Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19

With a turn of the calender page, we embark on another year and hope for new beginnings. Do you long to press forward, forgetting what is behind, as Paul puts it? Perhaps this is the year God will be doing a “new thing” in your life! Seek Him as your Living Water in the desert; trust Him to show you a godly route through your difficult circumstances.

Warmest wishes, my friends, for a Happy New Year!

Ruth

WIN A DOOR PRIZE THIS MONTH!!!

Subscribe to our monthly ezine and automatically qualify for our weekly drawings. This month’s door prize is A Pathway to Healing: One Woman’s Journey through Depression by Linda Lufkin. She writes:

In our intensely stressful society, clinical depression controls the lives of approximately 18.9 million people, according to government research statistics. Many find themselves overwhelmed by the power it holds over them, while some are unable to recognize its subtle effects until it is too late. Others, unfortunately, deny the fact of its all-consuming grip on their lives. In truth, their very survival depends on whether or not they get help, whether someone will reach out to them.

Because I have been through and survived long years of intense depression, caused by multiple losses and trauma as well as a chemical imbalance, I hope to encourage those who struggle with depression, giving them hope that they, too, can make it through what seems like an endless darkness, to a brighter day.

I am well-acquainted with depression’s insidious symptoms and its relationship to unresolved issues of the past. During my darkest hour, I experienced God’s peace and felt His comforting presence and emotional healing in a way I might never have known had I not been deeply depressed.

Through sharing my experience, I want to encourage others who are struggling with depression, that a pathway to healing is available through the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. My goal is to help the reader to discover and confront the root causes of depression and to make positive changes that will restore peace of mind and, ultimately, bring healing.

Linda Lufkin

YOU’RE INVITED!

Now that the holidays are over and life is getting back to normal, we’d love to get to know you. Hop on over to the forum, register, and tell us a little about yourself. It will be fun to hang out with you here.

COFFEE SHOP CONCERT

Our guest artists Allie Lapointe and Kelly Shannon graciously share their music. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, find a comfortable chair and enjoy the Coffee Shop Concert.

LIFE STORIES

Rita Guthrie, in Ask Me No Questions And I’ll Tell You No Lies, shares her struggles with feeling unwanted as a child and how she found answers to her heart’s deepest cry.

Janet Seever shares the heartbreak of living with a husband who was finally diagnosed as bipolar. Despite the Dark Threads in the Tapestry of Life, Janet continues to trust the Lord in the midst of her circumstances.

DEVOTIONALS

Louise Bergmann DuMont (Espresso for the Heart), in To Resolve or Not Resolve – That is the Question, challenges us to be sensitive to the Lord’s will as we think through how to set goals and resolutions for the New Year.

In Clear Vision, Michele Howe gives perspective on the struggle for a grateful heart in the face of envy and resentment.

For more devotionals, visit our blog.

HUMOR, HUGS, AND HOPE

Does the idea of making New Year’s resolutions twist your stomach in knots? Then you will be encouraged by Cyndy Salzmann in A Resolution Worth Keeping.

ARTICLES

When pain or grief limits your ability to plan or think clearly, perhaps your time with God suffers in quality. April Boyer gives some practical suggestions on Tuning Into Jesus through the senses.

Those who suffer from depression will relate to Linda Lufkin’s story in her book excerpt One Woman’s Journey Through Depression.

THE HEALING HEARTH

Do you struggle with emotional shackles that bind you? Learn about the steps to freedom in Victoria Gaines’ Emotional Healing, Part III, Finding Deliverance.

Looking for Writers

Our Help for the Hurting page lists all the topics we hope to address in the future. If you have a story or article that relates to one of these areas, I’d love to hear from you. Review our writer’s guidelines, then send your material to submissions@comfort-cafe.net.

Letters to the Editor, click here.