Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

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Your Living Hope {No Matter What Monday}

April 12, 2021 by Marissa Leave a Comment

One day when my son was little, I tried to convince him to go backwards in age instead of growing up. In his most serious, let-me-explain-this-to-you voice, he said, “You can’t do that. You can only be each age one time, and then you die.” 

I remember being surprised that he would talk so matter-of-factly about death – even his own. But in the mind of a young child, death seemed far away. He still had decades of birthdays to check off before he got there. He hadn’t yet felt the sting of the death of someone close to him or the fear of a life-threatening diagnosis that could cut those years short. 

As we walk through life in a fallen world, we can’t escape the reality of death. Just this week, our church family has grieved sudden losses that impacted two of our extended families. Sin, sickness, and death can steal many things from us – relationships, livelihoods, plans, and dreams – and that’s been startlingly clear this past year. 

In our heartbreak, we crave a hope that can survive the pain of death. And we have such a hope in our risen Savior, Jesus Christ: 

“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:3b-4)

Death is rendered powerless by our living hope, because Jesus holds the keys of death and hell (Revelation 1:18). God, in His great mercy, has given us new life here and eternal life in heaven through the resurrection of Jesus.  Our living hope fills us with joy and peace, and it assures us of a heavenly inheritance that can never be taken away. 

In a world filled with decay, deterioration, and disappointment, we can look forward to an inheritance kept in heaven for us that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Even when we can’t escape the pain of grief, our hope isn’t dead. We have a living hope, because our hope is found in the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. 

No matter what you face this week, cling to the living hope you have in Jesus Christ. 

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The Lord Will Fulfill His Purpose {No Matter What Monday}

April 5, 2021 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Am I the only mom who hates Chutes and Ladders? It’s the board game that never ends! You finally get your cardboard kid up to the 80s or 90s, and then you hit that giant chute back to the bottom. You might get lucky and hit a ladder or two along the way. But if everyone keeps hitting those chutes, you start to wonder if anyone will ever win the game and put you out of your misery! 

Maybe, like me, you feel that way about the Christian life sometimes. You start to make a little progress exercising self-control over your thoughts or your actions, but then you mess up. You practice kindness and gentleness with your family for a couple of days, but it doesn’t last and your temper erupts. You dig into God’s Word or sit with Him in prayer for a few mornings in a row but then go back to hitting the snooze button. 

Little ladders up, giant chutes down. 

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” (Psalm 138:8)

Today’s Scripture brings comfort to our chute-like moments. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for you as He conforms you to the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29) Yes, there will be ups and downs. There will be mistakes with consequences. There will be successes that seem short-lived. But because of the Lord’s steadfast love for you, He will not forsake the work of His hands. And you are the work of His hands. 

God has saved you by His grace, and He’s sanctifying you today as you grow in Christlikeness. Through all the ladders and slides, each and every one of His purposes for you will be fulfilled. He can even bring His purposes about as we sit on our bottoms at the end of a chute. Even there, His grace will find us. 

No matter what you face this week, the Lord will fulfill His purpose for you.

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Jesus Wins {No Matter What Monday}

March 29, 2021 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Have you ever seen the Who Would Win book series? These children’s books depict a hypothetical battle between two animals and predict the outcome. Could a giant squid defeat a whale? What if a tiger and a lion dueled to the death? What about a tarantula vs. a scorpion? That’s a match I hope I never have to see! 

Some days, the world around us might make us wonder, “Who’s gonna win? Will God really come out on top here, or are the forces of evil too great?” It seems like sin, wickedness, and death are winning. We watch as violence rages around the world, disease threatens those we love, and sin rips families apart. 

The Bible is the ultimate Who Would Win book, and the outcome is not hypothetical. Spoiler alert: Jesus wins. And because we are united to Him by faith, His victory is our victory. 

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Through all of March, we’ve been looking at the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection. He became sin for us, shed His blood for our forgiveness, secured our justification, and conquered death. As we live out our days as those who have been redeemed, we also have His power as we deal with the evil we face in this world. We face temptation, and we grieve the effects of this fallen world. But there is hope! 

First John 4:4 proclaims that He who is in you (God the Spirit) is greater than he who is in the world (the devil and the forces of evil). God’s victory has already taken place. Jesus Christ sits at the Father’s right hand and reigns over all powers and dominions (Eph. 1:19-21). His Spirit dwells in us, reminding us to not lose heart because glory is coming (2 Cor. 4:16-18). 

As you wade through the muck of sin, evil, and the difficulties of life in this fallen world, the One who is in you – the One who will never leave you or forsake you – is greater than your most threatening enemy. You have overcome, because He has overcome. 

No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ gives us the victory. 

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The Risen Christ Conquered Death {No Matter What Monday}

March 22, 2021 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I’ll never forget the look of joy on his little three-year-old face when he heard the news. My son Christopher was eating breakfast at the kitchen table when he started asking questions about Jesus. He’d heard repeatedly that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins. But apparently we failed to mention one crucial piece of information—Jesus didn’t stay dead. When I mentioned that Jesus rose from the dead, his eyes grew wide, and he exclaimed, “Jesus is ALIVE?!?” He clapped his hands exuberantly and shouted, “Yaaaaaay!” 

It was such a joy to witness the moment my son first learned the good news of the resurrection. He realized for the first time that death didn’t win. Jesus isn’t still in the grave. He is risen! 

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (I Cor. 15:20 and 55, NIV)

Friend, this is good news: Jesus is alive! He isn’t just a suffering Savior who died in your place but a reigning King who conquered the power of death. He rose victorious over the ultimate enemy. We read in Revelation 1:18 that Jesus holds the keys to death and hades. Death has no power over Him.

Our risen Savior is the firstfruits of the resurrection. “Firstfruits” implies that there are more resurrection fruits to come! When He stepped out of the grave, He made a way for us to have new life in Him now and eternal life with Him forever. Death has no power over Him, and it also has no power over those of us who are in Christ. 

This is another one of the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection that we’ve been studying this month. Jesus Christ has given us His sinless record, forgiven our sin, and secured our justification before God. 

Even though we feel the pain of death here temporarily, we can look at the empty grave of Christ and say with Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Jesus Christ took the sting of death for us, so we wait eagerly for the day when we feel it no more. 

No matter what you face this week, the risen Christ conquered death for you. 

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I write to remind myself of the truth of God's promises. I share my writing here in case you need to be reminded sometimes, too.

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One day when my son was little, I tried to convinc One day when my son was little, I tried to convince him to go backwards in age instead of growing up. In his most serious, let-me-explain-this-to-you voice, he said, “You can’t do that. You can only be each age one time, and then you die.”⁠
⁠
I remember being surprised that he would talk so matter-of-factly about death - even his own. But in the mind of a young child, death seemed far away. He still had decades of birthdays to check off before he got there. He hadn’t yet felt the sting of the death of someone close to him or the fear of a life-threatening diagnosis that could cut those years short.⁠
⁠
As we walk through life in a fallen world, we can’t escape the reality of death. Just this week, our church family has grieved sudden losses that impacted two of our extended families. Sin, sickness, and death can steal many things from us - relationships, livelihoods, plans, and dreams - and that’s been startlingly clear this past year.⁠
⁠
In our heartbreak, we crave a hope that can survive the pain of death. And we have such a hope in our risen Savior, Jesus Christ:⁠
⁠
“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:3b-4)⁠
⁠
Death is rendered powerless by our living hope, because Jesus holds the keys of death and hell (Revelation 1:18). God, in His great mercy, has given us new life here and eternal life in heaven through the resurrection of Jesus.  Our living hope fills us with joy and peace, and it assures us of a heavenly inheritance that can never be taken away.⁠
⁠
In a world filled with decay, deterioration, and disappointment, we can look forward to an inheritance kept in heaven for us that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Even when we can’t escape the pain of grief, our hope isn’t dead. We have a living hope, because our hope is found in the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, cling to the living hope you have in Jesus Christ.⁠
⁠
#NoMatterWhatMonday
Am I the only mom who hates Chutes and Ladders? It Am I the only mom who hates Chutes and Ladders? It’s the board game that never ends! You finally get your cardboard kid up to the 80s or 90s, and then you hit that giant chute back to the bottom. You might get lucky and hit a ladder or two along the way. But if everyone keeps hitting those chutes, you start to wonder if anyone will ever win the game and put you out of your misery!⁠
⁠
Maybe, like me, you feel that way about the Christian life sometimes. You start to make a little progress exercising self-control over your thoughts or your actions, but then you mess up. You practice kindness and gentleness with your family for a couple of days, but it doesn’t last and your temper erupts. You dig into God’s Word or sit with Him in prayer for a few mornings in a row but then go back to hitting the snooze button.⁠
⁠
Little ladders up, giant chutes down.⁠
⁠
“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” (Psalm 138:8)⁠
⁠
Today’s Scripture brings comfort to our chute-like moments. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for you as He conforms you to the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29) Yes, there will be ups and downs. There will be mistakes with consequences. There will be successes that seem short-lived. But because of the Lord’s steadfast love for you, He will not forsake the work of His hands. And you are the work of His hands.⁠
⁠
God has saved you by His grace, and He’s sanctifying you today as you grow in Christlikeness. Through all the ladders and slides, each and every one of His purposes for you will be fulfilled. He can even bring His purposes about as we sit on our bottoms at the end of a chute. Even there, His grace will find us.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, the Lord will fulfill His purpose for you.⁠
⁠
#NoMatterWhatMonday
Have you ever seen the Who Would Win book series? Have you ever seen the Who Would Win book series? These children’s books depict a hypothetical battle between two animals and predict the outcome. Could a giant squid defeat a whale? What if a tiger and a lion dueled to the death? What about a tarantula vs. a scorpion? That’s a match I hope I never have to see!⁠
⁠
Some days, the world around us might make us wonder, “Who’s gonna win? Will God really come out on top here, or are the forces of evil too great?” It seems like sin, wickedness, and death are winning. We watch as violence rages around the world, disease threatens those we love, and sin rips families apart.⁠
⁠
The Bible is the ultimate Who Would Win book, and the outcome is not hypothetical. Spoiler alert: Jesus wins. And because we are united to Him by faith, His victory is our victory.⁠
⁠
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)⁠
⁠
Through all of March, we’ve been looking at the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection. He became sin for us, shed His blood for our forgiveness, secured our justification, and conquered death. As we live out our days as those who have been redeemed, we also have His power as we deal with the evil we face in this world. We face temptation, and we grieve the effects of this fallen world. But there is hope!⁠
⁠
First John 4:4 proclaims that He who is in you (God the Spirit) is greater than he who is in the world (the devil and the forces of evil). God’s victory has already taken place. Jesus Christ sits at the Father’s right hand and reigns over all powers and dominions (Eph. 1:19-21). His Spirit dwells in us, reminding us to not lose heart because glory is coming (2 Cor. 4:16-18).⁠
⁠
As you wade through the muck of sin, evil, and the difficulties of life in this fallen world, the One who is in you - the One who will never leave you or forsake you - is greater than your most threatening enemy. You have overcome, because He has overcome.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ gives us the victory.⁠
⁠
#NoMatterWhatMonday
I’ll never forget the look of joy on his little I’ll never forget the look of joy on his little three-year-old face when he heard the news. My son Christopher was eating breakfast at the kitchen table when he started asking questions about Jesus. He’d heard repeatedly that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins. But apparently we failed to mention one crucial piece of information—Jesus didn’t stay dead. When I mentioned that Jesus rose from the dead, his eyes grew wide, and he exclaimed, “Jesus is ALIVE?!?” He clapped his hands exuberantly and shouted, “Yaaaaaay!”⁠
⁠
It was such a joy to witness the moment my son first learned the good news of the resurrection. He realized for the first time that death didn’t win. Jesus isn’t still in the grave. He is risen!⁠
⁠
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (I Cor. 15:20 and 55, NIV)⁠
⁠
Friend, this is good news: Jesus is alive! He isn’t just a suffering Savior who died in your place but a reigning King who conquered the power of death. He rose victorious over the ultimate enemy. We read in Revelation 1:18 that Jesus holds the keys to death and hades. Death has no power over Him.⁠
⁠
Our risen Savior is the firstfruits of the resurrection. “Firstfruits” implies that there are more resurrection fruits to come! When He stepped out of the grave, He made a way for us to have new life in Him now and eternal life with Him forever. Death has no power over Him, and it also has no power over those of us who are in Christ.⁠
⁠
This is another one of the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection that we’ve been studying this month. Jesus Christ has given us His sinless record, forgiven our sin, and secured our justification before God.⁠
⁠
Even though we feel the pain of death here temporarily, we can look at the empty grave of Christ and say with Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Jesus Christ took the sting of death for us, so we wait eagerly for the day when we feel it no more.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, the risen Christ conquered death for you.⁠
⁠
#NoMatterWhatMonday
When’s the last time you enjoyed being proven wr When’s the last time you enjoyed being proven wrong? I’m guessing I’m not the only one who doesn’t love that experience! If I got to choose, I’d prefer to be on the right side of every argument. In fact, sometimes I just keep arguing until I wear down my opponent, because I desperately want to be right. I want to be justified in my beliefs or in my behavior.⁠
⁠
Merriam-Webster defines “justify” as “to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable.” And while we can try to justify ourselves in the sight of others with our persuasive words or good works, there is only one way for sinners to be justified before God.⁠
⁠
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24)⁠
⁠
This month we are looking at benefits we receive from Christ’s death and resurrection. Romans 3:23-24 teaches us that we receive the gift of justification through the redemption that Christ purchased for us.⁠
⁠
In these verses, Paul starts with the bad news: we have all sinned. We can’t justify ourselves before God, because we fall short of the righteousness God requires. We can’t do anything to deserve God’s gracious gift or earn it on the basis of our own works or merit.⁠
⁠
But here’s the good news: In Christ Jesus, we are declared righteous by the gift of God’s free grace.⁠
⁠
God doesn’t just overlook our sin and declare us to be righteous when we’re not. He declares us righteous because the Righteous One suffered and died in our place. Christ purchased our redemption by living a perfect life in our place and taking the punishment our sin deserved. Now Christ’s righteousness is given to those who place their trust in Him.⁠
⁠
If you are in Christ, when God looks at your life, He sees Christ’s perfect record. There’s no need to argue your case or try to prove yourself worthy. You can walk in the joy and freedom of God’s grace.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, you are justified by God’s grace.⁠
⁠
#NoMatterWhatMonday
Do you have regrets as you look back on your past? Do you have regrets as you look back on your past? We all have moments we’re not proud of. Maybe you’re currently struggling with sin, and you’re consumed with guilt every time you mess up again. The more I learn of God’s holiness, the more I become aware of how I sin against Him every day.⁠
⁠
As we look ahead to celebrating Easter, we’re spending this month looking at the benefits we receive from Christ’s death and resurrection. Today we will see that because Christ shed His blood for us, all our sin has been forgiven.⁠
⁠
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)⁠
⁠
When we confess that we are sinners and need the salvation Christ provides, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins.⁠
⁠
God is faithful to forgive our sins because He always keeps His promises. Psalm 130:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” You can count on Him to forgive you today and every day, because He never fails to do what He says He will do.⁠
⁠
God is just to forgive our sins because our forgiveness was secured by Jesus when He bled and died for us. First John 1:7 tells us that “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” God poured out the punishment we deserved on Christ, and God won’t demand payment for that sin again. His justice has been satisfied by Christ, and our forgiveness is the glorious result.⁠
⁠
God is faithful and just to forgive all our sin—past, present, and future. There is no sin so great that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice can’t cover it. For all who hope in Him, forgiveness is completely secure. We can rejoice as we celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection for us, knowing we are fully forgiven.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ died to secure your forgiveness.⁠
⁠
#NoMatterWhatMonday
Have you ever wanted to trade places with someone? Have you ever wanted to trade places with someone? Many mornings, my dog torments me by curling up in the empty space I just left in my bed. As I stand at the bathroom sink getting ready for the day, I’m forced to watch him lay his little white head on my pillow and doze off.⁠
⁠
His life seems so easy: sleep, eat, repeat. But then I remember that he eats the same thing every day and has to go outside to use the bathroom, even in frigid temperatures and thunderstorms. Maybe the trade wouldn’t be so great after all!⁠
⁠
This month’s devotionals will focus on the benefits we receive from Christ’s death and resurrection. Today we’ll see how and why Jesus traded places with us. Our Savior saw our hopeless condition—we were sinners who could not save ourselves. He humbled Himself to take our place on the cross, so that we might have a place with Him forever.⁠
⁠
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)⁠
⁠
Christ became sin for our sake. In this passage, Paul is talking about reconciliation—specifically, how sinners are reconciled to a holy God. Christ took the punishment for our sin so we could be reconciled to God. Paul says He “became sin,” receiving what our sin deserved.⁠
⁠
Christ became sin even though He was sinless. If He had sinned even once, the punishment He received would be His own. Only a sinless Lamb could trade places with us and take our place on the cross.⁠
⁠
Christ became sin so that in Him we might receive righteousness. We can think of this as “The Great Swap.” On the cross, Christ took our place and received the punishment our sin deserved. In exchange, He gives us His perfect record of obedience--His righteousness. We receive what Christ has earned: right standing before a holy God and eternal life with Him.⁠
⁠
This Great Swap is the good news of the Gospel: those who are in Christ look at the cross and see their punishment given to Christ and the righteousness of Christ given to them.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, our sinless Savior became sin so sinners might receive His righteousness.⁠
⁠
#NoMatterWhatMonday
When you need help, where do you turn? A few years When you need help, where do you turn? A few years ago, I realized that the internet’s vast supply of answers to life’s problems can cause us to be more disconnected from others. Before Google, if I needed to know how to poach an egg or house-train a puppy or get olive oil out of my favorite sweater, I would call my mom or a friend. Now those phone calls don’t happen because I have all the answers at my fingertips.⁠
⁠
So when my son threw up on the loveseat in our living room, I decided to call my mom to ask how to clean it rather than typing the question into an impersonal search engine. I explained my predicament and asked her what I should do. The first words out of her mouth were, “Have you Googled it?”⁠
⁠
I’m thankful for my helpful mom, knowledgeable friends, and of course, Google. But I’m even more thankful for the One we can turn to for help in any and every problem we face.⁠
⁠
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2)⁠
⁠
God is our refuge. He provides safety because He loves us and reigns over any circumstance, any power, or any person that would threaten us. As Paul says in Romans 8:38-39, nothing in this world can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ.⁠
⁠
God is our strength. The One who created the heavens and the earth is your helper (Ps. 121:1-2). He placed in stars in the sky and the fish in the ocean depths, and He promises to give you His strength when you’re weak.⁠
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God is always present in our suffering. This is why the psalmist can say: “Therefore we will not fear . . .” We can face our troubles with confidence that the Lord is with us. He’s not just a passive, uninterested bystander. He’s not just an automated source of abundant answers as we attempt to solve our problems. He is our heavenly Father, our refuge, and our strength.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, God is an ever-present help in trouble.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
Arkansas basketball fans will never forget that ni Arkansas basketball fans will never forget that night. It’s one of those “I remember where I was when . . .” moments. I was a senior in high school, riding home from an orchestra rehearsal. I listened on the radio as the Arkansas men’s basketball team beat Duke to win the 1994 NCAA National Championship. When we said we were #1, we weren’t just saying it—we had the trophy to prove it.⁠
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Have you ever read about God’s love for you, but the words felt hollow? Maybe as empty as the boastful claims of a losing team? We sometimes wonder if He really loves us. Our circumstances don’t always appear to reflect His love—at least not the kind of love we would choose!⁠
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And yet, God’s Word tells us that God doesn’t just say He loves us. He’s proved it. There’s no greater proof He could give than the sacrifice of His only Son.⁠
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“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)⁠
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Here’s how you know God’s love for you: before you ever loved Him, He sent His Son to be the propitiation for your sin. But what is propitiation, and what does it have to do with love?⁠
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Propitiation refers to Christ’s turning away God’s wrath from us by taking it on Himself. Christ laid His life over ours like a big shield, taking what we deserve because of our sin. Being our propitiation, our wrath-shield, came at a high price. The sinless One took the punishment our sin deserved and proved God’s great love for us.⁠
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When we start to wonder, “Does God really love me?” we can look at the cross and find reassurance. God sent His Son to give us new life. The Son died and took the wrath we deserved. There’s no higher price God could pay and no greater proof we could ask for.⁠
⁠
No matter what you face this week, God proved His love for you in Christ.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
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