Kirjahaku

"God never leaves you nor forsakes you." I've heard that before. "Jesus will leave the 99 to come after you." I've heard that one too. Meanwhile, fear creeps up when life hurls a season of loneliness our way and poof Churchy sayings hold as much weight as thin air. Believe it or not, God is cheering us on and inviting us to thrive amidst the loneliness. Yes, it's weird and scary, but this emptiness is a safe space where you get to hear the God of everything speak the loudest. You're safe because God is so good at owning goodness in the midst of our dank, confused, lonely seasons, and because of Him, you aren't so by yourself.Endorsement: One of the biggest lies we've learned to embrace is that we're alone in our pain. It keeps us trapped in a cycle of guilt, shame, and isolation so that even when we're struggling, we know how to put on a brave face and pretend everything is just fine. Peyton Garland is here for exactly none of that. She has lived with the agony of isolation, both physically and mentally, and is here to show us that just when we think we can't make it another second, there will always be a hope we can hold on to. With her approachable sense of humor and deeply rooted faith, Peyton offers us a way through our pain by sharing her own powerful story of redemption. -Wendi Nunnery, author of Good Enough: Learning to Let Go of Perfect for the Sake of Holy.About Peyton Garland: Peyton Garland is a web content writer for Family Christian, Christian Cinema, and Dove.org. An Atlanta lover and avid traveler, she enjoys hunting down the best hiking spots, dilapidated churches, and homegrown pizzerias with her husband and their two furry babies, Alfie and Daisy.

For I know the plans I have for-- No doubt, you know that Jeremiah 29:11 is all about a promising future for the believer. But what about Jeremiah 29:14, which tells us God will drive his children into a treacherous exile--the very place he wants to be found? How can exile offer hope? Why would a good God force his beloved into life's wastelands? Often, our Christian bubbles water down the answer to surviving on life's grim, bland manna, but what if the wilderness isn't as draining and barren as we thought? What if we are called to exile's supposed desolation to, instead, discover God's vibrant works in the most impossible situations? If you are juggling spiritual and physical hunger, exhaustion, and a mediocre faith that constantly thirsts for more of God's true nature, I invite you to traverse both lush and lacking terrains as we discover an even brighter, more real picture of God's goodness.

""For I know the plans I have for--"" No doubt, you know that Jeremiah 29:11 is all about a promising future for the believer. But what about Jeremiah 29:14, which tells us God will drive his children into a treacherous exile--the very place he wants to be found? How can exile offer hope? Why would a good God force his beloved into life's wastelands? Often, our Christian bubbles water down the answer to surviving on life's grim, bland manna, but what if the wilderness isn't as draining and barren as we thought? What if we are called to exile's supposed desolation to, instead, discover God's vibrant works in the most impossible situations? If you are juggling spiritual and physical hunger, exhaustion, and a mediocre faith that constantly thirsts for more of God's true nature, I invite you to traverse both lush and lacking terrains as we discover an even brighter, more real picture of God's goodness.

Believe it or not, God is cheering us on and inviting us to thrive amidst the loneliness. Yes, it's weird and scary, but this emptiness is a safe space where you get to hear the God of everything speak the loudest.