God Is With Us Always

There are many Bible verses we can look to when we need comfort, and this is one of the best. In Matthew, it says, "Surely I am with you always to the very end of the age."

Scary things happen. Evil things are going on in the world all of the time, but we don't have to be worried because God is with us.

God is not going to leave us. He will never abandon us.

Hard times come. Hard times pull us down and make us afraid. But we can have hope in God because he will be with us always.

God will never leave us on our own. He will never forsake us, even when it feels like the whole world is against us. Or that the world is falling apart.

God created us. He loves us. He has a special plan and purpose for each of our lives.

Bad things happen. That's the sin in the world. But God is bigger than it. He is stronger than it. And he will love us through it.

No matter what goes on in our lives we should remember that God is with us.

God's love never fails.

God will never abandon us.

He reassures us that he is with us always, to the very end of the age.

By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

Why Me? Trusting God Even When It's Hard.

It's easy to think, "why me?" and it's just as easy to think, "why not me?"

The novel I read recently dealt with this issue. The what-ifs. The why-me questions.

And the reason why everything is so complicated, why we have so many questions, is because there is sin in this world. 

Things are always going to get messy. Life here on earth will never be perfect.

We will always wonder "why me" about something or other. But we need to trust God's plan for us.

There isn't always going to be an answer to the "why me" questions, but we need to know that God has a plan. Through the darkness and pain, God has a plan.

Why was it me who __? Why wasn't it me who __? We all have questions. We all want answers.

But we need to have faith.

Faith is blind. Faith is unexplainable. We won't always get answers.

Faith means trusting.

Faith means letting go of our questions and anxiety.

And faith is what we need in times when these questions plague us.


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

Joshua 1:9

Strength and courage. The ability to stand strong when faced with a scary situation. The courage to fight the battles that are before us. The knowledge that we have a God on our side who will be with us always. There is a command for us that is shared in the book of Joshua, and it is a command that I feel provides us with much hope.

Joshua 1:9 instructs us to be "strong and courageous". Whatever lies before us, we need to have strength to face that. And we can, with God's help. I love knowing that God is going to help me be strong no matter the battles that come my way.

Courage is important, as it helps us to stand strong when we know the good that we should do but we are afraid. When we see a need but are scared to meet it, the courage that God gives can help us step out in faith.

Joshua 1:9 tells us not to be afraid or discouraged. No fear, no matter what. No need to fear, because we have a God on our side who is stronger and better than anyone. A God who has everything in His control.

Discouragement can drag us down. When we feel that we are not good enough, we feel discouraged. When we are discouraged, we are tempted to give up. God is with us to encourage us, to push us on, to keep us from surrendering and giving up on the life that is before us.

There is instruction in Joshua 1:9 and there is a promise there. We serve a big God, and there is no need for us to become afraid or discouraged.

By Emily Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

It's Not As simple As Just Reconnecting With Your Child... Or Is It?

""I'm Isaiah. Isaiah Russo," he said, wondering if maybe she had forgotten the name after all of the years that had gone by.
Hailey's face paled slightly. "Isaiah."
Apparently not. "Hello."
"Dominic's father." Hailey leaned against the wall next to the door. "You're Isaiah.""
Excerpt from No Longer Broken.

Everyone messes up. If you have made mistakes in regard to your child, by growing distant, or by abandoning them altogether, don't give up hope.

It's not as simple as just reconnecting with your child... or is it?

You can change the situation. You can love your child and make things right.

Sometimes the first step just needs to be taken in order for good things to occur. And sometimes the first step is easier than we make it out to be when we overthink things.

The journey might be hard, but you are strong enough to overcome the obstacles that get in your way. It will be worth it for you to push past them, so that you can get to know your child once again.

Don't let fear or pride get in your way.

God does not promise to make your life perfect here on earth, but he will help you if you let him. Allow him to lead you and guide you as you are thinking of reconnecting with your child. Draw close to God during this time, so that you will know just what to do and say.

Apologize to your child. Remember that they are the one who should have been able to depend on you through the years. Look out for them now. Be patient with them. Love them. Step back when you need to, but let them know that you are not going anywhere.

Prove to them that you are a changed person. Let them see God in you.

In No Longer Broken, Isaiah meets his son for the first time when the boy is a teenager. And he has to fight hard to prove to Dominic that he loves him and is always going to be there for him. He has to fight to find a place in his life.

Jack, Isaiah's brother, struggles as he reconnects with the children who had been taken away from him. And their father and Isaiah have a hard time as they get to know one another again. The reconnecting in this book is about all different people at different ages and stages in life. And we hope that it might inspire families to reconnect and love each other more.

You might not be able to fix all that has been broken. Real life is not as easy as fiction. But you just might be able to start fresh with a new relationship with your child. And if so, then that will be everything.


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken