Tough Times – BeanSpired Editions

A planner lies open on a granite countertop. The month shown is February 2023.

God, Tough Times

When God’s Timing Seems Terrible

January 27, 2023February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

In the face of loss, where and how can we find the providence of a loving, sovereign God?

A clock with a decorative wooden frame hangs on a wall. It reads 8:07. Natural light shines on it from the left, but the room also seems to be lit with soft artificial light.

Tough Times

Preparing for the Hard Times

September 16, 2022February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

Nothing can guarantee we'll make it through hardship without scars, slip-ups, or shaky moments. But there are things we can do to maximize our chances of suffering in a way that honors God and makes us more like Jesus. And a lot of that work begins long before the trial does.

A single set of footprints cross the damp sand of a beach, parallel to the line of the water. The sand is strewn with seashells and sticks. To the left, gray-blue seawater is rippling onto the beach.

Life, Relationships, Tough Times

When Obedience Comes First

May 20, 2022February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

Sometimes action has to precede emotion. Sometimes we have to trust the power of obedience to shape us, instead of trying to get ourselves in shape to obey.

The fallen, pale pink blossoms of a Japanese Flowering Cherry tree litter the sun-dappled ground under the tree.

God, Holidays & Seasons, Tough Times

When Good Things End

April 28, 2022February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

Trusting God’s purposes is hard enough when bad things invade our lives. But what about when good things leave? When instead of facing an enemy, we face simply...emptiness?

A furry gray donkey with a white nose and belly and a dark stripe down its shoulder stands in a snowy pasture. It turns its head toward the camera and pricks its ears. The pasture in which it stands is long and narrow, with wire mesh fences, and slopes downhill toward a forest. The forest consists of pine and bare deciduous trees. Through their branches the sky shows a bright cloudless blue. Some trees off-screen to the right streak the snow with shadows.

Donkey Devos, God, Holidays & Seasons, Tough Times

Finding God When Things Look Bleak

January 25, 2022February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

We may not always be sure what to make of what God sends us. But we can always trust and know the One who sends it.

A large-print Bible sits on a wooden table with a cloth runner. The Bible is open to Psalms 22-24 (CSB). On top of it sit a pencil and greeting card. The card's cover displays simple, colorful drawings of flowers.

Relationships, Tough Times

Sharing Faith

November 24, 2021February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

God is our ultimate Source of faith. But often He provides it through other people.

God, Gospel, Tough Times

Only Goodness and Mercy

February 19, 2021January 31, 2023 Megan Bean

Yes, trouble may chase us. Pain may nag us. Sorrow might ambush us again and again. Guilt and shame may nip at our heels. But the only things that can keep up with us, day in and day out, all the days of our lives, are the goodness and faithful love of God. And like the Good Shepherd He is, He will send them after us relentlessly. No, scratch that – He’ll come after us Himself, bringing them with Him. Because that’s who He is.

God, Tough Times

When Suffering Makes No Sense

January 27, 2021June 2, 2022 Megan Bean

Suffering when you can see the point is hard. Suffering when you can’t see the point is harder.

Tough Times

Living in the Face of Your Nemesis

December 30, 2020June 1, 2022 Megan Bean

Maybe you're facing a problem, old or new, that has you frozen in your tracks or pacing in your bunker. Maybe you've tried giving it (or yourself) time, but found yourself growing stagnant. Or maybe, as overwhelmed as you feel at the thought of moving forward, waiting it out simply isn't an option. But how do we get moving? How do we live – really live – in the face of our nemeses?