Arms Upheld: Support in Life's Hard Battles

Have you ever tripped a breaker in your house? Have you ever tripped a breaker in your life? We have a finite amount of energy. At times our circuits can get overloaded.  What if God built us with a way to trip a breaker before disaster strikes? What would that look like? How would that work? Let's take a look at this idea of energy and power. How does tripping a breaker help us? And how can...

Can we just be real? Can I tell you that the cares of my heart are many? Is your heart carrying heavy burdens as well? When we stand together, our burdens are shared. God puts people in our lives to help shoulder the weight of our worlds. Each person blesses us in their unique way. To receive that blessing, we have to engage. We have to be vulnerable. We have to share. Let's take a look at sh...

There are some days during Life's Hard Battles when  it feels like the best we can do is survive.  Today's podcast offers you a peek into what I do when I face days like this. I have some "go-to" verses and songs that help remind me of Truth. I also share my personal Prayer of Victory that helps me to stand firm in the waves of chaos.  What helps you to plant yourself firmly on...

How's life (in 2022) going for you? Has it been amazing or have there been a few bumps lately? Are you feeling rushed? Or that you have to have it all together?   Are there pressures and expectations swirling around you? Not in a beautiful twirl of glitter and sparkles, but more like a whirlpool threatening to pull you down into the depths of the sea? Come with me on a journey of moving forwa...

The New Year has begun.  Ready or not, 2022 is upon us. Whether you celebrated late into the night or the date in your phone quietly changed unnoticed while you slept, we have all set sail into the uncharted waters of 2022. We cannot know what this year holds for us, either blessings or challenges, but we can set our course. We can predetermine our outlook as we navigate through the unknowns that...

Let's focus on the 'Bright!' "The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light..." - Matthew 4:16 The great light in Jesus. Immanuel.  This week, we take a look at the bright Immanuel. God with us. So much is encapsulated in those 12 characters. Before we counted characters, God spoke to us through a promise. He promised to make a way for us to be with Him...by comi...

Let's focus on the 'Bright!' This week, we take a look at the bright gold. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. That gold must have shone brightly in Jesus' humble surroundings. It also likely funded the hurried escape to Egypt. And yet there is something even more valuable than gold, God would love to receive from you this Christmas. What does God view a...

Let's focus on the 'Bright!' This week, we take a look at the star that led the wise men on their journey to find The King.    We venture into some "un-Christmasy" text to see what nuggets of Truth we can find to help us on our own journeys as we seek Jesus in the midst of our battles. What can the guiding star teach us of love, our true home, and how to stay the course? A...

Let's focus on the 'Bright!' This time of year, there is much joy, but there is also heartbreak, struggle, and confusion. Let's find the Bright to focus on. It will lead us to The Light, Jesus, as we prepare for His coming.  This week, we take a look at angels in the Christmas story, or more accurately the human responses to the holy messages delivered through angels.  What can...

During holidays and family gatherings, there is rejoicing and memory making. There is also mourning and tears. Not everyone will make it to the get-together this year.  Those empty spaces are people. They have names and are dearly loved and missed, no matter the circumstances around why they are not there.  Let's not forget to mourn with those who are mourning even while we rejoice with those...

What does giving thanks really mean?  Where does gratitude come from? And what are the benefits? Join us as we sit with God’s Word and the idea of giving thanks. We’ll answer these questions and more.  Spoiler Alert!! The benefits are so great, we can’t even fathom! Note: This episode is about giving thanks. The timing coincides with Thanksgiving, but it’s about thanksgiving, the posture of our he...

Two windows. Two completely different  views. Both true. Both real. Both exist simultaneously in one place. Each of us are one person. How many windows do we have? How many contrasting perspectives exist in us? How can we live at peace with this dichotomy within us? Join me this week as we meander through these musing and maybe you'll discover some clarity in your own windows. Bible verses re...

What do you do when tragedy strikes? Jesus doesn't promise us an easy life, in fact, He tells us there will be trouble. So what do you do when that trouble is a giant and standing before you? In this week's episode, we talk about doing what needs done, emotional reactions, and prayer in times of crisis. We also offer something to cling to in those troubling times.  Bible verses referred...

"Change is the only constant." - Heraclitus The only constant is change, or is it? What if there is something, or rather someone, that never changes?  In this season of transition, what lessons does our unchanging God have for us? This episode may just help you let go of something 'old' to be ready for the 'new' God has for you. Bible verses referred to in this episod...

Can God use an ordinary trip to a grocery store to get our attention? What does a shopping cart have to do with living in step with God? In this episode, we discover the lesson of a shopping cart and how it teaches us to surrender our lives to Jesus.  Join us in reflecting on questions inspired by a girl and a cart that just might renew your mindset today.  Bible verses referred to in this episode...

Can weariness be right? Can it be an indicator for what to do next? Join me in discovering the lesson of Hur by delving into Exodus 17. What lessons can we learn about fighting our own battles from Moses  and Hur? Do you have supporting characters in your life? That’s who Hur was for Moses. That’s what I’d like to be for you as well. Pull up a stone, have a seat, and let's begin! Bible Verses...

Are you in the midst of a battle? Do you long for victory? In this pilot episode, we explore a bit deeper the foundations of Arms Upheld.  We unpack Deuteronomy 20:4 and discover truths in the verse: The LORD is your God. He goes with you. Victory is the only option for our battles. That victory may not look like what we envision, but it will be exactly what God has planned.  Come along as we begi...

Weighed down by burdens? Can’t sleep? Need a moment to yourself to connect with Your Creator? Even if it’s five minutes in the bathroom?  Everyone is fighting a battle. Battles can be long and hard. I want to be there for you like Aaron and Hur were for Moses in Exodus 17 and hold up your arms.  Come and see if Arms Upheld could encourage you in your battle. God has already won the victory and He...