concerns to her. I need new doors of opportunity to open. It’s been very tough working in an environment like that. Please pray for a new job.

  20. My family has been through a lot already in 2018. My mother had a bad fall and broke her leg. While she was recovering, my father was diagnosed with brain cancer. (We’re awaiting his surgery on Monday.) I’m trying to find a way to help my sister care for them while trying to nurture my 12 week old.

  21. Normally after reading these I think of the prayer that I need to deal with the tough situations of my life. Today, I was moved to ask for prayer for my mother. She is a mother of three, her name is Regina. She works serving others as a social worker who trains those who want to be foster parents. She is not an only child, but she is the only one who lives near her aging mother and takes steps to care for her that have to be done by someone close by. In August, my dad/ her husband, had a heart attack and quadruple bypass a month before my sisters wedding. My mom took off work then worked from home to care for him and make sure he fully recovered- which praise be, he did. My mom helped plan and pay for my sisters big day. My mom helped prepare me for a pageant and to begin grad school as I work. My mom doesn’t miss a game that my little brother plays in, and helps raise money for his teams. On Sunday, my mom’s best friend Mandy, had a stroke and had hemorrhaging on her brain from the stroke. They have been best friends for over 40 years. They share life. They share memories. They share love. A lot of people are praying for Mandy to come off the ventilator she is on, and to have healing for her body, and peace for her family- which is beautiful and wonderful, and I praise god for those prayers. My mom has been relentless in her prayer for her friend and has spent many hours in the hospital waiting for news, waiting for Mandy to wake up, supporting mandy’s Husband and daughters, before coming home to still take care of her own family and go to work the next morning. This morning I want to lift my mother up in prayer. For her peace. For her sanity in overwhelming circumstances. For her to felt taken care of. For her to feel loved. For her to be restored and rested. For me to be the daughter she needs. To hear her laugh more like she was able to do yesterday while we enjoyed a snow day. Please think of her. Please pray for her. Help me pray for her to be covered in love and peace.

    • Wow. What an amazing mom you have! She exudes grace and strength, and the beauty with which you write about her shows forth how loving she was in raising you. Praying for her now!

    • Logan,

      You have a mom who showers the world with Christ’s love. Praying for strength as she tackles all the tasks. May God give her peace content & encouragement to keep carrying on. Praying that you to be the daughter she needs to help her & love on her!

      Blessings 🙂

  22. T hank you for sharing how God is right there in the middle of our struggles and heart aches. I needed to hear this today. I’m 53 and my student loan from years ago just doubled in payment. My husband and I live on a budget and now to find the extra money needed to pay the mandatory loan payment every month is a struggle and has kept me up many sleepless nights. Also, I have been a poor and inmature manager of God’s money so we are now in credit card debt so we struggle with meeting the bills every month. I know God can make all this better and I know I need to remain in faith and wait for the storms to pass and be obedient with His guidance, but it truthfully, it doesn’t make it easier to fall asleep at night, go to work every day and push through with those challenges and come home to what are we going to eat for dinner. I will remain strong in my Lord and the verses you shared today are my strength filler upper! Thank you and please keep me in your prayers for restoration on our debt, student loans, issues at work, cancer melanoma and daily struggles. Thank you.
    Kim Mora

    • Kim – my heart hears what you are saying and aches with the depth of the anxiety I know you are feeling but cannot put into words. I too struggle with huge financial issues and have been disabled the last 20 years after very carefully planning my life so that money would NOT be a problem. Well, that rug got pulled out from under me. I am 51 and find myself on a small disability check once a month with huge medical bills looming overhead, wondering how to buy groceries and pay the rest of the bills……so believe me, I know what that inner panic is all about that keeps you up all night. That strangling fear that you are one breath away from it all crashing down.
      BUT I need to remind myself first that the scripture says that a mind STAYED on Him is in perfect peace!
      So every ‘panicky’ thought gets replaced with a truth about God. And i try to ‘stay’/meditate/think/concentrate on Jesus. NOT let my mind wander. And it’s hard girlfriend!!! My mind is a traveler!
      So I just want to encourage you to ‘STAY’ your mind on Him with me.
      And when you are about to lose it – know that your friend (me) is praying for you, and staying her mind on Jesus to still the awful panic too! Because if we can ‘stay’ our minds on Him, we will be in perfect peace. My visual is Jesus saying to my panic and my swirling overwhelming thoughts: “Peace, be still”
      . . . And we will be amazed that even the winds and the waves and our thoughts and our panic and our emotions OBEY HIM!
      In Christ,
      Crystal – your panicky, practicing staying my mind on Him, praying for you, Sister
      Hoping you get this, since I’m just reading this now!

      • Dear Crystal,
        Thank you SO much for your inspiring words. I NEEDED to hear them oh so much today!
        I love the visual of Jesus saying “Peace, be still” to my anxiety and worry. I’m going to use that visual to get through the nights that keep me awake with worry and the thoughts of my issues at work that weave webs into my mind. When I was reading scripture this morning and Matthew 6:34 says “do, don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring it’s own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” I picture Jesus showing me the birds in the sky and how they don’t fall out of the sky all over the world due to not having enough! I will focus on our beautiful awesome BIG creator, God and know that he will take care of me and you Crystal. I’m will be praying for you from this day on for God to provide what you need and to enjoy this time of your life. We are on the other end of life and we should have less worries!!! Thank you my sister- thank you so much for responding.

        • Indeed! Our Jesus is SO much bigger than our circumstances!!! We just have that spiritual amnesia! Forgive us, Lord! God showed me to treat my job as ‘just running an errand’ to be able 5o deal with it at one point and avoid getting bogged down. It allowed me to focus on what was most important and spend my energy on the positive things 8n my life!
          Kim, friend me on FaceBook, if you like, I try to put up encouraging nuggets, for myself! And others! I’m under CrystalDawn Burris We can connect there maybe??? . . . Only if you want to, no pressure.
          Blessings, and continued prayers for you, my sister!
          Crystal

          • Thank you Crystal! I just looked for you on facebook- I couldn’t figure out which person you were! I’m Kimberly Halsten- add me!

          • Ok Kim, I think I found you, but no add friend button! oh my gosh, but I sent you a message!!!
            I’m still praying for you!

  23. Our “peacekeeping situations” mull over in our minds . . If only my job situation would change. . . If only my spouse would be more understanding. . . If only my kids would show more respect. . . If only. . .

    It is only in Christ that we find true peace.

    Theses are my current thoughts as well. I needed this reminder. Thank you for sharing. Please pray for my family. My husband is in the process of deciding to accept new position. Please pray for the Lord’s leading, wisdom, in this. Thanks.

  24. Jennifer, I know our God is bigger than the universe, the stars, sun and the moon, there is nothing to big that our Lord and savior can’t do for us, we just need to trust him in the mist of our trail. My sisters I know about not having any thing, everything came to a standstill and he provide for me over and over again. I know if He can doing for me, he can doing for your, don’t allow the devil to say less to you, God has the last say. Stand strong ladies he is with your.

  25. Thanks , Jen for your encouraging words and the scriptures were right on time! I am struggling with a really bad cold and have been incapacitated for two weeks. At the same time my semester has started and I feel no desire to complete my work or seek any assistance. I am missing my mother who went to Heaven 20 years ago and I just cant seem to shake the feeling that I am going to die. Please keep me in your prayers, that God will surround me with His ministering angels and that He will allow me to totally lean on Him for everything!!! I truly want to be strong and courageous, even when I am totally not feeling there at all!!

  26. Jennifer,

    This post touched my heart. I was bought right into that space of pain and vulnerability; I am well acquainted with this space. I thank you for affirming where our hope is found in these times. It speak VOLUMES to the need to hide that Word in our hearts. Some days we can be so burdened that even the Book seems a chore to physically pick up but with that Word in our hearts, it will come to the surface. Please pray for the extended season of drought I’ve experienced. I’m much looking forward to a season of flourishing.

  27. Please pray for my struggle with anxiety. It’s discouraging and frightening at times, but I try to “Trust in the Lord and lean not on my own understanding.” And I remember:

    “Do not fear, 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. 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.”

    My prayer is for all of you whom life has pushed to the edge of despair. Hang in there. He is faithful and Mighty to Save. Please pray for me as well.

    Much love,
    Karli

  28. Thank you. I needed this reminder. Last week my mom had a stroke. She came home on Tuesday and my husband and I are currently serving as her live in caretakers. Without going into too much detail I’ll just say that the last two mornings have been especially difficult and have involved a lot of poop (sorry). I’m also getting over an illness and my energy levels are not where they need to be to deal with this. Right now, “hard” feels like an understatement. Your prayers are really appreciated.

  29. Jennifer, what a testimony of leaning on Him. ♥ Unrelenting times of difficulty are rough on your spirit, aren’t they? Thanks for the lovely reminder that the peace isn’t found in the good times or the bad times. Circumstances aren’t a measure of peace or security, are they? His presence is our peace. — ((Hug))

  30. Thank you for the reminder of God’s power and peace in the midst of chaos; the scriptures were encouraging. I need my faith strengthened as my finances are dwindling and I try figure out how I will make the mortgage, car payment, utilities and etc. Yet l know God is sufficient and there is no lack in Him. I do feel better.

  31. Thank you so much for this post. The last 4 years have been awful for me and my family financially, but I realized how blessed I am. I pray for the families that have posted. I pray for God to heal, to comfort, to strengthen, to provide and to bless beyond measure. I pray for the direction and the answers to their decisions and questions. Times were, are and will be hard, but the God of it all is in control so I humbly set myself before Him and say Thank You.

  32. The title, Life is Hard really caught my attention because life has been hard for me lately. Due to several circumstances and illnesses our family didn’t get to celebrate Christmas this year. This was very disappointing for me. I am my mother’s main caregiver and work full-time. I count it a privilege to take care of my dear sweet mother, but I have been so tired and weary lately. I work 7 days per week between my job and caring for my mother. I also drive 200 miles every weekend to my mother’s house. The enemy has really been attacking our family with depression and weariness. Yesterday and today I have been home sick. I think it is simply exhaustion. I very rarely stay from work. I need prayers to get better because I will be taking care of my mother this weekend and next week at work we are having our fundraiser so I will be working 12 – 16 hour days. But it was a blessing to be able to read your blog today. If I hadn’t been home sick, I wouldn’t have had time to read it. Thank you, Jen for your encouraging words.

  33. “You have to trust Him, even when you can’t trace Him!”

    LOVE THIS! 🙂

    Jen, my friend, The Lord meant for me to read this! I was diagnosed with a chronic digestive disorder back in 2016 (I’ll leave out the details – :->), and it has really flared up the last few weeks. My husband, family, friends, and small group have been and continue to be so supportive and encouraging. But I’m weary and am trying to find the right integrative medical team to help me feel better. It’s frustrating, but your devotional helped me to remember that my Jesus is here and has overcome the world! He is trustworthy! Please pray that I will begin to feel better and that God will lead me to the right professionals. And please pray that I will stay immersed in His Word.

    Thank you so much for writing this post, Jen! I’m very thankful for your words and encouragement!

    In His Grip,
    Lara <

    • Praying for strength and wisdom for those doctors, lara. Thank you for sharing your story and so encouraged to hear of the community of support you have behind you.

      Xoxo jen

  34. It’s easy to forget that Jesus is in the small, relatively unnoticed things. A meal from a neighbor or card left in your mailbox is all Jesus. I loved how you found him in those small things and in the redemption of your story.

  35. Thank you so much for this! This is what i very needed right at this moment.. i can really relate. Today was a rough day for me, and thank you so much this comforted me. I will be thankful for your prayer in any way. God bless you and your ministry, as well as (in)courage. ♡

  36. Jennifer,

    You had wonderful Christian parents. They modeled Christ for you.

    God must be talking to us these days. This is the third or so post on trusting God. God is in the details of our everyday lives. My in-laws have been having medical issues since Thanksgiving. Their church has continued to bring food over & visit them in the hospital. On Thanksgiving my in laws were in separate hospitals & someone stayed with each of them so they wouldn’t be alone.

    This world is full of troubles & trials, but praise God He has overcome this world. I believe God allows trials to bring us back to reliance on Him. In a perfect world people don’t pray that much, but when trials come they turn to God first.

    Blessings 🙂

  37. I was truly hoping for 1 word of encouragement on 1/18, but I didn’t see anything. 🙁 I have never left a comment on a blog and I guess I understand that I won’t be doing it anymore. Thank you for reading my prayer request- (if you did). Take care.
    Kim

    • Kim – please know that not one word that you shared went unread. I intimately understand the financial struggles you’re going through and know the overwhelming pressure that they lend to so many areas of our life. It can feel overwhelming and I keep coming back to reclaiming the truth I know even when I don’t feel it.

      Thank you for taking that step to share your blog comment. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to respond earlier . I try to do that within a few days and was reading them all from my phone but am just getting over the flu and only now catching up.

      Blessings,
      Jen

      • Thank you Jen for your kind words. Normally, I wouldn’t even take this personal, but I so needed words of encouragement and really connected to blog that day. I’m sorry you had the flu- I hope all is well and take care of yourself. I will say prayers of strength for you. Take care and God bless.

  38. This testimony sounds like my last year. Even including the brain tumor only it was my Mother she was supposed to recover after surgery but God had other plans and we lost her right before Christmas. Almost zero income desperately needing finances, jobs and healing for my husband. But like you I am trusting in God to see us through everything.

    • Oh Jennifer – I am so sorry to hear about your mom and the timing right before the holidays. While I’ve walked through something similar, it doesn’t diminish the pain and heartache. I will wait expectantly with you to see how the Lord will use this challenging time. Much love!

  39. We all have hard times that we have to deal with in our lives. My husband and I am struggling with lots of things at this time. Finances is right there at the top, the number one thing I am trying to come to peace with is: my youngest son (28 years old) and his girlfriend (19 years old) are excepting their first baby. She has had a awful up bringing and both her parents are in jail. My husband and I took her in to help her get on her feet and she ended up pregnant. While living here she has not made any attempts to change. She is lazy, has no respect for herself or anyone else. We have encouraged her to attend church, I have taken her to Bible Study a couple times. She expects everyone to give her everything. She does not help with any chores in the house or obey any of our house rules.
    We are fearful that she will not be able to take care of this baby by herself. My son has anger issues and severe learning disabilities. My husband and I believe God has blessed us all with this baby, but I struggle with what he wants us to do. We have both decided that for the sake of the baby we will file for custody of the baby when it is born. I am struggling with taking this baby from mom,even though I know it is best. Praying for peace in our family and that God will open my son and girlfriends heart and allow us to raise this baby.

    • Praying for wisdom and guidance for you Michelle. What a difficult situation. Nothing goes unseen by our God, though. Love this girl as much as you can. Just love her. You don’t have to like her behavior, but love her, because Jesus would. Maybe taking her in was a mistake, but looking back will resolve nothing!
      I would encourage you to love her, and don’t enable her, and don’t stay silent. Ask her nicely after dinner to help you with the dishes, to clear the table etc. Some of our young people while exhibiting this ‘entitlement ‘ attitude, are just not schooled in doing the right thing. . . Don’t meet her defiance with anger, meet it with a smile and ask her for what you want from her. Put boundaries in place.
      Jesus, I pray for strength to set boundaries, strength to ask, strength to smile, and strength to LOVE. LET YOUR HOLY SPIRIT INFUSE THIS SITUATION WITH WONDER! And perform a MIGHTY MIRACLE! Protect this unborn little one – we commit that child to you. Lord, I pray that you allow Michelle to relax, give her resolve, and wisdom, and overflowing kindness without an ounce of patronization. Thank you, Jesus, because You CAN! In your name we ask it – let her see a complete 180 in this situation! Amen