“God Help Me”
by Plumb
Thank You
to anyone and everyone who recommend
links, books, quotes, etc.
ABCs of Jesus’ Love
Visit this page anytime and let me know if you’d like to add to the words describing Jesus’ love along with a verse supporting it. Remember, there is also a print-out of the original list.
This month I have added an “D” Word:
❤︎ Delivering Love ❤︎
“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,
and He will deliver us again.
On Him we have set our hope
that He will continue to deliver us.“
2 Corinthians 1:10 NIV
Books
I am not always able to keep up with the abundance of books that promote hope, healing, and freedom, so I haven’t always read every one I post here and on the Books Page. Though many are on my long wish list. 🙂 Many will be from recommendations of online friends. If you ever know of a book that is not listed and that supports this website’s mission, please let me know. 🙂
Divine by Karen Kingsbury
This is a novel that brings awareness to the reality of horrific child abuse. It’s hard to read, but the beauty of the story is that God rescued and redeemed Mary. Then He used her to bring love and hope to others suffering abuse.
“Mary Madison was a child of unspeakable horrors, a young woman society wanted to forget. Now a divine power has set Mary free to bring life-changing hope and love to battered and abused women living in the shadow of the nation’s capital.
Mary is educated and redeemed, a powerful voice in Washington, D.C.—both to the politically elite and to other women like her. But she also has a past that shamed polite society. Her experiences created in her paralyzing fear, faithlessness, addiction, and promiscuity. At the crossroads of her life, only one power set Mary free and gave her a lifetime of love and hope. A power that could only be divine.” (Amazon Review)
Hope Harbor
💞 Links That Inspire Hope and Healing 💞
💞 A Christian Perspective on Depression – Vaneetha Rendall Risner shares insights and an interview with Terry Powell. “Those who suffer with depression often endure silently, feeling shame and internal condemnation. For Christians, the struggle is often magnified by the assumption people are less spiritual if they can’t seem to ‘count it all joy.'”
💞 Can Christians Truly Have Mental Illness? by Bev Rihtarchik – Bev brings awareness to mental illness. Christians are not exempt from it. She shares her struggles with it and with the misconception some Christians have that it means a lack of faith.
💞 8 Powerful Promises to Calm Your Soul When the World’s Falling Apart by Bonnie Gray – “With everything that’s happening in the news – combined with all that’s going on in our families, our friends’ lives, with our kids, our jobs, or the heated politics – we can feel despairing or overwhelmed. Yet, in the midst of chaos, we have an anchor to hold onto in the storms of life: Jesus.”
Nature Retreat
“Never lose an opportunity
of seeing anything beautiful,
for beauty is God’s handwriting.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
These photos are from a 2015 vacation in and around Duluth, MN. I believe the falls were called Gooseberry Falls and the lighthouse Split Rock. I love how lighthouses guide ships, tossed about in nature’s storms, to safety. Just like Jesus does in the storms of our lives. (John 8:12) 🙂
🐾 50 Magnificent Natural Landscape Photographs – Stunning landscape photos
🐾 Dave Morrow Photography – Breath-taking views of landscapes and night skies
🐾 Todd Amacker Conservation Visuals – Amazing nature photos from the Appalachia, Gulf Coast, Southern Africa, and more
Quotes
New quotes this month are about Healing, especially from abuse.
❤︎ “Whether you were threatened, experienced further abuse, or shamed into silence; it is common for survivors to suppress their experiences. You may have perceived that talking about the problem brings danger and more fear. In reality, talking about your abuse in the presence of safe others helps to validate your feelings and release years of pain.” – Dan Hitz
❤︎ “In a futile attempt to erase our past, we deprive the community of our healing gift. If we conceal our wounds out of fear and shame, our inner darkness can neither be illuminated nor become a light for others.” – Brennan Manning, Abba’s Child
❤︎ “Often feelings of shame, powerlessness, and self-hate are bottled up with the memories, and as the memories come through, these feelings do, too. Yet healing isn’t just about pain. It’s about learning to love yourself.” – Laura Davis, The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
Freed to Fly 
The photos are stunning, Trudy, and your messages of encouragement for those suffering from pain in the past or in the present shine so much hope into what can too often be a dark and frightening world. Thank you for sharing, my friend!
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Thank you, Martha. Yes, it can be a dark and frightening world. We all need that Anchor of Hope, don’t we? I read in some comment somewhere that your mother-in-law is now living with you. I pray you may have strength and wisdom to adjust. I miss your posts, but I understand your need to withdraw for a while. I’m so glad I still “see” you here and at Linda’s. 🙂 May we reach out to the hopeless and point them to our only hope in Jesus!
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Yes, Trudy, it’s quite the adjustment, and your prayers are so, so appreciated!
Blessings!
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I will keep you in my prayers, Martha. Blessings to you, too! To all of you!
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Lighthouses provided a graphic visual reminder of His awesome care and protection, don’t they, Trudy? I enjoyed your photos and all the inspiring links you shared! Everyone is posting their month-end musings – I just can’t believe January is gone already! Blessings on your week, dear friend!
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Thank you, June. I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos and links. Yes, lighthouses certainly do remind us of God’s awesome care and protection. 🙂 They remind me of how the light of His love beckons to us in the midst of these storms of life to lead us to the safety of His arms. I, too, can hardly believe January is nearly over already! I am looking forward to the first of February though so I can say, “Next month it will officially be spring!” Blessings to you, too! May we open our hearts more and more to the leading of God’s light!
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A big wow to those beautiful photos. They are truly soul- filling (if that’s a word). I would love to visit there. Is Karen Kingsbury book new? I have not heard of it before.
As always you provide such a good variety to satisfy our hearts, minds and souls. Blessings!
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Thank you, Mary. Duluth is such a beautiful place. “Soul-filling” sounds like a great word. 🙂 That’s how I feel about your nature photos, too. 🙂 I think Karen’s book was originally published in 2007 and reprinted in this cover in 2011. I just happened to come across the older one in our library. I must have missed it in those years. Are you a Karen Kingsbury fan? I’ve read a lot of her books. Blessings to you, too! May God’s creation, even in these dreary winter months, fill our souls with His beauty!
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Trudy, So much good in this post. 🙂 You know me. I especially appreciate the photos. That lighthouse…wow. And the final pic with the rocky cliffs. Breathtaking. 🙂
Thanks for the links for the landscape photography. I’m checking them out now.
So thankful for you, friend. Sending you love and hugs!
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Thank you, Jeanne. Yes, I know you love nature photos. 🙂 I’m sure visiting the landscape photography links will refresh your soul. Sending love and hugs back to you! May we keep soaking in the beauty of God’s creation and know in our hearts that He is always with us!
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Dear Trudy, I love Plumb’s music, she always strikes such a deep chord in my heart! And those 3 links you mentioned have such great hope within them. But then when I scrolled to your nature pictures, my eyes filled with tears! We lived in the Minneapolis area for 10 years, and have visited Gooseberry and Split Rock Lighthouse several times–such beautiful memories! Now, when it’s so difficult for me to travel, your photos brought such a light to my heavy places here. What a special gift from the Lord. Thank you dear friend! Love & Hugs to you! xoxo
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I’m so grateful the photos brought back beautiful memories and brought light to your heavy heart, Bettie. Hearing that brings tears to my eyes, too. God so lovingly directs things and supplies our needs, doesn’t He? As I searched for photos to share here, and found these, the beauty of that area again awes my heart. Love and hugs back to you! I pray God will hold you up and lighten your heart when the heaviness of chronic illness wearies you. May we together cling to our God who knows, cares, and understands every weary step we take!
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I always love your end of month posts, Trudy! This is another great selection. I really like the photos- and thanks for introducing me to another new song too! Love and hugs to you!
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I’m so glad you enjoy them, Lesley. I always know for sure that you will enjoy the songs. 🙂 Love and hugs back to you! And as the artist of the song prays, may God also help us to move, to see, to go, to stay, to do whatever He asks of us!
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Trudy,
Did you take those photos? They are gorgeous! (I know sometimes you say your son shoots some of the photos you use!) It looks like an amazing spot to see God’s handiwork –although I wouldn’t want to be there in the winter 🙂 and a place to contemplate his beauty. I haven’t read that Karen Kingsbury book you mention here, but I do love Karen’s calendars and beautiful quotes from her books that she includes so I wonder if I’d like reading her novels? You’ve inspired me to check them out! Sending love to you! xoxo
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Thank you, Valerie. Yes, I took those photos. Whenever I don’t mention any other name, they are ones I took myself. 🙂 Yes, it certainly is an amazing spot to contemplate God’s beauty. One of my favorite books from Karen is Unlocked: A Love Story about an 18-year-old who is locked in the prison of autism. But I love many of the stand-alone novels. I also loved following the Baxter Family in that series. Sending love back to you! May we together not only open our eyes to the beauty of God’s handiwork, but also contemplate it!
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Trudy, I love the waterfall and lighthouse pictures too. I always enjoy your monthly roundups, and this one is no exception–especially the Brennan Manning quote. So powerful! Hugs, friend!
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I’m so glad you always enjoy these monthly roundups, Lois. Yes, that Brennan Manning quote is powerful. It really grabbed my heart. Hugs to you, too! May we be honest about our wounds and be a light to others who need hope and healing!
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I love all of this post: so much to explore! But I must say your photos are my favorite! They are simply spectacular! I’m inspired… must look through my photos for something equally lovely to paint! God bless you, my wonderful friend! ❤ and hugs!
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Thank you, Lynn. It brightens my day to know you’re inspired. 🙂 You’re certainly welcome to use any of my photos to paint. 🙂 God bless you, too! And hugs back to you! May God’s creation put us in awe of His beauty, power, and glory!
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Trudy, you have given us yet another treasure trove, a tremendous helping of hope and a veritable feast for the soul! The lovely opening music video relates an experience common to us all at some point or other on our faith journey. The links speak about such an important issue and a stumbling block for many who buy into the lie that Christians don’t (or shouldn’t) suffer from depression. Your nature photos are gorgeous! I think you can confidently share more of your own images here. It looks like you could be hiding your photographic talent/light under a bushel, my friend! I haven’t read any of Karen Kinsgbury’s books yet but your preview here has inspired me to download a sample or two. Abuse is such a challenging subject to speak about, though the quotes here are all very helpful and honest about the need to not remain silent. I especially love the one from Brennan Manning, as he’s one of my favourite authors. Thank you so much for all the time and trouble you take to source such excellent resources for us each month! Blessings, love and hugs. xo ❤
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Thank you for your continuing encouragement and support, Joy. I love gathering these resources together. As for my photographic talent… Hhhmmm… I love taking nature photos, but the truth is I have so many I don’t share, because I think they’re “not good enough.” You know the feeling, right? I long for spring and warmer weather when I can go outside again. 🙂 But I’m trying to find beauty in these moments of winter, too, from our windows. 🙂 I have never read a book by Brennan Manning, but I’m always drawn to his quotes. I have had his Abba’s Child on my Amazon wishlist for some time. Which of his books is your favorite? Blessings, love, and hugs back to you! May we keep remembering God can use our pain for His glory and to point hurting souls to hope in Jesus!
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Trudy, I can definitely relate to the “not good enough” feeling about so many things. That’s why I use a mix of “borrowed” media and my own (heavily edited) images. With a good editing app and a few tweaks most are fine to share. Your nature photos are lovely and perfectly suitable. It just comes down to courage and confidence. Go for it, girl! We’ve had a reasonable winter so far, though it helps to try to see the beauty in each season. I think you’ll enjoy Brennan Manning’s books. I’m hard pressed to choose a favourite because I have loved everything I’ve read by him! Having said that, Abba’s Child is a classic and a great place to start. I hold onto the hope of being able to “use our pain” for God’s glory and to “point hurting souls to hope in Jesus.” That’s largely why we write, isn’t it? xo 💜
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Thank you, Joy. Yes, we feel the same about why we write. xo back to you!
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Hi Trudy! So many good things here today. I am trying to stress reading in this year, so your book reviews take on a whole new importance for me.
The one asking about Christians and mental illness is WONDERFUL. I have actually heard a minister say that there isn’t any mental illness that faith can’t fix. Well, maybe. But therapy, and even medication are great tools too. Depression is real, and we have to realize that it can be addressed and helped, just like any other medical problem.
Welcome to February!
Ceil
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Oh yes, depression is so real. I’m so glad you believe that, too, Ceil. I have heard of more people going through depression who are told they need to have more faith. That only adds guilt to their depression. Like you write here, it’s a medical problem. Sometimes it’s even in the genetics. Thank you for understanding. When February 1 came, I was so tickled that I could say, “Spring will officially be next month!” 🙂 I’m so looking forward to the new life and warmer days. But today it is snowing such big, beautiful, fluffy flakes that one can’t help but be in awe of our Creator. 🙂 It impresses on my heart that there is still beauty in every season. May we seek out our Creator’s beauty through every season of our lives!
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I’m glad you point us to how Christians are people too, and they are as susceptible to mental struggles as anyone else. No shame in that. So many great resources here, Trudy! Thanks. Hope you have a marvelous week.
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Thank you, Lisa. Also for saying, “No shame in that.” I have too often in my life heard Christians tell mentally unstable ones, “Shame on you!” Not in those words, but in their words and actions towards them. Thanks always for your caring understanding. May we always see people through the eyes of Jesus!
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