After you’re finished reading today’s devotional, hop on over and listen to our weekly podcast “Six Degrees of Toasted Bacon.”
iTunes: Click Here
Google: Click here (Also available on most other podcast apps.)
Today’s Scattered Seeds
One of the things I liked most about being a young mom was “Ladies Morning Out.” Every Tuesday I packed up my son, and with my pregnant little belly we drove down to the church.
It was a small group of about 8 women–sisters in Christ who quickly became friends. I couldn’t possibly think of missing a week. I loved the Bible study, I loved our craft time, and I loved the women I fellowshipped with.
But things changed when that little heart inside me stopped beating. I was five months along when the doctor told me I had lost another baby–the fifth one that slipped away from our lives.
I’m not sure what it was exactly–if it was postpartum depression or a chemical imbalance, but I do know that I went into a dark place that summer where all I wanted to do was to sit in a closet and cry. I knew that I had to adult, so I did as much as I could with the little energy I had.
About a week later, one of the girls from ladies morning out showed up at my door with a bouquet of flowers. “None of us know what to say,” she said, “but I wanted to stop in to let you know that we care.”
Knowing that someone cared meant more to me than a thousand well-spoken words ever could. It taught me that sometimes holding hands with a crying friend is just what they need. And sometimes love without words is more than enough.
I’m reminded how the Lord is never far from the broken-hearted. The days when He sat by my side while I wept, the many times that He’s shared in my sorrow and pain. A listening ear when I’m needing a friend. Strong arms that found me in darkness and carried me back to the light.
I’m reminded of the Egyptian slave, Hagar in Genesis Chapter 16. Mistreated by her mistress Sarah, Hagar flees from their home and runs to the desert.
Regardless of who she was in the sight of man, she was precious and dear to the Lord. And like a good friend who walks by your side, He was there to comfort her pain.
She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13, NIV)
Subscribe so you don’t miss a post:
Tilling the Soil
Read Genesis Chapter 16 where find the story of God comforting Hagar in the desert.
Planting Hope
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18, ESV)
Your donations help to support this ministry as we share the gospel with over 500,000 women around the world. Click here to donate
Darlene Schacht and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada where the summers are beautiful and the winters are cold. Together they’ve come to learn that relationships aren’t always easy, but that marriage, the way God intended it to be, is a treasure worth fighting for.
She began her publishing journey about twelve years ago when she pioneered one of the first online magazines for Christian women, known at the time as “Christian Women Online Magazine.” After three years, Darlene left CWO to blog as a solo author at Time-Warp Wife Ministries.
It was also during this transition that she worked alongside actress Candace Cameron Bure to write the NYT Best-Selling book, Reshaping it All: Motivation for Spiritual and Physical Fitness. Reshaping it All was the winner of both the 2011 USA Best Book Awards and the 2012 Christian Reading Retailers Choice Awards.
Author of more than 15 books, Darlene continues to write and to minister to her readers through her blog at TimeWarpWife.com.
Connect with Darlene:
Facebook: @timewarpwife
Instagram: @timewarpwife
Pinterest: @timewarpwife
Twitter: @timewarpwife
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife