Tagged: suffering

During the month of June, I will be writing a series of devotionals based on my upcoming book, Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World, published by Harvest House Publishers August 2019. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Her eyes shone gratefully as we handed her a round loaf of freshly baked bread. The woman was an amputee, sitting patiently on the side of the cobbled street in the morning sun. It was too early for most folks to be out and about. On that bright Sunday, we were on our way to house church,… Read More

During the month of June, I will be writing a series of devotionals based on my upcoming book, Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World, published by Harvest House Publishers August 2019. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me (Psalm 139:1). “I know God sees me. Can you help me?”  Jameelah sat before me, her brilliant blue scarf pulled aside to reveal a face the image of a broken mirror, fragmented and distorted by a ragged purple ridge. Full lips and once-perfect cheekbones bore the scars of cruelty and jealous hatred.  Her beauty and purity had been social insurance for her family in a culture where daughters brought handsome reward and security. But she had refused the much… Read More

@audreycfrank Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 He told her he was not attracted to her anymore, did not love her, and had wasted the past five years of his life married to her. He wanted a divorce. She recoiled in shock, the unexpected declaration taking her completely off-guard. But they both serve in the church! He is a good father to their two children. She has done Bible studies on how to be a godly wife. How could this happen when she had done everything right? She could not believe the doctor’s diagnosis. Surely he was mistaken. This must… Read More

@audreycfrank Sometimes life, like a neglected garden, becomes overgrown with weeds. As I write this, I am staring out my window at what was once a carefully tended, intentionally planned garden of perennials. I designed the garden with the goal of creating a burst of beauty and color when looking out any of my home’s eastern facing windows. Sitting at breakfast, I could see butter-colored confederate jasmine blossoms, pink knockout roses, slender lavender blooms, orange tiger lilies from my great-grandmother’s garden, purple butterfly bushes, and wild blue violets. From the living room where my desk sits, peonies, iris, and heritage roses comforted my eyes and brought delight to my spirit. On mild days, I loved to open the windows and door, allowing the scents of… Read More

@audreycfrank Psalm 16:5, NIV “Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure.” Everything that comes is assigned. Elisabeth Elliot called this the great simplifier for all of life. Our loving heavenly Father has assigned all that comes. Assignment entails willing acceptance of what comes, however. The Israelites wandered in the desert, all ate of the same manna. But many did not please the Lord and died before seeing the Promised Land. What was the difference between them and the ones who did? How do you explain the difference between people who have been through the same experience, but with vastly different outcomes? The simple answer is faith in God, trust in the One who measures out and… Read More

@audreycfrank Joy and sorrow are inexplicably connected, and stubbornly present in the human experience. I once saw a sight most strange, two very different streams flowing side by side. In the deep woods of the mountains where we summered in my childhood, the two streams swirled, separated only by a narrow, rocky ledge embedded in dark rich earth. One raged wide, its waters noisily churning up the dark and decaying debris of seasons past. The other ran slow and narrow, quiet and clear. In its depths sparkled gold and silver stars, reflecting the bright light of the sun. Dark and brooding, flowing beside calm and glittering, these waters fascinated me. While cousins and uncles fished, I wandered the banks of this magical anomaly. As I… Read More

@audreycfrank I was walking on a narrow gravel road that wound its way along the edge of a high ridge overlooking a sweeping valley. I am usually nervous about heights, but I was too focused on the journey to pay attention to the butterflies in my stomach. This was long before I gazed into the majestic Rift Valley of East Africa or the breathtaking vistas of the mountains and valleys of North Africa and the Middle East. This was a dream, and in it, the colors of the earth were strikingly vivid and the air itself seemed alive. It was more real than any path I have ever hiked on earth. I was with my companions and colleagues, and we were discussing strategy with intense… Read More