Answered with Unfailing Love

Answer my prayers, O Lord, for Your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for Your mercy is so plentiful. – (Psalm 69:16, NLT)

Answer me, Lord, from the goodness of Your faithful love. Out of Your great kindness turn to me and help me! – (Psalm 69:16, ERV)

Answer me, Lord, for Your faithful love is good! Turn to me in Your great compassion! – (Psalm 69:16, CEB)

 

God is so kind and knows how to love us so well; individually. One of the greatest challenges in this season for both mom and myself, has been the sense of feeling stuck indoors. Add to that the inactivity, (compared to our normal race-pace) and we each have had plenty of reason to pray. Over the last several weeks, God has been showing us more and more, ways to get out of the house for a change of scenery. Our need to wander has been satiated with afternoon exploration adventures in the car, where I have driven wherever mom has directed. In the process, I have discovered beautiful back roads that I never knew existed, and the restlessness from being stuck indoors has been greatly reduced. Yesterday, after taking care of some hall-walking and stretching, mom determined that she was ready for another adventure, but uncertain as to where she’d like to go. I mentioned that I had only been to Mission Ridge once, in the winter, so I was curious to see the space in the summertime. Mom said it was only a thirty-minute drive each way, so completely doable. We had a destination in mind, so off we went. The sun was shining and the ride along the way was wonderful. Beautiful back roads led the way, as we meandered past orchards and farmland, woods and hills, all leading to the winding way up the short pass. At the top, the view of the valley below was fantastic. Mom was content to remain in the car while I climbed up to the top of the nearby hill for a quick photo, and then returned to make our way back down. We of course stopped at Dutch Bros on our way home, and enjoyed a chat with my sister (the beauty of bluetooth technology) on the way. The remainder of the evening was relaxing and uneventful, as we enjoyed dinner, a movie and soon called it a night. Today should prove to be busy, as mom has her first hair appointment since before this all began, followed by a lunch get-together with her besties. She slept fairly well, with only one wake-up in the night, rising for the day, beginning with breakfast at 5:00 am.

 

When we choose to call,

On the loving Lord;

He’s faithful to hear,

His grace He affords.

Kindness unending,

Mercy that won’t fail;

Hope that will hold us,

As His love prevails.

In all things, choose trust,

For God’s always good;

Faithful forever,

Our hope understood.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You hear our prayers and You are faithful to answer. Thank You that You are good and that Your mercy knows no end. Forgive us for our fears and doubts when the time between the asking and the answer seems long. Teach us to trust You more, as Your timing is perfect, and You know our needs better than we know ourselves. Show us how to love and encourage those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You for answers and praise You for Your goodness and faithfulness forever. 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

Home is the Company You Keep

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. – (Matthew 5:4, NIV)

Great blessings belong to those who are sad now. God will comfort them. – (Matthew 5:4, ERV)

You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. – (Matthew 5:4, MSG)

 

A sense of mourning has been the overarching theme of my time at home. From the first moment I walked through the door, I began to feel waves of grief. Until yesterday, I could not completely identify the “why”. Yes, some of it is obvious, with the trauma of what has gone on with mom’s stroke, the loss of my grandmother, grieving the loss of closing out much of the end of the school year with my students, and of course, all of the time that I did not get to spend with my husband and children and close friends. However, there was something more that was weighing me down at home. The revelation that I had as I was walking and talking with my best friend last evening, was that being home was not home to me, without my husband here. For me, home is the company you keep, not so much the place where you sleep. Of course, I love my children and time with them, but they are typical teenagers, and spend much time in their own world, being independent young adults. I easily felt at home at mom’s, yet here, with Mark away, I have been unsettled and sorrowful. It is amazing how quickly comfort can come, once the source is identified. I was able to share my struggle with my spouse, and he listened and heard my heart. He also is rerouting his plans, and will be doing a quick turn-around on Friday so that he can be in Wenatchee with me for the weekend, rather than wait another week to spend time with one another.

As for adventures in Wenatchee… Mom and Megan had an “exciting” day yesterday. The morning began in quite the usual way, with breakfast, shower, and so on. However, when the two of them were seated in the living room, just relaxing and watching a movie, they suddenly heard a loud “boom” from mom’s room! Megan quickly ran back to investigate the noise, only to discover a disaster in the bathroom. A pipe had burst and there was about an inch of water on the floor already. She jumped into action immediately, laying down towels to keep the water from reaching the carpeted areas of mom’s room, darted out of the house to find the water main and shut it off, and reached a neighbor with a shop vac and industrial fan, and a dear local friend for a quality plumber recommendation. Additionally, she was able to contact mom’s insurance company. All the while, mom had a physical therapy appointment take place and was able to let Meg know the contact people for insurance, etc. Incredibly, all repairs were complete and the water was back on by evening. Hats off to my quick-thinking, fast-acting, superstar sister!

May we ever seek the Lord when we are struggling, for He is our Comforter and Keeper of peace.

 

Lord be our Comfort,

Wherever we roam;

May we always choose,

Make our heart Your home.

Show us Your kindness,

And grant us Your grace;

When sorrow’s burden,

Tries to overtake.

Thank You for people,

To know and be known;

Oh what a blessings,

To make house a home.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Comforter when sorrows and struggles come our way. Thank You that You make Your heart for us tangible through the people whom You place in our lives. Thank You for the countless gifts that You have given me – my husband, children, mom and sister, dearest friends, colleagues whom are lifelong friends, and more. Thank You that You truly bless us, even in our most difficult seasons. Forgive us for feeling stuck in the struggle, as You refine us in the fire. Teach us to trust You more, as You never let go of our hearts or our hands. Show us how to love those around us in a way that lifts up and walks alongside through the hurts and brings comfort and peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as You are our caring Comforter in all things and at all times. Amen.

 

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

 

Now comfort me with Your faithful love, as You promised. – Psalm 119:76

Hope in the New

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! – (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)

When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! – (2 Corinthians 5:17, ERV)

 

Happy New Year! Though it is merely a calendar page turn, there is a sense of anticipation of that which is yet to come. With a new year, comes new hope, new challenges and new adventures. In Christ, we have new life. Each day begins anew. We need not wait for a new year or a new season, for God gives us a fresh start when we seek Him. May we look back with gratitude for all that the Lord has done, and look ahead, knowing that God has made all things new because we are in Him. Be blessed as the Lord leads in all things new.

 

When we are in Christ,

Our world becomes new;

The old life is gone,

And His word proves true.

No more are we stuck,

In our former ways;

We have been set free,

For all of our days.

So rise up today,

Begin this new year;

Confident in Christ,

Walk forward, He’s near.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we belong to You, You make us new. Thank You that You give us new starts, new seasons, and new life in You. Thank You for the hope that rises up as we look forward to a new year. Forgive us for the fear that creeps in about that which is uncertain and unknown. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would place all things in Your hands, knowing that You are in control and that You are with us and will never leave us. Show us how to love people around us in a way that give them hope where they have none. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we embrace the new life that we have in You in this brand new year. Amen.

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

God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. – Genesis 21:6

Give Thanks As We Proclaim

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done. – (1 Chronicles 16:8, NLT)

In my early twenties, I had the rare opportunity to be a part of Youth With A Mission, and saw firsthand, the carrying out of the great commission in action. We were able to go out to the ends of the earth and tell the world of what He has done. The teams that I was a part of traveled to Thailand, India, China, Bangladesh, Macau and Hong Kong (before it was turned back over to China). Trains, planes, boats, rickshaws, backpacks up mountains, and living among some of the world’s poorest, were part of our daily adventures. It was an exciting time, and as we gave thanks to the Lord and proclaimed His greatness, we could see, firsthand, how we were letting the world know what He had done.

After returning from such an adventurous lifestyle, it took quite a mind shift to recognize that I could still impact the world through giving thanks and proclaiming who God is. What I discovered as I began teaching in the city in which I was raised, is that the population had become very global. Though I was not going out into all of the world, all of the world was coming into my classroom on a daily basis. Seeds of kindness that I began to plant, were God’s to water and grow.

For years I have utilized writing as a personal outlet, rarely allowing anyone else to read what God had written on my heart. A few years ago, a dear friend who I did allow to read my writing from time to time, began to encourage me to consider sharing my writing with a larger circle. Though terrified, I ventured to spread the circle a bit wider. The few became a few more, and blogging was birthed in me. Today, the thrill of seeing the flag of another nation representing a person who has viewed what God is showing me, is overwhelming. God alone is worthy of all of our thanks and praise, for He is great and has done remarkable things! May we go forth this day and let the world know what He has done, as we live a life full of thanks.

All thanks be to God,

and let us proclaim;

of the Lord’s greatness,

oh most Holy Name.

May all of the earth,

come know what He’s done;

through His love and grace,

He gave us His Son.

Merciful Father,

makes the way for us;

embrace eternal,

through the Lord Jesus.

Lord, You are so good,

You take what we bring;

and accept us each,

as pure offerings.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so great and mighty. Thank You that You allow us to be a part of the great commission, wherever we are. Thank You that we can share Your love with the ends of the earth, whether we travel or stay at home. Forgive us for thinking that we cannot make a difference, or for staying silent when we ought to be proclaiming the greatness of who You are. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would use our words and deeds to appropriately express our gratitude unto You in all things and at all times. Lead us to love others in a way that sows seeds of Your goodness and grace deep into their hearts. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You thanks and proclaim Your greatness wherever we may be. Amen.

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

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things.  Who, O God, is like You? – Psalm 71:19