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October 31, 2025<\/span><\/p>\n Hope Isn\u2019t Gone<\/strong><\/span> Lee en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBut God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.\u201d Genesis 8:1 (NIV)<\/em><\/p>\n The notification lit up my phone, alerting me that my biopsy results were in. My heart raced. Before I opened the message, a wave of uncertainty washed over me.<\/p>\n Storms often arrive without warning: a health diagnosis, a spouse\u2019s silence, a child\u2019s rebellion, a job loss, an unexpected news headline.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been there, too, waiting for something to heal, to steady my hope, to change. I\u2019ve had seasons when my job felt unstable, my marriage felt fragile, and motherhood left me worn thin. The world felt heavy, and so did my heart. Quietly I prayed, God, please don\u2019t leave me in this<\/em>.<\/p>\n Lately I\u2019ve been thinking about Noah\u2019s waiting. God preserved him through a massive flood, but when the rain stopped, the earth was still underwater. It seems God gave no timeline or updates, just silence. Noah had obeyed God completely. Still he drifted in the floodwaters, perhaps wondering if God had forgotten him.<\/p>\n Then we read: \u201cBut God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark \u2026\u201d<\/em> (Genesis 8:1).<\/p>\n In Scripture, when God remembers, it\u2019s not because He has previously forgotten. The Hebrew word zakar<\/em> also means \u201cto call to mind in order to act.\u201d It signals that God is about to move with compassion and purpose.<\/p>\n And God did in Genesis 8:1: \u201cHe sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.\u201d<\/em> The ark came to rest. Then came signs of hope: A dove returned with a fresh olive leaf. Eventually, dry ground appeared.<\/p>\n But God didn\u2019t stop there. He invited Noah, his family, and every animal out of the ark into a new beginning. He set a rainbow in the sky as a promise never to destroy the earth by flood again \u2026 a reminder that His faithfulness never wavers.<\/p>\n God didn\u2019t just shelter Noah from the storm; He preserved purpose in the middle of it and restored what was lost.<\/p>\n God\u2019s silence doesn\u2019t mean He\u2019s absent in our waiting. It\u2019s often the space where He\u2019s working, preparing, protecting, and making a way.<\/p>\n Today if you\u2019re feeling adrift and abandoned, still waiting and wondering what’s next, anchor your hope to these three truths, friend:<\/p>\n Sometimes the rain stops but the waters remain high \u2014 healing and hope don\u2019t always arrive all at once. Yet in God’s great love and unfailing compassion, the waters will subside and hope will rise because God is a promise keeper.<\/p>\n My hope isn\u2019t in what I see. It\u2019s in the One who remembers me. And He remembers you too.<\/p>\n Dear God, thank You that Your remembrance means action. When I grow weary in the waiting, remind me that I\u2019m not forgotten. I take comfort in knowing Your timing is perfect, and I rest in Your faithfulness. In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n Join Lysa TerKeurst, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, and counselor Jim Cress for a free livestream on November 5 for a chance to win a copy of their upcoming release,<\/strong> Surviving an Unwanted Divorce<\/em><\/strong>. Whether you\u2019re living in the throes of a divorce, still processing things that happened years ago, or helping someone you love through a devastating season, during this livestream, Lysa, Jim, and Joel will answer your questions (yes \u2014 they\u2019re listening to voice memos and responding to them!)<\/strong> and share their heart behind this needed message. Reserve your spot by signing up here!<\/p>\n For more encouragement, you can connect with Jackie Smith-Bell on Instagram or check out her three-day Bible plan on YouVersion, Abiding Hope: Standing in Faith When Life Is Crumbling<\/em>.<\/p>\n Also don\u2019t miss her four-day Bible plan, Shedding Shame for Surrender: Finding Healing in God\u2019s Love<\/em>.<\/p>\n Isaiah 43:2, \u201cWhen you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n Lamentations 3:22-23, \u201cBecause of the LORD\u2019s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n How has God shown Himself faithful when storms threatened to overtake your life?<\/p>\n Take a moment to share your story with someone who\u2019s discouraged. It could be what they need to help them trust God through whatever storm they are facing right now. You can even start by sharing your thoughts in the comments.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2025 by Jackie Smith-Bell. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n Proverbs 31 Ministries
JACKIE SMITH-BELL<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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