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    There Is Hope

    “When you hear the hard news, there are two diverging roads from which to choose. One’s despair—don’t go there. There is hope!” I wrote those lyrics as part of a song that shares what I’ve learned through a lengthy battle with cancer. Today I was talking with a thirty-year-old husband whose wife just found out she has breast cancer. As I strived to give him comfort and counsel, what I shared can be summed up in these words: Because of God, there is hope.

    Being a part of God’s “upside down” kingdom

    The Bible tells us that often God’s ways are not our ways. And maybe nowhere is that clearer than in “The Miraculous Life of Elisha.” Join us today on Discover the Word as we’ll be unpacking what it means to be a part of God’s “upside down” kingdom. Challenge your assumptions today, right here on Discover […]

    God’s power is greater still

    Even when God’s people seem without hope, God’s power is greater still. With God, nothing is impossible. That’s another lesson we learn from “The Miraculous Life of Elisha” today on Discover the Word. Join us as we learn that when God speaks, there is always hope.

    Does It Spark Joy?

    A young Japanese woman’s book on decluttering and organizing has sold two million copies worldwide. The heart of Marie Kondo’s message is helping people get rid of unneeded things in their homes and closets—things that weigh them down. “Hold up each item,” she says, and ask, ‘Does it spark joy?’” If the answer is yes, keep it. If the answer is no, then give it away.

    The apostle Paul urged the Christians in Philippi to pursue joy in their relationship with Christ. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4). Instead of a life cluttered with…

    Finding Life

    The words of Ravi’s father cut deep. “You’re a complete failure. You’re an embarrassment to the family.” Compared to his talented siblings, Ravi was viewed as a disgrace. He tried excelling in sports, and he did, but he still felt like a loser. He wondered, What is going to become of me? Am I a complete failure? Can I get out of life some way, painlessly? These thoughts haunted him, but he talked to no one. That simply wasn’t done in his culture. He had been taught to “keep your private heartache private; keep your collapsing world propped up.”

     So Ravi struggled…

    God is there in your brokenness

    Many of you have heard her voice singing praises as a former member of the band Selah. Listen in as we hear Nicol Sponberg share her life story. Despite heartbreak and hardship, Nicol has found her security and hope in Jesus Christ.

    Hope Springs Eternal

    A mere half-hour watching the news today can fill one with despair as we witness the effects of greed, selfishness, and depravity. It pains the heart to see the utter devastation of the downtrodden. As we take in such brokenness it can lead us to lower our weary heads and simply trudge through life one day at a time—hope for a better tomorrow diminishing with each passing moment.

    The reason for the hope that you have

    After a childhood of turmoil and abuse, John didn’t know any other way to live. Dmitri thought that all the church wanted was his money. Hear how God renewed both of these men’s lives. Perhaps you’re wondering if there’s a way to overcome your own hurts and hang-ups. Don’t miss this inspirational story on Words […]

    A Message of hope

    Christmastime is filled with anticipation. As children, we could hardly wait to find those gifts beneath the tree. But as adults, there’s something even better to look forward to. This week, enjoy some classic Christmas programs with original Discover the Word hosts Haddon Robinson, Alice Mathews, and Mart DeHaan. They’ll share what the term “Advent” […]

    Christmas in Captivity

    Rev. Martin Niemoller, a prominent German pastor, spent nearly eight years in Nazi concentration camps because he openly opposed Hitler. On Christmas Eve 1944, Niemoller spoke these words of hope to his fellow prisoners in Dachau:  “My dear friends, on this Christmas . . . let us seek, in the Babe of Bethlehem, the One who came to us in order to bear with us everything that weighs heavily upon us. . . . God Himself has built a bridge from Himself to us! A dawn from on high has visited us!”

                At Christmas we embrace the good news that…

    Why I have Hope (Despite a terrible 2016)

    I recently came across an article that reported that Planet Earth, a popular BBC nature and wildlife documentary, has racked up more millennial viewers—myself included—than reality TV shows like The X Factor.

    Spreading Joy

    When Janet went to teach English in a school overseas, she found the atmosphere gloomy and depressing. People did their jobs, but no one seemed happy. They didn’t help or encourage one another. But Janet, grateful for all that God had done for her, expressed it in everything she did. She smiled. She was friendly. She went out of her way to help people. She hummed songs and hymns.

    Little by little, as Janet shared her joy, the atmosphere at the school changed. One by one people began to smile and help each other. When a visiting administrator asked the principal…

    Confident Hope

    It’s truly difficult to sit beside someone who’s grieving or in despair, a person who has taken one hit after another and has lost all hope. Whenever we surrender hope, our life slowly ebbs from us. We may continue to put one foot in front of the other, but we can no longer see the beauty around us. We no longer find joy in our life or in relationship with others. We see only gloom, and we find it nearly impossible to move toward light and love.

    Learn what gave Joseph hope in a hopeless situation

    “We have a problem.” How many times have you heard someone say that to you, like a doctor, perhaps?  Well, today on Discover the Word,  we will talk about the “problem” that Joseph faced in dealing with Mary’s pregnancy. He felt betrayed, but how could he allow his fiancée to be stoned to death? Nor did […]

    Joy and Sadness

    The 2015 Pixar film Inside Out is about the emotions inside an outgoing 11-year old girl named Riley. The movie is fresh and original, cleverly portraying each of Riley’s emotions as its own character—Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and last—but not least—Sadness.

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