Hope with God... with Andrew and Wendy Palau

When was the last time you laughed? They say that laughter is the best medicine. Laughter has been proven to have many long-term health benefits and to help reduce stress even in the hardest times of life! The Bible says in Nehemiah 8:10 that the joy of the Lord is your strength. This was being said to a group of people who were weeping with the realization that they had not kept God’s law faithfu...

Do you need change? Do you want to change? Are there things in your life, maybe habits, attitudes, behaviors, and you know these things need to change? You know they're not good for you or the people around you. Yet change seems so fleeting, almost impossible. I want to encourage you today; you can change, and it begins with giving your heart and your life to Jesus Christ. Begin a journey with Him...

Do you feel exhausted? Maybe you’re headed to work right now, having your third cup of coffee just to stay awake. Or maybe you’re in the middle of washing yet another batch of dirty dishes. The unending pressures of daily life can wear us out, but there is also an unending source of strength and new life. The Bible says in Isaiah 40, verse 31, …those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength...

Our relationships with family members and friends are always changing, aren’t they? Sometimes we stay close and often we grow apart. At times, friends or loved ones shut us out of their lives or abandon us, even, for reasons we can’t understand. Has that ever happened to you? If so, you know how hard it can be to let down your guard and actually trust someone again. I want to tell you today, Jesus...

One of my favorite accounts in the Bible is a story of Jesus when He walks into a town, and as He's walking in there is a woman walking out, carrying her dead son to his grave. Jesus sees her, and He is filled with compassion. Realizing that she was in an impossible situation—a widow in ancient Israel would rely on her son—and now, the unthinkable, she had lost her son. And Jesus saw her, and He k...

Have you ever felt rejected? I still remember many years ago, trying out for the basketball team in middle school, and I didn’t make the team. My friends went on with basketball, and I was left out. Rejection hurts, and Jesus knows the feeling. Jesus came into the world He created—fully God, in human form. He came to rescue His people from their self-destructive ways and restore them to friendship...

One of the most hopeful verses in the Bible for our spiritual lives is Galatians 2:20. Listen to this, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me." I call this the great exchange. This verse is about dying to myself. This is what the cross is all abou...

If you have children, you know that when your first child is born, it turns your life upside down. Your world gets smaller for a while, and it all becomes about caring for that tiny, precious human. They need to be fed every few hours, day and night. You have to change their diapers, bathe them, and make sure they have a safe place to sleep. Caring for a newborn baby is wonderful…and it’s all-cons...

Did you ever get lost in the grocery store as a kid? Maybe you stopped to look at something and accidentally wandered away from your mother. I bet when you realized you were lost, you panicked—and so did your mom! She probably left her groceries behind and searched the store, heart pounding, until she found you again. Then, she wiped away your tears and squeezed you tight as you both breathed a si...

Did you know that the emotion most frequently attributed to Jesus in the gospels is compassion? Over and over again, we are told that Jesus saw people and He had compassion. Compassion is a powerful emotion. We don't feel it and put it away. When we are moved with compassion, we are moved to act. Jesus always had compassion, and then He acted to relieve the suffering of the people He came across....

What’s on your to-do list today? Maybe you’re doing a little cleaning, taking care of your kids, perhaps preparing food, and making sure everyone gets to and from school on time. The moments that make up our lives may feel small and insignificant at times but guess what— every minute of your life matters to God. The Bible tells us the amazing story of Jesus raising His friend, Lazarus, from the de...

We're told over and over again that when Jesus saw crowds of people, He had compassion on them. When He saw the crowds, He said that they were harassed and helpless, and He had compassion. And He said to His disciples, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers. When we are suffering, especially in impossible situations, we pray. We look to God. We cry out to God. We beg Him to intervene—to d...

Is there anyone in your life that you love so much—that you would die for them? I think most of us would say: “Of course there is!” I’d sacrifice my life for my children. I’d die for my spouse—those I truly love more than life itself. But when it comes right down to it, it’s a difficult thing to promise. The Bible says the greatest example of love is—laying down your life for a friend. Jesus did t...

Sometimes my wife, Wendy, will call me and ask me to pick something up for her on the way home from the office, or my daughter will ask me to drive her to the mall. Of course, because I love them, I’m happy to do these things for them. I’ve found most people respond this way to the ones they love. What if God asked you to do something for Him? Do you love Him enough to do as He asks? Actually, God...

Do you believe that God has good things for you—that He has a future for you? You might say to me, Wendy, it’s too late for me! I’ve made too many mistakes. I’ve hurt too many people. I’ve destroyed my life. Listen to this promise in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” God has good things for you. Th...

When my wife suffered multiple miscarriages, it wasn’t what we had hoped for. We still struggle with it. When my dad got lung cancer, I wasn’t planning on that either. I miss him so much. Life often doesn’t go according to our plans. Maybe you’ve dealt with something similar. Surely you have. If you haven’t, you soon will. The pain of this world can feel overwhelming, and we might wonder—Is God ev...

Do you believe God can change you? Are there areas of your life that you’re frustrated with, and you want to be free? But these patterns of living feel like a vicious cycle that continually rear their ugly heads and seem to have control over you? I have a little plant in my bathroom, and I’ve noticed that when it needs water, its leaves curl up. And it’s a sign to me…Wendy, water your plant! When...

Carla had received Jesus into her heart when she was young, but she lived many years without actually following Christ. She appeared to have a great life, but deep down she was depressed and felt like her life was going nowhere. One weekend, Carla decided to attend church after not going for a few years. The pastor spoke on Matthew 6:33 which says, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, an...

The Good News of Jesus Christ is not insider knowledge to be possessed as a Christian secret. It’s God’s truth—His gift of life, meant for all people! And He entrusted us with it—to share it. When we do, we get to participate with God in pulling people back from the brink of death. What a privilege! Because of Jesus, people are saved and changed forever—just like we’ve been. And it’s not only othe...

Are you afraid to talk about Jesus? Do you feel intimidated to offer hope to people in your lives? Suppose you were a scientist and you discovered the cure for cancer. What would you do? Would you keep it to yourself—a secret—hide your research away? Of course not! What a celebration the world would have. There is a cancer in our souls, and every human being on this earth will die from it. But the...

Have you ever felt underqualified to share your faith? I hear people say all the time, “I’m just not an evangelist,” or, “I’ll leave that to the professionals.” But, there is no resumé required for sharing the Good News. If you believe in Jesus, you are officially qualified! No fancy words needed. Everyone gets nervous. Even the Apostle Paul said this in his first letter to the Corinthians, “When...

The writer Henry David Thoreau said this, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.” I would put it this way, more simply. Most people live disappointed lives. As children, we have dreams! Anything seems possible. But the reality of life—so many things get in the way of our dreams. Sometimes our dreams come true, and we discover we’re still disappointed! Jesus said something similar to Tho...

Have you ever shared your faith in Jesus with a friend? I wonder what bubbles up in your mind as you consider that. Are you thinking, “I don’t want to be that annoying Christian…I don’t know what I would even say…no one wants to hear it.” There’s a thousand excuses. But, you know what? None of them are actually real. If you try it a few times, you will see what I mean. Do you know what IS real? Pe...

Have you ever heard of “The Golden Rule”? It’s actually from the Bible! In Luke 6, Jesus instructs us on how to treat each other. “Do to others as you would have them do to you….love your enemies, do good to them…without expecting to get anything back…and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” All of Go...

It’s easy for us to be confused about who God is and what He’s like. We might think of Him as a puppet master, up in heaven, controlling events. Or we might think of Him as a distant, detached, disappointed being. Both are inaccurate. The Bible tells us so many things that set these thoughts straight. Number one, the Bible tells us that God loves us with a perfect love, not a love riddled with sel...