Maybe I was believing for something God never wanted me to, but I believe He honors mis-placed faith more than lack of faith at all. Our faith pleases Him, and surrender is always key to everything we’re believing for.

Our God is not just a promise maker, He is a promise keeper.

So often, we fall for the lie that tells us something is insignificant to the Lord because, in the grand scheme of eternity, it feels humanly insignificant.

There are times we find ourselves in spaces and places that God has called us to that were not even a blip on our radar in retrospect.

As I sat collapsed and crying on my bathroom floor, a slow fog began to envelop over my mind. A fog that I didn’t ask for or want, but it instinctively became my defense mechanism for the next four years. With it I erected a wall around myself. It kept emotion and the ability to experience any connection with how I felt outside of that wall, all the while harboring numbing pains of living in an unfaithful marriage covenant locked up and festering within.

Pain is not your portion and joy will come. And when it's hard for you to believe it for yourself, I will believe for you.

Sometimes the greatest grief isn’t what you’ve lost; it’s what will never be.

I promise you-no one can impact this world in the unique way that you can. So discover the gifts, calling and passion God created you with and go set the world ablaze!

He is also the God who breathes new life into our hope-deferred hearts. He gives life to dead dreams and desires. He reminds us of His great and precious promises that all find their yes and amen in Him.

Check out my latest podcast “The God Who Gives Life to All Things” here: anchor.fm/journeywithjanicepodcast

How often are storms in life sent our way, whether by the enemy or just as a result of residing in a sin-ridden world? Those crashing waves and vicious winds can cause us to become distracted from our own personal mission - the call of God on our lives and the reason we were created, to know Him and to make Him known.

…“if you see something beautiful about someone, tell them”. I never want to miss an opportunity to encourage others with my words, whether it’s the barista at Starbucks (which happens a lot) or one of my best friends, I don’t want to just think something about someone; I want to tell them.

Disappointment, whether massive or miniscule, stings deeply and the only salve for the wounds it inflicts is the truth found within the pages of God’s Word. His promises are always “yes” and “amen”, and we need to know what those promises are so that in times of disappointment, we can continually remind our hearts that He is forever faithful and always for us.

When people and situations have left us hurt, wounded and broken, it’s easy to put up walls around our hearts to try to protect ourselves from experiencing that same pain again. Inadvertently, when we do this, we also sometimes shut God out as well.

We can’t wait for the storms of life to hit us before we choose to begin building our lives on the truth of God’s Word. We have to intentionally and adamantly read, apply and live out His Word in every season of life, then when the hard and frustrating seasons come (and they will), we can stay standing.