Singing Over Us

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. – (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)

The Lord your God is with you. He is like a powerful soldier. He will save you. He will show how much He loves you and how happy He is with you. He will laugh and be happy about you. – (Zephaniah 3:17, ERV)

Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He’ll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs. – (Zephaniah 3:17, MSG)

Though this passage was about Jerusalem being reconciled back to God, His heart for us is the same. As we turn and depend on Him, God saves us and delights in us. His love rejoices over us with His songs. I don’t know about you, but spring always seems to present extra challenges. At school, students amp up and struggle to stay focused, and personally, it seems to be the season that challenges transpire. Currently, the biggest challenge is mom’s recovery from a broken hip. She is a warrior, but this is far more than she signed up for. God is faithful, and we trust Him to lead her every step of the way, and to provide the encouragement she needs each new day. There is great comfort in Christ’s love, and the image of Him singing over us is beyond what my mind can conceive. His goodness, mercy, grace, kindness, and love surround us and bring us peace as we turn to Him. May we ever seek the Lord to be with us, to save us, to calm us, and to delight in us with His songs.

A peace far beyond,

What our minds conceive;

Love that surrounds us,

As we choose believe.

The Lord is our strength,

The One who can save;

His goodness granted,

Our sins He forgave.

Over us He sings,

With a Father’s love;

Joy unimagined,

Our hope from above.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the Mighty Warrior who saves us. Thank You that You love us, bring us Your peace, and sing over us with joy. Forgive us for losing sight of how great You are and how abundant Your love is for us all. Teach us to lean into You when life becomes challenging, for You are the strength that we need to press on. Show us how to love and encourage those around us well. 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 and embrace the goodness You give as You care for us as only You can. Amen.

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

I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing the praises of Your Name, O Most High. – Psalm 9:2

Love and Comfort

May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant. – (Psalm 119:76, NIV)

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

Now let Your unfailing love be my comfort, in keeping with Your promise to Your servant. – (Psalm 119:76, VOICE)

Yesterday, God was so faithful to be near me as I had my first surgical procedure done. What could have been many steps, layers, and hours, was instead completed in one deep cut and an hour and a half. His peace was with me, even in discomfort, and last night, I slept well. As I am up this morning before surgery number two, I am amazed that I have no pain at all; granted, I am merely sitting and unable to have my usual coffee, but in the just sitting with Thor beside me, I am good. I am grateful that today’s process involves sedation, as I should not remember nor feel anything. My hope and prayers are that the healing process is quick and tolerable, as we will be traveling in a few days to spend a bit of time with my mom, sister, and family. I am holding to the promise that God will continue to be my comfort and grant me strength and peace to be able to enjoy the time together. His promises are true, and His faithfulness knows no end, so I am holding closely all that He says in my heart and mind. May we ever seek the Lord to be our comfort, for His unfailing love remains present with us.

O God, You are good,

No matter what comes;

Your promises true,

The Most Holy One.

You are our comfort,

Our true place of peace;

Most generously,

Your love is released.

You are the goodness,

Throughout all our days;

The hope we can hold,

Both now and always.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your unfailing love is our comfort and peace. Thank You that You are faithful to go before us, remain with us, and make Your nearness known. Forgive us for allowing our fears to find a foothold rather than trust You completely. Teach us to cling to You, our anchor, through all that comes our way. Show us how to love those around us like You do, so that we may share the same comfort and love that we are given. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we hold fast to Your promises and receive Your overwhelming love. Amen.

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

I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. – Psalm 31:7

Shifting Seasons

Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the Lord your God, because He gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain as before. – (Joel 2:23, HCSB)

So be happy, people of Zion. Be joyful in the Lord your God. He is good and will give you rain. He will send the early rains and late rains as before. – (Joel 2:23, ERV)

People of Zion, shout with joy and happiness in the Eternal, your God; the drought is over; He has sent the early autumn rain as a sign of His faithfulness. He has poured down heavy rain, autumn and spring, as before. – (Joel 2:23, VOICE)

Living in the Pacific Northwest, these words resonate with me. Right now, we are enjoying a typically extended summer. Though summer did not begin until after the 4th of July, it usually continues until the close of September. That being said, the chill of fall is in the air in the mornings. For those of us who love summer, there is a bit of mourning as the seasons shift. This passage is a great reminder that the rain that though it will come, for it always does, is a gift from God. Seldom has our area had issues with water shortage. The rains that come truly are a gift, for they are what keep our area so green throughout the year. My takeaway is simply to recognize and appreciate the shift in seasons as a gift, for it is a reminder that God is faithful.

As autumn rains come,

For they always do;

Know that God’s faithful,

As His grace shines through.

The rains have purpose,

Blessings from above;

In season, water,

That shows us His love.

The lush of the green,

Ev’rywhere surrounds;

Reminders of God,

Where true hope is found.

So, let us give thanks,

As the seasons shift;

For God’s faithfulness,

As our praise we lift.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to supply what we need in every season. Thank You that You grant us rain in the fall and springtime to help things grow and thrive. Help us to remember that You do the same for our hearts as we seek You. Forgive us for begrudgingly trudging through seasonal shifts, for we would not fully appreciate the glory of summer without the gray, rainy days. Teach us to love those around us in ways that bring refreshment and new life. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your faithful provision in each new season. Amen.

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

He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. – Psalm 104:19

Worth the Wait

Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, as You promised. For my eyes have seen Your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples – a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel. – (Luke 2:28-32, HCSB)

Simeon took the baby in his arms and thanked God: “Now, Lord, You can let me, Your servant, die in peace as You said. I have seen with my own eyes how You will save Your people. Now all people can see Your plan. He is a light to show Your way to the other nations. And He will bring honor to Your people Israel.” – (Luke 2:28-32, ERV)

Simeon cradled the baby in his arms and praised God and prophesied: “Lord and Master, I am Your loving servant, and now I can die content, for You have fulfilled Your promise to me. With my own eyes I have seen Your Word, the Savior You sent into the world. He will be glory for Your people Israel, and the Revelation-Light for all people everywhere!” – (Luke 2:28-32, TPT)

Imagine the joy, wonder and awe that Simeon must have felt as he took Jesus into his arms to bless Him, only to have God reveal to him that the baby he was holding was the Savior of the world. God had promised Simeon that he would not die before seeing the Savior with his own eyes. At this point, Simeon was an old man who had faithfully served, waited and trusted that God would do what He’d said He would do. What a joy in the fulfillment, and what a wonder to behold the promised Messiah in his own arms. The faithfulness of God has not changed. What He has promised, He will fulfill to those who trust and wait on Him. Sometimes, the promises are fulfilled quickly, yet other times, we may wait much of our lives to see the fulfillment of something that God has promised. For all of us, God has given each of us a plan and a purpose, a hope and a future. Our charge is to listen, wait and trust as we move forward each day in all that God has called us to do. If it is to serve, serve with all your heart; if it is to love, love with all your heart; whatever it is, do all as unto the Lord. May we ever seek the Lord with trust and anticipation, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill each promise that He makes, no matter how long it takes.

The blessing that comes,

Through trust in the Lord;

Promises fulfilled,

All grace He affords.

The Lord is faithful,

What He says, He’ll do;

His answers will come,

He will follow through.

Sometimes it’s quickly,

Other times seem slow;

God’s time is perfect,

For the best, He knows.

God, help us to trust,

To wait with Your grace;

For all that You say,

Will fall into place.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have shown us again and again that You are faithful to fulfill Your promises. Thank You that what seems slow to us, is actually Your perfectly planned time. Forgive us for our lack of patience when answers seem slow or promises seem far from fulfilled. Teach us to trust You and wait with faith like Simeon’s. Lead us to love those around us faithfully, for that is one thing that You have purposed for us all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You in the waiting and remain faithful to do all that You call us to do each new day. Amen.

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

On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” – Isaiah 25:9

Working All For Good

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. – (Romans 8:28, NIV)

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him. These are the people God chose, because that was His plan. – (Romans 8:28, ERV)

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. – (Romans 8:28, VOICE)

It is critical to both know and trust this is true in our lives, especially in times of uncertainty or when anxiety begins to rise. I do not know what I will be walking into in the coming school year, as I will again be teaching a new grade and new curriculum. With ever-changing conditions and circumstances, on top of new material, I am again in a space of feeling like a brand new teacher, despite my previous twenty-four years in my career thus far. New can be exciting, but it also makes me anxious, as I want to know what I am doing so that I can do the best possible job of helping kids learn and grow. On my end, I am doing all that I can to prepare, and have to trust that God has me in this space for this time for a purpose. He uses things for good, so I have to trust that I have something to offer and He has something good in store for me. May we ever lean into the Lord and place our trust and confidence in Him, for He is able to bring good and beauty out of spaces of uncertainty.

In everything,

God can create good;

Sunshine after storms,

Grace not understood.

His love never ends,

And His mercy, new;

Each day as we rise,

He’ll show us what’s true.

In love, He will lead,

Show us steps to take;

Heal and build us up,

Despite our mistakes.

So, trust in the Lord,

He’ll use all for good;

As He shows us new,

Where only He could.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You work all things out for the good of those who love You. Thank You that You can take circumstances and situations that seem dismal or difficult, and turn them into something amazing and beautiful. Forgive us for our fears and doubts as we enter the new and unknown. Remind us of Your presence anew each day, and show us clearly how to walk in Your way. Teach us how to love those around us well, so that they may come to understand the hope, help and peace that is found in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and trust You to work all things out for good. Amen.

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

But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your Name may rejoice in You. – Psalm 5:11

Joy in Knowing

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. – (Habakkuk 3:18, NIV)

But I will still be glad in the Lord and rejoice in God my Savior. – (Habakkuk 3:18, ERV)

Then I will still rejoice in the Eternal! I will rejoice in the God who saves me! – (Habakkuk 3:18, VOICE)

Joy is not meant to be dependent on our circumstances, but rather in whom we place our trust. No matter what comes our way, there is still joy in knowing God and trusting in the truth of His promises. His goodness is not dependent on what is taking place, but rather He is good, because He is God. Our salvation alone is reason to rejoice. The hope that is found in knowing God brings joy even when our circumstances are difficult. I imagine many of us can think of moments that we were abundantly aware of joy in Him, despite all that has taken place in the last year plus of the pandemic. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and is evidence as we journey with Jesus. May we ever rejoice in the Lord, our Giver of joy, as we water the soil to grow deep roots in Him and allow His hands to prune and produce good fruit as we place our hope in Him.

No matter what comes,

There’s joy to be found;

It’s not a feeling,

But fruit that is sound.

True joy’s from within,

Found in knowing Christ;

Praise and thanks go forth,

As in trust, we rise.

So, let us rejoice,

Give thanks to the King;

Our true Source of joy,

Through love that He brings.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we have reason to rejoice in You, no matter what surrounds us. Thank You that joy is a fruit of the Spirit, something that You nourish and grow in our lives as we trust and invest in You. Forgive us for limiting joy based on our happiness with our circumstances. Teach us to find joy in You, no matter what is taking place around us. Show us how to love everyone in a way that encourages joy on the journey, no matter how rocky the road. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You and rejoice in You, for Your goodness and love make joy rise within. Amen.

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

Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. – Psalm 90:14

How Faithful Your Love

Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. – (Psalm 90:14, NIV)

Fill us with Your love every morning. Let us be happy and enjoy our lives. – (Psalm 90:14, ERV)

Let the sunrise of Your love end our dark night. Break through our clouded dawn again! Only You can satisfy our hearts, filling us with songs of joy to the end of our days. – (Psalm 90:14, TPT)

When we seek the Lord in the morning, He is faithful to meet us and show us His great love that never fails. Each morning, the sunrise is my reminder of both His power and His nearness. As I begin my day with God, I find joy that sets a song in my heart and grants me gladness that remains with me throughout the day. Even on the days that clouds are thick and dark, His light appears and brings the day into being. May we ever seek our Savior to show us His love anew, and find joy and gladness in His faithfulness.

Lord, in the morning,

As I seek Your face;

You grant me mercy,

Goodness, love and grace.

As the sun rises,

You show us anew;

How faithful Your love,

Each promise is true.

May songs ever rise,

Let us worship You;

For all that You are,

And all that You do.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You bless and satisfy us with Your love each morning, and fill our hearts with joy that is lasting. Forgive us for not pausing to recognize Your loving faithfulness and goodness each time we recognize Your presence. Teach us to posture ourselves before You to receive the abundance of Your loving kindness and help our hearts to sing praise to You. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness and kindness abundantly clear. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we receive Your goodness anew each morning and give our praise unto You all throughout the day. Amen.

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

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies. – Psalm 36:5

Take Joy in the Journey

For You make me glad by Your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what Your hands have done. How great are Your works, Lord, how profound Your thoughts! – (Psalm 92:4-5, NIV)

No wonder I’m so glad; I can’t keep it in! Lord, I’m shouting with glee over all You’ve done for me: what mighty miracles and Your power at work – just to name a few! Depths of purpose and layers of meaning saturate everything You do. – (Psalm 92:4-5, TPT)

Because You, O Eternal One, thrill me with the things You have done, I will sing with joy in light of Your deeds. Your works are marvelous, O Eternal One! Your thoughts are unfathomable. – (Psalm 92:4-5, VOICE)

Each new day, we have a choice – we can either focus on our struggles, or we can take joy in the faithfulness of God. Some days, this is more difficult than others. This morning as I woke from a very restless night’s sleep, I found myself frustrated and grumpy. It took little time to ponder how God has provided for what my heart has needed, and I could not help but smile and find myself aware of how God works on our behalf. God’s thoughts and plans are not our own, and He can use every test as a testimony. If I pause and reflect, there have been countless times that the Lord has taken my struggles and turned them into strengths, and He has turned my trials into triumphs. In the midst of my challenges, I must remember that God is faithful and is ever working on my behalf. He does a work in my heart as well, and leads me through whatever obstacle lies before me. The Lord is loving and kind, working mightily in us, before us, and through us, even in the moments that we are oblivious to how He might move. May we ever praise the Lord for His love and faithfulness, even when we cannot see how He will work things out.

The work of Your hands,

Is faithful and true;

You help and hold us,

As You lead us through.

My heart sings for joy,

At all You have done;

Our loving Father,

The Most Holy One.

Help us to reflect,

Remember with praise;

Your presence and help,

Miraculous ways.

Lead us with Your love,

When we cannot see;

How things will work out,

May we trust in Thee.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are loving and kind, and that Your ways are so much higher than our own. Thank You that You work on our behalf, and lead us through the deserts and valleys that are a part of our journey. Forgive us for not lifting praise when troubles come; for You are always worthy. Teach us to depend on You in faith, and to ever praise You for what You have done, are doing, and will continue to do. Show us how to love those around us in tangible ways that make Your heart evident to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for who You are and all that You have done, trusting that You will forever remain our faithful Father. Amen.

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

But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. – Psalm 5:11

Faithful Reign

Be glad people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains as before. – (Joel 2:23, NIV) 

So be happy people of Zion. Be joyful in the Lord your God. He is good and will give you rain. He will send the early rains and the late rains as before. – (Joel 2:23, ERV) 

People of Zion, shout with joy and happiness in the Eternal, your God; The drought is over; He has sent the early autumn rain as a sign of His faithfulness. He has poured down heavy rain, autumn and spring, as before. – (Joel 2:23, VOICE) 

Friday afternoon, I imagine many of us could relate to this verse in Joel, as the skies opened up and poured down a deluge of refreshing, cleansing rain. Though it was not to save our crops as it was back then, it was a tremendous aid in cleansing the smoke-filled air, all over our area. By yesterday afternoon, we were celebrating His goodness as we could again see blue sky and defined clouds, rather than a smokey haze all around us. The air quality went from unsafe to normal overnight. There is joy in Him, as He is the One who sends the rain and shows us His faithfulness, again and again. May we ever seek Him and praise Him to provide all that we need; for He is faithful forever. 

O Lord, send Your rain, 

For You know our need; 

You cover and bless, 

As You’re sought, You meet. 

Please reign in our lives, 

So love and light show; 

Cleanse us and lead us, 

Let Your heart be known. 

For goodness and grace, 

We ever give praise; 

Trusting in You Lord, 

Throughout all our days. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give us tangible reminders of how You cleanse and bless and provide. Thank You that You reign, regardless of what we see around us. Forgive us for our lack of faith or trust in spaces that seem beyond our understanding. Teach us to trust and rely on You more. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness and provision known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You and praise You for Your faithful reign in our lives. Amen. 

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

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. – Psalm 97:1

Rise and Seek

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your word. – (Psalm 119:147, NIV) 

I get up early in the morning to pray to You. I trust what You say. – (Psalm 119:147, ERV) 

Before the day dawns, I’ll be crying out for help and wrapping Your words into my life. – (Psalm 119:147, TPT) 

Each morning, I am intentional to rise early and seek the Lord before I begin my day. Planned purposeful time sets my heart and mind on Him, and reminds me anew of who God is and how He loves and cares for us. The more I trust Him, the more I find hope as the day unfolds. Even when trials come, He is near and His word is hidden in my heart to remind me of the truth that I can always trust. May we ever seek the Lord at the start of each new day, and place our trust in all that He has to say. 

Each day I choose rise, 

To call on the Lord; 

Set my heart and mind, 

On truth He’s outpoured. 

For as we choose seek, 

And trust in His word; 

His faithfulness shown, 

And goodness is heard. 

Let us choose to wake, 

And pray unto God; 

He’ll meet as we seek, 

Despite how we’re flawed. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You meet us each morning as we rise and seek You. Thank You that You do not have qualifiers for us to come before You. Thank You that You are faithful to meet us as we call on Your Name, and You renew our trust as we spend time with You. Forgive us for allowing the worries of the world to take our attention off of You, the One who is the solution. Teach us to trust You more, so that we ever rise and seek You, the Provider of truth. Show us how to love those around us well, so that all might understand that You are worthy of all of our trust. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You anew each day, and trust in all that You lovingly say. Amen. 

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

But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who long for Your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!” – Psalm 70:4