Tag: hope

A Costly Gift

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It’s the season of giving and receiving gifts. I have been trying to find the most thoughtful presents for my loved ones and I am sure you are as well.

What will it cost you to do something for someone else? Time, money, your possessions or skills. Going through trying times leaves us focus on ourselves, often too drained to consider giving any of these to others.

I realized this during the most difficult periods of my life, I couldn’t give of myself to anything, I was focused on getting through the stage of infertility, but I knew there were so many in need of my skills and thankfully I decide to keep a journal of my experiences which started faithful wait

Although God freely gives us gifts of love, grace, mercies, forgiveness, protection, provision and love. He makes no demands made of us, because it already cost Him, His Son. It was and remains the most costly gift of all time. The person we now celebrate at Christmas was give. as a gift for many. 

His life bought our freedom from sin, sickness, loss, disappointment and gave us a living hope.

His paid once so that we can enjoy his gifts eternally.

So this Christmas consider someone in worse situation than yourself and give them a gift you can afford, or go a step further, give a gift that will cost you something.

Remember Christ promised to surround you with with favor like a shield in the mist of your situation.

He is with you through every circumstance shielding you, so that you can also respond by helping others.

As you receive Gods blessings during this time, and all through the years, find time to share your gift with others.. because what you receive freely cost him everything.

Your Partner in Hope

D’Ebi

Hopping Lanes

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I want to talk today about the fast and slow lane.

If like me you drive regularly, you will understand what I’m talking about. There is a fast lane, where drivers can drive at the maximum speed limit, it’s faster than inner lanes on the dual carriageway. Often, these lanes cannot be distinguished during traffic congestion giving the perception of a faster or slower lane.

How one sees traffic during such times depends on how much of a hurry you are to get to your destination.

Sometimes it also depends on what you think is happening in front of you or around you. So often I’m driving and seem to be stuck in my lane while the lanes to my right or left is moving, I veered into “fast” lanes, only for it to become stationery.

I look back to the lane I had just come off, which is now the faster lane, my goodness I should have stayed on that lane which is now or appears to be faster, sometimes I go back and repeat the process a few times, before I give up.

This happens to me often and I am hoping to improve on my lane hopping skills.

Every time, I tell myself, today is the day I’m not going to switch I’m not going to look at what’s happening to my right, or my left I’m just gonna stay in my lane but soon find myself switching.

A bit like the grass being greener on the other side.

We sometimes look at other people’s journey and we think they have it all good we look at the people in our lives for whom life seems to be going smoothly.

It seems like they have everything going for them, no ruffled feathers, are married with 2.4 kids, good jobs, good house, well manicured lawn, and we wish.

“Oh my goodness I wish I could have that”

Have you been trying to be pregnant since forever, multiple IVFs, and failed cycle and Still no child. While your friends, neighbour or sister in law keeps popping them? It’s natural to sometimes wish you were in that other person’s shoes.

We really don’t know what’s going on in that lane, in other peoples live, until we switch lanes, an appearance of speed or bliss isn’t always the case.

My encouragement to us, is to stick it out, in your lane, in your world, while hoping for the best outcome.

Expect, prepare, be at peace, regardless of what is going on in other peoples lives, around you.

Your lane maybe slower but it will move and in time take you to your destination.

There maybe detours, road blocks, temporary traffic lights causing serious traffic jam, in the form of IVFs, endometriosis, miscarriage, delays.

“Key word they are temporary”.

Your journey is not compared with anybody else’s so stick it out.

Take the detours, complete the IVfs, do the treatment again if possible, hope, Pray, expect and repeat.

Your Partner in Hope

Debbie

Related Post Don’t tire, keep trying. Whatever you do, Don’t Stop Trying. Purpose in Pain , FaithfulWait: A Reflective Journal for Those in Waiting.

Benefit of Egg freezing

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Frozen eggs beats fertility treatment for women. according to post in Futility today.

The number of US women having children at older ages has been increasing for three decades, with evidence that the trend will continue. Birth rates have declined for women in their 20s and jumped for women in their late 30s and early 40s, according to the US Census Bureau. The average age at first birth has risen from 19 years old in 1984 to 30 years old in 2021 and is higher in many metropolitan areas.

See stores for more

GOT A BIG STONE PROBLEM?

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Back when my girls were still little, they often like picking up all sorts of strange things when we go out walking.

Like weeds which they call flowers, stones, which they call gold, papers, unusual items etc.

During one of those walks, we happened to come across a construction site, by the side of the road was a stone, they took turns trying to lift it, but couldn’t.‘mummy you try’, they chorused. I picked it up easily to their delight. mummy’s got powers they screamed.

It was a little stone to me but a big one to them.

This got me thinking, the problems we often face (infertility) seems immovable and enormous like stones we can’t shift or lift.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus and Salome had a big stone problem. On the 3rd day of Jesus’s death, they brought spices to anoint his body, on their way to the tomb they wondered amongst themselves: ‘Who shall roll away the stone away, it was very great.

As they made their way to the tomb, I imagined, it suddenly dawned on them, that none of them can roll the stone away. They have to anoint his body, now a stone STOOD in their way. Perhaps they considered who amongst Jesus’s friends to call for help.

Peters? ‘No, he’s no good, have you seen the state of him since the master was killed?’ Guilt has eaten him up.

James?

John?

Andrew? And one by one they eliminated the disciples. I am sure they considered going back, they must have, they had no tools, no help, and a big stone.

Should we go back? Let’s just continue, “we have come too far to turn back now”.

The question remains “Who will roll away the stone”?

Maybe it was Mary the mother of Jesus who insisted on carrying on, maybe something Jesus told her kept her going? Maybe she just wanted to be near her dear son.

Imagine their reaction when they got to the tomb to find that their problem had gone, “the stone has been rolled away”. Surprised, shocked, worry, fear, all kinds of emotions must have coursed through them.

Who will roll away the stone?

Became, who rolled the stone away?

What happened to him? Has someone taken him?

Now imagine their joy when they learn he’s alive!!!, the stone was rolled away by his mighty power, and he’s alive. Wow, not only was the stone rolled away, their greatest problem was solved, “Jesus is alive”.

Often we get to the end of ourselves only to discover that He has taken care of it all, our deepest fear of being without a child, a husband, living with that illness, a job.

No matter how big your stone, trust in the master who knows your end from the beginning.

What seems like a might problem to you is nothing to him, he will not only roll your stone away, he will bring you out ALIVE, unscathed, safe and secured.

Keep going, pin your hopes on him, He’s got all power, He will roll away every stone like problem.

Dark clouds will roll away and your night will turn to day. Tears to Joy. Hold out and he will bring you through.

This Easter, have you got a stone like problem? Cling to the master who rolls always heavy stones.

Your Partner in Hope

Debi

RELATED READS

Celebratory seasons, A Glimpse of Hope

Blessings In Waiting

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Today we’re going to look at BLESSINGS IN WAITING.

I think trying or waiting for a child, child loss due to miscarriage or death is one of the most terrible experiences in anyones life.

I had two miscarriages, and sometimes I wonder what my unborn children would have looked like. Had they survived what ages will they be now. I have Come to terms with these loss, but I still wonder.

Anna is an example of a woman who yearned for a baby, she cried because she felt helpless at the delays, she saw her mates bearing children she saw how they relate with those children, she observed it all, day in and day out year in and out.

Elizabeth was also an example of one who waited. These blessings in waiting causes pain, we become entangled in the daily reality of the delay that we live in.

Everyone at one time or the other have experienced joy from having their prayers answered.

Have you ever waited for something, and got it?That desire was a blessing in waiting.

There was a time you waited for a job, for mortgage, for a life partner, for financial breakthrough. They were all blessings in waiting at one time or another.

When you look back, can you see that right now what you are waiting for may also come to pass, but in God’s own time and manner he chooses?

Let’s just pause and look back at those blessings in waiting which you now enjoy. I know how delays can lead us into a place of deep dissatisfaction inpatience and hopelessness.

I once had no children and spent days giving myself shots of IVF Injections, had 2 miscarriages from natural conceptions. But draw strength from those blessings in waiting that you now enjoy.

How do you explain that after eight years of waiting? Today, those blessings in waiting are my reality. I am living and enjoying my beautiful kids but I’m still waiting I’m waiting for a healing.

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis from an early age. It is under control now due to a course of several potent medications.

While enjoying my blessings of children, I draw strength from the fact that the God who did that for me can also fulfil his promise of healing in my life.

I want you to draw strength from your current blessings while you wait for those yet to come.

Look at that wait and compare all the benefits you are enjoying right now and encourage yourself, if he did it before he would do it again.

Your partner in Hope

Debi

Related links

Christmas Traditions, The age question. The Christmas Miracle, Advent: Walking in Our shoes, Advent: Season of Hope , Christmas and waiting, Celebratory seasons.

Chaos Before Christmas

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When you think of Christmas and the period leading up to it, I am sure you are not thinking of variants, lockdowns and isolating. .

Lately all we read about is how far covid has spread, the various variants, numbers infected and living under the threat of lockdowns.

Christmas and the time leading up to it, use to be a time of excitement, anticipation, waiting for that gift, looking forward to carol services, the dread of secret santa, expecting friends and family for the pre- Christmas lunch/parties and post Christmas visits.

After the Christmas festivities we begin to plan for the year ahead. But the uncertainty of Covid has caused panic around the globe, the question on everyone’s lips-

“Is another lockdown coming or not”.

The present situation makes me pause and wonder about the few days before Christ birth,

How did Mary and Joseph felt at the coming of a baby at a time of great uncertainty? They had to travel to Bethlehem for the censors.

Making that journey miles away, with Mary only a few days from birth was no small feat. Only to arrive with no room anywhere in town not even in the inn, but in the manger in the inn.

The uncertainty surrounding Christ birth is nothing compared to what we face today.

Mary must have uttered a silent prayer to God. “Remember us lord” Help us God”.“Protect us God”.

I am sure she did, because they had to flee a few days after his birth, on the run to save His life. She must have constantly prayed for safety carrying the promised child.

You too may have had your procedure cancelled or postponed, or maybe expecting after a long wait and living under the uncertainty of what the future holds for you and your child. Under the threat of Covid and other external factors.

During times of stress and distress we often cry out for help, we ask God the higher power for intervention, to step in and often he does.

Just like He stepped into Rachel’s situation and she became pregnant.  God stepped in and saved Jesus from being slaughtered.


He will remember you and step in.

He does and has not forgotten you, he knows your name, your situation and location.

Draw near to him now and stay close, and be enclosed in His peace. He will come and he will help you.

Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14

Your partner in Hope

Debi

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Always With Us, Presents and Kids, The Christmas Miracle, Faith Vs Fear, Unimagined, Presents The Wonder Of Christmas. Room Of Hope, Moments of Splendors, Advent: Season of Hope. A Christmas Prayer

Does God Forgets

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In our previous posts I wrote about Rachel and how God remembered her. often we make statements like ”God remembered me”.

But does God forget? That’s the question. Has he forgotten about you?

God is not human and does not forgets like humans.

But often we use the word “God has remembered me”. Usage of that word suggests there is a flaw in God. A human flaw of forgetfulnesses.

Man is fallible so, man forgets.  But God is not a human that he should forget, right? Nor a  human that he should lie, has he said it and will he not do it?

Let me Put it to you that God does forgets. Yes he does. He forgets your sins. He himself said “I will remember their sins no more”. So here, God deliberately forgets and erase your sins from His memories. So when He looks at you He sees you clean.

Earlier on in my quest for a child I went through various scenarios, of times when I may have done somethings for which I was atoning for. It could be anything but the guilt of it all stacks up even more when I couldn’t fall pregnant.

I knew I was forgiven, I knew the delay was not a result of things I may have done.  I just couldn’t stop thinking there was something that is causing the delay. I wanted an answer and maybe you do too. It’s so easy to find a reason to hold on to. Hence we blame it on some past wrong doings.

We sometimes think that there is an underlining deep spiritual message that God was trying to send us?

Then I remember, it was I who forgot that God has forgotten about any past sins.

God did not keep the receipt, He cleared the hard drive and He destroyed every backup copy. He does not remember my sins. He has Forgotten them.

So I want to challenge you today to take whatever mistakes you think you have made, use an erase-able pan or a pencil Stack them up.

  • write what you remember one by one,
  • Put a strike next to them.
  • Scribble over them.
  • Then use the eraser and rob them out.
  • Finally rip the paper.

Do the same on your computer/Ipad or smart phone.

  • start typing out all the things you think you may have done wrong,
  • then press the back button or highlight them and
  • then delete it all without saving.
This is what God did.
He deleted, he erased, then ripped up the evidence. He doesn’t remember your sins because when you ask for his forgiveness he just erase it. He wiped the slate clean, he cannot remember and see you as new when he looks at you.

So the next time you think the delays you are experiencing is because of some past sins, some jealousy, habits or other horrible stuff, Just Remember, He doesn’t remember your sins.

You are forgiven, washed and cleaned and you have put on Christ As Paul said, so each time you pray he sees Christ. Not your sins.

He sees His son whom he sent as a baby a long time ago to come and cover you, to come and stand in your place on the cross.
Now you are dressed in righteousness and faultless to stand before His throne. That’s who you are, faultless. So come boldly thanking him, for his forgetfulness.
In his book God came near, Max Lucado wrote. Do yourself a favour purge your cellar . Exorcise your basement. Take the Roman  
nails of Calvary and board up the door.

And remember he forgot.

Your Partner in Hope

Debi

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The Wonder Of Christmas, A Christmas Prayer, Advent: Season of Hope, Hope Against Hope, Our Hope For The New Year., The Christmas Promise,Moments of Splendors, The Possbilities of Christmas , Advent: Walking in Our shoes.

Too Good to be True

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You may have heard the term”too good to be true”. The statement means that if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

I want to put another thought to you, in God’s world there is nothing like too Good to be true.

Because what seems too good to be true is actually true.

We see some too good to be true moments in the Christmas story.

Zachariah laughed when the angel told him he will be a father,

Sarah laughted when she was told she will become a mother.

An angel told Mary a virgin, she will pregnant with the savior .

These were too good to be true announcements causing some to wonder and laugh at the thought.

You may have been written off, in every sense of the word. Past the child bearing age and still unmarried with no child, yet you still hope.

Some of you may have wondered as well. “Me, become pregnant at 40, 45, 50! No, that’s absurd

Not after the medical diagnoses, after my miscarriage and several losses , after getting married late. After, after and more afters

If you believe and desire it. All things are possible to them who believe.

We saw in the previous post “unimaginable”, that We cannot out expect God, we cannot even contemplate what he has in store for us.

All we can do is trust that he has the best in store for us and in his own way, will bring it to pass. Just like he did in those “too good to be true stories above”.

So next time you question weather it will happen for you? Just know that if he did it in time past, he can do it again.

Trust and believe.

Your partner in Hope

Debi

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