Faithful Love and Amazing Things

Thank the Lord for His faithful love and for the amazing things He does for people. – (Psalm 107:8, ERV)

 

As I stand in a space of reflection, and look back upon what has been a year full of challenges and trials in a space of learning to navigate this new that I have been called into, I can see clearly how faithful the love of the Lord has been with me, and can tell of countless amazing things that He has done for us along the way. He has provided friends that have become family, resources that I did not have, peace where there should have been none, and calm in the midst of chaos (to name just a few). Let all that I am give praise to the Lord, for He is so faithful; always. May we each give pause today to look back and remember the faithful love of the Lord, and give Him thanks for all that He has done for us.

 

Give thanks to the Lord,

for His faithfulness;

He comes as our calm,

in midst of distress.

He gives what we need,

when the time is right;

His love overwhelms,

we are His delight.

All that the Lord does,

is due to His love;

His mercy and grace,

are granted to us.

Let us give Him thanks,

for He is so good;

each day offer praise,

for hope understood.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithful love that does not end, and for the amazing things that You do for us. Thank You that You loved us so much that You gave Your very life for ours, so that we could be made right before You, and have life forever in You. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that You freely give, despite how undeserving we are. Forgive us for forgetting the amazing things that You have done, and how faithful Your love is for us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would have hearts that overflow with gratitude for who You are and all that You have done for us. Show us how to love others out of the overflow of all that You have given to us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for Your faithful love and for all the amazing things that You have done as we prepare to begin a brand new year. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. – James 5:11

Courage to Overcome

“I have told you these things so that you can have peace in Me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” – (John 16:33, ERV)

 

Jesus let His followers know that a life of faithfulness to Him would not be free from trouble, but even in the throws of the most difficult circumstances, they would never be alone. Christ came and defeated death and darkness, so that we may have light and life in Him. No matter what we face in the present, our future holds the hope of eternal glory in His perfect presence. We can take courage no matter what we face, for Christ already came and conquered on our behalf. In Him, we are more than able to endure and overcome what lies before us, and reach that which awaits. His peace is available now, in spite of our circumstances, and His strength is provided as it is needed. May we seek Him and trust Him to be our peace and our strength, so that we may be brave in the face of trouble, knowing that He has already overcome all that we are facing.

 

Jesus has spoken,

these words unto us;

that we shall find peace,

despite our chaos.

No matter what comes,

Jesus is our place;

where courage is found,

as He pours out grace.

All that we shall face,

He’s already done;

the victory His,

at the cross, He won.

So fear not the world,

and what it may throw;

for when we’re in Christ,

the outcome we know.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we have peace in You, no matter what troubles come our way. Thank You that we can be brave in the face of our trials and struggles, knowing that You have already overcome the world. Thank You that though we may walk through heartache and hard, our present situation is not our final destination. Forgive us for losing an eternal perspective as we go about our days, and help us to see things through Your lens. Teach us to trust You more, even in the hardest spaces. Lead us to love others in a way that provides perspective, strength and courage when they are stuck in the struggle too. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we receive Your peace that surpasses all understanding, no matter our circumstances, and fear not in the face of our trials as we remember that You have already overcome all that we are facing. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. – Ephesians 2:4-5

Wait Quietly in Hope

We are at an interesting place of pause between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. For my boys and me, our break seems to have been passing us by on fast forward. It was intentional that we traveled over the snow-covered pass to spend a few days with my mom. Here, in this wondrous winter wonderland, there is quiet, calm, and rest. The option of constant motion is available, yet it somehow ends up being a space of resting, game-playing, moving watching and the like. For a few days, we slow down, and it is good.

 

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NLT)

 

For me, my natural rhythm and routine of rising early to spend time in the quiet solitude with Christ, remains. However, I find that there is something about the surrounding silence, that causes me to quiet my heart more often, and have a sort of lean in and listen posture in this space where I am surrounded by such majesty. I cannot help but be in awe at every turn, and remember that my hope is found in He who created all of this. If God can create such beauty out of nothing, He can bring order where there is chaos, hope to despair, freedom where things are bound, and peace to places of unrest. There is nothing that we have to do to earn His favor or convince Him that we need His help. Our charge is to ask, trust, and then wait quietly before Him. If He has a part for us to play in His provision, He will make it clear. May we wait quietly before Him with all that we are, and place all of our hope in God.

 

In sweet silence lies,

God’s grace and presence;

all hope we can trust,

despite circumstance.

The very same God,

Who created all;

loved us with His life,

so we would not fall.

He calls us to come,

to quietly be;

in the sweetest space,

where we find we’re free.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we allow all that we are to wait quietly before You, we find all hope is found in You. Thank You that You are our rest and our refuge, our safety and our strength. Thank You that You love us to life, and grant us hope for all that is yet to come. Forgive us for not slowing down and quieting our hearts before You, as we lose sight of hope in our constant motion. Teach us to trust You more so that we would be intentional in our quieting of our hearts and minds before You, giving You all that we are in uninterrupted spaces. Show us how to embrace the hope that You grant us, so that we may share it with others in how we love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we let all that we are be quiet before You, and place all of our hope in You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. – James 5:13

Come to Me

Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” -(Matthew 11:28, NLT)

Jesus invites us to come close when we are weary and worn. He does not expect us to go and get our act together first, but rather He has us come to Him, as He stands beside us and is our place to find rest. Peace comes in His presence, and He has a powerful way of pointing out what matters, and what we are no longer meant to carry. Christ does not ask us to take on the weight of the world, rather He holds us up and gives us the help that is needed to do that which He is calling us to do. May we earnestly seek Him, whether we feel burdened or blessed, and allow the Lord to be our perfect place of rest.
                                                                                                                                                        When heaviness comes, 

 And burdens too much;

Go straight to the Lord,

His heart is to touch. 

He’ll touch the heavy,

And make it seem light;

He’ll lift the weary,

It is His delight. 

Our loving Savior,

Calls us to come near;

Despite heaviness,

Our struggles or fear. 

Praise the Lord Jesus,

For strength when we’re weak;

Praise Him for all hope,

For all whom choose seek. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we are weary and burdened You don’t expect us to go and get our act together and then come to You, but rather You invite us in our sorriest state to simply come, and You offer Your rest. Thank You that You meet us where we are at and You love us big. Forgive us for thinking that our burdens are ours to bear alone. Teach us to trust You more so that we would come to You always, trusting that You will supply the strength, rest and wisdom we need to carry what we ought to, rest from our weariness, and wisdom to know what we are no longer meant to carry. Show us how to come alongside others and love as You love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we come to You no matter our condition, trusting that You will grant us rest. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3

His Kindness in Little Things

My soul, praise the Lord! Every part of me, praise His Holy Name! My soul, praise the Lord and never forget how kind He is! – (Psalm 103:1-2, ERV)

 

God knows what we need, and in His kindness, gives unto us. For whatever reason, I just did not sleep well last night. Normally, when I wake, I get up and get moving. This morning, I opted to lay there for an extra moment or two. Those moments ended up being hours, and my total sleep resulted in a full eight hours. Because I will be driving over a snow-covered mountain pass this afternoon, being rested is certainly a helpful blessing. At first I was a bit dumbstruck about getting out of bed so late, but then realized how kind God had been to me to grant my body the rest it really needed, in order to be alert for my drive. My head, my heart and my now rested body, can give Him praise as I go love toddlers in the nursery at church and then travel over the pass with my family. Let every part of us praise the Lord, for He is kind and cares about even the smallest things.

 

Let my soul give praise,

mind, heart and my soul;

lift praise to the Lord,

His Name, let’s extol.

Help me not forget,

His kindness and love;

all grace that He gives,

our great God above.

Sing out to the One,

with all that we are;

Who remains with us,

the bright Morning Star.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are holy and kind and loving. Thank You that all praise and honor belong to You. Thank You that You see and care about even the little things in our lives, because You love. Forgive us for forgetting how personal and near You are. Teach us to trust all to You, and show us how to place everything in Your hands. Lead us to love others as You so lavishly and practically love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You with all that we are, and never forget Your kindness to us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. – Job 8:21

Wisdom and Insight to the Seeking

Give discernment to me, Your servant; then I will understand Your laws. – (Psalm 119:125, NLT)

I am Your servant. Give me wisdom to understand Your rules. – (Psalm 119:125, ERV)

 

Without God’s wisdom and discernment, we only see things at face value, rather than discovering the deeper truth that we are meant to gain, as we spend time in His word. God is faithful to open our understanding and speak to our hearts, if we seek Him and spend time in His word. It amazes me that each time I read a passage, He highlights new things that I have not seen before, or shows me a new application for my own life. When our earnest pursuit is to understand the things of God through a heart that longs to serve Him, He opens our understanding and provides insight that we could not gain on our own. May we seek the Lord with a heart to serve, and grow in wisdom and insight as He meets us in our faithful pursuit of Him.

 

Give me discernment,

as I seek You, Lord;

grant understanding,

to walk in accord.

May I live my life,

in constant pursuit;

of seeking Your face,

and learning Your truth.

Please grant me wisdom,

to know well, Your word;

so I trod Your path,

in truth undeterred.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give wisdom and discernment to those who earnestly seek You. Thank You that You open our understanding, so that we might know the expectations that You have set before us as to how we ought to live in accordance to Your standards. Forgive us for not seeking You for wisdom and understanding, and help us to seek You in humility and truth. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would listen to Your voice as we spend time in Your word. Show us how to love others in a way that leads them to the light of Your love that never fades. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You for wisdom and discernment, so that we may understand the path You have placed before us, and can walk it well in the strength that only You can provide. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

Delight to Sing Praise

Praise the Lord! How good to sing praises to our God! How delightful and how fitting! – (Psalm 147:1, NLT)

 

Indeed this is a fitting day to give praise to the Lord, as we celebrate His blessed arrival all those years ago. Having participated in the candlelight service at my church last night, the image of glowing faces singing praises together to the rightful King, still linger this morning in my mind. It is such a treasure to have the freedom to gather with friends that have become family, and worship the One who came to save. Each one of us has a story, and not one of the stories has been without difficulty. In fact, so many have had a really trying year. In spite of that, God’s faithfulness has been made evident again and again, and each showed up, ready to sing praise, knowing that He is good. May we praise Him as we gather, give gifts, live and love out this day, remembering that all that is good, all that is lovely, all that is worthy to be praised – is because of Christ who came to us. Merry Christmas!

 

More than packages,

wrapped up with delight;

is the treasure found,

in that holy night.

The greatest of gifts,

we’ve ever received;

when Christ chose come down,

to meet all our need.

Need for forgiveness,

He took all our sin;

though He was sinless,

they crucified Him.

He willingly went,

upon that old cross;

for us, He chose bear,

the ultimate cost.

Death was not the end,

for after three days;

Christ rose as He’d said,

He conquered the grave.

When back on His throne,

at God’s great right hand;

He sent His Spirit,

to fulfill His plan.

How fitting indeed,

that we give Him praise;

for love and for life,

all thanks all our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son so that we could be restored to a right relationship with You. Thank You that You are pleased when Your people praise You. Forgive us for not focusing our attention on the real reason for the season, and help us fix our minds and hearts on You as we go about this day. Teach us how to sing praise to You, and how to delight in all that You have done, and all that You are. Show us how to love others as You have so completely loved each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we sing praises unto You, and keep our hearts focused on who You are and all that You have done. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

When times are good, be happy. – Ecclesiastes 7:14

Christ Came Down

For a child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – (Isaiah 9:6, NLT)

 

Jesus came in a way that was relatable and approachable. There was no fanfare, nor kingly setting. Born in a lowly stable on a quiet night in an overcrowded town, He arrived with the weight of the world on His shoulders. Christ stepped down from heaven to become like us, so that we would know who He is, and how much He loves. How He lived as He was among us, demonstrated what love looks like. He touched the untouchable, healed the bruised and broken, dined with the despicable and gave His very life for ours. Today, many of us participate in candlelight services where we pause to celebrate and declare the goodness of Christ and who He is. That child born to us, grew, lived, loved, died, rose, ascended and sent His Spirit to us, so that we could have everlasting life. Because of His love and His life, we can confidently call Him: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. May this day be filled with reminders of His goodness and grace, and may we give proper praise to He who is all of these things and so much more.

 

For born unto us,

image by Rick Larson

a Son is given;

in still quietness,

He came from heaven.

Though angels proclaimed,

to shepherds at night;

most were unaware,

of this baby bright.

For though just a babe,

the weight of the world;

would rest upon Him,

as His life unfurled.

The way that He loved,

and gave all away;

brought hope to the world,

and light for our way.

Wonderful Counsel,

our great Mighty God;

Everlasting One,

creation applauds.

The sweet Prince of Peace,

delight of our days;

may we offer Him,

all honor and praise.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to us. Thank You, Jesus for taking it all upon Yourself, so that we could be set free. Thank You for Your grace and goodness, for light and life. Thank You that You are our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace. Forgive us for forgetting just how powerful You are. You are no longer a baby in a manger, but the mighty, risen Lord, seated at the right hand of the Father, contending for us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would remember that You are so much more than what the world sees. Show us how to love in such a way, that others too, may see Your majesty through our love. May many come to know You as their Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace this Christmas. Be glorified O God, as we gather to give You glory. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. – 2 Corinthians 3:5

 

Sing – For Joy Rises

I will be filled with joy because of You. I will sing praises to Your Name, O Most High. – (Psalm 9:2, NLT)

 

Though there is much joy to be found in the reason for this blessed season, often there are sorrows that surround people, and the holidays are a struggle. Finding joy despite our circumstances, comes not when we fake it ’til we make it, but rather when we turn our eyes and attention on He who is our Source of all joy. No matter what surrounds me, when I begin to sing praises to His Name, joy begins to bubble up and fill my heart again, as I am reminded of what is eternal. There are times that what is weighing us down seems so heavy and long lasting, yet when we take pause, we know that there will be an end. Hope of better days, better seasons, better times, is held fast in our hearts, as we know that in Christ, this is not our end. What is yet to come is beyond what we can even begin to imagine, and because of that hope, we can hold onto His joy. May we allow our hearts and voices to sing praises to His Most Holy Name, as He fills us with joy once again.

 

We’re filled with all joy,

because of our King;

not by circumstance,

but through truth He brings.

Let our hearts sing praise,

our thank offerings;

let‘s honor His Name,

our great Holy King.

May His joy rise up,

as voices are raised;

His truth be proclaimed,

and Holy Name praised.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You fill us with Your joy, not because of our circumstances, but because You are good and You are loving. Thank You that we can sing praises to Your Name, no matter what we are going through, and as we do, joy rises up in us again. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to steal the joy that You have given us, and help us to hold fast to You and Your promises so that we would have joy in spite of what is happening around us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would sing praise even when it doesn’t make sense. Show us how to love others well, and to spread joy wherever we go. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we sing praises to Your Name and are filled with Your unending joy. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you.” – Exodus 33:19

 

 

 

 

The Gift of Peace

I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. – (John 14:27, NLT)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – (John 14:27, NIV)

 

God sent His Son to us so that we might know what we had never known before. His perfect peace that surpasses all understanding, comes and dwells in our hearts when we make our heart His home. His presence – His mercy, grace and love that lead to peace of mind and heart, are the greatest gifts we’ve ever been granted. We’ve done nothing to deserve them, yet He gave anyway. When we choose Him, we have His peace to navigate every situation and circumstance, knowing that He is our strength and our fortress, so we need not be troubled nor afraid. Though in our broken humanity we do become fearful or anxious at times, we have the Source of all peace dwelling within us, and need only slow down to recognize that He is as near as our next breath. May we set aside our troubles and fears, and embrace the most glorious gift of peace that we have been given as we celebrate this treasured Christmas season.

 

A gift we’re given,

for both heart and mind;

God’s sweet treasured peace,

in Christ we shall find.

There’s no other place,

where such peace is found;

there’s nothing on Earth,

as sweet and as sound.

May peace overflow,

throughout this season;

as we celebrate,

in truth and reason.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son – our perfect gift of peace of mind and heart. Thank You Jesus, that You give in a way that the world cannot, and that in You, we need not be troubled nor afraid. Forgive us for our fearfulness and angst and for not trusting in You to be our Source of peace. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will know Your peace, no matter what comes our way, and not allow our circumstances to dictate whether or not we have Your peace. Show us how to love others in such a way, that they too may come to know Your perfect peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we embrace the perfect gift of Your peace, and share it with all whom we encounter. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25