Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Three Reasons to Live Fearless {Guest post for Proverbs 31 Ministries}

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Today I’m sharing a devotional from the book of Revelation for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Encouragement for Today devotions. Here’s a preview . . .

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’” Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)

I still remember where I was when the question came. We had just started the drive to school when one of my young carpool passengers piped up from the back seat and asked, “Miss Marissa, how old will you be when Christopher graduates from high school?”

Fighting back tears, I struggled to figure out the answer to her question. I had recently finished treatment for a rare cancer called angiosarcoma. I was begging the Lord for another year or two but didn’t dare let myself think about attending my second-grader’s graduation.

We find many reasons for fear in this life, and death is often at the top of the list.

Whether it’s cancer or a contagious new virus, reminders of our mortality can shake our security and peace. Christ’s promise of eternal life soothes our doubts about eternity, but we might fear the process of dying or dread the loss of our loved ones.

In the book of Revelation, God gives us hope as we face all our fears. He pulls back the curtain of heaven to show us the present reality of Christ’s reign and the future consummation of His triumph over the grave. Turning our eyes to victorious Jesus gives us hope and comfort in the face of death.

To finish reading the devotional, head over to the Proverbs 31 website. I hope you’re encouraged to live fearless no matter what you’re facing today!

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Approaching the Final Exam of Motherhood {Guest post on Risen Motherhood}

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This fall I watched my little boy grab his backpack full of thick textbooks, his lunchbox, and his trombone and walk into his first day of 9th grade. He’s a thoughtful boy, and he comforts me by wrapping his arms around my shoulders in a hug. (Did I mention he’s taller than me?) I have a high-schooler. And I’m terrified.

He’s been a delightful child and teenager so far. But it feels like the final exam of motherhood looms ahead, and I’ll soon find out if my parenting has been stellar or a disaster. It feels like the stakes are high, and my failures could impact the rest of his life. A verdict is coming on how well I’ve performed my most important task, and I’m hoping for a perfect report card: an A+ child, an A+ reputation, and an A+ motherhood GPA. Nothing less is acceptable to my anxious heart.

But when I look at my son as a final exam to ace rather than a fellow sinner being sanctified, I’ve forgotten the gospel. My fear stems from unbelief.

I shared these thoughts and more in an article at Risen Motherhood this week. How can we apply the gospel to our fears when the final exam of motherhood is looming? I’d love for you to click here and read the article.

While you’re there, I hope you’ll explore the vast resources at Risen Motherhood. They consistently share thoughtful, gospel-centered content via their blog and podcast. I think it will quickly become one of your favorites.

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His Power is Strong {No Matter What Monday}

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We saw last week in Mark 4 that Jesus led His disciples into a storm on the Sea of Galilee. As the waves threatened and Jesus performed a miracle, the disciples learned more about their weakness and His strength. 

“And [Jesus] awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” (Mark 4:39-41)

The disciples’ faith was weak. They knew where to turn in their troubles—they ran to Jesus. But their fear of the storm’s power outweighed their confidence in Jesus’s presence. Can you imagine that moment when Jesus calmed the sea and then called them out for their fear and doubt? 

But the disciples’ weak faith put Jesus’s strength on display. When He spoke to the wind and the waves, there was immediate and complete calm on the sea. The disciples had seen Him heal diseases and cast out demons, and yet they were amazed and asked themselves: “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”  I would imagine that their fear turned to faith and their confidence in Christ grew. 

Maybe today you’re in the middle of the storm of suffering, and God hasn’t stilled the wind and the waves yet. You’ve pleaded and begged, but the storm still rages. I don’t know why you’re suffering, but I do know this: God will use your suffering to show you more of your weakness and send you running to Him for strength. In His perfect timing, He will speak peace to the waves that threaten to drown you, and you will arrive on the shore with greater confidence in His power. 

No matter what you face this week, when your faith is weak, His power is strong. 

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The Light Shines {No Matter What Monday}

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My daughter calls out as I start to leave her room: “Don’t forget the closet light, Mom!” This part of her bedtime routine is just as important as the kiss on the forehead. She hates being alone in her room at night—being alone in the dark would be unbearable.

As adults, we have our own versions of being scared of the dark. What dark struggle, question, doubt, or fear are you facing?  Are you searching along the wall for a light switch, for anything that might dispel the darkness? For answers, comfort, resolution, or restoration?

Isaiah 9:2: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

God’s people in the Old Testament walked in darkness for centuries. They awaited the Messiah, a Savior who would rescue them from the darkness of sin and death. They clung to a promise without understanding what it meant or how it would be fulfilled. How could God possibly unravel the mess caused by evil and sin?

In John 1, we see that Jesus Christ is the answer to life’s darkness. He is the light that those walking in darkness so desperately need.

John 1:5, 9: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

The true light is here, breaking through the darkness. In Christ, we have everything we need to battle fear, sin, questions, doubts—even death. The darkness of these struggles cannot overcome His light. The light of Christ guarantees that the darkness will never win. He brings forgiveness for our sin, power for our struggles, and comfort for our troubled hearts.

No matter what you face this week, the light of Christ shines in the darkness.

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