G-ASHelen Orientations

By Josh Squires for desiringGod.org “Help. My heart is broken.” This is one of the most common refrains in my counseling ministry. There are many causes: love unrequited, jobs lost, dreams quashed, spouses and children taken. No matter its roots, the pain is unbearably similar for its sufferers. And the question that hangs over it all is this: “Now what?” Weep Well Grief is an act as well as a feeling. When hearts are broken, cheeks should be wet. I wish it weren’t true, but it is. There is something about weeping that is incredibly scary. It’s a vulnerable act that floods our thoughts and feelings, leaving us fatigued. Little wonder then that people avoid it like the plague, or feel that they need to make an excuse for it. But Scripture itself does not take such a negative view on mourning. God does not tell his children to “dry it up!” Rather, God stores our tears in his bottle (Psalm 56:8). In an ancient, arid land where bottles were not a dime a dozen, only precious thi...

By David Mathis, Executive Editor in desiringGod.org The Christian gospel has a way of making us all writers in some way, shape, or form. From text messages, emails, and written notes, to church newsletters, missionary support letters, blogs, articles, and even books, everyday Christians do a lot of writing — and chances are you do too. Christianity is a word-centered faith. Our God created the world through words (Hebrews 11:3; ten times Genesis 1 tell us “God said”), and just as he said, “Let there be light,” so he speaks our faith into existence (2 Corinthians 4:6). God’s own Son is called his Word (John 1:1). And our very faith is sustained by “the word of Christ,” the message of the gospel (Romans 10:13) and ongoing word-ministry in the life of the church. Christianity is not a quiet faith, but a loud one, full of words. Write and Wrong Writing, then, however formal or informal, is not the privilege of a few gifted Christian dignitaries, but an invitation to every belie...

By Charlene Nelson on desiringGod.com Suffering has shown me that my strength is not in me. The raging seas have made me cling to the rock of my salvation. I can say in full conviction, “If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought ‘My foot slips’ your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up (Psalm 94:17–18).” God has shown me my own weakness through debilitating pain — fibromyalgia and severe pelvic separation during two pregnancies, as well as years of anemia causing brutal fatigue. I now not only know my weakness, but I feel it acutely. In the past year, though I had earnestly believed it was time for some relief, God brought me even lower when I was diagnosed with a stomach tumor, waded through follow up tests, and underwent surgery. The Secret to Suffering As a mom of two children under school age, walking through these trials has been unspeakably difficult. But during this recent cancer scare it was, perhaps, the f...

By John Piper of Desiring God This is such a good question. I wish every high school graduate who’s heading off to college or university would be thinking this way and asking this question. Let me say a word to Sharon and to all of them in the hope of being of some service to this generation of younger Christians who are heading off to school. I’ll limit myself to five words of counsel which, of course, will leave many specifics unanswered. I think these five have the effect of enabling students, if they accept them, to answer the other specifics as they arise. Prepare for War First, students, recognize that maintaining a Christian faith is war. First Timothy 6:12 reads, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life” Ephesians 6:11 reminds us, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” First Peter 5:8 declares, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, s...