Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

God Remains the Same

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A few days ago, I needed a family photo. I remembered we had a “front porch photo” taken during the pandemic, back in April 2020. I opened my photos app, found the photo, and was shocked to find that my 15-year-old son looked like a completely different person just 18 months ago. He’s several inches taller now, and he’s transformed from a little boy to a young man. 

My kids are growing up, I can’t stop it, and sometimes I don’t like it. One of them is even threatening to graduate from high school in May and head off to college! We’re happy for him and proud of him, but that change will send shockwaves through our family for awhile. 

What change are you dealing with today? Maybe you’re struggling with the way the pandemic has altered your everyday life and work. Maybe you’re grieving a changed relationship or loss. Maybe you’re adjusting to an aging body or the way your role in your grown children’s lives has evolved over time. 

Through every change, we can take refuge in our unchanging God: 

 “Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.” (Psalm 102:25-27) 

These verses teach us that God has always been and He will aways be—from before the foundation of the earth until it passes away. And through all those ages; through all the changes of civilizations and kingdoms and nations; through the past, present, and future . . . He is the same. 

If God remains the same, we know His character and His promises remain the same. All those truths about God that we talk about each Monday—His goodness, His faithfulness, His sovereignty, His mercy—they are the same, now and forever. 

We can trust that the same God who has been faithful to us in the past will be steadfastly faithful through all eternity. He is the one constant we can count on through all the changes of life. 

No matter what you face this week, God is the same. 

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God Will Provide

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Eleven years ago today, I woke up on a Monday morning expecting a phone call that might change everything. When the call came, the news was worse than I had imagined. I had a rare cancer I’d never heard of, and it came with a grim prognosis. 

As I look back on that day and the months of treatment that followed, there are so many overwhelming memories and emotions. But more than anything, what stands out is God’s faithful provision. When my needs became extreme, His provision grew even more extreme. 

God lavishly provided for our tangible needs with friends who fed us for months, an incredible nanny who sacrificed to care for our kids, a home away from home in Houston, and even the use of a private plane for our first trip to MD Anderson Cancer Center. God also provided peace, comfort, and confidence. I knew that He who rescued me from death and gave me eternal life would be with my family and me at every single moment. 

That’s why Romans 8:32 is one of my favorite verses: 

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

God didn’t make an empty promise to provide for us. He proved it. Paul makes an argument here from the greater to the lesser. If God has sacrificed that which was most costly to Him—His own Son—we can have confidence that He will give us all the lesser things we need. 

Do you wonder if God will give you strength to face your suffering? Do you wonder if God will give you wisdom in your pressing dilemma? Do you wonder if God will give you forgiveness and mercy when you keep falling short? Look at the cross of Jesus and know that He will give you all this and more. 

God did not spare His own Son. He gave Him up for you. Because God is all-powerful and in control, He is able to provide for you. Because God is faithful and loves you, He can be trusted to keep His promise to provide. 

No matter what you face this week, God will provide everything you need. 

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Be Still

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I’ve had some stressful driving experiences, but nothing comes close to the time I was lost in Brooklyn, New York, during rush hour on a Friday afternoon. I took the exit into Brooklyn and needed to cross several lanes in a short distance to make a left turn and stay on my predetermined route. (This was in ancient times, before GPS and phones with map apps!) 

But it was New York, not Arkansas. Not even the driver with a front license plate identifying him as a priest would let me pull in front of him. I didn’t make it to the left turn lane, and I was lost. My surroundings terrified me, and I didn’t know how to find my way to safety. All I had was a paper map, panicked tears, and desperate prayers. 

Sometimes life feels similar to those jam-packed streets of Brooklyn. We’re confused and overwhelmed as we struggle to find our way. But Psalm 46 tells us we have a refuge in times of fear: 

“‘Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!’ The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:10-11)

When I hear the words “be still,” I’m reminded of the relief that washed over me as I parked in front of my friend’s Brooklyn apartment. Her knowledge of the city protected me from panic and fear as I blissfully followed her around the city for the weekend. 

When life feels chaotic and confusing, I can be still. I know the One who knows all things. He is God—I am not. He is with me, and He is my fortress. He will be exalted as the One who rules and reigns over all things. 

Peace comes when we feel safe and protected. With God as our ever-present fortress, we can stop panicking and be still. He is exalted above any enemy that threatens us. We can rest in His presence, protection, and peace. 

No matter what you face this week, you can be still and because God is with you. 

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No Reason to Fear

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I sat in a Bible study lecture in October 2010, taking notes furiously as our teacher unpacked Isaiah 7. When you’re looking for inspirational, life-changing encouragement in God’s Word, Isaiah probably isn’t the first place you turn. 

But that week, as I sat in the pew with a lump in my breast and a biopsy on the calendar, this verse was exactly what I needed to hear: 

“And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.’” (Isaiah 7:4)

When God sent Isaiah to talk to King Ahaz, the king had a valid reason to be afraid. He had just learned that two threatening armies had a powerful new ally who could help their attack succeed. And yet, the Lord told Ahaz not to fear these powerful enemies. 

The notes I took that evening became a source of hope and peace for me when the biopsy results came back. I had a rare and aggressive cancer called angiosarcoma. The prognosis was not good, and I faced a lengthy battle for my life. 

I’ll be honest—I was afraid. Cancer is terrifying. But on the cross, Jesus dealt a death blow to my biggest reason to fear: the separation from God my sin deserves. My suffering Savior eliminated the greatest threat against me. 

Because of His sacrifice for my salvation, I have confidence in God’s promises, even in times of suffering. I can face uncertainty with hope and joy, knowing my faithful Heavenly Father is with me. Because I belong to Christ, my future with Him is secure, and I truly have no reason to fear. 

This truth doesn’t eliminate all feelings of fear in my life, and I still struggle with anxiety sometimes. Maybe it’s a struggle for you right now, too. But when we’re afraid, we can remind ourselves of this reality. We stare down those frightening circumstances and know it’s possible to stay calm and not let our hearts become faint—because of Christ, we have nothing to fear. 

No matter what you face this week, those who belong to Christ have no reason to fear. 

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