Life can change in a nanosecond. Crisis strikes, and we wonder whether we’ll survive the next hour, never mind the day. Our soul years for the storm to subside, for calm amid the chaos.
With personal stories and insightful perspectives, Grace Fox brings you ninety daily devotions of hope. Each day’s devotion includes a key Bible verse, a time to pause and read, and then an action step or a question to ponder. There’s also a short prayer for the moment and an encouraging quote from others who have walked through times of crisis.
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When we walk through a crisis, our minds have little capacity to ponder, think deeply, or even empower us to make small decisions. In crisis mode, we react to stress, with no margin to think proactively.
2020 has been a year of crisis. For me. For you. For us all. And sometimes in the midst of that chaos, we lose our bearings. We wonder if God is near. We worry more than we pray (or we hope our worry counts as prayer).
Enter my friend Grace Fox, one of the most sincere, devoted, Jesus-loving writers I know. She’s given us all a gift in the book Finding Hope in Crisis: Devotions for Calm in Chaos. In this easy-to-read book, find 90 bite-sized devotions based on 90 empathetic and empowering Scriptures. Every entry has a rhythm to it: Scripture, a devotional thought, a question to ponder throughout the day, and a prayer. Each one ends with a quote that beautifully sums up that day.
One devotion, “Big Shoulders” walks us through Psalm 62:7-8:
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
She writes, “Someone once told me that God has big shoulders. He can handle it when we cry on him. He can deal with it when we tell him the truth about how we’re really doing in the middle of our muck. We don’t have to craft fancy words or make them sound sweet. He can handle our honesty.”
What hope! What grace! We don’t have to perform for our God when life falters. We don’t have to bolster ourselves before we approach God. We simply need to be honest.
If you’re looking for a sweet gift in the new year to give to a struggling friend or family member, this small format gift book would be a welcomed reminder that God still loves us even when we are hurting–especially as we are hurting.
2020 has been a difficult year. We buried my husband’s mother. My career took a dive. We’ve navigated Covid with family members. The future looms uncertain. But I’m grateful that God loves us, hears us, and reminds us that he remains on the throne. In my friend’s Finding Hope in Crisis, we learn this afresh with Grace’s hard won insight. She’s been through the muck, too, and she’s a terrific guide as you walk through your own crisis.
- Used with permission by Mary DeMuth—author, podcaster, artist, literary agent
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Grace Fox is the award-winning author of 12 books, hundreds of magazine articles, a member of the First 5 Bible study writing team (P31 Ministries) and co-host of the “Your Daily Bible Verse” podcast.