Joyful Refuge

  • God Uses Yes

    God wants us to say yes to Him. To fully submit to Him. Think of Mary saying yes to the strange message of the angel. she said yes even knowing others would not understand and there would be shame and gossip before she would see the fruit of her yes. Luke 1:38 [38] And Mary…

  • Encourage Yourself in the Lord

    This year my chronic health issues have increased after a mild case of COVID in early September. This resulted in my being home and isolated much more for last six months. After numerous treatments, including one in mid January that finally helped me significantly, I was so weak and had lost so much muscle strength…

  • Changing Question Marks Into Exclamation Marks

    “I can now look back and see so many of the question marks yanked into exclamation points in my life. I am so thankful that He said “no” to so many of the prayers I desperately wanted Him to answer with “yes.” – Mary Southerland This quote really spoke to me today. As I pondered…

  • Where the Red Sea Parts

    I met a new friend, who Gail, in recent months who relocated from several states away. She and her husband attend my church and have joined our small group. Gail has multiple health issues going on yet exudes such joy and as faith and obviously lives in such a way that you know she finds…

  • Three Ways I Live with Chronic Illness

    I was wondering how faith helps others to deal with chronic disease. My counselor recently shared a letter with me from an older woman who has dealt with health issues all her life. While very encouraging, I realized many of my things that helped me are different than hers. My top three are: 1. Practicing…

  • Finding God’s Path for Me in this Crazy World

    Recently I was pondering what is God’s path for my life in the midst of all this craziness of life with pandemic, divisions, racial tensions and shortages. What I ended up doing was compiling a list of verses that dealt with His directing me and helping me navigate through this life until I join Him…

  • My Refuge from the Storms of Life

    2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. – Psalm 57:1-2  Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Every time…

  • Count it all Joy

    Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds. James 1:2 ESV I am once again doing another Bible Study through Love God Greatly. They will be doing the book of James beginning Monday January 15. I got a jump start on it today and was studying James 1:2. https://lovegodgreatly.com After writing down…

  • Finding Purpose in Suffering – Part 2

    Finding Purpose in Suffering – Part 2

    “The very thing we are afraid of, our brokenness, is the door to our Father’s heart” – Paul Miller Suffering is painful and we often feel broken in the midst of it and wonder when it will ever end. Reminding ourselves of God’s divine purposes in suffering helps us endure and find hope. This blog…