Serenity in Suffering

Finding Peace and Purpose in the Storms of Life

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Come Rest Awhile!

How thrilled I am that you stopped by! Please stay a bit and get acquainted. Sometimes you just need a little space to breathe. I’ve created a peaceful place of rest among friends where you can feel safe, seen and heard. Please take a moment to look around and find some encouragement or advice!

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Do you long for a faith that exhibits more than obedience, a faith fully alive and present, flowing from a heart ablaze with love for Christ?  I invite you into a contemplative journey in my new book, through the Passion of Christ that moves you beyond observation into transformation.

My new book, A Passion for Christ offers a companion for the soul, a guide for those who desire a faith transformed by intimacy with Jesus. Through reflective readings, Scripture, prayerful practices, and meditations on the names of Christ, it invites you to move slowly through the Passion of Christ so that a deeper, enduring passion for Christ might take root.

A Passion for Christ book cover

 

Purchase A Passion for Christ: A Transformative Faith Journey through the Passion of Christ to a Passion for Christ on Amazon at think LINK.

 

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Do you long to slow down, notice God’s goodness, and rediscover gratitude in your everyday life?

Check out my 21-day devotional on Amazon. This devotional invites you to step into a gentle, sacred rhythm of noticing God’s nearness—even in the imperfect, the ordinary, and the unexpected places where grace quietly blooms.
Through heartfelt readings, reflection prompts, poetry, and Scripture meditation, this book will guide you into a deeper awareness of the God who meets you with kindness, sustains you with mercy, and awakens gratitude in the middle of your real, imperfect days.
These short, beautifully written devotions are designed to fit into your busy life while still offering depth, nourishment, and space to breathe.

 

Purchase either the Kindle edition or the Paperback edition of The Grace of Gratitude: A 21 Day Journey to a Heart Transformed by Grace on Amazon at this LINK

 

For more Serenity in Suffering, head over to my Substack publication, where I share more detailed articles, personal and insider updates, and exclusive access to my poetry and more. Become a subscriber TODAY!

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You can also find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram!

Latest from the Blog

  • woman holding up a lantern in the dark, the tension between suffering and hope
    The Tension Between Suffering and Hope
  • crystal ball on taupe background, no fail predictions for the coming year
    No Fail Predictions for the Coming Year
  • Asian women in purple sweater sitting looking out window, Unhustle: Reclaiming the sacred art of doing less
    Unhustled: Reclaiming the Sacred Art of Doing Less
  • Light shining on a manger, The Light Has Come
    The True Light Has Come
  • winter dawn, pink sky through snow covered trees, when light waits: embracing the slow rhythms of God's promises
    When Light Waits: Embracing the Slow Rhythms of God’s Promises
  • shadow of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, the beauty of shadows
    The Beauty of Shadows
  • purple advent candles in evergreen wreath, advent series: light in unexpected places
    Advent Series: Light in Unexpected Places
  • Thanksgiving place setting, orange napkin, wine glasses, pumpkin, inviting peace to the table
    The Taste of Peace: Seasoning Every Table with Gentleness
  • square plate of gingerbread leaf cookies, apples, the quiet seasoning how small graces change the atmosphere
    The Quiet Seasoning-How Small Graces Change the Atmosphere

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    Hi, I’m Donna!

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    Welcome to Serenity in Suffering; a safe place to find Hope and purpose in the hard places of life, through intimacy with Jesus Christ.

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    Recent Posts

    • The Tension Between Suffering and Hope
    • No Fail Predictions for the Coming Year
    • Unhustled: Reclaiming the Sacred Art of Doing Less
    • The True Light Has Come
    • When Light Waits: Embracing the Slow Rhythms of God’s Promises

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    Christ does not rush us through our sorrow. He wal Christ does not rush us through our sorrow. He walks with us in it, revealing a love that holds both suffering and hope without contradiction.

This is one lesson I learned while writing "A Passion for Christ", but there are so many more!

As I sought God for a changed heart, one which thirsted for His presence, wholly devoted to Him in fervent passion, Christ gently invited me to linger—not at the empty tomb, but along the road leading there. 

Why not join the journey?

Get your copy of "A Passion for Christ" on Amazon, today! Link in bio!

#serenityinsuffering #suffering #lent #passionofchrist #hope #faith #devotionals
    Maybe like me, you are battling discouragement eit Maybe like me, you are battling discouragement either in this long winter season, or simply in a season of challenge. ⁣
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We often encounter seasons when suffering feels like a narrowing. Our world contracts around pain, uncertainty, or loss, and the horizon seems to disappear. ⁣
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In those moments, hope feels inaccessible, like a distant light we remember but cannot quite see.⁣
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Yet Scripture never treats suffering and hope as opposites. Instead, it holds them together in a mysterious, holy tension. ⁣
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Paul writes that “suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” ⁣
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Not hope after suffering but hope through it. Hope born in the very places we would least expect it.⁣
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Join me for my new Substack post, "The Tension Between Suffering and Hope", were I share some insight on this holy tension. Link in bio!!
    What if a journey through the Passion of Christ co What if a journey through the Passion of Christ could ignite a Passion for Christ?

Today I’m quietly sharing something that has captivated my heart for a long time. A deep desire to invite you into a space which has been both formational and transformational. 

My new book, "A Passion for Christ" grew out of a season of lingering with Jesus in His suffering and His love. 

A season where I learned that hope is not erased by sorrow, and sorrow never diminishes hope.

This book is a gentle invitation to return to your First Love and renew your vows of love as you walk with Christ through His Passion in a slower, more attentive way. 

Not to rush past the hard places, but to meet Him there.

I rejoice in placing this new resource in your hands, and I pray it becomes a companion for anyone longing to draw near to Him with honesty and tenderness.

Will you join me in this journey?

See the link in my bio to purchase the book today!

#serenityinsuffering #suffering #passionofchrist #godslove #hope #newbook #devotionals #lent #lentdevotional #faith
    Does life feel dark or uncertain for you right now Does life feel dark or uncertain for you right now?

Does your hope feel little more than a barren branch too brittle to lean on?

God promised His people in Exodus, when He sent the plague of great darkness through Egypt, there would be Light in their dwellings. He was true to His promise, and when the world around them turned dark, He held them in His Light.

The same is true today. In that place which feels too dark for even God to enter, He's there. In my dark places of shame, broken relationships, and relentless trials, He is there.

In the darkness of an uncertain future, He is there.

In the darkness of a world imploding, He is there.

In the darkness which feels so heavy you no longer hope, He is there holding you in His Light.

Dare to trust that God is doing His deepest work in the exact place of your darkest suffering.

How can I pray for you to experience His Light today?

#serenityinsuffering #darkness #suffering #godslove #godslight #hope #faith
    What if you could know for sure what awaited you i What if you could know for sure what awaited you in the coming year?⁣
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Every year the “experts” posit what they foresee for the coming year. ⁣
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While many of their predictions seem vague, pundits insist yearly predictions tend to materialize. ⁣
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The thing about such predictions given at the outset of a new year is, people seldom remember them at year’s end. ⁣
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Whether or not the above 2026 expert predictions come to fruition, I have some no fail predictions for the coming year which I know will happen.⁣
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At the close of the first month of 2026, the world seems as uncertain and dark as ever, but Jesus gave some timeless advice over 2000 years ago which still holds true today.⁣
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Join me on the blog for my new post, "No Fail Predictions for the Coming Year", to learn exactly what you can expect in the days ahead-and it's not what you think! Link in bio!
    What if you could know for sure what awaited you i What if you could know for sure what awaited you in the coming year?⁣
⁣
Every year the “experts” posit what they foresee for the coming year. ⁣
⁣
While many of their predictions seem vague, pundits insist yearly predictions tend to materialize. ⁣
⁣
The thing about such predictions given at the outset of a new year is, people seldom remember them at year’s end. ⁣
⁣
Whether or not the above 2026 expert predictions come to fruition, I have some no fail predictions for the coming year which I know will happen.⁣
⁣
At the close of the first month of 2026, the world seems as uncertain and dark as ever, but Jesus gave some timeless advice over 2000 years ago which still holds true today.⁣
⁣
Join me on the blog for my new post, "No Fail Predictions for the Coming Year", to learn exactly what you can expect in the days ahead-and it's not what you think! Link in bio!
    Do you need a hug from God today? I know that sou Do you need a hug from God today?

I know that sounds silly, but some days that's exactly how I feel. Facing a hard path or just weary from one day pouring into the next with no end to the struggle.

As I gazed through the recent snowstorm at the endless rolling hills painted with iridescent white, the purity and infinite nature of it took my breath away.
Capturing this photo and the following photos, I later savored their beauty.

And a wonderful moment occurred as the verse from Jeremiah came to my mind. The serene, endless, pure beauty of the snow was the hug from God I needed.

The loveliness of even the stark lavender and azalea spoke of hope in the harsh places.

The shadows across the snow mingled with the brilliant light of the sun, with comfort of knowing God's light will always defeat the darkness of our pain.

I share the beauty of my photos with you today as a hug from God, reminding you His love:

Has no beginning.
Has no end.
Is near and intimate.
Is without measure.
Is unchanging.

Dear one, you are held, held in the warmth of an infinitely, splendid love which speaks hope and healing over your harsh reality today. 

Let's keep it going, share this with someone you know who needs a hug from God today. 

#serenityinsuffering #snow #snowstorm #godslove #hope #healing #faith
    Are you feeling stuck or discouraged? Or maybe you Are you feeling stuck or discouraged? Or maybe you feel forgotten by God, unable to perceive His work in your life.⁣⁣
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Where in your life does it seem nothing is happening?⁣⁣
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Of all the seasons, winter’s identity appears most deceptive. ⁣⁣
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Flaunting stillness, through bare branches, frozen ground, and muted skies, everything seems paused.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Yet, beneath the surface, winter’s heart beats with secret life as creation repairs, restores, and prepares for a future outcome.⁣⁣
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What if God’s work in this season of your life bustles unseen beneath the surface?⁣⁣
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Appearing deathlike on winter’s surface, the deep work of creation’s dormancy forged in the hidden places, mimics God’s most transformative shaping of our lives in the seasons where nothing seems vibrant, and progress stagnant.⁣⁣
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January invites us into a posture of trust in God’s hidden work, without the need to force a visible outcome.⁣⁣
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Check out my recent Substack publication, "The Hidden Work of Dormancy", where I wrestle with these same things in my own life. ⁣⁣
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Come find hope and peace in the hidden places. Link in bio!
    Reflecting tonight on the beauty of God's voice. W Reflecting tonight on the beauty of God's voice. When I feel anxious, the simple random song of the wind chime outside my window reminds me God is near.

We're in the path of the biggest snow storm in years. My husband's job requires him to be there through it as he works in a skilled care facility.

I'll be braving it alone.  And yet not alone.

"I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hang & says to you, do not be afraid, I will help you. Isaiah 41:13
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