Believe It or Not, God’s Word Covers It

Posted on by Evangeline

So often, we forget that God’s Word covers everything that we could possibly need or want. Yes, even in 2016, God’s Word is still relevant and able to affect change in our lives. We can choose to believe what God has said…or not. He has given us the freedom to choose.

I recently read a passage from the Believers Voice of Victory Magazine that drives this point home:

“No matter what kind of situation we are facing, no matter how terrible, dangerous, and confusing it appears to be, God’s Word covers it, sees through it, and reveals the answer to its defeat. The living Word of God will penetrate the darkest difficulties and shed light on the most impossible situations.” ~Kenneth Copeland

God’s Word Covers It!

If you’re involved in a struggle or facing an impending challenge, rest in knowing that God’s Word covers it. It’s up to you to find what He has said about it and then stand on it until you see it manifested. Ask Him, ” Lord, what is it that I still need to see in Your Word that will bring me victory?”  God will always gladly answer this question!

God's word cover itI remember hearing Dr. Bill Winston say that he found his ministry airplane in the Word. That got my attention! There were no airplanes 2000+ years ago when the Bible was written; how could it be in the Word? But he had prayed asking God to show him how to pray to meet the needs of his fast-growing ministry which was requiring an inordinate amount of travel for him to preach. Some time later, a preacher from Africa was speaking at Dr. Winston’s church and in the middle of his sermon, stopped, turn around, looked at Dr. Winston and said, “Your airplane is in Ecclesiastes 10:20” and then turned back around and went right on preaching. Of course, Dr. Winston feverishly flipped through his Bible to find that passage and there it was…his airplane:

“for a bird of the air shall carry the voice”

Don’t tell me that Scripture isn’t applicable in 2016 (and beyond)!

No matter what you’re facing today, rest in knowing that God’s Word covers it. Your solution is embedded inside the Bible. It’s up to you to choose to discover it and the use it as a tool that will manifest the victorious life that God intended for you to live.

After all, He wants you to LIVE TO WIN!

Will you take time today to find a Scripture that addresses your need/challenge?

You can find more information and encouragement about effectively using God’s Word in my book, Live to Win.

The Official Password for Your Free Access

Posted on by Evangeline

Monday's MarinadeMonday’s Marinade is provided to you so that you can “soak yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week.

Sometimes we feel like it’s difficult to be in God’s presence. But He’s given us a password to access His presence that works every time we use it.

Start your week by meditating (thinking and muttering to yourself) on this special password for freely accessing God’s presence. 

Here’s your PASSWORD. Let it be your spiritual Marinade for this week:

Monday's Marinade- Password

Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!

 

God's Love

You Can Rest With Confidence in God’s Love

Posted on by Evangeline

The more I learn of the love of Jesus, specifically His love for me, I am astounded by its depth, height, width and length. I see more clearly now that His love for me covers everything. It is complete and perfect. There are no holes in His love for me, no void spaces. So if nothing is missing in God’s love for me, why am I not always confident in the victory that love has won on my behalf?

Confidence Matters

Maybe I need to look more at what He’s done instead of what I’ve done or what I need to do. I can sometimes have a l-o-n-g “to do” list to correct my circumstances. Maybe I neGod's loveed to allow Him to be in control and do the work so I can rest. Everything that He’s done is based on His love for me. Every  bit of punishment inflicted on Him before and at the cross was because He did not want me to experience it. Every bit of scourging was endured for me. Every sickness and “condition” was taken on by His body for me. He satisfied every requirement of the Law so I wouldn’t have to. He left nothing undone and did everything perfectly. What a love!

No matter the circumstances that I find myself enduring, I’m determined to choose to look to Jesus’ love for me (Hebrews 12:2). To have confidence in His love (1 John 5:14,15). And to trust His love (Psalm 91:2). I’m determined to rest in the knowledge that His love for me has done everything necessary so that I continuously live a victorious life.

What is it that gives you confidence in God’s love for YOU?

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Ponsulak and Gubgib| FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Feeling Like You’re Stuck Between A Rock and A Hard Place

Posted on by Evangeline

Stuck between a rock and a hard place

The pressures of infertility can make you feel like you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. It’s as if it completely surrounds you, pressuring you to give up, to not see any advantage in continuing to hope. In the midst of infertility, life can feel like you’re always stuck between a rock and a hard place. It seems like not much of anything is working out in your favor. Every day seems as if infertility colors how you view life. It looms over every aspect of your life, clouding your vision so it’s hard to see anything good that’s on the horizon.

But I’m glad to share with you that in that place of feeling stuck, hope can shake things up, freeing you to enjoy life!

5 Secrets

Here are 5 secrets that I’ve found are powerful in nurturing and maintaining hope as you look to come out of this struggle with infertility.

  1. Believe God loves you. His love is a “no matter what” kind of love. No matter what you’ve done/thought/said, He loves you with an unfailing and unending love.
  2. Decide to not give up. Don’t underestimate the power of a decision!
  3. Remember the previous times, big or small, when God has come through for you. Encourage yourself. Think about those successes and the joy you experienced.
  4. On a daily basis, affirm the promises of God that relate to your situation by speaking them out loud. Instead of focusing on medical facts, allow God’s healing Word to be your point of focus and become your truth.
  5. Greet each morning with gratitude for the gift of a new day. This helps set a positive tone for the day ahead of you. Thankfulness has a way of shifting our attitude, choices, and behavior.

There’s Always Hope

Hope is one of the three things that 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us will always remain as a resource that allows us to tap into God’s grace. We are to always have hope—the joyful and confident expectation of God coming through for us!

Hope established upon Jesus’ love never disappoints.

When you’re feeling like you stuck between a rock and a hard place, hope is there to bring freedom! Hope is what provides an inner image of good things to come. Hope removes the shackles of despair, no matter what situation you’re facing. Allow hope to shake things up in your life so that you experience the freedom to confidently expect good things from a very good Father.

 

overcoming infertility

Rosie’s Story of Overcoming Infertility

Posted on by Evangeline

Overcoming infertility can feel like an impossibility. But it’s not. Even though it is very discouraging and difficult to get through, it is possible to overcome it. Hearing the stories of others who have done just that can spur us on to persevere to victory.

I met Rosie through the A Seed of Hope Fertility Support Group that I started on Facebook. Her season of infertility was very similar to that of so many women today. I’m thrilled that Rosie shares her story as an overcomer of infertility… as an encouragement to YOU. Remember that nothing, not even infertility, is too hard for God (Genesis 18:14)!

Our journey started off like most married couples. My husband and I got married in 2012 and right away we talked about having a family. Soon after, we realized that God had other plans. We spent many nights praying and thanking Jesus (in advance) for our little miracle.

Our months were filled with tears, disappointment, depression and going to counseling.

Infertility had become very draining on our marriage. I quickly realized that we needed help. In the midst of it all, we seemed to always keep God first. It wasn’t easy. For 3.5 years we struggled to conceive. We began to go through infertility treatments.

Infertility Treatments

Our journey became very much a financial strain on our marriage. I went through three surgeries and 4 failed IUI’s. While walking this journey, I grew very weak and distant from so many. I continued to just seek God’s face and thank him for our miracle.

After our last failed IUI, we prayed about In Vitro Fertilization (“IVF”).  We were told by our specialist that IVF was our only option and learned it was going to cost us over $12,000.00. We didn’t have this kind of money. For several months, we began to seek God and pray about it.  We felt moved by God to proceed. We began to raise money in May of 2015 — started a GoFundMe account and hosted a golf outing. By August of 2015, we had raised $9,000 with God’s help (we knew this was God). We never thought it would be possible! But, GOD MADE A WAY!!! By October of 2015, we began our IVF treatments.

Overcoming Infertility!

In November of 2015, we learned that we were pregnant, not with one, but two babies!! Wow, what a blessing it’s been from God! Our little twin boys are now a few months old. We are so excited about our little miracles and feel so blessed to be where we are!!

To those still struggling, please don’t lose hope. God will make a way!!! Everything is in his timing. Just when you think that there is no way, He will make a way!!

-Rosie Marlatt

Request to join A Seed of Hope Facebook group so that you are encouraged through connecting with other like-minded women!

hope in depression

Hope Begins in the Midst of Darkness and Depression

Posted on by Evangeline

 

Sometimes, we are overwhelmed by the darkness and depression that consistently and continually seep into our lives. It is a downright insidious attack. But God said that hope never fails (1 Corinthians 13:13).  His Word and His love give us reason to never give up until the radiant light of His Word has broken through the darkness!

Hope begins in the midst of darkness and depression… 

Hope is defined as a joyful and confident expectation of good. [Source: Thayer’s Lexicon]

I like to think of hope as H.O.P.E.:

Having

Only

Positive

Expectations

In this acrostic, “positive” not only means the opposite of negative, it also means confident, fully assured. Therefore, each day you can choose to have a confident expectation of something good coming your way to bring you out of this season of infertility.

The prophet Jeremiah is a case study for how to maintain hope. Consistently recalling what his enemy had done to him caused Jeremiah to get deeply depressed. His mind and emotions were not at peace and he even became oblivious to anything good (Lamentations 3). But, when he chose to recall the good things God had done, he was filled with hope, confidence, and expectancy.

Practice H.O.P.E. daily!

Make the choice to recall the good that God has already done in your life. Remember that He loves you, is always with you, and enjoys making Himself available to do you good.

The account of Abraham & Sarah overcoming infertility is referenced in Romans 4 and tells of how he had a steadfast, firm hope in God’s promises. Verse 18 says that he “hoped against hope.” The phrase “hope against hope” means to continue to have hope even though the present circumstances and future outlook don’t warrant it. Abraham kept looking for the manifestation of God’s promise of a child. That’s how you have only positive expectations!

Remember, hope begins in the midst of darkness and never gives up until the light has broken through!

Give yourself permission to be like Abraham– keep your hope alive. Even though depression may be looming large, even though your natural circumstances may not warrant having hope, keep the light of hope burning bright in the midst of the darkness. When you get tired of waiting, God is still right there to help you continue on. Let Him know you’d like His help in maintaining your H.O.P.E.. As you trust in Him and His goodness, it becomes easier to maintain and overflow in hope.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
~ Romans 15:13 (NLT)

Will you choose to refuse despair and move toward victory each day?

[This post includes an excerpt from my book, Infertility Sucks!]

How You Can Have Faith TODAY

Posted on by Evangeline

Have faith today, even if it’s a difficult day.

Don’t worry about tomorrow; have faith TODAY. No matter how difficult your circumstances may seem, have confidence that God loves you.  Stand firm believing that all is well because His loving and all-powerful presence is right there with you.

Here are some verses that I hope will encourage you:

For God has said, 
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”

Hebrews 13:5

So don’t worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will bring its own worries.
Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6:34 NLT

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

Mark 11:22

Will you acknowledge His presence, have faith in Him, and focus on His love for you TODAY?

 

faith today

Faith Speaks God’s Word—Believe It. Speak It. Experience It.

Posted on by Evangeline

Faith speaks. What does it speak? It confidently speaks the words that God has said. How does it speak? Aloud, and not just one time– it speaks by repeatedly and consistently muttering what God has said. That’s what He recommended to Joshua as he was preparing to lead the Israelites after Moses’ death (Joshua 1:8). It also speaks in everyday conversations by being in alignment with what God’s words. When you speak God’s words, it is a demonstration of believing and being in agreement with His Word. This is made clear in 2 Corinthians 4:13 [NASB]:

“But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak.”

It is a reference to what the psalmist said in Psalm 116:10, as he expressed his belief in God’s love for him as he cried out to God in his affliction. Do you believe God loves you? Do your words reflect your belief?

The principle of believing and speaking is also shown in Romans 10:4-10. In fact, the very blessing of salvation is based on believing and speaking. Verses 9 and 10 are especially relevant to this:

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

It’s important to note that in this passage, the word “salvation” not only means saved from eternal damnation after death. It also means deliverance, preservation, safety, and healing in this life on earth!  God loves you and wants you to have a quality of life filled and overflowing His goodness.

Faith Speaks SalvationFaith Speaks What God Has Said

Therefore, if the greatest gift that God has given us comes through believing and speaking, surely any other blessings are accessible in the same way. God wants us to rest in His love and receive His blessings. He wants us to believe what He has said about our position as a joint heir with Jesus and to speak what He has said in His Word about our position and circumstances.

Be encouraged as you relax in knowing that Father God loves you immensely. He has already made a way out of  life’s difficult circumstances by sending Jesus to meet all your needs of deliverance, preservation, safety, and healing. Find what He has promised you in the Bible. Have faith in that Word–believe it and speak it. As a result, you can then have a confident expectation that God will do what He said.

Continually believe and speak with gratitude until you see His promise manifested.

Remember, faith speaks!

What are you saying about your life right now?

 

 

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Images

Real Love

5 Secrets to Help You Shake Things Up and Enjoy Life

Posted on by Evangeline

I know what the pressure of infertility feels like. It’s as if it completely surrounds you, pressuring you to give up, to not enjoy life or to see any advantage in continuing to hope. In the midst of infertility, life can feel like you’re always stuck between a rock and a hard place. It seems like not much is working out in your favor. Every day seems as if infertility colors how you view life in general. It looms over every aspect of your life, clouding your vision so it’s hard to see anything good that’s on the horizon.

But I’m glad to share with you that in that place of feeling stuck, HOPE can shake things up, freeing you to enjoy life!

Here are 5 secrets that I’ve found that are powerful in helping you enjoy life as you maintain hope for victory in this struggle with infertility:

  1. Believe God loves you. His love is a “no matter what” kind of love. No matter what you’ve done/thought/said, He loves you with an unfailing and unending love.
  2. Decide to not give up. Don’t underestimate the power of a decision!
  3. Remember the previous times, big or small, when God has come through for you. Encourage yourself. Think about those successes and the joy you experienced.
  4. On a daily basis, affirm the promise of God that relates to your situation by speaking the Word out loud. Instead of focusing on medical facts, let God’s Word be your point of focus and become your truth.
  5. Greet each morning with gratitude for the gift of a new day. This helps set a positive tone for the day ahead of you. Thankfulness has a way of shifting our attitude, choices, and behavior.

Hope is one of the three things that 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us will always remain as a resource that allows us to tap into God’s grace. We are to always have hope—the joyful and confident expectation of God coming through for us!

Hope established upon Jesus’ love never disappoints.

Allow hope to shake things up in your life so that you experience the freedom to confidently expect good things from your very good Heavenly Father.

An Affirmation for You:

God loves me and desires for me to experience only His goodness so that I enjoy life. I rest in His love for me. I choose to allow His desires for my life to shape my desires. I maintain my hope in God.

What things are you currently doing to help you enjoy life during the struggle? Please share below.

Why Distractions Invade Your Life

Posted on by Evangeline

There’s a very simple reason distractions invade our lives.

 

Distractions

What do you do to help yourself remain focused on what and Who brings light and life?