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September

by Elizabeth | Oct 31, 2018

Check out my column on aging, caregiving, legacy, and end-of-life!

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Reminder: Free Webinar on Coping with Grief During

Reminder: Free Webinar on Coping with Grief During the Holidays Tonight

Do you ever feel like you don’t know yourself an

Do you ever feel like you don’t know yourself anymore?

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this assurance:
we are fully known by you.
In seasons of grief or uncertainty,
of sorrow or stress,
of caregiving or crisis,
we often feel like
we don’t know anything anymore.
We may not recognize ourselves:
where we were once full of energy,
we now struggle to get out of bed;
where we once attended Bible study regularly,
we now find ourselves stuck in a waiting room;
where we once felt we knew you well,
we now find ourselves doubting your plan.
In those places, we need to hear you speaking certainty to us:
“Fear not for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name,
you are mine.
Fear not, for I am with you…
I will…bring my sons from afar,
and my daughters from the end of the earth…” (Isaiah 43:1; 5-6).
We need to hear you affirming your knowledge of us
even when we have wandered far from you:
“It was I who knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought” (Hosea 13:5).
Yes, now our vision of you and ourselves is spotty,
dimmed by the cataracts of life
in a fallen world,
but one day we will see you
face to face.
And then we will know fully who we are
(your beloved daughters and sons)
because we will finally know fully who you are.
Until that day comes,
may we rest in the hope
that we are fully known
and incredibly loved by you.
In Jesus’ loving name. Amen.
Read Isaiah 43:1-7; 1 Corinthians 13:8-134.

Can you see the harvest to come? “…the meadow

Can you see the harvest to come?

“…the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.” Psalm 65:13

Lord of the Harvest,
In this season of harvest,
May we join together
with the hills and the meadows and the valleys,
shouting and singing for joy.
Yes, it’s true, we don’t always see the bounty
described in Psalm 65
on this broken earth:
crops wither under drought and frost,
forests and trees are devastated
by wildfires and hurricanes,
and yet we know a day is coming
when you will crown creation
“with your bounty,”
when your paths will “overflow with abundance” (Psalm 65:11).
We look forward to the day we will gather
in your restored creation,
in the new heavens and the new earth,
and we will see how you have sustained us all along,
not just spiritually, but also physically.
We look forward to the day
when you will “make the going out of the morning
and the evening to shout for joy” (Psalm 65:8).
We look forward to the day
when we will join with all of creation
in awe of the “awesome deeds” you have done (Ps. 65:5).
In Jesus’ restoring name. Amen.
Read Psalm 65.
#dailyprayer #devotional
#hopewriterlife #goodnewsfeed #votd #Biblestudy #grace #dailyverse #womensministry #gospelshaped #shereadstruth #christianliving

How can we be cleansed of our sins? ‘Come now,

How can we be cleansed of our sins?

‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.’ Isaiah 1:18

Forgiving Lord,
It’s easy to read about the sins of Judah
back in the days of the evil kings
and think, “Oh, we’re not like that!”
I mean, after all, we’re not like Sodom,
who mixed their worship with pagan worship (Isaiah 1:10-11).
(Or are we?).
Our hands are not “full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15).
(Or, are they?)
To Judah, you commanded,
“Cease to do evil, learn to do good;
seek justice, correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:16-17).
Do we recognize our own sins
in your calling to seek justice
and to correct oppression?
Lord, by your Spirit,
show us just how dark
our sinful hearts can be
so that we can fully rejoice
in how bright and healing
your forgiveness of our sins is.
Show us how bloody our hands can be
so that we can see how fully
you have cleansed us,
like an ink-stained sheet bleached white.
With gratitude for your forgiveness,
may we move into this broken world
with your redeeming love.
In Jesus’ cleansing name. Amen.
Read Isaiah 1:1-20.
#dailyprayer #devotional
#hopewriterlife #goodnewsfeed #votd #Biblestudy #grace #dailyverse #womensministry #gospelshaped #shereadstruth #christianliving

How do you feel about humbling yourself? For all

How do you feel about humbling yourself?

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 18:14

Most High God,
We confess,
our sin puffs us up with pride.
We are too often like the Pharisee in this story,
beating our chests,
telling you how great we are,
and pointing out other people’s little splinters
while we have a big fat log sticking out of our eyes (See Matt. 7:3-5).
We, like the disciples,
want to be “greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:1),
and we poorly understand the route to such a reward.
For indeed, it is the tax collectors who bow low,
knowing their sin,
begging your mercy,
who are made right with you,
who will be exalted in your kingdom.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Help us to see our sin clearly
and to confess it fully.
Help us to be willing to “get in the back of the line,”*
where we will find Jesus as our line companion.
Help us to become like little children,
so very needy for your strength.
Help us to welcome little children,
for to them belongs the kingdom of God.
In Jesus’ forgiving name we ask.
Amen.
Read Matthew 18:1-5; Luke 18:9-15; Matthew 7:3-5.
*This concept comes from a talk given by Pastor Joe Novenson to older adults. You can read a draft of his talk here.
#dailyprayer #devotional
#hopewriterlife #goodnewsfeed #votd #Biblestudy #grace #dailyverse #womensministry #gospelshaped #shereadstruth #christianliving

Have you ever felt forsaken? He will be with you;

Have you ever felt forsaken?

He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8

Faithful Father,
In times that we feel forsaken,
whether because of betrayal or abandonment or loss,
may we remember,
“It is the Lord who goes before [us],”
and you will never leave us or forsake us.
You are a God who made a covenant,
a promise of love to your people
that you alone upheld.
Even after Adam and Eve disobeyed you in the garden,
you promised to send your Son to destroy Satan (Gen. 3:15).
You promised Abraham to make him a great nation (Gen. 12:2),
and you continued to love your people, the Israelites,
even though they continued to rebel against you:
“For the mountains may depart,
and the hills may be removed,
but my steadfast love will not depart from you” (Isaiah 54:10).
In your most stunning proof of your commitment
to bring your people back to you,
you allowed your Son to be forsaken on the cross,
to die for our sins,
that we might become your children.
Because you will never leave nor forsake
your children in Christ,
when we feel lonely
or exiled
or forgotten,
we need not “fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
In Jesus’ faith-full name we pray. Amen.
Read Deuteronomy 31:8; Isaiah 54.
#dailyprayer #devotional
#hopewriterlife #goodnewsfeed #votd #Biblestudy #grace #dailyverse #womensministry #gospelshaped #shereadstruth #christianliving

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The mission of Living Story Life and Legacy Coaching is to equip people to live, prepare, and share their God-given legacy by offering gospel-centered encouragement and equipping for aging, caregiving, legacy, and end-of-life.

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