thoughts by Helen Grace Lescheid Archives

Published July 24, 2024

Be a Minister of Reconciliation

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

In my talks with women, I find that many a mother’s heart has been broken because there is division in her family.

I hear sad words like these:

“My children and I are not on speaking terms.”

“My daughter’s phone calls are brief and businesslike.”

“My son came to visit in my home town, yet he did not let me know or contact me.”

“My daughter has time for everyone else but me.”

I pass on to them what has helped me during a difficult time when my children avoided me. Often an estrangement develops during a traumatic time such as a death or a divorce. Painful emotions take time to process. We need to give our children time and space to sort them out.

“If only we could talk,” I would think. “Then we could come to some understanding.” But, this may not be the time for talking. When hurts are deep, no explanation seems to help. In fact, your words will sound like you are being self-defensive. When you are in conflict, concentrate on reconciliation rather than resolution.

For our own healing we need to bask in God’s love by feeding on Scripture verses that speak of His love and His delight in us (such as Ephesians 3:16-19).

When we are secure in His love, we’ll be able to reach out to our children in love.

We’ll be equipped to be ministers of reconciliation. How?

Keep communication lines open by talking about subjects they’re comfortable with.
Keep reaching out: remember birthdays and other special occasions. Pray for each child by name with thanksgiving.
Be a grace-giver. Grace lets go of the “you-guys- owe-me” hook. It gives your children freedom to grow, to make decisions, to fail and to mature at their own rate. Reconciliation is God’s will for us.

Thank you, Jesus, for working reconciliation in our relationship with the Father and with each other. Help me to be a minister of reconciliation in my family, my church, the world.

by Helen Lescheid
used by permission

Restored Families

“God who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Corinthians 1:9

In my talks with women, I find that many a mother’s heart has been broken because a son or a daughter is avoiding her. I hear words like these:

“My children never call me.” “My daughter’s phone calls are brief and businesslike.” “My children and I are not on speaking terms.”

I pass on to them what has helped me during a time of estrangement from my children.
Estrangements may have come gradually or suddenly due to a family crisis—as in my case. “If only we could talk,” I’d often think. “Then we would come to some understanding.”

A dear friend advised me,

“this may not be the time for talking. No matter what you say, it will sound like you’re being self-defensive and you are apt to get a harsh response. Give your children time to sort out their confusion and pain. When you are in conflict, concentrate on reconciliation rather than resolution.”

Trust in God’s timing. While you wait you can be a grace-giver. Grace lets go of unrealistic expectations like “you-guys-owe-me. After all I’ve done for you.” Let go of resentment and bitterness. Resentment and bitterness locks the door to God’s grace.

Parcel up your hurt and disappointment and give it to God. Be a grace-giver rather than a grudge-bearer. Grace gives your children freedom to grow, to make decisions, to fail and to mature at their own rate.

Pray for your children by name and wait expectantly for Jesus, the great Reconciler, to bring you together again. And when they do come, welcome them with a loving embrace. In the story of the prodigal son it’s interesting to note that the Father runs to meet the son. Very few words are spoken. It’s a time of rejoicing and celebration not explanation.

Recently our family of nineteen persons came together for a Family Reunion—the first after many years. When I witnessed the joy and fun at being together, I kept saying, “This is amazing! Thank you, Lord.” God has truly done a healing work in our hearts. Many prayers are being answered. The reconciliation work is going on.

What’s happening in your family? Remember, when we pray for reconciliation in our families, we are praying in God’s will. Reconciliation is always His will. Jesus is the Great Reconciler.

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

God has Enough for Every Need

“And my God will meet all your need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

We live in a world of supply and demand, where necessary things are often scarce. We’re afraid we’ll run out, so we store and hoard and worry.

We carry this over to God’s resources as well. We worry that we won’t have enough to make it through another day. But God’s resources never run out. There’s never a power outage with God. He has more than enough. Paul writes,

“and this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NLT).

How much does He supply?

Just enough to meet our needs? No, more than that: according to His riches in Christ Jesus.

We must remember, however, the difference between our wants and our needs. Most people want to feel good and avoid discomfort or pain. But God wants a higher good for us. By trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from our own wants to His wants. Then we have access to as much as we have faith to receive.

Thank you, Father, that You will meet all my need according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

A Time of Waiting

“But those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31(KJV).

How do you respond to a prolonged time of waiting?

Waiting for the house to sell, waiting for your children to call, waiting for improved health…

Most of us find waiting hard. We consider it a waste of time. Yet waiting is a part of life.

“Don’t wait for God’s plan to unfold; God’s plan is happening now. The journey is part of the plan,” writes Oswald Chambers.

All of God’s heroes experienced long waiting periods. Abraham went through thirteen year of silence before the fulfillment of a promise from God. His son Isaac waited twenty years for Rebecca to have children. Moses’ vision of delivering his people from Egyptian bondage lay buried for forty years in the desert. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not displeasure. They experienced the promise after a time of waiting.

How can we make waiting more enjoyable?

I received an interesting lesson at the airport one day. When we learned our plane would be delayed, some of the passengers complained bitterly to the stewardess and worried that they would now miss their connecting flight. Another group of passengers, however, gathered in a group and began to play cards, laughing uproariously at times. They turned their waiting into a time of pleasure.

I learned that waiting is not passivity—doing nothing. While you wait commit yourself and this time to your faithful Creator and continue to do good. Carry on with normal activities. Keep working the soil, planting , watering, and weeding in anticipation of the harvest. Keep hope alive by focusing on Scripture promises of God’s faithfulness.

‘Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God’s will’, writes, Bishop Collier of the 17th Century.

Faith in God, even when that faith does not seem to be rewarded, makes it into God’s hall of fame. In Upon His Blindness, John Milton writes: “They also serve who only stand and wait.”

God is present in our waiting. When we leave the whole thing to Him, it is uncertain how He will come in, but He will come.

Thank you, Father, that you are present in our waiting. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him Isaiah 30:18

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

Running the Race

“Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.” Hebrews 12:1,2 (NLT).

Racing is all about competition and winning, right? Each runner does his utmost to be ahead of the others, so that he will get the prize. Those who do not win tell themselves, “next time I’ll do better.”

But is this all there is to racing? Recently I saw a video clip which told of another way of winning. It’s not about being first and getting a prize; it’s about finishing a race. An athlete was running a race. He was ahead of everyone until he fell and hurt himself. He got up and resumed running but all he could do is limp along. Soon everyone passed him by. Still, he kept limping towards the finish line. When it seemed like he’d have to quit, his father jumped into the rink and together they made it to the finish line. “We’re in this together,” he said to a cheering audience.

In 2 Timothy chapter 4:7 and 8 Paul tells us that the Christian race is something like that. It’s not just about winning a race but it’s about finishing a race. At the end of his life Paul could say,

“I have finished the race and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness…”

But the prize is not just for him;

“it is for all who have finished the race and longed for Christ’s appearing (His glorious return)” (2 Timothy 4:8).

The race we are running is uniquely chosen for us by God. We are not in competition. We are running for Jesus not ourselves.

We must keep our eyes on Jesus. We will stumble if we look away from him to see how we’re doing in comparison to others, or we look at the circumstances around us. Then we’re apt to become discouraged.

Are you weary of the race? Remember: God is not looking for perfection but for persistence. As you keep your eyes on Jesus, you will get the courage and stamina to keep going until the finish line. And if you stumble, He’ll be there to pick you up and get you back in the race again.

We also need each other. Like the father in the story encouraged his son to finish the race, we can come alongside someone and encourage them. Can you think of someone?

Lord Jesus, thank you that you are with me in this race. I depend on your strength to help me finish well.

by Helen Grace Lescheid
Used by Permission

The God of Hope

“No one whose hope is in you (LORD) will ever be put to shame…good and upright is the LORD…all the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful.” (Psalm 25:3,8, 10).

When the doctor said that dreaded “cancer” word, I was sure he was talking about someone else. But he was looking at me and using my name. Once the shock wore off, the reality hit me: that means major surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, cancelling my plans, etc. How can I cope with all that?

To get a grip on my emotions, I went for a walk in the park repeating the following Bible verse over and over, making it my prayer: “May the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in Him, so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Later, at home, I got my Bible out and underlined the following verses:

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” (Psalms 62:5,6)

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31).

A lasting hope is anchored, not in circumstances, not in people (even the best doctors), not in a good bank account (all those can fail us) but in the God of hope. I would focus on God’s promise, not the problem.

Three years have gone by and God has indeed been faithful to give me strength and hope for every day–and a good recovery.

What are you struggling with?

In what situation do you need hope. My prayer for you is: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

Never Abandoned

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence,

“the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5,6

Do you sometimes feel all alone in the world? Like you’ve been forsaken by the persons who you expected would love you, protect you, and support you? Feeling abandoned is a scary thing.

We will all have these feelings of being disappointed in people. There are certain securities that only Jesus can give us personally and through his Word.

Sometimes this act of abandonment happened years ago, but the feeling is still there. It’s a flash back from an earlier experience that happened in your childhood. In my case it dates back to when I was about five years old and found myself all alone in a terrible air raid. (World War II had come to our town) The house was shaking, smoke and dust swirled outside, pieces of lumbar flew past the window. And the noise was deafening. My mother had taken the younger two children to the cellar, but for whatever reason, I had not followed her. I was alone in a world gone crazy.

Now when these feelings of abandonment come to me—sometimes out of the blue—I remind myself of the truth. Yes, it did happen but it doesn’t change my security now. As a Christian I’m never truly abandoned.

God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake you, nor let you down, I will not relax my hold on you! Assuredly not! (Hebrews 13: 5,6 Amplified.)

When feelings of insecurity come, counter them with the truth of God’s word like the above: God says, ”I will not forsake you, nor let you down, I will not relax my hold on you! Assuredly not! That’s the truth and I can count on it.

By Helen Grace Lescheid
Used by Permission

Jesus is Alive in My Life

“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ.” Ephesians 2:4-6

Easter Sunday as a joyous event celebrating the resurrection of Jesus is forever etched in my memory.

In Austria we lived in the shadow of a large church with an enormous bell tower (at least it looked like that to my childish eyes.) The bells rang faithfully morning and evening and on special occasions. But there was one day the bells did not ring.

That was on Good Friday when the priest used an instrument which made a rasping, sad sound. It was to remind us of Christ’s suffering and put us into a mood of mourning.

When Easter Sunday morning came, all the bells rang in a glorious symphony. The joyous sound floated across roof tops, hills and valleys carrying the good news, “Jesus has risen from the dead.”

But when I arrived at the church, I was disappointed to see the life-sized crucifix of Jesus’ body on the Cross was still there. If Jesus has risen from the dead, why is he still hanging on the cross? I wondered.

Don’t we do this too?

We go through the motions of celebrating that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. We accept it as part of our religion, but what difference does it really make to our lives today?

Is Jesus alive in your heart? Is he active in your life today?

The risen Lord Jesus Christ is not just up in heaven preparing a place for us, but he is presently down here on earth wanting to make His home in us and do His work through us.

How? We must die to our selfish ways and surrender to Christ on a daily basis. He has to become our very life from moment to moment. It will be “Christ in us working through us.” We depend on him to be our sufficiency for each new challenge. Then we can stop trying so hard and trusting more. What freedom comes with this realization!

Jesus, I depend on your strength and your life in me today. I want to do your will and your work today. What is it you want us to do today?

by Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

Waiting on God

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130: 5

We spend much of our time waiting for prayers to be answered. Waiting for healing. Waiting for our children to come home. Waiting for a job opportunity. Waiting for the house to sell. Why so much waiting? Time is a protection for us. We couldn’t bear to see all our lives at once.

Waiting on God is not the same as doing nothing. The truth is, waiting requires tremendous faith and focus.

How can we make a time of waiting more tolerable, even fruitful?

1. Realize God’s leading is uniquely yours. He knows us better than we know ourselves and He always has the best in mind. “Look to Me,” I hear Jesus saying, “what I am doing with your life is my love-gift to you.”

2. Remember what God has done for you in the past. Reading through an old journal always leaves me incredibly grateful. Problems that seemed insurmountable have been overcome. Dreams have come true. Prayers have been answered. As I read about God’s faithfulness in the past, there’s a growing certainty that God is working just as diligently in the present.

3. Think of your life as one day and focus on present blessings. “Each day is a little life; each morning is a new beginning,” writes Arthur Schopenhauer. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own,” Jesus said in Matthew 6:34.

4. Change what you can and leave the rest to God. Nothing wards off that helpless I’m-a-victim feeling as quickly as doing something productive like working in the garden, knitting a toque, having someone over for a meal…

5. Stand firm on the God of hope. Although we may be uncertain as to what God is doing, we can be certain of His character. He’s always acting in love towards us. “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Why must we wait? God wants to grow fruit in our lives which takes time to ripen, like patience and perseverance. He wants to show us more of Himself; He wants to grow our relationship with Him.

Father, thank you that you are present in my waiting. Help me to trust that Your timing is best.

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

God is Good All the Time

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8

How do we know that God is good when our lives feel bad?

We’ve been conditioned to think of God as a doting parent whose function is to shield us from unpleasant circumstances. We have learned to equate the goodness of God with the rightness of our circumstances.

We are like the little girl who, when she got what she wanted, exclaimed, “God must really like me!” Or conversely, when things were not going her way, she pouted, “Why is God punishing me like this?”

King David did not make this mistake. He knew that God’s goodness is based on His character traits of mercy and love which never change. David knew about adversities. Maligned by friends and family, hunted by King Saul, hiding in caves and fearing for his life, David poured out his anguish to God. Then he made an astonishing declaration:

“Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old…according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. Good and upright is the LORD” (Psalm 25:6-8).

Our circumstances are not an accurate reflection of God’s goodness. Whether life is good or bad, God’s goodness, rooted in his character, is always the same. Knowing this, David could sing of the goodness of God, whether he was peacefully tending his sheep or fearfully running from his enemies.

“All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful,” he writes (Psalm 25:10).

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).

God’s goodness is the same on bad days as it is on good days.

People who attest to God’s goodness in their lives do not experience an absence of trouble but rather have a keen awareness of God’s presence in every situation.

Father, I thank you that You are always good and what You do is good also.

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

What Does it Mean to Love God?

“Again Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep” John 21:16

Pain brings us back to the basics of our faith. “Do you love Me?”

It’s a question Jesus asked Peter, his beaten, confused disciple.

In view of what had happened in the past week of crucifixion, Jesus might have asked Peter, “Do you understand what has happened?” This is the approach he used with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. As he walked with them he explained to them “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

But not with Peter. He cut through this disciple’s hurt and confusion and shame with one basic question, “Do you love me?”

Likewise in my confusion and pain, God did not give me an explanation. Like he did with Peter, He brought me back to this basic of the Christian faith: Do you love me? Even though prayers go unanswered. Your dreams lie buried. The wrong seems to triumph. Do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Our Loving God does not erase painful human emotions. Despite the turmoil, love grabs the steering wheel of our wills and pulls us towards God. We may journey through chilling mists of discouragement, doubt, and self-pity for a while, but our direction is clear.

Faith is not a grin-and-bear-it approach, but rather a quiet but firm determination: we will believe God is good no matter what circumstances look like. We will keep holding onto loving and obeying God.

Are you ready to say with me: “Father, you know that I love you.”

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

Disappointed With God

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Have you ever been disappointed with God? You trusted him to bless you with a job or to answer a fervent prayer for a loved one and nothing happened. It’s as though God doesn’t care.

I think we all have. Let me tell you about one of my experiences. We prayed much for my husband’s healing and claimed scripture that he would be healed. But despite our earnest prayers, fasting, and spiritual warfare, he did not get better. He got worse. Today he’s in a Care Home. This was a severe test of my faith. I had a choice to make: would I give up on God and prayer or would I go deeper? If I let go of God I’d lose all hope. I would sink into despair. I’d become a bitter old woman. I didn’t want that. So I decided to keep trusting God even though I didn’t understand.

I parceled up all my expectations, my disappointments, and my failures and handed them to God. Here, Lord, I give this burden to You now. I don’t understand what is happening. I don’t like what is happening, but I want to trust You with it. I want to trust that You are in this and somehow You will bring something good out of it.

I prayed this prayer again and again and God did meet my need for courage and hope from day to day. Now looking back I can see much good has come out of this experience. We have grown in our knowledge of God’s faithfulness and love and we’ve discovered that God is enough even when life doesn’t make sense.

Father, I thank you that you’re always acting in love towards us even when we don’t understand what you are doing.

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

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How to Get the Most Out of This Day

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

How do you feel about this day? Are you dreading it or are you looking forward to it like the psalmist is?

God has pleasant surprises tucked into this day for us but so many of us miss them because we run right past them.

Helen Keller, who was blind, deaf and mute, asked a friend who’d just come in from a walk through the park, “What did you see?”

“Nothing much,” she answered.

How can that be? Helen wondered. How can you spend an hour in the park and not see anything?

When she asked some of her friends to describe the faces of five people they were especially close to–what’s the color of their eyes, for instance– they couldn’t do it.

“How glorious it would be if I could see for just three days,” Helen wrote. She would feast her eyes on the beauties of nature; she would stand at a busy street corner and watch the kaleidoscope of color as crowds of people hurried past; she would look long into the faces of people whose kindness had made her life worth living. Helen Keller did not get her wish. But you and I have eyes to see and ears to hear. Are we making full use of them?

Today, I want to seize the moment and glory in all the blessings that God has scattered into this day: the interesting shapes of clouds in the sky, always changing; the varied shapes and colors of leaves; the slanting sun making patterns on my living room wall. Each one speaks of God’s presence and love.

Thank you, Father, that all the days of my life were written in your book before ever they took shape. You have a good plan and I can face this day with confidence (Psalm 139:16)

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

Feeling or Fact: What Will You Stand On?

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” Deuteronomy 31:8

Let me be very honest with you: I don’t always feel God’s presence. Sometimes He seems a million miles away. Sometimes He doesn’t even seem real. Can you relate? What do you do during times like that?

I know that feelings are not reliable. They change according to the weather or what’s happening in my life. God’s word does not change. No matter what our circumstances, God is present. He has said, “I will never leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) He is the same compassionate God on good days as He is on bad days.

So, what am I going to stand on – facts or feelings? I must choose, then act accordingly. Let me share with you two exercises that help me lift my mood from despair to hope.

1. Singing God’s truths. One of my morning routines is to spend twenty minutes on the treadmill. About eight in the morning, I grab a hymn book and head for the exercise room. While I’m on the treadmill I sing God’s praises.

2. Repeating God’s truths. I write out a Bible verse so I can read it again during the day. Sometimes I say it out loud and then I add, “This is the truth and I stand on it.”

Some of the verses I use are:

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22,23).

As I affirm God’s truths, my feelings catch on to the message and move over from despair to hope.

Jesus, I thank you that you have said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18) Knowing that you are with me now, I will move ahead with confidence. Amen.

Questions: Have you been struggling with despair? Are you relying on feelings instead of fact? How can you affirm God’s truth in your life today?

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

Who Am I? What Am I Here For?

“Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure” Ephesians 1:4 & 5 (Life Application Study Bible).

Why am I here? What is my purpose?

Self-help books suggest you’ll find yourself when you go after your innate desires and dreams. But from experience I know this isn’t enough. The starting place must be our Creator and His eternal purposes for each life.

I was born of German parents in Ukraine which was then part of Russia. During World War II my mother with four small children fled from our country always just ahead of the Russian front. We lived in refugee camps across Europe. As displaced persons we knew that we were not as valued as children born in the country. We were second rate.

Later, when we immigrated to Canada, I became an immigrant girl who never fit in with her teen crowd. I didn’t speak English. I couldn’t relate to the culture. I was hopeless at sports. I was a misfit.

As I listened to the voices of the world and the voice within my own head, I knew I didn’t have what it takes to be a valued person. I carried this negative mind-set well into adulthood.

When I first heard that Jesus loved me enough to die for me (not just for the whole wide world, but for me!), I could hardly believe it. But there was more: He wanted to adopt me into His family. This would happen through Jesus Christ. If I would receive Him as my Savior and Lord, I would become a child of God. He would take me just as I am. One day, I asked Him to come into my life. And He did!

Slowly it began to dawn on me that because Jesus lives within me, I have a place. I have a destiny. I have an inheritance that is eternal. I felt like celebrating my new identity. After careful thought, I gave myself the name Grace. Every time I write my name Helen Grace Lescheid, I’m celebrating the fact that I belong to the best family in the world–God’s family. And all because of God’s grace.

Where are you in this faith journey? Has life dealt you some cruel blows? Do you feel excluded from the in-crowd? These hurtful things don’t have to define you. Stop listening to the world and to the negative voice within you. Start listening to what God says about you. The real truth about you is found in Ephesians 1:3-14. Put your name where it says “we” or “us”. Say the verses out loud to yourself, adding, “this is who I really am.”

Father, may all who read these words today experience the power of the risen Christ within and walk with dignity, confidence, and joy.

by Helen Grace Lescheid
Used by Permission

Category: <span>thoughts by Helen Grace Lescheid</span>

In my talks with women, I find that many a mother’s heart has been broken because there is division in her family.

When we are secure in His love, we’ll be able to reach out to our children in love.

FURTHER READING

“God who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Corinthians 1:9

FURTHER READING

“And my God will meet all your need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

How much does He supply?

FURTHER READING

How do you respond to a prolonged time of waiting?

Further Reading

“Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.” Hebrews 12:1,2 (NLT).

Further Reading

What are you struggling with?

FURTHER READING

“the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5,6

FURTHER READING

“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ.” Ephesians 2:4-6

Is Jesus alive in your heart? Is he active in your life today?

Further Reading

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130: 5

How can we make a time of waiting more tolerable, even fruitful?

FURTHER READING

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8

FURTHER READING

Pain brings us back to the basics of our faith. “Do you love Me?”

Further Reading

Further Reading

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

How do you feel about this day? Are you dreading it or are you looking forward to it like the psalmist is?

Further Reading

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” Deuteronomy 31:8

FURTHER READING

Why am I here? What is my purpose?

Further Reading