Devotionals for the Heart: How to trust God when you feel disappointed

Trusting God Through Life’s Disappointments
A devotional by Cherie Mendez

“But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

—Luke 1:20 (NLT)

Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth must have been praying years for a child. The Bible tells us in Luke 1:6, they were “righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.”

Yet there was a problem: Elizabeth was unable to conceive. Zechariah was simply a priest fulfilling his duty, likely serving God under the assumption of God’s displeasure towards him. So, he was shocked when an angel of the Lord appeared and announced that Elizabeth will give him a son.

Despite Zechariah’s unbelief, God’s favor still came to him. God muted his speech for a period of time because his words spoken without faith could have undermined God’s divine plan. The beautiful ending to the story is that Zechariah saw the birth of his son and believed in the fulfillment of God’s promise. Finally, his years of disappointment came to an end.

In ancient Israel, it was considered a curse to not have children. We see how Elizabeth responds in Luke 1:25 (NLT): “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

In our world today, there are many things that make us feel disappointed. For some people it’s not having a good career, for others it’s not meeting the love of their life. Whatever it is, God can’t be pleased when we question if He will answer our prayer. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) says “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Here are three ways we can trust God in difficult times:

Way #1: Keep your eyes on Him. Song of Songs 1:15 (NLT) says, “your eyes are like doves.” A dove is only able to focus on one thing at a time. This makes them less likely to be distracted. In the same way, if we keep our focus on Jesus Christ then we will not be discouraged by our current circumstance.

Way #2: Be obedient. Jesus says in John 14:15 (NLT), “If you love me, obey my commandments.” The Bible promises that obedience to God’s commands brings blessings, prosperity, and a more fulfilling life.

Way #3: Stay in the word (read and reflect on The Holy Bible). Psalm 119:105 (NLT) says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” The Bible is considered the primary way God communicates with Bible verses that sometimes feel specifically relevant to every situation we experience in life.

There are many reasons why God may take a lifetime to answer specific prayers. Sometimes it’s to build our faith, sometimes it’s because He wants us to deal with an internal issue. Most of the time, it’s to prepare us for the future. Even if His answer comes what we consider late in life, His timing is always perfect and it is always for our good.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for your perfect timing. Thank You for loving us enough to not give us what we want, but what we need. We thank You for the plans you have for us as you’ve promised in Jeremiah 29:11 to give us a hope and a future.

In Jesus’s Name I pray,

Amen.

Song of Reflection: “For the Good” by Riley Clemmons. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a professional actress and photographer. 

Her passion is to help women understand their true worth and walk in their God-given purpose. After many years working as a Christian in the entertainment industry, she is thankful to be able to share all her learning experiences in her blog posts and on Instagram.

Some of the topics Cherie loves to write about are:

· Coping with rejection

· Finding your purpose and using your talent for God’s glory

· How God always looks at the heart and the meaning of inner beauty

· Understanding that we are all a work in progress and God is not done with us yet

Cherie’s TV credits include The Equalizer, Bull, and Blue Bloods (CBS). She also appeared in the PureFlix film Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider.

Cherie and her husband Jimmy live in Texas. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, photography, and movie night.

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Connect with Cherie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriemendez/

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should always put our hope in God

Hope in God
A devotional by Colette Christopher

“I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.”—Psalm 130:5 (NLT)

The verse above brings comfort to my heart and hopefully to your heart as well.

This Psalm begins with the author pleading from a hard place for not only God to hear his pleas for help but that the Lord would be attentive to his pleas for help. How often have you been in this place of deep despair, knowing that it is only our Eternal Father (God) who can deliver you?

I have been there in the past and I am in a season right now where I am pouring my heart out and desiring miracles that I truly know only He alone can give. But in this hard season as I plea for help, I am reminded of the goodness of Almighty God.

I can tell you that in these difficult moments, we need to remember where we have been and what God has done for us in the past. Counting our blessings from God and expressing gratitude to Him is not the place where the enemy (Satan) wants us to be. He would rather we place our focus on the urgency of the situation before us rather than on the God we know who makes the impossible possible. Sometimes, we fall into that trap from the enemy instead of seeing his plan as a distraction to where we should truly fix our gaze (up to Heaven where God sits on His Throne).

The author of Psalm 130 started with a plea and a desire in the first few verses. But when he got to verse 5, I can hear him saying to God (I am paraphrasing here): “Lord I am counting on you. Yes, Master, I am counting on You. I know You as the unfailing God. You are the One who calls dry bones back to life and make the impossible possible. You cannot lie and You always honor your Word. Today I choose to trust You despite what’s happening in my family, in my community, and in the world. Your Word gives me hope. I can trust what You say because I know that in your time, you will fulfill that every word You have spoken.”

Sometimes, we have to speak to our souls and say as we’re advised to in Psalm 42:5-6 (NLT), “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God.”

When we are in a hard place, hope doesn’t come easy. However, it’s in these times that we go to God and ask for the Holy Spirit’s help. It’s in these times that we need to open The Holy Bible and look to what God’s Word says. The noise in our head if we allow it, can seem to be louder than the Word of God and in those trying times, we tend to forget the evidence of what He has done for us in the past. We are encouraged by Psalm 130:5 to rely on God. Why? Because He is trustworthy and He is faithful.

My encouragement to you today is simply this: Count on and hope in God and His words in The Holy Bible and the words He speaks to you. This hope is what will keep you as you navigate life’s twists and turns. Reflect on seasons you had before when it seemed God was distant. What did He speak into your spirit and what was the outcome of the problem you faced? We can hold God to His Word, remind Him of what He said He would do then recount His goodness and relax in His care.

Let’s Pray: Father in the name of your Son (Jesus Christ), I lift up to You my friends who are reading this message. Spirit of the Living God, fill us with your peace that surpasses all human understanding, give us grace and strengthen us in our moments of weakness. Lord, help us to rest in You and the knowledge of your Sovereignty. Teach us to wait on You. As we wait, fill us with anticipation and expectation because we know You will fulfill your words in your own time. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Spirit of the Living God” by Meredith Andrews. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Colette Christopher is an empowered woman who inspires women to be who they were created to be. Her core message is empowerment. She is an author, certified life coach, podcast host, and trainer with the Maxwell Leadership team. 

Colette believes that an empowered woman empowers others and is powerful in knowing who she is and what she can accomplish. Colette is on a mission to impact the lives of the women assigned to her, whether she is their coach or trainer or shares a word that will transform their lives.

Colette utilizes her Christian principles as the base of all her engagements. She is passionate about fulfilling her life purpose of empowering women to know who they are, rebuild their confidence, and use their voices as tools to uplift themselves and others.

​​She is the founder of the M.E.E. Movement L.L.C., a faith-based empowerment ministry business that helps women of faith rebuild their confidence and use their voice to walk in their purpose through life coaching, mentoring, and empowerment speaking. Colette believes in using the gifts God has given her to help women be who God has called them to be and ultimately fulfill the purpose for which they were created. She lives by Romans 8:28 (NIV), that promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

A native of Jamaica, Colette resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the mother of two beautiful young women, a son-in-love, and two grandsons. Colette enjoys reading, writing, watching good movies, and chatting with her daughters and friends.

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Connect with Colette:
Blog: https://www.colettemarie.online/blog
Website: https://www.colettemarie.online/
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2367935
Email: Colettemarieonline@gmail.com

Let Love Bloom: Safe Refuge

Interview with Pamela S. Meyers about her book “Safe Refuge”:

Alexis: Why do you call this book “Safe Refuge”?

Pamela: For my character, Anna, her new home in Wisconsin is a safe refuge for her. Many Bible verses also refer to the Lord as a safe refuge.

Alexis: Who is Anna Hartwell and why is she planning to marry a man that she loathes?

Pamela: Anna is the first-born daughter of a wealthy Chicago family and when she was an infant, her parents arranged a marriage for her with the son of friends they had known a long time. You’ll have to read the book to find out why going against her parents' wishes is so difficult for her.

Alexis: Why does Anna call Chicago home? What makes it special?

Pamela: Although Chicago is the only home she has known having been raised there, she has never felt totally comfortable with all the trappings of wealth that her parents enjoy, and after becoming a Christian, she has found solace in volunteering at a mission school as a teacher and attending Sunday night services at the Illinois Street Church (founded by D.L. Moody).

Alexis: Who is Lyman Millard and why does he want an arranged marriage to Anna?

Pamela: Like Anna, he had no say in the marriage plans since he was a child when the plans were set. But he has no reason to not want it. It’s the custom in his family and what’s not to like about being married to a pretty woman that he can escort to social functions. To know more about this multi-layered character. You’ll have to read the book.

Alexis: What role does your characters’ faith in God play in this story?

Pamela: God sustains Anna through some very difficult times in the course of the story.

Alexis: How did the Great Chicago Fire impact the plot for this story?

Pamela: Two days before the arranged marriage is to take place, the fire erupts and totally consumes Anna’s family home and her father’s business property. The family moved north to what is now Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to live with friends until a new home on Geneva Lake can be built.

Alexis: Who is Rory Quinn and what role does he play in this story? How is he different from Lyman?

Pamela: Rory, an Irish immigrant, is the janitor/handyman at the mission school. He and Anna talk often about God and the issues they have with their respective families. He is everything positive that Lyman is not. And easy on the eyes too! Despite her being in an arranged marriage she’s attracted to Rory and knows she can’t marry him because of the arranged marriage and he’s attracted to her but knows he can’t have her because she is high-class and he is not.

Alexis: What is it about Anna that attracts Rory?

Pamela: Aside from her beauty, her faith in God, kindness, and humility, not putting on airs with those of a lower class than hers and never holding her status over them.

Alexis: If you were Anna’s Mom, what advice would you give her concerning her heart in the love triangle of sorts in this story?

Pamela: You will hear plenty from Mother when you read the story. I’m not going to reveal it all here, except to say she is not happy with Anna’s attraction to Rory pulls out all stops to get the marriage plans with Lyman back on track.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about your book?

Pamela: That God is our refuge and strength and underneath are his everlasting arms. It’s a Bible promise found in Deuteronomy 33:27.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Pam! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Pamela: Having grown up in Lake Geneva, WI next to beautiful spring-fed Geneva Lake, I was blessed to take for granted the beauty of the area and the wonderful mansions and estates that sit on much of the lake’s shoreline.

The newer homes are lovely, but a piece of Lake Geneva’s history has been lost in the process. I decided to write the Newport of the West series, starting with Safe Refuge to preserve some of that lost history. The reason for the series title is that when all the fancy large homes began appearing on the lakeshore, the area reminded people of Newport, Rhode Island where many of New York City’s wealthy built similar homes for a getaway. At the time Chicago was considered “the West” as the territories farther west hadn’t yet been established or heavily populated.

If you are ever in the area of Lake Geneva, check out the excursion boats that take passengers on a 26-mile tour of the entire lakeshore and announce the histories behind many of the homes as you pass by.

~*~
Author Bio:

Pam has written most of her life, beginning with her first diary at age eight. Most of her novels are set in or near her hometown of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. They include Surprised by Love in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and her newest release, Safe Refuge, the first of three novels in her Newport of the West series. Her novel, Second Chance Love, released last year, and her novella, If These Walls Could Talk, was published in the Coming Home collection. 

Future novels include Whatever is True (March 2019), Shelter Cove and Tranquility Point, both part of her current series.

Pam resides in northern Illinois with her two rescue cats. She’s an hour or so away from her hometown where she can often be found researching and nosing for new story ideas. 

~*~

Book blurb:

In two days, wealthy Chicagoan, Anna Hartwell, will wed a man she loathes. She would refuse this arranged marriage to Lyman Millard, but the Bible clearly says she is to honor her parents, and Anna would do most anything to please her father—even leaving her teaching job at a mission school and marrying a man she doesn't love. 

The Great Chicago Fire erupts, and Anna and her family escape with only the clothes on their backs and the wedding postponed. Father moves the family to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where Anna reconnects with Rory Quinn, a handsome immigrant who worked at the mission school. Realizing she is in love with Rory, Anna prepares to break the marriage arrangement with Lyman until she learns a dark family secret that changes her life forever. 

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Buy Pamela's book on Amazon

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Connect with Pam:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pamela.meyers
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pamelameyers
Amazon Author Page - http://amzn.to/2kqP5CC
Website - www.pammeyerswrites.comSaveSave

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Devotionals for the Heart: On Praise

Praise: An Untapped Power
A devotional by Nanci Rubin

“I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” 

~Psalm 34:1 (KJV) 

I wish we understood more about the power of praise. Do you know someone in the Bible who praised their way out of a bad situation? I’m reminded of Paul and Silas locked and shackled in a dark, dank prison cell for the crime of preaching, Jesus. Paul didn’t complain about his situation or the tribulations he’d endured preaching the gospel. No, he said, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice" (Phil. 4:4). He and Silas began to praise and worship God. They knew how to release the untapped power of praise, and the prison doors opened!

One of the quickest ways to release God’s blessings in our lives is to give Him praise. He inhabits the praises of His people. You ask, how can I praise Him when all of these horrible things are happening? Anyone can praise God when everything is going well, but it takes faith to praise God in the hard places. It takes faith to praise him when you’re surrounded by impossibilities. We need to thank Him for the victory. Thank Him for who He is. Praise encourages faith. Hope rises and you focus on His ability to succeed in your life, not on yours to fail. God is for you.

There was a season in my life when I felt all was lost. My daughter at nine months of age was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. The doctors told us she would probably never live to age two. Hearing those words produced a malignant fear that gripped me by my throat and chocked out my hope. After hearing that diagnosis and prognosis, I roamed the hospital campus moving like a sleepwalker, numbed and afraid.

I wish I could confess to you that I stood in faith for her healing. I didn’t at least not right away. I allowed fear to control my life for an entire year marking off the days until she turned two. Thinking that on her second birthday, she would be ‘taken’ from me. I believed the lies from the enemy. Yes, when you’re down he’ll kick you a little more. I began to speak God’s truth over my situation and finally, the enemy’s efforts no longer had a negative effect. As I praised God, I learned I could draw a line in the sand. You can too.

Her second birthday came and went. My prayer life began to change. I started thanking God continually for her. I took my eyes off our circumstances. Praise became a powerful tool that dispelled the fear I’d lived with for too long. My child’s courage and strength kept me moving forward. I praised God for the privilege of being her mom. We didn’t allow her sickness to kill our joy. Praise extended her life. She passed away a few months shy of her sixth birthday. She'd lived beyond anyone’s expectations.

Victory is always assured when you stand in faith on God’s Word. And when you praise Him before you actually see your victory, it’s then that you’re giving him a sacrifice of praise. He’ll be faithful to intervene in your affairs and to give you the desires of your heart. Praise Him and see your mountains move out of the way!

~*~
Author Bio:

Nanci writes Amish Love Inspired and lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two fur kids, Romeo and Juliet, rescue cats. She is working on her debut novel, Plain Justice.

She’s a retired nurse who does volunteer work two days a week and is active in an intercessory prayer ministry at her church.

Currently, she's enrolled in Rhema Bible College’s correspondence Bible studies. She belongs to ACFW and RWA. 

When she’s not working, reading or writing she’s spending time with family. Follow her on Facebook.

Devotionals for the Heart: Life Lessons and A Reason to Rejoice

Rejoicing in the Lord Always
A devotional by Melissa Henderson

“Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice.” ~Philippians 4:4 KJV

Rejoicing during difficult times can often be stressful. How can we rejoice when bills are overdue, our health is in jeopardy, the news is filled with scary information and we are not sure what will happen next?

God gives us a spirit of power and love and of sound mind. Anxiety and fear do not come from the Lord. So what do we do when troubled times enter our lives?

We pray. We talk with God, sharing our hopes and fears with Him. He already knows what we are thinking. He wants us to come to Him. He is waiting with open arms.

Recently, my husband and I moved from Virginia to South Carolina. We prayed and asked God to give us the wisdom, discernment and revelation as to what He wanted us to do about the move.

Yes, we had our times of uncertainty and fear. Yet, each time we paused and prayed, God gave us a feeling of calm and comfort.

Remembering to praise Him and to Rejoice in Him each and every day made our move easier. Even with road bumps along the way, we know God is with us and we will “Rejoice” again and again. He is in charge and He has a plan for our lives.

Have you thanked God for His blessings? Have you Rejoiced in His love and mercies today? Share time with God and you will be refreshed as you Rejoice.

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Author Bio:

Melissa Henderson and her husband Alan live in South Carolina. Married for over 38 years, they have one son (Mike) who is married to daughter-in-love (Christine) and now are blessed by precious grandson (Rowan). 

Melissa was taught the love of reading and writing at an early age from her parents. She is now working on her first inspirational fiction novel. 

Her passions are volunteering, Bible Studies and reading and writing. 

Connect with Melissa online, https://mimionlife.wordpress.com.

Words of Faith: Sandy's story about how to trust God in difficult times

A Lesson from a Difficult Time
A Words of Faith story by Sandra Barela

One day, I was talking to a friend of mine and she asked me some difficult questions. At the end of our conversation, she said I should share my thoughts with others. I immediately put up a wall. There were things that I shared with her that I would be more than happy to keep in my closet. I could share with her because she has known me for nearly 29 years and loved me through all the ugly parts of it, but to share with others? No way! Doesn't pride have a way of doing this to us? When Alexis asked me to share, I decided to share my heart and how God has changed it through a difficult time in my life. It is my prayer that these thoughts encourage you; that they lead you to the Cross and the Truth of the Gospel.

Beginning in April of 2011, I started to have some health issues. In the beginning it was an old ailment acting up. However, that changed at the beginning of May, when I had what was to be the first of many "episodes." At first, these episodes were thought to be seizures but now having a pre-diagnosis of atypical migraines with seizure like activity. These episodes come on at any time, day or night. After these episodes, I have a severe headache and lose most of a day to sleep and fatigue. Many days, I don't have the energy to move from the couch. Since the episodes come on so quickly, my driver's license had to be suspended. The episodes also wreak havoc with my mind. I cannot think straight. I will mix up my words for days, even weeks, and sometimes stutter because I cannot form simple words. I knew it would be detrimental to the school I worked for to continue working so I went out on personal leave. I am unable to make definite plans.

So back to the questions my friend asked me: "How are you dealing with it all? Are you getting depressed?" She was concerned because I have struggled with depression and it is very easy to spiral down that road. However, this time was very different for me. This time I know that God is sovereign – nothing happens outside of his sovereignty. All that happens is for my good and His glory (Romans 8:28-30). This caused me to be thankful. 

I am thankful that God in His providence has shown me the truth of the Gospel. I am thankful that God in His providence has put wonderful people in my life that bring me closer to him. I am thankful that this disability has allowed me to minister to others. I am thankful that God in His Providence, gave me a husband who seeks Him with all his heart; who was patient and shared the Gospel with me even when I didn't want to hear. I am thankful for God's mercy and His grace. Each day that I have is a gift from Him. He could have, and rightly so, judged me on the day I first sinned. I am thankful that God has given us His Word  (The Holy Bible) to learn more about Him. Now I have been given the time to read His Word and do so. God. Thankfulness. His Plan. His Providence.

Before this ailment, I was on what I thought was the high of my life. I had been promoted at work, had a great school year and was beginning to start the next one. My kids were all healthy and doing well in school. My husband and I had a great relationship and even got to get a way by ourselves a few times. By the world’s standards, I was successful. However, I was doing nothing that was for God’s kingdom – nothing that would last eternally. I am thankful that God has shown me that I had put my work before all else, allowing it to become an idol. God has used this illness greatly in my life to bring me closer to Him.

If there is something you are struggling with in your own life – something you don’t understand. Can I encourage you to cling to the Gospel? Cling to the knowledge that God has planned your steps and knows what is best for you. May God bless you richly!

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Author bio: 

Sandra Barela, wife and the mom of three teenagers, received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education at the National University and will soon be awarded her master’s in English with a focus on Creative Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University.

During her program there, she took a publishing class and fell in love with the industry.
That infatuation sparked Celebrate Lit Publicity Group! The avid Christian fiction reader and author enjoys helping other great Christian authors succeed, one book at a time.

She lives with her family in beautiful sunny Southern California.
For more information on Celebrate Lit Publicity Group, visit celebratelit.com.

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Connect with Sandy:

Company sites: www.celebratelit.com, www.celebratelitpublishing.com, 

https://www.facebook.com/CelebrateLit/, https://twitter.com/Celebrate_Lit

Join the Celebrate Lit Community Forum to meet great authors, learn about wonderful books, post reviews, and hear about giveaways: https://www.facebook.com/groups/441946782665904/