Author: hcfwomen

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

Have you ever noticed that the most coveted, precious, and beautiful things in this world are the hardest to find?  Like diamonds and pearls, they come out of an environment of high pressure, heat, irritation, and sometimes pain. Gold and silver are hidden from the naked eye and must be searched for, dug out, or panned.

Before Jesus redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit came into our hearts, we were like that uncut diamond, the pearl still in the oyster or the gold and silver still in the earth, our beauty was hidden not only from the world, but also from us. The more we surrender and yield our hearts and minds to the Lord, the more He is able to cut away the things that are blocking His light shining through us, open the shell that has kept us hidden, and wash away the dirt and mud that has kept us under condemnation. 

I am still drawn back to that old nature of seeing that which is on the outside, not within. Genesis 3:6 says, “Eve saw the tree was good and pleasing to the eye.” Have you ever wondered why Eve was not afraid of the snake or repulsed by how it looked? In Ezekiel 28:12-19 it describes Satan as the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and beauty, every precious stone were his covering. It must’ve been a beautiful sight to see, and it drew Eve right into his trap. Satan sets the same trap for us today when we set our eyes and heart on the beautiful things of this world instead of using our spiritual eyes for discernment and wisdom.

Proverbs 27:19 emphasizes that true beauty is a reflection of the heart, God’s nature within us. The genuine qualities of a person’s character: love, kindness, wisdom, morality, faithfulness, being dependable. 

We have seen people with true beauty in action, in the floods, fires, and tornadoes. People risking their lives to save others, comforting those who have been affected by or have lost loved ones, taking food, helping in whatever way they can. 

Our family has been blessed to witness firsthand how God uses one of his own beautiful children to bring about His love and miracles. Our granddaughter, Kenzie, was diagnosed with lupus in her late teens. She had her first kidney transplant right after she graduated from college. After going through cancer and many emergency trips to the hospital, surgeries, and almost dying several times, she again was faced with kidney failure and two years of waiting to find a kidney donor. Through all this Kenzie never gave up her faith and hope. She lives her life with joy and purpose. Marrying the boy next door that she grew up with and is her brother’s best friend. She worked every day that she could and traveled all over the world. She never complained or felt sorry for herself, always had a smile, put others first, and truly has a servant’s heart. Kenzie knows who she is, and who she belongs to.

Our Heavenly Father heard our prayers and saw Kenzie’s tears and pain and sent her best friend Andrea from sixth grade to be tested for a donor. (This was not just a decision, but a sacrifice. It’s major surgery, which leaves you with only one kidney, pain, and time away from your life to heal.) Andrea did not consider it a sacrifice, because of her love for the Lord and Kenzie. She knew the testing would reveal she was a perfect match, and this would be the last kidney that Kenzie would ever need. This was also our declaration and prayer!

On July 7, 2025, Kenzie received not only her new kidney, but a new life where she and Brett can dream and make plans for the future!

THIS IS TRUE BEAUTY! It’s not just about the outward appearance, but about the reflection of God’s nature in us. “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5

Looking to God with love, faith and trust, we become radiant, reflecting His glory and goodness. 1 John 4:11 “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so, are we in this world.”

JESUS IN US

Author unknown (rewritten by Elaine Norrell)

I saw Jesus last week,

He was wearing blue jeans, digging through the mud and debris.

He was standing in a once raging and flooding river, praying, and crying as he worked.

For just a minute, he looked a little like one of the many other volunteer rescue workers

But it was Jesus! I could tell by his compassion, courage, and determination.

I saw Jesus last Sunday

He was teaching a Bible class.

He didn’t talk loudly or use long words, but you could tell he believed what he said.

For just a minute, he looked like a leader in the church

But it was Jesus! I could tell by the truth in his loving voice.

I saw Jesus yesterday,

He was at the hospital, being a kidney donor to my granddaughter.

They talked, laughed, and prayed together quietly.

For just a minute, he looked like our granddaughter’s friend Andrea

But it was Jesus, I could tell by the tears in his eyes, and the smile on his face.

I saw Jesus today.

He was praying on his knees all alone.

He then began to cry for those he prayed for.

For just a minute, he looked like a lady from our church.

But it was Jesus! I could see the love and compassion poured out in his prayer.

I see Jesus everywhere, 

Taking food to the sick, welcoming others into his home, being friendly to a newcomer, and for just a minute, I think he’s someone I know.

But it’s always Jesus! I can tell by the way he serves.

May someone see Jesus in you today.

We want to thank Elaine Norrell for sharing this post.

What makes a person truly beautiful? The answer is easily lost in a world saturated with superficial standards and fleeting trends. While culture intentionally points to outward appearance, physical features and material presentation, as believers, we are called to look beyond mirrors and media and turn instead to hear what God says about true beauty. Scripture tells us exactly the opposite of what the world says.

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

Last summer, I traveled to visit my parents, who had recently moved back to my hometown, Xi’an. It had been many years since I last set foot there, and the city had transformed in countless ways. One afternoon, as my parents and I were out for a stroll, we were approached by an elderly woman with a warm, familiar presence.

My mom smiled and said, “Mrs. Tang, do you remember my daughter? She was just a little girl when we were neighbors.”

In that moment, it struck me—this gentle woman was the kind-hearted grandmother who used to live next door, always greeting us with a smile. Amazingly, she hadn’t changed at all.

A vivid memory came rushing back: I had been walking past her front yard one day when she called me over and asked if I could read her a book. But this book was unlike any I’d seen before—it had no cover, and the pages were filled with handwritten words. She gently opened it to a page titled “The Gospel of John.”

I began reading, a bit awkwardly: “In the beginning was the Word…”
The phrase made little sense to me at the time. I paused and glanced up at her, puzzled—and then I saw it. Her face. It seemed to glow with a quiet radiance, almost otherworldly. I never forgot that moment. And many years later, when I encountered Jesus for myself, I finally understood what I had witnessed that day.

True beauty is not about what one looks like, but about who one is in relationship with God. It is spiritual, not superficial. It is found in a heart that reflects God’s love, a mind that is renewed by His truth, and a life that seeks to glorify Him. The world may overlook such beauty, but in God’s eyes, it is precious. This “unfading beauty” does not age or diminish, but grows stronger and more radiant with a life lived in alignment with God’s will.

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:14

Truly beautiful people are ones who recognize their divine origin. They understand the profound truth that each person is a unique masterpiece, purposefully and intricately crafted by the hand of God. When we embrace the reality that we are created by a perfect Creator, we can embrace our worth without the need to conform to the world’s ever- changing standards. This is the beauty that endures, the beauty that God cherishes, and the beauty we are called to pursue.

We want to thank Yanna Elliot for sharing this post.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9 NKJ

One afternoon, many years ago, I was flipping through the TV channels, when suddenly, I stopped on a program that captured my attention. What I saw was Rebecca St. James leading hundreds of people in worship. Hands and voices were lifted high as the rain gently fell. It was as if the presence of Jesus was visibly pouring down upon them. Something came alive inside of me that day. I thought, “I want to sing and lead people in worship like that!” …. and to my heart came the reply from the Lord that I will never forget. “Count the cost.” What did the Lord mean? What was the Lord asking of me that day? I really wanted to find out, whatever it was….

I have always known that worship is not just about getting behind a microphone and sounding pretty. Worship is not about lip service or that dreaded word: “performance.”  It is not an activity reserved for Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings. It most definitely is not something you check off a box and get over with. It is certainly not the “warm-up act” to the sermon. So, then what is worship, really? The answer is found where worship is first mentioned in the Bible.

At Harvest we often use the phrase “The law of first mention.” With worship, we see it in, Genesis 22:5. “He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there, we will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham was going up the mountain with the intention, as per direction of the Lord, to sacrifice that which was his most loved and most treasured possession, his only son. Even though God provided the ram for the sacrifice, we can see an incredible picture of a heart willing to sacrifice it’s most loved and treasured possession. We also see that worship is connected to sacrifice and will cost you something. Count the cost…

The word most translated “worship” is the Hebrew word Shacah, and it means “to prostrate, bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship. This is the word used in Genesis 22. The second most common word used for worship is the Greek word Latreuo. Latreuo means “to minister to God”. I love this translation as it describes our role as a “royal priesthood,” called to minister to God, as well as to others. Isn’t that where our hearts should be in worship? To seek to minister to God more than to please others?

There is a story in all four gospels that I believe accurately depict these two words for worship. Dr Luke recounts it like this…

“ ³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.” Luke 7:36-38. John’s gospel says that the oil’s fragrance filled the room.

This “sinful woman,” believed to be Mary of Bethany, came to meet Jesus for that very purpose: to minister or latreuo Him, to bless him and love on Him. She poured out what would have been the equivalent of one year’s wages to anoint her Jesus. She gave to Him what was most valuable and most precious and most costly. She then bowed low or “shacah” at His feet when no one else in the room did. Mary remained behind Him, avoiding the attention. Her humility and reverence inspire me.

As her tears and oil flowed, insults came as well. Jesus rebukes them, as only He could see the depths from where her worship came. The insults did not deter Mary from her humble, sacrificial worship at His feet. Not even the insults nor the opinions of man could keep Mary from her worship. That was a sacred and holy place for Mary, at His beautiful feet.

The feet where she sat and hung on every word (Luke 10:39)

The feet at which she fell when she learned He was calling for her after her brother’s passing (John 11:32).

The feet that she was now anointing (Luke 7:38)

This was the place her love and her worship began and it’s where it begins for us as well. “You must sit at His feet, or you will never anoint them; He must pour His divine teaching into you, or you will never pour out a precious ointment upon Him” -Charles Spurgeon.

“Count the cost” was an invitation for me to dive deeper into what it truly means to worship. At the time, I was only looking at worship from the outside in, and the Lord wanted me to see it and live it from the inside out. I was being called to look beyond what I was seeing and discover what it would cost to live a life, not only just a moment, that was createdto worship.

The cost of giving my best to the Lord regardless of circumstances or feelings.

 The cost of choosing to obey even when it’s hard or not convenient.

The cost of humbly bowing my wishes, desires, pride, and ambitions at the feet of the Jesus and saying, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” John3:30

The cost of offering myself as a “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” which Paul saysis our “true and proper worship” Romans 12:1 

“The greatest worshippers in the Bible were all people who were willing to humble themselves before God- to submit to His way instead of their way.” – Zach Neese “Howto Worship a King.”

If we are to live a life of worship, fueled with a passion for our King, then how we worship should show Him and the world how much we value him. 1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a chosen generation to worship and praise our true God. This tells the world who He is and how He has called us out of darkness and into His light. And isn’t that light marvelous?! What a privilege that has been given to us by the Lord!

We want to thank Julie Posey for sharing this post.

Three years ago, I decided to homeschool my children, and I pulled my oldest out of school during his first-grade year. I expected it to be a challenge, because I did not feel fully equipped to do it. Well, I did it anyway, and to my surprise, my son breezed through the curriculum I found online. It was so easy that we finished his first-grade curriculum by the first week of May. That is not to say that we did not face challenges, but little did I know that the one who would struggle would be me! Teaching the kids was fun, and so fulfilling, but I had a strong feeling of restlessness.

Before homeschooling, every day after I dropped them off at school, I would create a to-do list of things I needed to get done. I would run around town and set an alarm for pick-up. Being home with the kids, at first, was fun, and then the first week went by, and I realized I had not found the time to go grocery shopping, clean the house properly, or even pick up the mail. I was overwhelmed at that point, because I was certain that all the other things that I needed to get done were important. I must admit that I tried to do it all, but it didn’t last long. I could not homeschool, continue my online business, and run errands all in one day, because being home with the kids was taking up all my time.

It was at that point that God revealed to me the things I was prioritizing over my family. So, I slowly learned to do less and enjoy more. I had a simple prayer for God. I asked him, “God align my desires with yours.” I had no idea what that simple prayer would do for me. Whenever I felt restless, I said that prayer, and peace would come over me. Slowly, God filled my heart with the desire to sit and enjoy school with my kids. I started to see that God’s desires for me were simple and brought me peace and contentment.

I was no longer finding worth in productivity, but, instead, in God’s presence. I started to prioritize reading my Bible every day. The more I prayed for God’s desires in my life, the more I longed for His presence. My desires kept me empty, but He filled my cup and opened my eyes to what true worship is. Homeschooling was a challenge, because I had to be selfless, but I could only do it with God’s help. In 1 Chronicles 16:26-29, David is singing a hymn of worship to the Lord that sums up what I experienced, “For all the gods of the people are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.”

Seeking His desires and not mine gave me freedom, and it helped me get through the day. I said that prayer many times, and I still do to this day, because I needed to let go of the idols I was worshiping. I desired to serve my children and husband. Everything else had to wait for another day, and sometimes I would simply forget about it altogether. My desires were often shaped by the things of the world and not His Word. Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be confined to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Paul urged the people to do this, because God’s will for our lives surpasses ours. Our bodies are temples, and therefore, our lives can be presented to God as living sacrifices. My time spent in His word revealed to me more of who God is and what His desires are like. I was able to point out what desires came from my flesh, and which ones were of Him. He renewed my mind and gave me discernment of what His good and pleasing will for my life is. He did not give me a five-year plan for my life, or even a one-year plan to follow. However, He helped me get rid of my idols and bring true worship to my home. I had discovered what it was to worship at His temple.

I pray that this encourages you to seek God’s will for your life and experience true worship in His presence. For me, that was serving my family through homeschooling. It might be different for you, but one thing remains: we were all made to worship. 1 Peter 2:4-6 says, “As you come to Him, a living stone – rejected by people but chosen and honored by God – you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” When I said the simple prayer, “God, align my desires with yours,” I did not think of how much that would change my life. My desires conform to the world, but God’s desires do not, and that is good. He reminds us that the more we look and act like Christ, the more we will be rejected by the world. The best part is that we are chosen by God. Trust in him and lay down your life as a sacrifice as you seek to worship him with your life, because he declares that those who believe in him will not be put to shame.

We want to thank Mayra Ramirez for sharing this post.

“I love you, Lord, for your mercy never fails me. All my days, I’ve been held in your hands… All my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good.”

This has been a hard season for me. The pain and agony of watching my mom go through cancer. The grief and loss of secondary infertility. It’s all heavy, and it’s all hard.

Still, I sing these words, “I love you, Lord,” because God is no less good.

I told the Lord last fall when my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and we suffered our second infertility loss of 2024: “Whatever happens, I will not be angry with You, and I will not doubt Your goodness.” I needed Him to know, but maybe I needed my soul to hear it too.

Back then, Mom was Stage II with a 90% survival rate after treatment and surgery. Today, she’s Stage IV with a very negative prognosis.

Back then, we knew we’d do another round of fertility procedures in 2025. Today, we have faced even more loss, and we know our fourteen-year season with infertility has ended.

Still, my declaration is the same, because God is no less good.

I’ve been through hard trials before. I’ve faced loss and grief over infertility, and I’ve watched a dear friend die from cancer when I was convinced she would be healed. I’ve been mad at God, and I’ve doubted His goodness.

But today, I can declare whatever happens, God is still good. We’ve walked together longer. I know Him more intimately than I did five years ago, ten years ago, twenty years ago.

And so I say, like Peter says to Jesus in John 6: To whom would I turn? Where else would I go? He is the Christ, the Messiah, the only One who can save me.

“Who else is worthy?” This is what I hum on the hard days because the answer is: “There is no one. Only you Jesus. Who else is worthy?”

Believe me, I have plenty of days where I say, “Why does life have to be so hard right now?” I have plenty of days where I don’t feel like singing. But then I remember God’s faithfulness throughout my life. I remember His goodness. And I choose to worship my Creator, my Savior.

If you’re in the valley today, worship through it. I promise you’ll find life and peace when you choose to fix your eyes on Jesus. We were made to worship Him. In every season. Through every trial.

If you don’t know what to sing, find the Harvest worship 2025 playlist on Spotify. If you don’t know what to pray, read the Psalms. (Psalm 119 is a favorite of mine!)

“My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.” – Psalm 119:28

“Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise.” – Psalm 119:41

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” – Psalm 119:50

“You are good and do good.” Psalm 119:68

“My soul longs for your salvation. I hope in your word.” – Psalm 119:81

We want to thank Laura Brandenburg for sharing this post.

I am married to a musician. He plays the keyboard, and he sings.  He can lead worship with his music. I wish I could do that. I, on the other hand, can play the radio, and I fall into the “make a joyful noise” category. I love to sing, but I also know my limits. But, nothing takes me to the throne of God like praise and worship music.  

Praise and worship were created to do just that – take us to the throne of God. But, what happens when we make it all about the music and not about Who it is intended to be about? Where do our hearts go? Our thoughts? Our true worship?

A song was written by Matt Redman that really speaks volumes to me about this. We recently sang it on a Sunday morning, and it really made me stop and think about my acts of worship. The title of the song is: “The Heart of Worship.”

When the music fades,

All is stripped away,

And I simply come

Longin’ just to bring

Something that’s of worth

That will bless Your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song

For a song in itself

Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within

Through the ways things appear

You’re looking into my heart.

These words really hit home when you stop to think about who and what we worship. Worship is defined as the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity. It encompasses both the internal attitude of the heart and the external actions that express reverence, adoration, and submission to God. In simpler terms, it is recognizing God’s worthiness and expressing admiration, love, and praise. Psalms 100:1-2 says, “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” We come to His throne with our songs of praise and our acts of worship. But, like the lyrics of the song above say, our praise and worship is more than a song. It’s about our hearts and our relationship with our Savior.

In this world, so many things are worshiped: beauty, money, status, etc.  But as followers of Jesus, our worship needs to be God-centered. It should come straight from our hearts.  

King of endless worth,

No one could express 

How much You deserve?

Though I’m weak and poor

All I have is Yours

Every single breath

Romans 12:1 tells us “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.” Worship is more than words; it’s offering our lives to God as a sacrifice, dedicated to His purpose. So, although I can’t sing or play an instrument, I can offer Him my heart and my praise.  

I’m coming back to the heart of worship

And it’s all about You,

It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it

When it’s all about You,

It’s all about You, Jesus.

We want to thank Hope Warren for sharing this post.

I’m sitting here, thinking and praying about what God wants me to write, and I quickly get an answer!

Darkness could be black, sad, scary, lonely. It could be depression, grief, loss, or emptiness! I’ve been in the dark a lot this last year in my life. Not because of doubt or anger with God, but because I felt left behind when my best friend of forty-five years went to Heaven. 

The light in this message is the Lord gave me almost six years to get ready for this. From the day of Michael’s surgery when we were told he had six months (darkness)and then we were given six years (light). Blessed!

Through this experience I’ve been given a new life that has great light in it. I’ve never been alone, just lonely. 

In this light I’m seeing and knowing my God more. I’m Heavenly blessed with a fantastic family! I now have the friends my daughter had been praying for. She knew I would need them because I had spent the last forty-five years being with Michael and taking care of our children, my parents, Mike’s Aunt Esther, and a few other family members. 

As I was searching for examples of God in relation to light in the darkness, I read Psalm 139:12 – “Even darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you.”

God’s right hand will hold on to you regardless of your circumstances. You can call on the Lord God in your day of distress. He is always right by your side.

Always remember there are treasures in the darkness that bring us back to the light.

In 2 Corinthians 4:8 it says, “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, we are perplexed but not in despair.” After all, it is in the darkness of life that God prepares us for His best. The best of God sometimes involves the little things. For example, turn your frown to a smile, radiating that God-given glow that someone can see in your face, a hug, or a handshake. Just a little touch can bring some light into someone’s darkness.

John 1:5- “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” There’s always light available to overtake the dark. Your light should shine no matter how much brokenness is in that light. Even a dim light can be brightened by a friendly glance.

My light is starting to shine brighter even though days seem dark at times. However, knowing that you have God on your side, in your heart, and that He loves you, are all the components of having the best life! When those dark days appear, they will turn to light with God!

Faith, family, and friends are what leads us out of the darkness!

We want to thank Jo Beth Dietrich for sharing this post.

When I was four my mother left my father and subsequently her children. My dad, consumed by grief, by all accounts forgot he had children. At the time I was the youngest of five. My brother who was eight stood in that caregiver gap for me. He bathed me, fed me, and got me ready for school. He cared for me. Even now at 33 I can look back and see how much he did. In a world without our parents, where the ache for both of us was so incredibly devastating. There was an eight-year-old being mother and father to a four-year-old. My brother was the light in the dark for me. He gave of himself. He loved. I can’t imagine what it cost him, but he chose to pay it. In all that time I can see God’s hand over us, and I see God’s heart in my brother. My parents worked it out and God called them back together. But for the better part of a year, it was him. I’m forever thankful and grateful for his choice.

When I was first asked to write this blog I initially wanted to talk about the many times (and there have been many) that God has moved mountains. However, I kept going back to His people.

Jesus says “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 ESV

God is the light in the darkness but sometimes we forget that He calls us to carry that light into the world. What a big responsibility that is. In all my dark times, in all the hurting and the hard, I can look back and see where God used people: a meal, a kind or encouraging word, the space to vent, prayer, a hug, time spent together. Each one like a balm to a wound. Like a cold breeze on a hot day. I will always be thankful to those who used their light for my darkness. How we show His love matters. It stays with people. In a world that can feel heavy with grief, division, and fear, God chooses to shine through us—His people. That means our kindness, our forgiveness, our patience, and our faith all become tiny reflections of His great light. But it also raises an honest question: Are we being that light? Are we showing up in the dark places—with gentleness, with grace? 

This week, I’m asking myself those questions. Maybe we all can. Whether it’s in a conversation, a helping hand, or a quiet prayer—we each carry light that someone else might be desperate to see. Don’t underestimate what your presence, your kindness, or your love might mean to someone else walking through the darkness.

We want to thank Lauran Lancaster for sharing this post.

While writing about my experiences from darkness to light, the words “But God” came to mind and totally changed my first draft of this blog into what this is now. I have seen the saying “But God” on shirts, hats, sweatshirts, there is even a Christian song out that is called “But God”, but I had never really done much studying on specific verses that say, “But God”. So, I decided I was going to do some studying about the words “But God” in the Bible. I looked up around 20 verses with the words “But God” and it was so powerful to see how a person or a group of people could be overcome with so much darkness, BUT GOD stepped in and did what only He can do, turn it to light.

Before I started digging, I wanted to first look up the meaning of the word “but” and this is what I found.

It is used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting what has already been mentioned.

As I was reading, if I saw the words, “But God”, I knew the situation I was reading about was about to change and for the better. The situation was dark, But God was about to turn it into light. Below are some of the verses that were the most impactful to me while looking up verses with the words, “But God”.

Side note: These are just single verses taken out of whole chapters in the Bible. If one of these verses is stirring inside you, I encourage you to look it up and read the whole chapter and even the chapter before and after for more context of the entirety of the darkness that God has turned to light

1 Samuel 23:14 – “David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.”

David was on the run from Saul and I’m sure he was dismayed, BUT GOD did not forsake him.

Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Oh, how our heart can be so deceitful and put us in total darkness sometimes, BUT GOD is where we should get our strength and value, not in the world.

Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Do you ever have the thoughts of, “Why would God love me? I’m a sinner”, BUT GOD loved you while you were still sinning, while you were at your lowest. He loved you even then.

1 Corinthians 3:6 – “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”

Paul and Apollos had taught people about Jesus, BUT GOD is where the real growth happens.

Do you rely on something or someone to pull you out of the darkness? I know I have. I have found myself indulging on the world’s idea of happiness instead of God, but there was no growth in that, no true light. Spending time with God is the only way to turn your darkness into light. We are all going to have a dark day, dark week, or even a dark season, BUT GOD says “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life”. John 8:12

Follow him ladies, keep spending time with Him because eventually the light in this world will turn off, but the light of God never will.

We want to thank Bethany Williams for sharing this post.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated light from the darkness.

I have been in dark places at different times in my life and could fill up pages and hours of stories. I will tell of some of them but will not elaborate much for reasons of time and space. 

Some of you know my story of darkness in my childhood. A bad home life and an alcoholic father. I was afraid of…well I am not sure what, but the unstable life was hard. But where there is darkness there always seems to be some light. My brother was part of that light; he took care of me when I was afraid. 

 In 1 John 1:5 we read: “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you; God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.” I didn’t know the Lord at this time, but I believe that He put my brother there to show me the light that I would eventually learn about later in life.

Many of you know of the dark time in my life when I wanted so much to have children and couldn’t. This was probably the darkest time in my life. I had found the Lord by this time, but not being able to have children made me a little crazy, so crazy that I left my husband and church and went out in search of some ease from the pain of it. But that hole in my heart that was there all the time could not be filled. It was only the Lord that could fill it, but I couldn’t see it for the darkness that was pulling me away from Him. John 9:5 tells us: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” I may have turned my back on God, but He was always there protecting me and waiting for me to come back to Him so He could fill that hole in my heart.  

There was a time when I was on wheat harvest, and we had two young men with us. We were in Wyoming, a long way from home. One morning they were waiting on us to get to the field and decided to take a swim in the irrigation canal. While swimming, they hit some concrete pile-ons at the bottom of a spillway and it killed both of them. Here I was wanting children and 2 boys, 16 and 17 years old, in my charge were killed. It was very difficult to tell their parents and the journey from 1,000+ miles away to get them home was hard. At the time, I had a good church family, and they were the light that God used in this time of darkness. 

“For you are all children of light and children of light of the day.  We do not belong to the night or the darkness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5

There are many times that I have struggled with the darkness trying to pull me in. When my mom died. When I was called to my dad’s side, who I had only seen a few times in 40 years. He was beaten up badly and some drug addicts were taking advantage of him. He was 86 years old, and we had to step in and take care of him.  The enemy tried to pull me down into the darkness, reminding me of the bad home life I had as a child. But my wonderful Christian friends and church family held me and Dewitt up. Sometimes I would sit in the car and cry while Dewitt took care of my dad. My brother and sister asked me why I was doing it, and I told them that my Bible said to honor my Mom and Dad, and that’s what Dewitt and I did. (From the sermon on the 5th commandment a few months ago)

Recently, when we were caught off guard by Dewitt’s heart issues, I could feel the enemy pull at me. But my church family was lifting us up, praying for us, and visiting us during our 17 days at the hospital and even when we came home. God always sends us light whenever we need it. And now I am going through some health issues. I rarely have health issues; I have been so healthy all my life. The enemy sure tries to use this against me, but when I feel him tugging at me, I tell him that my Jesus is bigger, and he might as well get away from me. I have been pleading the blood of Jesus a lot lately and I know He has me and Dewitt in His hands and that darkness must flee. 

When you feel the darkness pulling you in, always remember you have a Savior that is shining a light very brightly in your path.

The night is nearly over, and day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Romans 13:12  

We want to thank Debbie Crosby for sharing this post.