Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Breaking Free from the Superwoman Trap

by Leave a Comment

06012016_GUESTMarissaHenley_WalkInFreedom

I sat in my counselor’s office with silent tears sliding down my face, feeling flattened by the pressures of life. The expectations placed on me by myself and others were more than I could bear. My counselor handed me a blank sheet of paper and a cup full of markers.

“Draw it,” she said.

I’m no artist, but I tried my best. I drew a stick figure lying at the bottom of the page, with harsh arrows pointing down at the distraught figure. (That is, the stick figure who would have looked distraught if I had known how to draw that.)

The arrows represented the pressure I felt to be:

  • an attentive mom who gets all the mom stuff right;
  • a loving wife who gets all the wife stuff right;
  • a wise and compassionate friend who makes everyone happy;
  • a perfect homemaker who serves nutritious, savory meals from her spotless kitchen;
  • a healthy, thin woman who looks effortlessly put-together, but not in a snobbish or intimidating way;
  • all while juggling a million responsibilities with ease.

The impossible standards of those arrows were a heavy weight on my shoulders, reminding me of my daily shortcomings. I felt trapped, laid out on the floor, just like the defeated, joyless stick figure in my drawing.

Then my counselor asked me to draw how it could feel better.

Can you relate? If so, click here to continue reading with me over on (in)courage today . . . 

Share

Our Hope is in Our Great God {No Matter What Monday}

by Leave a Comment

Dale Ralph Davis

For me personally, “No Matter What Monday” was meant for weeks like this.

 

Later this week, I will walk into the oncology clinic where I spent many hours back in 2010-11. I will have imaging tests of my chest and abdomen, and then I’ll wait to hear whether or not the doctors see evidence of a cancer recurrence.

 

I wish I could tell you I’m not afraid. I’d love to inspire you with the strength of my faith in God’s plans, whatever they may be.

 

But the truth is that I’m scared. I struggle to rest in God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. This week I’ll come face-to-face with the reality of my medical history, my mortality, and the weakness of my faith.

 

Maybe this is a big week for you, too. Maybe you’re wrestling with unknowns in your life, unfulfilled longings, or unending struggles. Dear friend, how can we have peace today as we look ahead at a challenging week?

 

I find comfort in these words from seminary professor and author, Dr. Dale Ralph Davis: “It is not so much great faith in God that is required as faith in a great God” (No Falling Words, p. 122).

 

Isn’t that freeing? Nothing depends on the greatness of my faith. It all depends on the greatness of God.

 

The apostle Paul said it this way: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9b).

 

This is great news when my faith falters. God doesn’t require great faith from us. He brings all the greatness that is required. His goodness never falters or fails. His grace covers all the weakness of our faith.

 

No matter what, our hope isn’t in our great faith but in our great God.

 

Share

The Lord is Your Light and Your Salvation {No Matter What Monday}

by Leave a Comment

ps27.1

 

If you’ve read the Bible for more than about 10 minutes, you’ve probably come across the idea that those who belong to the Lord have no reason to fear. Do not fear, do not be anxious, do not be afraid . . . these phrases are all over the Scriptures. 

 

If the Lord repeated this idea so often, it must be important. But at the same time, it seems so impractical. The world is a scary place. It’s filled with uncertainty and suffering and trouble, and sometimes it seems to be getting worse every day.

 

How can we possibly live without fear? 

 

Psalm 27:1 offers an answer to that question: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

 

The Lord is our light. When all feels dark, the Lord’s light shines even brighter. Micah 7:8 says, “When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” Isaiah 60:20 refers to the everlasting light of the Lord. Our Heavenly Father promises to always shine His unfailing light into our darkest places. 

 

The Lord is our salvation. Colossians 1:13-14 tells us He’s delivered us from the dominion of darkness, brought us into the kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ, and given us redemption and forgiveness. 

 

I doubt I will completely conquer the temptation to fear this side of heaven. But remembering that the Lord is my light and salvation helps me to face a frightening world with less fear and more confidence in the Lord’s promises. 

 

No matter what you face this week, the Lord is your light and your salvation—you have no reason to fear! 

Share

Our Hope Enters Behind the Curtain {No Matter What Monday}

by Leave a Comment

behind the curtain (2)

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 

Hebrews 6:19-20 (ESV)

 

Last week we talked about the anchor of our hope being in God’s sure and steadfast promises. But what about the rest of the verse?

 

Our hope is described as entering the inner place behind the curtain. Now, I know that can sound like a bunch of theological gobbledygook. The inner place refers to the Holy of Holies, the place where God dwelled in the temple. Once a year, the high priest would take a blood sacrifice and enter into the inner place to atone for the sin of the people and remove their guilt.

 

When the author of Hebrews says that Jesus has gone on our behalf into the inner place, he’s saying that Jesus’ sacrifice has taken away the guilt of our sin. Jesus’ blood qualifies him to enter into the place where God dwells. And when it says that Jesus is a forerunner, it means that we will follow him there.

 

When we cast the anchor of our hope, it lands in the place where God dwells. And our hope-anchor is there because Christ died once for all as a sacrifice to remove our guilt, rip the curtain that separated us from God, and secure our access to the inner place with God.

 

This is our sure and steadfast hope. Not hope in our own abilities or good works or trying to do a little better than yesterday. Not hope in promises that may or may not be true when we need them most. Our hope for salvation, for daily life, and for peace in the midst of a storm comes from one sure and steadfast anchor: the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us.

 

So no matter what we face this week, our hope is in Christ, who entered the inner place behind the curtain as a forerunner on our behalf. 

Share