From Hope Valley Devotional (Week 13): The Promise of Finding Redemptive Purpose

Happy Wednesday friends! As I shared several  months, I am excited to re-share some of the most popular devotional posts that I wrote in 2017-2018 (if you would like to see the complete list you can find it HERE!) and am excited to share this one this week! I am also excited to share that these devotional posts will soon be available (without the tie to When Calls the Heart) in a new and upcoming devotional book, February Caravan, that will be released February 1st. Stay tuned for more information to follow! In the meantime I am excited that these continue to be a blessing to so many of you! I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

One of my favorite parts of the 7th episode in Season 1 were the words the gentle yet truthful words that Elizabeth spoke to Abigail in this tender scene.  There is such a simple yet deep truth that is conveyed here, the promise that despite unimaginable heartache God will write redemptive stories of finding purpose in our lives.

Life in all of its beautiful unpredictability can shift the ground under us, leaving us to feel lost and like we don’t know what our purpose is. In times of grief, especially when we lose someone or something in which our identity and purpose is found on, we can struggle in the day to day.

In a variety of ways we all have experienced (in some form) the grief that Abigail expresses to Elizabeth. We may have lost a spouse, our health, a job, a child, our home, a relationship, or experienced a life change that leaves us feeling that we are drifting without a clear purpose. We may even feel like Abigail, wondering what we have to offer to the world before us without the titles and relationships that we had previously. It can be incredibly difficult to know how to move forward. How to find purpose in our deep pain.

All of us want to have purpose in our lives. We all want our lives to count in deep and meaningful ways. We want the time that we spend here on earth to matter for something greater. Yet there are times in life where we can struggle to figure out what our purpose is, to navigate a great loss or a new situation that we weren’t expecting. There are times that we have to catch our breath and figure out how we fit into a "new" world that we find ourselves in when life throws us a curve ball that we were never expecting. In grief we can feel that we have lost our way, like Abigail, and feel that we have no purpose.

But just like Elizabeth encouraged Abigail with truth that God would show her what He wanted for her, God will show us what He wants for us too. He will show us a purpose that He has despite our grief and guide us in the way that we go.

Isn't it interesting to now look back on this exchange between Elizabeth and Abigail after several seasons? Now as we have had the opportunity to see Abigail's story continue to unfold, we see that she has lived out new finding redemptive purpose. She has had beautiful courage in opening Abigail's cafe, which has proven to be a safe space for many in the town to gather and share their hearts. She has fed countless people not only physically, but emotionally. Abigail has also spent her love freely, pouring it out on countless hurting people throughout the town. She has opened her heart and home to her daughter-in-love, creating a beautiful relationship. And then at the end of this current season, we see a new family formed with the official adoption of Cody and Becky. In each of these ways and in many others we see the beautiful redemptive truth that Elizabeth spoke so many years ago. God has shown and will continue to show Abigail the purpose that He has for her each day.

And we have this same beautiful truth and promise to hold on to. It may take time friends, but with God's hand guiding us we can find redemptive purpose in the most unusual places. We can see and experience beautiful new stories unfolding that we could never have imagined. Hold on to this hope there is a beautiful blessing and promise in finding redemptive purpose, even in the darkest night of pain. 

"But I'll take the hand of those who don't know the way, who can't see where they're going. I'll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country. I'll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don't fall into the ditch. These are the things I'll be doing for them- sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute."

-Isaiah 42:16, the Message-

*originally published on Caravan Sonnet in May 2017*

Looking for past From Hope Valley Devotionals? You can click HERE to find a complete listing of all of the devotionals! 

I receive several emails a week asking where you can watch older episodes of "When Calls the Heart". If you have a Netflix account you can find seasons 1-3 there or you can purchase them on Amazon. You can purchase and watch all of the seasons and episodes by clicking on the links below:

When Calls the Heart, Season 1

When Calls the Heart, Season 2

When Calls the Heart, Season 3

When Calls the Heart, Season 4

When Calls the Heart, Season 5

When Calls the Heart, Season 6

*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.*