Hope That Refreshes
August 19, 2026
Scripture Of The Day
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
By Ken Koonz
We all go through difficult seasons. Some challenges come with life—growing older, dealing with limitations, and experiencing the heartbreak of losing people we love. Yet when the enemies of my soul draw near, I remind myself of the many ways God has delivered me. I intentionally remember His promises and recount what He has done. Those testimonies strengthen my faith and give me courage to keep moving forward.
One of the greatest tests of my faith came when our son, Joshua, was born. Josh was a child of promise. Before he was born, we received prophetic words that he would be healthy, strong, fruitful, and one day have children of his own.
But just weeks after bringing him home, we knew something was terribly wrong. At six weeks old, Joshua had lost weight and was struggling to breathe. After several days in the hospital, the doctor gave us the devastating news: Joshua had cystic fibrosis and was dying. There was nothing they could do except transfer him to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
Our hearts were shattered. I left Kay and Joshua at the hospital and went home to care for our older child. When I arrived, some well-meaning friends called and told me Joshua was dying because I had made wrong decisions concerning our church.
Their words struck a nerve. But in that moment, God showed me something even deeper—I had been blaming Him. Somewhere in my heart, I had begun to see God as a cruel taskmaster who might take our son away because I had done something He didn't like.
That realization changed everything. Instead of running from God in my pain, I had to run to Him. I had to remind myself of who He is, what He had promised, and what He had already done.
Sometimes our greatest testimony is not just what God brings us through, but what He reveals in us while we are going through it.