Encouraging.com

Adversity, Challenge, Hope, God's Character, Protection

The Lord’s speech out of the whirlwind is over. Only once has He stopped for a breath and Job dared to speak: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?” (40:4).

Jul 1

Jul 1 The Lessons of Job: Our God is Able!

Adversity, Challenge, God's Character, Comfort, Hope

Finally, God breaks His silence. But He doesn’t come walking in the garden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8) as He came to question Adam and Eve. Nor does He come in a gentle whisper as to Elijah on the mountain (1 King 19:12). He comes out of a storm, a literal whirlwind, not angry but overwhelming and intense, questioning, challenging.

Jun 30

Jun 30 The Lessons of Job: Don’t Be a “Foolish Woman” or a “Miserable Comforter”

Adversity, Faith/Trust, Hope, Protection

Exit stage left Satan, off to do mischief somewhere else.

Job had indeed passed Satan’s tests without sinning (1:22; 2:10), but the suffering he continued to experience was surreal. His children had been crushed in a whirlwind (1:19), his livestock raided or burned by fire from the sky (1:15-17), his servants put to the sword (1:15,17), his skin afflicted with sores from head to toe (2:7).

Jun 29

Jun 29 The Lessons of Job: The Devil Can’t Make Me Do It

Adversity, Fear, God's Promises, Hope, Protection

By reputation, Job’s character was exemplary: Job was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion (1:1, MSG). There was “no one on earth like him” (1:8). Now that’s saying something.

Jun 28

Jun 28 The Lessons of Job: When Things Just aren’t Fair!

Adversity, Faith/Trust, God's Character, Grief, Grace

Ah, Job I thought as I contemplated the Womenary calendar last fall—not exactly the most uplifting book. Now wasn’t that just typical of 2020! But what better time than the present to consider the reality of suffering with all the ups and downs of that year and the February deep freeze of this. Let’s jump on into the deep end ladies, as suffering is indeed a deep subject.

Jun 10

Jun 10 Taking Offense

Susan Partida

Adversity, Friendship

My five-year-old grandson did not appreciate me good heartedly teasing his baby brother about spitting up all over his bib. “That’s what bibs are for!” he scolded me indignantly. I tried not to giggle at him and thought it quite sweet for him to take up for his brother.

Mar 16

Mar 16 Up Close and Personal

Adversity, Spiritual Growth

My sister’s husband is a pilot. Years ago I went flying with him in a small plane. I remember flying over my house thinking how beautiful everything looked. The house sat on a well-manicured lawn, the trees looked perfectly shaped and small bursts of color came from the flowerbeds. It was a beautiful sight from on high. However, the reality was the lawn needed mowing, the trees had several dead limbs, and the flowerbeds were full of weeds. What appeared perfect from a distance was far from perfect up close.

Jan 15

Jan 15 People are Not Our Biggest Problem

Stacy Graves

Have I mentioned that I can’t read long passages without my eyes glazing over?

In fact, many times my eyes have glazed right over on just this one verse.

For instance, did you know that our struggle isn’t against people?

Dec 10

Dec 10 A Blessing in Disguise

Terri Vardeman

After the flood, God commanded Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it (Genesis 9:7). In Genesis 10, the genealogy of Noah and his sons confirms they were successful in the job of multiplying.

Oct 8

Oct 8 Scars

Faith/Trust, Adversity

My oldest daughter adopted a puppy a few weeks before her wedding. That puppy and I bonded during the weeks she stayed with us. When the newlyweds came back for their first visit, Darcy was beyond excited to see me. She ran around and around my feet, wrapping her retractable leash around my ankles. Before I could remove the leash, Darcy took off running, causing deep burns around both of my ankles. In time my ankles healed, but the scars remain. When I happen to focus on those scars, I think of “that day” and that dog.

Oct 6

Oct 6 Sense Out of Suffering

Adversity, Faith/Trust

Day after day, week after week, year after year I went to the nursing home to visit my mother. We couldn’t carry on a conversation, because the affect of dementia left her unable to speak. For years, she was unable to walk; and eventually, she was unable to move anything except her head. Some days I knew Mother was “there.” I knew she understood me and wanted to respond, but her illness prevented communication.

Sep 9

Sep 9 Living With Purpose

Terri Vardeman

Adversity, Fear

2020--what a year! Who could have predicted Americans would be wearing masks to enter stores or that toilet paper would be a valuable commodity? I didn’t think I would see in my lifetime churches not meeting together physically. Many companies require payment electronically rather than cash, due to a coin shortage. We’ve been introduced to terms such as COVID, pandemic, Zoom, and social distancing.

Aug 24

Aug 24 The Injury

Julie Smith

God teaches us through life circumstances, and He weaves his truth, grace, and peace throughout. I want to share what He has done and is doing in my life. It’s my testimony. Writing these words has been difficult. And I have been waiting for the Lord to complete the story before I wrote about it. But I feel that the Lord wants me to write even though the story doesn’t necessarily have an ending.

May 12

May 12 If I Must Boast

Jill Hendrix

The effects of the Pandemic of 2020 will be shared in every family. Sadly, those who contracted and survived the virus will describe their suffering and even sadder, the families who suffered loss will memorialize their loved one for generations.list

Apr 20

Apr 20 Jars of Clay…hope when perplexed

Hope, Grief, Adversity, Faith/Trust

2020 is definitely one for the history books. What details will you cling to? For instance, where were you when JFK was shot? I was on my way with my mom to have my prom dress altered. On 9/11 I had turned on Fox News as I dressed for Tuesday morning Bible study, in time to see the second tower fall. My husband, September 1945, vividly remembers his mom propelling his terrified 4-year-old self past the barricade at the Vancouver (BC) train station to meet this uniformed stranger who tossed him in the air asking, “Where did you get that red hair?”

Mar 31

Mar 31 When Trouble Comes Calling

Karen Sims

When. Not if. Trouble will come.

Take heart, rather than take care. To take care is to wrap our trembling arms around the unseen weight of worry and fear of the future. To worry is to have a divided heart. One part claims to love and trust God, the other part functions in light of visible and temporary things and asks, “What if?” Our whole heart is able to act courageously.

Mar 25

Mar 25 From Drowning to Deliverance

Adversity, Anxiety, God's Character, Salvation

While on a mission trip to California, our team spent one afternoon at the beach—an afternoon I’ll never forget. My best friend and I were swimming, when I suddenly realized I was caught in the current and unable to swim toward shore. No amount of effort on my part helped. My friend noticed my dilemma and began screaming for help. Immediately, a tall, strong guy on the mission team swam to me and began throwing me shoreward. He rescued me! Years later, we saw him and his family. The first thing he said to my girls was, “I saved your mother’s life!” He did, and I’m thankful!

Mar 24

Mar 24 Truths for Trials