Today we will conclude our discussion of the topic “Dealing with the Unexpected Challenges of Life.”  Have you experienced anything challenging and unexpected over the past few weeks? If so, I pray this content has been useful in helping you navigate those challenges. And now, some concluding thoughts on our topic.

One Scripture that reminds us that we are overcomers when unexpected challenges come is found in 1 John 5: 4-5 (ESV). “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

I find that Jesus puts our unexpected struggles into perspective when He states in 1 John 4: 4 (ESV) “…for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 

Paul as well assures us in Romans 8: 37 that “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Jesus also tells us that our relationship with Him bri...

As we continue with this series of devotional entries on the theme “Dealing with the Unexpected Challenges of Life,”  I pray that this content has been encouraging and even healing to you as you have read through each week’s entry.

Through the many unexpected “opportunities” I have experienced in my fifty plus years of serving the Lord, one basic foundational principle has stood out to me and it is this:  Jesus is our refuge as we navigate through all of our unexpected challenges.

I have always found that the words of Jesus and the words about Jesus were my greatest comfort in the times of unexpected trials. For example, in John 16:33 (ESV) Jesus says, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Here Jesus is telling His disciples there is no doubt that they will experience trials and troubles in life (unexpected challenges). However, He also promises them that He is more powerful than anything they will face. And Mothers of Nations, t...

Today let’s look at two more ways that God can use unexpected challenges in our lives for His glory and for our utmost good.

Sometimes God uses unexpected challenges to get us back on track, back into His perfect will.

At times life becomes complicated and as circumstances unfold, we may ultimately find ourselves headed down a path that is less than God’s best for us. An abrupt unexpected, challenging interruption can force us to reevaluate where we are headed.

Basically, through circumstances we find the Lord saying, “No, you cannot go that direction any longer.”

I don’t know about you, but I pray that my steps are ordered of the Lord.  And sometimes God can make use of “the unexpected” to get those steps back on the correct God-ordained path.

Years ago our daughter was dating a young man that we thought was going to ask her to marry him soon. But unexpectedly, out of the blue, something happened and that relationship was terminated in one afternoon. Our daughter was devastated a...

Have these words ever come out of your mouth before? “Lord, why is this happening to me?”  Let’s be honest now. I can’t imagine that any of us have not cried out to God asking Him why we are being thrust into unexpected difficult situations!

Through my life journey with the Lord, I have found at least four possibilities of why unexpected things take place in our lives. Today let’s look at two of these and perhaps one or more of them will bring clarity or even comfort to you in your own challenges.

Sometimes God allows the unexpected to encourage us to trust and rely on Him more fully.

Paul writes this in 2 Corinthians 1: 8-9 (ESV). “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

Mothers of Nations, we can’t ever star...

Last week we started our discussion of the topic “Dealing with the Unexpected Challenges of Life.”  If you did not read that introductory entry, please do that first before moving forward with today’s discussion. That background information will help you understand the premise of this series.

We left off last week with the statement that our God has a history of comforting His people. This truth is invaluable for us to stand upon, especially as we are faced with “unexpected” challenges.

Isaiah 43: 1-2 (ESV) But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel:  Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Those verses are some of my favorites! How assuring it is to know that my God promises to protect, comfort, strengthen, and ...

Some things occur in our lives that really aren’t that surprising. In truth, they are more like unwanted, possibly irritating “interruptions.”  We see the warning signs and eventually, the “challenge” is before us. For example, you see that other people are getting laid off at your place of employment. The company is cutting its losses and one morning you arrive at work to find your pink slip as well. Because of the “warning signs,” your layoff was not completely unexpected.

Another example might be that we all realize material things wear out over time. Once I owned a Buick Rendezvous SUV and around 240,000 miles she started to “slip” during acceleration. After listening to a few months of “noises,”  I knew my warning signs were telling me to trade before I had to deal with an “unexpected” transmission blow in rush hour traffic.

So these are a couple examples of life experiences that really aren’t that unexpected. Warning signs let us know that something is coming our way and we hav...

Today we will conclude our discussion on this topic of “No Anger Stew for Me!”  I pray this has been an enlightening conversation about the topic of anger for all of us.

Mothers of Nations, the truth about anger is this. It is a God-given emotion. In reality, the emotion of anger has both negative AND positive sides! Over the past two weeks we have looked at many facets of the negative side of anger.

Let’s conclude today’s entry and talk about some positive sides or values of this emotion. Have you considered any of these positive characteristics of anger?

• Anger can lead us to make changes. It can motivate us to intervene in the status quo or to set a boundary.
• Anger can lead us to recognize and understand our expectations and our unmet needs.
• Anger can give us the needed energy to deal with a problem or push us to deeper diligence in prayer.
• Anger can lead us to problem solving, searching for answers.
• Anger can be used to reveal to us our care about someone.

Yes, strange a...

Today we will continue with our discussion of the theme “No Anger Stew for Me!”  If you did not read last week’s introduction to this current topic, I suggest you do that first before moving on with today’s entry.

As we stated last week, the emotion of anger is almost always triggered by a situation or a cue that sets off negative thoughts in our mind. Let’s continue our theme and look at more of those triggers that could start creating an anger stew in our lives.

Imitation: At times we may be tempted to pick up someone else’s offense, thus imitating their emotions in our own hearts and minds. Picking up offenses is most certainly an ingredient that can be part of one’s anger stew. We are reminded of this in Proverbs 22: 24. “Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go.”

We must be aware that even our friends can try to pull us into their own offenses, and this is dangerous. Angry people can present as being calm when talking to you, but inside they can be...

We have all probably eaten stew at one time or another. We put meat and a variety of vegetables into a pot and let it simmer (or stew) for an extended time until it’s done. This dish is what cooks call a “stew.”

In the English language, the word “stew” is also used to describe anger. In this use, the dictionary defines “stew” as a state of being agitated or disturbed. For example:

He is “stewing” in his own juices.

She is “stewing” over an issue in her life.

In English we interestingly also use other cooking terms to describe our negative emotions.

• I’m steamed.
• He’s boiling mad.
• She’s brewing.
• Her mind is fried.
• I’m feeling like a pressure cooker.

Well the truth of the matter is that the devil’s goal is to push us into submitting to these negative emotions, to position us into an anger stew!

Mothers of Nations, I have decided that there will be No Anger Stew for me!

As we know that there are multiple ingredients in a recipe for creating a stew, what ingredients can we t...

Last week we started a discussion on the topic of Facing Conflict. If you did not read through last week’s entry, I would encourage you to do that first before you move on with today’s discussion.

Have you noticed that people react to conflict in diverse ways? Let’s look at six different responses to conflicts as they arise.

1.  Some people just give in to the conflict. This is actually compromise as they make peace with their enemy. Of course, this is not a good method to respond to conflict. Remember, the devil is never fair.
2.  Some people run from conflict. For example we see from the life of the prophet Elijah that he literally ran from Jezebel. He was tired and weary and felt he had no strength to face that Jezebel that was in his face. How about Jonah? He also ran from the Lord rather than facing the conflict in front of him.
3.  Some people look to other sources of help rather than looking to God. They may consult with witches, tarot cards, fortune tellers, or false gods. Obvious...