Peace in All Things

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – (John 16:33, NIV)

“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)

“I’ve told you all this so that trusting Me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” – (John 16:33, MSG)

Jesus did not candy-coat things, nor lead anyone to believe that trusting in Him would suddenly make all our troubles disappear, but rather He let us know that despite the troubles of the world, in Him, we can have peace. This past year, God has continued to show me how true these words can be. In both seasons of trial and those of blessing, His peace has been made present as I pressed into trusting Him. Everything we face, He has already faced and overcome. Jesus knows how we feel as we face fires and understands how to provide His peace amid them. We can be brave in the comfort of His love as we recognize that He is far greater than anything we may face, and trust that He will remain with us as we navigate everything that comes our way. God is good in all, and the presence of His peace reminds us of how deeply we are loved. May we look back with thanksgiving for His unending faithfulness, and look forward with peace, knowing that He goes before us and will remain with us in and through all things.

Peace through the trials,

The Lord’s ever near;

To walk beside us,

And calm all our fears.

Jesus has conquered,

He has overcome;

Every trial,

Already it’s done.

For He goes before,

And walks alongside;

Providing His peace,

As we choose abide.

Rest in His mercy,

Let His love surround;

Trust in His goodness,

It’s where peace is found.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that though we will face struggles, You have promised to be present and be our perfect peace. Thank You that in all things, You remain near, and show us that as we seek You, You always hear. Forgive us for our frustrations with the challenges that come. Teach us to embrace the grace that You give to help us navigate, and let our hearts praise You for Your presence, even when things are not as we might hope. Lead us to live in the hope that we hold in eternity, for all that is in the here and now is temporary, yet You are forever. Show us how to love those around us with an eternal perspective. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your presence and Your perfect peace in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

Lead Us to Love Well

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NLT)

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs, – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, HCSB)

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, ERV)

Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude, or indecent – it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, VOICE)

I so appreciate how clearly 1 Corinthians walks us through what love is, and what it is not. God’s love is perfect and people are not. We are broken and fall short, yet we have guidance to lead us to love well. When we pause to look around, we can see evidence of God’s love everywhere. There are those who exemplify this very sort of love beautifully. Two examples that God set before me include my grandmother and my own mom. Both of these women have always exemplified patience and kindness, were/are not easily upset, and did/do not keep record of wrongs. Arrogance was/has no part of who they were/are, and each has always considered others before themselves. Their modeling has continually compelled me to seek the Lord to lead me in love. We are all a work in progress, yet the more we seek the Lord to lead and empower us, the more readily we love well. May we ever seek the One who is love so that we too, may love as He intended.

Love’s patient and kind,

Mom and Gram ❤

Forgiving with grace;

God’s heart to extend,

Throughout all our days.

Love does not envy,

Not full of itself;

Love seeks ways to bless,

To reach out and help.

Love’s not conceited,

It’s humble and kind;

Keeping no records,

Leaves the past behind.

True love looks forward,

Chooses to endure;

Knows love is what lasts,

Faith and hope assured.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are Love, and that You show us what love is and what it is not. Thank You that we all have been created with the capacity to love and be loved. Forgive us for the times that we have not been patient or kind, when we have been envious or proud, when we’ve acted improperly, been selfish, or held a grudge. Teach us to love as You do, for Your love lasts forever. Lead us to love those around us in ways that make Your love tangible. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us to love well. Amen.

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

This is what I command you: Love one another. – John 15:17

He Leads in Love

This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” – (Isaiah 48:17, NIV)

The Lord, the Savior, the Holy One of Israel, says, “I am the Lord your God. I teach you for your own good. I lead you in the way you should go.” – (Isaiah 48:17, ERV)

The Eternal One, who rescued you, the Holy One of Israel declares, “I am the Eternal One your God. I have given you instruction for living well and right, leading you in how you should be and do.” – (Isaiah 48:17, VOICE)

God is faithful to lead us and instruct us in the ways in which we are meant to go, if only we are willing to seek Him and listen to Him. Sometimes, when we are uncertain about which way to go, He makes clear the path we are to take; other times, He places the decision in our hands and promises to be with us. Recently, I was in just such a space, and felt that He was leaving the decision up to me, but assured me that He would be with me and protect me, either direction I chose. Though I ended up going the direction that was not my first choice, I truly feel that God has been with me, has protected me, and will continue to do so. What I have learned time and time again, is that God is good and loves us well. May we ever seek and depend on Him, listen to His leading, and trust that He holds us in His strong and loving hands.

The Lord is so good,

He’s faithful and true;

As we choose seek Him,

He will lead us through.

Through things uncertain,

Each choice that we make;

The Lord is with us,

On each path we take.

God, grant us wisdom,

By faith, help us choose;

What we’re called to do,

With trust, lead us through.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You for answers, You show us the way we are meant to go, or You give us a choice that You assure us You will be present, whichever way we go. Forgive us for our fears and frustrations when decisions before us seem dismal. Thank You that You work in and through all things. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will listen to Your leading and ever choose to love. Show us how to love those around us best, so that they too, may know Your peace and faithfulness. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and trust You in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13

True Wisdom

But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. – (James 3:17, ERV)

But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form. – (James 3:17, TPT)

Heavenly wisdom centers on purity, peace, gentleness, deference, mercy, and other good fruits untainted by hypocrisy. – (James 3:17, VOICE)

I know many people who are full of knowledge, yet finding truly wise people is a rare gift. Wisdom from God is exactly that, a filling that comes through trust and dependence on Him. To be pure, we need to understand what is good and what must go, and be willing to go through the refining process. Filled with peace is a process that is the result of ongoing trust in God in every circumstance. Gentleness includes being considerate and merciful, just as Jesus is to us. One who possesses wisdom is teachable and easy to please, ever ready to help and do good for others without prejudice or hypocrisy. Though it is good to pursue knowledge and continue learning, the ongoing pursuit of God brings wisdom that leads us to love others as He intended. May we ever seek the Lord and be willing to allow Him to refine us, so that we may walk out our days in wisdom that knows how to love well.

Lord, grant us wisdom,

So we too may learn;

Mercy and goodness,

To love and discern.

Father, teach our hearts,

To stay true and pure;

Peaceful and gentle,

As grace is assured.

Choose never withhold,

Mercy, love and grace;

Give as we’re given,

To all whom we face.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that true wisdom comes from You. Thank You that wisdom is granted to those who seek You and pursue a life lived in the light of Your love. Forgive us for our lack of wisdom as we navigate our days. Teach us to be wise in You, so that we might love as You intended. Show us how to be pure, peace-loving, considerate, gentle, easy to please, ready to help, and ever fair and honest. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we pursue a life lived in Your wisdom that leads us to love well. Amen.

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

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12

Blessed to Bear 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 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 send 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 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 of summers, never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season. – (Jeremiah 17:7-8, MSG)

Our blessings come through trust in God. When we know that God will do what He says, there is a constant stream of hope to water our soul, no matter what surrounds us. This is especially encouraging, as the days that lie ahead hold much uncertainty, yet we can be assured that God will be with us through all things. More than that, as we trust and rely on God, we bear the fruit of His character to nourish those around us. May we ever trust in the Lord and rely on Him to provide all we need to stand strong, to grow deep roots, and to bear good fruit in every season.

Through the Lord alone,

We find streams of hope;

Nearby to nourish,

And soothe weary souls.

As we trust in Him,

Roots grow deep, secure;

Granting all we need,

To be blessed, endure.

In ev’ry season,

His blessings shall flow;

So we may bear fruit,

Making His love known.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You plant our hearts securely in You and grow our roots deep to water our souls. Thank You that You not only refresh us, but You raise us up to bear good fruit that lasts. Forgive us for the times that we allow the dry stretches to distract us from the promised faithfulness found in You. Teach us to remember our Source, for Your love never stops flowing. Show us how to love those around us in ways that bear good fruit that nourishes souls and point hearts to You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to ever deepen our roots and water our weariness so that we bear the fruit of Your love. Amen.

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

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

Our Eternal Rock

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal. – (Isaiah 26:4, NIV) 

Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing. – (Isaiah 26:4, MSG) 

Trust in the Eternal One forever, for He is like a great Rock – strong, stable, trustworthy, and lasting. – (Isaiah 26:4, VOICE) 

Life continues to feel uncertain with little being predictable or ordinary. Teaching online with no certain end in sight, growing responsibilities being heaped upon one another, in this time and space I am eternally grateful for the One to whom I can trust. Even when all around me is uncertain, He remains the same forever. His love, kindness, mercy, grace, and strength, are ever present and available to all who call on His Name. When all is unstable, I crave a strong, stable, trustworthy and lasting place. There is such a space; it is in the hands of Jesus. We can be strong, stable, and trust in His lasting love.  

Lord, teach us to trust, 

In Your endless love; 

Our Rock and shelter, 

Certainty above. 

Forever we trust, 

In You and Your Name; 

For You are our peace, 

And hope we can claim. 

Lord, hold us so close, 

That we are assured; 

Of grace and goodness, 

Hope in You, secured. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the eternal Rock, the One in whom we can trust forever. Thank You that You remind us and show us again and again that You are good. Forgive us for our fearfulness and anxiousness in the uncertain. Teach us to trust and lean into You, for You are faithful forever. Show us how to love those around us in ways that provide peace and security, grace and goodness. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we depend on You, our faithful Rock forever. Amen. 

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

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God. – 1 Samuel 2:2

Confident Trust

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. – (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. – (Hebrews 11:1, ERV)

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. – (Hebrews 11:1, VOICE)

 

Though the last six weeks have often times felt like an eternity, I am assured and have faith, that our current circumstances will not last forever. I have confident hope that though I cannot yet see an end in sight, there is one. Incredibly, with God, we can be confident now in His presence AND in all that is yet to come. Though we do not see Him, the evidence of His existence is all around us. It takes but a moment of observing creation and His created, to recognize His divine handiwork on display. May we seek the Lord to grow our faith, so that we might have confident hope – absolute conviction, in the realities that we have yet to see.

 

Now faith is the hope,

In what I can’t see;

A confident trust,

In what’s yet to be.

For God grows in us,

Hope to rest assured;

That what’s yet to come,

A future secured.

Secure in goodness,

Lavished in His grace;

Ongoing presence,

For all of our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can have faith, a confident hope, in all that is yet to come, even though we cannot see the how or when that stands between now and what lies ahead. Thank You that Your presence is available always. Forgive us for our frustrations and faith that falters when the road becomes extra-long or rough. Teach us to trust Your more so that our faith will grow, as we know that our ultimate hope is held in You alone. Show us how to love those around us in practical and tangible ways that offer hope in uncertain spaces. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we place our hope in You, confident and secure, knowing that You lovingly hold our future in Your hands. Amen.

 

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

 

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. – Psalm 37:3

Undeniably Good

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. – (Psalm 34:8, NIV)

Give the Lord a chance to show you how good He is. Great blessings belong to those who depend on Him! – (Psalm 34:8, ERV)

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see – how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him. – (Psalm 34:8, MSG)

 

God is undeniably good. The last few weeks have been a bit overwhelming, yet each time I have gone to God to be my refuge and my strength, He has met me and carried me through. One of the most trying things for me as an educator, is being observed and evaluated. I am constantly evaluating what is going on in my classroom, seeking solutions to improve, yet somehow, the process of being observed always makes me feel like I cannot ever be or do enough. Anyway, yesterday was my first observation of the year. Though I was prepared and had given it to God each time anxiousness entered in, my nerves were still surging. My evaluator is kind and compassionate, and as much as it was possible, she did help set me a bit more at ease than I normally would have been. I survived, and the remainder of the day went quickly. More of God’s good was witnessed throughout the evening, as I partook in my first high school gymnastics meet as an assistant coach. The girls did well; supporting and encouraging one another with kindness and grace. In the end, my alma mater, where I coach, took first among the four schools in attendance. It was a sweet end, to a day that had once again shown me, just how good God truly is.

 

If you give God room,

He’s faithful to show;

His goodness and grace,

Blessings to bestow.

Take refuge in Him,

For there we find rest;

Comfort and His peace,

As He loves us best.

So, choose taste and see,

That the Lord is good;

Faithful forever,

His love is assured.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can look, see and experience Your goodness when we run to You. Thank You that You are our refuge and our strength. Thank You that Your faithfulness knows no end. Thank You that You are loving and kind, and have our very best in mind. Forgive us for our fears and anxiousness with the things that we cannot control. Teach us to trust You more, as You go before us and remain with us, all the days of our lives. Show us how to love those around us in ways that demonstrate Your goodness and faithfulness in tangible ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we taste and see how good You are, and take refuge in You, our blessed Redeemer. Amen.

 

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

 

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds. – Psalm 73:28

Come with Confidence

In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. – (Ephesians 3:12, NIV)

In Christ we come before God with freedom and without fear. We can do this because of our faith in Christ. – (Ephesians 3:12, ERV)

Now we can come fearlessly right into God’s presence, assured of His glad welcome when we come with Christ and trust in Him. – (Ephesians 3:12, TLB)

 

Though we fall short and are fallible, when we are rooted and established in Christ, we can approach God with freedom and confidence, knowing that He will welcome us; not because we are worthy, but because we are covered and made clean as we come with His Son. There is such comfort in knowing that we may approach our Maker, no matter how we come, and we will be heard and accepted by Him. Christ bridged the great divide between heaven and earth, and because of Him, there is no prayer too great or small to miss the ear of God. He hears and He cares, and we can be confident that He is moving on our behalf, even when we cannot see what is being done. May we hold fast to our faith and trust in the freedom and confidence that we have been granted through Christ.

It has been a strange couple of days with a lack of communication between mom and myself, as my days have been filled with back-to-school meetings and planning time with my colleagues, and my evenings booked with concerts and a football game. Not at all our usual, and it put a wrench in timing for talking. What I did happily observe, however, is that my brother-in-love took mom out for a walk in the sunshine. They made it to a park nearby, and watched a helicopter take off as they traveled. I know how much she loves and needs to be outdoors, so it was a blessing to see that she was out and enjoying the weather. We are still waiting and praying for all of the details to be coordinated for her in-home therapies, and continuing to fearlessly enter His presence with these requests.

 

Unworthy alone,

Yet covered in Christ;

Granted confidence,

As He paid the price.

His goodness and grace,

Covers all our sin;

Makes the way for us,

To pray, enter in.

For God, the Father,

Does not see our flaws; 

He sees Christ in us,

Not what our heart was.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can confidently and fearlessly come before You, because of Christ. Thank You that rather than our flaws, You see the perfection of Your Son. Forgive us for forgetting the enormity of the price that was paid for us to freely enter Your presence, or for somehow discounting the fact that it has been done. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would bring our requests before You and praise You for the work You are doing, and that which You have already done. Show us how to love those around us well, so that they may be acutely aware of Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we confidently come to You, trusting You to hear our every prayer. Amen.

 

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

 

I call on You, my God, for You will answer me; turn Your ear to me and hear my prayer. – Psalm 17:6

Way Maker

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? – (Romans 8:32, NIV)

If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing Himself to the worst by sending His own Son, is there anything else He wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? – (Romans 8:32, MSG)

For God has proved His love by giving us His greatest treasure, the gift of His Son. And since God freely offered Him up as the sacrifice for us all, He certainly won’t withhold from us anything else He has to give. – (Romans 8:32, TPT)

 

More than anyone, God understands sacrifice and suffering. In fact, because He chose the ultimate sacrifice for us all, no one is left to face life alone, and though we will endure trials and hardships in this life, we have help and hope to overcome. What we see and perceive is not the whole story. God is at work, far beyond what we can observe or comprehend. Yesterday, mom had her appointment with her new primary care physician in Oregon. We thought that through the consultation, in-home therapies could be referred out and quickly established, just as they had been in Washington. Unfortunately, that was not the case. According to insurance criteria in Oregon, mom has to see a specialist of some sort to gain a referral for her in-home care. In our limited understanding, this is frustrating, as it delays the entire process of getting mom back to work with forward momentum. Even so, God sees far more than we do. He does not withhold good. I have to believe that there is purpose in the delay, and He is making a way for something even greater than we could hope or imagine on mom’s behalf. The Lord is generous and kind, and He loves our mom even more than we do, and wants even greater things for her than us. We have to trust that He has a purpose and plan for the delay, and is making a way that is greater still than anything that we have known before. May we all trust in the Lord, who does not withhold good from us, as He loves us beyond what we can even begin to grasp.

 

O Lord, help us trust,

Photo by icon0.com on Pexels.com

Your grace is secured;

For You don’t withhold,

Your love we’re assured.

Despite what we see,

In You, there is more;

The impossible,

Become open doors.

Show us Your goodness,

Flood us with Your grace;

Fill hearts with Your peace,

As You make the way.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and that Your love endures forever. Thank You that You do not withhold any good thing from us. Thank You that You willingly and lovingly sacrificed everything to make the way for us to be with You. Forgive us for our fears and doubts, as we somehow make You small, when You are the Creator of all that exists. Teach us to trust You more, as You are our Healer, Provider, Father, Friend, and so much more. Show us how to love those around us through the seasons of waiting, so that they might be encouraged and strengthened and know how deeply they are loved. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your goodness to make the way, where it seems so difficult. Amen.

 

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

 

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. – Isaiah 42:16