Tag: hopeful

Hope of the World

Posted on by Staci Mauney

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)

Do you celebrate Advent? I hadn’t heard about this celebration until I was an adult. I’d heard about advent calendars and wreaths, but I believed those were only for certain denominations. Then, about 15 years ago, I attended a Baptist church where the pastor lit a candle each week for Advent and told us more about what each candle represented. It was then that I realized Advent was for everyone.

The word advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means “coming.” During Advent, we celebrate that Jesus Christ came to the earth and that his second coming is imminent. Acknowledging Advent allows us to slow down during this busy season and focus on the reason we celebrate: Jesus. Continue reading “Hope of the World” →

New Year, New You

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor. 5:17)

The new year brings with it the promise of a clean slate, with greater things yet to come. Each year as the calendar turns over, we hear refrains of “new year, new you” echoing everywhere—in ads on TV, on the radio, and on social media. Bloggers write about ways you can make changes and make a fresh start as the new year rolls around.

The problem with this is that we don’t leave our problems behind just because the date on the calendar has changed. Difficult situations that we faced on December 31 are still there on January 1. Continue reading “New Year, New You” →

Where Is Our Hope?

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Pet 5:10).

We entered 2021 with such hope for the future: hope for the pandemic to end, hope for a peaceful resolution to the election chaos of the last few months.

Although we’ve turned the calendar, our problems remain. With COVID-19 continuing to ravage our nation and the chaos in the US Capitol this week, it’s easy to focus on the turmoil around us. But one thing we should remember, no matter what’s going on around us, is that our hope is in Jesus, not this world. Continue reading “Where Is Our Hope?” →

Praying the Psalms for Encouragement

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Ps 39:7)

My spiritual discipline for 2020 is prayer, and what a year of prayer it has been! From global issues like COVID-19 to national issues such as racial disparities and the election to personal issues like community, I’m learning to “pray continually” (1 Thess 5:17). But sometimes, situations are overwhelming, and words are hard to find. When that happens, I use prayer prompts I find online or in a Bible study plan. Often those prompts are from the Psalms. Continue reading “Praying the Psalms for Encouragement” →

A Summary of 2019 in Three Words

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Rom 12:12)

As 2019 ends and a new year (and new decade) begins, I like to look back at the events and lessons of the previous year. I’ve mentioned before in this blog that I think it’s important to reflect on the past in order to move forward. Usually, this means a year-end evaluation of my goals or my word of the year.

This time, I’m trying something a little different. Recently, I read about choosing three words to summarize the year. While the article was written for married couples, I took away some important information that could apply more broadly to my own life. Continue reading “A Summary of 2019 in Three Words” →