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Devotions Archive
Hanging On By a Thread?
Weary, hope, Spiritual Warfare, joy, comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione Weary, hope, Spiritual Warfare, joy, comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione

Hanging On By a Thread?

There's a particular kind of tired that has absolutely nothing to do with sleep.

I know it well. It's the kind that sets in when you've been fighting the same battle for so long you've forgotten what it felt like not to be fighting it. Maybe it's a health issue that just won't cooperate. Maybe it's a relationship that's draining every last drop of your energy. Maybe it's a financial situation, a ministry that feels like it's going nowhere, or just the relentless, grinding weight of everyday life when your body hurts, your heart is heavy, and the ceiling seems to be the only thing your prayers are reaching.

Been there? Yeah. Me too.

And on those days, the last thing I want is someone breezing in with a bright smile, chirping, "Just keep trusting Jesus!" as if that's something I hadn't thought of.

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When God Feels Silent
prayer, waiting, comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione prayer, waiting, comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione

When God Feels Silent

Have you ever felt like you're praying into a void? You cry out to God, begging for wisdom, direction, comfort—for anything—and all you get in return is silence. The heavens feel like brass. Your prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling and fall flat at your feet. You wonder if God has forgotten you, if He's too busy dealing with someone else's crisis, or worse yet, if He simply doesn't care.

If you're nodding your head right now, friend, I understand. I've been there. In fact, I've been there more times than I'd like to admit. There are seasons when God's voice seems so clear that I can almost audibly hear Him speaking to my heart. And then there are those dry, difficult seasons when it feels like He's packed His bags and moved to another galaxy entirely.

But here's what I'm learning: God's silence doesn't equal God's absence.

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When the World Turns
comfort, Encouragement, Discouragement, Weary Dana Rongione comfort, Encouragement, Discouragement, Weary Dana Rongione

When the World Turns

This morning I woke up with a terrible case of vertigo. After having a rough weekend battling pain from my fibromyalgia, I was hoping to start the week feeling better and ready to tackle my growing to-do list. But, alas, such was not the case.

Instead, I lay in bed trying to get my world to stop spinning. Every time I shifted my head even slightly, the room whirled around me like I was trapped on some cruel amusement park ride. Tess could sense something was wrong and snuggled up closely as if to reassure me with her steady presence.

"So, I guess it's just going to be one of those days!" I mumbled, closing my eyes against the dizziness.

Have you ever felt that way? Not necessarily dealing with vertigo, but with the sensation that your entire life is spinning out of control?

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Forgotten Sheep, Faithful Shepherd
comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione comfort, Encouragement Dana Rongione

Forgotten Sheep, Faithful Shepherd

Last Friday, Tess and I walked through a valley of dry bones. Well, it wasn’t really a valley; it was a pasture. As for the dry bones, I wish I were making that part up.

Due to the Welsh Enduro Motorbike race taking place in our little village last weekend, I decided to avoid our usual trails (many of which were used as part of the race route) and explore a trail I had spotted on a few occasions but never tried. As is common with many Welsh trails, the initial path led to a sheep pasture.

Seeing the field empty and knowing how much Tess loves to run and frolic, I decided we would wander around for a while. She could run, sniff, and play off-lead, while I meandered at my own pace. At first, everything was going great.

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The Lord of Breakthroughs
comfort, Encouragement, Discouragement, disappointment, Weary Dana Rongione comfort, Encouragement, Discouragement, disappointment, Weary Dana Rongione

The Lord of Breakthroughs

Have you ever felt like you were fighting the same battle over and over again? I certainly have! Whether it's my physical limitations from fibromyalgia or the spiritual heaviness that sometimes settles over Wales, there are days when I wonder if I'll ever see victory.

David knew that feeling all too well. In 2 Samuel 5, we find him facing a familiar foe in a familiar place. The Bible tells us, "But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David" (2 Samuel 5:17). The Philistines—again! And where did they set up camp? In the Valley of Rephaim, otherwise known as the Valley of Giants.

This wasn't David's first rodeo in this valley. The Philistines had a nasty habit of gathering there to attack Israel. Same enemy. Same battlefield. Different day.

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