I have been reading through the Psalms each night. With everything swirling about me, last eve, I read Psalm 16. For those undergoing trials, spiritual or physical battles, or just need encouragement, I urge you to read Psalm 16. It will soothe and minister to your soul. I know this is unlike my typical post, but I wanted to share these simple yet powerful truths held within this passage by notating points below.
    
​During a time when onslaughts abound against the body of Christ, be heartened. We know who has already won the victory. We know God is for us. And through it all, God is with us. And as we walk through deep waters, keep your hands lifted high and be singing, ‘Hallelujah.’
 
1.       God keeps me safe.
2.       You are our refuge.
3.       You are my Lord. In Him we find everything which is good.
4.       We delight and find joy in the body of Christ.
5.       Place no idol before God. Oh God, keep my actions and words pure and devoted to You. Help me tear down any idol.
6.       You, alone, are my portion and my cup.
7.       You make my lot secure.
8.       You make the boundary lines fall in good places.
9.       In You, I possess a good inheritance.
10.   I will praise You for You are my Counselor. Help me seek Your wisdom and hear Your voice. Even at night, may I seek Your instruction.
11.   Keep my eyes always fixed on You.
12.   With You at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
13.   Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices.
 
My heart rests secure because you will not abandon me
 
Make known to me the path of life
 
Fill me with joy in your presence

“…And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into us through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5 (NIV)
 
     Thank you everyone for all your prayers and encouragement. Your love and prayers have covered us during a difficult time. Praise God for how each day, He is continuing to restore and make new. He is knitting me back together into what I pray is a stronger, more refined vessel for Jesus.

     Even my devastated husband experienced the God of Hope when he needed it most. It came in the form of a co-worker who is also a fellow believer. God had gone before my husband and placed this fervent Christ follower into his path several months prior. Let us just say, God orchestrated the perfect time, day, and place for the two to pray the roof down. Over lunch, they lay down their burdens and interceded for each other, their families, and the overall body of believers. It mattered not who heard, saw, or stopped to listen. What mattered was how God’s hand reached down to my husband and ministered to him through the body of Christ. This tangible display of God’s sovereign hand encouraged my husband and gave Hope in a way nothing else would have done. All I can say is, “Hallelujah!”

     This morning, As I left the gym, a trainer who had born witness of my sufferings, stopped me.
     “You’re a bubble of joy, Miss Marje,” he said with a smile. I glowed back,
     “I’ve come through the hard part.” And praise God, I have! As many of you read last week, God delivered me from the grips of my suffering through the power of the Holy Spirit and the promise of His Word.

     But as I left, conscience nibbled. For in truth, it was God who had brought me through my trial, not me. Left to myself, I would have shattered. But it was the God of Hope who strengthened me amidst sufferings to persevere. It was He who, in my weakness, who gave me the courage to trust. He flooded me with a deep abiding and unexplainable joy and peace during a time of testing to prove God true. This is the power of Hope through the Holy Spirit which is grounded in the unshakeable trust in Jesus Christ.

     Suffering has a way of making or breaking us. During the height of my crisis, I truly thought I would splinter into a million pieces. At times, I could only scream, “Jesus! Jesus!” But as I desperately clutched at the shreds, God held me together. At each turn, He provided encouragement through the prayers of friends. And when I needed it most, He infused Hope.

     Hope is powerful. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit which infuses heart, soul, mind, and body. Hope in Christ is a lifeline on which to cling. For me, it gave the courage to persevere and keep going. It filled me with an unshakeable assurance of God’s promises and trust in Jesus which transcended all worries and anxieties.

     For many of us, it is difficult to understand how suffering leads to hope. But it can. And it does. Suffering can produce an enduring spirit as we persevere through trials. Yet as we persevere, the character of God is proven which firms and shapes our trust. What remains is proven and honed through adversity which rests solely upon the Hope of Christ.

     Yet, let me assure you, nothing goes to waste. Not even suffering. It shapes and refines us into diamonds. It breaks the rough, extraneous edges to leave us sharpened and stronger for Jesus. For me, strongholds were laid waste, faulty patterns reset, and a stronger Cornerstone rebuilt. God is continuing to redeem time, restore order, and reveal new focus. For this I praise God! For this I will boast and say Hallelujah!
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     Dear friends and fellow parents or grandparents, be encouraged to persevere. Know God is with you, even in the darkest shadows. His love is so great for you, it pours out in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. And as we persevere through the storm, hold tight to Jesus. For He will never let you go. He will be proved faithful and true. And as we are tested and refined, we have every confidence that the God of Hope will fill us with all joy and peace because we know we can trust in Him. Amen and amen.
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​Tasha Layton // Look What You've Done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPWHJC7PyYY

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV)

As I pen these words, I praise God for His goodness. God in His infinite mercy and kindness delivered me from a battle. He ministered peace over me. He sustained me when I did not think I would survive. He held me together in my fear and weakness. He gave me Hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. And instead of destruction and ruin, my vestiges of war were joy, laughter, praise, and thanksgiving.

I write these words to honor God and give Him all praise, honor, and glory. Yet I also pen these words to encourage others who are also suffering. Last week, it seemed like a spiritual storm surged over many believers, leaving sadness, depression, anxiety, and discouragement in its wake. Yet I am here to testify God is in control. I am here to testify God is good, even amidst heartache and pain. I am here to proclaim God will prevail and has already won the victory.

I do not write these words lightly. For I, too, have suffered. I believed I would break. But God held me together. God ministered through so many. He surrounded me with the body of Christ. His Spirit brought hope and healing. And through Him, I am made new.

This weekend, I emerged from the wreckage of my own personal war, uncertain of my path and riddled with anxiety. As I sat holding my husband who just received devastating news, gratitude filled my heart. For God orchestrated every detail of my trial. Even to the timing of when I would begin emerging out of my suffering to allow me to be fully present for my husband. Only God. Only God.

But as tears coursed his cheeks and sobs wracked his body, God spoke into the darkness. Running to grab her new Jesus Calling for girls, my little one read words which ministered to our souls. Then came the moment where truth meets light infused with the power of God’s Word and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

“What are the Scripture references,” I asked Sweet Pea, “Let’s read them tonight for our Bible study.” Happy to oblige, Sweet Pea flipped back to the entry and read the verses listed.

“Romans 12:12,” she read, “and Romans 15:13.” My heart stood still. I could not believe my ears. And then, the Holy Spirit washed over me.

Even as I write these words, tears of thanksgiving fill my eyes. For when a similar battle had threatened to overtake me eight years ago, God healed me. And He used this exact verse to do so through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now eight years later, I am completely filled with awe and wonder at the mystery and mercy of God. Once more, He used this verse to bring healing and hope to my soul. But God was not finished yet.

Yesterday, as I awoke in peace, God spoke again. As if the timely reminder of this verse was not enough, God reaffirmed it yet again. A dear friend and prayer warrior texted me after church. And what verse would she happen to text me? You guessed it. Romans 15:13. Only God. Only God.

Friends, may these words encourage your heart and bring Hope. God loves us. He knows the hairs on your head. He sees you and knows your suffering. He is the God of compassion and Hope for all. And He will never let you go.

Allow your heart to be filled with joy and peace for the joy of the Lord will be your strength. Use worship as your weapon and the Word of God as your Shield. And allow Christ to be your Cornerstone so when fires and winds assail, you will be left standing with the Rock of Jesus beneath your feet.

Be encouraged friends for our God is with us. May the God of Hope fill each one of you with joy and peace as you trust Him so you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen and amen.

God Really Loves Us By David Crowder
​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3y8Zz3F4cI