Arms Upheld: Support in Life's Hard Battles

In today’s passage, Elijah has a new mission. For the past three years he has hidden himself, as God directed, near the Kerith Brook and then in Zarephath. Now God sends Elijah to show himself to King Ahab. We learn that King Ahab has searched extensively for Elijah and come up empty handed. We also learn that God has placed a loyal servant of His in a most strategic position—the man in charge of...

We continue our journey with Elijah in Zarephath with the widow and her son. In this week's passage, the son becomes very sick and dies. The widow's situation goes from bad to worse and she questions Elijah and God. This is probably something we can all relate to. The age-old question of "God, why did you let this happen?" Elijah doesn't have the answer any more than we do...

As we journey this summer with Elijah, this week we head to Zarephath. The Lord shows Elijah that He is not only sovereign over creation, but also the people beyond the borders of Israel. Elijah continues to obey God to "arise, go...and dwell." His obedience now offers an invitation to another to join him on his miraculous journey with the God of Israel. As the widow joins Elijah in her...

A drought. That's what God is promising here, in 1 Kings 17. Is there value in such an experience? God thinks so. In this setting of a drought, it becomes essential to determine how to live. What are the basics of life? What will nourish us? What keeps us alive? This week we begin our summer with Elijah as he embarks on a journey with the Lord. Let's join Elijah on the bank of the Kerith...

Last week, we talked about beauty and Lysa TerKeurst’s quote: “We steer where we stare.” Perhaps the thing you want to see more of in your life is victories. When you look around at your life, do you see failures or victories? We experience victories every day from washing the last dirty dish to 20 years of marriage. I wonder how our perspectives would shift if we acknowledged them and celebrated...

What you look for, you will find. Lysa TerKeurst says it like this, “We steer where we stare.” What we focus on, we move toward. At the beginning of 2021, God directed me to look for beauty. At the time, I doubted there would be much to find in the ashes of my life. Yet, I searched. And I found it one day at a time. As I trained myself to look for the beauty, guess what I found? A beautiful life....

Today we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. Today we also face the potential of another world war, a worldwide food crisis, financial uncertainty, and national tragedies. Today's podcast was surrendered to the Spirit and I read Psalm 107. To know that the Lord hears when we cry, "Lord, help!" To know that He can save us from our distress... To know there is blessin...

We have been working our way through the landscape of our lives and clearing out thorns, today, we'll bring these two ideas together to make a way for God to move in our lives. We visit the books of Isaiah and Zechariah to hear what God has to say about leveling the path before us. It's no surprise that it is by the power of the Spirit. Our part is to face our sin and clear it out, like...

Last year we were house hunting and we had a list of our "must haves," but then we had our dreams of what could be. One of my dreams was that we would have water flowing through our property.  God gifted us with a fulfilled dream! We have a creek near our house. The problem was that between me and the creek was a zone of thorns. I have been working on clearing those out as God has been t...

The topography of life is full of mountains and valleys. We face ditches and deep gorges, but also mounds and sheer rock faces. Each feature must be traversed no matter the challenge. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus walks through the valleys with us, but in regard to mountains, He offers another option. The mountain can be moved. Join us as we delve into the topography of life and Matthew 17:20 and di...

Nothing quite grabs our attention like pain. It stops us in our tracks and demands we take certain actions. The remedy is usually beyond our control. We must let it run its course or seek help. It points us beyond ourselves. Pain points us to the One who can heal us, the One who can turn our pain into purpose and ashes into beauty - Jesus! His purpose is unfailing. His plan is for our good and His...

While on task for the Lord, there may arise situations or people that may try to derail us. Triggers threaten to do this. In essence, triggers are responses we develop during traumatic periods that benefit us, but later linger even when the threat is no longer real. Something in our environment sparks a response in us that is no longer helpful.  I have no pat answers for you as a cure, but I will...

Christ is risen! Alleluia! As a special Easter gift, I am releasing this episode a day early.  The gift is a story that the Lord gave to me a few months ago. It is a story of Jesus told from an unexpected perspective. Take a listen and then feel free to share it with your family...and friends! Happy Easter! Be blessed! I give you: The Tree Find me on Instagram @HLynnPierce        Support the show

A seed falls. It dies. It is buried…beneath the ground. It spends time in darkness. In our lives today, this process may seem familiar. When we look around, there is darkness. There is death….loss of life, loss of freedoms, loss of dreams, loss of morality and character. Death abounds. Darkness invades. It can feel like we are buried. But, this is where miracles happen. They begin unseen. We are c...

Have you ever faced a judgment? Have you ever been criticized? Of course! We all have. When we receive a judgment or criticism, what do we do with it? Well, we receive them. As we hold them, we evaluate them. Then we keep part and let the rest go. Join us as we discuss this process and discover what this has to do with a snapping turtle! Bible verses referred to in this episode: Matthew 7:1 Find m...

Spring brings rain. Water is simply water.  Or is it? Water is a key component of our physical make up, the largest feature on our planet, and essential for life. Water can also ruin our plans, make things harder, and destroy progress. But...Water helps things grow. Grass, trees, and seeds. What if God planted seeds in us when He created each of us? What if those seeds need water to grow? Let&apos...

As we emerge from hibernation into this new season of spring, rebirth surrounds us. From the ground, brave shoots will push through. Animal babies will be born. The sound of the chirping birds or scurrying of a squirrel will once again be common experiences if we take time to notice. As temperatures trend upward, I am drawn back to my porch. That is where this all began. I wrote words, then I shar...

As stories of heroic bravery, extraordinary leadership, and selfless compassion flow from the war in Ukraine, what can we learn? Listen in fora discussion on these three lessons. 1. Do what needs done. 2. Stand firm knowing victory is coming. 3. Serving keeps our hearts beating.  We can honor the Ukrainian people by applying to our own lives lessons we learn from their strength, loyalty, and love....

Our eyes and hearts are drawn to Ukraine. We imagine ourselves in their place. Our cities. Our homes. Our families. Our lives. This compassion evokes emotions that spur us to action. Today's episode reminds us not to lose sight of those under our very noses. Our hearts can span across the globe and still reach down the hall. How can we serve those closest to us? Let's put aside our agend...

We keep getting back on our feet. We keep steadying ourselves enough to take those first steps. We may not be doing it gracefully, but we’re doing it. Then we look around and help those next to us. Let's discover how our next steps involve those around us, however near or far, and  how serving them makes us better. Bible verses referred to in this episode: Philippians 2:4 Find me on Instagram...

I have never lived in a war zone. We can all draw on our own experiences to find points of connection and compassion for those who are living in a war zone. Are you feeling compassion, but frozen as to what to actually do? Let me inspire you to move. Do something. Nothing is too small to be significant. Bible verses referred to in this episode: Zechariah 10:5 John 16:33 Find me on Instagram @HLynn...

You're back on your feet. Now what? We continue our conversation from last week about rising again after getting tripped up. We've fixed our eyes on Jesus and He has set us on our feet. What are the next steps? Or what do we need to do before we take that first step? Join us as we delve into Micah 6:8 for wisdom in this situation and how best to proceed in our first steps after a fall. B...

Do you ever feel like you’ve been knocked down? An unexpected blow and you’re flat on your back? Feeling startled, hurt, confused, and discouraged not knowing where to look? Falling down isn't just for toddlers learning to walk, it's a reality when we live in a fallen world. Thankfully, God has shared with us in His Word what to do when this happens. Join us as we graciously find our way...

How would you define 'goodness'? God has been speaking to me about my definition and ideas of goodness. My definition of 'good,' being the lack of hard situations that I see as 'bad,' doesn't line up with God's meaning. Is life of an easier existence out of reach? Is goodness beyond my grasp?  How do we experience goodness? What are God's instructions i...

What's wisdom worth to you? Ever wonder what wisdom is worth to God? Where do we find wisdom? What are the benefits? Inspired by the children's song of The Wise Man built his house upon the rock that is being sung in our home this week, we take a look at what God's word has to say about wisdom. Spoiler Alert! It's  A LOT! We travel through scripture mining for treasure and mayb...