Rest in Hope

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NIV)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

My soul quietly waits for the true God alone because I hope only in Him. – (Psalm 62:5, VOICE)

God is the great provider of rest. He comes in the quiet moments we sit before Him and covers us with His peace. His rest looks different for everyone, and often is found in sweet simplicity. Saturday, my final meeting for high school gymnastics this year took place as we held our end-of-the-season banquet. It ended up being on the small side, but it was a sweet, calm time of coming together. No stress, no pressure, just enjoyable time together. Yesterday, as I was in the media area for church both prior to, and throughout both services, there was an extra flooding of peace as the sounds of worship soothed my soul. After church there was a perfect balance between getting things done to prepare for the week, and time spent loving on our dogs. God’s rest can be found wherever we are and in the midst of whatever we are doing, if only we quiet our hearts to hear from Him. May we slow down and seek Him anew each day and recognize the rest that He who is our hope, provides.

My soul finds true rest,

When I slow my mind;

Choose focus on Him,

In whom hope I find.

For He is the peace,

That brings forth the calm;

No matter what comes,

He’s the soothing balm.

Peace that is present,

Hope that is assured;

Rest when we’re weary,

His love is made clear.

Ever choose seek Him,

For He is our rest;

He knows and loves us,

And gives us His best.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are where we find rest and hope and peace, no matter what surrounds us. Thank You that You are the calm in our storms and the peace in our chaos. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to turn to You, for You are faithful forever. Teach us to trust and rely on You to provide the rest we need and the hope that holds our heart in a space of contentment. Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for being our hope and our space of real rest in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28

Ongoing Work in Progress

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – (Philippians 1:6, NIV)

I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until He completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again. – (Philippians 1:6, ERV)

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. – (Philippians 1:6, MSG)

This is such an encouragement to me, as I know that I am an ongoing work in progress. God does not give up on us when we fall short, but rather He keeps leading, guiding, loving, and refining us to reflect His love and light more clearly to the world. The stronger our bond becomes with Christ, the more evident His heart is made know through our words and deeds. It is in the things that we say and do that His light shines through to touch the hearts of those around us. May we ever follow after the Lord and listen to His leading so that we become more of who He has created us to be.

The Lord God of all,

Is working in us;

To make us complete,

Like His Son, Jesus.

A heart for the world,

With love that will grow;

Made to do good works,

So His love might show.

The work is not done,

Until He returns;

We’re all in progress,

To grow, love and learn.

Help us keep pressing,

Ever choose draw near;

As You refine us,

Making Your love clear.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that the work You began in us will continue until the day You return for us. Thank You that though we fall short, You do not give up on us. Forgive us for the times that we have strayed from Your will, plan or purpose for us. Teach us to ever trust in You to lead, guide, love, and refine us so that we can more clearly reflect Your goodness and grace. Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we ever seek You anew each day and trust You to transform our heart to be a reflection of Your own. Amen.

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

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. – Proverbs 27:19

Choose to Shine

Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. – (1 John 2:10, NIV)

Those who love their brothers and sisters live in the light, and there is nothing in them that will make them do wrong. – (1 John 2:10, ERV)

It’s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God’s light and doesn’t block the light from others. – (1 John 2:10, MSG)

I appreciate the Message translation of this verse tremendously, as it is a powerful reminder that when we choose love, we allow God’s light to shine, yet when we do not, we can actually block the light that God’s love intended for them to receive. God calls and equips us to love yet created us with a free will to choose. As we choose to love, we choose to allow the loving light of God to shine through us to the world. The people around us become more like family, and our hearts expand to give and receive as we were designed through allowing love to lead in all that we say and do. This is not always easy or natural, yet it is always worthwhile. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us in His love so that we may shine His loving light on all who are near us.

When we choose to love,

Christ’s light is made clear;

His love is poured out,

To all who are near.

Brothers and sisters,

Family and friends;

All who cross our path,

For love to extend.

What’s incredible,

Is there’s always more;

The light of God’s love,

Will always endure.

Lord, help us to choose,

To share well Your light;

And love each other,

For Your love delights.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to love and share Your light wherever we go and whatever we do. Thank You that You fill us to overflowing when we seek You. Forgive us for the times that we have not chosen love and have hidden the light that You intended to shine through us. Teach us to ever trust in You and to follow the path that You have placed before us. Lead us to love well so that all around us may know the lavish light of Your love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us to love one another as sisters and brothers as we allow Your light to shine. Amen.

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

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. – Proverbs 13:9

Persevere

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – (James 1:4, NIV)

If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be. – (James 1:4, ERV)

So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. – (James 1:4, TLB)

This is such an important reminder when we are in a trying season, or are walking through a difficult situation. God uses all things to grow us and show us more of Himself, and the lessons we learn as we press on in Him, teach us of His unending faithfulness. Incredibly, when we get through the season or circumstance, we discover that we are closer to God and are better able to reflect His love and faithfulness to those around us. Character grows as we walk through struggles, not in the seasons of status quo. May we ever persevere with the Lord through challenging seasons, for He is faithful to use all things to grow us and make us more complete in Him.

No matter what comes,

Choose to persevere;

Not in our own strength,

But through Him who’s near.

Trust in His goodness,

On His strength, rely;

Keep moving forward,

His love is our “why”.

It’s easy to see,

From the other side;

How God got us through,

Our help from inside.

Always He’s near us,

With strength and His grace;

Our help and our hope,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we persevere through all that comes our way, You grow us to more clearly reflect Your light to the world. Thank You that You are always faithful to be present as we navigate all things. Forgive us for the times that we want to sit down and quit instead of trusting You. Teach us to keep moving in the direction to which we are called, and show us how to trust You to be our strength and our help throughout every day. Lead us in Your love to bless, encourage, and strengthen those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to walk beside us and strengthen us to persevere in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Corinthians 13:7

Be My Strength

Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord an His great power. – (Ephesians 6:10, ERV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. – (Ephesians 6:10, VOICE)

Today is a good day to be reminded that my strength comes from God. I am tired and have a busy day ahead. As we near ever closer to spring break, holding my student’s attention during class becomes more difficult and requires more energy than usual. This morning, I am being observed, and though I have a wonderful and kind principal, I still get nervous about the process. Days like this are God’s reminder to trust in Him, as He is always faithful to meet me as I seek Him. This morning, I am trusting in Him to be my strength, provide clarity of thought as I plan, and energy to engage my kiddos in a way that helps them grasp the content. God is faithful, and this morning I trust Him anew to be my strength.

The Lord is my strength,

On Him I depend;

No matter what comes,

His strength He extends.

Whatever the need,

God already knows;

With love, He’s for us,

As kindness He shows.

Let’s rise up in faith,

His strength and supply;

All that is needed,

In love God provides.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being our strength. Thank You that You know our need and are faithful to provide as we abide in You. Forgive us for our lack of fortitude when we are weary. Teach us to trust in You to be our strength, for You are faithful always. Lead us in Your love to care for people as You do. Show us Your heart, especially for those who are struggling. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for the strength You supply to help us navigate each new day. Amen.

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

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – Psalm 18:32

Deep Roots Bear Much Fruit

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. – (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NIV)

But those who trust in the Lord will be blessed. They know that the Lord will do what He says. They will be strong like trees planted near a stream that sends out roots to the water. They have nothing to fear when the days get hot. Their leaves are always green. They never worry, even in a year that has no rain. They always produce fruit. – (Jeremiah 17:7-8, ERV)

But blessed is the man who trusts in Me, God, the woman who sticks with God. They’re like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers – never a worry through the hottest summers, never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season. – (Jeremiah 17:7-8, MSG)

I love this analogy, as it is a beautiful visual of what God does when we trust in Him. With roots deeply established in Christ, we won’t be swayed by the struggles of this life. In fact, we can continue to bring His good to others, no matter what we are going through, for He nourishes, equips, and strengthens us to fearlessly forge forward with Him. May we ever trust in the Lord and place our confidence in Him, for He is good and His love never fails.

Choose trust in the Lord,

No matter what comes;

For He is enough,

As love overcomes.

The cool in the heat,

True strength when we’re weak;

Abundant blessings,

Are found as we seek.

The Lord is faithful,

As we choose abide;

Our hope and our help,

His arms open wide.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You nourish, refresh, and equip us for all that life brings our way. Thank You that we need not fear struggles or difficulties, for You provide as we abide. Thank You that we can continue to bear fruit in every season as we trust in You. Forgive us for somehow thinking that we are only able to do good when things are going our way. Teach us to trust in You to bless and encourage those around us in the same ways that You do for us. Lead us to love as You love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we invest our hearts and lives in You, trusting You to grow our roots deep, and to ever supply what we need to bear Your good fruit. Amen.

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

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ my dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and how long and high and deep is the love of Christ. – Ephesians 3:16-18

Inner Beauty

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. – (1 Peter 3:3-4, NIV)

It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from inside you – the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. It is worth very much to God. – (1 Peter 3:3-4, ERV)

Don’t focus on decorating your exterior by doing your hair or putting on fancy jewelry or wearing fashionable clothes; let your adornment be what’s inside – the real you, the lasting beauty of a gracious and quiet spirit, in which God delights. – (1 Peter 3:3-4, VOICE)

God’s perspective is far different than the world’s; He delights in a beautiful heart and a gentle spirit that is gracious and kind. Such beauty does not fade, but rather it grows with wisdom and the deepening of our relationship with Him. There is nothing wrong with dressing up and wanting to present ourselves well, yet our heart, how we adorn our spirit with the fruit of the Spirit, is far more important than how we look. The most beautiful people I know are gentle and kind and are a peaceful presence to all who are near them. Looks are fleeting, but our spirit is eternal. May we ever invest our time and energy into growing in God’s goodness and grace, rather than fixating on the external that fades.

Gentle and quiet,

Beautiful the heart;

That extends kindness,

As each new day starts.

For external looks,

Will over time, fade;

But a loving heart,

Is valued always.

Lord help us focus,

On that which will last;

An inner beauty,

With loving impact.

Transform our hearts Lord,

So we would love true;

Let beauty within,

Be what reflects You.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You care about our inner beauty, the part of us that chooses to love, extend kindness, and bring about a quiet calm, simply by being present. Forgive us for the times that we have allowed the standards of the world to skew our perspective of what truly matters. Show us how to continue to invest our hearts in You so that we may more clearly reflect Your heart to the world. Lead us in Your love, for it is love that transforms and renews. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we focus on You and give You room to cleanse and change our hearts to more clearly mirror Your own to all whom we encounter. Amen.

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

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

Purposefully Produced

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things. – (Galatians 5:22-23, ERV)

The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this. – (Galatians 5:22-23, VOICE)

I so appreciate that these things – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – are all things the Holy Spirit produces in us, rather than us having to somehow will these things into existence in our lives. Rather than pursuing fruit, we are to pursue the One who grow such things within us as we follow Him. Every morning is new and He deposits fresh fruit within us as we give Him room. The more we allow God access to our hearts and lives, the more evidence of His fruit is produced within us. May we ever seek our Savior, for He grows and produces in us, good things.

The goodness of God,

Is grown from within;

Planted and rooted,

To overcome sin.

The fruit from the Lord,

Everything good;

To share with others,

His love understood.

So, seek Him each day,

All good is made new;

The fruit He’s planted,

Signs of His love true.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that every good thing comes from You. Thank You that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control all come from You. Thank You that as we seek and depend on You, You grow these things within us. Forgive us for the times that we have not given You access to the spaces within us that need tending or pruning. Teach us how to open our hearts and lives to You so that You can transform us to bear good fruit and reflect Your love to the world around us. Show us how to love like You in everything we do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to grow good fruit within us to share with those around us. Amen.

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

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life. – Psalm 143:8

Filled

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, NIV)

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in Him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, ERV)

I pray that God, the Source of all hope, will infuse your lives with an abundance of joy and peace in the midst of your faith so that your hope will overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, VOICE)

Hope, joy and peace through Christ are the very things that strengthen us to persevere when things are difficult. Joy is deep-rooted within us and is not dependent on our circumstances. The joy is found in knowing God and trusting that His plans are good. His peace, true peace, is an anchor through our storms and a green pasture to lie in beside still waters when we need rest. All around us are reminders of God’s goodness and grace. This morning, despite being woken up twice in the night by a restless dog, I am surrounded and snuggled by him and his sister, as I am enjoying the sweet silence of the morning and watching the morning sky change colors as I sip on hot coffee. God knows all of the little things that bless our hearts and reminds us of His love and tender mercy anew every morning, if only we look around as we seek Him. May we ever seek the Lord to open our eyes to His goodness all around us and recognize the hope we have in Him that infuses our lives with joy and peace.

Each day as we rise,

May we find anew;

The joy that we have,

In knowing the truth.

Hope overflowing,

For all that’s ahead;

Joy in the journey,

Peace as we are led.

His goodness abounds,

In all things, always;

No matter the road,

Beside us He stays.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our hope, joy, and peace in all things, always. Thank You that Your nearness is not dependent on our circumstances. Forgive us for our lack of faith when the road before us is rough. Teach us to trust You to lead us every step of our journey. Show us how to love those around us in ways that share the hope, joy, and peace found in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for who You are and how You love us all. Amen.

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

The whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, You call forth songs of joy. – Psalm 65:8

The Good Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. – (Psalm 23:1-3a, NIV)

The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need. He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water. He restores my strength. – (Psalm 23:1-3a, ERV)

The Eternal is my shepherd, He cares for me always. He provides me rest in rich green fields beside streams of refreshing water. He soothes my fears; He makes me whole again. – (Psalm 23:1-3a, VOICE)

A shepherd looks after, cares for, and protects their sheep. God is the ultimate shepherd of all who choose to follow after and trust in Him. He is faithful to supply what we need as we need it and provides spaces of rest to refresh us when we are weary. Over the last several months, I have gone through an unexpected ordeal with skin cancer. A spot of concern turned into a removal surgery that required plastic surgery to close the removal site. From there, what was removed was sent to be tested genetically to determine the likelihood of the cancer metastasizing. The outcome deemed that I was at moderate risk, which resulted in orders for a CT scan. Yesterday, after a very long day of teaching and coaching, followed by a car issue that delayed heading home by more than an hour, I was able to login to MyChart to read the outcome of the scan. Through the process of all these things, I knew He was holding me in His hands. He brought me to a space of knowing that no matter what, He had me. Thankfully, the results of the scan were delivered electronically rather than by a specialist, as that is an indicator that things are good. Indeed, all is well. Additionally, we are two weeks away from Spring Break, and I know rest is coming. May we ever trust in the Lord to be our shepherd, for He leads us, guides us, protects us, and provides for us, every day we draw breath.

God’s our good shepherd,

He leads and provides;

Protects and directs,

As we choose abide.

He’s faithful always,

Forever is near;

To supply us strength,

And calm all our fears.

No matter what comes,

In Him we can trust;

His love knows no end,

He’s faithful and just.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our good shepherd. Thank You that You lead us through all things with love, kindness and grace, and You remain present always. Forgive us for giving fear a foothold when facing the unknowns. Teach us to ever trust in You, for You care for us far better than we can care for ourselves. Lead us to spaces of rest when we are weary and strengthen us anew with Your love. Show us how to love those around us well, so that all may experience the fullness of Your overwhelming goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come to You every morning to be our strength, supply, and space of rest, so that we may love as You love us. Amen.

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

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and encouragement they provide we might have hope. – Romans 15:4