We all understand grief and suffering. But have we all found the source of comfort and hope? It's in a Person, and His name is Emmanuel, God with us.

Brett and I understand grief and suffering from losing our two sons. Yet, we also experienced the presence of Emmanuel like never before in the midst of the pain.

This holiday season, I encourage you to see the new thing God is doing in your life. He came to this earth to make a way and a stream for you by suffering through the wilderness and wasteland. Look for Him, and you will see a new thing spring up.

While many are obsessing over all things pumpkin spice or debating if it’s too early to put up their Christmas tree, I have a different emotional response this time of year. I can never look at a fall leaf the same. Both of my sons, Seth and Roi, were due to be born in the fall. And the Lord spoke to me through the process of leaves dying. Here is a chapter excerpt from my book, Living Hope…

I’m tired of hearing people boohooing over our secular media; yet they still pay with their pocketbook and don’t support the alternative. This weekend is your chance to bring your family and friends to watch a film that shares the hope of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes, my faith looks like this.

Broken. Right in the middle. Torn between belief and unbelief.

We are immobilized by the suffering and pain in this world and are tempted to give up, not stand and take the next step in front of us.

I’m sitting in this shower and don’t want to get up, because I find relief with the water drowning out the world around me.

All of this laboring, praying, counseling, encouraging, sharing our lives and the gospel…will it be in vain?

The Lord didn’t have to answer my prayer. Either way, He still wanted me to come to Him, draw close to Him, and declare that my trust and dependency is in Him alone. He chose in this instance to reveal how big His heart is…

The Lord has given me His vision not to see clearly but to see blurry: the blurriness of our lives harmoniously interwoven in everything…