Sometimes life doesn’t pan out the way we hoped or planned. Bills pile up, relationships are strained, and dreams feel stalled. In these moments, joy can be hard to come by. You may have heard Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4:4 to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” This kind of joy in all circumstances sounds great—until the circumstances come. We all want lasting satisfaction, but when our lives...
If you are suffering from the disorienting and long-lasting effects of sexual trauma, you are not alone. The journey toward healing and renewal begins with seeking God, who not only sees your past and present suffering but also holds your future. In After Sexual Trauma: Finding Renewal in Christ by Camille Cates combines biblical insights with her personal and counseling experience to provide a...
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 I think I can understand the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” as they are written by David in the twenty-second Psalm; but the same words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” when uttered by Jesus on the...
Darkest Night records the last week of Jesus’s life, from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the sealing of his body in the tomb. It includes the story of the darkest night in history—the night of Jesus’s death and burial. On Easter morning, it’s time to flip the book to Brightest Day. Brightest Day records the story of Jesus’s resurrection and the fifty days that followed...
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”7 He said...
