No Sugar-Coatings

Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 2 Corinthians 1:7-10

“…but this happened so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:9b AMP

I wince every time I hear the phrase or read a meme that says, “God won’t give us more than we can handle.” Because if you’ve been alive longer than ten minutes, you probably know experientially that there are indeed circumstances that are beyond us. Circumstances that send us reeling or that bring us to our literal knees with their gut-punch of ache and pain. If you’ve never experienced it, I bet you know someone who has.

I appreciate how authentic God’s Word is when dealing with real-life issues. No sugar-coating reality. In today’s scripture, the apostle Paul admits that the trial he’s just come out of was “utterly burdened beyond his own strength to endure” in fact, he “despaired of life,” it was so difficult. He wanted his fellow Believers to know that he understood their trials because he had walked through many himself. And In fact, they were so bad he felt like dying. He knew that such intense pain can cause God’s people to question all they know about Him and His promises.

Then we read this crucial point; “But this happened so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.” Wait. Full stop. This whole trial was allowed, and then used by Almighty God, to reveal and uproot any trust/reliance that was not in God Himself. Used to literally teach/train the apostle to stop trusting in himself, but instead, “In God, who raises the dead.” If He can give life to dead bodies … He can give life to dead circumstances, dreams, marriages, hopes, heart-aches.… He wanted the reader to know this too.

When I overlay that truth onto my own life, I clearly see that such “shadow of death” trials have drawn me to my knees in dependance on the Lord. But first, the trial did its (very painful) work of causing all my other life-lines to fail. Teaching and training in the discipline of trusting Him, no matter the circumstance. Now, I wish I could tell you that this is a one-time, deep-trial event. It isn’t. This learning to trust when we have no strength to endure or when all hope is lost, or when we can’t see our way clear, is something we learn layer by layer, event by event. Until, one day we realize that our natural reaction has become, trust in God and not ourselves. Trust in God and not our ability, or our bank account, or our spouse, or good health, or _____________.  (And even then, refresher courses are needed!)

“The Psalms wrap nouns and verbs around our pain better than any other book.”

– Joni Eareckson Tada

I don’t know what trial is overwhelming you today, but He does. And He has promised to be with you, as He walks you through it. As He does, look for opportunities to purposefully trust Him along the way. Not for a picture-perfect, magazine-cover outcome, but to simply trust Him, whatever the outcome. He is good and He is entirely faithful. As always, let me encourage you to get out your Bible and read the Psalms or listen on a Bible app. Be proactive in your relationship with Him.

Don’t forget, there is more than one team on this field of life. The enemy would like nothing better than to discourage you and bring you to despair. Your Father God would like nothing better than to give you hope. Authentic hope. Found only in Him.

“True wisdom is found in trusting God when you can’t figure things out.”

– Joni Eareckson Tada

Father God, we sometimes walk through trials that feel more than we can bear. At those times, please remind us to trust in You and Your ability. To find our footing in You and not our own ability to endure. We love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

* Though well-meaning and usually used in an effort to encourage a person walking through a trial, it can have the opposite effect. Users often inadvertently misquote or misunderstand Scripture to make the point. It’s true that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to endure, that’s because in the midst of the temptation He has promised to provide a way of escape. Even then, He is the One providing a way for us. However, we must take the offered escape hatch or it will become more than we can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13

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Rock of Ages, Cleft for me

Lean on Him

I called on Your name, O Lord, Out of the lowest pit. You have heard my voice…

O Lord, You have seen my oppression.

Great is Thy faithfulness.

Who is among you who [reverently] fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor [in his heart]? Let him rely on, trust in, and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God.

Lamentations 3 selected verses NASB   Isaiah 50:10 AMP

Jeremiah, the prophet, begins this section of Scripture by “crying out from the lowest pit” and ends by boldly declaring, “Great is Your faithfulness.” He said this, when as yet, his circumstances remained lowest-pitish. If we step back further into this book of lamenting, we see that he came near to the brink of hopelessness – often. So how did Jeremiah go from despair, to declaring God’s faithfulness? Did he watch a master-class on living an overcoming life?  No, this real-life man, known as the weeping prophet had a relationship with the One True God and had learned to lean into that relationship, to trust the Lord God, in spite of all that was wrong and difficult and heavy in his life. His circumstances did not dictate his faith or view of God.

Let’s be real.  Sometimes circumstances don’t change. Sometimes our “lowest pit” remains. The truth is, there will be seasons of no “shining splendor” in our hearts, but instead, darkness and deep trouble. Even for those who “reverently fear the Lord and obey His voice.” Our “lowest pits” may be canyon-deep crises that threaten to send us over an emotional cliff, like an unfaithful spouse or a rebellious teenager or the death of someone we love. Or a pit may be the day-to-day challenges of life that come like a steady and sustained drip of difficulty, wrapped in the form of a dead-end job, disappointment with life or struggling to make ends meet. If you’re breathing, I know you have a lowest-pit of your own that’s coming to mind.

It’s one thing to trust God for a particular outcome, but another thing all together, when we learn to trust Him no matter the outcome. Period.

To simply trust Him.

You will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings.  

01/04 Streams in the Desert

The Lord has literally kneaded these truths into my heart, maybe He’s done the same for you. Through the death of two of my children. Through the, not-enough-money–for-the-month life as a teenage mom, to heart wrenching betrayal. And even the ache of regret from my own past mistakes.  I have found that though the difficulties were seldom removed, when I leaned into God, He provided the ability to stand. To walk through. And I came out with this truth on my lips – Great is His faithfulness. Lean hard into that truth dear one, He will not fail you.

Father, I.  Trust. You. it’s so much easier to say the words than to walk it out, Lord. Help me trust You in spite of, and in the midst of … with disappointments, with crises that overwhelm or monotony or the fear of what if… I choose to lean hard into You, Father. You are worthy of my trust. In Jesus’ name, Amen

 Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here to purchase a hard copy or download a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.

You may also purchase Stony Paths, learning to Trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life, by visiting Lulu Publishing or Amazon.

How’s Your Rope?

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand]. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust [with great confidence, and on whom I rely]!”

“Because he set his love on Me, therefore I will save him; I will set him [securely] on high, because he knows My name [he confidently trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never abandon him, no, never]. “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble.”

Psalm 91:1-2 and 14-15 AMP

“You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong and sound as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice. Wouldn’t you then first discover how much you really trusted it?” – C. S. Lewis

Recently, as I sat by the bedside and took in the raw reality of a dying loved one, this quote from C.S. Lewis came rushing into my thoughts. With my Bible in my lap, I read aloud Psalm 91, personalizing it for him as I went.  It’s then that I realized that the “rope” of God’s Word was being tested in real life, in real-time. And while I would much rather never have to put it to the test, I found it (once again) sufficient. Sufficient for my grief. Sufficient for his comfort. Sufficient for his valley of the shadow of death. Sufficient for the struggles that lay ahead.

When my Father God promises in His Word that He will never abandon or forsake us, He meant it. And I felt it. When He promised to be with us in trouble, I understood it afresh. Experiencing (once again) first hand, that though trouble surrounded us, He was with us, in the trouble.

Our Bibles were never meant to be simply a “Christian” accessory  or merely a place to turn for a quick “spiritual” one-liner on hard days. It is meant to be our Bread of Life. Our “rope” that will not fail.

Many reading this, have tested the rope of God’s Word and discovered the strength of the cord for themselves. Others have not yet been made to test its fibers. But the day comes for each of us when we must test its strength for ourselves. He will be found sufficient.

The day comes for each of us, when we must test the strength of God’s Word for ourselves.

Becky White

Just as my precious stepdad found dying grace, and just as I am finding grieving grace, you will find His living grace for all that comes your way. And when you do – go and encourage others.

Father God, I am so grateful for the authentic comfort and hope that You alone provide. You are my mighty fortress and shelter in the storms of real life. I love You. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here to purchase a hard copy or download a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.

You may also purchase Stony Paths, learning to Trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life, by visiting Lulu Publishing or Amazon.

Whose Voice is that?

The following is a devotional I wrote (and just came across again) about 15 years ago. As much as I hate to admit it – I still have to wrestle through this issue. Maybe you do too. Perhaps you don’t get tripped up with the same lie, maybe the lie you hear, and fall for, is completely different. Whatever the case – listen closely … whose voice are YOU hearing?

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.  

God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

John 10:27   NASB ~ 1 john 4:1 NASB ~ 1 Corinthians 14:33 NASB

Sometimes, as I pray for my family, I inwardly hear, “You should spend time praying for the nations or the president or your friend who’s sick”, so I shift my prayer focus and then I hear, “You haven’t spent any time in the Word today, what makes you think you can pray effectively if you haven’t listened for God’s voice?” Later in the day, I’ll grab a cup of coffee, dig into some office work and then hear, “You really should be helping the kids with their homeschooling, that’s much more important.” Pushing myself away from the computer, I go help with math or review a spelling assignment and then I hear, “Some Mom you are, your teenage kids can’t even get their school work done without you sitting right beside them.” By this time I am completely worn out and feel like a complete failure.

Alright, no laughing! Sure, it’s easy to see the cycle of craziness now, but not so simple when you’re in the midst of it!

While you may not fall for this particular ploy of the enemy, I would bet there are others that trip you up. Does he whisper to you, “A real Christian wouldn’t do that”? Perhaps he tells you, “You haven’t prayed long enough, read the Bible enough or ____________ enough to be of use to God”? Maybe you hear the flip side of that lie, “God doesn’t really expect me to__________, that’s for “super spiritual” people.

See what I mean? It’s not that easy to spot when you’re in the midst of it.

Why do we fall for such lies? Speaking for myself, it happens when I don’t take the time to discern the voice I’m listening to. if I did, I would recall that the Holy Spirit gently leads, corrects and instructs, He doesn’t coerce or criticize, or cause me to feel driven. Ever. Criticism and coercion is the M.O. of our enemy, not our Shepherd.

Eventually I realized that the “voice” I was allowing to guide me wasn’t the Holy Spirit or even my conscience – it was the enemy. I had permitted myself to be pulled in every direction and not only lost my peace in the process, but didn’t accomplish what God really wanted to accomplish through me that day.

Okay, I guess you can laugh now!

“Readers are advised to remember the devil is a liar.”

C.S. Lewis

Father, Please give me the ability to distinguish Your Holy Spirit’s voice from the clamor of the enemy. Enable me to quickly spot the ploys of Satan that get me off course and into confusion.  I appreciate so much that I can be real with my needs and frailties, knowing You will accept my heartfelt cry of brokenness. Thank You, Jesus.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click below for FREE pdf my devotional of, Stony Paths. To purchase a hard copy or check out other items, visit the products page.

Learning to Trust Him as we walk along STONY PATHS – 09.24.2021Download

Brevity of Life

All my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:16b Berean Study Bible

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Luke 12:25 Berean Study Bible

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Psalm 39:4-5  NLT

The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad. Psalm 126:3 NKJV

Nearly two years ago, I almost died. Almost. Coronary artery disease. Widow maker. Near total blockage. Emergency open-heart surgery. Phrases that were foreign to me, are now an everyday part of my vocabulary. On that day, in that moment, the only thing that mattered was my relationship with Jesus Christ. With that as my focus, God enabled my husband and me to walk through the near panic and what if’s, immersed in His peace. Not a peace based on an assured outcome (there was not), but His peace based on His goodness and utter faithfulness, whatever the outcome.

Through that experience, I was reminded of the obvious – eating (fairly) healthy and exercising several times a week does not carry any guarantees. In the end, the stats don’t lie, ten out of ten people die. I was no exception. And neither are you….

In an era of the twin global pandemics of fear and viruses, some of us have behaved as if we could add an hour to our life with a few Clorox wipes. We cannot. God’s Word assures us that the days ordained for us have been established before even one began. The enemy cannot steal our life away. God has the final say. What we can do is make certain of our eternal destination (1 John 5:13), then live every moment for the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7). And in the end, rest in His faithful goodness. Whatever the outcome.

The goal of our life is not to arrive safely at death. Yes, we should do our best to stay healthy so we can serve our Lord by serving those He places in our path, but our goal isn’t simply old age. Our aim is to honor the One who willingly paid the payment for our sin, every day He grants us. Leave no change on the table. Serve Him with gusto. Our Lord mingled with lepers, I think we can attend church in person or volunteer to feed the hungry. In the end, He holds our lives in His hands, and the lives of those we love. Our days are but a breath or a puff of hairspray (in my case).

The goal of life is not to arrive safely at death.

Billy Graham has said that the one thing that surprised him about life is its brevity. So today, as I give thanks to my Lord and reflect on the year that’s gone by … as I reflect on the fragileness and brevity of life, I am moved to remind you as well. Live life to the full. If fear has become an unwelcome guest these past two years, push it back by inviting the Holy Spirit to have His way with you.

Father God, I am so thankful for the gift of life, for the gift of eternal life and for the gift of another year to serve You. I love You so and am so very thankful for Your goodness toward me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Please check out Stony Paths, the devo borne out of the difficulties He’s faithfully walked me through. He’ll do the same for you, dear one.

From Eating Cookies to Counting Calories

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

I can do nothing on my own.  John 5:30aESV

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians s 4:13 ESV

And 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

You know the New Year is just around the corner when advertisements boomerang from images of whipped cream-topped hot cocoa and a mouthwatering cookie, to aisles of treadmills, ellipticals and tax prep packages. Yep, we’ve turned the corner from “The most wonderful time of the year” to a season marked by resolutions of weight loss, getting out of debt or ending a bad habit. A season that’s brimming with the determination to try harder, or take advantage of the clean slate in front of us. Yet, before we see Valentine candy on the store shelves, many of us are already filled with despair at our lack of ability or willpower to maintain the desired course correction. Or worse, peering into the future brings thoughts of hopelessness mingled with emotional bankruptcy.

I promise not to add to your list of what you must do or change or what you must do better in the coming year. No guilt trip here. What I will do is remind both of us of the foundational truth that we are all a broken, lost, hot-mess people, unable to change ourselves. Willpower, determination or positive thinking, will not (alone) do the trick, though those are definitely our allies in the process. As with the salvation of our soul, He alone is able to change us from the inside out, and enable us to become all He has planned for us.

That plan may include reevaluating our health (or lack of it), reevaluating relationships or how we spend our resources of time, talent and money. It most certainly includes an honest assessment of our relationship with Jesus Christ, the One who has provided our time, talent and treasure. What it doesn’t include is an end-of-our-rope striving to be better, do better and work harder to be “good-er” (as if…).

We can do nothing on our own, but we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. We are His workmanship, His masterpiece. And as we see treadmills filling store aisles or popping up on our phone screens, refuse to despair. May they serve only as reminders that we are His workmanship. Rely on His wisdom, strength and ability to put His finger on areas of needed change and provide what’s needed to live out the life He has given us.

If you wait until you feel like taking action, you’ll never make progress.

Don Howe

Father, Please put Your finger on areas of my life that need changed or reevaluated. As I honestly acknowledge them, enable me to make whatever course corrections are necessary as I lean into You as my Strength to accomplish what I cannot. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Christmas Movie Suggestion

The Nativity Story

I admit it – I absolutely love Christmas movies. Everything from the original Grinch cartoon to It’s Wonderful Life and even, A Christmas Story. I know, I know. These have nothing to do with the real meaning of Christmas. To be fair, neither do Christmas cookies, mistletoe or snowflakes, some of our traditions are just for fun.

But there is one movie that (almost) perfectly captures the real meaning of Christmas, it’s the 2005 movie titled, The Nativity Story. If you are able, I highly recommend you find a way to watch (or rewatch) it. While there’s not a reindeer or mug of eggnog to be found, there is an extravagant Christmas Present. The writers have found a way to stay true to the Biblical account (Matthew 1 & Luke 2), while adding just enough extra dialog to make the story come to life, even adding a bit of humor along the way.

Recently, as my husband and I rewatched The Nativity Story, I was struck at the calling/gift God gave to Mary and Joseph. And that although they were blessed beyond any other couple, the amount of pain they were forced to endure for their faithful, trusting obedience was immense. It was a reminder to me that faithful obedience to God or even a call He places on our lives, does not ensure an easy ride. In fact, it usually ensures the opposite. So, why do I (maybe you too?) so often fall for the lie that pain or hardship means I am out of His will or that His calling will always lead to earthly blessing/success? As David Wilkerson was quoted as saying, God has called us to obedience, (earthly) success is up to Him.  

Because we love and trust Him, we obey Him. Regardless of the outcome of that obedience.

This Christmas, as we enjoy all the extra trappings that tradition has created, let’s be sure to stop and remember. Remember the sacrificial Gift that was given for us that first Christmas morning, wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

Lord, enable us to honor You with trusting obedience. Come what may. Thank You for sending Your only Son those two thousand years ago, to be born in a stable and die on a cross –The Spotless Lamb slain before the foundations of the world. For me. For my sin. And three days later, to be raised to life, never to die again. Thank You Precious Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

What’s Your Paper Trail Look Like?

For we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— 2 Corinthians 5:7 Amplified Bible

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Berean Standard Bible

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17

Cracking eggs on the side of a large metal bowl, the young volunteer and I made small talk as we prepared breakfast for folks in need of a hot meal. Figuring we’d need about 18 dozen to feed everyone, our conversation carried on as we cracked, whipped and then cooked eggs, sausage and biscuits. In the midst of our serving, she mentioned how tired she was, so I asked, “Oh, do you have young children at home?” Assuming little ones were stealing away her night’s sleep.

Laughing out loud, she giggled, “No! I’m only 19!”

Now it was my turn to laugh, as I shared with her that by 19, I had already been married, divorced, had given birth to four children. I had also buried a daughter. That conversation opened the flood gates to share with her, how I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Often, when I share quick snippets of my story, I tell folks, “I don’t look good on paper.” By that I mean, if only the black and white facts of my life (paper) are known, it looks like a hot, depressing, , hopeless mess. But God.

But God used the tragedies thrust upon me, as well as those I thrust upon myself, to cause me to recognize my need for Him. And He continues to use the many trials of life to drive home the point that I am to walk by faith and not by sight. To live by faith in Him and His faithfulness, not my fickle emotions. That He is good, even when life hurts. And that the worst-case scenarios can happen simultaneously with Hope in Him flourishing.  In short, trust Him, no matter what things look like. Trust Him no matter the circumstance. Rely on the Truth of His Word rather than what we see with our eyes.

As we prepare to celebrate the literal incarnation of God, through the physical birth of Jesus Christ, I am reminded that things are not always as they appear. Who would have ever thought, God would arrive on the scene in such a way? “On paper,” it appeared that He was born in an animal stable to a poor, unwed couple facing a crisis pregnancy. The world would say, a no body, born to no bodies, in the middle of nowhere. Yet, here we are today, over 2,000 years later, celebrating His birth. His birth that split history in two and sacrificial death that split the veil that separated a holy God from unholy, sinful folks like you and I. Today, He sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do you have a paper trail that includes challenges like addiction or abuse or prison or depression or regret?  I understand. Or maybe your paper trail is peppered with college degrees, ministry work, financial wealth or a “moral” life. While some of us are more spit-shined than others, we all stand in need of The Savior.

As I shared that day over a bowl of scrambled eggs – He saved me, and while life will always have challenges, He turned my mess into ministry, and now it’s my greatest honor to serve Him with my life, in whatever way He chooses. He has given me a new paper trail. If He can do it for me, He can do the same for you.

“In perplexities—when we cannot tell what to do, when we cannot understand what is going on around us, let us be calmed and steadied and made patient by the thought that what is hidden from us is not hidden from Him”

 — Frances Ridley Havergal

Father, Thank You for sending Your One and only Son, those 2,000 years ago. My Lord Jesus. Erasing what I had on paper and giving me Your sinless record instead. Astounding. I bow in awe of Your goodness and mercy! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.

Click here to purchase a hard copy or get a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths

You may also purchase Stony Paths, learning to Trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life, by visiting Lulu Publishing or Amazon.

So that…

As He passed along, He noticed a man blind from his birth. His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?  Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.    John 9:1-3 AMPC / NASB

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

While Jesus took time to actually notice the man born blind, and now begging for a living, His disciples landed on another approach.  Observing the overwhelming trial the man endured, they wanted to know why he was born blind in the first place. “What did he or his family do to deserve this?”, they asked, with an implied assumption. Not exactly empathy in action. Jesus explained, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in Him.” I’ll be the first to admit, being born blind in that culture isn’t something I would have volunteered for.  And yet, this man was given the honor of being used so that … his life and eventual healing might be used to display God’s glory.

Later, the Apostle Paul tells us that God comforted him, so that he might be able to comfort others with the same comfort he had received. God allowed painful trials into Paul’s life, so that his need would drive him to the God of all comfort. So that … he could authentically comfort others.

Hospital bracelet

Now, let’s get real world. I have a few “so that” scenarios in my own life (I bet you do too). My first-born daughter, Tiffany Anne, died at three days old… Gut-punch excruciating. As I look back at that tragedy, it was through her death that I gave my life to Christ.

So that I might surrender to the Saviour… and glorify God.

Foot prints

Fourteen years later, I gave birth to a still-born son. Yet another horrific ache that words cannot adequately express. I can’t as easily see the “why” of his death, but through such profound loss, God has graced me with authentic empathy and compassion for others who suffer and long to know “why.”

So that I might share the comfort I received… and glorify God.

Heart surgery aftermath

Just over a year ago I suffered a health emergency that nearly took my life, and that included months of rehabilitation. Out of that trial came more empathy and a devotional book (Stony Paths, learning to trust Him on the stony paths of real life) with a message of encouragement for those who walk through their own stony paths

So that I might offer authentic hope… and glorify God.

And of course, the ultimate, so that, is Jesus Christ giving His life as a ransom for us. Living a sinless life, suffering, dying and rising from the dead … so that you and I might have a way to the Father.

Let’s bring it back home. What “so that” situations have been allowed into your life? Think it through. Hold them up to the light. Is there a tragedy or a difficulty that God has graced you with so that….? Allow Him to use your life, and all you’ve endured, as a display of His glory.

We must understand that for God to give “songs in the night,” He must first make it night.

C. H. Spurgeon

Father, Oh how I long to bring glory to Your great name!  I hand You all that has touched my life, use it as an illustration of Your goodness, faithfulness and a display of Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Free Devotional – Stony Paths

Learning to Trust Him as we walk along STONY PATHS – 09.24.2021Download

Stony Paths – Learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.

Recently, a friend asked what drew me to write a book on the topic of trusting God. The answer came immediately….

Let me share with you what I told him that day … I was confronted with emergency open heart surgery with no time to think through the seriousness of the situation. The doctors explained that with a near total blockage in what is often referred to as the “widow maker”, I had no time to spare … this was life and death … surgery was needed immediately. While I am no spring chicken and would never be confused for an athlete, I am in decent physical condition, try to eat healthy and exercise, so this news came as a complete shock to my husband and I. Understanding what must be done, we held hands and prayed together, thanking our heavenly Father for His flawless timing and protection on my behalf (and asking Him to help the surgeons of course!).

Days later, as I became fully aware of what had actually happened and how close I came to dying, I was overcome with thankfulness and gratitude to the Lord. So excited to share with nurses, friends, housekeeping staff … anyone who would listen, about how the Lord spared my life. Of how good God is. How loving and faithful. But then it hit me … like being smacked across the face. What if He had said “no” to our prayers of healing? What if God had not caused the blockage to become known and I had died suddenly? What if my husband was planning my funeral rather than planning my home therapy sessions? And what about the people who heard me gush about my near-fatal experience? What if they had a family member who faced the same scenario but their mother or wife or friend had died instead of the miraculous intervention I had experienced?

This question reverberated in my heart – Is God still good and is He still worthy of trust, even when the answer is No? Is my trust in Him total and complete or is it only for particular outcomes?

We trust Him for finances or safety. We trust Him for basic necessities. We trust Him for healing. And we should. But there is a still deeper level of trust that our Father God is calling us to. A trust that stands alone – separate from our hoped-for outcome. To simply trust Him, no matter the outcome. A trust in the goodness of God based on His word that tells us that if He was willing to give the life of His Son for us, is there anything He will withhold? You see, if we look at the Cross of Christ as our backdrop, then we can look the rawest reality in the face with the knowledge that if He has allowed it, I can trust that He has a plan, a purpose and that He knows what is ultimately best for me.

“If God Sends Us On Stony Paths He Provides Strong Shoes.”

Corrie ten Boom


I still share with anyone willing to listen to what the Lord did for me … but I always bring it around to this point: Even if He had called me home that day, He is still good, He is still faithful and I trust Him.

Even when we don’t understand. He is worthy of our trust.

Though I must admit that I have cheated a bit on this whole trusting the Lord thing, you see, He’s given me lots of practice. Maybe He’s done the same for you too. I’ve buried two children; I’ve walked through betrayal as well as financial collapse and as with many folks, childhood brought its own set of challenges. And if that weren’t enough, I made plenty of messes that caused great distress for me and others. Through it all, I have learned by experience that our Father God can be trusted – no matter the outcome and no matter the reason for our mess.

As you read through the devotions in this book, it is my prayer that the Lord will enable you to look your darkest challenge in the face and know with certainty that He loves you. That your Father God is trustworthy. No matter the outcome. He will walk you through this. You are not alone. He loved you enough to send His Son to die for you. With that as your life’s backdrop, be intentional about viewing all you walk through as filtered through His fingers. He’s got this. Let’s trust Him as we walk the stony paths of life.

To purchase a hard copy of Stony Paths, visit the products page or visit Lulu Publishing. It may also be purchased on Amazon.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus