Unbending Hope ~ Lent 2015

God’s Faithfulness ~ Our Everlasting Hope!

LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness

You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me in exploring God’s Faithfulness. Do you find strength for every circumstance in God’s Faithfulness? God IS Faithful!  God’s Faithfulness is our everlasting Hope! ~ Donna Oswalt

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 NASB

The sacrificial blood of Jesus rends the veil, once and for all breaks the barrier between God and humanity, and calls those who believe to boldly enter into the presence of God Almighty. In confessing that Christ redeems us through the cross, holiness allows us to grasp tightly a new hope, to embrace confidently a complete assurance that God is faithful to His promises. Grace rebirths us with unbending hope.

Perseverance marks the truly faithful. Persecution and temptation always threaten the believer, but God’s faithfulness remains unchangeable and infinite, beyond reproach, greater than anything of this world. In communion with Christ, mutuality of faith creates community, a place to encourage and to find encouragement, a place to love and to love in return, a place to trust and to be trustworthy. 

Lord, I confess my need to be loved, to feel connected, that I continue to struggle along the narrow path. Great is Your faithfulness; Your awesome wonder, Your extravagant love, Your invincible power make a new way for me to heal, for me to rest, for me to love. You bring unbending hope. – dho

Focus Point:  Grace rebirths us with unbending hope.

All rights reserved; copyright 2015 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Faithfulness Calls ~ Lent 2015

God’s Faithfulness ~ Our Everlasting Hope!

LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness

You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me in exploring God’s Faithfulness. Do you find strength for every circumstance in God’s Faithfulness? God IS Faithful!  God’s Faithfulness is our everlasting Hope! ~ Donna Oswalt

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.                                    

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV

The Greek pistos for faithful indicates dependable, reliable, and trustworthy character. God is faithful, and He is calling! God “invites” or calls everyone, calls us to salvation, calls us into fellowship with Jesus, calls us into the likeness of Christ. By faith in Jesus through grace we find salvation. As God sanctifies us, or makes us holy through Jesus Christ, our personal relationship with Him grows deeper through prayer, studying the Bible, sharing within a community of believers, and taking Christ into the world. Do my commitments, thoughts, words, and deeds give evidence of holy living? God calls my whole being into holiness.

This holy calling is rooted in God’s sacred purpose for individual redemption and His unfailing compassion. God’s grace calls us to embody the humility, gentleness, and patience of Christ and to embrace each other with tolerance, love and peace. Faithfulness invites us to experience the blessed assurance of Christ, calls us into the wholeness and perfection of God. God will surely be faithful to His promises! 

Faithful Father, a holy promise invites me to Your throne of righteousness. Amazing grace covers my frail and flawed humanity. Great is Your faithfulness! Your unfailing love calls me to become more, to become whole and holy. –dho

Focus Point: God is faithful, and He is calling!

All rights reserved; copyright 2015 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Palm Sunday ~ Sanctify! - Lent 2015

God’s Faithfulness ~ Our Everlasting Hope!

LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness

You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me in exploring God’s Faithfulness. Do you find strength for every circumstance in God’s Faithfulness? God IS Faithful!  God’s Faithfulness is our everlasting Hope! ~ Donna Oswalt

God has demonstrated His past faithfulness to give us a foundation for our faith. Now show God your faith. And He’ll show you His faithfulness.                          Steve Furtick, Pastor

[Jesus prays] Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. John 17:17-18 NASB

On the night before His death, Jesus prays for His disciples and for all those who would follow Him throughout the centuries to come. Sanctify means to separate from or to stop participating in evil deeds, to become holy. It also means to grow in purity, to live holy lives. This holiness comes from Jesus, the Word made flesh, the absolute truth that never changes. Believing in God or not believing in God does not change God, does not diminish His faithfulness to us. The Father’s faithfulness to His Son secures the foundation of our faith.

That night long ago, Jesus prays for God’s mission to take the Gospel into the world, prays for God’s people to tell the Good News to all people. Today, as the Living Word intercedes for each believer, the Holy Spirit empowers us to demonstrate our working faith in God, to live holy and fruitful lives, to share the grace of Jesus with others. 

Jesus, let my thoughts seek truth in Your holy Scriptures. Find me faithful to Your enduring truth. The world tries to discourage my heart, dissuade my mind, desecrate my soul, but great is Your faithfulness. Grace washes away the negative effects, establishes new boundaries with greater hope. Consecrate my life that I might honor You. - dho  

Focus Point: The Father’s faithfulness to His Son secures the foundation of our faith.

All rights reserved; copyright 2015 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Perfect Goodness ~ Lent 2015

God’s Faithfulness ~ Our Everlasting Hope!

LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness

You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me in exploring God’s Faithfulness. Do you find strength for every circumstance in God’s Faithfulness? God IS Faithful!  God’s Faithfulness is our everlasting Hope! ~ Donna Oswalt

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. James 1:17-18 NASB

Every action of giving and every gift given from God originates in His goodness. Such complete generosity can only come from the constant, faithfulness of the Holy Creator. An ancient Jewish name for God as Creator, Father of lights, symbolically references the heavenly lights, the sun, moon and stars. While daily and seasonal variations exist within the earthly heavens, the Author of life remains unchangeable. God never uses difficulties in life to tempt or discourage; rather, His intentions develop and strengthen. God, the loving Father, can only offer goodness.

Because mankind struggles with spiritual death, God brings rebirth with the word of truth.  Jesus Christ, who redeems and renews with undeserved grace, desires to have an intimate relationship with every individual. Spiritual rebirth through faith in Jesus requires a sacrifice of praise for such unmerited goodness. 

Holy, holy, holy! God of mercy and love, Your glory illuminates my soul. What goodness flows from You to all parts of Your creation. This season of renewal begs me to take a closer look at Your holiness. With the rising sun, let Your unchanging love fill me up. With the new beginnings of spring, show me Your eternal hope. With the setting sun, reveal Your tomorrow-plan for me. As I look up at the sky full of twinkling starts, remind me of Your presence generation to generation, day to day, and moment to moment. How great is Your faithfulness to me! –dho

Focus Point: God, the loving Father, can only offer goodness.

All rights reserved; copyright 2015 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Escape Route ~ Lent 2015

God’s Faithfulness ~ Our Everlasting Hope!

LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness

You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me in exploring God’s Faithfulness. Do you find strength for every circumstance in God’s Faithfulness? God IS Faithful!  God’s Faithfulness is our everlasting Hope! ~ Donna Oswalt

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.           

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

Experiencing temptations normal to all people, Paul’s letter to the Corinthians examines the Israelites from the Old Testament and their consequences of misusing freedom. Forty years in the wilderness becomes the lesson for them and us. Overconfidence or complacency can easily lead to disobedience. All sin screams temptation, entices us toward its darkness. Satan, The Tempter, lures us using our own desires This Scripture affirms that sin is common to all people, irresistible and inviting; but God’s faithfulness always shows us an escape route.

God, impervious to evil, stands between us and Satan, offering His power and grace as our victory over temptation. Scripture validates that all things are permissible, but not all things are profitable. When faced with temptation, seek God’s help to stop, to overcome, to begin again. Be alert because Satan always lies in wait for another opportunity to seduce. 

Jehovah-Nissi, You give me victory over the weakness of my flesh, my constant temptations to sin. You stand in the gap, fight the battles against darkness and evil. You create boundaries for my safety and borders of protection. When I find myself enticed by Satan, ignite my soul to sing ‘great is Your faithfulness’. Destroy my arrogance and my apathy as I fall to my knees and worship a Holy God! –dho

Focus Point: Sin is common to all people, irresistible and inviting; but God’s faithfulness always shows us an escape route.

All rights reserved; copyright 2015 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Transformation ~ Lent 2015

God’s Faithfulness ~ Our Everlasting Hope!

LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness

You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me in exploring God’s Faithfulness. Do you find strength for every circumstance in God’s Faithfulness? God IS Faithful!  God’s Faithfulness is our everlasting Hope! ~ Donna Oswalt

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.                             1 Timothy 1:12-17 NLT

Saul of Tarsus, a very zealous Pharisee, evokes punishment and inflicts violence on followers of Christ with threats, murder, and imprisonment. He does this with righteous indignation, without remorse. On the road to Damascus, Jesus strikes Saul blind and speaks directly to him, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” [Acts 9:5] Jesus declares, “He is a chosen instrument of Mine to bear My name to Gentiles, and kings and the sons of Israel.” Transformed from a person who slanders Christ to a person who serves Christ, Saul experiences rebirth and is renamed Paul.

A student of the well-respected rabbi, Gamaliel, Saul’s religious training, Roman citizenship, and university education creates depth in Paul’s ministry. With mercy and patience, with amazing grace and forgiveness, Jesus counts Paul faithful. Despite all his rejection of Christ, Paul becomes one of the greatest missionaries of all time.* No matter the magnitude of sinfulness, God’s faithfulness delivers redemption. Transformation comes with Jesus Christ.  

God of mercy, find me on the road. Change me to be more like You. Great is Your faithfulness. Transform me; count me faithful. –dho

Focus Point: Transformation comes with Jesus Christ.

*Read Paul’s testimony: Acts, Chapter 22

All rights reserved; copyright 2015 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”