Arms Upheld: Support in Life's Hard Battles

 I recently found myself engulfed in dread and uncertainty. I wasn’t hopeless, but I couldn’t see hope anywhere. My world felt so very dark. And as hard as I tried, I couldn't figure out which way to turn. Acts 17:27 showed me that when I cannot see hope, I can still feel my way to Him. And find Him. He's where He's always been. Right beside me. This episode marks a stopping point f...

Where can we find  wisdom? God reveals His answer in Job 28. That's where we're going to hangout today. I leave you with the wisdom of God and I'll see you back in August. Bible verses referred to in this episode: Job 28 Find me on Instagram @HLynnPierce   or at hlynnpierce.com Support the show

All through school we were taught to give the 'right' answers. We learned what was acceptable and what was not. We learned what was respectful and what was not.  So when I heard this certain man's response to Jesus, I was appalled.  How could he offer excuses and explanations instead of a direct and respectful response? Then, I had to check myself and lean in closer. Perhaps he had...

This week we return to the pool of Bethsaida (aka Bethesda). John 5:5 tells us, "A certain man was there..." A particular person in the crowd. Jesus saw this man. He knew this man. This certain man. Then He approaches him and asks a question, hears his heart, and heals him. This is just like Jesus, isn't it? Doesn't he do the same with us? Listen in to hear more about this &apo...

Chapter 5 of John tells us of an account of Jesus healing a man. He was unable to get to the pool when it stirred because of his disability. Jesus saw him, knew how long he'd waited, and approached him. Then He asked the man, "Do you want to get well?" We may not be sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed like those in the crowd that day, but we all are disabled in some way. There are areas...

How do you process challenging news? Where do your thoughts go? Worse case scenarios? Problem solving strategies? Growth opportunities? And what emotions hit you? Do you get overwhelmed, focused, or simply shut down? When we receive information that changes our lives in some way there's a period of processing. What does yours look like? Join me in taking time this week to discover just that....

Have you ever had someone pray over you something you couldn't dream possible? Their words are beyond what you would ever have thought to ask for yourself? This has happened to me a few profound moments in my life. One recently. And as others speak prophetic words over my life, I start to believe in their vision of what was beyond possible to me only moments before. What is currently beyond p...

Have you ever found your worth in your accomplishments? You are already saved, but you still keep working at it? Or finding yourself feeling like you have to prove it? If we read through the words of Jesus and Paul, we can come to an understanding that the Bible is a story of our need for Jesus, but the only way to benefit in this is to do nothing...except believe in Him. Is it possible to grow in...

Do you ever have times when even simple things feel hard? Well, this is where I’ve been hanging out lately. These days it feels like my feet weigh a hundred pounds each as try to wade through sticky peanut butter just to make it through the day. So today, we're going to do things a little differently. We're going to simply seek God together. We'll pray and then I'll read a psal...

Lately, whenever I go shopping, my littlest one asks for something. Can I bring her back a toy? Can she pick something if she comes with me? And if someone else has something she likes, she wants one too. At times, honestly, it feels like I’ve failed to teach her gratitude. She wants stuff., but what if I'm not I’m failing. What if wanting things is the tilt of the human heart? 'Coveting...

"I am stronger now than I have ever been." This statement kept running through my mind last night and I had to write it down. But that wasn't the end. There was more.   I am stronger now than I have ever been because I am more dependent on God now than I have ever been. This is the key. When we face catastrophic defeat like that of Marvel's Avengers-Infinity War , it's not...

Lately, as I read in my Bible, God has been showing me (primarily through verbs) what is my job and what is His. Today, He did it again. I didn't plan to read Psalm 112, but He stopped me there and broke more of the bindings to the lie that I am responsible for everything. Not in a "King of the World" sort of way, but as in I’m to blame when things crash to the floor when I am unabl...

When you think of Gideon, do you think of the fleece? Maybe the odd way God winnows down his army by how they drink? Or the cool torches in jars approach to battle? The beginning of Gideon's account is where I find the most connection with him. Gideon finds himself in a desperate situation facing starvation. The angel of the Lord approaches him and calls him "Mighty hero." Now, here...

Dreams begin as seeds, planted in our youth. As we grow, we are watered by the Living Water. Just like trees, our dreams are strengthened through the storms of our lives. And one day you might just look and find fruit. We all have dreams that are in the works. Perhaps some have been fulfilled. Jesus had a dream too: to be the Way the Truth and the Life. Easter morning, that dream was fulfilled. Th...

I knew that in the Garden of Gethsamane Jesus was distressed, troubled, and in anguish. So much so that he sweat drops of blood, but it never occurred to me that he struggled. I don't know why exactly. Struggling seems like something I do. And it seems bad. Somewhere along the way, I've chosen to believe a lie that I'm not supposed to struggle. Jesus, Himself, tells us, "The sp...

Today is beautiful. I am sitting on my back porch, sun on my face, chickens rustling about nearby. The gentle breeze brings melodious chimes my way while the cars race past out front. Beyond this little beautiful cocoon lies the world. But what am I accountable for? The Bible tells us that we are accountable for what God has revealed to us. We are not accountable for that which is beyond our cocoo...

When I sit down to write, I first change my font. I intentionally move from a default setting to one of my choosing and one that has become my gateway into the creative journey of writing. God doesn't tell us to shift into Arial size 13 font, but He does give some pointers to the Israelites before they embark on their journey into the Promised Land. Be careful. Obey my commands.  There's...

 And you saw how the LORD your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Now he has brought you to this place. Deuteronomy 1:31 NLT We can all look back on our own "wilderness" times and see the way God has cared for us, just as the Israelites did. We do that so we can remember His faithfulness so when we take that n...

As I was reading through Numbers, the phrase "each in position under the appropriate family banner" stood out to me. Then I continued on to discover the plan God had for the Israelites to camp around the tabernacle and how to break camp and move on. And as I pondered this, I began to see how God's design wasn't just for who walks first in a procession, but about building commun...

In today's world productivity, doing and achieving, is what we do. And sometimes it becomes who we are. But what do we do or who do we become when we take that away even for a few hours? Although we've been talking about sacrifices and ways to draw nearer to God, we also hear God inviting us to "Come." Multiple times in the Bible, Jesus calls us to Himself. For He has made a wa...

Have you ever got to the book of Leviticus and wanted to abandon the whole idea of reading through the Bible? What if we begin to look at these detailed guidelines as invitations rather than directives? You see, God created humans and then desired to be with them, but there was this thing called sin and His holiness couldn't coexist in the same space.  And since God can't be anything oth...

Traversing a parking lot takes on a whole new meaning when you have a child in tow. No longer are you simply moving from the car to the entry doors, the safety of another person is at stake and the parking lot has become a danger zone. God offers the Israelites the same things we need: someone bigger and wiser who can take into account the dangers, our attitudes and abilities, and the need to cros...

 As I was reading through Exodus 13, words I never noticed before grabbed my attention. (Don’t you love when God does that?!) Starting in verse 17 we read, “When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, 'If the people are faced with a battle, they...

Have you ever experienced life in disorder? How about chaos? Ever faced any obstacles or challenges? Of course, we all have. We may not have been slaves in Egypt or the father of a demon-possessed boy, but we all find ourselves in real life struggles. These stories reveal to us a cycle that is repeated throughout the entire Bible. This is the pattern of obstacles, a rescue, and life with Yahweh. Y...

You know that feeling when you are snuggled up all cozy in bed? It may be raining or sleeting outside. The wind could be blowing, but you are warm and toasty under your familiar blankets. Isn’t it lovely? If you imagine yourself there right now, does a smile spread across your face? Have you ever experienced this coziness in your spirit? It’s still warm, but instead of blankets, it’s the arms and...