Heart2Heart Women

Rejoicing in Hope

/ amyjomccranie

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12


On September 24, 2024 Hurricane Helene made landfall. Helene cut a 500-mile path across six states and left 250 dead. In the mountains of North Carolina, she dumped 1 ½ feet of rain on a land still trying to recover from the effects of the previous two days of flooding. Nearly one hundred deaths were reported in North Carolina alone; as of this writing fifty are still reported missing.


Lives were lost, homes were washed away from their foundations, towns were wiped off the map. Entire families clung to trees, waiting and hoping someone would save them.

Like you, I have been greatly moved by the devastation we have witnessed. Helene is the worst storm to hit our nation since the Great Flood of 1916. Despite the pain of so many, we’ve heard the many reports of hope from those who have the least reason to hope. They tell about the goodness of God that they have witnessed amid the sadness.


Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope Romans 5:3-4


Jewel Warrick has lived in a town, Relief, NC for fifty-five years. Helene tore through her small community and buried her home in mud. She and her son James evacuated just days before the storm. Six residents of Relief died, including two young boys. Jewel is quoted as saying “we’ll survive, we’re not giving up. We can’t. There’s hope and when you have hope, you move on”!


Jewel’s hope, and that of so many others, is not human hope or worldly hope, that kind of hope is merely a wish for what one desires to happen. No, the hope we’re talking about is a hope founded on that which is greater than what man can do. It is not an elusive hope, it is a living and sure hope. It is not based on the temporal or what is seen but what is eternal and unseen.


What is the source of this sure, eternal hope? It is the hope we can find only in God; He alone is the reason we can even dare to hope. It is a hope that binds His oneness to you.


May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13


My pawpaw was known for many things. He was a man of great wisdom and many of his words still ring in my ears today. “Just remember, no matter how bad off you think you are, you can always find somebody that’s worse off”. Now, he in no way was assigning a degree of suffering but rather pointing out the importance of perspective. Even when it feels like you have no where to go there is hope.


In a few days we will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. As we gather around the table with family and friends let’s determine to set our minds on the goodness of God and His great bounty. There is a sadness for certain. So many will have empty chairs at the table. But there is also a reason to rejoice. Our God is a God who loves. He is a God of mercy. He is a God of hope.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Peter 1:3

What If…”

/ Sandra Bivens Smith

Life is really busy for me right now.  It is not so much my own activities, although that is part of it.  What I am really struggling with is more emotional busyness because of so many things that are going on around me. 

Changes – lots of changes.  They are mostly exciting, happy changes, but some are not.  It is the not-so-happy changes I am dealing with this morning. As I thought about them, it occurred to me that, life being what it is, if I am going through some tough times you might be too, and that maybe we could talk about it. Recently, some things have come along that have the potential to change my life in profound ways.  I’m talking life changes that are causing my heart to be heavy.  Situations that are unsettling and downright scary.  I am talking about circumstances that cause my mind to go immediately to what if…? 

There is no need to give you the details, that’s not really important right now – you have your own “what if…” details to deal  with.  What is important, is how you and I are going to get through these not-so-happy life events without completely losing it! If you’re interested, I would like to talk to you about how we can change our “what if….?” to “Whatever!”  Just so you know, what I am sharing is not from some clinical perspective; it comes from my own right now experience. 

Ready?

First pray.  We have a promise in James 4:8 that says if we will draw near to God, He will draw near to us.  Now, this is where I would normally tell you to give it to the Lord, to lay it down and leave it.  That’s good counsel.  Of course, when you’re stuck in the “what if…?” desert, it is not easy counsel to take.  Our hearts just don’t always work that way do they?  However, prayer is mandatory.  So, even when we don’t feel like praying, we pray anyway.  If we will just keep with it, peace will come.

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Then, practice.  We’ve determined that we have to pray even when we don’t feel like it, right?  Now we have to practice our faith, even when we don’t see it.   In fact, the very definition of faith is believing what we can’t see (Hebrews 11:1). How do we do that when we are in the “what if…?”  For one thing, we replace our anxious thoughts with confident thoughts.  No, “positive thinking” is not going to change the situation.  Guess what?  Negative thinking won’t either, but we don’t have a problem doing that do we?  Besides, it’s not positive thinking I’m talking about here, it is “Whatever!” thinking.

whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Next, pause.  We need to take time to rest in Jesus, let Him comfort us.  We listen to Him as He speaks to our hearts and our minds and our souls.  He will you know.  Through His written word, through creation, through the Holy Spirit (the Comforter).  Jesus loves us.  He knows our love language and He will speak to us in ways we can’t even imagine.  What are the things that give joy to your soul?  A Psalm, a child’s laughter, the quiet moments of dawn, a sunrise?  Pause and listen for Jesus.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

Finally, PRAISE!  We will have cause to rejoice.  When we get rid of the “what if…?” and begin to trust God with the “Whatever!” something wonderful happens.  We are filled with peace and even joy.  Our hearts and minds become free and we suddenly notice that all that weight we’ve been lugging around is just gone!  I can’t explain it, I just know that it happens.

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. (Psalm 94:19)

Is everything hunky-dory with me.  No, it is not.  My mind slips, my thoughts wander back to “what if…?”  (Even at this moment, my anxious thoughts are trying their best to sneak back in.)   Jesus and I are still working on it.  More importantly, Jesus is working FOR me. 

When those “what if…?” thoughts come, Jesus draws me back.  His Spirit speaks to me.  He reminds me, ever so tenderly, to pray, to practice, and to pause. I praise God because He has promised me that I can let go of the “what ifs…?” and trust Him with whatever.

Let the Studies Begin

/ Sandra Bivens Smith
Lexington Bible Study begins today.

Lexington, NC is Heart2Heart’s newest chapter. We are anxious to see all the ways God is going to bless.

To all the women beginning their journey in the “LORD CHANGE MY ATTITUDE, Before Its Too Late” study today, please know you are being prayed for.

If you would like to be a part of the Lexington women’s small group study email Mikki at Mikki@Heart2HeartWomen.org for information. It’s not too late to get in to the fall study. Groups meet on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM or 6:30 PM.

The “LORD, CHANGE MY ATTITUDE Before Its Too Late” study will be happening in Charlotte, NC and Iron Station, NC as well starting next week.

Encouraging Words

/ Mikki Halbach

“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

When was the last time you felt meaningfully encouraged by another believer?

Some of us may be able to easily remember a recent experience; others may struggle to remember a specific moment we felt encouraged. Some will feel they have experienced Godly encouragement when they haven’t; others will feel they have not experienced Godly encouragement when they actually have. How do we know the difference?

Encouragement today is often worldly, words that offer empty praise, meaningless comfort or false affirmation. Things like:

  • “You did a great job on that project.”
  • “Everything’s going to be okay.”
  • “Of course you were the right one in that argument”

These types of encouragement aren’t necessarily wrong or bad, but as Christians, we should seek to offer something more.

Biblical encouragement, while it does affirm or encourage, offers something far stronger. Real Biblical encouragement cultivates humility, builds courage, and, above all, strengthens our hope in God. Worldly encouragement justifies, Biblical encouragement inspires. Biblical encouragement is not about making others feel better about themselves, but preparing them to know, obey, and enjoy more of God.

God commanded that his people encourage each other because he knows we need it. Jesus warned in John 16:33 “in this world you will have trouble,” which He then followed with a much-needed encouragement: “But take heart; I have overcome the world”

By looking at examples in scripture, I find three things I believe Biblical encouragement should do:

  • TELL THE TRUTH-true encouragement speaks the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)
  • AIM AT OBEDIENCE-true encouragement calls for obedience to God. (Joshua 1:7)
  • STRENGTHEN HOPE IN GOD-true encouragement strengthens hope in God, not in self. (Isaiah 41:10)

Scripture also gives us examples of four things Biblical encouragement should look like:

  • AFFIRMATION-for those who do not see their value and potential as God sees it (John 1:41-42)
  • PRAISE-for those who are stepping out in faith (1 Thessalonians 1:2-8)
  • CONSOLATION-for those who have had their world “rocked” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
  • EXHORTATION-for those who are tempted to give less than their best (Hebrews 12:11-13)

To develop any new skill, you need to practice, being an encourager is no different. Don’t wait until it feels natural—practice until it feels natural!

We live in a broken world that wears us down. Sin steals our joy, our bodies break down, our plans fail, our dreams die, our resolve weakens, our perspective dims. Knowing this, as sisters in Christ, why do we not seek daily to encourage one another. Step out in faith and make it your goal to encourage someone every single day and experience the blessings of being used by God in this way.

Your Heart Sister,

Mikki 💜