Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

The King is Coming {First 5}

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I’m sharing about Christ’s triumphal entry in the First 5 app today. Here’s a preview . . .

Today’s Reading: John 12

John 12:13 (ESV) “So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! ‘”

“Click, click, click . ..” My anticipation built as the roller coaster inched its way skyward at a terrifying angle. As we climbed the hill, I looked forward to the thrill on the other side. Would the drop give us momentum for loops or corkscrews? Or would we fly over another hill and drop again?

We crested the top of the peak, and I could finally see what was ahead. After a short drop, the track leveled, and sadly, the drop didn’t live up to the hype of the climb. Like many things in life, this roller coaster didn’t turn out at all how I expected.

Following Jesus during His final week in Jerusalem might have felt much like a disappointing roller coaster ride. As Jesus and His disciples made their way over the Mount of Olives and descended the hill to the gates of Jerusalem, a crowd gathered in enthusiastic expectation. They waved palm branches and cried “Hosanna!” to their King. For a thousand years, God’s people had waited for another king like David. Now they wondered if their waiting was finally coming to an end.

John tells us that this crowd assembled because they heard about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. (John 12:18) They expected that Jesus could do something powerful for them. But they had no idea how powerful His deliverance truly was. They didn’t understand that their deliverance would come through His death.

I hope you’ll head over to First 5 to read the rest of the teaching, or download the app and join us in our study of 40 days through the Bible!

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Cast Your Worries on the Lord {No Matter What Monday}

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Have you ever felt like the weight of suffering or sorrow might crush you? I remember an especially difficult day in the midst of my cancer battle ten years ago. We had just learned that I would need to start spending most of my time in Houston, receiving treatment through a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

As I sat in the Houston airport waiting to return home for a few days, the tears wouldn’t stop flowing. I was weighed down by grief and the stress of the challenges we faced. But over and over again during that time, the Lord brought this verse to mind: 

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22, NIV)

What does it look like to cast your cares on the Lord? The word cast means to throw, hurl, or fling. Imagine standing at the edge of a cliff, reaching your arm behind you, and throwing your worries as far as they will go. When our burdens are too much for our own strength, we can cast them on the Lord. He will carry them for us. 

As we cast our burdens on Him, God says He will sustain us. We don’t need to stand on our own strength or skill. He doesn’t look at our pain and say with a shrug, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” He sees our weakness and asks us to throw the burden on Him. He has all the strength we need. He holds us tight and will never let us go. 

As I walked through the difficult months of that clinical trial, the Lord often showed me that He was with me in my suffering. He never asked me to carry the burden alone. He’s not asking you to suffer alone, either. Cast those burdens on Him, and let Him sustain you today.  

No matter what you face this week, the Lord will sustain you. 

** This weekend I will celebrate 1 0  Y e A r S ! since my cancer diagnosis in October 2010. I can’t celebrate with a big party or a fantastic trip (thanks a lot, covid!), but I can celebrate with God’s Word. Each Monday this month, I’m sharing a verse that was precious to me during my cancer battle. I hope it encourages you in whatever struggle you’re facing today. **

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God Will Provide {No Matter What Monday}

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My friends started showing up within hours of my cancer diagnosis. One friend folded laundry in my bedroom; another cooked dinner in the kitchen. As news spread, friends started organizing a freezer meal drive. Many others hit their knees in prayer. 

I quickly realized we were going to need a lot of help. During the following months, we saw over and over again that God would meet each and every one of our physical, logistical, emotional, and spiritual needs. There were times when He provided directly through the power of the Holy Spirit giving us comfort, peace, and wisdom. But most of the time, He used His people to supply our needs as they reached out with love and support for our family. 

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.“ (Philippians 4:19)

This verse from Philippians became a lifeline for me. We faced many challenges, and I sometimes struggled to believe the Lord would provide a way. But He did. Every single time. 

I love that in the context of this verse in Philippians 4, Paul is thanking the church at Philippi for how they’ve supported him. Paul needed the body of Christ to help him do his work. We aren’t meant to walk this Christian life alone. 

We can trust God to supply all our needs because He has it all. Everything in the world belongs to Him: all created things, all power, all wisdom, all glory. He doesn’t lack anything He needs, and He certainly doesn’t lack anything you need. 

But God isn’t just a powerful ruler who has it all. Paul refers to Him as “my God.” We are His sheep and He is our Shepherd. He cares for us, and we shall not want (Ps. 23:1). You can have confidence that He will not withhold anything His child needs. 

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

** Later this month I will celebrate 1 0  Y e A r S ! since my cancer diagnosis in October 2010. I can’t celebrate with a big party or a fantastic trip (thanks a lot, covid!), but I can celebrate with God’s Word. Each Monday this month, I’m sharing a verse that was precious to me during my cancer battle. I hope it encourages you in whatever struggle you’re facing today. **

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You Are Not Alone {No Matter What Monday}

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The text came from a friend as I recovered from chemo in Houston in 2011. She wanted to know my favorite verse. I had a hard time choosing from my long list of favorites, but there was one that had become so precious in my suffering. 

When I battled angiosarcoma, there was no guarantee of a happy ending from my earthly perspective. No one could promise me I’d get my old life back. I definitely wasn’t getting my old body back. And I wondered if life after cancer would ever come close to normal for my family and me. 

One thing I knew for sure: God’s presence with me was absolutely guaranteed. The fire was hot. The waves were high. But I was not alone. 

“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.’” (Isaiah 43:1–2)

Isaiah shared these words of the Lord for future Israelites who would be exiled from their home and face an unknown future. They would lose everything: their country, their land, and the temple that served as the center of their faith. But Isaiah has a message of hope for the ancient Israelites and for us today. 

The Lord gives us a reason not to fear: our Redeemer has called us by name. We belong to Him. He knows us. He cares for us. He delivers us. He will always be with us. We are His, so we have nothing to fear. 

Our suffering may feel like giant ocean waves tossing us into the air and then plunging us into the depths. But the Lord will hold us fast. Even when our future here is uncertain, our future with Him is secure, because He has said, “You are Mine.” 

No matter what you face this week, the One who called you by name will never leave you. 

** Later this month I will celebrate 1 0  Y e A r S ! since my cancer diagnosis in October 2010. I can’t celebrate with a big party or a fantastic trip (thanks a lot, covid!), but I can celebrate with God’s Word. Each Monday, I’ll share a verse that was precious to me during my cancer battle. I hope it encourages you in whatever struggle you’re facing today. **

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