Stacey Patrick: Gracefully Overcoming

Stacey Patrick

Stacey Patrick was a graceful overcomer. She suffered greatly with chronic conditions, but she always kept her eyes focused on the Lord. She loved Him. She loved His Word. She loved spending time studying the Bible and telling others about what she was learning. She grew in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Early Sunday morning, Jesus called her Home.

At the end of her life, Stacey battled with pneumonia and sepsis, among other things. With the complicating factors of POTS, her body wasn't able to fight anymore. The Lord gave her rest from her earthly struggles. Stacey is now in the presence of the Savior whom she loved so much. She is free of pain and suffering, and I rejoice for her. But my heart hurts for her family and friends who are grieving and missing her so much.

Stacey was a godly example to me of perseverance and faithfulness. We met through blogging years ago. We both lived with POTS and other chronic illnesses. We were both writers. We both loved Jesus. We both struggled through summer heat, and we would encourage each other in those hot summer months as we were "surviving summer." I struggled to keep up with communications in recent years, but Stacey was always there with encouragement in my inbox or on Facebook.

Stacey served the Lord right where He had placed her. She wrote books, she maintained a blog, and she hosted an online Bible study group. Her ministry extended far beyond the four walls of her home.

Stacey ran her race well. She will be missed greatly here on earth. I am thankful to know that she is with the Savior she loved so much. And I am thankful that we will one day see her again in Heaven.

Please pray for Stacey's mom and her family as they are missing Stacey so very much.

Hope for the Hard Days

Do you ever have days when you are tired and weary and need to be reminded of the hope that you have? I know I do. There are days when I am not only physically tired and weary, but spiritually tired and weary as well. Several years ago, I started a project of writing devotions on some of my hardest days, and I published it here on my blog as a free PDF download. If you have been here for a while, you might remember that little ebook, Hope for the Hard Days.

I'm excited to let you know that Hope for the Hard Days is now available on Kindle and paperback! I plan to always keep the PDF version available for free here on my blog, but if a Kindle or paperback is easier for you to read, then I hope you can grab a copy of your own.

God has given me much encouragement and comfort through His Word, and I want to pass on that encouragement and comfort to you. Some of the devotions in Hope for the Hard Days were written on days when I struggled to cling to hope. I wrote the words that I needed to hear on those hard days. Perhaps they are the words you need to hear too.

I pray that you will not despair when the hard days come, but that you will cling to the hope found in Christ. 

You can find Hope for the Hard Days in these places:

- Kindle on Amazon 

- Paperback on Amazon

- Download a free PDF copy

I would like to give away a copy of Hope for the Hard Days to two of my readers! Please click over to the Rafflecopter form to enter. Winners who live in the United States may have their choice of a Kindle copy or a paperback. Winners who live outside the United States will receive a Kindle copy. The giveaway will end on March 18. Winners will be notified by email.

What others have said about Hope for the Hard Days:

Rachel Lundy’s example of faithfulness in difficult circumstances was a blessing to me before I became ill, but since becoming partially homebound myself during treatment for cancer, her grace and beauty have inspired me to embrace my own situation as a part of God’s divine design. She has taught me to look for God’s hand in all of life, and through this series of devotions, she will encourage, inspire, and lead others to look to the Lord and His strength.

     Beth Holmes, Ministry Wife; Mom; Blogger, Beth Holmes

True hope is only found in one place: our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. And in this theologically rich, beautifully written devotional, that’s where Rachel Lundy points us. With clear, accessible writing broken up into bite-sized chapters, Rachel reminds us of the true hope that we have been called to. Short prayers and Scripture suggestions for further individual study serve as practical advice to help drive home the message of the gospel hope we have in suffering, and where it is found. It’s easy to get beaten down under the relentless trials of chronic illness. Let this refreshing devotional recenter your mind on truth and restore your hope.

     Hailey Hudson, Chronically Ill Author and Speaker, The Hardworking Creative

I first read Hope for the Hard Days many years ago. The more I read, the more I relaxed into Rachel Lundy’s words. Rachel was someone I could trust. Her writing was both compassionate and honest. She offered both empathy and wisdom. I recently read through this devotional again, and I recommend it to anyone who is feeling discouraged, hopeless, or alone. You will find that this devotional lives up to its name. There really is hope for hard days, and Rachel helps us find it by pointing us to God and His Word over and over again.

     Esther Smith, Author, A Still and Quiet Mind; Owner, Christian Trauma Counseling

Rachel's heart for those walking through difficult times is evident in the pages of her new devotional, Hope for the Hard Days. As a woman who is no stranger to pain and weariness, Rachel desires to share the hope she has found in a relationship with God that helps sustain her. Recognizing that life can't and won't be ‘perfect,’ Rachel pairs her own experiences and hardships with the scriptures that have encouraged her, to offer a way of living that we all can benefit from. No matter where your journey finds you today, Hope for the Hard Days is the perfect devotional to begin your day with.

     Kristin Smith, Wife; Mother; Writer, The Riches of His Love and Remembering Isaac 

Rachel Lundy writes with the compassion of experience, the grace of well-chosen words, and the power of biblical truth. In 30 concise, one-page devotionals, each with an accompanying verse and prayer, Hope for the Hard Days offers profound but simple truths of Scripture that both lift up the weary spirit and ground the faltering mind. As a fellow believer with chronic illness, I was blessed, challenged, and encouraged by these devotions. I would hand this book to any friend with chronic illness in a heartbeat, and recommend it to any friend going through a difficult season.

     Melissa J. Troutman, Writer and Editor, The Valley ministry

Rachel offers spiritual nourishment to weary chronic illness warriors with the compassion and wisdom of someone who understands. Hope for the Hard Days is a needed resource and one that I will be sending to friends. Rachel's devotional returns us to the foundational truths we will never outgrow--truths I cling to in my own chronic illness journey.

     S.G. Willoughby, Author, He’s Making Diamonds; Founder, Diamonds Conference 

We Moved to Tennessee!

This has been quite a year for our family! In the spring Will accepted a position as an Assistant Attorney General in the state of Tennessee. We moved to the Nashville area in July, and this fall we have been settling into our new life here. 

Will really likes his new job in the Tennessee Attorney General's office. Adelaide and Stafford are enjoying their new school, and both are thriving. Adelaide is in 8th grade now, and Stafford is in Kindergarten, Gresham is my little buddy at home every day, and we spend our days playing and eating and napping.

The biggest change for us is that William stayed behind in Minnesota. We didn't want to make him move to a new state and a new school right before his senior year, so we gave him the choice to either move with us or stay in Minnesota. He chose to stay and finish up his senior year of high school with the friends he has had since Kindergarten. We didn't expect to launch our oldest so soon, but it has proven to be the best thing for him in this situation. William is thriving and doing well.

Life is very different for us this year. Will's work routine is different. The school routine is different for our children. William doesn't live with us anymore. Gresham and I have very different days at home here than we did at home in Minnesota. We are looking for local friends, and we are getting to know a new church. Our rhythms and routines have been upended, and it has been an adjustment. So much has changed.

But in the midst of the many changes, God has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Advent season began on December 3, and along with that came our family Advent routine and celebration. On Sunday evenings we sit down in the living room with the Christmas tree and Christmas candles lit. We then light the appropriate number of candles on the Advent wreath. We read Scripture and pray. We eat German Christmas cookies. This is one of the few rhythms in our life that has not changed this year. Celebrating Advent is one of my favorite things each December, and this year it has been an especially welcome celebration. Not only is it a familiar routine, but it is a reminder to me of the faithfulness of God.

Long ago God promised to send a Savior, and He kept His promise. Jesus came into our world that is filled with sin and suffering. He suffered and died for us, taking the punishment that we deserve. He conquered death and rose again, and He promised that He would one day return. God keeps every promise He makes, and He will keep His promise to return. When everything around us changes, God remains faithful and unchanging. 

In the midst of our very different rhythms and routines in Tennessee, the God we love and serve remains the same. He is still faithful and true, just as He always has been, and just as He always will be. I am thankful to serve an unchanging God, and I am excited to see what He has in store for our family in Tennessee!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! Jesus is Risen! Today is a day for celebration and worship.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:3-28

His Heart Beats

Andrew Peterson

(If you are reading this in an email, please click over to the blog to listen to the song.)

His heart beats
His blood begins to flow
Waking up what was dead a moment ago
And His heart beats, now everything is changed
'Cause the blood that brought us peace with God
Is racing through His veins
And His heart beats
His heart beats 

He breathes in
His living lungs expand
The heavy air surrounding death turns to breath again
He breathes out
He is word and flesh once more
The Lamb of God slain for us is a Lion ready to roar
And His heart beats 

So crown Him the Lord of Life
Crown Him the Lord of Love
Crown Him the Lord of All 

He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know His heart beats 

He rises, glorified in flesh
Clothed in immortality, the firstborn from the dead
He rises, and His work's already done
So He's resting as He rises to reclaim the Bride He won
And His heart beats 

So crown Him the Lord of Life
Crown Him the Lord of Love
Crown Him the Lord of All 

He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know His heart beats 

The last enemy to be destroyed is death
The last enemy to be destroyed is death
He must reign until no enemy is left
The last enemy to be destroyed, to be destroyed is death 

His heart beats, He will never die again
I know that death no longer has dominion over Him
So my heart beats with the rhythm of the saints
As I look for the seeds the King has down
To burst up from their graves 

I know, I know
He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know
He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
How great, how great is His victory
I know, I know His heart beats
I know, I know His heart beats
His heart beats

Fair Trade Easter Eggs

Back when we lived in Kentucky I made a Resurrection Egg set, and I wrote a lesson plan for young children. I used it twice when we hosted an Easter Egg hunt with our neighbors. But I have used it countless times with my own children. This egg set has been a favorite for each of my children, especially at young ages.

When William was three years old, one of his favorite things to do every day was open these eggs and hear the Easter story. He would ask me to tell him the story over and over again. I would share the lesson several times in a row, until my voice was hoarse and I had to stop! Later on in the day we would do it again.

A few years later, Adelaide was asking to hear the lesson again and again. And now Stafford loves to open the eggs and talk about what we find inside. What a blessing it is to have my children asking over and over to hear the good news of Jesus Christ! This little egg set has been one of the very best teaching tools in our house.

I have a small set that includes only eight eggs. The eggs contain:

• Bread
• A picture of praying hands
• 30 pieces of silver (dimes)
• A nail
• A tiny cross
• Cloth
• A rock
• And the last egg is empty because the tomb was empty on Easter morning!

This year I decided to give our Resurrection Eggs a little update, and I recreated them with fair trade eggs from Mercy House! The items inside are the same, but the eggs are made by the women of Street Hope.

The women of Street Hope once lived on the streets of Mathare Valley in Kenya, but because of the simple job of sewing felt crafts, these women have been able to move off of the street and into their own homes! They have been able to leave survival prostitution now that they have dignified jobs. These courageous women are working their way out of poverty.

It brings me joy to know that my purchase of fair trade eggs helps women to provide for their families. These little felt eggs are sturdy and pretty! They bring a smile to my face, and they remind me to pray for Street Hope and for Mercy House.

Today Mercy House has these felt eggs on sale! They are also selling baskets with pre-filled Easter eggs. Click over to the Mercy House store to shop the Easter collection and snag a good deal on Easter eggs!

*Edited to add: The Easter eggs sold out in a matter of hours! But they will have more next year! Meanwhile, there are still plenty of wonderful fair trade products in the store if you want to support Mercy House and the women they provide with jobs. Mercy House also has a FREE digital Easter Bundle if you want some more ideas for celebrating Easter at home with your children.*

And if you are interested in making and using Resurrection Eggs, you can read my lesson plan here. If you have young children, I highly recommend doing this with them! Little ones love it!

What special things do you do at Easter to share the gospel with your children? I would love to hear your ideas!

Favorite Books of 2019

In 2019 I had a goal of reading 20 books. I ended up reading 24 books! Some of those books were very, very short, but I was grateful for the ability to read as many as I did! Here are some of my favorite books from last year.

Suffering Is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot

Elisabeth Elliot is someone who faced various hard trials in her life. Through it all she remained faithful to God, trusted in Him, and worked faithfully to simply do the next thing. Suffering Is Never for Nothing is based on a speaking series she gave many years ago. The words in the book were taken directly from the transcript of her speaking series. Elisabeth Elliot shares, as she always did, in her straightforward, no-nonsense way. This is an encouraging book for the believer who is trying to make sense of the very hard suffering in life, and it is also beneficial for the believer who is looking for help as they face everyday challenges.


Hope When It Hurts by Kristen Wetherell and Sarah Walton

This little book is so encouraging and helpful! It is filled with solid truths from Scripture that you can cling to when life hurts. Sarah and Kristen write from personal, painful experience, and they offer rock-solid hope. They consistently point the reader back to Jesus and to the eternal and precious promises we have through Him. Hope When It Hurts is deep and rich. It is beautiful and practical. I recommend it to everyone!


Friendish by Kelly Needham

Friendish is a timely and much-needed look at friendship from a biblical perspective. Kelly Needham has written a book filled with wisdom and truth. She takes the reader straight to Scripture to find guidance for the way we do friendship. With so many bad examples of friendship in the culture around us, it is easy to lose sight of what friendship should be. Friendish will help you to see patterns and pitfalls to avoid, and it will encourage you to grow as a godly friend to others. For anyone wanting to learn how to honor God in their friendships, this book is a must read!

The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo

This is a helpful, practical, and solidly biblical parenting book. Lou Priolo helps the parent to get to the heart of emotions and attitudes in their children and in their own hearts. The Heart of Anger is an excellent book to read, and a very good resource to keep on your bookshelf.


The Complicated Heart by Sarah Mae

In this compelling memoir, Sarah Mae shares her story of growing up with an alcoholic mother. She tells of her pain and struggles as well as her path to healing. This is the story of a mother and daughter that is filled with hurt, abuse, and difficulty. But it is a story that ends with redemption, love, and reconciliation. Before her mother passed away, Sarah promised her that she would tell their story. This book is the fulfillment of that promise. The Complicated Heart is a good book for anyone who is struggling to love and to forgive those who are close to them who have hurt them. And it is a great book for those who need help understanding the depth of pain and suffering that is present in some families.

What good books have you read lately? Are there any books that I should add to my 2020 reading shelf?

When Hope Is Scarce

I am pleased to welcome Bethany Rose to Cranberry Tea Time today. Bethany is a fellow Minnesotan, blogger, and spoonie. She has a lovely letter today for those of you who also live with chronic illnesses. In case you aren't familiar with the term "spoonie," those who are in the chronic illness community often refer to each other as "spoonies." It is a name that comes from Christine Miserandino's helpful story called, "The Spoon Theory."

Bethany will be speaking at the Diamonds 2020 conference this weekend. If you have a chronic illness, you will want to check this out! It is online, and it is free! Details can be found at the end of the post.

Photo by Guillaume Galtier on Unsplash

Dear spoonie,

Does your pain overwhelm you? Do the days seem endless? Do you wonder if you will ever find a way out? Is hope scarce?

Hope.

What a strange word, especially for those of us who wonder if the pain will ever ease.

A sweet girl told me the other day that during the worst days of her illness friends and acquaintances would frequently tell her, “I’m so sorry-I hope you feel better soon.”

The problem with telling us to “feel better soon” is that we both know it’s insincere. It often feels as if those who say this that don’t really care whether we feel better soon or not. That hurts. And as chronic illness warriors, we become finely attuned to the meaning behind common phrases like these.

With chronic illness, healing isn’t certain, and it probably won’t happen in the near future. It feels so empty when we hear, “I hope you feel better soon.”

Hope.

It’s so easy to lose hope when your day-to-day existence is filled with pain or exhaustion.

And it’s not just healing that we lose hope in. It’s also easy to lose hope in the goodness of God, and start to believe that life is just a series of tragedies.

Dear one, what can you do when you lose hope?

Throughout my illness, I have lost hope many times. And I have learned something which transformed the way I think about hopelessness.

When we are in a dark place, the solution is not to notice the darkness, to calculate how many more hours we must exist until dawn sprinkles sunshine on our faces again. Instead, when we are surrounded by darkness, we look up. For the night sky is peppered with stars.

I remember a dear friend messaging me, asking me, “When will this feeling end?”

I told her, “It will take time, but you will come out.

Take it one breath at a time.

Pause, and look at the night sky. It is vast, and it is wild, and it is not joyful. It has seen a thousand wrongs in the same moment as it saw a thousand rights. Look out your window. That ancient sky? Somewhere behind it is a Maker who will one day rip the sky apart to come and right every wrong.

You’re not alone.”

No matter what your illness is, God has not abandoned you. He will one day right the wrongs of this broken world. And if you simply look around, look up, into the sky, you will find small reminders of His enduring love.

Yet you wonder-how can I? My symptoms prevent me. Yes friend, sometimes our symptoms make finding reminders of God’s love harder. But that which is harder won is the more precious.

Perhaps you are a spoonie with light sensitivity. You can’t watch the sunrise, but you can close your eyes and go out into a garden or park. Inhale the scents. It’s winter now where I live in Minnesota, cold, frozen, lonely. You may think that winter doesn’t have a scent, but your nose will change your mind. Breathe deeply. What do you smell?

The first thing I notice in the winter air is the crispness. Then I smell underneath it the everlasting scent of the earth, quiet and strong, despite being stuck in winter’s icy clasp. I smell the earth, and I remember that God will bring spring again.

Dear spoonie, if we only hope for healing, we miss all the beauty God has given to us to relieve the bitter cold of winter. Yet if we choose to look up, we can find the little blessings which make a hard season of life bearable.

For we do not only hope for the relieving of our pain. Our primary source of hope is God.

“We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
    for our hope is in you alone.”
Psalm 33:20-22

He will not disappoint us. He may not take away our pain, but He will help us to bear it. And when we begin to doubt that He really is here with us, if we only look around, we will see a thousand evidences that His love for us is still as strong as it was the day Jesus bore both our sins and our sorrows on the Cross.

And though our pain seems to last forever, soon, it will pass away.

So dear spoonie, when we begin to lose hope let us look to God. Let us be in awe of Him. Let us find the little blessings He gives us each day. But most of all, let us cling fast to the knowledge that He is guarding us. He is keeping us. He is with us!

Dear spoonie, when hope is scarce, look up.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.” 1 Peter 1:3-6

Bethany’s name means “bright city on a hill.” This is her mission in life, to illuminate the beautiful things and shine God’s light where there was darkness. Bethany leads The Wilting Rose Project, a ministry of encouragement and truth for young women who feel their struggles make them worthless. She writes fairytales heavily inspired by her love of the forest, where she spends many of her mornings soaking in the uniquely Minnesotan beauty. Her blog includes more personal documentation of her battle the last few years with Lyme disease and Toxic Mold illness and her journey of healing.

What is Diamonds 2020? Diamonds 2020 is a free online conference for chronically ill Christians.

When is Diamonds 2020? January 23rd-25th, 2020

Who is speaking at Diamonds 2020? 16 awesome chronically ill warriors.

What does Diamonds 2020 cost? Nothing!

Where is Diamonds 2020? You can register for free at this link.

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas! The True Light has come into the world. Let us celebrate His birth!

2 The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
3 You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 

Isaiah 9:2-7

 Noel featuring Lauren Daigle

He Is Risen

Happy Easter! He Is Risen!

Image: Full of Eyes

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. 

Luke 24:1-12

Risen Indeed

by Andrew Peterson
(If you are reading this in an email, you may click over to the blog to play the music.)

And so the winter dies with a blast of icy wind, like a mournful cry
It’s giving up the ghost again
Another sheet of snow melts away to gold and green, just look at Peter go
He’s racing to the tomb to see

Where has my Jesus gone? He is not dead; He is risen
Risen indeed

And now the flowers bloom like a song of freedom, behold the earth is new
If only for the season
And so the seed that died for you becomes a seedling
Just put your hand into the wound that bought your healing

And let your heart believe, He is not dead; He is risen
Risen indeed

And the rain will fall on the furrow
It immerses the earth in sorrow
Mary, the sun will rise again, Mary
The sun will rise again
Daughter, listen, listen, daughter
Listen, He speaks your name

Father Abraham could not have dreamed of this
Could never understand the end of all those promises
How all the pieces fit, every star and grain of sand
Is safely hid in Jesus’ hand

Let every tongue confess, He is not dead; He is risen
Risen indeed
He is not dead; He is risen, risen indeed 

Mary, the sun will rise again, Mary
The sun will rise again
Daughter, listen, listen, daughter
Listen, he speaks your name

Good Friday

Image: Full of Eyes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." 

John 3:16-18

Review: The Long Goodbye

One of my favorite bloggers was Kara Tippetts. She wrote at Mundane Faithfulness about motherhood and her journey with cancer. One of the things I appreciated so much about Kara was her absolute trust in God's sovereignty and in His good plan for her life, even though it wasn't the story she would have chosen.

Kara passed away four years ago, and her story is now being told through a new documentary, The Long Goodbye: The Kara Tippetts Story. This documentary follows her journey as cancer slowly takes her. It is a sad story to watch, and yet it is also full of hope and beauty because Kara knew Jesus.

Some of my favorite scenes in the film were ones where Kara was spending time with her children in whatever way she could, even when she was confined to bed. Those moments were especially encouraging to me as a mom with a disabling chronic illness. I am homebound and have to spend the majority of my time resting in bed, so being able to catch a glimpse of another mom who was loving her children while exhausted and confined to bed was very encouraging to me.

Kara sought to be kind even when grieving and in pain. She had such a hard story, but she lived it well, and she trusted in Jesus through it all. She is an example of how to live well, and how to die well.

My favorite quote from Kara in this documentary:

The world says I should be angry, that I should be shaking my fist at God. I didn’t think at 38 I’d be battling cancer, but I am, and so I need to find contentment in that place. I want to be able to share this story that suffering isn’t a mistake, and it isn’t the absence of God’s goodness because He’s present in pain.

The documentary is very well done. I highly recommend it. It is sad and wonderful and hope-filled. It will help you to keep your eyes on Jesus as you persevere through whatever hard thing you have been called to endure.

The Long Goodbye

(If you are reading this in an email, you may click over to the blog to view the trailer.)

The documentary is available on DVD and digital. The DVD is my favorite of the two formats because it has bonus features with Joanna Gaines, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Ann Voskamp. You can find the DVD on Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, and Lifeway. The digital version can be found on Amazon, christiancinema.com, Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu.

Photos are courtesy of Jay Lyons Productions.

Book Review: Happiness

Two years ago I started reading Happiness by Randy Alcorn. I have greatly enjoyed reading this book, and I have learned so much! I was given a complimentary copy from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for a review. I never thought that it would take me two years to finish reading this book and write my review. My thanks to Tyndale for their patience with me!

Happiness is a very big book (481 pages), and it has been a slow read for me. I could have read it quickly simply to get through it. But it is so good, and there is so much Scripture referenced in it, that I wanted to take my time. I went through this book slowly and carefully with my Bible next to me and my pen in hand. I underlined and starred numerous sections. I looked verses up in my Bible and took notes. I studied what Scripture has to say about happiness while I read this book. 

I want to share with you just a little of what I have learned by reading Happiness.

It seems to have become a common misconception that as Christians we are to be joyful, but not happy. Sometimes it is taught that joy is godly, and happiness is worldly. We should be joyful, but we should not seek to be happy. Joy is enduring; happiness is fleeting. God cares about our holiness, but not our happiness.

The Bible does talk a lot about joy and rejoicing, but it also talks about happiness and gladness, and these words are used parallel to one another in Scripture. It has only been in recent years that Christians have begun to think that we shouldn’t be happy; we should be joyful instead. It was interesting to read about this change in thought and teaching, which Randy covers in chapter five, What’s the Difference between Joy and Happiness?

It is not just okay to be happy; it is good to be happy. We are even commanded to be happy! Randy Alcorn says, “Paul’s words in Philippians 4:4 are often translated ‘Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.’ They could also be translated, ‘Be happy in the Lord always, and again I say be happy.’ Commenting on this verse, Spurgeon said, ‘It is intended that we should be happy. That is the meaning…that we should be cheerful’” (page 18).

Happiness is divided into four sections:

• Our Compelling Quest for Happiness
• The Happiness of God
• The Bible’s Actual Words for Happiness
• Understanding and Experiencing Happiness in God

I found each of these sections to be helpful, insightful, and fascinating!

I appreciated reading quotes from Christians who have written about happiness many years ago and in recent years. Here are a few of my favorites:

Those who are "beloved of the Lord" must be the most happy and joyful people to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth. – Charles Spurgeon 

He has no design on us, but to make us happy…Who should be cheerful, if not the people of God? – Thomas Watson 

I assert without hesitation, that the conversion described in Scripture is a happy thing and not a miserable one, and that if converted persons are not happy, the fault must be in themselves….I am confident the converted man is the happiest man. – J. C. Ryle 

There is nothing that more tends to strengthen the faith of the young believer than to hear the veteran Christian, covered with scars from the battle, testifying that the service of his Master is a happy service, and that, if he could have served any other master, he would not have done son, for His service is pleasant, and His reward everlasting joy. – Charles Spurgeon 

If you ask me, "Doesn’t the world need to see Christians as happy in order to know the truth of our faith and be drawn to the great Savior?" my answer is "Yes, yes, yes!" And they need to see that our happiness is the indomitable work of Christ in the midst of our sorrow. – John Piper 

If you have nice little categories for "joy is what Christians have" and "happiness is what the world has," you can scrap those when you go to the Bible, because the Bible is indiscriminate in its use of the language of happiness and joy and contentment and satisfaction. – John Piper 

O cheerful, happy, joyous people, I wish there were more of you! . . . Let the uppermost joy you have always be "Jesus Christ, Himself.” – Charles Spurgeon 

Despite your tribulation, take full delight in God your exceeding joy this morning, and be happy in Him. – Charles Spurgeon 

The people of God ought to be the happiest people in all the wide world! – A. W. Tozer

While reading Happiness, I was struck by how often we are commanded in Scripture to be happy, and I've been reminded of how much we have to be happy about. Of all people, Christians should be the happiest on earth! The gospel is good news of great joy - good news of great happiness! What a wonderful thing to remember during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

If forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternity in Heaven with Jesus isn't a reason for happiness, then I don't know what is. It is the hope of the Gospel that keeps me going on the hard days. It is the promise of eternal life that brings me happiness when the sorrows of life in a fallen world overwhelm. Pursuing Christ and enjoying His good gifts brings happiness in the midst of suffering.

Happiness was an excellent book to read, and it is one that I will keep on my bookshelf as a reference for years to come. I highly recommend Happiness! This is a message that is needed by Christians today. It is a message that is needed by the world. There is true and lasting happiness to be found, and that happiness is found in knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior and living for Him alone.

Happiness is a good and thorough book. If you aren’t able to read such a long book, you might enjoy 60 Days of Happiness. If you want to read Happiness, you can find it at the EPM store and on Amazon.

Randy Alcorn is an author and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching principles of God's Word and assisting the church in ministering to unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled, and unsupported people around the world. His ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions, and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity. He accomplishes this by analyzing, teaching, and applying biblical truth. 

Before starting EPM in 1990, Randy served as a pastor for fourteen years. He has a bachelor of theology and a master of arts in biblical studies from Multnomah University and an honorary doctorate from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and has taught on the adjunct faculties of both. A New York Times bestselling author, Randy has written more than fifty books, including Heaven, The Treasure Principle, and the award-winning novel Safely Home. His books have sold more than ten million copies and have been translated into more than sixty languages.

Randy has written for many magazines, including EPM's Eternal Perspectives. He is active on Facebook and Twitter and has been a guest on more than seven hundred radio, television, and online programs.

Randy resides in Gresham, Oregon, with his wife, Nanci. They have two married daughters and are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys time spent with his family, biking, snorkeling, underwater photography, researching, and reading.

The Second Advent

The Advent season is one of my favorite times of the year. During Advent we remember the promises that God made in years past. We remember the waiting and the longing and the hope of God’s people. We remember that God kept His promise to send a Savior! 

The message of Advent doesn’t end at Christmas. Jesus came to earth to die on the cross in our place. He suffered the wrath of God so that all who believe on Him will never have to suffer God’s wrath. Jesus died and came back to life, conquering death! Now Jesus is in Heaven, and He has promised that one day He will return. The people of God are waiting again. His Second Advent is still to come!

God kept His promise to send a Savior, and He will keep His promise to return to Earth. Jesus will come again. The First Advent was missed by many. The Second Advent will be missed by no one. This time when Jesus comes, He will be coming in all of His glory. He will be bringing reward or judgement. If you know Jesus, this gives great hope. Do you know Him? Are you ready for His Second Advent? 

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 

Revelation 20:11-15 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 

Revelation 21:1-4 

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”  

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”  

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Revelation 22:12-21

Joy to the World

by Isaac Watts

sung by Sovereign Grace

Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! The Savior is born! I hope you have a meaningful Christmas as we celebrate Jesus coming to earth. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

John 1:1-14

One Still Night

by Sovereign Grace Music

One still night, Mary awoke

Stirred by an angel, she trembled as he spoke

One small child would soon be born

The King of kings will wear a crown of thorns

“Glory to God,” the angels sang

“Immanuel was born for you this day

Peace on earth, good will toward men

Immanuel has come to Bethlehem

Immanuel has come to Bethlehem”

One still night, while Joseph dreamed

He saw a vision within his troubled sleep

One small child, his bride would give

Deliverer delivered to save us from our sin

And to His kingdom there’ll be no end

And to His kingdom there’ll be no end

And to His kingdom there’ll be no end

One still night, a light was shown

That all the darkness could never overcome

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.  

Isaiah 9:2-7

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 

Luke 2:8-20

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

by Charles Wesley

sung by Boyce Vocal Band

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King, 

peace on earth, and mercy mild, 

God and sinners reconciled!" 

Joyful, all ye nations rise, 

join the triumph of the skies; 

with th' angelic host proclaim, 

"Christ is born in Bethlehem!" 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King!" 

Christ, by highest heaven adored; 

Christ, the everlasting Lord; 

late in time behold him come, 

offspring of a virgin's womb. 

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; 

hail th' incarnate Deity, 

pleased with us in flesh to dwell, 

Jesus, our Emmanuel. 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King!" 

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! 

Hail the Sun of Righteousness! 

Light and life to all he brings, 

risen with healing in his wings. 

Mild he lays his glory by, 

born that we no more may die, 

born to raise us from the earth, 

born to give us second birth. 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King!"