Truthful Grace
Renew your heart with these inspiring articles on hope by author and teacher, Melissa McLaughlin~ Truthful Grace. There is hope! Jesus is with us always!
By Melissa McLaughlin Fatigue wrapped around me like a weighted blanket. A ball and chain tugged each movement. Unrelenting deadlines and an aging body reminded me. I felt exhausted. Catching a nap here and there wasn’t enough. I needed restoration from the inside out. Exerting all my strength, I forced my body outside for an … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin My arms trembled as I gripped the rope. Sweat trickled down my face. My toes dug into the earth, groping for a foothold. I peeked down. My stomach clenched as I viewed a vertical plummet straight down the mountain. The only option was looking up and pressing on toward the top. We … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The antique table glistened in the morning light. The sun beamed through the living room window, spotlighting this treasured piece of furniture in golden radiance. The old kidney-shaped table rests near the picture window in my parents’ home. The gently curving legs and warm wood finish bring a simple grace to the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Birds belted out their spring chorus as warm air brushed against my cheek. The chains on our porch swing squeaked in rhythm as I glided back and forth. With supper on the stove, Mom hastened out the side door of our kitchen. She whisked away to the lower end of our driveway … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin My stomach lurched as I listened. My friend, Cindy, had called with an update. Her voice trembled. She faltered, “The doctors discovered I have stage 4 cancer. I am stunned. I had no red flags. No early symptoms.” Hot tears streamed down my cheeks. I choked out the few words I could … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Autumn leaves twirl to the ground signaling the curtain call. In that final moment before taking a bow, the withering foliage announces the close of one season. By God’s wondrous design, the fall leaves also prepare for the next as they release nourishment into the earth for future growth. If you live … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin He heaved and thrust the shovel into the earth. With a sudden jerk, it lurched from his hands. The landscaper had arrived to plant a new tree in our front yard. Though the lush grass appeared soft on the surface, a few inches below lay the stump of an old oak tree. … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin My gut wrenched. Tears spilled from my eyes. I was overcome as I scanned pictures of recent hurricane damage in the southeast U.S. Piles of rubble and jagged tree roots dotted the landscape where homes once stood. Roads had collapsed as the earth gave way underneath. The devastation looked surreal. Further, the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin “That’s not how we play the game! You broke the rules,” he chided. “Who made you boss?” she glared back. As an elementary teacher, I witnessed countless arguments on the playground. Many of these clashes resulted from one child striving to rule over another or someone breaking an agreed-upon boundary. All too … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin After a quick scan of the headlines, my soul ached. “How much longer, Lord? How much longer until Jesus returns? Why are You waiting so long?” As we gaze across the landscape of humanity, it seems each new day ushers in greater depths of mankind’s sin. We witness violence, hatred, division, and … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Poem based on Psalm 136 I arise each day by heaven’s breath. His love endures forever. The sun greets my eyes with morning light. His love endures forever. Coffee for two and prayer with my husband. His love endures forever. Though sorrows creep in like a shadowed stray cat. His love endures … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Childlike Gratitude The notes jingled in the distance. My children’s faces perked up, their eyes brightened, and the pleading commenced. The anticipation was palpable when the ice cream truck stopped in our neighborhood. This was not quality ice cream, mind you. The ice creams cost $1. Our choices included sherbet popsicles shaped … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Our eyes sparkled as his voice carried us along. Dad and Mom read bedtime stories to us during our early childhood years. We soaked up these tales of chocolate factories, children slipping through a wardrobe, and small hobbits on grand adventures. Dad and Mom were excellent readers who drew us into the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin My heart soared. We had attended a Christian concert with our then-teenage kids. The band’s voices and instruments swelled combining with the vast crowd to lift the name of Jesus through song. It felt heavenly. I watched my kids’ faces alight with divine joy. Right then, I recalled another time when I … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin My mouth watered as the spicy aromas wafted through the pizzeria. I stood at the counter waiting to pay for our take-out pizzas. The teenage cashier collected my payment. I noticed the tip jar on the counter beside her. It was empty. I rummaged through my purse and reached to place money … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin I was sailing down the highway to an appointment when traffic stopped. Cars piled up and came to a standstill. I leaned forward scanning the scene to locate the cause. Minutes ticked by and still nothing. Finally, I noticed a man straining to move a heavy load of turf across the highway. … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin I reached down, pulled out a seedling, and paused in wonder. God made that! I was heading to the backyard to check on our tomato plants. Instead of lush tomatoes, I discovered maple seedlings blanketing the flowerbeds and garden. A sea of sprouts had popped up seemingly overnight, announcing their arrival with … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin A Precarious Moment As I peered down, my body froze. I was painting the dormer windows on the roof of our home. Though a small Cape Cod house, the roof was steep. I had propped the ladder against the roof and scrambled up. With my paint bucket and brush in one hand, … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Finding God’s Comfort in Devastating Loss His story caught my attention, and a lump caught in my throat. I was listening to a sermon on the radio. The pastor shared about a family vacation where his young son was hit by a car and died within minutes of the accident. He and … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Start Your Day with God With each new dawn, we are given the gift of a day. How will we face the 24 hours ahead? Some days we wake up feeling refreshed, while other days we struggle to put one foot in front of the other. Regardless of our physical strength or … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Darkness looms. Heavy. Still. Shadowed. Whispered deceptions. Seething accusations. Cloaked lies swirling. “You are not loved. No one really cares. You are called by your failures, mistakes, sins.” Hope fading Despair eclipses. Encased now in shame’s blanket Darkness envelopes. A crack in the door of your heart. A golden shaft pierces through. … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin A Grandmother’s Faith We called her Nanny. With a ready smile and sweet spirit she radiated an inner contentment, the peace that only God can provide. Nanny’s steadfast faith in Christ, despite illness and hardships, endeared her to me and all who knew her. It was a thrill whenever she came to … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Unstoppable Power They have a power all their own. The patches of stubborn, unmelted snow still cling to the earth, gripping the edges of our souls with the frigid bite of winter. But there they are- unthwarted, unstoppable, undaunted. Up from the earth. Up from the shadows. Up from the seeming stillness … Read more
A Lifelong Pursuit of Christ As followers of Christ, we discover a journey that takes us through nourishing, green pastures, still waters of refreshment and at times, deep, dark valleys. Our Good Shepherd saves us, leads us, cares for us and loves us all along the way. Therefore, our greatest desire is to live for … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Overcoming We often feel our problems are too big or our struggles too great for the LORD to help us overcome. Take heart, the God who created us, can re-create us from the inside out, if we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and LORD and yield to His Spirit’s work … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The Rock There it stood. Rugged, wild and immovable. Our family excursion to Maine brought us to the picturesque Pemaquid Point. We climbed along the rocky outcropping that stood firm against the onslaught of ocean waves. Though the waves rolled in, crashing with rhythmic force, yet the rock stood firm. We stood … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin What do we fear? When was the last time you were afraid? I mean really afraid? But was it ever your own sin? Did you ever fear the consequences of your own sin? Can we hide our sin? Have you ever tried to bluff someone about your actions? Perhaps as a child … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin One of the great pleasures of summertime is enjoying fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden. The deep red tomatoes, crunchy sweet cucumbers, lush green squash and overflowing beans. The list goes on and on and on. All year we wait for one bite of this sumptuous and long-awaited delicacy. As I … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Home Sweet Home Surprisingly, one of the sweet joys of a summer get-away is coming home. After all the fun, the visits to see family, the sights and sounds of new places, there is something simple and beautiful about arriving back home. Seeing the familiar. Returning to your own comforts. Sleeping in … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The weight of sadness in this world with its division, hatred, animosity and harshness, at times feels like a heavy blanket of evil pressing against my soul. Every word spoken, seems to assume the worst and allows for no grace. Every news cast highlights the most destructive possible view of humanity. Every … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Another gruesome and wicked act of racial injustice carried out in our land. My heart dropped. My stomach sickened. My body heaved with grief. How did we get here, Lord? How can we bring justice, Lord? How can we bring healing, Lord? What is our response? Stealing, Killing, Destroying? Some have chosen … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Have you ever felt the innermost part of your soul drying up and withering away? Like a plant left too long in the sweltering summer sun. Like a streambed gone too long with no replenishing rain. Like a person walking miles in the desert with a parched mouth and no water bottle … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin It was a small and simple surprise, but my heart leaped for joy at the sight! My husband had snapped a twig off our old apple tree and placed it in a vase on the kitchen table. Though half of the tree was now dead, a few branches still pulsed with life, … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin When times are hard, when we’re stressed out, worried or down, there is nothing like a song to reset our internal compass. Music can help lift our eyes, minds and hearts, especially when those songs point us to Christ. He is our hope in life and in death. Songs with Christian lyrics … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Spring is my favorite season of the year. I love to witness new life bursting forth from what once appeared dead and gone. The vivid colors, the sweet fragrances, the lengthening daylight. It all speaks of hope. Hope from that which seemed hopeless. Life from that which seemed lifeless. Anticipation. Promise. Expectancy. … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Ever had one of those days? Whether you are taking your first few steps to follow Christ or you have traveled myriad miles in your walk with Him, there are days when it feels we simply cannot take one more step. Days when it seems impossible to put one foot in front … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin I still remember that day. Rain poured down in buckets, drenching our hopes of playing outside. Like all kids on a rainy day, we were feeling antsy. To release some pent-up energy, my older brother and I began tossing a Nerf ball back and forth in the kitchen. It was an innocent … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Sometimes, a message of God’s hope is the only gift you can offer another person. Sometimes, this is the only gift we really need. Corrie Ten Boom’s Family Life One woman who has inspired multitudes with her message of hope in Christ is Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie was born in the Netherlands … Read more
Lori Cunningham – Guest Post This excerpt by author and speaker, Nan Jones, says it all: “I’ve only known Lori Cunningham a few short weeks through an online friendship, but I know there is something very special about her. I think of the beautiful, delicate rose whose petals have fallen to the ground only to … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin As Children – We Can’t Wait I remember it like yesterday. With eager faces and fidgety bodies we sat through the Christmas Eve service at church. Angel costumes, eyes twinkling, voices resounding, Christmas carols ringing. We were there, but looking forward, looking ahead, looking onward. Following the church service, our parents bustled … Read more