Hephzibah Herald

03/21/2024

Ever wondered how to begin studying the Bible? Go read our newest blog to find out some super helpful tips! https://wix.to/ZcJkhE1

By Brandon Lyons If you’ve ever checked out a commentary of the Holy Scriptures, you’ll know they are an amazing way to learn more about what the Holy Scriptures are teaching. They often explain context, both cultural and historical, but one thing they don’t teach is how to decipher, in a prac...

03/11/2024

"We must, when all the world doubts that God is there, and all the world doubts that God cares, step away like I did that frosty morning. Step up a little higher, go in a little deeper, into the hollow of His hand. We must climb into the hollow of the big safe tree that He is. When all the world is trapped in delusions, we must fight to keep hold of the truest reality. When all the world is full of chatter and complexity, we must let it be startlingly simple just as it was in the beginning. We’ve got to step away, into the wonders of creation, and feel again the bare bones of the goodness of existence itself, spoken into being by the loveliest Being there ever was and ever will be. And there we find that every voice, other than His, is gently silenced." - Kelly Haven Stickle

Read our new blog post!
https://www.hephzibahherald.com/post/the-roots-of-christian-joy

03/05/2024

"When I can only weep, others can sing. When I can only be silent, the love song of Jesus' body (the Church) brings strength to my soul." - Aaron and Rachel Vanderbeck

Pain as an expression of worship: “Consider it all joy my brothers and sisters, when you come up against all forms of trials and testing…” (James 1:2) A long time ago I stumbled upon a quote that spoke to the power of worship. Although the exact words have long since been forgotten, the conten...

02/26/2024

Check out my blog post https://wix.to/pmCywyM

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only this is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 Troubled About Many Things On any given day, I feel pulled in a dozen different directions. I am a mom, tending to ...

02/06/2024

https://www.hephzibahherald.com/post/worship

02/02/2024

Although we can't keep the physical magazine going right now, I do want to continue with posting weekly stories on the blog. So follow along and read with us!

Ryan and I have been a licensed foster home for nearly two years, and since July ‘21 we have had the privilege of having 8 additional children in our home for varying lengths of time. Our first placement was a set of brothers, and in September ‘22, we had our most recent call from our agency. .....

03/16/2023

1. His ways are miraculous and yet we have to be patient to wait for Him to work (it's always in a way we never could have planned ourselves).

2. He works through broken and flawed individuals.

3. Prayer is powerful.

Join the Spaces by Wix app to read this blog and stay updated on the go.

03/10/2023

One Little Big Shop is featured in this quarter’s issue of The Hephzibah Herald, a faith-based magazine for creatives!

Get your online copy here! https://bit.ly/3TaRs9J

The theme for this issue was “Joy in the Shadow” and we were fortunate enough to write a feature article “The Journey to Joy”— a captivating analysis of the concept of joy— and “My Daughter’s Eyelashes” a poem on motherhood after trauma. It’s also jam packed with 20+ other artists, including authors, photographers, homemakers and more!

The physical copy for this addition is no longer available but you can access the whole thing online and subscribe to future issues (online and in-print) here— https://bit.ly/3TaRs9J

02/24/2023

After months of work, we are so excited to say that our first ever issue is going live later today! It is brimming full of joyful articles and art (from 20 different contributors)!

Go to our website to order the online version of the Winter Issue. (Although the print version is not available for the Winter Issue any longer, don't hesitate to preorder one for the Spring Issue, coming soon.)

01/24/2023

Marissa is a wonderful example of a mother who is seeking to follow the Lord in all areas of her life. She shares with us a devotional writing on how to choose joy, instead of letting our circumstances rule our daily lives.

01/23/2023

We are so thrilled to be showcasing some of Melissa's wonderful artwork in our first Issue of Hephzibah! Her artwork speaks for itself, and we can't wait to share it with you! She also has a poem featured describing who God is to her.

01/14/2023

We are so excited to publish Kelly's work in our first Issue and also use her amazing photography as our cover art! She writes about the "Roots of Christian Joy". Her gospel-infused message is incredibly relevant to what the Body of Christ needs more of today!

Subscribe at www.hephzibahherald.com to read her article and much more!

01/12/2023

Meliah shares a heartfelt poem about her journey to finding joy while walking through the newness of motherhood. The poem is written with a beautiful, raw, and refreshing honesty.

Go subscribe to read her poem entitled "My Daughter's Eyelashes" in our first Issue at www.hephzibahherald.com

01/11/2023

YAY!!! This is the month that our first Issue is coming to you! In honor of the New Year and the new magazine we are giving away a printed hard copy of Hephzibah's first ever January edition!

Here's how to enter (make sure you do all three steps to be entered)!

1. Make sure you are following this account!

2. Like this post AND share it to your stories!

3. Tag 2 friends in the comments!

(The last day to enter will be January 18th, 12 AM EST!)

12/29/2022

Laura looks closely at two Hebrew words, and she shares how they tie together in her piece titled "Great Joy".

Subscribe at www.hephzibahherald.com

12/27/2022

Join us in this Issue, as we continue the deep dive into what true joy in the Lord is. Jen Snow reflects on the hope we have in Christ and unwraps for us that this HOPE can be our source of true Joy! How good to know that joy doesn't need to be conjured up by us or our circumstances.

In "Romans 15, Paul tells us that the source of our joy and peace is the God of hope and the power of the Holy Spirit" (Snow, Jen).

Go to www.hephzibahherald.com to subscribe!

12/24/2022

We are excited to have Michael writing for us this Issue. He offers a unique writing style, where he dissects words and looks closely at their root meaning.

"For the tree of joy to grow strong we must work through our trauma, pain, and other “dead” things, that lie in our hearts, so that joy can truly prevail" (Apa, Michael).

12/23/2022

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

(Philippians 3:12‭-‬21 ESV)

One of the visions I have for The Hephzibah is for it to be a safe place of rest for the every day sinner and saint, for those two identities are so intertwined as we walk our own personal roads of life. A person who is in a safe haven, will feel free to speak from their heart. So may this be a plac...