Hope For Dark Times

August 29, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

'I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ' Colossians 2:2-3

It was a dark time, one of the darkest times I have ever lived through. A loved one was struggling through the shadows of depression, and every day was a battle. Just getting out of bed and facing the mundane tasks of daily life took every ounce of my strength. The future was a wall of fog. The present was a slog through mud with a backpack full of rocks. It was all I could do to just get through today.

Perhaps that is where you are right now, dear friend. I am so sorry that you find yourself in such a difficult time. In that time of darkness I heard from a conference speaker say something that gave me perspective: Every trial will come to an end. As those words rang in the arena and resounded in my ears my heart knew that they were true. Although that time seemed to last forever, I eventually experienced that truth in my circumstance. You will experience it in yours, too.

But now, while you are in it, can I offer you some perspective I learned while walking through my own fog? Jesus really is enough. He is!

Christ Himself is God’s plan and gift. That is the long and short of it. If you are a follower of Christ, then you are looking for God’s plan amid the mud and muck of now. What does God really want from me while I am slogging through this?

What does God want? To know what God wants from me, I need to start with Christ Himself. God wants you and me to receive the gift of Jesus Christ. Not just once, but every single day in every single circumstance.

In my murky mess, I found Jesus to be almost tangibly present. I began to learn to talk to Him when I couldn’t really share with anyone else. I began to look to Him in those moments when I felt alone and overwhelmed.

In the middle of a normal day during that completely abnormal, seemingly endless time, I was driving home alone. Sadness and hopelessness seemed to grab onto my shoulders, dragging me under, attempting to drown me. I had a choice. Give in or go on. I opened my mouth and began to sing the old hymn, It is Well With My Soul:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll.
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well. It is well with my soul….

As I chose to sing, I experienced the presence of Jesus lifting me above the waves of my storm. The words of that hymn became a weapon against the darkness. It wasn’t easy. The situation didn’t change. But I found Jesus to be enough.

All the wisdom you need is found in Him. Dark days like the ones you and I walk through are filled with choices. There really aren’t any more choices than in a “normal” time, but the cloud that seems to surround us in survival mode can make everyday choices seem overwhelming. Even a trip to the grocery store can feel like an uphill climb dragging a ball and chain. Our brains and emotions are so fully occupied with our circumstances that choosing which box of cereal to put in the shopping cart can stop us in our tracks. You find yourself asking, “How do I just get through today?”

In my days of living in survival mode, I found Jesus to be enough. I can’t tell you exactly how I made it through, but He helped me moment by moment, small decision by small decision, step by step. He guided me through paying bills, getting my kids to school, holidays, birthday parties for my kids — a five-year-old still needs to celebrate and be celebrated, even when the adults in their life may be struggling, right? All the things that needed to be done, somehow got done. Jesus gave me the wisdom I needed in the moment I needed it. He will do the same for you. I have no doubts about that.

When you don’t know what to do, trust that He will guide you. Let’s face it, you and I go through one trying time after another, don’t we? Looking back at some of the times when I felt like I was going to drown in the storm, I see Jesus. He was there when I could not see the future. He was there shielding me as the waves crashed over the side of the boat. He was there, holding on to me when I felt like the rocking vessel was trying to toss me overboard. He was my safety rope. He was my anchor. I didn’t realize it at the time. I was just trying to survive.

Maybe you are there right now. Your circumstances have knocked the wind out of you. You feel breathless and disoriented. What will the future hold and how will you ever get there? Is life as it is now, the way it will always be? Most likely not, but what if it is?

I came to a decision while the wind blew, and the waves crashed over me. “Jesus, if this is the way my life is going to be from here on out, then You are enough. You have what I need. You will help me. I will find my satisfaction in You.”

Dear friend, I know that it can be hard to imagine a future right now. It is hard to imagine that things really will turn out for good. Right now, all you can do is get up every morning and trust God for today. You are doing that. It’s hard to see, but you are. God is giving you His treasures in your darkness. He is giving you wisdom and knowledge. He has given you Jesus. Jesus is the calm in the storm, ready to give you all that you need to navigate the waves.

And He, Dear Friend, really is enough.

Key Thought: How can I make it through this dark time?

A Scripture to Consider: 'I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ' Colossians 2:2-3

A YES Challenge: As you consider your current challenge, how might Jesus be present in ways that you don’t yet recognize?

Prayer: Jesus, You know the situation I am currently facing. You know how overwhelmed I feel, the pain, the discouragement. It can be easy to slide into hopelessness, but that is not what I want to do. I choose now to look to You. I trust You to give me the wisdom I need for today and the strength I need to keep going. I choose to believe that You really are enough. Amen.

God’s Idea of Getting Back to Normal

August 22, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” Psalms 37:23-24 NLT

What is normal? I mean…really? We talk about normal. We think about normal. And when everything is out of whack in our lives, we long to get “back to normal.” I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. So have you. When faced with challenging seasons, all we want is to get back to the way things were. Back to what is familiar. Stable. Predictable. That’s what we want, but is that what we need? What is normal?

On a recent trip, I found myself in bed for an entire day with some kind of illness. Was it food-borne? Maybe. I was uncomfortable. Sick. Unable to eat anything, but I didn’t want anything to eat either. What did I want? Just to get back to normal. To do the things I normally do and eat the things I normally eat. I wanted to be comfortable and enjoy life. Perhaps that is how I define normal. What about you?

If our definition of normal is to be comfortable and enjoy life, then most of life is not normal! So much of life is uncomfortable and unenjoyable. Isn’t it? So, what is a better definition of normal? And above all, what is God’s definition of normal?

In the beginning, God created His idea of normal. I guess if I want to find out what God’s idea of normal is, I need to consider creation. When God created everything, called it good, and then placed humans in the middle of it all, what did He want? What was the purpose of all He designed?

God created Adam and Eve to enjoy and help each other, but also to enjoy and obey God. To partner with him in caring for creation and each other. What is normal for God? I guess it is creation functioning according to design. That means people who completely love and trust Him. Ouch!

When God Trusts You with Pain

August 1, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 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 5:3-5 NIV

God has trusted you with this challenge. Life may not be the way you expected. What you dreamed of seems to have crashed and burned. It’s hard to envision what the future might look like.

And the pain. Well, the pain may be unlike any you’ve ever experienced before. It’s so deep and unfathomable. At times, it pours out. Other times, no one knows it’s there. But for you, it’s always there. Always under the surface. The pain doesn’t go away. You learn to live with chronic pain. It becomes part of you.

That certainly is not the life you envisioned, is it? A life where pain becomes part of you. But sometimes, that is the life God trusts you with. The key to accepting that kind of life is trust.

You can’t trust yourself to handle this. You and I must trust God when He allows pain to become part of us. We must trust what we know of His character, His goodness, His love.

Ultimately, what God wants from you and me when He allows pain to become part of us is to represent Him well in our world. To show that He is trustworthy, even in painful circumstances. To demonstrate what it looks like to walk in faith, because faith trusts what it can’t see. (Hebrews 11:6)

You and I can’t see God. We can’t see His plan. We can’t see the why. But if we believe that He is good and loving, then we must believe that He has a purpose in our pain. He has trusted us to live with trust. He has trusted us to represent Him well, not in spite of the pain, but because of the pain.

Dear friend, I don’t know your pain. Proverbs says that each heart knows its own pain. (Proverbs 14:10) But I do know that you didn’t ask for it, and it’s human to wish it would go away and to try to find ways to make it better.

What I believe God has said to me is to accept the pain as a gift. Not to just accept it as part of life, but to accept it as His gift of trust to me. When I do that, my pain becomes a vehicle to bring Him glory. And isn’t bringing Him glory a goal worth pursing?

Key Question: What do I do with the pain of life?

A Scripture to Consider: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 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 5:3-5 NIV

A YES Challenge: Prayerfully consider what it would mean to accept your pain as a gift.

Prayer: Father, life has not turned out the way I expected. There are some dreams I had that will never come to pass. You know the disappointments I face. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but this is the way it is. Help me learn to accept this pain as a gift of trust from You. I am not sure how to do it. Yet, my greatest dream is to live a life that honors You no matter what. Help me to do that well. Amen.

My book The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word is now a year old! Check it out or encouragement, inspiration, and more about God-centered goal-setting. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.

Panning for Gold: How to Trust God When You Can’t See the Answer

July 18, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalms 27:13-14 NIV

On our recent trip to Alaska, one of the excursions we chose included panning for gold. The description declared every participant would leave with “guaranteed gold.” We were skeptical, but it was intriguing. Why not? It sounded like a fun experience.

We traveled from the port by bus and arrived at a tent camp, something like what the gold rush prospectors would have experienced. After a brief theatrical presentation, one of the actors led the group over to waist-high troughs filled with water, silt, gravel…and guaranteed gold. We were instructed to take a pan. He then described the process of dipping the pan through the water, lifting some of the silt and gravel, and carefully tilting the pan, allowing the tiny real gold flecks to remain behind as the water carried the rest out. He assured us that if we trusted the process, the gold would be heavier than everything else and would most definitely remain in the pan. At that point, he showed us how to partially fill a small zip-lock bag with water, pick up a tiny fleck on a wet finger, and transfer it into the bag to take home as a souvenir. So, we each began our attempts to pan out that guaranteed gold.

Tom was next to me and, before too long, was transferring several tiny flecks of gold into his little bag. Although I heard what the instructor told us, it was difficult for me to make it happen. I felt awkward and uncertain. It didn’t come easily. I heard what was said but wasn’t sure how to do it. I quickly grew frustrated. What was fun about this?

I handed my pan to Tom, and shortly after, he was transferring more tiny flecks of guaranteed gold from my pan into his little bag. The guide had said more than once to “trust the process.” But trusting the process took more patience than I had. So, I stopped trying. Tom understood the process, had the patience, and successfully retrieved all the little flecks of gold from his pan and mine.

What does panning for gold have to do with trusting God when you can’t see the answers?

Faith in Uncertain Times

July 11, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:8-10 NIV

“What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3 NIV

How do you say YES to God when you don’t know what you are saying YES to?

We all face uncertain seasons in life. But the unspoken truth we must grapple with is that every moment is uncertain. If we are honest with ourselves, we can admit that not one of us knows what the next moment holds. Yet, there are times when we are simply more aware of that uncertainty. We feel it and it unsettles us. That’s where Tom and I are right now.

What is our first reaction when we feel unstable? We search for stability. We attempt to find something we can control. It’s okay to admit it. The desire to control the unknown is human. Ask Adam and Eve.

And what did they find? The only One who controls the unknown is God Himself. And He is not willing to give up that control to you and me because He can see everything and we can’t. That is the simple unsettling fact. No matter how much we want to know the unknown, we can’t.

But: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV

So, how do you and I keep our minds focused on God and trust Him? How do we say YES when we don’t know what we are saying YES to?

Seeing Future Freedom

July 4, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” Hebrews 12:1-4 NIV

Wherever you are right now is the result of someone else’s faith.

Your parents, as imperfect as they may have been, sacrificed to help you grow.

Our spiritual forefathers forged a path for faith.

Our American forefathers forged a path for the freedom America is known for.

None of this is perfect.

None of them were perfect.

Only one is perfect.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”Romans 5:8 NIV
“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 NIV

Dear friend, what you have now cost someone something, even if they didn’t do it perfectly.

Your parents. The founders of our country. Your church leaders.

They all have added something to your life worth having. Regardless of their mistakes, their sacrifices have enriched you.

Who are you sacrificing for?

Are you willing to pay the price without seeing the result?

Living a Christ-centered life is not easy, but it is worth it.

The cost of living for Jesus purchases your eternity, yes.

But it also clears a path for those in your circle of influence.

Your sacrifice lights the way for them to follow your example.

You may never see the impact of your sacrifice, just as our forefathers could not see the future we live in now.

But your life matters.

You can make it count by committing to the cost.

It’s going to be worth it.

My book The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word is almost a year old! Check it out or encouragement, inspiration, and more about God-centered goal-setting. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.

When Your Hopes are Disappointed

June 27, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5 NLT

How do you handle the disappointment when something you looked forward to does not happen? Do you let it ruin your day? Do you spew anger all over everyone around you? Do you blame?

It’s a small thing in the big scheme of life, but I was really looking forward to the train ride from Talkeetna to Whittier, Alaska. We traveled in a glass-domed train car, enabling us to absorb the scenic views of the Alaskan countryside as we transitioned from the land portion of our trip onto the cruise ship. A car host was assigned to each car. Their job was to make our trip enjoyable, to tell us what we were seeing along the way and to point out the Alaskan wildlife. Bears, moose, caribou, bald eagles, and Dall sheep, a unique species of wild sheep. Tom and I had watched a promotional video for the train ride when we were exploring the idea of an Alaska trip. The train ride was the bait that hooked us on this itinerary. We envisioned a peaceful, beautiful trip that would be one of the high points of our journey through Alaska. It turned out to be a low point.

The visual experience was all the promotional video promised — minus the bright sunshine. The day of our trip happened to be the only day we had rain in the whole ten days in Alaska, but the views were still spectacular. However, rather than a peaceful ride through the countryside, our trip was more like a visit to a bar full of raucous sports fans. People in other train cars came to call our car “the loud car.” Our young train host encouraged those who were drinking and rowdy. That was his idea of fun. Eventually, he stopped giving any narration along the way. The noise was out of control, spoiling the experience for those of us who had looked forward to a peaceful enjoyment of the natural beauty.

Preparing Your Heart Matters

June 13, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

I’ve heard it said that when you travel, don’t forget to pack your patience. There were a few things that happened on our trip to Alaska where that was the case.

If you follow this blog, you’ll remember my post from May 23, Don’t Sweat the What-ifs. I shared some Scriptures I was “packing” to prepare for the unexpected. I am so glad that I did.

Here’s a quote from that post that describes the most important preparation I did:

Trust is the most important thing I can pack. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

So, here’s one story from our trip. We booked our flights through Princess EZ-Air. That way if anything went wrong along the way, Princess Cruises would have to get us to our destination. There was no easy way to get from Syracuse, NY, to Fairbanks, AK, to start our journey. We flew from Syracuse to Washington, DC, to Denver, CO, to Fairbanks. It was a long journey, but there were no issues along the way.

However, I was a bit concerned about our return flights from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The Joy of the Journey – Alaska!

June 6, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 NLT

Tom and I have a lot to process from our trip to Alaska. All the planning paid off, and God did so much more for us than we could have imagined. You will hear more about it in the coming weeks, but here are a few photos and some quick takeaways.

Dinali (aka Mt. McKinley, the highest point in North America) We are in the 30% club! Only 30% of visitors get a view of the mountain. Most visitors don’t get to see it because of cloud cover. The clouds are always shifting, so parts of it may be visible, but rarely the whole mountain. We had beautiful views of the whole mountain more than once. This shot is from about 40 miles away!

Margerie Glacier (Glacier Bay National Park) What a spectacular sight! Visitors hope to see the glacier calve, when large chunks of the blue-green ice shed into the ocean with a dramatic crash and splash. We didn’t see that, but as you can tell, we had glorious weather and beautiful views.

Ketchikan, Alaska Ketchikan was the port furthest south in our journey. We had a beautiful, warm, and sunny day to walk around and enjoy the city park and to stroll along the famous Creek Street and Salmon Walk. Summer visitors watch the salmon swimming upstream during the spawning season. No coats needed this day!

My biggest takeaway for you today: The most important preparation I did was to prepare my heart for the unexpected. I will tell you more about that next week. Check my post from May 30, Don’t Sweat the What-ifs for a preview. Every thought and Scripture I shared in that post came into play during the trip. I am so glad I had those tools ready!

Check out my book The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word for encouragement, inspiration, and more about God-centered goal-setting. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.

Enjoy What You Planned

May 30, 2026 Cathleen Zahradnik

“From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” John 1:16 NLT

If you are reading this on the day that it posts, then I am in Alaska. The prep and planning are complete and now it is time to enjoy what we prepared for. So, this will be short and sweet.

As I am writing this, we still have packing to do and a few things to get in order, but we are mostly done. Now I get to look forward to enjoying what we planned for. But I have to choose to do that instead of letting myself get distracted by all the details.

That’s the purpose of planning and preparation. We’ve done the hard work. And sometimes it was hard work. But that work enables us to take in the beauty of God’s creation, to enjoy it, and let Him speak to us through it. And it enables us to focus on enjoying being with each other. That’s the next step in my plan!

Thanks for letting me share some of the preparation with you. Next week I’ll share a few pictures.

Whatever it is you are planning and preparing for, remember to enjoy it!

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.