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Lisa Larsen hill

Seeds of Faith Blog
Encouragement
Oct. 14, 2026

When Life Gets in the Way, Hope Finds a Way

Have you ever had one of those seasons when life seems to throw everything, everywhere all at once? That’s where I’ve found myself lately. Between...

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    Tagged: book group

  • What’s in a word: Selah 0 Comments

    Recently, my book group read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, published in 1997. Like some group members, I read the book many years ago.…

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    • Can an act of kindness change how you feel? I beli Can an act of kindness change how you feel? I believe it can. I remember a 5:30 a.m. flight I'd often take from New York to DC for work. At that hour, either you read, slept, or prepared for your meeting. An older woman boarded last and had some trouble getting to her seat and stowing her bag. I was sitting two rows behind her. A man offered to put her bag up, and she gratefully accepted. When we landed, everyone was in a rush to get off. Grabbing bags, putting on coats, people huffed and waited for the line to move. The man who helped the woman graciously spoke to her with a calm, unhurried voice. "Take your time. I'll get your bag." It was like fairy dust sprinkled on everyone. After he helped her, instead of the stampede, each person said, "No, after you." It was a small thing. But I know how it affected me that day. The kindness of one person seemed to change how everyone around him behaved. Does kindness, acts of giving, love, beget the same? Do we hear our hearts as the Lord whispers to do such? To love our neighbor as ourselves. That early morning flight happened many years ago, and I still remember it. Perhaps the plans He has for us include what others show us and help us to the right path. We can never underestimate that one person can make a difference. Can you recall a time when someone's act of kindness changed how you felt or inspired you to help someone else?
    Did you know Daughters of the Wilderness is availa Did you know Daughters of the Wilderness is available to read with Kindle Unlimited? If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can read the ebook at no additional cost. I especially loved this comment from a recent reader: “Hill has a way of bringing the Bible alive and I learned a lot.” That is something I hoped Daughters of the Wilderness would do. I wanted to take the brief account of Zelophehad’s daughters in Scripture and help readers picture the people, relationships, and daily life surrounding their remarkable request. If you’ve been curious about the book, Kindle Unlimited is a wonderful way to give it a try. And if you do read it, I’d be grateful if you would consider leaving a review.
    A few years ago, I was awakened in the middle of t A few years ago, I was awakened in the middle of the night by one of my novel's main characters, who complained that he wasn't happy about the end of his character arc. He wanted to make sure there was no doubt about what happened. I'd spent three and a half years developing and writing these characters, and this particular one was dear to me. I was about to send the manuscript to an agent and was doing one last review. *No, no, the story's done,* I yawned. But I couldn't go back to sleep. I felt prompted to go to my office and write down "his" thoughts. I returned to bed and was awakened a half hour later with more suggestions from my beloved character, which again required getting up. This continued several times, and I wondered why he couldn't just blurt it all out at once so I could make the adjustments and get some sleep! But in the morning, when I added all the suggestions, they were exactly right. I thanked him for waking me up. That experience made me wonder, how many times does God try to get my attention? Do I spend enough time to hear His still small voice? We hurry about, preoccupied with so many important "things," that the real underlying issues can go unnoticed or even avoided. But God is persistent. He knows when we need help. That nudging, that voice, can come through a dream, a stranger we meet, or a thought that will not leave our minds. And we have a choice. We can ignore these messages, or we can choose to get up, listen, and do something with them. I found this lovely quote: "God sometimes whispers, so we can move closer to Him." When we hear a soft voice, we lean in. We forget all distractions and really pay attention. A whisper also indicates a secret just for us to hear. How special, how wonderful, even if we lose some sleep. Have you listened to that still small voice, even when inconvenienced? What happened? I hope it brought you joy.
    "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2 It was a Sunday afternoon in the college store where I worked part time. I hadn't had a customer in over an hour and was bored. A fellow student walked up, and she glowed with enthusiasm. "What's happened? You look so happy?" She described how she'd just gotten back from a study abroad in the UK. We talked for an hour. The next day, I applied for a semester in Amsterdam. My life was about to change. We made our way to a studenthuis in Noord Amsterdam. The floor manager told the mostly male students, "I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is we have three meisjes (girls) coming to live on our floor. The bad news is they're all Americans." Dinner conversations centered on who America was and what we'd done. Finally, after one month, I stood up and said, "You don't know my favorite color, or my brother's name, or anything about me. When you want to know me as a person, then we can talk." My two roommates and I walked out. The next day, everything changed. The guys held a party to apologize and welcome us. We became fast friends, which helped once I got a job in the bar downstairs. I did exaggerate a little on the interview. I'd been a diner waitress, but at 20 I hadn't been a barkeeper. Tapped beer needed a two-fingered head of foam. My first customer got more like four and wasn't pleased. Two guys from my floor—did I mention they looked like football players—advised him to ask nicely. So he did. The music stopped; everyone was looking at me. I tilted the glass and poured. Holding my breath, I righted it—a perfect two-finger beer. Everyone cheered. I've always wished I could tell that young woman how she changed my life. She opened my eyes to see the world from another's point of view. It led me to travel to all seven continents, work for an international company, and learn so much from experiencing life with the "other," when I realized I was the "other." And it all started by talking to a stranger. Has someone put you on a different course from a "chance" meeting? Was it an angel you were speaking to?

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