Tag Archives: perseverance

March 22, 2014

my heroes of hope

By marilynnchadwick

Have you ever faced a trial so painful you couldn’t endure the weight of it? The enemy taunts you with lies whispered in the dark:  God is not even listening to your prayers.  Why else would He seem so silent?  When all seems hopeless, I find encouragement from believers who have passed through the furnace and come forth with faith shining.  Their stories inspire me to hold onto my hope. I want to share one such story with you.

I met Ange during one of my first missions trips to Rwanda and Burundi. Most everyone I encountered was a genocide survivor with a hard story to tell. But it was Ange’s journey of agony-turned-into-hope that gripped my soul. Continue reading

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January 7, 2014

all i want is what i want…

By marilynnchadwick

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

“But Mommy, all I want is what I want when I want it,”  howled my friend’s three-year-old daughter in the middle of a tantrum.  Like little Molly,  all I want is “what I want when I want it.”  Who doesn’t?  But life doesn’t always work that way, does it?  Truth is, I’ve had to wait for my most fervent prayers to be answered, sometimes for a very long time.

I’m not a patient person by nature.  But I’ve discovered that not getting what I want when I want it is one way God gets me ready for whatever it is I most desire.  Waiting gives my character a chance to mature  as God prepares me for promotion.  When our character doesn’t grow as fast as our calling, look out!  Yet I’m tempted  to walk away from my dream altogether than wait for it.  Why?  Because waiting is painful.  Grinding. Frustrating. Boring. Out of my control.  In short, waiting is hard work. 

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December 4, 2013

breakthrough in battle

By marilynnchadwick

Do you ever feel like some problems just won’t budge?  You can’t seem to win your spiritual battle, no matter how much you pray and pray and pray?  Perhaps you need a breakthrough.

Breakthrough was first used as a military term to signify an offensive thrust past the defensive lines of warfare. The word entered the realm of common speech during the technological age, often used to describe a sudden discovery or invention.  Breakthroughs usually occur only after repeated failures.

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September 29, 2013

40-Day Challenge: Week Five

By marilynnchadwick

Week Five:  ARM yourself with Spiritual strength.

Why should we pray?  “Because there is a devil,” reminds R. A. Torrey, nineteenth century theologian and author How to Pray, of one of my favorite books on prayer,.

The Bible warns that we’re in a war. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” The struggle is a spiritual one. See Ephesians 6:10-18.   An important aspect of remaining armed and ready for battle with the heavenly forces of darkness is the habit of daily prayer. Continue reading

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December 6, 2012

fade!

By marilynnchadwick

…the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. (James 1:11 NLT)

Fade!  Faded jeans.  Faded furniture. Faded memories…mental images grown dim over time. Life here on earth fades. But time tricks us, tempts us. Promises what it can’t deliver.  So we humans buy the lie and exhaust ourselves, chasing after that which fades. Continue reading

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