Abby McDonald

Finding the Hope of Christ in a Messy Life

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God Doesn’t Speak to Us in Puzzles

October 15, 2020 by Abby McDonald

For weeks, I thought God was giving me signs. Hints of something to come.  What I didn't realize at the time is God doesn't speak to us in puzzles. I faced a health scare, and twenty-one days stood between the initial phone call and a diagnosis. So I prayed and kept my eyes open. An hour after the receptionist at the breast imaging office called, I realized an online cancer summit was starting the exact same day as my upcoming diagnostic exam. Then, I remembered October was breast Continue Reading

3 Ways God Defends When the Enemy Accuses Us

October 8, 2020 by Abby McDonald

Sometimes I forget that it's God who defends us when the enemy attacks, and that we're not alone on some island trying to fend for ourselves. You too? I used to think once I reached a certain point in my walk with Jesus, all my insecurities would melt away. In my mind, I would become sort of like non-stick cookware. Each lie and accusation the enemy tried to throw at me would slide off, and I’d never give them a second thought. Unfortunately, I’m learning the complete opposite is true. The Continue Reading

The Question Every Parent Is Asking Right Now

August 6, 2020 by Abby McDonald

It’s the question every parent with school-aged children is asking right now: What do I do, God? This pandemic continues to strip away choices about our kids’ education, causing us to look at the options we do have with disbelief and anxiety. Some of us have more freedom and options than others, but we are all facing a fall semester unlike anything we’ve seen. We want the best for our kids, and face a lurking fear of emotional, physical or mental harm. Yesterday, after months of not Continue Reading

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Hi! I'm Abby and I'm so glad you're here. I am a wife and a mom of two very energetic boys and one sweet baby girl. When I'm not chasing them around I love to write about my love for a God who relentlessly pursued me, even during my darkest times. READ MORE...

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Mom brain (and brain fog) is real, folks! Always h Mom brain (and brain fog) is real, folks! Always have a journal or app with you to capture those ideas on the go. Then, when you finally get a chance to sit down, you’ll have your idea in front of you.

#writinglife #writingtips #writingcoach #hopewriters
I can’t tell you the number of times someone has I can’t tell you the number of times someone has remarked about my kids’ behavior, my writing, or something else, and I would never have known they noticed me. They said something at just the right time, often on a day I needed a boost of encouragement, and it kept me going. I know you don’t have an audience (except your kids, perhaps) when you’re doing the dishes. You probably don’t have one when you’re putting your kids to bed either. But you know what?
 
Our unseen work will always affect the work we do for an audience.

The heart and the love we pour into those unseen hours? It will carry into the lives we live in front of others. It will cause a ripple effect, spreading over to other areas. We may not even notice it at the time, but it will.

If you’re having trouble believing those unseen hours matter today, will you do me a favor? Come to God and just be honest. I promise he can handle it. He won’t turn away or give you a cold shoulder. He may even show you a little glimpse of what you’ve been missing.

#hopewriters #hisloveenduresforever #encouragingword #seekhimfirst
His goodness will follow you into the unknown, int His goodness will follow you into the unknown, into the dark valleys and shadows. It will never leave. Even when it feels as though the world is closing in on you and you have nothing left to give, his goodness will follow you.

Speak this truth over your life today. Even if you have difficulty believing it today, he will use your proclamation of truth. You will defeat the enemy with arrows from his Word. His attacks against you will not stand.

#hopewriters #psalm23 #hisgoodness #seekhimfirst
Hello on this rainy Friday! Everything in me said Hello on this rainy Friday! Everything in me said to stay home today, but I braved the storm and found unexpected gifts because of it like:

1. Shorter lines
2. Less chaos and traffic in the store (which makes me anxious)
3. No one breathing down my neck in the checkout line. 😂 Sidenote- so not necessary!

What unexpected gift did you recently discover after doing something you didn’t want to do? Nothing is too small.

Happy weekend, friends!

#unexpectedgifts #hopewriters #cultivategratitude
You won’t know if you don’t try. This is what You won’t know if you don’t try.

This is what I keep telling myself lately. Perhaps you need this reminder too. Because if you’re anything like me, you can freeze yourself with contingencies and made-up scenarios before you even start something. 

It’s exhausting. And I’ve wasted too much time doing this. So I’m choosing to take steps toward big goals even when my inner voice tells me, “You have no clue what you’re doing.”

Yesterday, that looked like sending an email.  It seems like such a small thing but it felt good. More than good, actually. It was as though all those made-up scenarios melted away, my shoulders relaxed and God whispered, “I’ve got this.”

Take the step, my friend. No matter what happens, the joy of saying “yes” will far exceed the regret of never trying.

#faithwriter #hopewriters #seekhimfirst #wordsofencouragement
Anyone else? 🙋🏻‍♀️😆 When do I need Anyone else? 🙋🏻‍♀️😆 When do I need to send help for you?

#grammarnerd #writing101 #wordnerd #pleasesendhelp
We weren’t created to walk through this life fig We weren’t created to walk through this life fighting the lies of the enemy with our own power. We were sent a Helper, who equips us with truth, leads our prayers and intercedes for us. (Romans 8:26)

Keeping our feet on solid ground is not a passive undertaking. It is daily battle. But the battle is worth it. And as we stand there on the Word that brings life, the arrows start to fall like dead weights. The elements may thunder, but they can’t overtake us. Because we’ve turned our eyes to the power Who controls them all.

#hispromises #hopewriters #amazinggrace #encouragingword
If you’re anything like me, you may sometimes th If you’re anything like me, you may sometimes think God’s peace is something you have to earn or strive to receive. We live in a world where anxiety is becoming more and more common, and it doesn’t seem like peace is a natural state of being.

But if we look at scripture, Jesus doesn’t describe his peace as a trophy we have to earn. It is a gift He gives us as his children, and His perfect peace is part of who He is.

Sharing more about this @embracing.the.unexpected 

https://www.embracingtheunexpected.com/how-is-god-good-unexpected-circumstances/

#embracingtheunexpected #encouragingwords #hisgrace
No matter how long we’ve been walking with Jesus No matter how long we’ve been walking with Jesus, most of us will hit a season where it feels as though he’s silent. As we see others move forward in their faith and sense his presence in their lives, it can feel lonely.

When we walk through these valleys, we need to remember that Jesus said himself that no one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand. 

Regardless of what you might be feeling right now, you still belong to the One who paid the highest price to call you his own. If you’re having difficulty hearing his voice in your life or wondering why he speaks to others and not to you, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Our spiritual life is a series of valleys, mountains, and middle ground in-between. When you witness someone else taking big steps in their spiritual journey or hearing from God consistently, it could be that they are in a different life chapter than you are. Often, a long valley comes just before the breakthrough. It’s never a good idea to compare where we are in our faith to someone else, because each of us is unique.

2. Abiding in Christ is an active, day by day process, not a passive, one and done decision. One of Jesus’ last teachings to the disciples is about abiding in the Vine. Jesus is the Vine, and he tells us in John 15 that apart from him we can do nothing:

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4 NIV

3. God is infinite, and speaks to each of us in different ways. God may speak to us through a friend or a song, and speak to someone else through nature. He may bring use a specific scripture to minister to someone else, but nudge our heart through a different passage. The key is to keep coming to God, regardless of how we feel.

Friend, if you are in a dry season right now, tell God what’s on your heart. You will not scare him away with an honest admission of your frustration. As a matter if fact, your honesty may be exactly what’s needed to propel you forward and see breakthrough.

#hopewriters #encouragingwords #seekhimfirst #hisgrace #dailydevotion
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