About the Author

At (in)courage, we empower women to be like Jesus. Our writers share what’s going on in their life and how God’s right in the middle of it. They bring their joys & struggles so that you can feel less alone and be empowered by the hope Jesus gives.

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things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
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Comments

  1. Thank you for your transparency about your battles and shining a light on how, through Christ
    we are created to build unfailing strength to become a hope filled person.

  2. Thank you for this post, It is beautifully written and so relevant to our human struggles. I am sorry for your years of grief and physical illness – so hard when we are on the island of grief, so isolating. I know my faith gives me the ability to keep on keeping on when i just want to disappear. God’s grace has carried me through the darkest, most painful days of my life. I am so grateful for my faith.

    Hold onto that little wooden cross!

  3. Oh Michele, thank you for sharing and for putting words to the last 5 years for me. I received a cancer diagnosis, lost my beloved brother, uncle and niece, taking care of my mom with dementia at home, my dad’s 8-month battle with a blood infection, all while trying to work full time, and now we have to sell something that’s been in our family for decades so we can find a place to care for my mom because to my great shame we just can’t anymore. I struggle mightily with anger and depression under this weight. But I am thankful that God has met me in my suffering. The difficulty of my situation is still there but I get little signs from God that he’s with me and he sees me, and I’m humbled and grateful. I hope you have had similar signs to help you through your pain. God bless you!

    • Cheyla, you’ve been through a lot. The struggles are real. There is no shame in needing to move your mom to a place where she can get the care she needs. I had to face that decision also. She was safe and well-cared for, and I was still there caring for her as best I could and loving her always. Praying for you, sister.

  4. I can relate having just lost my earthly father. So grateful for the person of Jesus, his Spirit living in me and the love of my heavenly father. Don’t know how I would cope with the “weeble wobble” otherwise.

  5. I’ve been in conversation with God over the last several days about hope. I’ve let him know that I’m at the end of mine in a particular situation I’ve been praying about for nearly two years now. I don’t feel good about it, but my well of hope is running dry. Having hope at this point feels futile. In my prayer time last night I asked God, again, to show me if I have it right and to help me to stand still until I see his promise fulfilled. I asked for some kind of indication that my hope isn’t in vain. Thank you so much for today’s devotional and speaking God’s word over this situation exactly when I needed it.

  6. Dear Michele, your words are like a balm to my soul! And the fact that you can continue to bless us, even though you are suffering, that’s a priceless gift! Thank you.

  7. It’s as if you wrote almost everything that I’ve been going through & dealing with for so so many years. And now I’m questioning how much longer I can hang on. I know your daily pain & struggles & the losses it feels like one more thing is going to take you under & you have no more strength to fight it. I find myself here & the desperation & despair is overwhelming. I thought I was putting my hope in both Jesus & the outcome. I now believe I’ve not put all my hope & faith in the right place & completely on Jesus. I have to surrender all. I’m so thankful for this devotional & my prayers are with everyone struggling & hurting. I pray the Lord opens my heart & mind & fills me with His truth & spirit!!! God bless

  8. Dearest Michele, mere words cannot express my gratitude to you for sharing all you did this morning. I am 77 and have suffered many seasons of depression and anxiety, a broken hip and femur. But the Lord has healed me! You also reminded me of a little wooden cross that I had that fitted perfectly in my hand that had been given to me. I passed it onto a lady in the hospital when my husband was there going through a very scary procedure. She was going through something similar and we prayed together there. Thank you again dear Michele and may the Lord restore you and bless you more than you can contain!

  9. I carry an olive wood cross as well. It was given to me June 6, 2021 when I was saying goodbye to my wife of 41 years. She was losing her fight with cancer, would be passing from this life to the next in a few hours. Ive carried the cross in my pocket every day since, not as a reminder of her death. That Im as aware of as one of my hnds or feet. Instead I carry it as a reminder of God’s faithfulness, His goodness, that I can trust Him. My ebineezer if you will.

    • Bruce, that is such a beautiful reminder of hope. Thank you for sharing this piece of your story with us. I’m so sorry for your loss, yet so encouraged by your faith.

  10. Thank you Michele for sharing your heart with us and for being transparent. It helps all of us to hold on to Jesus as we go through one thing after another in this world. Just as Jesus told us “in this world”. I love what the book of Hebrews says about hope; an anchor for our souls. I will be 87 in a few days and beginning at the age of 8 when my father passed away, I have had many losses and disappointments in my life. It’s really hard. However I am grateful for my Lord and Savior who suffered and died for me that when this is over there will be such a party in Heaven with all of my loved ones. Hold on dear sister! I love you!

  11. Michele,

    I could feel the anger you expressed when you couldn’t feel God. Going through trials is never easy-especially compound trials. We must remember that Jesus is well acquainted with our pains & anguish. He suffered much for our sakes. We tend to go from Palm Sunday right to Easter. Forgetting to celebrate Maundy Thursday. The day of the last supper with His disciples. Good Friday when He was crucified on the cross. Then comes Saturday when He spends time in Hell & defeats the devil. The fact that He was willing to go to the cross & endure all that pain just.for.me gives me plenty of hope. Hope to know that if he can endure all that suffering then so can I.

    Blessings 🙂