Angela Beach Silverthorne's Blog

 “Why the pain, Lord?”
I love it when a book begins with a question and then proceeds writing straight-forward, honest answers about resolutions and tactics to handle some of life’s hardest issues. Dr. Murrell did not disappoint.
A loaded question, but one that is fully examined.
“God can heal in many different ways, including through His word. My prayer is that as you read His word through my message, your heart will be touched, and healing will take place in those areas where you have hurt for such a long time. As God heals you, I ask that you, in turn, minister comfort and healing to others.” Dr. Arvis Murrell
All of us have stood against adversity, resentment, bitterness, anger, loss, and pain. We’ve wondered who we are in the midst of life’s struggles. Can we conquer and overcome? Arvis breaks down these complex issues and wraps God’s word around them like a salve, a healing balm, to readjust our thinking, and encourage us to make our plans with God and move forward.
Page to page, I picked up valuable gems on how to face issues and circumstances, pain and misery, along with doubt and stress. The author achieves this with relatable, engaging commentary about her own struggles and how she reached deep into God’s word to heal.
Truthfully, how do you adequately review a book that is so chocked-full of inspiration and truth about human frailty and God’s love, grace, and mercy? Maybe it’s by sharing some of Dr. Murrell’s own words from her book.
“We often give our circumstances too much power. Rather than take control of our situations, we allow our circumstances to control how we think and act . . .  I had to learn how to keep myself calm by not putting so much attention on small stuff, rather to focus on kingdom things and let the main thing be the main thing.” 
“Paul put it this way: ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth’. (Col. 3:1-2)"
"Here we are encouraged to ‘set our affections on things above’. We are to put our attention on what God is doing, not on what others are doing. Focusing on others can cause feelings of outrage as people are not capable of satisfying us. But focusing on God has a calming effect."
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.’” (Isaiah 26:3)"
“God wants to bring us out of bondage and make us vessels of honor. For it is not His will for us to perish.”
“I could not quit on God because He did not quit on me. Even when the road got tough, I had to keep traveling. God has a plan for my life, and He has one for you, too”
“Remember, your setback is God’s setup for your comeback!”
Beautiful reminders of God’s mighty love for us. He can use every circumstance we face to His glory.”
Hopeful words from the back cover of the book, “If your painful past is holding you back, It Doesn’t Hurt Anymore will shed light on deeply rooted scars. Start anew today. Be relieved from the pain, break free from the shadows, and move forward to reclaim the life God has chosen for you.”
Rev. Steve Baran, President-National Christian Counselors Association, states, “The pathway to Freedom, Forgiveness and Fullness of Life is found through a personal relationship with Jesus! The necessary steps one takes on this journey are eloquently outlined in this book as the author shares God’s amazing transformational experience in her life.”
It Doesn’t Hurt Anymore: Release the Past and Embrace Your Future encouraged me to live life beyond circumstances, beyond everyday chaos and disappointment in order to live fully and empowered in Jesus Christ. 
God bless you,Angela Beach SilverthorneLiving Life Through Faith

For weeks I’ve been unsettled. If you and I were talking, I’d have to share with you all the circumventing things that were going on inside my head and pressing on my heart.  I’d have to confess that these things were disrupting, keeping me unable to focus.
I’m concerned about so many things. My prayer list grows. Family. Friends. Associates. Prayer for people suffering. Cancer. Sickness. Depression. Addiction. Job loss. Anger. Aging issues.
I’m very concerned about our country and the hateful attitudes of our people in government positions.
Well, I could go on and on, but that’s not why I’m writing. It’s not what’s unsettling that I want to share. It’s what I’ve learned in the process of going through this disturbing time, a time when I felt unable to sink deeply into the healing power of prayer and worship.
One morning I stopped my Bible study midway, realizing I wasn’t fully invested, hadn’t even comprehended the last three paragraphs of my reading. I sat back and looked at my open Bible and study material. This was usually the time I prepared for the day. Preparing for the day is crucial. Who knows what could change or happen in the course of twenty-four hours? The secret to being prepared is to receive the life-changing power of God’s Word and to fully be engaged in this sacred time. When I realized I wasn’t fully engaged, I stopped. 
That’s when I remembered a piece Jonathan Cahn had written. I quickly found it and reread it twice. It was a total attitude changer! I was fighting the wrong battles.

Here’s Jonathan Cahn’s article: The Battles You Win By Not Fighting *****“George Washington was not only America’s first president but the victorious general of the American Revolution. Yet, most people don’t realize that Washington spent much of the war not fighting or advancing — but running away. Why?It was because he knew that he was in no position to win. And if he fought those battles which were a losing proposition, he would end up losing his army and thus losing the war. So he waited until the right time and the right battle to fight. And he ended up winning the war.The enemy wants you to fight the wrong battle—to fight self-centered battles, to strive with others, to spend time defending yourself, to strive after things of this world which have no importance in the age to come. He knows when you fight these battles, you’re guaranteed to lose the war. You don’t have to fight every battle, in fact, you have to NOT fight every battle. You have to let go and withdraw so that you’ll end up being victorious and winning the war!”*****
Not fight every battle?
That’s right.  I don’t have to fight every battle, not mine or anyone else’s. But I do need to be prepared to battle the right battles. BE PREPARED. 
Why?
Because we know Satan is fighting to ruin us and destroy our faith. 
So how do we prepare for the battles? 
For those times when you feel distracted, discontent or discouraged, first STOP.
Remind yourself that life is a battlefield. You have to believe this to even begin preparing for battle. Preparing empowers you to defeat Satan and live in the spirit of peace and joy – freedom from those outside forces that seek to disrupt your precious time with Jesus.
Here are the three things to keep your mind centered and prepared to fight the right battles in life.

     1. Fight the right battles by abiding in Christ.
Abiding in Christ means to remain, continue, and stay close to God. Staying close to God means getting to know Him. In the New Testament, we get a very up-close look at Jesus, His responses, and His love for mankind.
God’s Words empower. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He used the precious words of God to ward off Satan. These same words can be used when we need power over circumstances and choices. Use God’s Words; they cannot fail. One way to be empowered by God’s Word is to learn scripture. Find a verse or two or three to memorize. When you feel your spirit is being attacked, use those verses to ward off Satan. God’s Words strike terror in Satan.
“Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.” (1955 BGEA)

     2. Fight the right battles by abounding in Christ.
Abounding in Christ means to be filled with Christ in all we do, say, and accomplish. As we abound in Christ, we are filled to overflowing with the love of the Father and show that in our actions and ministry to others. We are fruit bearers – love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
“A faithful man will abound with blessings.” Proverbs 28:20
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more.” Philippians 1:9
Abounding in Christ is an act of consciousness. We must fill ourselves with righteousness in order to fight the right battles in the right timing.

     3. Fight the right battles by adhering to Christ.
Adhering to Christ is to stay attached, stick to, cleave, and rely on Him. We must believe, trust, and realize that without God we can do nothing. The battles in life are real. Who would want to fight them alone?
It is through prayer that we stay adhered to the Father. If you ever saw the movie, War Room , you realized the power of a praying woman. Prayer is our communication to the Father who hears every word, even those wordless prayers when we are too full to know what we need to pray for. Few of us conceive the Divine, the Holy, the Spiritual because we cannot phantom beyond our chaos and confusion, the moment-by-moment experiences and crises. But we have resurrection power. We have the power to stop the swirling mass of anxiety by praying.
Pray for God to intercede and settle your spirit to hear His still, small voice, and to help you seal off yesterday, today, and tomorrow’s issues in order to sit profoundly in His presence . . . just you and the Father.
2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
I can tell you I would rather boast in my suffering that the power of God is in me than wrestle to navigate life without Him.
Jesus’ love for us is eternal, and so is His grace. He wants us to cast our burden on Him. We were never meant to fight life’s battles without Him. Prayer is our direct link to the Throne Room. Tap on it daily. This is how we fight the right battles, through adhering to the Father in prayer.
“Millions of Christians have stopped believing that we are at war. No urgency, no watching, no vigilance, no strategic planning. Just easy peacetime and prosperity. We have so domesticated prayer that it is no longer in many lives and churches . . . We simply must create in ourselves and our churches a wartime mentality.”  ~ John Piper
Thank You, God, for the hope You give us,the hope that sustains us,and the hope that keeps our eyes focused on You!
With all the mess we see in the world, our only hope is in Jesus Christ. He offers us peace in the storm and joy in the morning.
Abide. Abound. Adhere. Be prepared!
Blessings to you always. I’m praying for you,
Angela Living Life Through Faith, one day at a time!

Unimaginable has changed my life. Finally a book that puts some sense into what I'm seeing going on in the news and in the world. I've been on a downward spiral wondering what in the world was happening to people. Lies upon lies spouted on TV. And no one seems to truly notice or care, deliberately bouncing lies off lies. But Johnston puts what's happening today into a framework. He shows us the world before Christianity and the aftermath. He talks about the men and women who shaped philosophies that are still cropping up today. After showing us what our world would look like without Christianity, Johnston throws light on the ever-increasing effects of a world with Christianity.

I'm for ever grateful for the author's attention to detail and the historical facts that have pushed us where we are today. Frank Turek stated, "Jeremiah Johnston takes you on a sweeping ride through history to reveal how Jesus Christ infused our lives with goodness in ways you many never have imagined. I can't recommend this book highly enough." Well, neither can I!!









Wow! I've been praying for God to empower me, to move me to get out and do His work. God delivered. He laid Boltz's book in front of me and said, "Read!". 
All the struggles I felt had no answers were clearly dissolved as I read one chapter after another. After I finished the book, I felt equipped to meet Boltz's challenge. "I invite you on a journey to use words to speak into the very fabric of your life, the spiritual realm, and the world around you. These words are all the tools for you to align your faith and create your inner life as one full of courage and hope." Read and watch how the God of breakthrough wants to show you how to break the things that hold you back from the fullness of life God wants you to have.
Jonathan Cahn also talks about the power of breakthrough in his devotional, "The Power of the Bikor".  In it Cahn states, "No matter what you're going through, no matter what the problem, what the obstacle, what the situation, no matter what, you've got the power to break forth and breakthrough."
Learn to breakthrough to see what God needs you to see and do in your life. I challenge you to read Shawn Boltz's book, Breakthrough!





Five teachings of Jesus often missed, ignored, or rejected.Gary Miller has caused a giant shift in my faith walk. I've been studying scripture for years. I attend church and listen, truly listen, Bible in hand, to the pastor. I am a student wanting to learn all I can about my Savior.
After reading this book, I realize I am a novice, needing to go back and reread the Bible, looking at scripture with a new lens - the lens of truth and awareness.
What did Jesus really say about obedience to the commands of Jesus; the true meaning of grace in our lives; Jesus's primary focus for us; Jesus view on divorce and remarriage; and His view on wealth.
I want to know what Jesus said about how I'm to think, act, and process His words to enrich my life and the lives of others. We all need to understand these truth that are often misunderstood.
I will reread Miller's book many times. The book may be small, but it is powerful, even life-changing.





"Not what you think . . ." That intrigued me. "Might be nothing we expected yet everything we need." That made me buy the book. Why? I'm almost 70 years old. I have children and grandchildren who are questioning what the Bible says. I question it, too, but I trust and believe what it says even when I don't understand it all. 
But I have conversations with younger people who question without faith. The jacket on the book peaked my interest further, "The Bible is seen by many contemporary readers as intolerant, outdated, out of step with societal norms at best, and a tool of oppression at worst.In this earnest and illuminating read, Michael and Lauren McAfee honestly wrestle with the relevance of this ancient book in our modern world and raise a few questions of their own."
The very things the authors mentioned as troubling about the Bible to millennials and generation Z, I hear voiced by the younger people in my family. I want to understand the issues they are dealing with or at least be open minded enough to listen if I get the opportunity to have a discussion with them. 
So I read the book. I cannot tell you how my eyes were open, how my faith was strengthened, and how the strength of my faith that offers grace, mercy, and love is exactly what our younger people need as they figure out their faith journey in a world that is ever changing and complex. 
All ages will appreciate the authors fresh perspective and thorough investigation in sharing the issues that all people are facing, young and old alike, and how they can navigate through these issues. You will certainly appreciate their candor and honesty about the questions they have had. I love the invitation that they repeatedly offer to readers - seek for yourself what the Bible says, then make up your own mind what you want to do with Jesus and what He offers. Let it be a personal choice, not one gathered on the internet or from a group of friends who may or may not have encountered a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ, the Lord.
God bless each of you! May God speak to you in ways that astound, motivate, and encourage you to do and be all you can in His power, grace, mercy, and love,Angela
Links for books:
Unimaginable:  https://www.amazon.com/Unimaginable-W...

Breakthrough: Prophesies, Prayers, & Declarations:  https://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-P...
Jesus Really Said That: https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Really-S...

Not What You Think: https://www.amazon.com/Not-What-You-T...

A friend called, her voice ragged and shaken. “Mike got crushed inside his car. The jaws of life had to get him out. He’s hurt bad! My son might not live.”
Helplessness.
I rejoiced when my daughter called to say she was pregnant. Every month, after her pregnancy checkup, my daughter would call. We thanked God for this precious new life who would be part of our family. Seeing my daughter’s name come up on the phone, I eagerly picked it up, “Hey, Sweetie! How are you feeling today?” There’s a kind of silence, a deafening silence, that a Mama’s heart picks up on. “What’s wrong?” Through sorrow filled hiccups, my daughter voiced, “I went to the doctor. Oh, Mama, my baby’s dead.”
Helplessness. 
After many attempts to reconcile with her sister, May finally received a letter from her. May was so excited she ripped the envelope open and pulled out the note. In large letters were scrawled words of stinging finality.  “Do not try to contact me again.”
Helplessness.
The doctor twitched in his chair, staring at a stack of paper. A crushing silence heated the room. He felt his hands shake. Across from him sat a woman he had taken care of since she was a college student. He was invited to her wedding. He dropped by the hospital when her first child was born. Looking up at her, he saw a pain-stricken face and took a deep breath. He knew she needed him to give her good news. She had been through a tough year managing her husband’s sickness and recent death. But the news he had to deliver was hard. “Susan, the tests confirm that you have breast cancer.” She threw her hand over her mouth and cried, “No.” 
Helplessness.
I just finished reading a book, Before We Were Yours, that kept me feeling helpless right up until the end. At times my heart raced, and I felt sick at my stomach. I wanted a resolution. I needed the feeling of utter despair to end. But I could not put that book down. I had to find out what happened. I wanted to know the ending.
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt utterly helpless?
On the afternoon of May 31, 2019, a young man opened fire at the Municipal Building in Virginia Beach, Virginia killing twelve people. Helplessness etched itself on the hearts of many people leaving them broken and unable to think past a horrendous, needless slaughter. 
Since then the news has highlighted individuals who pushed through their panic and fear to serve and comfort those around them. We want to hear these stories. We need to hear these stories in times of disaster and human suffering. 
Our faith teaches us that God never leaves nor forsakes us. God was at the crime scene. He walked through the horror to make sure no one was left alone. We have this blessed assurance, as comfort that goes beyond human understanding. 
As prayers have gone up for the victims of this tragedy, the community has been blessed by witnessing the outpouring of mercy and love long after the shooting. Love and support for the victims and their families reigned as establishments raised banners with Virginia Beach Strong on their billboards. Virginia Beach Strong was also painted across store fronts and doorways. Virginia Beach Strong was written on car windows. Clergy, prayer warriors, support groups, and grief counselors were in place quickly to help all who sought help.
Over the past two weeks, I’ve been intentionally focused on the word “helpless” and the moments when we feel helpless. It was like reading that book; I needed a resolution for the pain and heartbreak. I wanted to know the outcome would be okay. Then I remembered my go-to verse, the one that always centered me when I feel helpless. 
2 Chronicles 20:12 states, “We do not know what to do, but we look to You.”
It’s all about You, Father. It’s not about us. 
Get God-centered.
God’s word is filled with men and women who have cried out in helplessness, begging God to intervene and ease their fear and hopelessness. As they lament, they begin to recall and remember all God’s promises and provisions that go beyond a physical deliverance to a profound knowledge of God’s spiritual rescue when we seek His face.
In Psalm 119, David sought to understand God’s ways in the midst of human questioning, suffering, and turmoil. It’s the longest chapter in the Bible. I’m not surprised, given the content, that it wasn’t longer.
As I studied Psalm 119, I felt the rich tones of David’s confession and cries to God. In helplessness, fear, and dismay, David sought understanding. But human understanding does not satisfy. Our emotions often wall us up and away from spiritual understanding. Only God’s words and His provisions can quench the troubling sorrow and helplessness our heart, mind, and soul feel.
David’s cry in Psalm 119 is powerful. I think you will feel a deep connection to the psalmist’s cry. David recognizes in vs. 145-176 that he needs to confess to God that he is helpless. Then David realizes he has to make time with God in order to keep his focus centered on the Father. David consistently asks for God to revive him according to God’s will. Recalling and remembering God’s word, promise, and provision brings helplessness under our Helper’s control.
God has gone further by providing more to bolster you during moments of helplessness, despair, and turmoil. It’s found in Ephesians 6:10-18. God has given you a battle plan, verses to remember in any situation where you need extra strength and protection. Bind these words on your heart, mind, and soul. Remember.
“Only God can ease the agony and cries of the human heart, not with logic bearing human reasoning, but words filled with sacred promises and mighty declarations of love.” (unknown)
I’ve also attached my favorite verses that help center me in times of helplessness. All you have to do is copy and paste link in browser to view or copy and print.
God bless you always,Angela, Virginia Beach Strong Living Life Through Faith
file:///C:/Users/Angela/OneDrive/Documents/Items%20to%20Jo%20for%20Cries%20of%20Mercy/Favorite%20Verses%20to%20Center%20myself%20when%20helpless.pdf 

Adam Hogue picked the longest title I’ve ever seen for a book that’s only seventy pages long!
But what a powerhouse book! 
Hogue, preacher, teacher, and best-selling author has offered his readers solid scripture, application, and real-life experiences to nudge us toward a closer, more intimate relationship with God.


God desires a relationship with you.God loves you.God wants to give you life. 

A sampling of Hogue’s topics:
     1. Abiding in the Spirit (one of my favorite and a topic I use often in my books.)“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” ~John 15:4
“Abiding is one of the core fundamentals of being a Christian. If we do not seek to abide every moment of the day then we will become worn out and weak. As Christians we operate more like glow sticks than light bulbs. When we sit in the presence of God we become refreshed and strengthened. But when we abstain from His presence, our spiritual strength leaves us and we feel worn and dried out. “ ~Adam Hogue
2.  Being led by the Spirit. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” ~Romans 8:14
“We need to hear His word to live by it. We need to sit forward in our relationship with Him, and listen intently to His voice. If we take our relationship seriously then we will incline our ears to Him, to live by faith.” ~Adam Hogue
3.  Seeking Truth “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” ~John 14:6
“God commands us to be seekers of the truth. Jesus is the truth, and to seek Him is to seek truth. We need to take these things to heart. This cannot be taken lightly. We must take it with the utmost fear for God and become partakers of the truth.” ~Adam Hogue
I have read this little gem of a book three times and love it more each time I’ve read it. Why don’t you take a few minutes to order the book for yourself and maybe an extra one to give away to a friend or family member. It would make a lovely gift for someone who desires to draw closer to Jesus.
Blessings to you,Angela
Amazon Link:   https://amzn.to/2E9VM3B

On July 9, 2015, our grandson, Hudson, was born deaf. In the middle of our joy over his birth, we were devastated to hear our grandson was deaf. What would this mean for him? How would he navigate life? What kind of hardship would this put on him and his family? 
Those questions, like all the “what-ifs” we contemplate and stress over, were soon alleviated. Looking at our perfectly formed grandson, we knew God would bless him and his family beyond measure. He would be our joy in all life’s circumstances.
Within months of his birth, his parents were already talking to specialists and looking into ways to help Hudson live beyond his deafness in the fullness of God’s blessings. But Hudson’s options were limited.
Cochlear implants were brought up for consideration. There was a lot of prayer and research, more prayer, more talking to specialists, more prayer before Hudson’s parents decided to proceed with cochlear implants.
The first surgical attempt failed, leaving everyone dismayed and disillusioned. In the healing time before another attempt to implant the cochlears, there was a lot of tears and prayers, a lot more talks with specialists, more research, more tears, and then the final decision to proceed with a second attempt.
On January 24, 2017 Hudson went back into surgery. His parents watched their eighteen-month old son being wheeled back into surgery. Questions and “what-ifs” poured over them, but they stood tall in their faith and in their decision through prayer to proceed with surgery #2. 
Hudson rebounded from the surgery which the surgeon acknowledged was a success surgically. Now began the wait to see if they would work for Hudson. There were no guarantees. Prayers continued, acknowledged by people far and wide who had started praying for Hudson soon after he was born and continued to pray for him through his surgeries. 
At first, we weren’t sure the cochlear were going to work, even though the specialist acknowledged that their testing showed the cochlear were responding to Hudson’s brain waves and vice-versa. I admit I was skeptical. For months I saw little response.
Then it happened. All of a sudden Hudson was responding. His verbal skills were minimal, but we understood that would happen as the cochlear and brain began responding. To Hudson’s parents and family, the blessing was a miracle. Our baby boy would one day be able to communicate with others. He would be able to hear the words, “I love you!” (That was my daughter’s first concern. “Mama, will he ever hear my voice? Will he ever hear me say, “I love you!”)
In March 2018, Hudson began going to a special preschool established by the deaf school in Norfolk, VA. The preschool, set up in a normal elementary school, would have hearing impaired children, children with cochlear implants, and children with full hearing capabilities. We worried about Hudson integrating into the situation run by therapists and support personnel in a strange setting. He was not even three years old. 
Well, that baby walked right into that school with his backpack over his shoulder and waved his mother a goodbye. He loved school from the beginning. 
Fourteen months later on May 15, 2019, my daughter received a note from Hudson’s teacher.“We love to hear the kids talking! However, today Hudson was talking during stories, poems, and other listening activities. We don’t want him to miss out on a new language. So we are working on having him wait to make comments in group settings. (Did you ever think you’d get a note like this 3 years ago?)”

I spotted her as we turned the corner. A young woman sat on an old suitcase at a busy intersection holding up a sign. Written in large letters were: Homeless. No Food. Help me! In her lap sat a small brown chihuahua. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at her vacant eyes and stooped shoulders.
My husband pulled into a fast food restaurant for lunch near the intersection. I kept my eyes on the woman. After we parked, I made my way to the woman. The desire to speak to her was stronger than my growling belly.
As I approached the woman, I realized she was much younger than I had thought. Spotting me, she turned, giving a half-smile before quickly raising her hand to cover the hole left by a lost tooth. She kept casting her eyes down, rubbing the dog. At that moment I couldn’t imagine how she felt sitting on a street corner announcing to the world that she was desolate and in desperate need.     Getting a little closer I smiled back, wanting her to feel less intimidated. Then I asked. “I saw your sign for help. Why are you homeless?”
“Got nowhere to go. Me and my husband lost our jobs.”
“Where do you go at night?”
She turned and pointed to a dilapidated white truck. “That’s our home. Me and my husband and two dogs live there.”
I had to take several deep breaths to keep from crying. I learned this strategy years ago when I worked with abused women. Don’t cry. They need your strength not your pity. 
“What’s your name?”
“Rachel.”
I drew closer. “Tell me about yourself.”
For the next few minutes I listened, and yes, I did cry. We both did. Rachel’s story was part of a growing crisis in our country. Homeless. Abuse. Addiction. Living life in desolation, a wilderness of not knowing how to survive or get out of a situation alive.
Rachel and her husband were roaming – from town to town, seeking help, and a place to settle, maybe put down roots. Town after town became a disappointment. Shelters refused to help them because of the dogs. Their skills were limited. Defeat. Discouragement. Depression. I sensed all this in her tone, speech, and posture.
What do you do when you face someone in the wilderness?
Pray.
“Can I pray for you?” I asked.
“Please!” This time Rachel smiled without covering her mouth and drew closer to me.
I put my hand on her shoulder. Horns honked, exhaust fumes filled the air, and tires screeched, but all dissolved as two women standing on a busy intersection began to pray.
Two amens sealed words sent to Heaven, beseeching God to intervene in Rachel’s life, to give her the courage, perseverance, and wisdom to keep moving forward in faith.
I reminded Rachel that our Savior, Jesus Christ, journeyed to the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. For forty days, Jesus fended off the temptations, and returned from the wilderness in victory.
Jesus knows all about life’s wilderness places. He proclaims He will never leave you alone; therefore, no one need fear for God will give you the strength to get through the crises and hard places in life (Isaiah 41:10). 
When I left Rachel, she was still smiling. Her situation had not changed, but I saw hope in her eyes. I believe prayer infused her with hope to carry on, knowing Jesus was trudging through the wilderness with her.
I’ve been in the wilderness seasons of life. Desolate, barren places. Lonely, hopeless places. Right now my prayer list is filled with many who are in the wilderness of cancer, divorce, job loss, addiction, depression, and hurt. 
“In the wilderness you give your greatest testimony to declare the love of Christ and your dependence on Him.” ~David Jeremiah
Lord, how do we navigate the wilderness of life? How do we come through them with victory?
1. Remember. “You shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness.” (Deuteronomy 8:2-3)
Fanny Crosby wrote, “All the way my Savior leads me, what have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy, who through life has been my Guide?”
Remember God’s Word, His character, His promises, and the wonder of Who He is. This is the first thing we do when faced with trouble. Create a God-centered hope through remembering that all the world’s forces and authorities are under God’s control.
      2.  Remembering clarifies your purpose in this life. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)
The Bible speaks of our faith journey as being like an athlete in training. We train hard. We learn about God through His Word. We establish a God-centered life, pushing against the winds of trial with a central focus and perseverance. We feel the Father’s hand on our back. We push onward, remembering Who champions us.

3.Remember God is our Shepherd. “The Lord is my Shepherd. I lack nothing.” Psalm 23:1
 
John 10:11-15 states, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
Remember the Shepherd died for you. And in His death He rescued you to be able to have eternal life with Him. When you are in the wilderness, the good Shepherd is with you, watching over you, loving you.
Remembering draws our life back into a God-centered life. Being centered and focused allows the wilderness journey to be one of growth rather than fear and discouragement. 
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
When we learn to trust God through the rough times, the trials and temptations, and the wilderness, then we will begin to see life through God’s lens.
On the next street corner you pass you might see Rachel. Or Ben? Or Denisha? Remember what God has done for you. Offer His love to someone else. Even the small ways matter.
“Dear God, I just want someone to love me, someone to talk to when I need to talk. Someone to cry on when I need to cry. Most of all someone to love me and walk as far as they wish through my life. Amen.” (A child’s prayer in “God, thank you for the morning” by Sister Patricia A. Cruise, S. C.)
God bless you always,Angela Beach Silverthorne

God is still in the miracle business. Sometimes we are too busy to see them——a smile from a passerby, a rainbow half concealed by clouds, a text of encouragement from a friend. All a nudging from God. Often we miss God moving mountains. We are too absorbed in the details or consumed with fear to see God’s hand in our lives and circumstances. But if we did . . . the glory of God’s presence would overwhelm us and bring us to our knees. 
Ask God to intervene in your life, your situation, and you will see miracles. Remember God has power over all creation; He has the ability to work miracles in your life. 
Today I’m staying observant, watching for miracles. Are you?
“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” Job 5:8-9Blessings, Angela Beach SilverthorneLiving Life Through Faith

I believe there is power in stories, offering lessons learned, and personal growth. My writing has gone through a definite progression, from poetry to Contemporary Christian fiction. It’s a movement through life’s seasons. It began with a poetry book, Promises Seeded Inside , and then an up-close-and-personal coming of age novel, Depression Cookies (rebranded Heart Chatter ).
All my writing is about God leading me into the struggles and successes humans encounter every day. Brokenness. Unforgiveness. Loss of identity. Unworthiness. Addiction. Remorse. Lies. Truth. Love. Grace. Mercy. Redemption. God has taken me into the belly of human frailty and hurt. I never meant to write about it, but God kept pressing me. I had to tell the story of brokenness to reveal God’s mighty work in the lives of His people. Thus, the Cries trilogy was born: Cries of Innocence , Cries of Grace , and Cries of Mercy (due out in May 2019).
More importantly my writing is about how people maneuver through life, its highs and lows. Do they reach out in faith and determination, letting God lead them? Or do they sink under the weight of life? In both cases, their choice is determined by the condition of their heart.
“The heart of the matter is what matters to the heart.” 
“Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory.” ~Warren Wiersbe
If we face challenges feeling defeated, we open the door for Satan’s entry into our situation. Satan’s evil and his intent to sabotage lives, twisting truth into lies, is so insidious it slips in unnoticed, consuming us. Desperation and anxiety, addiction and health issues often follow. 
If we face challenges in God’s victory, we rise above circumstances by trusting God to lead us to higher ground. “Adversity is not simply a tool. It is God’s most effective tool for the advancement of our spiritual lives. The circumstances and events that we see as setbacks are oftentimes the very things that launch us into periods of intense spiritual growth. Once we begin to understand this, and accept it as a spiritual fact of life, adverse situations become easier to bear.” ~Charles Stanley
How do we begin to face challenges in light of a risen Savior who loved us enough to die for us, who wants us to seek Him for strength?
1.      Believe God is who He says He is. “I AM WHO I AM.” Exodus 3:14People who know God’s name trust Him with their heart.
2.     Believe God can do what He says He can do.“I am God Almighty, walk before Me, and be blameless.” Genesis 17:1“God is Lord strong and mighty.” Psalm 24:8“Power belongs to Him.” Psalm 62:11“Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee.” Jeremiah 32:17
3.     Believe you are a child of the King, loved beyond measure.“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
4.     Believe you can get through anything with God’s help and guidance.“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
5.     Believe the Word of God, study it, memorize it, sink it deep within your heart until it is alive and active within you.“For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edge sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
The above statements are modified from Beth Moore’s 5 Statement Pledge of Faith in her book “Believing God”.  The first time I heard Beth Moore declare them, I wrote them on my heart as my belief statements. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shared them with others and seen the change in their faces when they heard these powerful words. That’s why I offered these life statements to my story characters. Some received. Some didn’t. All had choices just like you and me. Navigating those choices, problem solving, and bringing it back under the authority of God, kept hope and perseverance at the forefront of their decision making. That’s my goal as an author, letting the reader see what happens when we stand in the light of our Savior verses standing alone, struggling.
Writing is my life’s joy. God is my fortress, my anchor through life.God bless you,Angela

Identity is my genesis, my name, story, connection to life. As a young woman I tried to create my own identity. I loved reinventing myself. Every Saturday morning my mother would take me to the movie theater. I’d come home adopting my favorite actress’s stance or subtle smile. I worked hours on end trying to mimic Twiggy’s pout, overarched eyebrows, and double-thick mascaraed lashes. But I owned this metamorphosis and could cause its demise with the swipe of a Ponds cold cream filled washrag.
Sometimes it’s fun to reinvent yourself, pretend to change your identity. But often the desire to change is due to fear. Fear of not keeping up, not being like others. No one wants to feel different. True identity is fragile, especially if we base it on a cultural worldview rather than God’s Biblical viewpoint.
During our Christmas dilemma of possible identity theft, my husband and I were able to pull back and re-center ourselves. I was so thankful my daughter had asked me to do a Bible Study with her last November that prepared me. Sharing some pivotal comments from the book with my husband allayed his concerns. We all need to understand and know who we are in Christ in order to keep our focus on our true identity.
Identity Theft: Reclaiming The Truth Of Who We Are In Christ
In this book several authors got together to Biblically explore identity in three ways:
·       Identity theft: Expose our false notions of identity·       Identity truth: Understand the biblical truth of our identity in Christ·       Identity transformed: Reflect on what it looks like to live in our new (and true) identity·        The author’s messages were structured in the above framework, but their use of different scriptures, real-life stories, and commentary highlighted and enlighten the reader on “Who am I in Christ?”
“An author and missionary Elisabeth Elliott expressed, ‘The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.’ Our identity in Christ is a fixed anchor guiding us through the changing seasons and circumstances of our lives as women. We’re not primarily defined by our college degree, marital status, the number of children we have, where we live, or the work we do. It’s our identity in Christ that shapes every aspect of our lives. As Paul told the Colossians, ‘He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together’ (Col 1:17. Understanding who we are in Christ impacts every other area of our lives.” (Melissa Kruger, Identity Theft )
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holynation, a people for His own possession, that you mayproclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were nota people, but now you are God’s people; once you hadnot received mercy, but now you have received mercy.(1 Pet 2:9-10)
Remember who you are in Christ. Remember all He has done for you. You are His and He is yours. 
“Who am I that the highest KingWould welcome meI was lost but He brought me inOh His love for meOh His love for me”“Who You Say I Am” Hillsong Worship
Remember you are who Christ says you are.
I am loved. (Jeremiah 31:3)I am a child of God. (1 John 3:1)God delights in me. (Zephaniah 3:17)I am forgiven. (1 Peter 2:24)I am washed clean. (Isaiah 1:18)I am free. (Galatians 5:1)I am a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)I am adopted into God’s family. (Romans 8:15)I am co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17)I am righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21)I am new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)I am never alone. (Deuteronomy 31:8)I am wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)I am whole in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
A wonderful life-enriching book. I hope you will buy it and enjoy each chapter. It will stretch your understanding of your identity all the way to the Throne Room. God bless you!Angela