Welcome to the Stories of Hope series!
I recently returned home from a Women’s retreat I was attending for the purpose of being refreshed and rejuvenated. Only that’s not exactly what happened.
Instead, I returned home feeling deflated and disheartened.
The main guest speaker for the weekend was passionate and vibrant, and her message was right on! Everything she had to say was straight out of God’s Word. And yet..
I was hard-pressed to receive her motivational message. My mind simply could not stop thinking about the hardships I had endured up to that point, and the challenges I faced that brought me to this place of discouragement.
On my drive home, the fresh tears poured freely down my cheeks. I so badly wanted to believe that God was good, and could be trusted. And I wanted the “old me” to return! The me that was full of faith and passion.
In my desperation, I cried out to the Lord, “God please help me to see what I am missing. This cannot be the way you want me to live.” And in that moment, the Lord spoke, bringing fresh revelation to my battered and bruised heart.
“Rachel,” He whispered. “Your perspective is skewed. You keep focusing on the hard. Try instead, focusing on the hope.“
Hope. My word of focus for 2019, and the very purpose of this here blog. From that moment forward, I have made the choice to stop wasting my time being consumed and distracted by all that is not. Instead, I’m choosing to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, and the very hope of our salvation!
An Invitation to a Life of Hope
I have invited several women alongside me, to share their own stories of hope. Women who have walked through difficult circumstances, and have dug deep to find that there is nothing in heaven or on earth that can ever separate us from the love of God.
Women who have discovered true hope through the lens of suffering.
Women like you and like me, sharing real stories of real challenges, and real hope!
And I’m extending the invitation to YOU! I invite you to take a peek inside these women’s stories and rediscover a life of hope for yourself, despite life’s painful circumstances.
Explore the Stories of Hope topics below
Finding Hope Amid Suffering– Rachel Marie Lee
Restoring Hope in Marriage– Beth Steffaniak
Hope After Divorce– Tiffany Montgomery
Real Hope in Chronic Illness– Nicole Kauffman
Finding Hope in the Midst of the Storm– Marva Smith
There is Hope Beyond Mental Illness– Kelsy King
Embracing Hope in Your Special Needs Parenting– Jenn Soehnlin
Finding Hope Through Depression– Sara Lewis
Overcoming Social Anxiety with the Hope of Jesus– Emily Ann
Finding Hope in Jesus After Rejection– Emily Saxe
Creating a Life of Purpose & Joy in Infertility– Marie Gregg
Hope After Pregnancy Loss– Amber Douglas
Hope in the Struggle- Misty Phillip
Holding on to Hope When Dreams are Shattered– Maree Dee
Finding Hope in Suicide– Julie Loos
Hope for the Mom Who Feels Like a Failure– Crystal Parenteau
Restoring Hope in the Midst of Church Hurt– Becky Beresford
When Confronted with Devastating News– Natalie Venegas
Rebounding from Failure– Michele Morin
How God Creates “New Wine” Through Financial Distress– Jessie Synan
When Your Prayers Seem To Go Unanswered– Ifeoma Obiora-Samuel
Finding Hope in Major Disappointments– Jenna Kosters
Waiting on God: Hope in the Wait– Heather Hancock
Coming Soon
Redeemed from Shame– Jaime Wiebel
I’m glad you’re here, and I look forward to growing together as we share our stories and explore newfound hope in Jesus!
Do YOU have a story of hope to share? If you’re interested in submitting an article for the Stories of Hope series, feel free to review the Submission Guidelines HERE.
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