Category Archives: Words of Encouragement

Feeling confused, depressed, or just blah today? Here are some words of encouragement to help stir up the hope in your heart.

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How Prayer Ignited Our Hope During The Covid Pandemic

At 9-centimeters dilated and laboring, police escorted my support out. Covid-19 was changing hospital protocols by the minute. Heartbroken and tired I was learning the hard way that life in lockdown would look different than the plans we made. 

2020 for my family was like a scene from the movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks and his volleyball friend, Wilson. My husband and I hunkered down at home with days between showers, feeling lost, ignorant, scared, and desperately reaching out for rescue with a newborn in our hands. Being stuck on our own private island wasn’t a fantasy anymore. 

Family canceled flights and friends stayed home. My husband and I were forced to celebrate our little girl alone. The long days in isolation turned into weeks of postpartum tears and despair. We were facing baby battles on the outside and feeling fear on the inside. 

Finding time to read my Bible for encouragement and strength was incredibly difficult. Under a slew of sleepless nights and strenuous, tear-soaked days, my thoughts were growing weary and my role as a mom was feeling heavy. 

In a frantic SOS text, a friend responded, “God equipped you with His Word in all the days leading up to this moment. He knew back then what you would need today. His Word is in you.” The wrestling in my soul went still as I recalled Psalm 23 in my mind: 

“’The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’” Psalm 23:1-6 ESV

Friend, if you feel yourself drowning under the hardships of life or you feel overwhelmed by the battles you’re up against, draw on what the Lord has planted in you out of this season. Recall His faithfulness in all the moments that brought you here. God was planting His seeds of hope back then to grow in this season you’re in. The Helper is in you and has equipped you with what you need to live in His presence today. 

Everything you need you already have.

During stay-at-home orders, our church started mid-week prayer calls on Zoom to help connect the congregation outside of Sunday online services. Every Wednesday my husband and I logged on to see our spiritual family face to face through the screen and partner with Jesus and the Church in prayer for our city, our nation, its leaders, and the pandemic. It was like a breath resuscitating our dry bones.

In the fabric of our being, we were all created to come to the Father with our praise, our pleas, and to just be. Present. Listening. Longing. Not the kind of self-centered prayers that focus solely on how our situation could be better. Our hearts need to be advocating for the Church with the Church, praying for the lost and those struggling through a pandemic without Jesus. 

The problem was my perspective. Seemingly overnight my heart of gratitude turned into grumbling. I was giving too much attention to what wasn’t working and missing the bigger picture. It’s easy to let emotions consume us in the valley of our circumstances. We might complain, become bitter, and get angry. The enemy deceives us into thinking our pain is too great, our strength too weak, and our burdens too heavy to possibly care for others. What more can we give when everything we have has been taken? 

The world looks a lot smaller when all we can see is our own struggle. When we’re staring at the trenches of our situation, we miss the Truth. I did have more to give. I had gifts of prayer stored up inside. I had songs of worship and blessings to give praise for. 

Prayer and worship are what held my family together when the world was falling apart.

Burying our thoughts in prayer instead of complaints kept us free and moving forward when we felt like giving up. Prayer renewed our minds and our hearts. Prayer was God’s grace and it gave us hope again.

Personally, motherhood turned out to be much different than I had planned. I had to release my grip on what I considered my purpose with work and writing and accept this new assignment in ministry as a full-time stay-at-home mom. This was my lane to run in and thrive. I realized that I can still change the world from here. And that brought me great peace to know that I am fulfilling my purpose and God-appointed assignment.

The global pandemic helped develop my prayer life and taught me to lean in and trust the Lord for perseverance. Marriage and motherhood in lockdown have both taught me to keep my focus on God. They have forced me to spend a lot of time on my knees and to be thankful for the moments I have in God’s Word. The more I pray and the more I seek God’s will, the better my ministry to my family becomes. 

‘Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.’ Psalm 112:4 ESV

© 2021 by Trisha Keehn. All rights reserved.

First Published on Empowered Women Faith Club

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The unconditional truth about love

No Conditions Attached

An eye for an eye.

It feels like it’s been built into the fabric of our being. When things aren’t equal and balanced, an internal sensor alerts us that we are giving too much and receiving little in return. The trouble with condition-based living is that we serve a no-conditions God.

Our pride or our past might have us stuck believing we have to earn grace and good standing with God. We might feel like we have to justify His mercy with merits and good works.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”(Hebrews 10:16-17 ESV)

Here is an unconditional Truth we must reconcile within our hearts:

God sacrificed his son, Jesus, on the cross to pardon our sins. He didn’t wait for us to jump through hoops or hold us accountable to conditions before He wiped our slate of transgressions clean.

No conditions attachedOur gracious God gave His Son, and then He gave some more. When we accept this kind of lavish love from a giving God, we don’t have to strain to be perfect or cringe at perceived conditions. When we accept what Jesus has done for us, we are free to allow others to be who they were created to be. No conditions attached.

Often our relationships on earth are a direct reflection of our relationship with God. Let’s examine our hearts for a conditions-based mindset with others. Are there any activities or groups you’re a part of because you feel it’s earning you more salvation points with God?

Father, I admit sometimes I try to earn my salvation and favorable circumstances with my giving and good works. I confess that I even treat others with this same condition-based logic. Realign my mind and heart with Your truth, God. Help me accept that You gave once and for all without conditions so I can be fully who You’ve called me to be. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

© 2020 by Trisha Keehn. All rights reserved.

First Published on Beloved Women

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Keep Your Eye On The End

the end is better

How many times have we set a goal with high expectations of the finish only to find ourselves drifting from the routine a few days later? We might believe we can fight the frustration and stick with it this time, until the beginning of change battles with our comfortable routine.

“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8 ESV)

the end is betterHere in Ecclesiastes, we have this great reminder that it’s not the beginning that determines how well we did. It’s the purifying process of perseverance during this difficult season in life that is producing the Lord’s perfect way in us.

Life will bring many new beginnings and many more unpredictable obstacles. If we stay stuck on the stumbles, we’ll never discover the better part of our goals, our relationships, or our jobs. When we choose to show up, stand up, and start with the end in sight again, our resilience begins to refine what we can do in other areas of our lives.

Our disappointments can’t keep us down if we’re willing to stretch for the patience and perseverance to finish.

And if our struggles seem like too much, we can look to the cross for encouragement. Our God who planted the beginning of grace preserves it until the end.

Are you struggling with a goal that you’re tempted to give up on? In this season of your life, what fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) can you see being produced through the purifying process of perseverance?

If you find yourself discouraged by your present circumstances, here’s a prayer to help transform your thoughts. Jesus, thinking of Your example of perseverance to go to the cross to finish what our Father began helps me stay focused on my finish. Holy Spirit, when I’m tempted to give up remind me how much better the end will be when I choose to stay committed for the glory of Your name, God. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

First published on Beloved Women.

© 2020 by Trisha Keehn. All rights reserved.

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The Hope You Need When Life Hurts

A meditation God gave us for those moments

Are you feeling hard-pressed, persecuted, defeated or in despair? If so, know that you are not alone. Many around the world are facing the same challenges you and I are facing. If your heart is weary and your strength is failing today, God’s Word holds the hope you need when life hurts.

God breathed these words [below] through the pen of Paul 2000+ years ago, to give you and I some hope when life hurts:

Do not lose heart [Insert Your Name]. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV.

Friend, press forward in your circumstances and keep your eyes on Jesus—all the while, remembering what He has waiting for you. These troubles are temporary and this hurt is brief in comparison to what is just ahead.2 Corinthians 4:16-18, fix our eyes, unseen, eternalWe can face suffering, shame, and hostility even if we feel weary and faint of heart because our goal is Jesus, standing at the finish line. This is the hope we need when life hurts.

We can remain steady in our focus, sure in our walk, and firm in our commitment to do His will when we keep our Savior in our sight.

Our eternal rewards far outweigh the temporary struggles we will face today. Stay surrendered to love and encourage God’s people. You can stand in full confidence knowing that the Almighty God’s plans with you will not be shortchanged.

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Studies show gratefulness might be the key

Statistics on gratitude say those who are grateful live longer, healthier lives. Studies say people who live with a thankful mindset are also more compassionate, forgiving, and feel less lonely. But living a life of gratitude is easier said than done when life isn’t going our way.

How can we be grateful when our spirit is broken and the weight of our situation crushes the life out of our praise?

When life circumstances feel unfair, unjust, and simply uncalled for, we can quickly stop trusting God and try to take control of the situation. Especially when the tears won’t stop and our situation feels like it’s getting worse.

waiting, hope, trishakeehn.com

God doesn’t want us to hold back the pain or cover it up with cliches. In those moments of despair, our loving Father wants to hear from an honest heart. Our Healer wants to handle the heartbreak.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 NIV

God is making all things new. While the pain is real, He wants us to fix our eyes on His greater plan and promises. As we wait on God’s ways and His timing, refocusing our earthly hurts onto the heavenly hope of Jesus is for our own good.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 NIV

When our weary hearts anchor hope in the Word of God and believe He is always faithful, those worn out, wrecked thoughts transform into expectant, grateful hearts.

But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT

Practicing gratitude takes conscious effort. It’s easy to lapse into a negative mindset when life turns upside down. One easy way to help you see beyond your situation and reflect, recharge, and refocus on God’s Word is with one of our Bible plans focused on gratitude.

To create small reminders of God’s goodness during your day, use the YouVersion Bible Lens App to capture faces, places, and moments you’re grateful for. When you upload your photos in the app, Bible Lens will pair your picture with the perfect Bible verse. This can help transform your thoughts about the day. You can also try writing down one thing you’re grateful for either at the beginning or end of each day.

God does not push us away when we bring Him our pain. He brings us in even closer. When we refocus a burdened spirit on God’s unfailing love, we find hope that things will not remain the same. He is making all things new.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

In our struggles, we can be grateful that God hasn’t left us to fight these insurmountable battles alone. Our Great Defender has defeated the valleys of life and the grave of death to give us a new life, a new spirit, and a new heart in Him!

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Your Promise Land Is On The Other Side Of Your Pain

You must persevere to get to the other side

promise, 145:13, God is faithful, God's promises

Fresh into our first year of marriage, my husband and I were arguing over laundry, dishes, the dog, and everything under the sun. Fight after fight, fear had me questioning God and His promise for my future. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that God wasn’t doing what I assumed a good God would do.

Have you ever had your hopes dashed, a devastating thing happen, or a situation never seems to get better? Fear has an awful way of exaggerating our reality. Worry can snowball a small situation into a much larger problem.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God designed a place for His children to prosper. It’s a Promise Land where you and I can experience the most abundant life in store for us; a renewed marriage, restored health, a refreshed calling, released from the chains of addiction. God’s desire is for His children to dwell in this Promise Land free from fear, anxious thoughts, or negative thinking.

Just like the Israelites who stood at the cusp of Canaan, their Promise Land,

we might be standing one step away from our Promise Land and fear has us thinking of turning back.

They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.” Numbers 13:27-28 NIV

It took 40 years of walking the wilderness to find this Promise Land and now God’s children are letting fear make them want to throw in the towel. The Israelites are fearful of what they’ll find on the other side of this one last mountain to climb, but they’re soooooo close!

Isn’t it crazy what fear will have us doing?

Concerns overworked in our minds become worry. Worry digs up doubts that this situation will get better or that God will intervene. Doubts morph into dread and unbelief as we stand at the foot of our Promise Land. 

You might be ready to cash in 40 years or even four months of marriage. Maybe you’re thinking of running back to life as a slave to sin because you haven’t seen the harvest of your hard work just yet. Panic will produce all kinds of irrational thoughts as an attempt to control the situation.

Don’t give up yet, you’re almost there!

It takes perseverance to step into the Promise Land.Psalm 145:13, God is faithful, God's promises

It’s difficult to see from where you’re standing, but the situation isn’t as big as your fear wants you to believe. God is much bigger and your Promise Land just on the other side is much better. You’re at the foot of your Promise Land, don’t turn back now.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13b NIV

When we open God’s Word, we’re assured He’s working out His purpose here for our ultimate good and His glory. Fear may have you facing a delay or even defeat, but this is not your final destination. Your Promise Land is just on the other side of the mountain.

Whether your circumstances change or not, hold onto this eternal hope: Jesus is still on the throne, our Father is faithful, and His promises are true for you today.

I promise you!

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What to do with what frustrates you the most

Living with the superpower of patience

Have you ever felt like you had the “right” to revenge? To get even? To have your say? To confront someone? Maybe it’s with your kids, your spouse, a friend, or someone at work who frustrates you. Emotions can make it difficult to make wise decisions. When we’re consumed with what we “deserve” to do, our thoughts cloud what God’s Word says we should do.

In the Bible, we see some great men of God, like Samson and David, prove that impulsiveness is rarely the right reaction. Both men made choices in the moment out of pride and lust that snowballed into more and more sin. We find that waiting on God could have prevented a lot of pain.

Demonstrating a little patience now can save us a lot of problems later.

patience now, less problems later

It’s easy to love other people when life is going our way, but what happens when the kids take too long getting ready in the morning or our boss asks us to stay late again? When someone tests our last nerve, the way to walk out patience in the moment is to:

  • Remember God’s purpose
  • See the situation from His perspective
  • Put others first

Remember God’s Purpose

The purpose of everything is to lead us to God. Even the devil unintentionally fulfills this truth. When Satan tempts us to react in frustrating situations, God is giving us the opportunity to focus on the One who settles it all. These difficult situations offer the perfect place to turn to God for the strength to endure this circumstance and to see things as He sees them.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

God’s ways might be difficult to understand, but His character is not. Above all, He is God Almighty. He is just. And we can trust Him completely because His character never changes and His word never fails. Becoming more patient means gaining a better understanding of God’s sovereignty so that we can let go of the situation. It also means acknowledging that God loves us no matter what.

See the Situation from His Perspective

Whenever you face trials, you can remain steady in a storm and patiently endure the hardship because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3 NIV

When someone is selfish or rude or maybe just mistaken, we can look past the pain and stand patient in our love for others because of our love for God. Adopting God’s perspective is the key to becoming more patient with people, with ourselves, and even with God Himself.

Put Others First

Once we understand God’s purpose in all things and we gain God’s perspective, the last piece to living with more patience is to put others first.

It’s easy to think if we put others first then our actions suggest they must have done something “right.”

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God … Romans 3:23 NIV

None of us deserve the radical grace God extended to us through the death of His only son, Jesus. The truth is that obeying God’s commands means you’ll live life differently, just like the life of Jesus.

Instead of reacting to humanity’s failures or out of your own struggles, what would your life look like if you submitted to God’s purpose, His perspective, and put others before yourself? There is a secret superpower in becoming more patient; you are becoming more like Christ. For His glory.

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Make The Most of Your Days

More than just once a year

wisdom, number our days, Psalm 90:12, make the most of your days

Saturday’s are short, life is short. And though we make our own plans, many details are still so uncertain. We like to mark the years with our birthday, but we would probably be wiser to number our days. One day a year isn’t enough when we have 364 more chances to make the most of every opportunity God gives us.wisdom, number our days, Psalm 90:12

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NIV

Living in light of eternity makes every day significant—no matter how many days we have on earth.

Your thoughts have tremendous power. Your day will follow the course of your thoughts. When you live with an attitude of faith and expectancy, you will be strengthened and empowered by the Spirit of God.

Take inventory of your thoughts and replace them with declarations of your faith.

When the storms come, be assured that these trials are refining your soul to produce a purer version of you. You are better having gone through it; that is how God works.

The beginning of wisdom is knowing that He is God, and you and I are not Him.

I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! Psalm 91:2 AMPC

You can make the most of even the hard days because God honors a heart of faith.

If you’re bold enough to speak it, God is bold enough to do it.

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What to do when you don’t know what to do

obedience, eternal gain, small steps

What to do? Most likely, it’s a question you ask often. I do.

I’m convinced when my mind understands the eternal calling here on earth, then my earthly calling will be fulfilled in eternal ways.

In other words, when you grasp that God put you here to experience mercy in the face of emotions, to extend grace when situations fall short of expectations, to flood the nations with Jesus’ love and compassion, then what you should ‘do’ is exactly this.

Our ‘calling’ can sound daunting when we hear “nations” but see only our neighborhoods.obedience, eternal gain, small steps

Start with your next step. Small steps in obedience to God’s desire for your life leads to an eternal gain.

Are you fighting selfishness? Pray for the welfare of others before you begin prayers for yourself. Are you consumed with concerns of a comfortable life; more money, more time? Then say ‘yes’ to the company of others and give away what you have all the more.

In whatever way you share Jesus with others, that is what God has called you to.

The skills, talents, and resources God has gifted you with to carry His compassion to even just one soul, that is your calling.

God’s will is that you do this with a thankful heart. 1 Thessalonians 5:18