Lamentations 3:17-18, 21-24

Good morning!

Lamentations 3:17-18, 21-24: My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is. Then I thought: My future is lost, as well as my hope from the LORD. Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.


I've been depressed before and have had my share of bad days, but can only think of one time in my life when I truly forgot what happiness was. That is not a fun place to be. When you've gotten to this point in life, you will usually be there awhile. This Scripture is not talking about your 24 hour deprivations of peace. This is the big time...you are in a hole of sadness...with no end in sight.

I was so close to never becoming a mother. I tried so hard to be positive, have faith, believe. But deep down, I was sinking into a trench where I couldn't remember what it felt like to be happy. The future that I had dreamed about for years and longed to have was lost. Year after year, problem after problem, failure after failure. Void of peace...unimaginable sadness...hopelessness.

But God never left me, even when I felt so alone. He always reminded me He was there. I remember having days when having a baby was all I could think about and many nights where I would cry myself to sleep. But I also remember those times when I could see my soon to be son's face, I swear I could. And I would press on. Hope would rise up in me, against all odds. I could have just given up...no one would have blamed me. But I held on and strived to get out of that black hole of sadness and hopelessness. The more I did that, the more I realized that as long as I had God's love, I would be alright. Even if my dream never came true, He would give me another dream. His love replaced that sadness and I found hope again.

I want to tell you today that His love can replace any sadness you have. You can have peace again. You can have hope in your heart again. You will remember what happiness feels like again. His never ending love is the key. His mercies are new every morning. Fight to get out of that pit...say it over and over again if you have to! The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.

I have happiness again in my life, peace flows in my life, and I have hope in the Lord. Not because my dream came true...not because I finally became a mother. Happiness, peace and hope are mine because of God's faithful love for me.

I love The Message version so I'll close with it: I gave up on life altogether. I've forgotten what the good life is like. I said to myself, "This is it. I'm finished. God is a lost cause." But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.

Psalm 116:1-2

Good morning!

Psalm 116:1-2: I love the LORD because He heard my voice; He heard my call for mercy. Because He has turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.


This is a special edition of Quick Word because today is it's one year anniversary! These are the verses I used for the very 1st Quick Word that was emailed out to just my friends and family and now it has spread to China, India, Africa, Malaysia, England, Italy, France, Central America and Canada. I emailed out that 1st Quick Word as my six month old babies napped and now they are 18 months old and are in daycare all day as I am now back working full time outside of the home. So much has changed but these verses still hold true! God is doing amazing things with me and my family. He is not done with us yet and neither are my appeals for mercy. He will always turns His ear to me as long as I live. His Word is spreading, He is working and moving and lives are being changed. If it's only mine, then it was worth it! I look forward to another year with you and I pray that the countries double and that we see new wonders that we've never seen before.

Please share with me your favorite Quick Word, whether it was emailed to you or here on the blog. I'd love to hear from you about what God is doing in your life!

I'd like to add another verse from the same Psalm that sums up Winning Souls Wednesday. Verse 13 says "I will take the cup of salvation and worship the LORD."

Take it...that cup is yours!