Our guest today addresses many of the very topics that so many of us wrestle with—whether that’s chronic illness, unexpected divorce, rebellious children, financial setbacks, or simply navigating circumstances we never would have chosen. Through it all, we can trust the promises of God, and we can trust that His Word remains our anchor no matter what we face. Today, we’re honored to have a conversation with Shelbi, the creator of the Instagram account Hope Lives Here. We encourage you to follow along with her journey and be encouraged by what God is teaching her as she walks out a real, transparent relationship with Christ in the midst of chronic illness. It’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of - God can do it, but he’s not doing it and if he’s not doing it, why? And if he’s not doing it, is he mad at me or is he punishing me? Does he really love me? Those kinds of questions are real for believers and unbelievers alike. God isn’t intimidated by our questions, and He invites us to bring every part of our hearts to Him. We pray today's conversation encourages YOU - as you too are walking out your faith with a God who knows you, sees you, hears you, and more than anything - LOVES YOU! Hope Lives Here Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament The primary Bible verse about the "God who sees" is Genesis 16:13 , where Hagar names God El Roi after He finds her in the desert. "So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, 'You are a God of seeing,' for she said, 'Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.'" – Genesis 16:13 (ESV) The name Ishmael in Hebrew means “God hears”. “…You shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.” Gen. 16:11 Within this one chapter, God has revealed two of His faculties, or attributes, that humans both share in, and understand: hearing and sight. Thank you God that you see us, you hear us, and you LOVE us!