Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 15

7 Reasons Why We Need the Church

My husband and I became Christians in our late teen years. Led to Christ through the efforts of caring, soul-winning members of two different local churches, we were immediately adopted into God’s family. These kind people who loved Jesus also loved us. They overlooked our rough edges and immature ways and took time corporately and individually to teach us what it looked like to live the faith life.

We’ve walked with God for almost forty years. Second only to accepting Christ as our Savior, being active members of a local church has been the single best life decision we’ve ever made.

7 Reasons Why We Need the Church:

1. Church helps us gain wisdom and discernment. My Toastmasters club teaches me how to speak effectively. My dental hygiene study club keeps my professional knowledge up to date. An occasional nutrition class reminds me to make healthy food choices. Only the church helps me learn how to make wise parenting decisions, live peacefully with my spouse, care for my aging parents, pray with power, share my faith, and make God-centered life decisions.

At every new stage of life, God met our family’s need for wisdom and knowledge through his Body, the church. In the early days of our parenting, godly couples several years ahead of us invited us to a Bible study. “Bring your baby,” they said. “She won’t be a problem.” How did they know we were lonely, overwhelmed, and struggling? Maybe they didn’t, but God did, and he opened their hearts to invite us. That study, and the fellowship and friendship it provided, gave us the hope and help we desperately needed.

A parenting class taught us that strong families begin with strong marriages. A study on prayer cracked the door on the power of intercession. A marriage Bible study helped us identify sources of conflict that had troubled our marriage since its early days. In every age and stage of life, the church has met our need for guidance through a class, a resource, or a relationship.

2. Church helps us connect with like-minded people and those with similar goals and values. Parents look out for each other’s kids and let them know if they see something concerning. They’re not afraid to speak to our kids if they hear words or see behavior that contradicts God’s Word.

In the trenches of parenting, they provide valuable reinforcement. They bolster our faith with their examples of standing for righteousness even when it costs something and provide a peer group for wholesome activities and meaningful pursuits.

3. Church attendance is good for your health. Laura Rowley, in her article, “5 Surprising Scientific Reasons to Attend Church” writes, “Tyler J. VanderWeele, an epidemiologist with the Harvard School of Public Health, conducted a study of regular church-goers over two decades with his colleagues. He found that people who attend religious services at least once a week enjoy better blood pressure, healthier cardiovascular, immune and endocrine functions and less coronary artery disease than those who don’t attend at all.”

The article also notes, “People who go to services regularly are less likely to be depressed. A survey of nearly 100,000 women over 50 who attended religious services found they were 56 percent more likely to have a positive outlook on life and 27 percent less likely to be depressed, according to a study in the Journal of Religion and Health.

4. Church knits people’s hearts together unlike anything else. Because we share the same Holy Spirit, our friendships are deeper, our conversations more intentional, and our time together richer and more life-changing. We’ve discovered the collective joy of serving our community, each other, and the Lord. Nothing builds a friendship like packing and inspecting 2,600 Operation Christmas Child boxes. Or packing and delivering 100 Thanksgiving food boxes. Or volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center or a homeless woman’s shelter.

The satisfaction of working together on projects like these makes shallow, self-centered pursuits pale in comparison. The shared experience of laboring together for a cause greater than ourselves builds eternal relationships.

5. Church is there for the good times and the bad. We’ve celebrated new babies, graduations, and marriages together. We’ve mourned job losses, cancer, and death. When our family received word while out of the country on a mission trip that my sister-in-law had died of a triple brain aneurysm, we couldn’t make it back in time for the funeral. Members of our church helped make funeral arrangements, fed the family, and stood beside our loved ones in our absence. For one daughter’s wedding, friends baked cakes and pies, tied a hundred bows, and cleaned up late into the night. We’ve done the same for them, with joy. It’s what family does.

6. Church gives us something bigger than ourselves in which to invest our lives. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 4:2 reminds us, “He who has been given a trust must prove faithful.” Each of us has been entrusted with a measure of time, talent, and treasure. One day we’ll give an account of what we did with it. And while there are a thousand good causes, there are also a thousand empty pursuits.

Christ gave believers one assignment—to build his kingdom by pointing others to himself. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;” (Matthew 28:19-20). God’s kingdom is the only one that promises eternal rewards and endless joy. Every time we give, teach, pray, and serve in God’s name, we invest in people—people who will live forever. This is the most meaningful and significant way to spend and be spent.

These six reasons why we need church are a small sample of the hundreds I could describe. I’d like to conclude with perhaps the greatest reason:

7. We need church because God is there. Yes, God lives in us, so, technically, he is present wherever we are, but when we gather as a body of believers for the purpose of worshiping him, his presence is almost palpable. He speaks through the music and the preaching. He draws us to his side through the collective prayers of his children. He inspires us through stories of others’ faithfulness. We are stronger, wiser, kinder, sweeter when we sit in our Father’s house, surrounded by our brothers and sisters, for the sole purpose of drawing closer to Him.

Why, oh why, would you want to miss this?

If you regularly attend a church, don’t stop. If you don’t, perhaps it’s time to give it a try. What do you have to lose? And what might you gain?

Now it’s your turn. Can you add to this list of reasons why we need the church? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

The post 7 Reasons Why We Need the Church appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

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HOPE IS HERE!

At long last, Refresh Your Hope, 60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart is available on Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Our Daily Bread Publishing!

Because you are my loyal readers, I wanted you to be the first to read the first chapter (below). If it resonates with your soul, and if you need sixty reasons to have hope this year, I’d be honored if you’d order a copy of Refresh Your Hope today Better yet, order two–one for you, and one for a friend.

Every book you purchase today, launch day, January 3, will help Refresh Your Hope reach #1 in Amazon’s New Release category. (Scroll to the bottom to see Launch Day special pricing.)This helps other hope-hungry readers find it. And if you share this post on social media, even better.

Who do you know that needs hope this new year?

Will you help me share the reason for our hope in God (1 Peter 3:15)?

Thank you so much!, Now on to the devotion.

Our Unshakable Hope Is Rooted in 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

The poet Emily Dickinson wrote, “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul / And sings the tune without the words / And never stops—at all—.” In four simple lines she captured the essence of what lifts every human being out of bed in the morning, moves us through our days, and enables us to persevere when life gets hard.

We hope we’ll accomplish something meaningful. We hope someone will love us. We hope our lives will be free from pain. And if it’s not, we hope tomorrow will be a better day.

For many, hope is nothing more than a wish. A yearning for something our heart desires. An expectancy that we’ll gain the object of our affection. This type of wishful hope rises and falls with the winds of chance and circumstance. It has no solid basis and is usually tied to something or someone temporal.

Thousands of years before Emily Dickinson penned her famous lines, another writer described a different source of hope—a constant and sure One. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,” the apostle Paul wrote, “so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

J. I. Packer, in his book, Never Beyond Hope, differentiates between worldly and biblical hope. “Optimism is a wish without warrant; Christian hope is a certainty, guaranteed by God himself. Optimism reflects ignorance as to whether good things will ever actually come. Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, on the basis of God’s own commitment, that the best is yet to come.”[1]

The concept of hope, then, is a biblical one. The word appears 158 times in the New International Version of the Bible. These verses describe three sources of sure and certain hope: God’s character, God’s work, and God’s Word.

“No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame” (Psalm 25:3).

“For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good” (Psalm 52:9).

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm 119:114).

Every day we have a choice where to look for hope—to created things or to our Creator. The world tells us to hope in money, luck, determination, relationships, skills, and our own abilities. God tells us to look to Him.

The world disappoints us—again and again, but God will never fail us. The hope He offers doesn’t rise and fall with changing circumstances. It is solid and secure.

God’s version of hope doesn’t promise to deliver our personal definition of happiness. It assures us that He’ll order the events of our lives to refine us and make us more like His Son. Only there will we find the deep and abiding joy we crave.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon once shared that New Zealanders have a word for hope that signifies “the swimming thought.” He used the term to describe the hope God offers, “because when all other thoughts are drowned, hope still swims.”[2]

I pray that the sixty biblical reasons I share in this book, and thousands more tucked into the pages of Scripture, will “fill you with all joy and peace” and cause you to “overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

May hope swim in your life forever.

Launch Day Specials:

Christianbook.com: $13.49 (Free shipping on orders over $35)

Amazon: $18.99 (Free shipping with Prime or if you order two copies)

This chapter is an excerpt from the book Refresh Your Hope, 60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart, and is used with permission from Our Daily Bread Publishing.

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

[1] J. I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom, Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches and Uses Imperfect People (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2000), 15.

[2] C.H. Spurgeon, “Unanswered Prayer (no. 3344),” Christian Classics Ethereal Library, accessed July 14, 2021, https://ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermon....

The post HOPE IS HERE! appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

               
CommentsHOPE IS HERE! by LoriAHatcherOne Way to Help You Draw Closer to God by LoriAHatcherCan Your Cell Phone Enhance Your Prayer Life? Yes! by LoriAHatcherWin the Christmas Shopping Battle – Give a Gift that Can Change a Life by LoriAHatcherHow to Have Hope while You’re Waiting by LoriAHatcherPlus 5 more...Related StoriesOne Way to Help You Draw Closer to GodHow to Have Hope while You’re WaitingHow to Cling to Hope When You Feel Hopeless 

One Way to Help You Draw Closer to God

The headline read, “Ten Ways to Draw Closer to God this Year.” As I looked down at the long list, I sighed. I was a young mom overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caring for two young children, homeschooling, serving in church, and working outside the home part time. I didn’t need ten more things to do. 

Why doesn’t anyone write an article giving ONE way to draw close to God this year? I wondered. I could do that. 

Twenty years later, this is that article. ONE WAY TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD THIS YEAR. 

And here’s the one way: read your Bible.

If you’re super busy and need to move on, you can stop reading now. You know what to do. If you’d like to hear my story (and read several reasons I believe this is the best way to draw closer to God), read on. 

I’ve been a Christian for almost forty years. I’ve done Bible studies, joined women’s groups, attended retreats and conferences, and practiced all the spiritual disciplines, but only reading the Bible has revolutionized my life and drawn me closer to God. 

I’m not saying Bible studies, women’s retreats, and all the other things I just mentioned aren’t helpful. They are, and I recommend them all. But nothing has transformed my life and drawn me closer to God than reading His Word. 

Fits and Starts 

For years, I treated the Bible like my favorite piece of jewelry. I’d pick it up and put it down based on the occasion. During times of trial, I wore it close to my heart. During times of busyness or prosperity, I left it on the dresser.

Every December when our pastor or Sunday school teacher encouraged us to commit to read the Bible in the new year, I’d sign on the pledge card and make a good start. 

Many years I sailed all the way through Genesis and Exodus only to shipwreck on the rocks of Leviticus. My relationship with and commitment to reading God’s Word was as fickle as a toddler at a buffet. Some days I’d feast, and other days I’d snack. Some days (months), I’d fast completely. 

My spiritual life mirrored my commitment level. In some seasons, I grew and flourished. Other times, I struggled, languished, and fainted. 

Many times, my motivation for reading was off base. I used it to bargain for God’s favor. “Lord, I read my Bible every day this week. Haven’t I earned a blessing?” I used it as a lucky rabbit’s foot. “Well, nothing bad can happen to me today because I checked off the Bible Reading box on my Good Christian scorecard.”

Sometimes I used it to prop up my weak self-esteem and sense of worth. “I’m super spiritual. I read my Bible every day.” 

Then one day, I heard a Bible study leader tell her story. As a fairly new believer, she had joined the Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) staff as a college leader. One day, a speaker challenged the Cru leaders to commit to read the Bible for five minutes a day. Just five minutes. Every day. “See if it doesn’t change your life,” he said. 

She and the other students took the challenge. Some days she’d read more, but she never read less. She read her Bible every day for at least five minutes. The habit drew her closer to God and transformed her life. 

Twenty years later, she said, the group of college students, now middle-aged adults, held a reunion. Every person who had kept the commitment to read their Bibles for at least five minutes a day was still passionately walking with the Lord. Many were serving Him in full-time ministry. 

When I heard her story, my heart stirred. I want the kind of faith that lasts, I thought. I want to be like Jesus. I’m tired of wobbling around like a toddler, spending more time picking myself up off the ground than moving forward. I want to know God.

So I committed to read my Bible every day. 

Much later, I discovered Psalm 19:7-13, which gives fourteen reasons to feast on God’s Word:

God’s Word: 

Converts the soul (v. 7). 
Makes the simple wise (v. 7). 
Brings joy to our hearts (v. 8). 
Enlightens our eyes (v. 8).
Is pure and enduring (v. 9). 
Can be trusted (v. 9). 
Is more valuable than fine gold (v. 10). 
Adds sweetness to our lives (v. 10). 
Warns us of danger (v. 11). 
Bestows a special reward (v. 11). 
Reveals error in our lives (v. 12). 
Keeps us from presumption (v. 12). 
Guards us from becoming enslaved by sin (v. 13). 
Protects us from great transgressions (v. 13). 



Don’t you want these blessings? I do. 

If you’re sick of half-hearted Christianity and up-again-down-again spiritual growth, commit to read the Bible every day. Not to check off a box, acquire knowledge, or impress those around you. Read it to learn more about God. 

Ask the question, “God, what will you show me about yourself today?” and then look for His answer. You’ll draw closer to God, and your life will be transformed. 

I know. It happened to me.

A Christian cannot look sincerely into the Word of God—the whole word of God—and remain the same. And you cannot know God without knowing His Word.

But once you do, oh my. You’ll never look back.

On January 1, 2023, I will commit again to read my Bible through this year. Although I’ve done this for more than a decade, God has already shown me exciting new insights and glimpses of His heart, His love, and His character on these familiar pages. 

Do you want to draw closer to God this year? Do you want to know Him intimately and love Him deeply? Do you want to experience His power in your life?

Read your Bible.

Now it’s your turn. Do you read your Bible regularly? Has this practice helped you draw closer to God? Leave a comment below, and share your experience. If you’re reading by email, click HERE to visit Refresh online and share your thoughts in the comment box.

Share the Hope In-Person Women’s Ministry Events!

Do you live within driving distance of Columbia, SC? I’ll be sharing the hope at TWO women’s ministry events in January, one at my home church, New Testament Baptist, in Columbia, on January 14. The second at a sister church, Dunn’s Chapel, in West Columbia, on January 28. I’d love to see you there!

Can’t attend either? Invite me to share this hope-filled message at your church!

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

The post One Way to Help You Draw Closer to God appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

               
CommentsOne Way to Help You Draw Closer to God by LoriAHatcherCan Your Cell Phone Enhance Your Prayer Life? Yes! by LoriAHatcherWin the Christmas Shopping Battle – Give a Gift that Can Change a Life by LoriAHatcherHow to Have Hope while You’re Waiting by LoriAHatcherHow to Cling to Hope When You Feel Hopeless by LoriAHatcherPlus 5 more...Related StoriesHow to Have Hope while You’re WaitingHow to Cling to Hope When You Feel HopelessDoes Your Womens Ministry Event Need a Dose of Hope? 

Can Your Cell Phone Enhance Your Prayer Life? Yes!

Early one morning, my phone pinged with a group text message.

Katie flies out today, and there’s a chance her flight could get cancelled because of the weather. Please pray she can leave on schedule.

Almost instantly, a response beeped through.

Will do, friend. I’d appreciate prayer for wisdom as we meet with the contractor who’s going to handle our bathroom reno.

A third friend hearted her request and added one of her own.

I need prayer today, too. My back is not getting better after I pulled a muscle. I think I’m going to have to see a doctor.

Four hearts and another request:

The hurricane is supposed to make landfall tonight, so I might lose power. I’ll update you as soon as I can. Thanks for praying.

Six Heavy Hearts

Before long all six women had shared what weighed heaviest on our hearts. When the requests slowed, one member of the group took the initiative and texted a prayer that reflected what we were all praying. Five hearts amen-ed it.

Our group of friends didn’t begin as a prayer group. It began, of all things, as a writers critique group. A mutual friend gathered two women from Georgia, two from South Carolina, one from Ohio, and one from Florida to meet virtually to critique each other’s work.

What God Did

For the first few months, we gathered on Zoom to review each other’s writing and offer suggestions. As we read each other’s work and got to know each other, God knitted our hearts together. Soon we weren’t just meeting once a month to talk about writing, we were texting each other with prayer requests.

An urgent situation would arise, and someone would text it out.

Pray for Catherine. She’s taking her state board exams today.

The rest of us would stop what we were doing (or continue what we were doing) and pray a quick prayer.

Awed

One morning, as the text messages and prayer requests flew between us, the realization of what was taking place awed me. Six prayer warriors, in six different places, were simultaneously lifting each other’s requests to the Lord in a chorus of faith and trust. It was a beautiful, powerful, Spirit-infused moment.

For many years, I prayed alone at the start of each day, and I still do. I know God hears my prayers and answers them according to His will. James 5:16 reminds us, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

At the same time, Scripture calls us to pray with other believers. Jesus reminded his disciples, “Truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Acts 1:14 (ESV) describes how the disciples in the upper room gathered to pray. “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer.”

Acts 12:12 recounts how believers gathered in John Mark’s mother’s home to pray for Peter’s release from jail.

For millennia, the only way Christians could pray together was to gather in the same place. Now, with technology, we can organize a prayer meeting at any hour of the day or night, across continents, and even around the world.

Imagine

Technology is often used for evil, but imagine the eternal impact it could have if we utilize it to connect Christians and blanket our world in prayer.

 Maybe you already do this. Or perhaps you’d like to know how to begin.

How to Get Started

Think of one person you know who loves Jesus. Grab your phone and text them.

Good morning! I’m grateful for your friendship, and I want to lift you up to God today. How may I pray for you?

When they respond, stop what you’re doing and pray for their request. Then text your prayer to her so she can know exactly what you prayed for. Your prayers don’t have to be elaborate (big fingers, small keyboards) to be meaningful and effective.

If she asks how she can pray for you, share a request or two. If she doesn’t, feel free to say, I’d love prayer for Hunter. He’s had a fever for three days. Thanks so much!

Be careful not to overwhelm your friend with requests, especially at first, but encourage her to share prayer needs as they arise. Take your cue from how she responds. Don’t be discouraged if it takes you a while to find your groove. Not everyone is interested in praying like this, but some are.

If you have a group of believing friends, try it with them. My husband and I are part of a couples’ Bible study group. We created a group text to keep everyone informed about schedule changes or last-minute details. When one couple had a family crisis, we used it as a way to receive updates and share prayer requests. Our study isn’t meeting at the moment, but we continue to use our group text to share prayer needs. It’s an efficient, easy way to rally prayer warriors for spiritual battle.

A Miracle of Technology

I never expected a writers critique group to become one of my greatest sources of spiritual encouragement. I also didn’t expect to be able to pray, at a moment’s notice, for and with believers all over the country. Yet through the fellowship of the Spirit and the miracle of technology, I can.

And you can, too.

Now it’s your turn. How have you used technology to enhance your prayer life? Share your thoughts in the comments below so we might learn from you.

This article appeared first on the and is used with permission.

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

The post Can Your Cell Phone Enhance Your Prayer Life? Yes! appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

               
CommentsCan Your Cell Phone Enhance Your Prayer Life? Yes! by LoriAHatcherWin the Christmas Shopping Battle – Give a Gift that Can Change a Life by LoriAHatcherHow to Have Hope while You’re Waiting by LoriAHatcherHow to Cling to Hope When You Feel Hopeless by LoriAHatcherDoes Your Women’s Ministry Event Need a Dose of Hope? by LoriAHatcherPlus 5 more... 

Win the Christmas Shopping Battle – Give a Gift that Can Change a Life

When I was a little girl, my daddy would let me pick out a new Little Golden Book from the grocery store each week. He’d read it to me every night until I memorized it. The Little Engine that Could, The Pokey Little Puppy, and Doctor Dan the Bandage Man were a few of my favorites.

I loved the cadence of his voice, the music of the words, and the colorful pictures. What I loved most, though, was the warmth of his arm around me as we snuggled.

My love for books was born in his warm embrace.

When I was 16, a friend gave me a red leather Bible with my name engraved in gold on the cover. I wish I could say I loved God’s Word from that moment on, but it took a while. Okay, a long while. But now, if my house was burning down, I’d save my MacArthur Daily Bible with the cracked faux leather cover and two decades of notes in the margins.

Books change lives. Books that point people to God change eternities.

It’s almost Christmas. If you’d like to give a gift that could change someone’s eternity, consider giving them a Bible. If they’re not ready for that, or if they already have one, I’d be honored if you’d share a copy of one of my books from Our Daily Bread Publishing.

Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible is the perfect gift for an unbeliever, a new believer, or someone who wants to know more about the Bible. It contains a story-driven devotion from each book of the Bible to make the Bible (even the most obscure parts) come alive.

Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Restore Power and Praise is the perfect gift for those who are struggling in their prayer life or eager to learn more. Each story-driven devotion tackles tough questions like, “Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayer?” and “If God is Sovereign, Why Bother Praying?”

Refresh Your Hope, 60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart (releasing January 3) is just right for those who need a fresh infusion of biblical hope. The weary, the grieving, the struggling, the doubting will all benefit from a deep dive into the unshakeable hope we have as Christians.

1 Peter 3:15 tells us, “Always be ready to share the reason for the hope that is within you, with gentleness and respect.” I’m praying God will give you many opportunities to share your hope this Christmas season.

Blessings to you, my friends!

The post Win the Christmas Shopping Battle – Give a Gift that Can Change a Life appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesHow to Have Hope while You’re WaitingAre We Free to Be Honest with God in Prayer?Forgiving Is Hard, but Remembering This Truth Makes It Possible 

How to Have Hope while You’re Waiting

Remember how long it took Christmas to come when you were a child? 

From Thanksgiving on, the excitement would build. Decorations would appear in stores. Then lights popped up around town, draped in trees like fairy necklaces. Mouth-watering smells wafted out of neighbors’ kitchens. Christmas trees strapped to station wagon roofs rolled by like a parade. 

Dad would finally drag the family tree out of the attic and set it up in the living room. One by one (or sometimes in clumps) packages would appear under the Christmas tree. Stockings dangled from the mantle like limp balloons waiting for the breath of Christmas to fill them. 

It was a horrible marvelous wait, those childhood seasons of Advent. 

And although my childhood Advents were more glittery than the wait the children of Israel experienced, the delays were holy pauses nonetheless. 

My sisters and I hoped for a bicycle, the latest Barbie doll, or a stocking full of candy, but the children of Israel waited for the greatest gift of all – the Messiah. 

And it had been a very long wait. From the dawn of creation, really. 

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel,” God had promised in Genesis 3:15. 

The time between the first messianic promise and its fulfillment was centuries long. Years of glory and years of shame. Times of glorious triumph and times of gut-wrenching tragedy. Moments of fearless faith and moments of faithless fear. 

And then the silence. Four hundred years with no word from God. 

No kingly edict. 

No prophetic visions. 

No holy mandates. 

Just silence. 

And waiting. 

And waiting. 

And waiting. 

Unlike my wait between one Christmas and the next, where the memory of the past season birthed hope and expectation for the next, the Israelites had no memories of their own to carry them through. All they had were their forefathers’ stories and the ancient promises that, one day, a Messiah would come. 

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end” (Is. 9:6-7). 

Yet during that long silence, and that even longer wait between mankind’s fall and Jesus’ incarnation, God was at work. Preparing a place. Preparing a people. Sending the dreaded Romans to conquer most of the known world. Using them to build an infrastructure that would enable early believers to carry the news of the Gospel to the far corners of the globe. 

And then, in the fullness of time, God sent his Son to save the world. 

In the fullness of time. 

I don’t know what you’re waiting for right now. 

A prodigal child to return? 

A dream to be fulfilled? 

A marriage to be healed? 

A loved one to be saved? 

A relationship to be restored? 

A financial burden to be lifted? 

Whatever it is, don’t assume God’s silence means he’s not working. Cling to faith, for

“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him,” the writer of Hebrews reminds us (11:6). 

You may be in the middle of a long silence, a time when you wonder if God is at work. Don’t stop praying. Continue to search God’s Word for promises and claim them. Enlist prayer warriors to battle with you. 

Never lose hope. Trust that, despite what you see, God is at work. Believe that, in the fullness of time, God will speak life into the silence that fills your ears. He’ll bring to fruition what he promised. 

And when he does, it will be glorious. 

“He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:6). 

What are you waiting for? I’d be honored to pray for you if you leave a comment below. Reading by email? CLICK HERE to visit Refresh online and comment there.

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

The post How to Have Hope while You’re Waiting appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesHow to Have Joy this Christmas — Live GenerouslyForgiving Is Hard, but Remembering This Truth Makes It Possible3 Powerful Reasons to Fast, Especially When You Don’t Want to 

How to Cling to Hope When You Feel Hopeless

Do you ever feel hopeless?

Maybe world events have stolen your optimism and made you afraid. Or perhaps your hopelessness comes from a much closer source—a chronic illness or a frightening diagnosis. A loved one who is far from God. A difficult marriage. A crushing financial situation.

As Christians, we know we have a source of hope far greater than feel-good psychology or positive self-talk. But sometimes we forget.

A year ago, I decided to search for sixty biblical reasons for hope. When I began the project, I wondered if I’d be able to find sixty. By the time I finished, I wished I’d searched for a hundred. Or a thousand.

I discovered our reasons for hope in God are as limitless as God Himself. As wide as the sky. As deep as the ocean. As solid as bedrock.

On January 3, Our Daily Bread Publishing will release the results of my search: Refresh Your Hope, 60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart. On its pages you’ll read real-life stories and biblical truth that will strengthen your faith and point you to the God of all Hope.

Meet Paige

As a sample of what you’ll read on its pages, I’d like to introduce you to my friend Paige Snedeker. Paige embodies hope that transcends suffering. You’ll marvel at the grace that oozes out of her life, and if I’ve done my job well, you’ll feel hope rising in your heart.

I’d be honored if you’d purchase a copy of Refresh Your Hope, 60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart. And while you’re clicking, why not order a second copy to give to a friend? The only thing better than feeling hopeful is sharing that hope with someone else. Ask God to show you who can benefit most from a fresh infusion of hope.

Let’s make 2023 the Year of Hope.

Blessings,

Lori

Suffering Can Display God’s Glory

Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

John 9:3

Before I met Paige, I saw what folks lovingly call “her entourage.” Four women—three interpreters and her mom as her nurse—clustered around a motorized wheelchair as it rolled into my classroom. At the helm was a dark-haired girl with a vibrant smile. A trach tube connected to a portable respirator transported air to her lungs. An interpreter relayed my greeting using sign language.

“Hi, Paige. I’m glad you’re here.”

Paige mouthed the words, and her interpreter repeated them. “Thank you, I’m glad to be here.”

“Glad to be here” pretty much sums up Paige’s perspective on life. As young children, Paige and her older twin brothers could walk, talk, hear, and see. In early childhood, the boys began to exhibit strange and alarming symptoms—unexplained stumbling and difficulty breathing.

One twin, David, went into respiratory arrest. He was hospitalized and put on a ventilator, a trach, and a G-tube for nutrition. Soon after, Paige began to exhibit similar symptoms. Extensive testing yielded no answers, and at age 15, David died. Tyson and Paige became wheelchair bound, profoundly deaf, legally blind, and totally dependent. Although their speech is often unintelligible except to those closest to them, they speak through interpreters who read their lips.

Twenty-seven years of testing recently yielded a diagnosis. Tyson and Paige suffer from Riboflavin Transporter Deficiency Type 2, a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by paralysis of the cranial nerves, sensorineural deafness, and damage to other nerves.

I met Paige when she attended the public speaking workshop I taught at a Christian writers conference. She came to my class because she wanted to hone her communication skills and learn how to be a better witness for Christ.

Paige’s disability makes the congenital blindness of the man in John 9 seem trivial. Yet in first century Israel, to be born blind was to forsake forever the hope of a normal life. Unable to work a trade, marry, or support a family, the man likely was begging outside the synagogue when Jesus found him.

The disciples, assuming such a profound disability must surely be God’s judgment, asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus’ response shocked them all. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (v. 3).

Christ’s answer not only destroyed the assumption that suffering only comes as a consequence of sin, it dared to suggest God had not only allowed the blind man’s disability, He orchestrated it.

In essence Jesus said, “The last 40 years of this man’s life—the physical challenges, the emotional heartbreak, and the cultural shunning—haven’t been a mistake. They’ve been an intentional part of my plan to display my works to the world through him.”

With His words, Christ not only redeemed the man’s blindness, He exalted it. His blindness wasn’t a sad twist of fate or the cruel act of a cold-hearted God. It was designed by a loving God to be the velvet backdrop on which to display His sparkling grace, mercy, and power.

Author, speaker, and disability advocate Joni Earekson Tada said,

“God deliberately chooses weak, suffering, and unlikely candidates to get His work done, so that in the end, the glory goes to God and not to the person.”

Joni earekson Tada

As the disciples did, Paige admits to asking God questions. “After all my trials, and my back surgery, and my trach, I asked God, ‘Why did you take everything away from me?’ I used to be able to walk, and talk, and breathe on my own.”

In a flash of insight, she realized she and the man born blind shared a common purpose. “I am here for God’s glory.” At the age of seventeen, Paige surrendered her life to Christ.

She admits that up to that point, she’d lived focused on herself. “I was selfish. I wanted to do all the fun things.” But everything changed that day. “I knew God had chosen me for His purpose. I really want to serve God now.”

And serve Him she does. With the help of a nurse and an art teacher, Paige has written and illustrated two children’s books spotlighting the hope, joy, and unique purpose she embraces. She advocates for people with disabilities, encourages audiences to chase their dreams, and inspires others to see themselves as God sees them.

Centuries ago, Jesus displayed His power and affirmed His deity by healing the blind man. Paige knows her ultimate healing may not come until she meets God in eternity. Nevertheless, she’s determined to make the most of every day God gives her. “I want to spend my time on earth serving the Lord as long as I live,” she said. Like the blind man, she points others to Jesus and testifies of the great work He has done in her life.

Take Heart

When we know God has ordained our trials to display His good works through us, we can rise above our pain and offer our lives to Him to use as He sees fit.

From the Heart

Thank you, kind Father, for the assurance from John 9 that suffering isn’t random or meaningless. You ordain it as a privilege and intend it as an opportunity to glorify you. Give me courage, strength, and faith to steward the gift of suffering well. In my pain, help me never shame or disparage you. Instead, help me lean into your grace. Help me embrace the life you give me and maximize every opportunity to point others to you. In the name of our precious Savior, who suffered so much for me, amen.

Refresh Your Hope is available for preorder now on Amazon and ChristianBook.com and will be shipped in time for the new year. Wouldn’t it make the perfect Christmas gift for yourself and everyone you know who’s fighting for hope?

The post How to Cling to Hope When You Feel Hopeless appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesDoes Your Womens Ministry Event Need a Dose of Hope?How to Have Joy this Christmas — Live GenerouslyHow to Find Rest — Mind, Body, and Soul 

Does Your Women’s Ministry Event Need a Dose of Hope?

Christians should be the most hope-filled people on the planet. Should be. I don’t know about you, but I struggle sometimes. This is why I went on a journey through the Bible to find sixty unshakeable reasons not to lose heart. I compiled them into a book that will release on January 3.

I’ve also put together a powerful women’s ministry program called Share the Hope – 4 Unshakeable Reasons Not to Lose Heart.

Share the Hope Presentation

I designed the program to help women not only take hold of the hope we have in Christ, but to invite a friend along who could use a fresh infusion of hope. A win/win. It ministers to the women of the church and serves as an outreach into the community.

The presentation spotlights four unshakeable reasons Christians have hope:

We have the hope of eternal life with God through Jesus Christ His Son (the gospel and my salvation testimony.)

We have access to God’s wisdom.

God sees the work we do in His name.

God presence goes with us into the darkest times.

Discussion Questions & More

Share the Hope discussion questions to talk about after the presentation help women own the truths I’ve spotlighted and draw closer to each other. Some churches are adding a worship time spotlighting hope-filled songs like Crowder’s “All My Hope Is in Jesus,” and “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand.” One creative group plans to paint HOPE rocks to take home as a reminder. Of course, all are planning delicious food and fellowship. (Yay for SNACKS!)

Coming to Your Church

I’ll be Sharing the Hope at several churches in the Columbia, SC area in the new year, so watch for dates and times. I’d love to share this presentation with the women of your church, Bible study, women’s circle, or retreat. If your group could use a fresh infusion of hope for the new year, pray about it. Talk to your women’s ministry leader, and let’s brainstorm how we can work together.

For More Information

For more information on my speaking ministry, please visit my website, www.LoriHatcher.com. This link: Speaking – Lori Hatcher will take you straight to the Speaking page.

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

The post Does Your Women’s Ministry Event Need a Dose of Hope? appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

           Related StoriesHow to Have Joy this Christmas — Live GenerouslyHow to Find Rest — Mind, Body, and SoulAre We Free to Be Honest with God in Prayer? 

Does Your Womens Ministry Event Need a Dose of Hope?

Christians should be the most hope-filled people on the planet. Should be. I don’t know about you, but I struggle sometimes. This is why I went on a journey through the Bible to find sixty unshakeable reasons not to lose heart. I compiled them into a book that will release on January 3.

I’ve also put together a powerful women’s ministry program called Share the Hope – 4 Unshakeable Reasons Not to Lose Heart.

Share the Hope Presentation

I designed the program to help women not only take hold of the hope we have in Christ, but to invite a friend along who could use a fresh infusion of hope. A win/win. It ministers to the women of the church and serves as an outreach into the community.

The presentation spotlights four unshakeable reasons Christians have hope:

We have the hope of eternal life with God through Jesus Christ His Son (the gospel and my salvation testimony.)

We have access to God’s wisdom.

God sees the work we do in His name.

God presence goes with us into the darkest times.

Discussion Questions & More

Share the Hope discussion questions to talk about after the presentation help women own the truths I’ve spotlighted and draw closer to each other. Some churches are adding a worship time spotlighting hope-filled songs like Crowder’s “All My Hope Is in Jesus,” and “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand.” One creative group plans to paint HOPE rocks to take home as a reminder. Of course, all are planning delicious food and fellowship. (Yay for SNACKS!)

Coming to Your Church

I’ll be Sharing the Hope at several churches in the Columbia, SC area in the new year, so watch for dates and times. I’d love to share this presentation with the women of your church, Bible study, women’s circle, or retreat. If your group could use a fresh infusion of hope for the new year, pray about it. Talk to your women’s ministry leader, and let’s brainstorm how we can work together.

For More Information

For more information on my speaking ministry, please visit my website, www.LoriHatcher.com. This link: Speaking – Lori Hatcher will take you straight to the Speaking page.

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

The post Does Your Womens Ministry Event Need a Dose of Hope? appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesHow to Have Joy this Christmas — Live GenerouslyHow to Find Rest — Mind, Body, and SoulAre We Free to Be Honest with God in Prayer? 

How to Have Joy this Christmas — Live Generously

I assumed the crackly voice I heard through the intercom correctly repeated my order. It was simple enough. “One small chocolate Frosty.” And I think the faceless voice instructed me to drive around to the second window, although I couldn’t be sure.

I must have correctly deciphered speaker-ese, because when the second window opened and a cute girl with spiky hair and a tiny nose ring greeted me with a smile, she announced my total: $2.06.

I handed her a five-dollar bill and waited for change. Instead, she handed me a Frosty and my money back.

“Keep it,” she said. “Merry Christmas.”

Before I could say a word, she’d adjusted her headset and began punching in the next customer’s order. I blinked my eyes to clear the tears and pulled away.

In the grocery store later that day, I smiled at a woman standing beside me on the bakery aisle. Apparently, we were both deciding between walnuts and pecans.

“I’m so sorry,” she said as she maneuvered her cart out of the way. When she grabbed her bag of pecans (me too), she stepped past me. The back of her shirt said Live Generously.

Our Story

My family and I have been the recipient of more than a few lavish gifts. Someone gave us a piano when my six-year-old wanted to learn to play. Someone else paid for every class my husband needed to complete his degree. When our house was affected by the 1,000-year flood in 2015, a dear friend gifted us with thousands of dollars to make the repairs needed to sell it.

Male Doctor Talking with Patient

Each gift crumbled me to the ground in worship and thanksgiving. Our Father God saw our need and sent someone to meet it.

He’s still sending someones to meet our needs. This year He sent an oncological surgeon to heal my loved one of breast cancer. And then He sent a cardiologist to zap her heart back into rhythm. He sent two dedicated believers to serve alongside my pastor/husband and me when we wondered if our church would survive. He sent a publishing company to help me share the message God has placed on my heart with as many people as possible.

And He sends spiky-haired teenagers with tiny nose rings to hand me my favorite treat.

Wonderful gifts don’t have to be extravagant.

Live Generously.

During the month of December, I invite you to join me in the Live Generously challenge. Each day, from now ‘til Christmas, let’s look for an opportunity to give something away.

If you have the means, give generously to your favorite charity (My two favorites are the Sister Freda’s Foundation to the sick and impoverished in Kitale, Kenya, and A Moment of Hope, a crisis pregnancy ministry in Columbia, SC.)

But don’t focus on lavish. Every day, look for small ways to give generously.

Live Generously Ideas

Give a smile and a greeting to the grumpiest person in the room, office, or elevator.
Ask the cashier at the grocery store what his favorite candy is and buy it for him.
Drop dollar bills and change into the Salvation Army kettle.
Send an I’m praying for you text or message to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. And then pray.
Select five items of clothing from your closet and donate them to a charity thrift store or women’s shelter.
Perform a task for your coworker that you know he/she hates doing.
Write a note to your boss or tell them in person how grateful you are for your job.
Leave a water bottle, a snack, and a note in the mailbox for your mail carrier.
Put a basket of snack food and bottled water on the porch with a sign that says, UPS, FED EX, USPS–THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. PLEASE ENJOY A SNACK.
Go through your kitchen cupboards and pull out dishes, bowls, utensils you don’t use and donate them.
Buy someone a Frosty. You never know what it might mean to them.

Live Generously

Whether you’re dreading the holidays and struggling to find the Christmas spirit or you’re full of excitement and bubbling over, commit each day to live generously.

This is the Christmas spirit.

“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Acts 20:35

How have you lived generously or been blessed by someone else living generously? Share your thoughts in the comments to inspire someone else.

About Refresh Your Hope,
60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart

How can you hold on to hope in an uncertain world? Especially when experiencing disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement? In Refresh Your Hope, Lori Hatcher invites you to renew your confidence and courage by calling attention to the remarkably good news—you have a hope greater than you could ever imagine.

 

An unshakable hope.

 

In this uplifting, Scripture-driven 60-day devotional, Lori returns to our rock-solid foundation—God’s amazing promises and His faithful character. Each warm, story-based reading will help you grow closer to God as you reflect on His assurances, His generous nature, and His unwavering commitments. Strengthen your prayer life with thought-provoking prompts. Replace anxiety with joy, peace, and trust while encountering Bible truths about the ultimate Source of hope.

Available now on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other fine retailers.

Why not share a copy with a friend who could use a fresh dose of hope?

Have you subscribed to Refresh?

If you’d like to receive a weekly 5-minute devotion to help you rediscover the excitement of God’s Word, CLICK HERE.

The post How to Have Joy this Christmas — Live Generously appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

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