Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 33

Are Your Daily Habits Killing You or Keeping You?

My boss, a dentist, often says, “What you do every day will either kill you or keep you.” 


Case in point—one day a college student who worked at a fast food restaurant several nights a week came in for his semi-annual dental checkup. We found 12 cavities. When we quizzed him about his daily habits, he admitted that he often sipped his favorite soft drink, Mountain Dew, to keep awake during his late-night shifts. He was shocked to learn he had so many cavities. 

We weren’t. 

Another patient, an older man who taught at a local private school, was also surprised when I announced he had two cavities. “You must be mistaken,” he said. “I haven’t gotten a cavity in 20 years.” 

Remembering that he’d complained about a dry mouth, I asked about his daily habits. “Do you regularly suck on candy or chew sugared gum?” 

His eyes grew wide. “Now that you mention it,” he said, “I started sucking on peppermints to keep my mouth moist while I lecture.” 

Mystery solved. 

Unfortunately, destructive daily habits aren’t limited to the dental realm. Regular smokers die of cancer and emphysema. Regular drinkers experience liver disease, digestive problems, and heart disease. Chronic couch potatoes are often obese and diabetic. 

More serious than any health problem I’ve mentioned, though, are the destructive results of poor spiritual habits. Studies have shown that those who never miss a Facebook update are more likely to be depressed and discontent. Those who spend every Sunday on the golf course or the beach have great tans but pale spiritual lives. Those who seldom miss a workout but never exercise spiritual discipline are strong on the outside and weak on the inside. 

If you’d like to cultivate daily spiritual habits that will keep you rather than kill you, here are a few suggestions: 

1. Read good books. 

One godly woman I admire has three books going at all times—one spiritual, one practical, and one just for fun. She puts them in strategic places like in her car, on her nightstand, in her purse, and yes, in the bathroom. Even if she only reads a few pages, she’s still reading more than if she hadn’t been intentional about it. 

2. Keep a thankful journal. 

Ann Voskamp began the movement to catalog at least three gifts from God every day in her book, One Thousand Gifts. It is a habit with strong biblical roots. Physically writing down the acts of God in our daily lives helps us remember that he is always working on our behalf. Being thankful protects us against ingratitude, entitlement, and doubt. 

3. Speak blessings. 


We live in a world characterized by negativity. Every day our husbands, children, and friends are pelted with words that hurt their hearts. When we speak blessings over them, we kiss the bruises.

Imagine how your husband would face the day differently if the last words he heard from you as he walked out the door were, “I’ll be praying for you today. You’re going to do great.”? How might your child feel as he climbs onto the school bus after you reminded him of the special ways God has gifted him? How might your coworker feel if you greet her with a smile and tell her one specific thing you appreciate about her? 

 And here’s an interesting observation: In the dyslexia of the divine, God somehow often manages to multiply the blessings we give away so they come back to us. 

I hope these three spiritual habits (and my cavity-ridden patients) have caused you to think about what you do every day. Habits, good or bad, chart the course of our lives. “As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it,” Job 4:8 reminds us. 

The prophet Hosea offers a better way: “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you” (10:12). 

 Are your daily habits killing you or keeping you? What habits have positively or negatively affected your life? What spiritual habit would you add to my list above? Leave a comment and share your thoughts. I’d love to hear them.





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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Why You Need Church (and I Do, Too)

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. 

Here’s why: 

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 Growing Kids God’s Way class taught us that strong families begin with strong marriages. A Let Prayer Change Your Life study cracked the door on the power of prayer. A Love and Respect 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. In a church, certain standards of thought and conduct are understood. Parents look out for each other’s kids and blow the whistle if they see something concerning. They’re not afraid to challenge our kids if they hear words or see behavior that contradicts God’s Word. 

They provide invaluable reinforcement in the weary trenches of parenting. They bolster our faith with their examples of standing for righteousness even when it costs something. They 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 in a single afternoon. 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. At the end of the day, 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 have 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. When all is said and done, 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: 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 to share a reason why we need church. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment. 



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

When You Don't Want to Share God's Love -- A Confession

"But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’"  Jonah 2:9 

I didn’t know Ed Huntington’s name* until the day he murdered my uncle. Although all three of us lived in the same neighborhood, I’d never met my uncle’s next door neighbor. Until early one September morning. 

An ongoing squabble between the two men escalated. Ed ran into his house, grabbed his gun, kicked down my uncle’s front door, and shot him. Twice in the ankles. Twice in the knees. And once in the heart.  

And he never spent a night in jail. 

He hired a high-powered lawyer who mounted a self-defense case and convinced the jury Ed should be declared innocent of all charges. While Ed resumed his normal life, my family struggled to pick up the pieces of our own. 

We shampooed the blood from the carpet, but nothing could erase the horror from our minds.

Knowing my uncle was dead while his murderer walked free was more than I could bear. Bitterness and hate grew in my heart. Why had he received mercy when he deserved punishment? 

I often think of this dark period in my life when I read the book of Jonah, because Jonah and I were a lot alike. I hated Ed Huntington, and Jonah hated the Ninevites. Both with good cause. 

The Ninevites were Assyrians, long-standing enemies of Israel. A cruel and heartless nation, they would attack neighboring countries, kill all the men and children and rape and take the women captive. The nation had staged several attacks on Israel during Jonah’s day, and it’s possible he had witnessed their brutality. Or lost a family member to one of their assaults. 

So when God called Jonah to go to the people of Ninevah and preach against it, I’m not surprised he said no. No way was he going to warn the Ninevites that if they didn’t repent of their wicked ways, God would judge them. 

He wanted God to judge them. He wanted them to get the punishment they deserved for the evil they had done. He wanted them to suffer like they’d caused others to suffer. 

If the Assyrians spent an eternity burning in hell, it still wouldn’t be long enough. Tell them about God? Oh no. For all he knew, they might repent. And then God, the loving God who is gracious and compassionate, might forgive them. 

Nope. Not happening. 

Jonah bought a one-way ticket on a ship headed for Tarshish and sailed as far away from Ninevah as he could go. 

In the months following my uncle’s death, I grew increasingly bitter against his murderer. One night, unable to sleep, I opened my Bible to the story of the rich man and Lazarus. 

The rich man didn’t appear to be like the Assyrians—like Ed—and yet he was suffering the fires of hell. Ed Huntington deserves to be punished like that, I thought. 

And so do you, the Lord whispered into my heart. 

What? I deserved to be punished? The thought shocked me and caused my spirit to rise up in righteous indignation. I’m not a murderer. I haven’t taken an innocent life. I’m a good person. 

But your sins were just as offensive to me, the Lord said. All have sinned and fallen short of my glory. There are no exceptions. The only difference between you and him is that your sin is covered by the blood of my Son. 

In an instant all my pride, anger, and bitterness crashed down on me. I saw myself as God had seen me so many years ago—lost and wallowing in my sin, desperately in need of a Savior. 

With this realization came God’s call. As God had told Jonah, so God told me—Go and tell. Tell him that the God who had forgiven you was also willing to forgive him. 

My desire for vengeance still lingered, but my desire to obey God was stronger. Knowing it wasn’t wise to knock on a murderer’s front door, I chose to write Ed Huntington a letter. I told him how much his actions had hurt our family and how bitter I had become. “You’ve escaped punishment on this earth,” I wrote, “but one day you’ll stand before God and give an account of your life. Only the mercy of God will spare you from eternal punishment.” 

Then I told him how our gracious and compassionate God had made a way for sinful man to stand before Him without fear of judgment. “Jesus bore our sins in his body on the cross. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9). I’ve experienced this forgiveness, and I hope you will too. Because Christ has forgiven me, so I forgive you.” 

Jonah experienced a similar change of heart toward the Ninevites. 

Sloshing around in the fish’s belly for three days and three nights caused him to ponder God’s mercy. Instead of allowing him to drown in the sea, God had sent a great fish to save his life. As the recipient of amazing grace, Jonah promised to extend that same grace to the Ninevites.

“But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord’” (2:9). 

I don’t know if Ed Huntington came to faith in Christ because of my letter, but I hope he did. I do know that because of Jonah’s obedience all the inhabitants of Ninevah repented and called upon the name of the Lord. And while their repentance didn’t erase the effects of their sin, in some ways, it may have redeemed them. 

Whether we’ve sinned once or a thousand times, in small ways or in great, we’re equally in need of God’s forgiveness. 

Is there someone in your life who has sinned against you or someone you love that you’ve been unable to forgive? Has this unforgiveness hindered you from obeying God in other ways? Talk to God about it. Ponder, as Jonah did, the great sin debt God has erased from your life and how grateful you are for his forgiveness. Think about God’s gracious and compassionate heart. Ask Him to give you this same heart. Commit to extend mercy and forgiveness to others as you have received it. 

*The story is true, but the name is fictitious.



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Refresh Your Faith Cover Reveal!

Hi Hungry for God friends,
I promised I'd share the cover for my latest book, Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible on the day my 4th grandchild was born. Unfortunately, I failed to take into account that I'd be so busy taking care of the new baby's three siblings that I wouldn't touch my computer for three days.
I'm delighted to say we welcomed Collin Gabriel into our family early Tuesday evening. He weighed 7 lbs. and 7 oz and is practically perfect. We love him already.
We're preparing to welcome by book baby into the world in the spring of 2020. Although I don't have ultrasound pictures, I can show you a picture of the newly-designed cover. It's not as awe-inspiring as Collin, but I'm pretty excited. 

I hope you like it as much as I do. Leave me a comment below and tell me what you think.





Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive. 

Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

When I Said No to God

"Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy." Jonah 2:8
I thought I’d surrendered my life to God the day I prayed to receive salvation. “I’m sick of living my life my way,” I prayed that day in my pastor’s office. “I don’t want to be in charge any more. I need someone bigger than me to control my life.” 

I meant that prayer with my whole heart. 

In the days that followed my conversion, God began to change me. My questionable music went first. Then I tossed my bikini in the trash. Next I stopped watching the steamy nighttime drama I looked forward to every week. 

Strangely enough, none of those changes were painful. God would show me what he wanted me to surrender to Him, and I did. Joyfully. 

But then I sensed God calling me to do something I really didn’t want to do. Much more significant than giving up questionable music, a skimpy bathing suit, and a trashy television show, this was huge. 

If I called you to go to the mission field, He whispered to my heart one day, would you say yes? 

No way, I thought. I’ll never go to the mission field. I love my life here. I love my country, my routine, and my comfort zone. The mission field is okay for some, but not for me. Absolutely not. 

Up to this point in my Christian life, I’d always said yes to God. Now, for the first time, I said no.I was just like the Jonah of Bible days, and I knew how he felt. 

I didn’t climb aboard a ship headed in the opposite direction from where God wanted me to go, but I was acting just as rebellious. 

Despite a clear call from God, Jonah decided he’d rather die than share the gospel with the nasty Ninevites. He bought a ticket on a ship heading far away from where God had called him to go. 

In response to his disobedience, God stirred up a great tempest. When the sailors drew lots to find out who had angered the God of the wind and the waves, Jonah’s lot was chosen. "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you” (verse 1:12). 

Jonah could have surrendered his rebellious heart to God as his shipmates tossed him overboard. He could have said yes to Him when his lungs burned because he couldn’t hold his breath any longer. Or when the great fish swallowed him. Surely that should have broken his will, 

But it didn’t. 

Jonah spent three days and three nights sitting with his arms crossed in the pitch black belly of the whale. Floating in gastric juices and inhaling the stench of rotting fish, he forsook the mercy of obedience by clinging to the worthless idols of prejudice, superiority, and rebellion. 

Until a light dawned. 

“When my life was ebbing away,” Jonah prayed, “I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.” 

My surrender took a little longer than Jonah’s, but eventually I found myself in the belly of a fish that looked a lot like my living room. I was homeschooling my young daughters, and every morning we’d begin our day with a Bible lesson. “It’s very important to obey God,” I told them. “You can trust Him to know what’s best for you.” 

As they nodded their heads solemnly, the hypocrisy of my statement washed over me. I had no right to teach my daughters to obey God when a rebelliously-black heart beat in my chest.

 Ashamed, I stumbled to my bedroom, shut the door, and fell to my knees. I buried my face in my hands and sobbed. “Lord, I’m so sorry I’ve said no to you. I was afraid if I obeyed you, I’d be miserable. But living in disobedience and rebellion is more miserable. I miss the sweetness of your fellowship and the warmth of your smile. I want your blessing on my life. I still don’t want to go to the mission field, but I trust you to know what’s best for me and my family. Whatever you tell me to do, I’ll do it. Amen.” 

Jonah’s prayer of repentance was much shorter than mine: “But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good." (verse 2:9) 

“And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land” (verse 2:10). 

My release wasn’t quite so dramatic, but it was every bit as glorious. A whale-sized load slid off my back, and I felt the Lord smile. My joy returned, and my spirit soared. All was well again between me and my Savior.

 More than twenty years have passed since I surrendered my life to the mission field. While I’ve taken several short term mission trips and been willing to go where God sends me, He hasn’t told me to serve Him as a full time missionary away from home. 

When I wonder about the purpose of those difficult days so many years ago, I suspect, like with Jonah, that the issue wasn’t about the specific call as much as it was about my willingness to obey whatever God called me to do. Would I embrace the worthless idols of disobedience, rebellion, and comfort or embrace the mercy God extends toward me to obey? 

Life is a series of surrenders. While some are more difficult than others, each one presents an opportunity to say yes to God. 

Is there a part of your life you’ve been unwilling or afraid to surrender to God? Is He calling you to take that step of faith? You can trust Him. Whether you say a prayer like mine or use your own words, talk to God about it. Tell Him that whatever he calls you to do, you’ll do it. 



Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive. 

Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.







If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Three Eyes and a Mustache? What Will My Book Baby Look Like?

Look at these faces—all of them, including the black one with the big ears. These are my grandchildren and my grandpuppy.

We spent Labor Day weekend together in the mountains of North Carolina. We hiked (as far as little legs could hike), picked apples, played games around the kitchen table, and laughed a lot. At one point, the kids and the puppy raced around the living room chasing each other in a blur of feet and arms and paws and mouths wide open panting in delight.



The game began when Halsey the puppy dropped the front half of his body to the floor and wagged his butt in the air like a flag on race day. He sprinted off, claws scrabbling on the hardwood floor, trying to gain his footing as the kids joined in the chase. After a few laps around the room, it was hard to tell who was chasing whom, but it didn’t matter. The fun was in the chase, not the catch. 

I remember waiting for a glimpse of each grandchild's face. The gestation period for a baby seems interminable. The waiting period to adopt a French bulldog puppy is almost as long. With three grandchildren, a grandpuppy, and another grandson due any moment, I’ve had many months to anticipate their arrival. Forty-nine at last count.

As I waited, I imagined what they’d look like.

Would they have their father’s bright blue eyes and cleft chin? Their mother’s silky hair and long legs? Would they have fair skin or dark? A dainty nose or a more prominent one?

I speculated about the puppy, too. I’d seen pictures of his mother and father. Would he be brindle or solid? Short-legged or longer? Would he have pointed ears or rounded ones? And what about that goofy, tongue-lolling grin so characteristic of a Frenchie?

I hoped my grands would be cute, but I knew, whatever they looked like, I’d love them. 

In the spring of 2020, my latest book, Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible, will release with Discovery House (Our Daily Bread publisher). As the author, I had a lot of control over the book, but not the cover. That was up to the design team at Discovery House.

All I could do was imagine what it would look like . . . and hope. And pray.

Would the graphic artist capture my passion to help faithful, dedicated, bored Christians get excited about God’s Word again? What would that even look like? Would it look feminine but not girly? Soft but smart? Accessible but intriguing?

And then a frightening thought hit me—what if it’s UGLY?

I guess I'll love it anyway, I decided, because it’s mine. But oh, Lord, please make it pretty. 

I felt like I was waiting for the first glimpse of my baby’s face, hoping and praying it wouldn’t have three eyes or a mustache.

At long last, the promised book cover picture arrived in my Inbox. Would you like to see it?

If you haven’t already, click over to the Hungry for God Facebook page (CLICK HERE) and LIKE the page. Then check back on Wednesday morning for the cover reveal. (Hopefully it’ll come through in your feed, but Facebook posts don’t go out to everyone right away.)

For those of you who aren’t on Facebook, stay tuned here. I plan to post the cover reveal on my blog on the day my fourth grandchild is born. 

When will that be? His due date is Friday, but only the Lord knows.

I can’t wait for you to see my book baby’s face. And I’m glad you’re along for the journey.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time," Ecclesiastes 3:11.





Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive. 

Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.

Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.







If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

When God Cracks the Curtain on Our Prayers

Are you ever been surprised when prayer works? 

When I was a little girl, my grandmother taught me to pray whenever I heard a siren. “Fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances mean someone needs help,” she’d say, “so always say a prayer.” I took her words to heart and have prayed for people who need ambulances and fire trucks all my life. I taught my daughters to do the same. Now I’m teaching my grandchildren. 

They were visiting one evening recently. Caroline (4), Andrew (2), and I were sitting on the front porch. A storm was brewing, and we could hear thunder to our west. Conscious that children are often frightened by thunder and lightning, I used the coming storm as a teaching opportunity. 

“We don’t have to be frightened by thunder. It’s just warm and cold air bumping together and making noise. But we do have to respect lightning. You never want to be out in the open during a storm.” 

As if on cue, a bright light crackled in the distance. More thunder rumbled. Then, over the noise, we heard a different sound—high pitched and urgent. Caroline recognized it first. 

“That’s a ambulance, Gigi.” 

Another insistent wail joined the first. Then another. And another. 

“And those are fire trucks,” I said. “We’d better pray for the people who need them.” We closed our eyes and prayed. “Dear Jesus, please be with the people who need the fire trucks and the ambulance. We don’t know who they are, but you do. Help them be okay. And keep the firemen safe, too.” 

“And if the people don’t know Jesus . . .” Caroline added, opening one eye and looking at me to finish the familiar prayer. 

“. . . send someone to tell them about you. In Jesus name we ask, Amen.” 

We went inside, ate dinner, and settled down to play Candy Land when my daughter glanced at her phone. “Oh no!” she said. “There’s a house on fire in our neighborhood.” Clicking and swiping for a closer look at the news photo, she quickly determined it wasn’t their house. We all breathed a sigh of relief. 

But then our thoughts went to the family whose home was on fire. 

“Caroline!” I said. “Remember the sirens we heard? Those fire trucks must have been on their way to your neighborhood. Maybe the house was struck by lightning. I’m so glad we prayed for them.” 

Later we learned that the family, including the cat, escaped with no injuries. 

Many times when God prompts me to pray, I never find out what the outcome is. I offer my prayers in faith, blindly. I seldom know the situation, the need, or the person for whom I’m praying. I just pray, trusting that God, who knows all the details, will apply my prayers as needed. 

Last week, however, was a different story. For whatever reason, God cracked the curtain on my prayers. Maybe it was to grow my faith. Or perhaps to grow my grandchildren’s. 

Regardless, I’m even more committed to praying for fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars. School buses, city buses, and the neighbors who drive down my street. For people walking by, coworkers in my office, and the children who attend the nearby school. 

Who knows how God wants to use my prayers? 

Who knows how He wants to use yours? 

If you ever wonder if God hears you when you pray, rest assured. He not only hears you, it was His idea to prompt you to pray in the first place. 

“It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24 NKJV).



Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

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If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Pray Like a Cheetah

 My granddaughters are fascinated with all things nature. This morning we were reading a National Geographic book about wild cats. 

“And then the cheetah sneaks up on his prey and pounces. . .,” I read.

“But Gigi,” three-year-old Caroline said, “how do cheetahs pray? Like this? ‘Dear Jesus, pwease help me catch that antelope’” 

As the three of us burst into giggles at the mental picture she described, I wondered how in the world I would explain to a preschooler that prey and pray are homophones—words that sound the same but have different meanings. 

Instead I decided to ride the wave of laughter and save the grammar lesson for another day.“Maybe they pray, ‘Dear God, please send me two rabbits, a coyote, and a beaver. And two mice for dessert,’” I said. 

They burst into giggles again, picturing a cheetah on its knees praying for its dinner. When their laughter subsided, I introduced a new thought, “You know, animals don’t have to pray for their food. The Bible says, ‘The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God’ (Psalm 104:21). God feeds them. He feeds the birds, too. And best of all, like the lions and the birds, He feeds us.” 

Moments like these give me a chance to share truths about God with my grandchildren. They also remind me of what I occasionally forget. 

Matthew 6:8 says, “your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” This doesn’t mean I shouldn’t pray about my needs. It means that once I have prayed, I can leave my requests in God’s hands, confident he will provide. I don’t have to beg, petition, build a case, or defend my request. God calls me simply to ask, like a child coming to a benevolent parent when she’s hungry. 

Yet sometimes I forget God is eager to meet my needs. 

Matthew 7:9-11 poses a question that spotlights how ludicrous it is to ask God to provide and then doubt He will: “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” 

Shame on me for doubting. 

I pray and fret, and pray and worry, and pray and cajole. What a shameful picture I paint to the watching world. A daughter with a legitimate need (notice I said need) approaching her loving Father as if he were a deadbeat dad. 

Father, forgive me for the times I doubt you. For the times I fail to trust your character. You don’t deserve my skepticism. You’ve met my needs all the days of my life. Through sickness, job loss, and financial challenge. Remind me to ask for what I need with confidence, knowing your generous and gracious heart will provide everything in your timing, according to your riches, and for your glory. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, Amen. 

As the girls and I continued to read, we turned to a two-page spread of the cheetah standing over the prone body of a large animal. 

“Look, Caroline,” I said, “the cheetah caught a big giant antelope for dinner.” 

“Wow, Gigi,” she replied, “God musta known he was reeeeeealy hungy.”



Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
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Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
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If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

4 Things to Remember If Your Loved One Still Isn't Saved

You’ve been praying for your friend or loved one for years. Maybe decades. But they seem no closer to Jesus than the day you uttered your first prayer. 


In some ways, they seem more lost than ever, reaping the consequences of their poor choices and struggling against the undertow of their sin. Or worse—they’re enjoying the fruit of prosperity, oblivious to their need for a Savior. 

I know that weary road. The one you walk every day wishing, hoping, and praying that your loved one will come to faith in Jesus. You see them traveling the path of destruction, or perhaps disinterest, and you yearn for so much more for them. Peace. Health. Purity. Love. 

Some days you grow discouraged and disheartened, wondering if your prayers are accomplishing anything. God’s going to save who God’s going to save, you think, so why bother praying, and crying, and hoping? 

God is going to save who God’s going to save, and this truth gives me great hope. It assures me that God will do everything in his unfailing power without violating my loved one’s free will to draw them to himself. But he will use my prayers to help bring that transformation about. 

Our prayers aren’t useless, otherwise he wouldn’t tell us to pray. But sometimes we grow weary. If you are one of the weary ones, committed to pray but struggling against doubt and discouragement, here are

Four things to remember when your loved one still isn’t saved: 

1. You can pray in confidence. 
While not everyone will come to faith in Christ, God’s invitation is open to everyone. You can pray in confidence, knowing that you're praying in agreement with God's will. His heart desires everyone to come to repentance, and he’ll do everything possible to draw them to himself. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). 


2. No heart is too hard for God. “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Peter 1:15). The apostle blasphemed the name of Christ. He hunted down and murdered untold number of Christians. and did everything within his power to wipe Christianity from the face of the earth. 

By his own testimony, he was the baddest of the bad. Yet God saved him. No matter what our loved ones have done or how hard they seem, God can still remove their stony hearts and give them hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). 

3. If your prayers reach beyond your lifetime. Even if your prayers go unanswered in this lifetime, they can still extend into the future. Even if you're no longer alive, your prayers will continue to work on your loved one’s behalf. Heroes of the faith like Moses, Solomon, and Daniel often prayed for future generations, asking God to draw them to himself. 

Based on Deuteronomy 7:9, my husband and I often pray that God will extend his saving grace to a thousand generations of our family. 

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."

We pray for our grandchildren's salvation, for their future spouses' salvation, and for salvation for the generations yet to come, through time until Jesus comes back.

4. Even if you aren’t nearby, God's people are everywhere. A beautiful example of this happened at Paul’s conversion. First, God spoke to Paul apart from the influence of a sermon, preacher, or Christian witness. Then, after Paul received faith, he sent Ananias, a believer, to explain the next steps and to baptize him. 

Oftentimes, if we’re the only Christian in our family or circle of influence, we think it’s all up to us. If we don’t witness to our loved ones, then no one else will. While we should use every opportunity God gives us to share our faith with those closest to us, we might live far away or they might resist our efforts. Maybe the opportunity for spiritual conversations are rare or limited. 

While God often uses a believing family member or friend to lead someone to Christ, He isn’t limited by time, distance, or manpower. God has the world’s resources at his disposal and can use anything and anyone. When you pray for your lost loved ones, don’t forget to ask God to bring bold, winsome, and dynamic believers into their lives. 

God saves those he’s going to save, and, by God’s mercy and grace, we get to be a part of His work. He invites us, through the soul sweat of prayer, to come alongside him as he draws our loved ones to Himself. As theologian and author C. S. Lewis wrote in his book, Miracles , 

“The event [in question] has already been decided—in a sense it was decided “before all worlds.” But one of the things taken into account in deciding it, and therefore one of the things that really cause it to happen, may be this very prayer that we are now offering. . . .” 

Pray on, dear heart. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). 

Who are you praying for? If you'll leave their first name in the comment box, I'll join you in prayer for their salvation.    



Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive. 

Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.







If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Grandparents Unite in Prayer on Grandparents Day - A Guest Post

Today I'd like to welcome Lillian Penner, an avid grandparent and Co-Prayer Coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network. She has a valuable message for those of us who have children or grandchildren. Would you give her a warm Hungry for God welcome by leaving a comment below?

Grandparents’ Day was designated by a Senate proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978 to be observed the second Sunday in September. 


The mission of Christian Grandparenting Network is to promote effective grandparenting, with the aim of helping our grandchildren  know and follow Christ wholeheartedly. 

This is why Christian Grandparenting Network is asking grandparents all over the world to join in prayer for their grandchildren and the parents of their grandchildren on, Sunday, September 8, making it a Grandparents’ Day of Prayer. 

It's a global reality that truth is under attack like never before in our schools, our political arenas, the marketplace, and even in our churches. Christianity is under assault, and parents and grandparents find themselves involved in a tug of war for the hearts and minds of their children. 


It's not easy for our grandchildren to navigate in a world hostile to truth in this post-Christian culture. Satan is relentless in his aggressive attack to desensitize our children to truth and righteousness. The enemy wants to disintegrate and divide our families, rendering them chaotic, restless, and unfruitful. 

Let’s not let the enemies distract us or dull our desires to pray for our grandchildren and their parents intentionally. We're in a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons. Prayer is our best weapon to defeat the enemy. 

I believe it’s our place as grandparents to get on our knees, humble ourselves, seek God’s face, repent of our sin, and intercede for our nations, our children, and grandchildren. Then having done all, we stand firm in our faith that God has heard and will answer our prayers according to His will. "Do not be afraid or discouraged . . . . For the battle is not yours but Gods." II Chronicles 20:15 

Our grandchildren and their parents not only need our support, they also need our earnest prayers. They need our united prayer, a good, unified prayer for our hope and dreams for the next generation to be realized. 

Jesus declared, “Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting as My followers], I am there among them” (Matt. 18:19-20). 

We believe praying grandparents can win the battle for the hearts and minds of our precious grandchildren and their parents. Many years ago, when the Israelites’ lives were threatened physically, Esther stood in the gap for her people. Today, grandparents can stand in the gap for their grandchildren and their parents as their spiritual lives are threatened. 

Over the last eight years, many grandparents throughout the world have been uniting in prayer on Grandparents’ Day of Prayer. Christian Grandparenting Network would like to invite all praying grandparents to join us again to come before God’s throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace in our time of need for our grandchildren and their parents. 

Our grandchildren are back in school so lets make September a month of intentional prayer for our grandchildren, their teachers, and other adult influences, as well as throughout the year. In the past, united prayer has always bridged the gap between a great need and a great awakening! 

We hope thousands of churches and groups around the world will participate in this intentional day of prayer on behalf of the next generation. You could hold an event in your church, in your home, in a retirement complex, or any meeting location of your choice.You may want to host a prayer breakfast or a luncheon following your morning worship. Or you may want to offer an afternoon tea or evening dessert in your home. 

Perhaps your minister is willing to address the importance of praying grandparents and set aside a particular prayer time during the worship service. The possibilities are endless. It is imperative; no matter the format, that grandparents gather to pray for their grandchildren. 

 CGN is happy to provide step-by-step guidelines, resources, and online tools to help you create a successful event that will engage grandparents in prayer. 

The Christian Grandparents Network recognizes the desperate moral and spiritual climate our grandchildren and their parents face today. Our grandchildren face an aggressive attack in media, education, and social influence that is meant to desensitize and destroy their faith in Christ. 

I'm a parent of five children and know the urgency of grandparents praying for my children. I highly recommend you participate in the Grandparents’ Day of Prayer. We're looking for grandparents who believe in the power of prayer to participate in this event. 

Will you help us call grandparents to join in prayer on September 9th? 

To learn more and indicate participation in the movement, or organize a time of prayer for grandparents go to our website HERE You'll see endorsements, testimonials, promotional materials, and free downloads. 

 For additional information, contact Grandparents’ Day of Prayer Coordinator Lillian Penner, at lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net.


Lillian Penner is the author of Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren and is Co-Prayer Coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network. An avid blogger, Lillian will break into smiles if you ask about her twelve grandchildren and four great-granddaughters. She and her husband, John, live in Portland, Oregon, where they are active in church ministries.



Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord. 

Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive. 

Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.



If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher