Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog

Lori here — Do you ever wonder what heaven might be like? What will it look like when we cross the heavenly finish line? Today we’ll imagine together what that day could be like.

The morning was cool for a southern September day. Grey skies hid the sun and kept the temperature hovering in the low 80’s. My husband and I joined the other families jockeying for spots as we set up our folding chairs to face the lake. Behind us, a red banner strung between two poles declared FINISH LINE.

All eyes were trained on the horizon, straining for a glimpse of the first swimmer in the Lake Murray Dam Swim. We checked our watches. It had been forty minutes since the first wave of competitors had entered the water on the other side of the lake, two-and-a-half miles from the finish line. 

Our granddaughter was among them. 

Watching for Pink

“Watch for pink caps,” my grandson said. “The first group is wearing pink ones.”

In the distance, we could see DNR boats with their blinking lights marking the path. Buoys, kayakers, and paddle boarders flanked the lanes, providing visual markers for the swimmers. 

Some swimmers, confused by the vast expanse of the lake and the necessity of swimming with their head down in the water for such a long distance, drifted off course. They wasted valuable time and energy reorienting and correcting their course.

On shore, a ripple ran through the crowd.

In the Distance

“I think I see someone!” a man said, pointing. “It’s a pink cap. And there’s an orange one behind it.”

We all looked, curious to see who’d be the first competitor to swim into the flag-lined finish chute, run down the sandy beach, step on the touch pad, and cross the finish line. 

More than one hundred swimmers were competing that morning, so they were released in heats. The winners would be the ones who crossed the lake in the shortest amount of time, not necessarily the first to cross the finish line. 

And so we watched, eager to cheer for every swimmer who successfully completed the long journey across the lake. 

Not all would. 

Not All Would

Some would grow tired and quit. Others would succumb to fear. Some swimmers would start out too fast or too slow and never find their rhythm. Still others would allow doubt to overwhelm them. Some had come unprepared or undertrained. 

Those who couldn’t finish were pulled from the lake and ferried back to shore.

“Here they come!” someone yelled. Sure enough, an armada of caps bobbed in the distance. The first swimmers approached the finish chute. A muscular young adult emerged from the water and jogged across the line as the crowd cheered. Two more followed him.

“Here comes the first female,” a woman near me yelled and pointed. “I think that’s Joanie!”

We all cheered when Joannie slogged across the sand, dripping and triumphant. We could feel her joy at not only finishing, but finishing well.

Sometimes in clumps and other times alone, swimmers crossed the finish line as we strained for a glimpse of our girl.

Spotting Our Girl

“There she is!” my grandson yelled, pointing to a pink cap in the distance. Steady and strong, our granddaughter’s arms rose and fell in the water as she neared the end of her race.

We yelled, then we yelled louder. “Go, girlie, go! You’ve got this! Finish strong! You’re almost there!”

Tears sprang to my eyes as I watched my granddaughter cross the line, breathing hard, flushed with exertion, and smiling. 

Smiling.

The crowd clapped, and we cheered. Relieved and proud, we swarmed her in hugs.

Later, as I reflected on the excitement of the morning, I wondered.

Is This What Heaven Is Like?

Do our believing loved ones who have gone on ahead watch the horizon, straining for a glimpse of us? Are they cheering us on, encouraging us to finish well? Will they meet us on the other side and envelope us in teary hugs? Will they tell us how proud they are?

Scripture doesn’t tell us everything, but it’s fun to imagine.

No matter what that hallowed day looks like, I know one thing: It will be glorious.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus

Philippians 3:13–14

And so we press on. 

We finish strong.

We finish well.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1–2

Run (or swim) your race. People are watching.

Now it’s your turn. What do you imagine your entrance into heaven will look like? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

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The post Celebration at the Finish Line — What Heaven Might Be Like appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesHope, Help, and Healing for Those Who Are GrievingWhat Does It Look Like to Glorify God in Death?Are You Losing Hope for Your Unsaved Loved Ones? 

Lori here. Everywhere I go, I talk with sincere Christians who are despairing for their lost loved ones. Will they ever surrender their lives to the Lord? Is God hearing my prayers? Will I live to see them come to faith? I’m excited to share these encouraging words from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel to give you hope.

“Son of man, can these bones live?” 

To Ezekiel, surrounded by a valley of dried bones, God’s question seemed . . . absurd. 



Heart-wrenching and hopeless. 



Maybe even cruel. 



I’ve stood at the bedside and caskets of dead loved ones. If anyone had asked me, “Can these bones live?” I would have answered as Mary did long ago, “‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection,’ But not now. He’s dead” (John 11:24). 

Ezekiel’s Vision

Ezekiel wasn’t sitting beside a deceased loved one or standing by the coffin of someone who had passed away. He was surrounded by a vast expanse of beyond-dead bones—bones that had laid there so long they were one footfall away from dust. And yet God asked, “Can these bones live?” 



Ezekiel, faith-filled prophet and priest that he was, answered God’s question in a way that defied the obvious and left room for a miracle. 



“Sovereign Lord, you alone know” (Ezekiel 37:3). 



How many times have you looked at a loved one or a friend and seen what Ezekiel saw—a valley of dry bones? Not physical bones like those that littered the plains of Ezekiel’s vision, but spiritual ones? Dry bones that housed a soul running hard away from God and in danger of disintegrating when the next crisis came? 



How often have you cried over, prayed for, begged, and witnessed to someone you love who seemed determined to march straight into eternity separated from God? How many times have you stopped praying, thinking there was no hope, only to shoulder the prayer burden again, clinging to the knowledge that it’s not God’s will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance? 



With rare exception, physical resurrection belongs to the realm of the miraculous, but spiritual resurrections happen all the time. 

Paul Had Dry Bones

The apostle Paul was one. His spiritual bones, though zealous and religious, were deader than dead. “For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it” (Galatians 1:13-14). 



Yet the God he blasphemed called his name. Rebuked him for his sin. Filled him with faith. And breathed spiritual life into his soul. Paul passed from death to life in a transformation so glorious he never stopped talking about it. 

I Had Dry Bones Too

Unlike Paul, I had no religious cloak to cover my spiritually dry bones. I was lost without pretense or hope. I couldn’t claim, as he did, that I was seeking to please God. I was seeking to please myself. I was number one, and there was no number two. 



Yet, to borrow from Paul’s testimony in Galatians 1:15, God, “set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace.” 

A Trail of Dry Bones

God’s been breathing life into dry bones for millennia. He began with Adam. Then He plucked Abraham out of the pagan land of the Chaldees, and made of him a great nation. 



He chose David from the sheep folds and transformed him into a man after his own heart. He plucked Josiah, a tiny boy of eight, and Methuselah, an aged man of centuries and made them compatriots in the vast army of believers. 



He’s summoned into life the dry bones of princesses and prostitutes, drug addicts and doctors. No heart is too hard, and no sin too great for God’s breath to resurrect. Over and over again I’ve seen him replace hearts of stone with hearts of flesh, transforming haters of God into lovers of God.



If someone you care about looks like a pile of spiritually dry bones, and you wonder if they could ever live, I invite you to stand in the valley with Elijah. Lift your eyes from the dead bones to the living Savior and say in faith and hope, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 

What Happened in the Valley

“And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 



“Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army” (Ezekiel 37:7-10). 



Unlike Elijah, we can’t command spiritual life into anyone, but we can ask God to work.

What Can We Do?

I invite you today—will you join me, in faith and trust, and invite the Lord God to breathe life into our loved ones’ souls? May we live to see God raise up a vast army of Jesus followers from the dry bones of those we love, for their good, and for His glory. Amen. 

Have you ordered your copy of Walking in Faith ? Click the image to order.

When you order a new release within the first month, you show retailers that it’s a book worth stocking. They’ll share it with other readers and thoughtful seekers. Thanks for helping me reach more people with words of hope and faith! And if you’ve already enjoying a copy, would you please leave your honest review on Amazon? I’m nearing my goal of 50 reviews. Only 12 more to go!

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The post Are You Losing Hope for Your Unsaved Loved Ones? appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesHope, Help, and Healing for Those Who Are GrievingDon’t Postpone Joy. It’s Time to Use the Bunny BowlsJesse Owens Showed Us How to Run (and walk) in Faith 

Lori here, what does a long line of “savers,” a trip to Japan, and a set of bunny bowls have in common? They swirl happily together to encourage you not to postpone joy.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to use the bunny bowls.

I come from a long line of “savers.” My grandmother saved the soft nightgown we gave her for Christmas in case she went into the hospital. My aunt saved her favorite dress “for special occasions.” My mom saved “the best” China for company that seldom visited.

Years ago, the United States Navy deployed my son-in-law to Yokosuka, Japan. As a new bride, my daughter went with him. She traveled 6,970 miles away from her home and family.

As soon as I could, I visited. We hugged a lot, ate authentic sushi, and shopped in the fun little stores in her new town. I bought traditional Kokeshi dolls as souvenirs for my friends and family, but I wanted a more practical item for myself. 

Bunny bowls

The Japanese are known for their pottery. One day we visited a shop filled with hand-painted and beautiful pieces. As I browsed the store, I spotted a set of pale blue bowls. Frolicking rabbits and Ginko tree leaves danced across the outside. On the inside, the artist had painted a fat-bottomed bunny, complete with whiskers and a fluffy tail.

I was in love.

The pottery was pricey, but I knew I’d found the perfect remembrance of my trip.

I wrapped them in layers of clothing and tucked them into my carryon. No way was I trusting the baggage handlers with my precious bunny bowls.

The dishes arrived home intact, and after I showed them to my family, I squirreled them away in the back of the kitchen cupboard. There they stayed, safe and protected.

I didn’t use them because they might get chipped or broken, and that would be sad. Occasionally I’d take them out, look at them, and smile, but for the most part, they stayed tucked away in the cupboard.

After several years, I’d almost forgotten them. 

One Day

But one day, as I looked for a seldom-used dish, I saw them. Their paint was as bright as the day I brought them home. I admired the delicate brush strokes and smiled at the cotton-tailed bunnies painted on the inside.

I’m going to use a bunny bowl today, I decided. It seemed fitting to use my favorite bowl for my favorite treat, so I scooped some cookies and cream ice cream into the bowl. As I savored the creamy goodness, I smiled. Memories of my daughter and the places I’ve visited with her and her husband flooded my mind. 

When I spooned the last bite of ice cream into my mouth, I looked down and smiled again. On the bottom of the bowl, coated with the remnants of my dessert, sat the whiskery bunny I’d fallen in love with years before.

I’d tucked away the bunny bowls because if I used them, they might get chipped, broken, or worn out. I’d protected them from harm, but I’d also kept myself from enjoying them. 

God Doesn’t Promise Tomorrow

I’ve come to realize the truth that God doesn’t promise us tomorrow. “This is the day that the Lord has made,” He tells us in Psalm 118:24 (ESV). Today is the day to rejoice—in soft nightgowns, favorite dresses, and bunny bowls.

We don’t have to bank joy for another day. When we do, we say to God, “Your blessings are limited, and I don’t believe you’ll send more. I must hoard them.” 

But God says, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it!” (Psalm 81:10).

Every Day

Now I use my bunny bowls almost every day. I smile as I eat cereal in them. I scoop stew into their blue beauty. I fill them with oatmeal and fruit—and ice cream—so much ice cream.

One day, as I washed one of the bowls, my dishcloth snagged. The edge of blue paint that adorned the rim no longer ran interrupted around the top. A small piece had chipped off, exposing the white pottery underneath.

I sighed. What I had originally feared had happened. My beloved bunny bowl wasn’t perfect any more.

Should I return the remaining bowls to the back of the cupboard?

I rinsed the suds from the dish and dried it with a soft towel. I glanced again at that fat-bottomed bunny.

Then I reached for the ice cream.

One Day

One day my bowls will break beyond repair, and I’ll be sad. But I’ll never forget that joyous trip to visit my girl and the thousands of meals I’ve enjoyed in my dishes.

I’ll smile, because the same God who gave me my bunny bowls has new gifts waiting for me. 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

What special gift from God are you reluctant to enjoy? 

It’s time to use the bunny bowl.

What have you “tucked away” that you’ve been reluctant to enjoy? I’d like to hear what that is. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

P.S. Have you been reading Walking in Faith? If you’ve enjoyed it, would you please share your honest thoughts in an Amazon review? Reviews help other readers find great books. I”m hoping to get 50 reviews by next week, and I’m only 16 away. Your review can help me get there! Thanks so much! (Click the image below to leave a review.)

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The post Don’t Postpone Joy. It’s Time to Use the Bunny Bowls appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesWhat Does It Look Like to Glorify God in Death?Jesse Owens Showed Us How to Run (and walk) in FaithHope, Help, and Healing for Those Who Are Grieving 

A guest post with Emily Wickham
LORD, WILL YOU OVERWHELM ME?

2 Chronicles 6:41–7:3

It’s impossible to imagine eternity. I can’t visualize the majesty of God’s presence and the breathtaking reality of seeing Jesus: His scars, His smile, and the love in His eyes. My desire to be with Jesus continues to grow; yet “now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”10

I’m going to live with God forever, and I’ll worship Him for all eternity. The curtains of this world will be drawn back, exposing the splendor of His eternal presence. My humanity causes this vision to fade, but when I truly focus—when I cast the cares of this world behind—I almost get a glimpse.

“In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”11 Come, Lord Jesus.

PRAY WITH ME

Father in heaven, You exceed description. Your glory transcends all else. I confess my worship could be so much more if I devoted myself to You more fully. Thank You for awakening my heart to the riches of Your glory. Please overwhelm me with Your loveliness. 

In Jesus’s matchless name, amen.

Read 2 Chronicles 6:41–7:3 and reflect on these thoughts

King Solomon closed his prayer by inviting the Lord God to enter His resting place. Solomon included the priests and godly ones in his closing words, and he beseeched the Lord to continue showing favor toward him in memory of His love for King David.

God immediately responded in an awe-inspiring manner. Fire signifying His presence12 descended from heaven, consuming the burnt offering and sacrifices. This outstanding display confirmed that “the Lord, enthroned above the ark in the temple, accepted, well pleased, the sacrificial service carried on on the altar of this temple.”13Everything reached a crescendo as the Lord’s glory permeated the temple.

Nothing could have readied the people for the magnitude of God’s presence, and the priests couldn’t even step inside. When the Israelites gazed upon this fiery sight and beheld God’s glory, they knelt “with their faces to the ground.”14 This posture eliminated the fire from their sight, but they still felt its heat. What an extraordinary yet fearful experience! Worship rose while words of the Lord’s goodness and eternal lovingkindness gushed forth.

The Israelites’ God exists today, yet He now dwells in His people rather than in a hand-built, stone temple. His glory remains unspeakably magnificent, and He deserves every ounce of reverence. When recognized and honored, the Holy Spirit’s presence within us ignites passion. God’s radiance should shine freely through us into our dark world. May the Lord overwhelm us with His glory, drawing near to us as we draw near to Him.15

Apply this passage to your life

Which of God’s characteristics particularly awes you, and why?

How will you implement more reverence into your prayers?

Practice prayer on your own

Read Exodus 3:1–6 and Ezekiel 1:22–28. Write your own prayer in response.

Taken from Closer to God © 2026 by Emily Wickham. Used by permission of Our Daily Bread Publishing, P.O. Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. Further distribution is prohibited without permission from Our Daily Bread Publishing at permissionsdept@odbm.org 

Closer to God: A 10-Week Study on Prayer is available at Our Daily Bread, Amazon, Christianbook, Barnes & Noble, and more.

EMILY WICKHAM shares God’s Word and wonders with women. She is the author of Closer to God: A 10-Week Study on Prayer, as well as a podcaster, Youtuber, and Lifeway writer. Married to Mark since 1989, she is a mom of four and a mother-in-love. Emily enjoys life close to the beach in South Carolina. Learn more about Emily at proclaiminghimtowomen.com and enjoy her weekly posts at heartstirrings.substack.com.

Connect with Emily on Social Media:

YouTube (Emily Wickham Channel)

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The post When You Imagine Eternity, What Do You See? appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesOne Simple Act When the World Is Dark and You Feel OverwhelmedUse those Christmas Cards to Bless Those You LoveA Sweet Peek into God’s Tender Heart for You 

My granddaughter and I were consoling ourselves at a local burger place. We’d had to postpone a much-anticipated trip, and we were feeling the sting of disappointment. I don’t make a habit of mitigating my emotions with food, but our shared loss required some serious intervention. 

Her comfort food of choice is a heaping pile of French fries. Mine is a cookies and cream milkshake. We know that comfort foods don’t change a thing (except maybe our caloric input and blood sugar levels), but misery loves company, and desperate times call for desperate measures.

I know you’ve been there.

You’ve talked about a situation, prayed it through, and accepted the loss, but sometimes simple pleasures help ease the sting.

So there we were

So there we were, her with her pile of fries and I with my milkshake, sitting across the table from each other. She dug into her fries (no ketchup, please), and I popped the lid off my milkshake. I dug my spoon into the creamy goodness and lifted it to my mouth. 

That’s when I noticed something dangling from the spoon. 

It wasn’t an ice cream drip. 

It was a long, dark, milkshake-covered hair.

Those of you who are thinking that I shouldn’t have been drowning my sorrows in a milkshake are nodding your heads right now and saying, “Um hm, I told you so,” but the rest of you are feeling my pain.

A hair in my consolation milkshake? Really? Wasn’t the initial disappointment enough?  Must I have sorrow upon sorrow?

I raised the spoon to double check that what I saw was true.

Yep. There it was.

“Well, Lauren,” I said, plopping the spoon back into the shake, “God says ‘In everything give thanks,’ so I’m going to be thankful that I discovered the hair in the first spoonful and not in the last.”

Minutes later I returned with a new milkshake. I lifted the spoon with considerably less eagerness than the first time, paused, then set it back in the cup.

We laughed—a sad sort of laugh—and she pushed her plate of fries toward me. 

Sorrow Upon Sorrow

Some days seem to pile on sorrow upon sorrow, usually much more serious than a cancelled trip and a hair in your milkshake.

Your car breaks down, forcing you to miss a day’s work (and a day’s pay) while still having to pay the towing and the car repair bills.

You’re stretched thin caring for an ailing family member and then you face a health crisis of your own.

You’re struggling in your marriage when you get a call that your teenager’s been picked up for skipping school.

I’m comforted that even super saints like the apostle Paul encountered overwhelming circumstances that disappointed and discouraged him. Listen to his words in 2 Corinthians 1:8–9:

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.”

Paul’s faith in God didn’t eliminate the squeeze and the hardships of living in this world. Did you catch his words? We despaired of life itself. 

In 21st century vernacular, Paul was saying, “I wanted to die.” Or maybe, “I thought we might die.” Either way, his struggle was real and deep.

How Did Paul Handle It?

Probably not with French fries and a milkshake.

He allowed himself to feel all the angst and anguish of his circumstances, but he didn’t stay there. He looked for what God might be doing in and through his circumstances. Based on what he knew about God, he knew that if God had allowed those circumstances into his life, then He had a good reason for them. God never wastes pain.

“But this happened,” Paul explained, “that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

Maybe Paul had become overconfident in his own abilities. Maybe he hadn’t sought God’s direction or protection. Maybe he needed to come to the end of his own resources or knowledge before he cried out to God. Regardless, when he did, God answered.

“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,” Paul declared, “and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.”

Whether God delivered him in this life or in the next, Paul knew he could trust God to accomplish His good purposes in his life. 

Our Conclusion

My granddaughter and I reached the same conclusion.

“I don’t know why we’re not able to travel as we planned,” I said, “but God does. We can trust Him.”

My granddaughter nodded and grabbed another fry. I did too. 

Thank you, Lord, for speaking to our hearts.

“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)

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The post Comfort Food that’s Better than a Milkshake to Ease the Sting of Disappointment appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesHope, Help, and Healing for Those Who Are GrievingWhat Does It Look Like to Glorify God in Death?One Marvelous Reason Why God Calls Us to Himself 

Why did more than a million people weep over the death of Jackie, the Big Bear Lake eagle who captured the attention of viewers all over the world?

The Big Bear Lake Eagles

In 2012, a bald eagle pair nicknamed Ricky and Lucy built a nest on Big Bear Lake in California. Other eagles had visited the lake, but none had ever nested there. Before long, Lucy laid an egg, and she and Ricky incubated it.

Their eaglet, Jackie, became the first eagle hatched on Big Bear Lake. Jackie grew, fledged, and left the area.

Several years later, she returned to the now-abandoned nest of her parents to begin a family of her own. And eagle cam, placed in the nest by the Forestry Service, provided an up-close, 24-hour feed that captured the day-to-day happenings in the 50-foot-high nest.

My Turn
Richard Lee on Unsplash
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I began watching the feed two years ago as Jackie and her mate, Shadow, prepared the nest for nesting season. They brought sticks, fluff, sticks, and more sticks to reinforce the structure and make it cozy. Watching them build and prepare was fascinating. It reminded me of when my husband and I prepared the nursery for our first baby girl.

When Jackie laid three beautiful eggs, I, along with her world-wide audience, rejoiced. Kind of like the excitement I felt the day two pink lines appeared on my own pregnancy test.

Through the wonder of technology, viewers watched the pair take turns incubating the eggs, turning them, guarding them, and keeping them warm. A brutal snowstorm struck the area, and we anxiously watched as Jackie hunkered down to keep her eggs from freezing as snow piled around her. 

When the storm ended, all we could see was her head poking out above the snow-filled nest. The epitome of a dedicated mother, she’d remained on the nest without eating or drinking for 60 hours. Who wouldn’t love her? What mother couldn’t identify with her?

When the first crack appeared in one of Jackie and Shadow’s eggs, I, along with her adoring fans watched in fascination. When all three eaglets chipped their way out, I felt like a proud grandma. 

Tragedy Strikes

Then tragedy struck. Another winter storm endangered the eaglets, who were now too big to fully fit under Jackie’s body. When the storm ended, the tiniest eagle had perished.

I’ve never lost a baby, and I’d never compare an eaglet to a human baby, but the mother heart that beats in my breast grieved over that little lost creature. 

As the season progressed, I watched Jackie and Shadow feed and nurture their babies. They caught fish after fish after fish, hauled them up to the nest, tore off tiny bits, and poked them into their babies’ mouths. All. Day. Long. 

I haven’t fed my children raw fish (no sushi at our house), but I have spooned mouthfuls of puree into my daughter’s mouths day after day after day. I knew how mama Jackie must have felt.

As the eaglets grew, silky feathers replaced their grey fluff. They learned to feed themselves from the fish Jackie and Shadow provided. They ate like teenagers—non-stop and voraciously. I marveled, remembering similar days of struggling to feed my teenagers. I feel ya, Jackie, I thought, as she headed out on another food run.

The eagle kids, now almost as large as their parents, grew wing feathers and crept to the edge of the nest to practice flapping. I and the rest of their fans checked in often. Like a parent watching for her child’s first steps, I didn’t want to miss seeing those babies fledge. 

When they did, my heart soared with them, and I shouted, “Woohoo!” I wiped unexpected tears from my eyes. I’d shed similar tears as I watched my daughter’s tail lights fade in the distance as she drove away to college for the first time.

This Year

This year, Jackie and Shadow raised two more eaglets. I and the rest of their Big Bear Lake family cheered them on, checked on them, and, I’ll admit, worried about them. Nature, like life, is uncertain and sometimes cruel.

Crows breached their first clutch of eggs, but, wonder of wonder, Jackie laid two more. She and her faithful Shadow incubated, hatched, fed, and defended their babies. Both eaglets fledged, and I cheered again, proud of my eagle compatriot.

The Unthinkable

But on July 18, the unthinkable happened. Jackie, weakened and sick (from the demands of laying two clutches of eggs and raising two eagles?), was found struggling in Big Bear Lake, unable to fly. 

Residents of BBL who knew and loved her sounded the alarm. Rescue teams from several agencies responded, ultimately taking her to a raptor rehab center. 

Despite excellent care, Jackie continued to weaken.

In the wee hours of August 10, Jackie died.

I, along with a million of her fans, wept.

Why did we weep?

Why did we cry over an eagle (not a person or a pet) who lived thousands of miles away?

Without elevating an animal to the level of a human, I think it’s because we identify with God’s creatures. Jesus often used animals to touch the hearts of people. In fact, He compared people to ants, sheep, and hard-headed Billy goats.

Maybe I cried because I saw Jackie overcome obstacles like the ones I’ve fought.

She embodied the qualities I want to live out:

She was committed to her mate, a noble calling no matter what our species.

She worked tirelessly to build a home for her babies, something all good mothers do.

She sacrificed to bring her young into the world. 

She nurtured and cared for them.

She defended them against intruders, physical threats, and their own foolishness. (Can I get an amen from the mothers of teenagers out there?)

She was noble, beautiful, and graceful.

I don’t think it’s an accident that God chose the eagle as an example of what we humans can do with God’s help. The Bible mentions eagles more than thirty times.

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). 

Some might criticize me and the million other viewers who cried over an eagle we’ve never met.

Tears Aren’t a Bad Thing

But I don’t think our tears are a bad thing.

They show that underneath the hard shell of our society, tender hearts still beat.

The world still celebrates mothers who sacrifice to raise their children.

And people still cheer for underdogs.

Fly high, Jackie. 

Thank you for touching my life and being a beautiful example of God’s creation.

Now it’s your turn. Have you watched the eagle cam at Big Bear Lake? What beautiful qualities have you seen in God’s creatures? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. 

To read the history of the eagles of Big Bear Lake, click HERE.

To watch the Live Stream of the Friends of Big Bear Lake nest cam, click HERE.

To become part of the Friends of Big Bear Lake Facebook page, click HERE.

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CommentsWhy Did We Weep for Jackie, the Eagle from Big Bear Lake? by LoriAHatcherDo You Need a Tender Promise for the Hurting Days? by LoriAHatcherLaunch Week! Why Walking in Faith Can Be Our Greatest Place of Victory by LoriAHatcherJesse Owens Showed Us How to Run (and walk) in Faith by LoriAHatcherHow to Hold onto Faith When You Feel Disappointed by LoriAHatcherPlus 5 more... 

Sometimes the simplest conversations can pinpoint the deepest needs of our hearts.

“Gigi,” my six-year-old grandson asked, “are you dropping me off or staying with me?”

            We were enroute to a friend’s birthday party at the neighborhood pool. 

            “I’ll be staying,” I said.

            He paused, and I sensed his struggle.

            “Well,” he said, scrunching his face. “I probably won’t be hanging out with you . . .”

            Then he thought a moment. 

“Unless I get hurt. Then I’ll come find you.”

            I shared the conversation with my daughter, and we laughed. 

            “I knew the day would come,” I said, “and apparently it’s here.”

            Gigi, even a Gigi with a car and a credit card, simply can’t compete with friends who can do back flips in the pool, name every dinosaur that ever existed, and burp the A-B-C’s.

            Later, as I reflected on Colllin’s words, I realized something. 

            I’ve often said something very similar to God, my heavenly Father. Sometimes deliberately. Other times without realizing it.

            This relationship? I got it, God. No need for you to get involved.

            This project? I can do it on my own. I’m a trained professional.

            This plan, dream, wish, desire? I’m going after it.

            Until I get hurt. Or things don’t turn out as I’d hoped. Or everything falls apart.

            Then I run to Him. I realize how much I need him. How much I want Him. 

More than friends. More than success. More than anything.

            I long to feel His arms around me and hear His voice whisper, “It’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

If you return to the Lord, . . . The Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn his face from you, if you return to him.

2 Chronicles 30:9 ESV

What are you struggling with today? Tell it to Jesus. He’s right there waiting for you.

Have you ordered your copy of Walking in Faith ? Click the image to order.

When you order a new release within the first month, you show retailers that it’s a book worth stocking. They’ll share it with other readers and thoughtful seekers. Thanks for helping me reach more people with words of hope and faith!

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The post Do You Need a Tender Promise for the Hurting Days? appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

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Walking in Faith is LIVE on Amazon!

As a special treat to you, my faithful Refresh readers, I’m including the first chapter of Walking in Faith below/ It’s an invitation to a life of soaring, running, and walking with Jesus every day. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for all the prayers, notes of encouragement, and faithful readership. Your partnership in kingdom work brings me JOY!

Fly, Run, Walk — An Invitation to Delight and Worship

My husband, David, and I were walking across a grassy baseball field one sunny afternoon when he pointed to a huge nest sitting atop one of the light poles that ringed the field.  High above the nest soared two red-tailed hawks. 

As we watched, a third hawk climbed to the edge of the nest and leaped. It flapped its wings, caught an updraft, and gracefully rose to join the others. 

Who hasn’t wondered what it feels like to fly? What would it feel like to have the wind beneath my wings, the sun on my face, the rush of height and speed?

My Flying Experiences

The closest I’ve come to flying (commercial airline flights notwithstanding) has been riding a rollercoaster. Or maybe racing my bicycle at breakneck speed down the biggest hill in town. Braver friends than I have described parasailing adventures, hot air balloon rides, and skiing.

The next best thing to flying is running. Think of Olympians who churn forward on powerful legs, their feet barely touching the ground. Some sail over hurdles. Others pass batons to their waiting teammates. A few break world records and earn gold medals.

Walking Isn’t Glamorous

Walking, compared to flying or running, is decidedly less glamorous. One clunky step after another. Walking is often slow, methodical, and decidedly ungraceful. Tethered to earth by gravity, most humans spend day after day plodding from one place to another as we move through our daily lives.

I’m surprised Isaiah included walking in his glorious description of the believer who hopes in the Lord: “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

I understand why believers need supernatural help to soar. And to run. But why would we need God’s help to walk? Compared to flying or running, walking requires much less strength and stamina.

Or does it?

Most of us can probably describe a time when we soared—a season when all was right with the world and we were on top of it. Life was effortless and glorious.

We may also recall times when we ran with strength and speed. We tackled life’s challenges with seemingly boundless enthusiasm.

Flying and running days, however, are the exception for the Christian. As my pastor pointed out one day, we spend most of our life walking.

We Spend Most of Our Days Walking

Walking is the spiritual discipline of getting up every day and taking steps in the right direction. It’s the daily grind of life. The monotony and the minutiae. What we do when only God sees.

It’s choosing to walk with God faithfully, read His Word daily, and serve cheerfully.

It’s caring for family—day in and day out—for decades. Serving at a job or at home, preparing thousands of meals, spending long nights caregiving.

It’s working as unto the Lord, even if no one says thank you. It’s showing up with a smile and treating our bosses, customers, and coworkers with dignity. It’s acting honestly.

Walking is praying for days, months, and years for that unsaved loved one. Treating our difficult spouse with respect, and persevering in faith when all seems lost. 

Walking is lingering in God’s Word and savoring His presence. Listening for His gentle whisper in our soul.

When we walk in faith, God works in us to make us more like Jesus. He fills our hearts with joy and grant us victory over besetting sins. Best of all, He uses us as His instrument of healing and hope to those around us.

Our Place of Greatest Victory

Flying is amazing. Running is glorious. But walking in faith, day after day, can be our place of greatest victory. 

Thankfully, God promises that if we hope in the Lord and ask Him to supply the strength we need, He’ll help us walk and not faint. 

Every single day. 

Until He returns or calls us home.

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

isaiah 40:31

If you enjoyed this excerpt, there’s lots more where this came from (LOL). Walking in Faith is available from these fine retailers: ChristianBook.com ($12.99), Amazon ($16.98), Barnes and Noble ($16.99), and Our Daily Bread Publishing ($14.00).

Your purchase during launch week is crucial. My goal (for God’s glory and the effective sharing of His Word) is to reach #1 in at least one of Amazon’s categories. If I reach this goal, Amazon will share Walking in Faith with other thoughtful readers who need the hope and healing we can only find in Jesus. Thanks for your help!

* This article is excerpted from Lori Hatcher’s latest devotional, Walking in Faith: 60 Devotions to Renew Your Strength, © 2026 by Lori Hatcher. Used by permission of Our Daily Bread Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI, 49501. Further distribution is prohibited without permission from Our Daily Bread Publishing at permissionsdept@odbm.org. 

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The post Launch Week! Why Walking in Faith Can Be Our Greatest Place of Victory appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesWhat Does It Look Like to Walk in Faith?Jesse Owens Showed Us How to Run (and walk) in FaithHope, Help, and Healing for Those Who Are Grieving 

Do you know what happened on August 4, 1936? 

Jesse Owens won gold in the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He’s regarded as one of the greatest and most famous track and field athletes in history.

Owens competed in and won gold medals in the 100-meter race, the long jump, the 200-meter race, and the 4 × 100-meter relay. He set Olympic records in every event he participated in. 

Even more significant than his medal sweep, however, is that in a time of Nazi oppression and Aryan superiority, Owen proved that faith, hard work, and self-discipline, not skin color, are the true keys to success.

My Race

I’ve never broken any Olympic track and field records, although I did letter in track in high school when I ran the hurdles (see picture). But I hope, as Owens did, that I’ll one day receive an imperishable crown, one the Bible describes as “a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

Jesse believed in running the race set before him on and off the track empowered by the ability God had given him. 

Committed Christians want to do the same. The apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthian believers to “Run in such a way as to get the prize” (v. 24).

90 Years Later

Today, August 4, 2026, exactly ninety years to the day after Jesse Owens won his four gold medals in the Berlin Olympics, my latest devotional with Our Daily Bread, Walking in Faith: 60 Devotions to Renew Your Strength, releases on Amazon.

Walking in Faith is based on Isaiah 40:31, God’s promise that “those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

In this devotional, I share sixty faith stories to remind us that our greatest success won’t be flying to heights of glory or running as fast as Jesse Owens. We’ll earn an eternal crown for walking in faith, day after day, until Jesus returns or calls us home.

Owens said, “Championships are mythical. The real champions are those who live through what they are taught in their homes and churches.” As a Christian, he knew that what really mattered wasn’t the medals and accolades he’d earn on this earth. What mattered were the eternal rewards he’d receive one day in heaven because he walked in faith every day.  

If you need a story-driven, Scripture-filled devotional that will encourage you to press on in faith, even when you grow weary, I hope you’ll order a copy of Walking in Faith. Even better, order two and give one to a friend who needs to be reminded that God is with them.

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My Prayer for You

My prayer is that as a beloved child of God, you will soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, and walk in faith every day. May God richly bless you as you seek to follow Him.

Now it’s your turn: What’s the most challenging part of walking in faith for you today? Share your thoughts in the comment box below and join the conversation.

~Lori

Where to Order Walking in Faith

Walking in Faith is available from these fine retailers:

 ChristianBook.com ($12.99)

Amazon ($16.98)

Barnes and Noble ($16.99) 

Our Daily Bread Publishing. ($14.00)

Your purchase during launch week is crucial. My goal (for God’s glory and the effective sharing of His Word) is to reach #1 in at least one of Amazon’s categories. If I reach this goal, Amazon will share   Walking in Faith   with other thoughtful readers who need the hope and healing we can only find in Jesus. Thanks for your support!

The post Jesse Owens Showed Us How to Run (and walk) in Faith appeared first on Lori Hatcher.

              Related StoriesWhat Does It Look Like to Walk in Faith?One Reason We Can Still Have Hope for the WorldHow to Hold onto Faith When You Feel Disappointed 

Let’s be honest.

Do you sometimes feel as if life and maybe even God has disappointed you?

We picture ideal scenarios for our lives, and sometimes (usually) our reality falls short of our hopes and expectations. Sometimes it’s our fault, and other times, despite our best efforts, life goes sideways. We end up feeling hurt, disappointed, and even betrayed by God. We know He is all powerful and can order the circumstances of our lives any way He chooses, so why this?

Why now?

Why me?

Filtering Our Thoughts

When we feel disappointed, it’s important to filter our thoughts through the truth of God’s Word. This doesn’t mean we pretend we’re not disappointed or hurt. God can handle our feelings—He gave us the ability to feel, remember? But in our feelings, we must speak truth to ourselves. Otherwise, we can grow bitter and cynical. Some even abandon the God who loves them because they feel as if He’s abandoned or wronged them.

Today, I’d like to invite you to name what has disappointed you. Maybe it’s an unfulfilled longing or prayer. Or a deep loss. Or a desire for something good and godly that you haven’t received. 

Hold this hurt up to God. Talk to Him about it honestly and respectfully. Then ponder these six truths. Hold tightly to them when you’re tempted to think God doesn’t love you or doesn’t care.

I’m praying for you today, my friend.

Six Truths to Believe When We Feel Disappointed

God has a plan for your life, and it is good.

“God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV). 

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! (Psalm 31:19 ESV).

2. No plan of God’s can be thwarted.

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

Remember what Jesus said to Martha in the aftermath of her brother’s death: “Did I not tell you, if you believed that you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). Death didn’t interrupt or derail God’s good plan for their family. Even in death, God has a purpose.

3. God can use what is bad for good.

Quadriplegic Joni Earekson Tada, commenting on her disability, quoted her pastor’s words: “God allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves.”

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28).

4. There are no mistakes in God’s kingdom.

God often uses tragedies and hardship to accomplish His most beautiful work. Consider the companion verse of Romans 8:28:

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be comformed to the likeness of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

Much of what happens in our lives is less about god accomplishing something with us and more about accomplishing something in us.

5. God’s “no’s” are love gifts.

Consider this quote from theologian O’Hallesby: “When God says yes, it’s because He loves us. When He says no, it’s because He loves us.”

6. Remember that this world is not all there is. There’s an eternity awaiting us when all will be made right and every sorrow cease.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

“These [trials] have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7).

“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

If you’re struggling under a weight of sorrow and disappointment, tell Jesus. 

Then allow Him to speak to you today through these verses. May His truth bring you comfort, hope, and faith. 

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