Comforting hugs 3

"I know the plans I have for you,"declares the the Lord,"plans to prosper and give you hope and a future," (Jer. 29:11).

Please remember as you walk through your valley of grief that God has wonderful plans for you in the future. He does not plan for you to always dwell in the valley of pain, hurt, sadness and depression. He has plans for you to grow stronger and more sentive to others that will walk this valley in the future. Will you always miss that person? Yes. Will your life get back ...to normal? Maybe not. But with God's help you can find a new normal that will give you a life in the future.

As I was growing up, my Mom taught me a saying that has helped me through my years of changes and losses. It goes like this..."This too will pass". When I am going through something that seems unbearable, I remember that saying while ever looking to the future when it does passes and that gives me hope for the future. I pray that you too will find that future with God's help.

Comforting hugs!

Caplain Toni

Comforting hugs 2

And on earth peace..." (Mat. 2:14).

As we are leaving this Christmas season this verse stays on my mind. Jesus came to give us peace. Not what is happening in the world around us, but inside us...in our minds. This is important, for all battles we fight emotionally begins in the mind.

Jesus promised us,"peace that passes all understanding" (Phil. 4:7). It IS possible to have peace of mind, even when all the pieces of your world seems to be flying around you, and you can't seems to grab a hold of them to put them back together. All you have to do is reach up and grab Jesus' hand and hold on for dear life. If you do that, He will give you that peace,for He "has overcome the world"( John 16:33), and all that you are dealing with... if you just give your fears, and tears to Him.

That does not mean that you will not go through feeling of sadness. You will just have peace in the mist of the sadness.

Comforting hugs,

Chaplain Toni

Comforting hugs 1

" For he (God) hath said, "I will never leave nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5).

The pain of the holidays comes from being left behind. It could that you have had loss a job, a living situation, a relationship, or a loved one and you feel left behind and alone. That is normal.

I've been there. I know that feeling. But I found that when I stopped and looked around to see who was still with me, my Jesus was still there. That has been a great comfort for me. And I have found that when I had nothing and no one but Him, he was enough.

The verse above is a quote of what God has said. He has promised that He will not leave us nor forsake us. We often leave and forsake him, but he is there waiting. All we have to do is call upon him and he will be there for us... for you. He love you, you know....

Comforting hugs,

Chaplain Toni

Introduction to " Comforting hugs for those who grieve"

Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted" (Mat.5:4 ).

We mourn for different reasons such as a loss of a job, a relationship, a body part, good health, or a loved one. The bad thing is that we live in a world that want us to just "get on with life" and not take the time to grieve. But if we do not take the time to grieve totally we will be stuck in that grief mode all our lives. That is going to change here and now. Queen has asked me if I would help your all in your valley of grief. I said, "Yes". Understand that I am a minister/Chaplain/Christian writer. I cannot sit down and council each of you personally. So to help you on your journey I will be posting devotionals as well as the steps of grief, and any other thing I find that may help you. I call these, "Comforting hugs for the grieving soul".

note from Author

In 2015, I will be writing a devotional called, "Comforting hugs for those who grieve".
I pray that this will help you as you walk through your valley of grief or help those who do.


Happy new year!


Toni Whitacre-Kratochvil

Last lesson of heroes of faith

There are many more prophets that is not covered in this book. We have looked at the heroes of faith that Hebrew chapter 11 spoke of. Many generations have come and gone and many heroes have been added to this hall. But I must ask you... when people walk this hall generations from now, will they find your picture hanging in God's great hall of faith?

(Have a pic of me in the mirror with my profile at the end)

Zechariah the prophet

Zechariah the prophet

Served under King Darius

The next picture we see is that of Zechariah. Zechariah the prophet was the son of Berkiah. who are the son of Oddo. Zechariah worked in the house of God collecting the offerings. His name means the Lord remembers. It is very fitting that he is the one in which God choose to prophecy to the people after came back from their exile of 70 years.

Zechariah must have been a great man of faith, for God spoke to him through visions, angels, and personally giving him great messages that sounds like it is coming from a Father. First, God had him explain to the Jews why they went through the exile, then he gave them a message of hope for the future. In the message of hope, the messiah is promised. Zechariah was faithful to deliver that message and God's people has stood on these promised every since. That is why his picture hangs here in the great hall of faith.