It’s only through His grace and love that I’ve been kept from breaking. Our confidence in the Lord, grounded in prayer and biblical guidance, helped us through. God is faithful. He stands by us and guides us through every season of life. Accepting His will in trials and tough seasons is hard. But we can’t stand on our own and make it through death, disaster, or severe illness. We must rely on God’s strength because He alone is faithful.

After enduring numerous trials, recognizing positive events becomes challenging. Or maybe you've prayed repeatedly for something, yet it feels like God isn't responding. This can lead to discouragement, making you feel unseen by God. You become weary and then decide, "I'm going to take action, regardless of whether it pleases God." You seek to escape the sensation of helplessness or stagnation.

I grew up in a rural section of eastern North Carolina where miles of crops lined the curvy country roads. Although both my grandparents owned farms, our family lived in town, one block from East Carolina College, with its large, lush lawn and towering trees.

Whatever your setback may be, remember this: setbacks do not surprise God. He often uses the very things we would remove from our lives to shape us into the people He has called us to become.

Sometimes life hits you in a way that makes you cry harder than you thought you could. The kind of cry where it feels like your soul is leaking out. But eventually, after the tears slow down and your breathing settles, you sit still and realize something. You’re still here. Still breathing. Still standing. You cried like you needed to, and now you’re okay. Not perfect. Not finished. But okay.

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10–11 (NIV) There was a season in my life when I felt like I was walking through a spiritual drought. I still believed

God often gives us opportunities—quiet, ordinary moments that become “one of those days” where our words or actions make a real difference in someone else’s life, even when we may never fully see the impact. This isn’t meant to be a sentimental or overly warm reflection but something grounded and honest that we can all relate to. When we look to God’s Word, we’re reminded that meaningful impact is often found in simple obedience and everyday faithfulness.

There are seasons in life when passion feels distant, when what once felt clear and meaningful now feels heavy or uncertain. In those moments, it is easy to wonder whether your voice, your work, or even your life’s direction still carries purpose.

The bottom line is that any regular exercise routine always has health benefits. One would think that this would be a concern only for mature adults. However, today’s culture promotes a sedentary lifestyle for young children and teens steeped in screen-based recreation. This would not necessarily be a bad thing if it were not for the high-sugar, ultra-processed food that they choose. Poor diets and inactivity can be a harmful combination for the overall health of young people

Though we all experience life’s challenges, not everyone manages to get back up. It may take a day, weeks, or even years. But Proverbs 24:16 promises that the righteous—believers in faith through Jesus Christ—will rise again. We may fall, but we don’t have to remain fallen.

My first experience rowing a boat was on vacation in Florida. I was about twelve years old. My parents and their friends watched me from the beach as I tried to maneuver the small vessel.

While we learn to walk through stressful seasons, we sometimes stumble for various reasons: perhaps weakness, selfishness, or a lack of faith in God. We lean on our own understanding rather than depending on God’s goodness and wisdom. But God knows our every need.

Know this my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.—James 1:19-20 ESV “Lord Jesus! Why am I this angry, and why did I almost curse? " I muttered to myself as I sat at my desk, staring off into space instead of focusing on the pile of paperwork I needed to work on at my job. "This isn't who I am anymore." When I was in college, every other word out of my mouth was profan

I’ve learned that I fail when I rely on my own strength rather than God’s. I ask for grace, and when He gives it, I often don’t use it to face the trials I’m facing. I run from them. That is receiving God’s grace in vain. The mission He’s given us will have rough times. It’s going to be difficult. But that’s what makes it so awesome. The sweat, tears, and frustrations make us dependent on God’s strength.

I’ve lived with depression for a long time. I used to feel ashamed of it. Like if I were a better Christian, maybe I wouldn’t struggle the way I do. Maybe I’d be stronger, happier, or lighter. But I’ve learned that struggling doesn’t cancel out faith. Struggling doesn’t make you less than. And God doesn’t wait until we’re perfect before he calls us his. This verse in 1 John doesn’t say that victory comes from our strength or our performance. It says that our faith is the vict

I’ve experienced losing people I loved, losing things I worked hard for, and losing pieces of what I thought my life would look like. And if I’m being honest, those moments didn’t just hurt, they changed me. There were times I questioned everything, wondered why God would allow so much pressure, so much heat, and so much breaking. But then I started to see things differently. I thought about how steel is made.

In our lives, we often face circumstances and situations that we cannot fix on our own. On those occasions, we must put our confidence and trust in the Lord. He will always help us, or tell us to stand back and watch him work.

Many of us have been there, wondering when we'll ever catch a break without strings attached. We want the job promotion without our children getting suspended and without trouble in the marriage. We want great relationships without sickness and disease robbing us of time spent with our loved ones. Yet even in the tension between setbacks and victories, God is still working.