204 Hope When Life Takes an Unexpected Detour that Leads to a Hard Place

Episode Summary:  Life has a way of altering our course through unexpected detours. But how do you find hope when life takes an unexpected detour that leads to a hard place? How do you continue putting one foot in front of another? Join me with Grace Fox on the podcast. Quotables from the episode: My circumstances made for a perfect storm, and fear could have overwhelmed me were it not for God helping me focus on the truth of His faithfulness. God is faithful no matter what. He doesn’t promise that life will be easy, but He promises to be with us at all times. There are no coincidences when God is in our lives. Crisis or detour places can be some of the places of the richest growth. Detours into unexpected places keep us looking to God to see us through. We may not be able to prevent fearful thoughts, but it’s what we do with the fearful thoughts that matter most. We must choose to embrace joy over fear. We have no promises for what our future holds, but we are promised who holds our future! Having a God-perspective keeps our eyes focused on the One who goes with us into the hard places. It’s helpful to reframe our lives' detours into hard places in terms of learning what God wants us to learn in those hard places. Put into practice Philippians 4:6-7 –- commit all their anxieties and fears to the Lord with thanksgiving for all He has already done. (Giving thanks is vital to experiencing the peace of God that’s promised in this passage). Spiritual treasures hidden in dark places are too precious to miss. Stay alert. *Praise is our best defense when the unexpected catches us off guard. Darkness descends and wind screams around us but remembering and declaring that God rules over every detail fills us with calm. The darker our circumstances, the more important it is to practice gratitude! Scripture References: Philippians 4:6-7 NLT “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:26-27 NLT “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[a] in harmony with God’s own will.” Psalm 23:1 NLT “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Recommended Resources:  Fresh Hope for Today by Grace Fox  Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Trusting God Through Cancer 1 Trusting God Through Cancer 2 Revive & Thrive Women's Conference Subdue Stress and Anxiety: Fifteen Experts Offer Comprehensive Tools in Ten Minutes a Day. Use my link plus discount code BENG99 to save $90 on course (course will be $99.) Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Grace Fox: Website / Facebook / Instagram For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube Guest: Grace Fox is a career missionary and, together with my husband, co-direct International Messengers Canada, a sending agency with about 300 staff in 31 countries.  Her passion is to connect the dots between faith and real life by helping others learn to love, understand, and apply God's Word. She and her husband, Gene, live on a sailboat in British Columbia. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.