We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. — Hebrews 6:19 |
Friendships are important to me. I love making new friends and I hardly ever meet a stranger. Looking back over the years, one of the benefits of doing what I do for as long as I have is meeting so many different types of people all over the world. Consequently, I have made lots of wonderful friends, with many of my friendships lasting for decades. Of course, I have a circle of friends I'm closest to. They are the ones I trust and am most vulnerable with. Perhaps that's why one of the hardest things I've had to overcome is the hurt I have felt when someone I trusted has betrayed me. It hasn't happened too many times, but one in particular wounded me deeply. I remember, as I was reeling from the shock of it all, I began to examine my heart, and I was surprised to realize that gradually, almost subconsciously, I had put my anchor — the one that was supposed to be reserved for Jesus and Jesus alone — in our friendship. - I didn't mean to, but somewhere along the way I had put more emphasis on our friendship than perhaps I should have.
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I had admired my friend, trusted her, confided in her, and when she hurt me it sent me spiraling into a place of angst and confusion and grief. I didn't know what had hit me. In that corner of my heart, without realizing it, I had pulled up anchor. Rather than being firmly anchored in Jesus, I realized that I was anchored in our friendship. Have you ever discovered that your trust was in something other than Jesus? Maybe it happened when you went through a series of trials. In my experience, when the storms of life hit, and especially if they hit one right after the other, our anchoring in Jesus can become dislodged without us realizing it. To protect ourselves and survive, we can end up tethering ourselves to something else entirely. It can be people or positions, goals or career moves, money or prestige, even dreams or plans. It can literally be anything. Including a friendship. It's such an easy thing to do — to drop our anchor in other places instead of in God and His Word — but when we do, we drift from having our hope firmly anchored in Jesus. And when we're not anchored, we can't endure. We'll drift with every current, letting it take us where we never wanted to go. Let's examine our hearts together today. Let's drop anchor in Jesus once more. Let's make sure we are firmly anchored in Him — and nothing else. Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me if I have dropped anchor in anything or anyone else other than You. I put all my hopes in You, the true anchor of my soul. In Jesus' name, amen. Excerpted with permission from Resilient Hope by Christine Caine, copyright Caso Writing LLC. * |
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Are you holding onto something with more vigor than you are to Jesus? Do you find yourself drifting with every wave that hits? With every storm? Drop anchor in Jesus once again! He is our source of hope! |
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Through tonight, take an extra 15% off your order with code BOOKLOVER at checkout* |
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| Develop the endurance you need to keep moving forward in life |
Resilient Hope: 100 Devotions for Building Endurance in an Unpredictable World |
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Discover a life of resilient hope and develop the endurance you need to keep moving forward in life--one mountain at a time--through this 100-day devotional journey from bestselling author, speaker, and activist Christine Caine. Christine learned firsthand from the joys and challenges of hiking California's mountains that endurance is key to finishing any difficult climb. Drawing on life lessons learned from those mountain trails, Christine offers Resilient Hope for times when: - You've experienced one disappointment after another
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Christine invites you to grow stronger and build endurance through each day's devotion featuring a Bible verse, reflections and stories from Christine, and a prayer––all so you can fulfill your God-given purpose in the face of setbacks and disappointments. |
More from Bestselling Author Christine Caine |
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| Your best days are ahead of you, not behind you. It may not always seem like it, look like it, or feel like it—but it's true. In How Did I Get Here?, Christine Caine invites us to press on - past our fears, past our mistakes, past our insecurities, past our comfort zones, past whatever is holding us back - to reach for more of Jesus. |
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| God is bigger than your current story. Bigger than fear or shame or that voice in your head that whispers that you are not enough, too broken, or too flawed. Join Him in a closer relationship--one rooted in truth and Unshakeable. In this daily devotional Christine Caine encourages you to find confidence to live as the person God created you to be. |
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this devotion with someone who needs it today |
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*Offer valid until August 10, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET or while supplies last. Offer valid online and by phone only. Take an additional 15% off your purchase with code BOOKLOVER, after promotions and discounts and before shipping and handling costs are applied. Shipping, gift cards, or customization of products does not qualify towards minimum purchase requirements. Receive free standard ground shipping on non-rush orders of $35 or more, valid within the 48 continental United States or to an FPO/APO address; offer does not apply to Alaska, Hawaii, the U.S. Territories, rush orders, or expedited shipping methods. Offer only available to customers in the United States age 18 and older. To redeem offer, enter promo code during online checkout or provide the code to a representative during phone orders. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with any other discount offer. FaithGateway reserves the right to de-activate the promo code in the event of fraud or technical issues and limit quantities of individual items eligible for purchase with this discount. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Not valid for resale. |
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