Dianne Barker

Tag: discouragement

  • Watch Your Step…There’s a Pit Ahead!

    I fell into the pit again. The pit of discouragement. It’s a trap, and I do my best to avoid it. Didn’t even see that dark hole till I tumbled in.

  • Breaking News! God Is Stronger Than All the Giants!

    Giants! They’re everywhere! Have you encountered any in your neighborhood? Wish you could’ve seen the two ogres that hurled me to the ground, knocking all hope right out of me. One pinned me down—his name was Doubt—while his buddy, Unbelief, pummeled me and a cluster of their wicked brothers (Fear, Worry, Discouragement, and Despair), smiled…

  • Watch Your Step…There’s a Pit Ahead!

    I need a safe place to confess…I fell into the pit again. The pit of discouragement. It’s a trap, and I do my best to avoid it. Didn’t even see that dark hole till I tumbled in. Then I knew exactly where I’d landed. I’ve been there before. This plunge happened while I was carrying…

  • I’d Rather Not, but Let’s Talk about Obedience

    If God graded us on obedience, I’m not sure I’d get a high score. Absolute obedience is the desire of my heart, but I admit that is not my reality. Wouldn’t you think that when Creator God gives direction, his created ones would respond in obedience? Yet we struggle. God gives a plan and we…

  • Isn’t It Time to Let Down Your Nets?

    The last thing a weary fisherman wants to hear is “let down your nets.” The Lord told Simon Peter after a disappointing fishing trip, “…Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch” (see Luke 5:1-11). A crowd had gathered around Jesus by the Lake of Gennesaret to hear his teaching.…

  • How to Survive a Stay in the Wilderness

    Wilderness…have you spent time there? Years ago my husband and I took an unforgettable vacation, driving from Tennessee to California and visiting popular tourist sites along the way. We crossed desert areas—miles of brown loneliness. Fighting anxiety over what might happen if our car broke down in the unbearable heat, I felt huge relief and…

  • What’s Elijah Doing under a Juniper Tree Praying to Die?

    It’s a pitiful picture—Elijah under a juniper tree praying to die. How did he get there? Ahab had become king of Israel, and he was a bad actor, doing “more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.” His wife, Jezebel, was a good match for him—wicked through and through.…

  • Watch Your Step…There’s a Pit Ahead!

    I need a safe place to confess…I fell into the pit again. The pit of discouragement. It’s a trap, and I do my best to avoid it. Didn’t even see that dark hole till I tumbled in. Then I knew exactly where I’d landed. I’ve been there before. The plunge happened while I was carrying…

  • Joy, Faith Confront Stalkers Weariness, Discouragement

    Joy. Got any? The Lord and I were having a conversation about the future. He noticed I felt a bit disheartened. (He’s good at that—knowing the thoughts of my heart.) A while back, I’d asked, “What’s next?” He’d laid out an action plan, specific steps that would lead to a desired place. “I don’t understand,”…

  • The Wilderness…Where Do We Go from Here?

    Wilderness…have you spent time there? Years ago my husband and I took an unforgettable vacation, driving from Tennessee to California and visiting popular tourist sites along the way. We crossed desert areas—miles of brown loneliness. Fighting anxiety over what might happen if our car broke down in the unbearable heat, I felt huge relief and…