Isaiah 43:2-3(NLT)
“2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

A good friend recently went through a tumultuous situation in her relationship. “I feel broken, afraid, and alone! How could he hurt me this way!”  Sometimes the people we love the most are the ones that will hurt us the most, and this is a very difficult reality to accept. When it happens, some of us go into repair mode, and that can look different for each person. It’s not uncommon to blame and punish ourselves for the pain we’re experiencing, and this means that we might continue to give up our power to the one that is hurting us. We might also neglect to remember that real and genuine love doesn’t hurt. This is the kind of love we should desire for ourselves because it is the kind of love God wants us to both give and receive.

Many people have been misinformed about what it takes to have a healthy significant relationship. Some of us don’t possess this knowledge and wisdom because we’ve never been taught. This is one of the many reasons why it is so extremely important to read God’s Word. We need to learn about the example of Jesus Christ, because his example is one of true and genuine love. Through his life, ministry, and sacrifice, he teaches us how to love God, ourselves, and others. He also teaches us how to recognize when a counterfeit is in our midst.

In John 15:13(NLT), Jesus Christ said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” In this verse, he is teaching us how real, true, and genuine love behaves. When someone loves us truly, they are willing to make sacrifices for our well-being. They want to see us be our best selves, and they will always do whatever they can to help us be at our best. This is what real, true, and genuine looks like. It’s the way Jesus Christ loves each of us.

He said in John 13:34-35(NLT), “34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” It is not complicated to love people through the love of Jesus Christ. It’s a privilege and honor, and it’s in no way a burden. If what we’re receiving doesn’t look like the love of Christ, it’s a counterfeit, and it would be in our very best interest not to entertain it.

John 3:16(ESV) says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son, and He sent him into the world to save us from the darkness and torment of eternal hell. This overwhelming, unconditional, and powerful love was in Christ as he carried out his ministry on earth, and because of his sacrifice, when we accept Christ into our hearts, this incredible love is in us through the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5(NLT) says, “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

How incredible are the promises of God in Isaiah 43:2-3? They are beyond comforting. He tells us that when we go through rivers of difficulties and walk through the fire of oppression in our relationships and in life, He will not allow us to drown or be consumed. He is with us. He’s our Rescue, and He has saved us through Jesus Christ. God’s love is the love of Jesus Christ, and we will always have it. This is where our power and strength must be anchored, and when it is, we’ll understand that through Christ, we are worthy of God love. We will be confident in the knowledge of how precious we are to our Heavenly Father, and we will not fall for anyone that doesn’t know and treat us that way too.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Rivers of Difficulty”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

1 Peter 5:8-9(NLT)
“8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.”

Outsmarting the enemy isn’t new for those of us that are in Christ and trust him with all our hearts and minds. Through the Apostle Peter, God is warning us to remain on alert, to not sleep on the reality that we have a spiritual enemy, and he is dastardly, dark, and evil in every way. Our Heavenly Father also tells us in this passage to stand firm against the enemy. We must know that God would not tell us to stand firm and strong in our faith if we didn’t have the ability to get this done. In truth, our Heavenly Father has given us everything we need to be strong, filled with faith, and victorious in every situation, despite the enemy’s plots and tricks against us. 

The times are challenging. There’s no doubt about that, but 1John 5:4(NLT) declares, “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” Whether it’s dealing with financial crises, abandonment issues, domestic violence and abuse, addictions, fears, phobias, or any other kinds of troubles and tribulations, we can have victory over it when we wholeheartedly place our faith in God. 

God’s Word reminds us that we’re not the only ones facing hardship and troubles. Believers in Christ are facing obstacles and adversities all over the world. We must be confident that we are important to our Heavenly Father, and He will never abandon us. He knows we need His help and He is always willing and able to help us. 

Romans 8:28(NLT) tells us, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Sometimes, we may not see all the things that God is doing in the background, but as soon as we lifted our earnest prayer to Him, our Heavenly Father began to move on our behalf. We must trust this. None of us understand why we endure such difficult times, but it isn’t necessary to know more than the reality that God has equipped us through our faith in Him, and this is enough to overcome anything that the enemy throws our way. We can be confident that when we place all our faith in our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, we can get through anything.

The psalmist wrote in Psalm 145:9(ESV), “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” It’s a given that the enemy will try to trick us into believing that God isn’t full of mercy and grace, and that God will not be good to us. This is a lie from the depths of darkness, and we must not believe it. In John 8:44(NLT), Jesus Christ was rebuking those who refused to believe in the truth of the Gospel. He said to them, “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” 

In John 8:44, Jesus Christ tells us exactly who satan is; he is the father of lies, but as God’s children and followers of Jesus Christ, we must reject the enemy’s lies. When we’re at the most vulnerable times of our lives, we must cling to the truth of God’s love and grace toward us. He promised to never leave or forsake us, and nothing can ever separate us from His love. We must believe this with all our hearts and minds, because God will never let us down, and He will always come to our aid when we ask Him. 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“We Can Get Through Anything”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Psalm 27:14 (NLT)
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”

Waiting has never been one of my strengths. My sister scheduled a hair appointment as a birthday gift. When she told me that I’d be in the salon for a few hours, I told her to cancel it. “Why can’t you just be patient and wait sometimes?” I ask myself sometimes. It was a very sweet gift, and I was very thankful for my sister’s thoughtfulness, but the thought of sitting for hours was too daunting. I probably would have driven the stylist and my sister crazy. 

Patience is a virtue, and more importantly, it’s one of the Spirit’s fruit. Galatians 5:22-23(NLT) tells us, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” If we find that we are lacking in any of these, we need to pray to God and invite Him to do this work in our hearts through the Holy Spirit . The Spirit lives inside every born-again believer, and as we give him permission, he will help us to live a successful Christian life. 

As the Lord works within us through the Holy Spirit, there will be situations and circumstances that we might encounter, and they will require bravery and courage. There may be things in our hearts that will come to the surface so that we can see, acknowledge, and repent. Bravery and courage come into play because our usual way of handling these heavies is one of denial. Hardly anyone wants to hear that they may be selfish, arrogant, impatient, and unkind in certain areas, but when the Holy Spirit does his work, the truth about these will come to light. 

When the Lord is dealing with us, we must be patient and willing to see what He is revealing. The psalmist prayed to God in Psalm 51:10(NKJV), “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This prayer must be a habit pattern for the believer. It is inevitable that as we mature and journey forward in life, we will have encounters and experiences that help us to see where we are in Christ so that we can continue to make changes that line up with his example. This is a process that will never end for as long as we live. 

It’s common that the thing about ourselves that we refuse to see is also blocking our blessing. God commands us in Hebrews 12:1(NLT) to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” This stripping off every weight is a process, and God doesn’t rush us. He patiently waits for us to wake up so that we can handle the blocker, and keep running the race He’s set before us. 

God knows the answer to every question you might have. Whatever our shortcomings and weaknesses, He will never punish us, but waits for us to ask for His help. He told the Apostle Paul in 2Corinthians 12:9 (NLT) “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” We must trust this. When it comes to answered prayers, success, and moving forward, sometimes the wait is necessary for us to get in alignment and harmony with God. So waiting is not a weakness. As we use the wait to seek God, renew our minds, and deal with what the Spirit is revealing, it will make us strong!

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Waiting is Not Weakness”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Isaiah 10:27(NLT)
“In that day the LORD will end the bondage of his people. He will break the yoke of slavery and lift it from their shoulders.”

A revolving door goes around repeatedly, allowing people to both go in and go out. A revolving door relationship is one that is constantly ending and starting up again, continually giving a person access to walk in and out of our lives. Many people underestimate how dangerous these types of relationships can be. Robbing an individual of stability, joy, and peace, they can also be abusive and violent. Sometimes we don’t recognize the emotional damage this causes to our well-being until we’re challenged by the reality of completely letting the person go and cutting off the relationship for good.  

1John 4:8(NLT) tells us, “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” We tend to think of romantic love as an all-encompassing one that checks off all the boxes of good human behavior. Romantic love is wonderful when we have honorable and right motives, but it isn’t nearly enough to sustain a healthy quality relationship that is beneficial for both partners. The love of God is the kind of love that He places in our hearts when we are committed to love Him through Jesus Christ. 1John 4:10(NLT) says, “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” God’s love is real love, and it is the foundation on which all love is genuinely given and received.

1John 4:16(NLT) says, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” The greatest thing that any living being can do is to love God and to love others through Him. This is an eternal truth. Because God lives in us, loving Him becomes the most powerful and satisfying way to love ourselves.

Ending an abusive relationship, then repeatedly allowing an abuser access to our lives signals that we have more lessons to learn about our Christ identity and self-worth. Galatians 6:9(NLT) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Our goal should be to honor our lives the way that God does. So, don’t give up on praying and increasing your faith towards the good work of loving yourself through the love of God. Part of practicing this Godly self-love is guarding our hearts and opening doors to only those opportunities that reflect and promote His goodness.

God’s Will is for us to be victorious and to live free from bondage or slavery of any kind, and He’s made this possible for us through the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All of God’s Children are free, and we can live a quiet life with godliness and dignity when we make Him and His love our greatest priority. If you’re struggling to close the door to an unhealthy revolving door relationship, have faith that you can be released from this. Continue to pray for God’s help. He hears your prayers, and He invites you to lean on His strength and believe in His power as you trust Him and move forward in His Will for your life. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“If We Don’t Give Up”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Psalms 91:1(NLT)
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

For many women, getting out of an abusive relationship is not so easy. Every woman that has overcome emotional, physical, or verbal abuse has a different story to tell, and you’d be surprised to hear that there are large numbers of women that have suffered in silence since childhood. Their lifelong trauma started with childhood, watching their mothers or close relatives endure abuse. Without prayers and an invitation to the Holy Spirit for the healing work of our hearts, minds, and souls, many of us repeat the patterns we’ve learned from childhood. We sometimes end up in relationships that cause us to repeat the cycle of abuse that we witnessed in our past.

Growing up in a household where domestic violence and abuse was common can register somewhere in our minds as a normal occurrence, even though it’s far from it. In the Word of God, there are examples of individuals who developed certain insecurities as a result of family dynamics that existed in their childhoods. These kinds of things affect us in ways that we can’t completely understand. This unresolved pain sits within and can steer our thoughts, actions, and attitudes without us being conscious of it. Pain of any kind is not a natural state. Because some of us have experienced deeply emotional pain from abuse at some point in our lives, resentment and bitterness about it can fester. We lean towards pessimism and doubt rather than being transformed by faith in God’s love, promises, and power.

God tells us in 2Corinthians 3:17(NLT), “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” When emotional pain dominates our internal reality, at some point, it’s going to show up externally, but this is not what God wants for His children. He knows our pain and wants us to turn to Him for help. God is always ready to help, and He offers us freedom from pain, but we must recognize that the work of the Spirit of going to change us. To live free, our minds, hearts, and souls must be surrendered to our Heavenly Father, so that He can transform us into the people He created us to be.

Jesus Christ said in John 10:10(NKJV), “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly.” God wants us to have a good life, a more than abundant life. He not holding us back. Often there are things at work within that hinder our faith and keep us from the life God wants us to have. He tells us in His Word that the way to handle this is to renew our minds to what He says. Romans 12:2(NKJV) tells us, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” To renew our minds is to change the way we think so that our thoughts line up with God’s Word.

When we desire our situations to change, it begins with us. Even the smallest step we take towards this is rewarded, because it means we are making a step towards having greater faith in God. He instructs us on how to help ourselves in a way that partners with His efforts to deliver and heal us. This requires that our hearts and minds are moving in the same direction that He is, and God is always moving in the direction of the truth of His Word. He’s rooting for us to do the same.

God is always completely and totally willing to come to our aid when we seek Him earnestly. He delights in helping us overcome the adversities we endure in life. Everyone has struggles and things they are trying to get over, and we must come to the realization that we can’t do it alone, and we were never meant to. We move out of our own way and do ourselves the greatest good when we have faith in God, and we trust that by placing our faith in Him, all things are possible, as Jesus Christ said in Mark 9:23. Give yourself as much time and space to heal and be better as you did to develop and learn in any other aspect of your life. You can rest assured that as you read and study God’s Word and trust in His instruction and guidance for your life, you are headed to becoming stronger, wiser, and better than you ever imagined. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 

“God Is Always Ready to Help”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

This passage in Proverbs is such a pinnacle of Godly wisdom, especially for those of us living today. Our modern advances have given us false confidence, and many individuals think they don’t need God’s help, but nothing could be further from the truth. I marvel sometimes when I look at how well my daughter is doing with her class work. Not long ago, she needed my help with everything, and now she can do it on her own with little or no assistance. She enjoys the challenge of trying to figure things out on her own, but there are times when she still needs my help, and I’m always there for her. God is a better parent than any of us will ever be. We’re His kids, and He loves us. He wants each of us to grow up and mature in Christ, and He also wants us to know that He is always there for us as well. 

Colossians 3:3-4(NLT), tells us, “3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” When we give our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and make him the head of our lives, we die to our old unsaved life. Christ gives us new life through the Holy Spirit, and we become a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 

In this new life that God made possible through the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ, we have victory not just in a few areas, but in every aspect of life. Romans 8:37(NLT) declares, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” No matter what we go through, none of it can separate us from God’s overwhelming and limitless love for us all. This makes us victorious in every way, and we must place our trust and faith in God and in what He’s given us. Our confidence should continually be in our Heavenly Father’s provision, protection, and power, because as His children, we’re firmly planted in His hands come what may. 

The times are too perilous, and life is too unsteady for us to think we can handle everything on our own. We need God every moment of each day, and it is only because of His grace that we are alive this very moment. When we follow His Word and live according to the example of Jesus Christ, we will reap the benefits, but when we step out of God’s guidance, life can turn on us very quickly. 

A good friend went through a difficult season in her life recently, and it was because she didn’t seek the Lord with all her heart and allow Him to direct her path. Her fiancé accepted a job out-of-state, and in order to keep their relationship intact, she quit a job with excellent pay and benefits and relocated with him. Neither of them consulted the Lord for direction and wisdom. After three months, her fiancé ended the relationship. Her new position didn’t pay anywhere near what she was making at her old job, and she struggled to make ends meet. Eventually, she moved back to her home state and now feels ashamed, angry, and full of resentment and regret.

The psalmist said in Psalms 94:18-19(NLT), “I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.  When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” Life can overtake us in less time than a blink of an eye, but when our assurance is in God’s unfailing love, we are never left with shame or resentment. Rather than taking matters into our own hands, we must trust that we are firmly planted in God’s hands through Jesus Christ. During those times when we make mistakes that cause us to lose direction, momentum, and stamina, through our faith in Him, our Heavenly Father can turn those around and use them for our good. 

One step away from the path of God’s righteousness can lead to disastrous circumstances, and He doesn’t want this for any of us. Our mistakes should teach us that it’s absolutely essential to follow God’s Word and live through Jesus Christ. When we do, our victory is guaranteed. So, the very best thing that any of us can do for ourselves is to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on your own understanding. All the technology and modern advancements in the world can’t repair a broken heart. Surrender your will to God’s Will. Every day give everything over to Him and allow Him to lead you through His indwelling Holy Spirit. God loves us so much, and through His grace and mercy, He will keep your feet from falling when your hands are firmly planted in His. 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Firmly Planted in God’s Hands”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Psalm 18:30 (ESV) 
“This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”

We opted to sit side by side rather than facing each other in an upscale booth that looked like it belonged in a mansion rather than a restaurant. The dimmed lights and jazz music playing at just the right volume for conversation made the ambiance perfect for our third date. My heart was contented, and without looking in a mirror, I could tell that I was beaming. I had that feeling I always get when things are beautiful, exciting, and new. Bryce was treating me just the way I dreamed I would be. I’d been divorced almost four years and too busy with mom duty to even think about dating, but this man was charming, intelligent, and said all the right things. In my mind, it was too good to be true, and in the weeks after, instead of continuing to enjoy a developing friendship, I panicked.

Panic is a response I became intimately acquainted with as a very young child. Domestic violence and abuse happened regularly in my home, and I learned to always be on alert for danger. As an adult woman, I chose men that kept this on the edge anxiety on repeat. I wanted so much that Bryce was different, that he it wasn’t all an act and that he wouldn’t turn on me the way my ex did. I found myself not being able to trust that my own decision in relationships. I was afraid that I’d continually choose someone that would ultimately abuse me.

Bryce eventually fell off, and this sort of thing had happened before, either because I didn’t have time, or it just wasn’t a good fit. It hadn’t bothered me, but with Bryce it did. There was so much fear in my life, and he held up a mirror that I was finally ready to see. I didn’t have peace in my mind and heart, but I had fooled myself into thinking that I did.

Loneliness, fear, and a lack of faith can keep us walled off from the significant relationship we deeply desire. Internally, we’re not in a good place because we’re trying to be a protective shield for our own lives, and that’s utterly exhausting. God tells us in Isaiah 55:9 (KJV), “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Our brains are incapable of considering all the details that are involved just to keep us breathing from one moment until the next. We are alive this very moment because of God’s amazing grace. He knows everything there is to know about us, and He alone knows the future. We must have confidence that our safety is in His very capable hands because He has promised to be our Refuge.

A refuge is our safe place. It’s a place we rest in because it offers peace and protective. Only God can truly be this for us. Psalm 18:30 tells us that God’s Word proves true, and this is without exception. God is faithful and He keeps His promises. He tells us that He will be shield for everyone that takes refuge in Him.

The psalmist said in Psalm 34:4 (NLT), “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” A man can’t be our everything, and it’s a mistake to think that anyone can be this for us. That position belongs to God alone. When our trust is firmly planted in Him, and we love Him with our whole hearts, He will protect us. He is the refuge we seek, and when we know this in our hearts, minds, and souls, we won’t have fear. Instead we will rest in the truth of God’s love for us and always trust that He will lead us down a path that is blessed and best for our lives. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

“God is Our Refuge”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Some years ago, after I filed for divorce from a physically and mentally abusive husband, I felt very alone and isolated. I was facing life as a single parent, and I didn’t know which way to turn. I couldn’t believe that I was in that situation, and I became depressed. I never dreamed that the person I loved so dearly, the person that at one time made me feel so loved and secure, would cause me so much pain. I blamed my ex-husband for my misery, but I also blamed God. For a while, I was very angry with the Lord, because I couldn’t understand what I had done so wrong to deserve such a terrible end to my marriage.

Financial dependency is a very common factor for many individuals that remain in abusive relationships. It had been one of the reasons that I continued to stay in my marriage. My ex was always very attentive and kind to our child, but I finally decided to leave when it was clear to me that it was, for me, a matter of life or death. At times after the divorce, I felt as though my survival was still unsure, because I didn’t think that I could call on anyone for help. I felt trapped, and I was still very angry, but I decided I would have a heart to heart talk with God, and I set aside some time to do just that.

Philippians 4:13(NLT) was a verse that was introduced to me when I was a child, and it kept coming back to my mind during that time in my life. This verse declares, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” One day I cried out to God, “Where’s the strength You promised me? I can’t take this. Why aren’t You helping me?!!!” Later, I was both terrified and thankful to our Heavenly Father. Despite my disrespect, He allowed my ignorance and anger, and He patiently taught me to understand that I was strong through Him even though I felt weak. The more I learned about God, the stronger I became.

I had to admit to myself that I couldn’t hold things together on my own. The fear of making a mistake kept me on edge and to some degree, it also kept me seeking God. I was completely helpless, and the grace and blessings He extended were miraculous. After my divorce,  I was at a point where I was either going to give up or trust our Heavenly Father. I decided to trust Him and to humble myself under His power and goodness. He helped me through my hopelessness, and He will do the same for anyone and everyone who will humble themselves and seek His help.

Sometimes, life leaves us in a position where it seems we have nowhere to turn. We can’t foresee the future. We don’t know what will happen in our lives from one moment to the next. Our immediate response when facing this is fear, but in 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 (NLT), our Heavenly Father gives us a better strategy of what to do. This passage states,  “1 After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.) 3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the LORD for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD’s help.”

Seeking God’s help with our whole hearts is the only way to go. God knows everything there is to know about every individual that is living and has ever lived. He doesn’t rush us to trust Him. He waits for us to allow Him to shower His unfailing love and strength on our lives. We must understand that He is always willing and able to help us, and our response to Him has to be one of true humility and reverence. We have to honor the truth that we need God every moment of every day. We can’t do anything without His help, and when we have faith in Him, He will fight our battles. Victory and glory belong to God. We will help ourselves tremendously if we put aside our anger and blame, and trust that God loves us and is helping us right this very moment to overcome because our faith is in Him.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Help is Here”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Psalm 27:10(NLT)
“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.”

A friend’s daughter, Lexi, has been estranged from her father for years and bumping into him recently was troubling for her. She’s in her twenties now, and since he’s been out of her life, she’s felt a sense of peace and security. He became abusive after she turned sixteen and seeing him unexpectantly opened old wounds that she had tried to put behind her.

Lexi’s father had been very loving and supportive when she was much younger, and she never understood what caused him to change. She felt abandoned when he continued to belittle her, and because of this, sometimes she also felt abandoned by God as well. We don’t always understand why we endure so much pain, especially when we are at our most vulnerable, but God doesn’t cause the circumstances of our pain. Trusting this truth creates a space in our hearts for the love of God to come in. Lexi stopped being angry long enough to seek God’s help and to trust that He would give it.

Nervous, sad, and insecure, initially she was afraid that nothing she tried would work out, but God tells us in 2Corinthians 12:9(NLT), “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Lexi decided to have faith that God would help her to establish a life on her own. For years she had walked on eggshells, and she never wanted to experience that fear again. As she grew in faith, her self-esteem improved and so did her life. She drew closer to our Heavenly Father, and she continued to pray for healing and for the strength to forgive her biological father. After seven years, she thought she had forgiven him, but when she saw him after all that time, she was confused, and her confidence was shaken.

The reality is that we don’t always know what is going to meet us around the corner. Life is very unpredictable that way. When we’ve gotten to a place of finally feeling secure, and then something happens to seemingly set us back, we might feel tempted to turn away from our faith in God. We don’t understand why things happen the way they do, and this makes us question whether we can ever really feel safe. God promises that we can.

1Peter 5:6-7(NLT) tells us, “6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” We are truly humble when we hold on to our faith in God during those times that are the most challenging for us. He desires us to surrender to Him by giving all our worries and cares to Him, because He cares about every detail of our lives. God has all power in His hands, and there isn’t anything He can’t solve, even when the issue is as complex as old wounds and a heart that’s been broken into pieces.  

God will ‘father us’ through our darkest times. As Psalm 27:10 tells us, when our parents are not prepared to nurture and smother us with love, God will hold us close. When we face situations that open old wounds, He is faithful to bring us through, and we must trust His plan for our lives even when dark clouds loom. Romans 5:8(NLT) declares, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Our Heavenly Father is loving and kind towards us. He doesn’t hold our mistakes against us. Instead, when we come to Him in faith, He helps us to become strong through Jesus Christ! We can have every confidence that our God loves us way more than we could ever love ourselves. He will hold us close and hold us up as we move beyond our pasts and refuse to be held back by them. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“The Lord Will Hold Me Close”, written for DomesticAbuseAwareness.Org ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!