News rocks our world with persistent 24/7 bombardment. Much of it is sad, bad and hard to swallow.
How we yearn for good news. How we ache for a break from ‘breaking bad’ style news.
We can drown in discouragement if we allow its waves to overwhelm us.
[bctt tweet=”Our hearts desire light, love, peace, joy, rest and soul’s ease: We find it best in Jesus.”]
Over the last few years, the small world that comprises my family has been hit hard by multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, puerperal psychosis and a rare kidney disease affecting its formerly healthy members.
How do you seek and find solace when life tips you sideways?
You don’t, not at first. There tends to be a numbing shock reaction, a refusal to accept bad news, a self-protective shrinking into our shells.
There’s an admission of frailty, a confession of vulnerability and a need to be set free.
When unpleasant reality hits home in this way, we eventually turn to the deeper reality of Jesus, our stability.
Because the Good News of the gospel isn’t just for Easter. Resurrection of hope can happen any day.
[bctt tweet=”Christ is the Centre, foundation Stone and safe place for all who trust in Him.”]
When we have nowhere else to turn to, God is always here, omnipresent with His comfort and love.
Every life will be hit by storms not of their own making. Each one of us needs a Saviour.
Faith underpins all of our existence. It girds us around with a belt of truth and iron-clad biblical promises.
[bctt tweet=”In surrender to Jesus, prayer becomes an anchor for the soul, rooted in His word.”]
The Good News means we are never as alone as we may feel.
The gospel of grace recognises that bad things will happen and it points us to the One who offers hope for this world and beyond.
Gradually, slowly, we waken to our altered circumstances, pick up the pieces and begin again. Restoration is always possible.
[bctt tweet=”Grace is good news and new every morning. Mercy, love and forgiveness flow freely from God’s throne”]
Instead of allowing the daily news to threaten and disturb us to distraction, we can learn to sift, save and savour the good.
We can pray for the crises, the lost and the desperate, and trust Jesus to be a immoveable, solid Rock for us, a haven of calm in the midst of life’s chaos.
Joining fellow five-minute-friday writers at Kate Motaung’s site as we pour out words in 5 minutes flat (I’ve run over time a bit here) on the prompt ‘news’. Also linking with Barbie for #WeekendWhispers as we share what God is laying on our hearts. Come join us?
**breaking good news** ~ Friends, I am somewhat nervous and excited to share that my book, ‘Seeking Solace’ will be available next week on Amazon (God and health willing!) It’s a self-published account of being all too human and discovering grace in life’s hard places.
Words of Joy 
Congrats on your book. And THIS: “Because the Good News of the gospel isn’t just for Easter. Resurrection of hope can happen any day.” I love this quote by Clarence W. Hall “Easter says you can put death in the grave, but it won’t stay there!” I’m in the #13 spot this week.
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Thanks, Tara! What a lovely quote from Clarence W. Hall. Bless you for sharing it. Yes indeed to death not having the final say on our lives. Easter gives us hope of resurrection power breaking through into our ordinary. I so appreciate your encouraging visits. 🙂 x
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I love this. Circumstances ebb and flow, but God never ever changes. Visiting you from FMF!
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Hi Andrea. It’s lovely to meet you! Amen to “Circumstances ebb and flow but God never changes.” What hope that thought gives us. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Congratulations on your book! And, I enjoyed your ruminations on good news today. So helpful.
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Thanks, Amy! I don’t think I’ll quite believe it about the book until I see it in print. It’s been a long while in the making as these things usually are. Bless you for your kindness about my “ruminations” – I love that word! 🙂
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The bad news can seem overwhelming sometimes and it’s so important to cling to the Good News of Jesus and the hope that he brings, even in the midst of our difficulties. I like your point about sifting these experiences and savouring the good in them too because even in the worst situation there is usually something good to be found if we look for it.
Congratulations on your book- that is exciting news!
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Absolutely, Carly. When we “cling to the Good News of Jesus and the hope that he brings” we are better placed to cope with the painful things life can throw at us. I’ve had to learn to deliberately sift for good over the years. That’s why it’s a helpful habit to keep a gratitude journal/dairy and record some good things. Each day has at least a few grace glimmers for those with eyes open to see them. Because as you so rightly say, “even in the worst situations there is usually something good to be found.” Keep on looking, friend! Thanks for the congratulations on my book. It doesn’t feel real yet because I still have the final formatting to do and that’s a huge learning curve for me. But God has brought me this far and I know He will bring me through the final furlong.
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Joy, such hope-filled words here! And I love the real-ness with which you share. When life knocks us sideways, God doesn’t expect us to power forward with a happy face. He wants us to be authentic with Him and to learn to lean on Him as He guides us through life’s hard. Thank you for the reminder that restoration is always possible.
Just beautiful!
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Jeanne, it’s lovely to see you here again! Thank you for stopping by and sharing how we need to keep things real with God. We may want to “power forward with a happy face” as you say, but that doesn’t fool anyone for long, least of all God. The way to deeper faith is to be as authentic as possible as He “guides us through life’s hard.” We may not be spared tests, trials and tribulations, but we are given the means to lean on Jesus and to learn and grow through them all. Have a blessed weekend! 🙂 x
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I’m so excited about your book, Joy! I can’t wait to read it!
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Thanks, June! I hope you like it. 🙂 x
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Congratulations on your book! So awesome.
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Hi Barbie. Thank you so much for your warm congratulations! It still feels unreal until it finally gets published. The formatting is tricky as it’s mostly poetry and the whole process has been a huge learning curve for me. But I hope to have it available as an e-book by the end of this week, God and health willing of course!
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I’m so excited for your book! God is good and your words matter. I also love this post because of the hope you write about in the midst of all the bad news. God is our eternal hope and He is the rock we lean on when the bottom seems to be falling out. You write from a vulnerable place but you speak of a God who loves nothing more than to walk by our side through everything. Thank you for the life affirming words!
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Oh thank you, Mary! God is so good and I am awed by His goodness and grace toward me. You speak truth when you say I write from a vulnerable place. My book explores life’s dark side and how we are held and kept safe by God’s love and grace, no matter what we go through. It’s always my hope and prayer to reveal God’s hand at work in the everyday and point others toward the hope and joy He brings while transforming us from the inside out. God definitely does love “nothing more than to walk by our side through everything” – Amen! I’m touched and grateful to know you were blessed in reading this.
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Saying thank you for this post and offering up prayers for the final stage of formatting, Joy.
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Laurie, it’s so good to see you here, and even better to have your needful prayers. Thank you!
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Oh yes, Joy, Jesus has definitely been my stability over the past five or so years. Not sure how I would have handled it all without Him. God is faithful.
Lynette
~#74 this wk
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I agree, Lynette, as that’s also my testimony. God’s faithfulness has been my soul’s stability in life’s stormy seas. I’ve yet to write this week’s FMF post but I’ll come and join in and look for yours as soon as possible. Bless you, friend.
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