Tagged: faith

The Lord sets prisoners free. Psalm 146:7 In former Muslim Esther Ahmad’s brave new release, Defying Jihad (Tyndale Momentum, 2019), she describes the supernatural peace she felt even as an angry mob outside her family's home demanded her death. As she stood inside listening to their cruel threats, she thought of Daniel’s three friends in the furnace and the fourth man who stood with them in that fiery prison. Even in the face of possible death, Esther knew she was a prisoner set free by the One who stood beside her on that terrible night. She knew the Lord who sets prisoners free, and even in her darkest hour, she was free indeed. Prisons cannot hold those who trust in the Lord.  Instead of captivity,… Read More

The old me, like a seed in the ground, can be forgotten after all. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:2-4). The closer the hour drew to the seminar I was to teach, the more anxious I became. I obsessed about my hair. I fumbled with my lipstick. My mind went blank, and I couldn’t remember my subject matter. Past failures and foibles paraded through my mind, mocking me. I was a wreck. I could not blame my nerves on busyness. After a deeply satisfying night’s sleep, I’d enjoyed breakfast in… Read More

@audreycfrank Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30, NIV “I want to be an astronaut, but I still want to be a doctor, too,” she said, her beautiful brow crinkled in consternation. “Well, astronauts need doctors to care for them,” I suggested. “I know. But I’m not worrying about it. I’ve put that stress on Jesus. “Is that okay? To give Jesus my stress?” “Yes, my sweet girl. Absolutely yes.” With a sigh, she gazed out the window into… Read More

What will you begin in 2019? @audreycfrank Alert and ready to leap out of bed at any given second, I lay in the dark and listened. The sound of a rat running back and forth on the bedpost inches from my head had me frozen in place, afraid if I breathed he might make a detour and jump on my head.  What on earth is he carrying in his mouth with such dedication? I wondered to myself. Back and forth, back and forth. Scratch, scramble, swoosh, slip, patter-patter-patter over my head. Again. And again. He was one busy rat. All of my senses were completely trained upon his every move. I was trying very hard not to scream. It did not help that my husband slept… Read More

@audreycfrank It was Christmastime in a land far from home. I was expecting our third child, and my sense of smell was working overtime. Nauseated and homesick, my attitude was anything but joyful. I was pretty sure I was inadequate for the tasks in front of me at that time in my life, and a sick pregnancy was not helping me feel courageous or motivated.  Bundling up one afternoon, I sought solace and fresh air outdoors where I could ruminate alone with my thoughts. The small dirt path behind our bungalow wound up and over a hill, inviting me to explore. I climbed the hill slowly, avoiding the mud. Rounding a bend I came upon a rudimentary stable where a despondent donkey and two wooly sheep… Read More

@audreycfrank A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:3 A golden fleece of evening sunlight spread over the gentle hills, inviting the village to slow down and rest after a dusty day’s work in the cornfields. The murmur of women and children as they exchanged their short-handled jembes for water buckets rose like a lullaby over the beautiful evening landscape. A shrunken old lady wrapped in the commanding red linens of a head wife made her way slowly to a young girl, flicking her wrist as she quietly instructed, “Fetch the ember.” It was time to light the fires for the evening meal. Each day, one person preserved hot embers from the previous day’s fire.… Read More

@audreycfrank Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 He told her he was not attracted to her anymore, did not love her, and had wasted the past five years of his life married to her. He wanted a divorce. She recoiled in shock, the unexpected declaration taking her completely off-guard. But they both serve in the church! He is a good father to their two children. She has done Bible studies on how to be a godly wife. How could this happen when she had done everything right? She could not believe the doctor’s diagnosis. Surely he was mistaken. This must… Read More

@audreycfrank I was alone with the mountain. From my vantage point Mt. Kenya seemed to reach to heaven. I had not made it to the top with my teammates. An hour earlier we had risen in the darkness and begun the final ascent, hoping to catch the sunrise from the highest peak. Halfway up, altitude sickness gripped me and floating black spots blocked my vision. My guide quickly brought me back down the rocky trail. I could barely see him in the blackness. Dizzy and nauseated, frightened I might lose sight of my rescuer, I ran and slid after him down the narrow path. We finally reached the safety of the camp, which consisted of a small wooden cabin with bunk beds and a rudimentary kitchen.… Read More

for David, and myself Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) In the past week, I have Googled everything from sparrow photos, tossed broccoli salad, what causes insomnia, and where to find a halal sheep farm near me. More than revealing my eclectic interests and lifestyle, the ability to search such a wide range of topics in an instant discloses how dependent I have become on going to the internet to answer my questions and provide solutions to daily problems.  On a tough afternoon as I battled anxiety about one of my… Read More

@audreycfrank Psalm 16:5, NIV “Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure.” Everything that comes is assigned. Elisabeth Elliot called this the great simplifier for all of life. Our loving heavenly Father has assigned all that comes. Assignment entails willing acceptance of what comes, however. The Israelites wandered in the desert, all ate of the same manna. But many did not please the Lord and died before seeing the Promised Land. What was the difference between them and the ones who did? How do you explain the difference between people who have been through the same experience, but with vastly different outcomes? The simple answer is faith in God, trust in the One who measures out and… Read More