Heart of a Warrior - A Sword of Faith
By Shelly Thompson
Available December 20, 2025
Morning Coffee.
Have you ever had a rough morning? Let me tell you about some mornings at the house on 5th Street when I was younger. Mornings that my mom struggled. Horribly. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you didn’t want to get out of bed today. Maybe you’ve prayed for strength to overcome your situation, and you think God isn’t hearing you. Maybe…your tempted to give up.
Join me upstairs in my old childhood bedroom on 5th Street. I hope you don’t mind if you just sit on the edge of the bed. It’s just after 5:00 am. Winters are chilly in Iowa and I am all tucked in very cozy under my blankets. There’s a spot on the edge of the bed you can sit on and a blanket if you need to take off the early morning chill.
Get cozy and let’s chat.
Can you smell the warm coffee drifting up the old stairway? I’ve learned every creak and noise on that stairway. If you listen, you’ll hear two people talking in the kitchen below. I love the muffled voices of my parents early in the morning. Sometimes I can hear quiet laughter exchanged between them. I know when they are on the second cup of coffee, because I hear the spoon stirring sugar into their coffee cups.
It would seem the perfect day has started.
I never heard the silent prayer my mother must have prayed before getting out of bed early this morning. The effects from MS must have felt overwhelming. The double vision was back this morning. Her right hand was not cooperating, and her leg seemed weak. But she was determined to do all that she could this day. She would crawl down those stairs to make coffee for my dad if she had too. I heard her slowly go down the creaky stairs. I knew by the timing of her walking it was a tough morning. But she had made it to the kitchen and got the coffee ready, just like every day, so she could visit with the love of her life, my dad, before he left for work at 6:00.
I am glad you’re here to talk, because frankly I didn’t understand as a child what I do now. She never complained. She made her health issues seem like a normal everyday adventure. My mom never knew how she would wake up…double vision, right hand and leg issues, dizzy, speech slurred. She went to bed not knowing what the next morning would hold. She fell asleep determined to wake up and live a full day, despite circumstances.
Did God whisper these words to her found in Isaiah 41:10…So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Is that how she could be so determined to do whatever she needed to live the day to its fullest.
The walls of that kitchen, which still stand today, hold the memories of those early mornings on 5th Street. Where my mom’s mindset of sheer determination and relying on God got her through rough mornings. Knowing somehow, He would get her through every moment of the day ahead. Every word she would have trouble remembering. Every step her right leg would take. Every breath that she would need. She knew God would supply everything she needed.
God promises in Philippians 4:19 to…supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ. If we could see when these uplifting and encouraging words were penned, we would see the Apostle Paul in his prison cell most likely writing these words by his oil lamp surrounded by the smell of soot and the odor from the lamp trying not to let the soot smudge the ink. It’s thought Paul struggled with extremely poor vision, so when he penned his words, they were very large. I know that look of lettering. When my mom had to write a school note for us and she was seeing double, her handwriting looked very poor. Once my teacher thought I had written the note to be excused to go to the dentist myself. In fourth grade!
Back to God’s promises. While the promise Paul speaks of is more towards material needs, it assures the well-being of God’s children and the ability to make it through difficult circumstances. God promises His generosity according to His riches and glory. God’s provisions are lavish, unlimited, and unending.
In the house on 5th Street. He met my mom every morning. Without fail. Thank you, Jesus.
Determined.
I don’t think I know anyone who was more determined than my mom to live life joyful in all circumstances and grateful for all God blessed her with.
Every day.
She got out of bed at 5:00 a.m. Determined to make the day the best it could be. For the glory of the Lord.
How about you, friend?
We all have a burden we carry in this life. It changes from season to season, and some seasons can be long and seem unending.
God wants you to know, from my mom’s story, that no matter how hard things are, how bad circumstances seem, how impossible situations are…don’t give up. Don’t quit. Pray. Pray. Pray.
Trust God and wait on His lavish generosity.
This next sentence is hard. Really hard. If you still have your blanket on the edge of the bed…hold it tight, friend.
Sometimes, the blessing comes from waiting. Ouch. Difficult seasons are so painful. But Isaiah 30:18 tells us...Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him.
Sweet friend, hear this…there’s blessing in the waiting. There’s God in the hoping. There’s Jesus in the reassurance that we are never alone. Not for one second.
Those mornings in the house on 5th Street were God being gracious and showing compassion. It didn’t mean my mom’s pain and suffering stopped. It meant He was with her giving her strength and hope that she was not alone and better days were ahead.
In His perfect timing.
Because blessed are those who wait for him.
We live in a culture that waits for nothing. We want instant answers and instant solutions. We don’t want to suffer. Our culture searches for ways to avoid pain, suffering, and often difficult situations through alcohol, drugs, sexual activities, and whatever else the culture offers us. When the one thing we should be looking for is available, any hour of the day or night, and it costs us nothing…
God.
He’s more determined than we are to become our anchor in this life. We just have to ask Him. Pray without ceasing. My mom could never have done any of the things she did in her own strength. But God.
God promises believers to be gracious and compassionate. God always keeps His promises.
Always. Unlike people.
But…we have to surrender to Him and be determined in our heart not to give up. To not let the enemy make us feel defeated and discouraged. We can’t let satan win even an inch.
Keep making the coffee, even if it takes until lunch. Keep visiting with family and friends, even if it’s via facetime. Keep encouraging others in your faith walk, even when your legs don’t work. Keep speaking of God, even when your voice fails or your speech is slurred.
Be determined to live fully for God.
Knowing that better days are ahead.
In God’s perfect time.
Until then, we wait on the Lord. Patiently. Surrendered.
Keep making the coffee.
Determined. We have a generation to save.
Have you ever had a rough morning? Let me tell you about some mornings at the house on 5th Street when I was younger. Mornings that my mom struggled. Horribly. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you didn’t want to get out of bed today. Maybe you’ve prayed for strength to overcome your situation, and you think God isn’t hearing you. Maybe…your tempted to give up.
Join me upstairs in my old childhood bedroom on 5th Street. I hope you don’t mind if you just sit on the edge of the bed. It’s just after 5:00 am. Winters are chilly in Iowa and I am all tucked in very cozy under my blankets. There’s a spot on the edge of the bed you can sit on and a blanket if you need to take off the early morning chill.
Get cozy and let’s chat.
Can you smell the warm coffee drifting up the old stairway? I’ve learned every creak and noise on that stairway. If you listen, you’ll hear two people talking in the kitchen below. I love the muffled voices of my parents early in the morning. Sometimes I can hear quiet laughter exchanged between them. I know when they are on the second cup of coffee, because I hear the spoon stirring sugar into their coffee cups.
It would seem the perfect day has started.
I never heard the silent prayer my mother must have prayed before getting out of bed early this morning. The effects from MS must have felt overwhelming. The double vision was back this morning. Her right hand was not cooperating, and her leg seemed weak. But she was determined to do all that she could this day. She would crawl down those stairs to make coffee for my dad if she had too. I heard her slowly go down the creaky stairs. I knew by the timing of her walking it was a tough morning. But she had made it to the kitchen and got the coffee ready, just like every day, so she could visit with the love of her life, my dad, before he left for work at 6:00.
I am glad you’re here to talk, because frankly I didn’t understand as a child what I do now. She never complained. She made her health issues seem like a normal everyday adventure. My mom never knew how she would wake up…double vision, right hand and leg issues, dizzy, speech slurred. She went to bed not knowing what the next morning would hold. She fell asleep determined to wake up and live a full day, despite circumstances.
Did God whisper these words to her found in Isaiah 41:10…So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Is that how she could be so determined to do whatever she needed to live the day to its fullest.
The walls of that kitchen, which still stand today, hold the memories of those early mornings on 5th Street. Where my mom’s mindset of sheer determination and relying on God got her through rough mornings. Knowing somehow, He would get her through every moment of the day ahead. Every word she would have trouble remembering. Every step her right leg would take. Every breath that she would need. She knew God would supply everything she needed.
God promises in Philippians 4:19 to…supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ. If we could see when these uplifting and encouraging words were penned, we would see the Apostle Paul in his prison cell most likely writing these words by his oil lamp surrounded by the smell of soot and the odor from the lamp trying not to let the soot smudge the ink. It’s thought Paul struggled with extremely poor vision, so when he penned his words, they were very large. I know that look of lettering. When my mom had to write a school note for us and she was seeing double, her handwriting looked very poor. Once my teacher thought I had written the note to be excused to go to the dentist myself. In fourth grade!
Back to God’s promises. While the promise Paul speaks of is more towards material needs, it assures the well-being of God’s children and the ability to make it through difficult circumstances. God promises His generosity according to His riches and glory. God’s provisions are lavish, unlimited, and unending.
In the house on 5th Street. He met my mom every morning. Without fail. Thank you, Jesus.
Determined.
I don’t think I know anyone who was more determined than my mom to live life joyful in all circumstances and grateful for all God blessed her with.
Every day.
She got out of bed at 5:00 a.m. Determined to make the day the best it could be. For the glory of the Lord.
How about you, friend?
We all have a burden we carry in this life. It changes from season to season, and some seasons can be long and seem unending.
God wants you to know, from my mom’s story, that no matter how hard things are, how bad circumstances seem, how impossible situations are…don’t give up. Don’t quit. Pray. Pray. Pray.
Trust God and wait on His lavish generosity.
This next sentence is hard. Really hard. If you still have your blanket on the edge of the bed…hold it tight, friend.
Sometimes, the blessing comes from waiting. Ouch. Difficult seasons are so painful. But Isaiah 30:18 tells us...Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him.
Sweet friend, hear this…there’s blessing in the waiting. There’s God in the hoping. There’s Jesus in the reassurance that we are never alone. Not for one second.
Those mornings in the house on 5th Street were God being gracious and showing compassion. It didn’t mean my mom’s pain and suffering stopped. It meant He was with her giving her strength and hope that she was not alone and better days were ahead.
In His perfect timing.
Because blessed are those who wait for him.
We live in a culture that waits for nothing. We want instant answers and instant solutions. We don’t want to suffer. Our culture searches for ways to avoid pain, suffering, and often difficult situations through alcohol, drugs, sexual activities, and whatever else the culture offers us. When the one thing we should be looking for is available, any hour of the day or night, and it costs us nothing…
God.
He’s more determined than we are to become our anchor in this life. We just have to ask Him. Pray without ceasing. My mom could never have done any of the things she did in her own strength. But God.
God promises believers to be gracious and compassionate. God always keeps His promises.
Always. Unlike people.
But…we have to surrender to Him and be determined in our heart not to give up. To not let the enemy make us feel defeated and discouraged. We can’t let satan win even an inch.
Keep making the coffee, even if it takes until lunch. Keep visiting with family and friends, even if it’s via facetime. Keep encouraging others in your faith walk, even when your legs don’t work. Keep speaking of God, even when your voice fails or your speech is slurred.
Be determined to live fully for God.
Knowing that better days are ahead.
In God’s perfect time.
Until then, we wait on the Lord. Patiently. Surrendered.
Keep making the coffee.
Determined. We have a generation to save.
Where it all started. The House on 5th Street.
The photo is Shelly Thompson in the backyard of the house on 5th Street where she grew up and writes about. In the background of the photo is the back porch where Shelly, her parents, grandparents, and neighbors spent a lot of time. Shelly is holding a small Bible on the way to Sunday School. Her parents taught her early in life the importance of God and helped build a foundation of faith. We can see those small steps of faith taken as a child in the words she writes now.
Shelly's book 'Heart of a Warrior - A Legacy of Faith' can be found by clicking here. Now, in it's 7th printing, it has become popular for both personal reading and group studies.
There is also an online 'Heart of A Warrior' Women's Bible Study that she leads each Monday night at 8:15 in a closed Facebook group. There are currently over 300 women from across the United States that are part of that Bible Study family. You can join the group by clicking here.
There is also a line of pure soy candles that tell the story of 5th Street passing the flame of faith from one generation to the next. you can learn more about The 5th Street Candle Collection by clicking here.
Shelly's book 'Heart of a Warrior - A Legacy of Faith' can be found by clicking here. Now, in it's 7th printing, it has become popular for both personal reading and group studies.
There is also an online 'Heart of A Warrior' Women's Bible Study that she leads each Monday night at 8:15 in a closed Facebook group. There are currently over 300 women from across the United States that are part of that Bible Study family. You can join the group by clicking here.
There is also a line of pure soy candles that tell the story of 5th Street passing the flame of faith from one generation to the next. you can learn more about The 5th Street Candle Collection by clicking here.