In order that you may not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are [now] inheriting the promises.

Hebrews 6:12, AMPC

I love to laugh. In fact, if you visit my church, you’ll probably hear me before you see me. I’m that person who laughs a little too loudly at the pastor’s quirky sayings—unapologetically. I suppose I could be more refined, but I cherish the freedom of unrestrained joy. Give me a clever line or a funny moment, and I can’t seem to help myself.

I still remember most of the lyrics from the scene in Mary Poppins with Uncle Albert floating around the ceiling in a fit of giggles. Like Uncle Albert, I’m no “squeakeler” either. Mine’s more of a full-on, throw-your-head-back kind of laugh. And while I could probably be more lady-like about it, I just love not holding back the full joy I get from comments I find hysterical.

Joy-Filled Laughter

I think God understands this about me and approves. The Bible talks about the benefits of being full of joy. Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV) says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine,” and Psalms 126:2 paints a beautiful picture of joy:

Then were our mouths filled with laughter and our tongues with singing. Then they said among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them.

Psalms 126:2, AMPC

Laughter has power. It lifts heavy hearts. It helps us breathe again when life feels tight around the edges. Laughter reminds us that joy still exists—even in the hard seasons.

But not all laughter is rooted in joy.

Hope for Dreams that Feel Impossible

Have you ever laughed at something—not because it was funny—but because it felt too impossible to believe?

Sarah did.

In Genesis 18, God told Abraham that his wife, decades past childbearing years, would give birth to a son. Sarah heard it and laughed—not with joy, but with disbelief. She laughed quietly to herself, perhaps with the ache of someone who’s long given up hope. She wasn’t scoffing at God maliciously; she just couldn’t imagine such a thing being true. Quiet, hidden doubt wrapped in a chuckle.

At her age, pregnancy was unthinkable. And honestly, I get it. I’m over halfway to Sarah’s age, and the thought of baby-proofing a house or carrying a diaper bag again sounds exhausting. But this wasn’t just a random hope for Sarah. It was a promise from God, one she and Abraham waited on for 25 years.[1] They waited so long, in fact, that Abraham tried to force the promise on his own—leading to heartbreak and complications that outlived them both.

Abraham’s name meant he was the father of multitudes. Genesis 17:5 says, “No longer will your name be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations” (MEV). Can you imagine the laughingstock Abraham might have been to his neighbors—that his very name meant he was a father of many, yet he wasn’t even a father of one?

I’ve had seasons like that too—when what I was believing for seemed laughably out of reach. Where trusting God with my dream felt harder than letting it die.

Trusting God with the Deepest Desires of Your Heart

Years ago, my husband and I were living in a home we didn’t own on land that wasn’t ours, with no foreseeable way to change any of it. We couldn’t sell it. We couldn’t leave it. And we certainly couldn’t claim it. We were stuck—physically and emotionally.

And while I tried to be content, deep down I longed for more—a home of our own. A place where we could welcome guests, host family, and breathe a little deeper.

But the dream felt laughable.

And maybe you know that feeling, too.

Maybe you’ve silenced your own longing, told yourself it’s unrealistic, selfish to keep praying for, or that it’s just “not meant to be.”
But what if… it still is?

What if God hasn’t forgotten?

Here’s what God taught me in that season:
He sees the desires of our hearts—not as silly or selfish—but as sacred.

Standing on God’s Promises When Nothing Makes Sense

If it matters to you, it matters to Him. Not because He gives us everything we want, but because He delights in placing dreams in us—and walking with us as they grow.

So I got specific with God. I wrote the desires of my heart, and beside each one, I wrote a verse of Scripture. Not to manipulate God into doing what I wanted, but to anchor my faith in something stronger than circumstances. I wanted to pray with confidence and hope. I wanted to remind myself that I wasn’t crazy for still believing. It wasn’t selfish to want something more or something different.

It didn’t happen overnight. But I didn’t wait as long as Sarah did, either.

And eventually, like Sarah, I held my promise in my hands.

There is an old saying, “He who laughs last, laughs best.” Sarah had laughed at God’s renewed promise of a child. But she had the best laugh—the kind that bubbles up from gratitude, awe, and wonder—when she was holding her son. She laughed the kind of laugh that replaces doubt with delight.

In Genesis 21, Sarah says something so beautiful:

“God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”

Genesis 21:6, CSB

Not at her. With her. This is the laugh of joyful, long-awaited victory; the laugh shared by those who have been believing with and praying for you.

Sweet friend, what’s the dream that still lives quietly in your heart?
Does it feel too impossible to even hope for anymore? Don’t label it as too late. And don’t believe the lie that you’re too old, too far gone, or too forgotten.

God sees you. He knows the deep desires of your heart. And the God who made Sarah laugh hasn’t changed. He’s still in the business of fulfilling promises.

When You Finally Hold the Promise in Your Hands

Maybe you’ve told yourself it’s “just not meant to be.” But what if—just like Sarah, just like me—it is meant to be, only on God’s timetable, not yours?

If that desire aligns with God’s Word… if it reflects His character and draws you closer to His heart… then don’t bury it. Don’t mock it. Don’t laugh it off.

Write it down. Find scripture to anchor it. Pray with boldness.
And live with expectancy.

Because when the promise is finally fulfilled, your laughter will ring with joy—not the kind that mocks what once seemed impossible, but the kind that celebrates a God who never forgets what He promised. Your laughter—real, deep, joyful laughter—may be closer than you think.

And believe me… that kind of laughter is worth the wait.

Still Believing God for a Dream That Feels Out of Reach? This Free Prayer Journal Is for You.

Maybe it’s a dream you’ve carried quietly for years.
Maybe life got in the way, and it’s been buried under responsibilities, disappointment, or time.
Maybe you’ve even stopped talking about it—because it feels too far gone, too big, or too late.

But what if God placed that dream in your heart for a reason?

If you’re believing God for something deeply personal—a calling, a breakthrough, a promise—this free Prayer Journal will help you bring it back to Him with renewed faith and hope.

Inside this four-page printable journal, you’ll find space to:

Name your God-given desire with honesty and courage
Anchor your dream to Scripture and truth
Write heartfelt prayers and listen for God’s voice
Practice daily gratitude in the middle of the waiting
Reflect on what God is doing behind the scenes

This isn’t about chasing every whim—it’s about walking in step with the dreams God has planted in you, and trusting Him to bring them to life in His way and His time.

Download your free copy today and start praying with purpose.

Because your dream matters to God—and He hasn’t forgotten.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Abraham and Sarah: Faith and the Promise (Genesis 21:1–7), Wiersbe BE Bible Study Series, Bible Gateway, accessed July 10, 2025, https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/wiersbe-be-bible-study/abraham-sarah-faith-promise-21-1-7.

The post When the Dream Feels Too Far Gone appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.

Psalms 37:4 AMP

I was talking with a client this week about how much I’ve been enjoying her writing. Her stories are simple, everyday experiences in which God spoke a straightforward truth that became a personal, teachable moment for her. Reading these quiet nudges and lessons in her upcoming devotional, I can already picture women sitting with her words in their laps, nodding through tears, relating to what they are reading.

As I was talking to her about the delight reading her stories was, I shared with her that reading had always been a passion for me. When I was a child, I would hide under the covers with a flashlight and a book tucked close to my chest. When my parents caught on, I found another trick: the soft glow of the streetlight through my bedroom window. If I angled my book just right and parted the curtains, I could stay in those stories well past bedtime. Nancy Drew, The Boxcar Children, or Anne of Green Gables—they weren’t just characters, but treasured friends.

Coffee, Conversation, and a Quiet Whisper from God

This morning, sitting in a coffee shop with a friend and two empty cups of coffee beside me, I talked to the Lord about that early love for reading. Now, all these years later, I get to help others birth their stories into the world! How beautiful is that? Then, considering the delight and joy that comes from writing words for my own readers, I was in awe of the direction He’s led me in the past few years. And as I was asking Him what I should write today—for you—He spoke to my heart, “Tell them I will give them the desires of their heart, too.”

Sweet friend, that word is for you today.

Hope for Your Desires

Isn’t it just like God to whisper hope in the middle of the ordinary? While it’s easy to look around and compare—especially in seasons of life when it feels like you should have more figured out, more accomplished, or be more settled—God gently reminds us: don’t look sideways. Don’t measure your life against someone else’s timeline, their calling, or their version of success. Instead, the Lord invites you to delight yourself in Him. Trust that He sees and knows you. He has not forgotten the deep things you’ve long prayed for—the things you barely whisper anymore.

You see, when our delight is His delight, it changes the desires of our heart! It is then we begin to understand the power that comes from praying for things His Word says we can have—when our prayers start to echo His heart. Things like your spouse or children having a relationship with Him, the house or job you’ve been praying for, the health of a loved one, or holding a new life in your arms.  In fact, the New English Translation phrases Psalms 37:4 this way: “Then you will take delight in the Lord, and He will answer your prayers.”

God Knows Your Desires

God knows the deep, intimate desires of your heart—the things that really matter to you. He knows, He cares, and He has a plan.

Chuck Smith’s commentary says, “God knows your situation. God knows your limitations. God loves you. God will take care of you. Just trust in the Lord.”[1] So take a moment to just breathe. You don’t have to figure out all the details. Just do the good in front of you and find joy in His presence, direction, and calling. Trust Him to do all that you can’t.

David Guzik put it beautifully: “The one who truly delights in the Lord will find his heart and desires changed, steadily aligning with God’s own good desires for his life.”[2]

Matthew Henry’s commentary reminds us that this promise isn’t about fulfilling every whim. It’s much deeper than that. “He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body and the humours of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please Him and to be pleased in Him.”[3]

Keep Delighting in Him

Whatever you are doing in this season or facing today, know this: God sees you right where you are. He knows the deepest desires of your heart—the things you’ve been believing Him to do or to work out for you. And He’s calling for you to delight in Him. He wants you to trust Him to work out the details of the promises to which you are holding. Keep loving and pursuing His call. Then watch Him write the story of your life that is more beautiful than you could have imagined.

What are you praying for? Is it something you’ve not spoken out loud before? Take a bold step and write it out, then find a verse from God’s Word that you can stand on in faith as you believe for that to come to pass!

Download this FREE GIFT, a beautiful three-sheet printable. If you have a disc notebook, it’s the perfect size for that! Print, punch holes, and you are ready to write every bold prayer for which you are believing.

[1] Smith, C. “Verse by Verse Study on Psalms 31-40 (C2000) by Chuck Smith.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 1 Jun, 2005. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Psa/Psa_031.cfm

[2] Guzik, D. “Study Guide for Psalm 37 by David Guzik.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 6/2022. https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/psalm/psalm-37.cfm

[3] Henry, M. “Commentary on Psalms 37 by Matthew Henry.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 1 Mar, 1996. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Psa/Psa_037.cfm

The post You’re Not Too Late to Have the Desires of Your Heart appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In Him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting His Yes within us. By His Spirit He has stamped us with His eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what He is destined to complete.

2 Corinthians 1:20 MSG

I recently received a phone call from a friend I met a few months ago. Her voice trembled as she shared how she felt she was hitting a brick wall with God—desperate to hear from Him. As she poured out her heart, I felt the weight of her struggles. She felt alone, frustrated, and like God was distant. It would have been so easy to sink into the same despair with her, the pull of hopelessness when life feels too hard, messy, and overwhelming. In those moments when everything feels out of control, you may wonder where God is in the chaos.

Maybe you’ve had those days, too. Days when it feels like you’re juggling a hundred things. The moments when life hits hard and you’re standing at a crossroads: Do you give in to fear, or do you trust God and fight back with faith? As women, we often carry so much—responsibilities no one sees, unspoken worries, and the silent burdens we bear for our family. When we’re trying to keep everything together, it just takes one thing to knock you over the edge. We’re pulled in so many directions that it’s easy to lose sight of God’s voice in the mayhem. When a crisis strikes, our response determines our emotional and spiritual health and influences the world around us.

Fighting in an Emergency

God has given us a weapon to fight the battles we face—His Word. But here’s the truth: in emergency situations, you need to have something already chambered in your heart when the enemy tries to steal your peace. You can’t wait until the storm is raging, and the enemy is breathing down your neck to reach for your Bible and start thumbing through the pages for help. Instead, feed your spirit every day. Write specific scriptures to meditate and memorize. Post them on your bathroom mirror, your kitchen cabinets, on the hood of the stove, or in your car. Let His Word remind you, again and again, that you are not fighting alone and that you can trust Him.

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 AMPC

God’s Word isn’t just words on a page. It’s a living, breathing truth that can cut through the fog of doubt and fear. Find a verse you can use to fight with, because complacency isn’t a choice you can live with. I am not talking about “cherry-picking” scripture—finding a verse that you can twist to fit your situation while going against God’s character and the truth of the Word as a whole or ignoring other passages that also apply. Instead, consider the situation and research what God really has to say about it! When God is backing you up, trust that you can’t lose!

Using the Weapon of the Word

When we respond to situations using His Word as our weapon, we come into agreement with what He already says about it. We trust God’s faithfulness to back His Word. When my new friend called, she wasn’t looking for me to solve her problems. She needed to remember the God who never breaks His promises. She needed to be reminded of what she already knew, but in her struggle, had forgotten. And sometimes, we need that reminder, too. We need someone to come alongside us and say, “God is still with you. He’s still faithful.”

Trust that God is still with you. He’s still faithful.

2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (NIV). When you look up the word amen in the Greek, it means faithful; so be it, may it be fulfilled.[1] When we come into agreement with what God says by saying “amen” to it, we are actually saying “God, You are faithful to Your Word. Let your Word be fulfilled in me.” When we stand on His promises, we partner with God in a powerful way.

Matthew Henry’s commentary explains this passage by saying, “the promises of the gospel covenant, which they preach, stand firm and inviolable. Bad men are false; good men are fickle; but God is true, neither fickle nor false.”[2] God will not violate His Word, and His Word is truth. That He is faithful, even when we are not, takes the pressure off our shoulders. I don’t have to come up with the answers, I just have to trust His.

You can Trust Because of Jesus

The Living Bible paraphrases 2 Corinthians 1:20 by saying, “He (Jesus) carries out and fulfills all of God’s promises, no matter how many of them there are; and we have told everyone how faithful He is, giving glory to His name.” Chuck Smith’s commentary goes into depth, explaining the passage this way:

Jesus is the assurance to us that God’s promises are all true. And all of God’s promises to you are wrapped up in Christ. God has promised to give you life, that life that is in Jesus. This is the record God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in the Son. God has promised to give you peace, but that peace is in Jesus. God has promised mercies to you, but those mercies are coming to you in Jesus. All of the promises in Him are yes, or are fulfilled in Him to us, and the fact that God sent His Son is the assurance to us that God is going to keep all of His Word and all of His promises that He has made to us of that eternal kingdom and the glory that we shall share with Him, world without end. Jesus is the affirmation to you that God has meant what He said and that He will keep all of the promises that He has made of the coming kingdom and the glory of that kingdom that shall be yours when you live with Him in His kingdom forever.[3]

He sums it up simply, “All of the promises of God to us have been fulfilled in Jesus.”[4] Jamieson, Fausset & Brown’s commentary says, “‘Amen’ is His oath, which makes our assurance of the fulfilment doubly sure. Compare ‘two immutable things (namely, His Word and His oath) in which it was impossible for God to lie’ (Hebrews 6:18, Revelation 3:14).”[5] Over and over, we have the confirmation that we can trust God’s promises and come into agreement with Him for them to bear fruit in our life. You just have to know what those promises are.

Before Google . . .

When I was in high school, one of my teachers gave me a book of Scripture grouped by alphabetized categories. Google wasn’t a thing then, and that book got a lot of use. When I needed peace, I flipped over to the section on page 131 and began reading on that topic. Years later, when my brother headed overseas to defend our country, I sent that book with him. Today, you can do a quick search on any topic and get all the ammunition you need to fight physical or mental attacks.

The Word is a powerful weapon, and God made sure His children had all the weapons needed to combat the enemy. When we use it the way God intends, it helps us control the thoughts that try to imprison us by taking those thoughts captive instead! 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (AMPC) says:

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

I know how hard it can be to trust God and stand on His promises when life is pressing in. I’ve had moments when I’ve had to fight for peace, too. Recently, a family member had undergone a procedure that made the doctors scratch their heads as they stepped back to determine the next best steps. My mind raced with all the unrealized dreams of the future I’d been counting on and felt slipping away.

How to Trust When Facing Insurmountable Odds

When you are facing what feels like insurmountable odds, or there is so much to do that you don’t know where to start, don’t fall prey to the schemes of the enemy to discourage you. He will falsely tell you that things are beyond your control, you are a helpless victim, and things will never get better. Frankly, he will keep lying until he finds the lie that works—that incapacitates you, because if he can stop your victory, he can stop the domino effect that follows it!

I could feel the enemy trying to drag me into grief over something that hadn’t even happened. I got choked up as my mind spiraled down the path in which the enemy delighted. But amid that chaos, God’s Word rose in me. “Healing is the children’s bread.” It was a truth based on a story of a woman who refused to give up on her miracle, and it brought me back from the edge of despair.

Healing is the Children’s Bread

The story found in Matthew 15 tells of a woman who came to Jesus because she wanted Him to heal her daughter. She wasn’t Jewish, and Jesus responded that He “was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (vs. 24, AMPC). Verse 25 says, “But she came and, kneeling, worshiped Him and kept praying, Lord help me!” When Jesus seemed to be unchanging in His decision, her persistence in faith moved Him. Verse 28 (AMPC) says, “Then Jesus answered her, O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you wish. And her daughter was cured from that moment.”

It was remembering a simple phrase I’ve meditated for years. Based on a scriptural principle, it was the key which unlocked the door of the mental prison the enemy tried to keep shut. And once I tasted that bit of freedom, other passages quickly came to mind. I also remembered the many, many times God had faithfully been true to His Word or healed previously. Revelation 12:11 tells us we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony—saying what God has done for us before. If He did it once, I could trust Him to do it again!

Taking my thoughts captive didn’t change what the doctors saw. Taking my thoughts captive and focusing on the Word changed what I saw. It gave me the strength to keep trusting. I had the power to hold on to the promises Jesus purchased for me. Then I asked others to join me in prayer.

Taking my thoughts captive didn’t change what the doctors saw.
Taking my thoughts captive and focusing on the Word changed what I saw.

That’s what trust in God’s Word does—it shifts our focus from the storm to the One who calms the storm. And that is exactly what my friend needed, too. She needed a reminder that God was still working, even when she couldn’t see it for herself. Her faith and assurance in God’s Word just needed a little jump-start. She needed someone not in the middle of the situation to remind her of what God said about the problems she was facing and to encourage her she could fight the overwhelming feelings of discouragement with the Word of God.

Trust God’s Faithfulness

If you are facing something that seems insurmountable right now, remember this: God has been faithful before, and you can trust that He will be faithful again. When was the last time He came through for you or for someone you love? Think about that. Find the promises in the Word that apply to your situation. Make a list. Meditate on them. Say them aloud. Write them everywhere you’ll see them until His Word is louder than the lies in your head.

And as you hold on to His promises, listen for that still, small voice whispering to your spirit, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you wish.” You are not alone in this battle—God is with you, and His Word is your greatest weapon. Keep fighting, keep trusting, and watch Him come through for you again.

Ever feel like you’re just not enough? Check out the post, “Disqualified by Doubts and Fears? Discover How to Still Answer God’s Call.“

If you want to trust God to be faithful to His Word in the area of healing, please grab a copy of my book, Believing for a Miracle. God is still doing impossible things today and you can trust that His Word is true!

[1] G281 – amēn – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 24 Oct, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g281/kjv/tr/0-1/

[2] Henry, M. “Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1 by Matthew Henry.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 1 Mar, 1996. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/2Cr/2Cr_001.cfm

[3] Smith, C. “Verse by Verse Study on 2 Corinthians 1-2 (C2000) by Chuck Smith.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 1 Jun, 2005. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_2Cr/2Cr_001.cfm

[4] Ibid.

[5] Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, . “Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1 by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 19 Feb, 2000. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/2Cr/2Cr_001.cfm

The post How to Trust God’s Promises in Difficult Times: Finding Faith When Life Feels Overwhelming appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

Two years of chemotherapy. To an eleven-year-old, it lasted forever. As his mother, it seemed that way to me, as well. The hours we spent praying and speaking the Word were countless. We wrote scripture on index cards and posted them all around the house and in our hospital room with each visit. Whether I was cooking dinner, getting ready for work, or meeting another nurse, I had the Word in my line of sight.

When you want something badly enough, you will do anything. You will do everything! We were desperate for God’s touch and He did not disappoint. God defied every prognosis we were given, and our joy was indeed full.

Another Call

Then we got another call. My sister-in-law received a cancer diagnosis as well. We were devastated as our minds went back to the years of treatment and side-effects our young son had endured. I geared up to fight a battle with which we were familiar. I pulled out the index cards again and began declaring the Word over my sweet sister.

The war waged. After a long season of fighting, I could sense that she was tired. I prayed, declared, argued, and cried out to my Father. I questioned and pled her case, wondering why the answer I was praying for delayed. Giving up was not my desire, but I didn’t know how long I should keep believing for the miracle that was not yet evident.

How Long Do I Keep Believing?

I asked a precious friend for godly counsel. How long do I keep believing and praying over someone who is tired of being sick, tired of medicine, and tired of fighting back? What do I do? What do I pray?

“Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.”

Proverbs 27:9, TPT

My friend’s answer was simple and profound. She said, “Keep praying the Word. Never stop praying and speaking the Word, no matter what the circumstances.”

You see, I was focusing on what I was seeing, and in doing so, I had taken a burden that wasn’t mine. In doing something good, fervent prayer, I had assumed liability for the healing. My job wasn’t to heal my sister-in-law. It wasn’t up to me, and I couldn’t bear the burden of when or how healing manifested. My only job was to follow Jesus’ example. He always prayed and spoke the Word of God, and that is what I must always do, too.

Fullness of Joy

God doesn’t always answer us in exactly the same way. There is no magic prayer formula. His command is to ask in His name and receive what He has for us. Keep believing. The fullness of joy we receive isn’t because we get everything for which we ask. The fullness of joy is that we learn to trust Him with every need and situation we face.

We need unwavering faith in His ability and trust He will keep His Word. It really is that simple. It’s not my job to be God. My job is to believe Him. Take Him at His Word. Receive, that your joy may be full.

A Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the powerful promises in Your Word. They are for me!

Your Word says in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are all answered ‘Yes.’ So through Him we say our ‘Amen’ to the glory of God.” I give You all glory for Your promises and agree with Your Word for every promise in my life.

I submit my life and will to You, and trust You with every situation. I thank You for the fullness of joy that comes through trusting You and relying on Your Word. Your Word is alive, active, and working in me, and I will keep believing it. I cast every care on You, knowing You care for me, and I receive the strength and joy of the Lord as my portion today.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Let’s Talk!

Do you have good, godly friends you can go to for prayer or when you have questions? Praise God for your friends! Post their name in the comments below and share with them how they have blessed your life.

If you don’t have a close friend from whom you can receive godly counsel, ask God to bless you with a good friend. Make it a matter of prayer and keep believing. His Word says a man who has friends must himself be friendly (Proverbs 18:24). Be the friend you need to someone else and watch God’s Word work!

I can’t wait to hear from you!

Blessings,

Free Printable:

Enjoy this Thankful Series printable set as a free gift. Included in the download are five colorful watercolor style photos with scripture printed on each. Choose your favorite to print or print them all! They are 5×7, perfect for framing!

Click on the link and this printable will open as a PDF in a new tab.

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Today’s Must-Read Recommendation:

Empowered: A 31-Day Devotional to Empower Your Every Day

Get Rhonda Matthew’s 31-Day devotional, Empowered to empower your every day.

You’ll find her books as well as books and journals by other authors online at Integrity Publishing. (Purchases also available directly through Amazon.)

The post How Long Do I Keep Believing? appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

“Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.”

The Gift of Imagination

Starting something new sparks imagination. Imagination is a gift from our Father. As the Creator of the world, He was the first imaginer! With our imagination, we can plant the seed of an idea and create a massive harvest when we apply effort.

But with our imagination, worry can grow from tiny seeds of fear. An idea brewed in my head. All I needed to do was to start.

My imagination seemed endless as I researched ideas. The possibility of success was exciting! It would take hard work, but I felt confident God would help me.

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The Traitor

Then, wham! Out of nowhere, a question came to which I did not have an answer. A tiny little seed festered doubt at the heart of my dream. My imagination, once helpful and hopeful, became a traitor to my passion and ate away at the positive possibilities with ferocity. Within half an hour, I wanted to quit. It could cost thousands of dollars to find the answer to the question. Discouragement talked me out of the dream God had laid on my heart.

Have you ever walked through a similar situation? Your idea seemed grand and imagination was on your side until one problem poked a pinhole into the balloon of your dream. Perhaps you had a plan, but something out of your control derailed you and left you feeling overwhelmed and confused. Deflation of expectation seems crushing, doesn’t it? Sometimes I just want to scream at the world to get its act together so we can get on with dreaming and moving forward again!

Moments of Discouragement

God knew we would face moments of discouragement. John 16:33 (AMP) says, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world. [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” He knew discouragement would come, but He made a plan for us to succeed. It’s exciting to realize that God desires our success more than we do! He wants us assured that His victory (and therefore ours) will abide!

How do we demolish those feelings of overwhelm and discouragement when they come? God’s Word is full of ideas we can walk out to help win the battle of discouragement.

5 Ways to Win the Battle of Discouragement

Speak Scripture

One idea is speaking only what God says about the situation, promise, or dream. The enemy will always want seeds of disbelief to grow. To combat this, we must plant hope if we want a hope-filled harvest. Countless verses in His Word address courage, overcoming fear, having faith, and walking in peace. He loaded His Word with promises and assured us they will succeed.

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“Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In Him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting His Yes within us. By His Spirit He has stamped us with His eternal pledge – a sure beginning of what He is destined to complete.”

2 Corinthians 1:20, MSG

“God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that He won’t stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:6, CEV

Self-Control

Second, we need to use a little self-control. God created us with a powerful mind. We must control the thoughts we allow to run through it. Don’t let negative emotions and thoughts run wild. Harness those, cast your cares on Him, and focus on thinking and speaking the Word! Philippians 4:8 tells us that “whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report, think on those things” (KJV). That is a long list of things on which to focus our imaginations!

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].”

2 Timothy 1:7, AMP

Summon Memories

Another way to demolish those feelings of overwhelm and discouragement is to think about other times when God answered prayer. Summon those memories! Recall times when God has come through for you. Revelations 12:11 tells us we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Thinking on His faithfulness chucks those negative seeds out of the fertile ground of our heart so they cannot take root.

Psalms 34:17 says, “When the righteous cry [for help], the Lord hears and rescues them from all their distress and troubles” (AMP). Do you know what all means? I heard conference speaker Linda Silverman say, “All means all, and that’s all that all means!” All leaves nothing out! God is ready to rescue you.

Self-Edification

The fourth way to win the battle of discouragement is to be your own source of encouragement! When things weren’t looking great for King David, 1 Samuel 30:6 says that he encouraged himself in the Lord. The Hebrew word for encouraged means “to grow strong, be courageous, be resolute” (H2388, n.d.). Psalms 139:14 says, “I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” (AMP). You are a work of God. Make no mistake, He created you with His perfect skill in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:27). That makes you awesome!

It is not God’s plan for you to be a failure. The admonishment in Proverbs 16:3 is, “Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance]” (AMP). When things seem overwhelming, go back to what He says about you. Gain strength recognizing that doing His will ends with your success.

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Sing

Last on my list of how to demolish feelings of overwhelm and discouragement is to sing. You don’t have to be an amazing vocalist to sing! God loves it when we sing about His love, greatness, or what wonderful things He can do. He is more interested in the lyric than the talent. Pastor Bryan Matthews said that we can sing things we aren’t comfortable saying. Turn up the music, sing out the Word, and drown out the doubts. By singing along with uplifting worship, your praise becomes a powerful weapon!

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.”

Psalms 100:1-5, KJV

Win the Battle of Discouragement

In the beginning, God didn’t stop until the work of creation was over. Jesus didn’t give up His spirit until He finished His work on the cross. As we follow these examples from the Word, we can keep working on what He has called us to do until we finish with success.

There are more than five ways to win the battle of discouragement. The Word of God is full of stories about people just like us who faced impossible, frustrating, and overwhelming situations. But just as God came through for them, He will come through for you. Don’t give up. Be strong! Be courageous! Demolish the feelings of overwhelm and discouragement as you discover God’s devotion to your dreams!

“But as for you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.”

2 Chronicles 15:7, AMP

“Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting-for He will never disappoint you!”

Psalms 27:14, TPT

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References:

H2388 – chazaq – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2020, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2388

Free Printable: Scripture Cards to Build Your Faith!

Enjoy this free set of printable Courage Scripture Cards featuring encouraging passages to build your faith as you believe. These cards are 4×6, perfect for placing around the house, using as an encouraging bookmark, or framing! The cards display a total of 25 verses that are personal favorites of this author and her social media followers.

Just click on the card or link and these printable Bible verses will open as a PDF in a new tab. Print any or all of them!

_{(Downloads are only available to hollydmurray.com subscribers: With downloading, you’ll be OPTING IN to our email newsletter with more encouragement and freebies delivered straight to your inbox! Unsubscribe at any time.)}

Today’s Must-Read Recommendation:

This Season of Hope: 5-Minute Messages to Recapture the Life You were Designed to Live

Get Paula A. Lambert’s 31-Day devotional, This Season of Hope for more ways to win the battle of discouragement every day.

You’ll find her books as well as books and journals by other authors online at Integrity Publishing. (Purchases also available directly through Amazon.)

I also created a handy little info-graphic that you are welcome to save or pin.

It’s an at-a-glance reminder of the 5 ways to battle feelings of being overwhelmed or discouraged. I hope it will be a blessing!

The post Win the Battle of Discouragement appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.

“HOLLY! I NEED YOU!”

Hearing this yelled out is rarely a good thing. I was already on my way out the door, my youngest son having secured our pets in their kennel. My husband Keith had come storming in the front door moments before while I had been calmly dressing for the day. I heard him say that a rattlesnake had fallen into his office.

I have no idea what I was thinking when I threw my fluffy, gray robe back on and slipped into my flip-flops before heading outside. But before I rounded the corner of the office to find out more information, I heard his yell. I had no weapons in my hand.

We live in the country; so do snakes. About the only time I get any sun is when I’m outside cutting the grass. We keep the whole field in front of our house cut short to deter creating a hiding habitat for creepy crawlers. With all the cutting I’d done, I’d not seen one snake. Now I walked toward the very thing I work to avoid.

Creepy Things

His office door was open and I watched my husband, broom in hand, move items stacked closest to the door. He was watching closely, moving cautiously. He said he needed me to look for it as he reached down and began to move a couple of small boxes out of his way.

Leaning against the building behind the open door was my steel-tooth rake. Glancing around where I would need to place my feet before stepping, I grabbed the rake and pulled it toward me. I began pulling the few items on the floor of the office outside the doorway to where I was standing, watching carefully for any movement.

My husband shifted one of his saxophone cases and I yelled, “I SEE IT!” He froze. I had seen a sliver of silver flash as the body of the snake slithered further under the case toward my husband.

Using the Tools at Hand

Strengthening my grip on the rake handle, I carefully hooked the rake tines under the handle of the saxophone case and pulled it out of the door toward me, exposing the snake. Quick as a flash, my husband simultaneously pinned the snake’s body with a yardstick and stepped on the small, triangular head of the snake.

I didn’t scream. I fixed my eyes on the long, thin tail of the young snake as it shook, rattling, and then curled over the black shoe my husband had planted firmly on its head. Keith didn’t move.

When the snake stopped moving and keeping the body pinned with the yardstick, my husband moved his foot from the head. I hooked its lifeless body with the tines of the rake, carted it into a dense part of the woods, and flung it off the rake. I returned the rake where it didn’t belong, and came inside to dress for the day.

Strength

Coffee hadn’t given me strength this morning. I’d not fixed a cup yet. The only accomplishment for my time that morning was the time I’d spent in the Word of God and prayer. God was the source of courage I’d used.

Scripture works even when you don’t think to quote it. Jeremiah 1:12 (AMP) says, “Then the Lord said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it.’” It is God who fulfills the Word. My job is to have faith that He will do what He says.

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That realization takes the pressure off, doesn’t it? I must be obedient to do what He tells me and be faithful to walk in relationship with Him. This is simply knowing Him more by spending time praying and in His Word. While I am responsible for my part, He actively performs His Word! He never fails to keep a promise—even the ones we hope we never need.

Authority

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:19a (TPT), “I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith.” He goes on to say that this was the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. He writes that Jesus is over every authority forever. Ephesians 1:21 reads, “not only in this age, but in the age that is coming” (TPT). God’s power is available for us to use by faith. He gave us the authority to use it for a purpose. The enemy may wield his power in this world to bring trouble, but we have the authority to use God’s power! There is just no comparison!

I never want to tread on scorpions or serpents. I never want to see my husband do it again, either. But it isn’t just physical scorpions and serpents we have the power to tread on. Luke 10:19 says we have, “the ability to exercise authority over all the power of the enemy (Satan)” (AMP). The enemy of our souls wants us to believe that we are powerless against his schemes, attacks, and distractions. But take courage! God provides every tool that we need to conquer those troublesome things we face. We can exercise our God-given authority over anything the enemy tries to use, even the creepy things!

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves who we are so that we can remember the authority we have been given. Click here to download this free printable to remember you are His!

To read more from Holly, get a copy of her book, Believing for a Miracle, on Amazon.

The post Authority Over Creepy Things appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

So do not stop believing God now. Your faith will bring you much reward. You must not give up believing. Then you will do what God wants you to do. Then you will get what He promised you.

Knowing what the future holds is intriguing. There are games and apps to “predict” the future or give direction, and there are countless fortune tellers who will give you their opinions for the right price. The latest craze hitting the Internet changes a photo so you can see what you might look like as an older person. While photo aging is harmless, I couldn’t help but consider that it demonstrates the inward pull to know the future.

Who knows the future? God does. God has a plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11). While you may not know every detail of what tomorrow will bring, we know that if we are walking in God’s plans and call for our life, He will cause all things to work for our benefit (Romans 8:28). You may know who knows the future, but what should you do? What is His plan for your life?

Much of our future rests on the pages of His Word. You live your perfect future by opening His Word today and reading (doing) what He commands. Isaiah 1:19 (AMP) says, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the best of the land.” The Bible is full of commands and promises. Open it. Get a word from the Lord about your future. Start working His plan. And instead of being dismayed by what you might look like in twenty years, get His picture and the encouragement you need to keep pressing until you finish your race.

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Check out the Believe EncouraJournal on Amazon if you are looking for an amazing tool to encourage your faith!

To read more about how God provides perfect promises for you, read Untapped Promises!

The post Who Knows the Future? appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity – in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground – in the land He swore to your ancestors to give you. The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

I have a confession to make. I’m in a particularly busy season. I finish projects and take on new ones that excite me. I look forward to digging in and start cranking out whatever the project calls from me. Sometimes, I get so focused on what I plan to accomplish that I often skip meals and breaks unless someone reminds me of the time or tells me to stop. Even then, it is hard for me to put away the process.

Yesterday was one of those days. Focused on accomplishing much, I didn’t stop until I realized I had completely exhausted my capacity to type one more thing. I took a break to watch a few minutes of television with my husband, then went to bed. As I lay there, I thought about the next steps in my project and what I needed to do to complete it.

Swamped Season

This morning, the Lord woke me with a thought. I get so busy, and so focused that there are other things I neglect doing. Before I start working, I take the time to get in the Word. I even usually fix coffee first. If I didn’t, those two things might be neglected or forgotten entirely. But the Lord was bringing to my mind something specific. He reminded me that I’ve been so busy that I’ve not yet changed the account numbers on one of my businesses.

We changed bank accounts not too long ago – okay, maybe it’s been a few months. Keith set up all that he needed to do on his end, but we wanted to have funds from one of my businesses to go into a different account. I’ve not yet completed that task. It isn’t hard to do. It really doesn’t take that long. And I have money sitting there doing me absolutely no good because I’ve not done what I needed to do. You see, it isn’t in savings – making a percentage while not being used. It really is just sitting. Serving no purpose whatsoever. Dormant. Unused. Untapped.

From Sterile to Successful

As the Lord spoke to me about this simple fact, He stirred another thought in my spirit. What else lies untapped in my life? You see, He filled His Word with promises. But, we need to reach out and take hold of them – they are ours for the taking, to believe and work until we see them realized. God wants us to shift our season from sterile to successful.

Do you believe in God’s ability to fulfill the promises He made in His Word, or are you just too busy in this season of your life to tap into those dormant promises? The Word works, but it is powerless until you wield it. You must work the Word for the Word to work on your behalf.

Define Your Desire

Need healing? Find Scripture that promises healing and confess them over yourself. Take His Word like a medicine along with the wisdom He gave you and your physicians to administer healing to your body. Keep repeating all doses, until you have the healing for which you believed. There’s never a worry of overdosing on God’s Word.

Do you need a financial breakthrough? God’s Word contains promises for that. Are there relationships in your life that need mending? God’s Word has answers for that, too! Do you need wisdom? Yep, you guessed it. Look in the Word! I’ve yet to experience a problem that isn’t addressed in God’s Word. First, I need to define my desire and believe that God’s Word works. Then, I need to do something with it in order to see God’s promises and purposes come to pass in me.

What is it that you need? God loves you. He doesn’t want you to just live, to endure, to barely scrape by. He wants you to thrive. Declare defeat over the dry seasons and dormancy of your dreams. God’s Word breaks the drought and delivers the downpour. Provision has been made; this is the season to tap into the promises.

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To read more on the steadfastness of God’s promises, click here!

Photo Credit to https://fshoq.com

The post Untapped Promise appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

This morning, I completed a few daily tasks while the coffee brewed. Determination marked my countenance. Unlike yesterday’s event of brewing without drinking a single cup of the hot, piquant liquid, today I planned for success. I noted the sky outdoors looked a little on the gloomy side. Inquiringly, I popped open my weather app to see what the day would hold. The forecast called for storms for the next couple of afternoons.

            Sitting down at my desk, I pulled out my Bible and it fell open to the book of Luke. Let me say, I’m not usually a “read where it falls” kind of girl. Typically, I plan with a specific book in mind or my daily Proverb first. Today, however, felt different. The headline that grabbed my attention was “The Lesson of the Fig Tree.”

The Lesson

            Initially, my thought was that this passage would be the story where Jesus cursed the fig tree. I recently heard a sermon about that, and the familiarity left me feeling rather pious. This should have been my first clue that I needed a lesson. Pride and thinking you know what God wants to tell you before He speaks isn’t the best approach to morning devotions.

            Instead of the “cursing of the fig tree” story, this passage began with calling attention to the change in seasons. Also, it happened to describe the exact seasonal shift we currently face in south-eastern Georgia. Summer approaches quickly (And all the teachers and students shout, “Amen!”).

            As usual, I read the passage and highlighted the verses referring to the cyclical change and the fulfillment of prophetic words. I felt a nudging in my spirit about the many words prophetically given over me. Some from people and, more importantly, some contained in the very Book I read. But it was the last verse in the passage that I felt leap within me. “Earth and sky will wear out and fade away before one word I speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose” (Luke 21:33, TPT).

Earth and sky will wear out and fade away before one word I speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose.

Luke 21:33

Promises

            I meditated what my eyes read and listened for the Lord to make all the connections to my heart. He always does when I’m patient enough to wait. Today was no exception. He reminded me that I have natural expectations, but the spiritual realm is just as real as what I see with my eyes. When I walked the dog, it never occurred to me to wonder if the sky hung where it should. And with equal confidence, I must recognize that God’s Word, His promises to me, will be accomplished in my life.

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            Scripture tells us in Psalms 93:1b that “the world is established, it shall never be moved.” Psalm 104:5 reads, “He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.” 1 Chronicles 16:30 reads, “Tremble before Him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.” Ecclesiastes 1:4-5 tells us, “A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.” Genesis 8:22 (TLB) reads, “As long as the earth remains, there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.” The world isn’t going anywhere, and the sun never fails to rise and set. The lesson – even more steadfast than the cycles in this world are the promises that God has spoken.

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Please note: All Scripture written as ESV unless otherwise notated.

Do you like peace and quiet? Get your official copy of the album Peace in the Storm from my store or listen for free to select songs on YouTube (SK Murray). Great listening for reading the Word and meditating your promises!

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