Finding hope in dark places

By Leigh DeLozier (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram)

Some days seem like all sunshine and roses. Other days … not so much.

As Christians, we know our true hope is in Jesus. He’s with us all the time and is the One we can always count on. Because of Him, we have the hope of eternal life in heaven when our time here on earth is finished. (Can I get an amen? 😉)

But we also know having that eternal hope doesn’t mean everything here is always good or easy.

We get discouraged or hurt. Sickness and death invade our lives. Job losses, financial strains, and overwhelming stress are real.

Those are the times when we cling to whatever shred of hope we can find, wherever we can find it.

And just like Jesus taught that even the tiniest amount of faith can move mountains, the tiniest bit of hope fights back against the darkness.

That’s the theme of the newest edition of Refresh Bible Study magazine:

When hope shines in dark places.

You’ll find personal stories of dark situations and how the authors used Scripture and different strategies to keep hope alive and persevere. There are personal reflections, devotionals, and more to encourage you in those hard times.

I’m honored to share one of my stories, called “Nightmare prayers.” It’s a situation I hadn’t thought about in many years and had never considered writing about it. But here we are, thanks to a God nudge.

Refresh is published three times a year (spring, fall, and Christmas) and is emailed for free to subscribers. You can download the fall issue and read my article, “Nightmare prayers” (and other great articles). You can also subscribe to Refresh yourself.

Several friends from one of my online writers’ groups have articles in this issue, including Joanna Eccles, Sara Cormany, and Barb Fox. It’s always humbling to think that words we pray about and put on paper might help someone else. I hope you read something that strikes a chord for where you are right now.

Your turn: How do you find hope when you find yourself in one of the dark places? Help encourage someone else by sharing an experience or some advice in the comments below.

When you need a reminder of where our true hope is found, download the fall issue of Refresh magazine and read how hope shines in dark places. #encouragement #wordsofhope

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