{"id":20046,"date":"2026-07-07T09:48:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T14:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=20046"},"modified":"2026-09-27T22:42:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T03:42:28","slug":"how-god-can-breathe-life-into-your-weary-soul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=20046","title":{"rendered":"How God Can Breathe Life Into Your Weary Soul"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My daddy is a no-nonsense kinda guy. All business that one is. But with some creative coaxing he can laugh with the best of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last evening a grimace was all he could muster as ER doctor applied pressure to his bleeding head. My hand resting on his chest, I ached for his legs to be the way they were when I was no higher than his waist. His hands thick with muscle\u2014now boney and bloodied by time, age, and the cruelty of gravity. How does a soul keep standing when the body crashes against this hard, sharp, unforgiving world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#198da4\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><em>Christ fell to the ground so every soul could know what it is to rise like midsummer heat when it hits rock bottom<\/em>.<\/mark><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#c31313\" class=\"has-inline-color\"> <\/mark>Three times to His kingly knees He prayed and sweat red that we might follow His footsteps from grave to glory. The Lord is not far from your busted heart. Let the dark say what it wants\u2014<em>the Light is in charge.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My husband, David, stepped in front when Dad held his breath against punching pain. &#8220;Breathe, Joe. That&#8217;s it. In and out.&#8221; Just like he did with me in the heat of childbirth. The voice of God is not condemning and loud, but gentle and lowly. A whisper to a writhing, willing soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We can say our piece to God who knows our fallen state. Then . . . when done, <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#198da4\" class=\"has-inline-color\">turn to the Spirit who is closer to those with broken hearts than He is with them who have it all together<\/mark><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-contrast-color\">.<em> Because the Breath that bore you into being\u2014bore your sin\u2014will bear this daily cross with you.<\/em><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"996\" height=\"800\" data-attachment-id=\"20069\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?attachment_id=20069\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Me-and-Fred-2026.jpeg?fit=996%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"996,800\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Me and Fred 2026\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Me-and-Fred-2026.jpeg?fit=996%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Me-and-Fred-2026.jpeg?resize=996%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20069\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Heat has been steady here lately. Yet, crops, trees, animals remain well watered. You can barely see between lush leaves. Sprays of white, yellow, purple, and orange pop up throughout the landscape\u2014but you&#8217;ll have to look for them. Bright blue chicory has garnished the rocky shoulders of long country roads\u2014but we can whizz right past if distracted. <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#198da4\" class=\"has-inline-color\">If we&#8217;re not watching, not expecting the Impossible to come through for us, we can spend our lives grimacing in agony<\/mark>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the blister of July, pray the fountain of living water to open your weary eyes. Pray the breath of rest to your headstrong ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you in need of more soul rest? Head to <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#198da4\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Psalm 73<\/mark>. He&#8217;ll meet you there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My daddy is a no-nonsense kinda guy. All business that one is. But with some creative coaxing he can laugh with the best of them. Last evening a grimace was all he could muster as ER doctor applied pressure to his bleeding head. My hand resting on his chest, I ached for his legs to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":143625079,"featured_media":20187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20816],"tags":[17218,773157901,773157900,773157870,773157865,773157883,118194],"class_list":["post-20046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hope","tag-aging","tag-encouragement","tag-help","tag-holy-spirit","tag-hope","tag-suffering","tag-trial"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pacmrQ-5dk","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18169,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=18169","url_meta":{"origin":20046,"position":0},"title":"When Therapy Sounds More Like Sorcery","author":"Jo Alo","date":"March 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm noticing in Christian circles how psychology is bordering dangerously close to sorcery. What I mean is\u2014we're more fascinated with new, innovative discoveries with the brain, than with studying \"the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sorcery&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sorcery","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=233394"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kateryna-hliznitsova-_oadi5hexs4-unsplash-e1774021305537.jpg?fit=1085%2C724&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kateryna-hliznitsova-_oadi5hexs4-unsplash-e1774021305537.jpg?fit=1085%2C724&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kateryna-hliznitsova-_oadi5hexs4-unsplash-e1774021305537.jpg?fit=1085%2C724&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kateryna-hliznitsova-_oadi5hexs4-unsplash-e1774021305537.jpg?fit=1085%2C724&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kateryna-hliznitsova-_oadi5hexs4-unsplash-e1774021305537.jpg?fit=1085%2C724&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12836,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=12836","url_meta":{"origin":20046,"position":1},"title":"&#8220;Whoever feeds on Me.&#8221; John 6:57","author":"Jo Alo","date":"May 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Feeders are full and the gangs all here. It's pretty cool how they all show up before the food's even out. A gray squirrel hung so long\u2014snacking on safflower seeds\u2014the oriole had to sit and wait his turn in the trees. No hummingbirds yet, but sweet water gets hung just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;God Speaks&quot;","block_context":{"text":"God Speaks","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=183798"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/mark-gutowski-oredcbvyz4u-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/mark-gutowski-oredcbvyz4u-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/mark-gutowski-oredcbvyz4u-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/mark-gutowski-oredcbvyz4u-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/mark-gutowski-oredcbvyz4u-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20661,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=20661","url_meta":{"origin":20046,"position":2},"title":"NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE STRENGTH OF GRACE","author":"Jo Alo","date":"October 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.\" Jeremiah 18:6 Too often believers behave as if their sanctification is hopeless. As if God cannot quash an addiction, a lifelong bitterness, a critical tongue, a worrying spirit. Think again, Christian.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Strength&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Strength","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=773157909"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/getty-images-C1dddOI6Ptw-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/getty-images-C1dddOI6Ptw-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/getty-images-C1dddOI6Ptw-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/getty-images-C1dddOI6Ptw-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/getty-images-C1dddOI6Ptw-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1586,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=1586","url_meta":{"origin":20046,"position":3},"title":"The Ark of All Living Things","author":"Jo Alo","date":"July 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\"May the God of hope\u00a0fill you\u00a0with all joy and peace in believing.\" Romans 15:13 Are you believing in the One true God and His Son Jesus Christ \u2014 forfeit for your faults? If so, hope is an anchor for your soul. Once tossed, staggering on the waves of sins\u2019 seductive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The Bible&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The Bible","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=54418"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/dcaf0-fullsizeoutput_edf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C980&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/dcaf0-fullsizeoutput_edf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C980&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/dcaf0-fullsizeoutput_edf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C980&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/dcaf0-fullsizeoutput_edf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C980&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/dcaf0-fullsizeoutput_edf.jpeg?fit=1200%2C980&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16839,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=16839","url_meta":{"origin":20046,"position":4},"title":"Repentance: Condemnation or Invitation?","author":"Jo Alo","date":"September 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The true meaning has been drug through the mud. Opportunists have used it, fools have mocked it, but the soul who comes to experience and understand it\u2014walks and talks with Christ who loves them. The greek word for repentance is metanoia meaning a changed mind. It's not as simple as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Repentance&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Repentance","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=64908"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/casey-murphy-hGi835yJuHg-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/casey-murphy-hGi835yJuHg-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/casey-murphy-hGi835yJuHg-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/casey-murphy-hGi835yJuHg-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/casey-murphy-hGi835yJuHg-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2960,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=2960","url_meta":{"origin":20046,"position":5},"title":"Rejoice and Weep With Others: What You Do When You Don&#8217;t Have A Clue","author":"Jo Alo","date":"September 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"We drove to their house like it was on fire. And it was. Up in flames after 26 years of enjoying his face. Held her in my arms tight as I could. That mama who just got the news. Her curly-headed boy went to sleep in Jesus. Her head sobbing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The Bible&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The Bible","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=54418"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/hisham-yahya-ZmvBrbbH4Go-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/hisham-yahya-ZmvBrbbH4Go-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/hisham-yahya-ZmvBrbbH4Go-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/hisham-yahya-ZmvBrbbH4Go-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/hisham-yahya-ZmvBrbbH4Go-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/david-ballew-P7saq8j11pM-unsplash.jpeg?fit=6272%2C4480&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/143625079"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20046"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20315,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20046\/revisions\/20315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}