Hope and Encouragement as You Wait
I’m so glad you are here. I know that on the relationship journey, there can be twists and turns that we go through, often alone. I want this to be a place where you can hear words of hope and encouragement in your journey. Here you will read verses that remind you of God’s love for you, see pictures of God’s beauty and thoughts about the life He brings, or listen to music that will lift your heart with the truth of who God is and His amazing love for you, even in the midst of life’s struggles.
If you want to reach out to me, fill out the contact us form at the bottom of this page so we can connect. Many blessings!
Hope. When we’ve lost all hope for the things we long for in this life. How can we have hope when all the things we dreamed of don’t happen? Where is the hope when we are sitting in the ashes of a broken relationship? Or a lost job? Or the passing of a loved one? Where is the hope? So often we try to find it in other relationships, a new job, money or things. We all have a God-shaped hole that only He can fill. Our hope is in Him, His love and His faithfulness. Nothing else can bring the hope that our loving, perfect, eternal Father brings. I hope the “Searching for Hope” devotional above helps you to find that hope! Blessings
I’ve been doing podcasts lately and have been able to share my story of hope and encouragement with hundreds of people. One of the questions the hosts often ask me is how did I have the faith to wait for God’s plan for me? What kept me going after failed relationships? Why didn’t I just settle instead of facing a future alone? It was reminding myself of what God has done in the past. Many times in the Old Testament, God tells the Isrealites to remember His faithfulness in the past. God is faithful and will never change because He is perfect and will do what He says in His time and in His way, always for our best. Click on the devotional above to hear more about trusting God. Don’t stop believing!
I’ve been asked many times how I knew I needed to walk away from a relationship or engagement. I believe and the Bible tells us that God gives us His Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as our Savior. He promises that the Holy Spirit will guide us into His truth and direction. It was a lack of peace in my gut that moved me to end those relationships. It was trusting in God’s plan and not my own that brought peace and helped me to wait for God’s best. Are you trusting God for His best for you even if it means being alone? Is His peace more important to you than being married to the wrong person? Click on the picture above to hear more about God’s peace. Blessings
This is a devotional from Our Daily Bread. I encourage you to read it if you are in a season of loneliness. Jesus is here. Just click on the picture.
I love this! This says it so perfectly! His timing is perfect! Don’t run ahead. Wait patiently for His plan to unfold, not your plan, your parents’ plan or society’s plan. God’s plan is perfect because He perfectly loves you and knows you perfectly because He formed you in your mother’s womb and He has a perfect plan. Not always easy, but perfect for you. Blessings!
Are you trying to be someone others will like? Do you change who you are in different situations to fit in? Do you walk away feeling empty and confused? Are you afriad others will not like you if they knew the real you? I’ve been there. It leaves me with an empty and confused feeling. I know it seems great to have many, many friends. But, as I’ve gone through life, I’ve learned that what is really important is those few friends who love me just as I am. Warts and all! And when I leave time with them, I feel full, content, and wanting more of that time. Do you have friends that accept and love you just as you are? I pray that you find those precious ones and can build into each other’s lives. Blessings!
I’ve been asked alot lately about where our value comes from. Our culture wants us to think it comes from who we are with, if we are in a relationship or married, if we are having sex, or if we have kids. Other messages emphasize our physical appearance, the size of our bank account or our house, what job we have or how popular we are. But, Matthew 10:29-31 tells us that God is our good father and we are loved by Him. That’s where our value is! The God of the universe created us for relationship with Him and His love for us gives us value! Click on the picture if you want to go to a youtube version of Chris Tomlin’s wonderful song about who we are in God’s eyes!
I’ve been asked many times what to look for in a relationship and how to know if you should leave the relationship. If you are questioning, it would be a good idea to step back, pray, seek wise counsel, and look at why you got into the relationship in the first place and then why you are struggling now. I would add these five things to the list above:
- Are you friends? The romance will fade over time, but having a foundational friendship is important. Do you need romance to keep things alive or are you okay with just hanging out? Can you share your deepest thoughts and feelings or do you protect those, fearing you might push that person away?
- Is there mutual respect? Not just respecting boundaries but does that person respect you in the way they talk to you or treat you? How do they talk about you when you aren’t around? Are they your biggest ally? Do they defend you when you are out of the room?
- How about that person’s character? Are they humble and realize that they have areas to grow in just like you? How do they view themselves compared to others? Are they humble or conceited??
- Spiritually – are they on the same page? Do you share the same spiritual values and is their spiritual life important to them? I have found that being on the same page spiritually helps when it comes to conflict. And raising children in your faith.
- Be open to the wise counsel of others who may see things you don’t see. We all have blindspots and at times need the input of others with more experience to help us see those blind spots!
- If you believe you are in an unhealthy relationship, please have the courage to step away and take care of yourself. It’s okay to say “I don’t” up until the wedding officiant asks if you do! It may be embarrassing, but it will save so much heartache down the road!
I was in my mid-20’s, starting my career as a teacher, and wondering what the future held for me. My younger sister was engaged, my younger brother was in a serious relationship and I wasn’t. It was one of those times I felt like I was behind, that I didn’t measure up and didn’t fit in to the life the culture around me said I should have. I was praying about all of this one day, and then these lyrics came to me. I believe it was God speaking to me through His Holy Spirit. So, I wrote them down. all these years later they are still with me. They are still true! I hope they might bring you some comfort today. Blessings
I remember reading this verse years ago and thinking that if I just serve the Lord, love Him with all my heart and find delight in Him, He will give me what my heart desires. Many years and disappointments later, I started to read that verse differently. What if the verse means that God will place desires from Him into my heart instead of me expecting Him to give me what I want? His desire is for me to delight in Him, right? What if God changes what I want into what He wants for my life? So that when it comes my way, I will know it was from God. Does that make sense? I think we make this verse about us and fulfilling our desires. God’s desire is for a relationship with Him, trusting Him with every part of our lives, even those unfulfilled dreams and hopes. Maybe what He desires for us is better for us in the long run. Maybe His plan for our lives offers so much more than we could ever dream of.
I love this! Waiting on God doesn’t mean we just sit and wait. Waiting on God is active, growing, giving, moving. He can’t steer a parked car! I’ve been asked how I navigated the times after my broken engagements. I got involved in ministry, serving others in need. Somehow, when we do that it helps us to take our eyes off ourselves. God may have us waiting because we need to grow more in some way. Or He is working upstream in ways we can’t see. But, whatever His reason, waiting on Him is not meant to be a time of idleness. Learn more about yourself. Learn more about what makes a good marriage. Learn more about why God created you and what purpose He has for you on this earth. He has a purpose for you, first to know Him personally and then, second, to join with Him in accomplishing His will in your life and the lives of others. Blessings, Debbie.
I remember when all my friends and family were getting married and starting their families. I had broken off an engagement and people were starting to ask if I was being too picky or if my list was too long. My grandfather even asked if I was going to be the old maid of the family!! But, I knew I didn’t want to be married to the wrong person. Then, after I broke off the second engagement in my mid 30’s, I was really feeling the pressure! Was I ever going to be married?? If I wanted to have children, well, I wasn’t getting younger! But, God, in his perfect timing had it all figured out! I tell the story in my book, I Am the Real Runaway Bride. See the link above “About the Book.”
If I could be any animal, it would be an eagle. I just love to watch them soar on the wind, barely moving their wings, letting the flowing air guide their journey and move them effortlessly in the open sky. And from up there, they have a perfect view of all that is around them, able to see what is coming and to look back at what is passed. There is really nothing in their way. And if something does appear, they can just change course and avoid a collision.
Isaiah promises that if we trust in God and wait on Him and His timing, we will soar high on wings like eagles! What a promise!! We can either trust in ourselves and be weighed down by the troubles of this life, or trust in His plan and timing. Does that mean that things will always be easy? No, I don’t think so. Eagles have to find shelter from the storm. They have to work hard to build a nest and to find food to feed their young. And they work to avoid predators. But, I do believe that if we allow God to lead our lives and show us His way each day, we will have a different perspective on today and our future. He promises strength and the ability to rise above the things of this world.
All I ever wanted was to be a teacher. That was my life dream. Then I spent a semester in a classroom with a supervising teacher who gave me no encouragement at all. I saw my dream of being a teacher fall apart. I was devastated. And every day when I came home I listened to this song by the Imperials. I listened over and over again. The words and the truth got me through that time. I hope they can help you if you are going through a struggle right now. Just click on the image and the song will play.
