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

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

The Work of Wisdom

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

Teach us how short our lives are so that we can become wise. – (Psalm 90:12, ERV)

Teach us to number our days so that we may truly live and achieve wisdom. – (Psalm 90:12, VOICE)

The older I get, the more aware I become of just how short life truly is. Each day is a gift, and we either learn and grow as we go, or life passes us by. Wisdom is the work of God in us as we seek Him to teach us more of who He is and how He calls us to love. To gain a heart of wisdom, we must be intentional to seek the Lord in all things and to trust Him as He walks beside us and leads us in the directions we are meant to go. This does not transpire overnight, but rather is a lifelong process. God has gifted me with access to wise women who have a few years more life experience than me to bless, encourage, challenge and model what it is to ever grow in wisdom. Each are acutely aware that every single day is a gift to be treasured, and their faithfulness models what an ongoing pursuit of wisdom in Him looks like. My hope for the coming year is to ever seek the Lord to grow in His wisdom so that I may walk out my days according to His purpose.

Please teach me, O Lord,

To number my days;

To grow in wisdom,

And walk in Your ways.

I need Your guidance,

Each day that I wake;

To love as You love,

And learn from mistakes.

Thank You, Lord Jesus,

That all that life brings;

Can be used for good,

Because You’re the King.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we grow and trust You more, we gain wisdom and insight in You. Thank You that You are faithful to show us how You can work all things together for our good, even when our circumstances are not. Forgive us for being flippant with our time and for the times that we have delayed in seeking You. Show us how to turn to You first in all things, and to listen to Your leading. Help us to love those around us as You do, so that all might gain glimpses of Your goodness and love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we recognize the gift that each new day brings and choose to seek You with intention so that we may continue to grow in wisdom as we go. Amen.

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

Reverence for the Eternal is the first step toward wisdom. All those who worship Him have a good understanding. His praise will echo through eternity! – Psalm 111:10

With Praise

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, …for the Mighty One has done great things for me – Holy is His Name.” – (Luke 1:46-47, 49, NIV)

Then Mary said, “I praise the Lord with all my heart. I am very happy because God is my Savior… Yes, the Powerful One has done great things for me. His Name is very holy.” – (Luke 1:46-47,49, ERV)

Mary: My soul lifts up the Lord! My spirit celebrates God, my Liberator! For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is God’s Name! – (Luke 1:46-47,49, VOICE)

A teenage girl, more than 2,000 years ago, sang these words in celebration of being chosen to bear the Savior of the world. Not only did she recognize who God is, but she also celebrated all that He has done. This is the space that I need to soak in for a while. The challenge of the last few weeks has been exhausting, yet God has been with me. He is near, and He grants me tangible reminders of who He is and how He loves. As we finish out our final school day of 2022, I want to stand in a sweet space of gratitude, for God has been good through it all. May we ever praise the Lord because He is our Savior, and give Him thanks for all that He has done and continues to do.

Lord, help me to stand,

In a grateful space;

May thankfulness reign,

As I think of Your grace.

God, You’re always good,

Even through hard times;

Ever You show us,

Your mercy and grace.

Lead us, Lord Jesus,

To give You all praise;

No matter what comes,

You’re faithful always.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so good. Thank You for who You are and how You love and bless us all. Forgive us for the times that we have forgotten the countless blessings You have poured out upon us, or how generously You love. Teach us to ever praise You for who You are and how You love, and to count our blessings on a daily basis, for You alone deserve our praise. Lead us to love those around us like You do. Help us to show goodness, kindness, and love in tangible ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we recognize the power of who You are and the goodness found in Your incredible love. Amen.

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Supply to the Seeking

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. – (Matthew 6:33, HCSB)

What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what He wants you to do. Then He will give you all these other things you need. – (Matthew 6:33, ERV)

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. – (Matthew 6:33, MSG)

When God is our priority each day, and we seek Him to lead us in what we say and do, He takes care of us. He provides as we abide. Yes, we have to do our part by taking action, but He supplies what we need in ways that go beyond human understanding. It is not something we earn, but rather as we seek Him, He shows us which way to go, and grants us what we need to get there. This holds true in every area of our lives if we allow Him room to be God of all. This is an ongoing process, as we are ever a work in progress and have limitless capacity to keep learning and growing. May we ever seek the Lord and steep our lives in His reality, His initiative and His provisions, for He is faithful to meet us with every step we take.

Choose seek first the Lord,

And all of His good;

He’s faithful always,

His love understood.

We need not worry,

Forever He’s near;

To lead and help us,

Each prayer He hears.

Keep moving forward,

In all that He asks;

He grants what’s needed,

For each step, each task.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You and Your ways, You meet us, lead us, and provide all that we need. Thank You that You are faithful forever, even when we cannot see how You are moving on our behalf. Thank You that we can look back and see just how incredibly faithful You have always been. Forgive us for our fears and lack of faith when the road before us is rough. Teach us to trust in You and to look to You to lead us. Show us how to love those around us well, so that they too are able to see Your faithful love that meets us anew each day. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You first each day, and trust You to lead us well in the ways that You want us to go. Amen.

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

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. – 2 Corinthians 9:8

Thankful for Faithful Love

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His faithful love and His wonderful works for all humanity. – (Psalm 107:8, HCSB)

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

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal in honor of His loyal love and all the wonders He has performed for humankind! – (Psalm 107:8, VOICE)

Today in particular, I am thankful to the Lord in His faithful love, for providing me the one that my heart needed. My Viking is not necessarily who I would have imagined, yet he is everything my heart is grateful for. God knows our hearts and what we need, and loves to bless us. One of my greatest blessings has been found in my spouse. He is loving and kind, protective and generous, grit and grace, strength and gentleness, and the one that has captured my heart in a way that I never knew was possible. On his birthday, I am especially grateful that God brought him into the world to be raised by his mom. She taught him the value of hard work and loyalty, has exemplified goodness and grace, balanced with discipline, and loves her kids fiercely in a way that has helped each of them to flourish in adulthood. God has done amazing things in and through each of them. May we ever praise God and give Him thanks for the loyal love He provides to us and the people whom He places in our lives to make His heart tangible.

All thanks be to God,

For goodness and grace;

The blessings He gives,

When we give Him space.

With hearts wide open,

To trust in His love;

We discover more,

Beyond and above.

God blesses our hearts,

As He does provide;

Every good gift,

Tangible inside.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful forever and You know what we need. Thank You that You bless us beyond what we could have imagined on our own, and You bring goodness and grace into our lives that make Your love tangible. Forgive us for the times that we have wondered what could come of the things before us, for You bring beauty and blessing from the difficult things in our lives. Thank You for the gift of my Viking, as he has shown me more of You as he loves me well. Show me how to love and care for those around me in ways that make Your heart known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You and thank You for the ways that You bless us all with Your loyal love. Amen.

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

You Hold My Hand

Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me up in glory. – (Psalm 73:23-24, HCSB)

But I am always with You. You hold my hand. You lead me and give me good advice, and later You will lead me to glory. – (Psalm 73:23-24, ERV)

I’m still in Your presence, but You’ve taken my hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then You bless me. – (Psalm 73:23-24, MSG)

David’s words are a reminder to us that when we choose God, He is always with us and takes our hand to lead us. As He leads, He guides us in His wisdom and tenderness and makes the eternal hope we have in Him, evident. There is much peace knowing that God is with us and will guide and advise us whenever we seek Him. Ultimately, His leading will lead us into eternal glory with Him. May we ever seek the Lord to lead and guide us, so that we may walk in His ways and become who He has created us to be.

The Lord is so good,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

He’s loving and kind;

He leads and guides us,

With His good in mind.

His hands to hold us,

As gently He leads;

His love to bless us,

As He meets our needs.

Ever God is near,

He’s present to lead;

His love knows no end,

His goodness exceeds.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You meet us as we seek You, and in love, You take our hands and lead us in the ways that we are meant to go. Thank You that Your direction is to grow and bless us so that we may love like You. Forgive us for the times that we have ignored Your leading to do things our own way. Teach us to trust and listen to You in all things and at all times, for in doing so, we come to understand the hope and help that is found in You. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your loving kindness evident. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we extend our hands to You and trust You to lead and counsel us as we walk out each new day. Amen.

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

He renews my life; He leads me along the right path for His name’s sake. – Psalm 23:3

Think About Each Other

And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works. – (Hebrews 10:24, HCSB)

We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. – (Hebrews 10:24, ERV)

Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds. – (Hebrews 10:24, VOICE)

If we take our eyes off of ourselves and take a look around us, it is easy to see the need for love, kindness and good deeds all around us. I know for me, when I am the recipient of such, I am inspired to go and do likewise. The status quo gets disrupted in the very best way, I am compelled to do differently. May we each be concerned about those around us – our family, our friends, our colleagues, and each individual we encounter in a day, to look for ways to encourage and make the day a bit brighter. Sometimes, it is as simple as extending a smile or kind word. Lord, help us to be ever listening to Your leading so that we might encourage each other and make Your goodness known.

Lord, help us to look,

Fill one another’s cup.

To see all around;

The need of others,

Let Your good be found.

Show us through Your eyes,

How each person’s seen;

Lead us in Your love,

Be encouraging.

Bring the good to mind,

That will bless, build up;

The goodness and love,

That will fill each cup.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to care well for one another. Thank You that You sent Your Son to model this for us. Thank You Jesus, that You demonstrated care, concern and encouragement in countless ways. From touching the untouchable, to feeding those who were hungry, You lived and loved in practical and tangible ways. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to follow Your leading. Teach us to trust in You and to listen in every situation and circumstance. Show us Your heart for each person we encounter and lead us to love and encourage as You would. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we look for ways to love, encourage and do good for those around us. Amen.

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

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” – John 13:34

Pray for ALL

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for everyone. – (1 Timothy 2:1, HCSB)

First of all, I ask that you pray for all people. Ask God to bless them and give them what they need. And give thanks. – (1 Timothy 2:1, ERV)

So, first and foremost, I urge God’s people to pray. They should make their requests, petitions, and thanksgivings on behalf of all humanity. – (1 Timothy 2:1, VOICE)

We are called to pray, present requests, and give thanks for everyone, and do so on their behalf. It is easy to pray for those who love us and are kind to us, yet we are called to pray for ALL people. This includes those who are unkind to us, those who slow us down; for those who frustrate or aggravate us, and for those who care little for anyone other than themselves. To pray for these requires an intentional and purposeful decision to love as God loves us. An old friend of mine, years ago, modeled this in a very practical way while we were driving somewhere. Every time someone would cut in front of us or do something foolish or frustrating, he would speak out blessing and truth, such as, “Jesus loves you!” or “May God bless you and protect you!”, even when it came out as a shout. It seemed silly at the time, yet all these years later, it still serves as a reminder for me to bless and pray for others, even those who anger us the most. Part of the process of praying for others is as much a request for us to see them as God does, as it is a choice to act in love when love is not at all what we feel. May we ever lift up and pray for all those around us, without exception.

Lord, please remind us,

To choose pray for ALL;

The bent and broken,

For this is our call.

Show us Your own heart,

For humanity;

The love that held You,

Up upon that tree.

For You have so loved,

That You gave us all;

Now our champion,

On whom we can call.

Quicken our hearts, Lord,

To love and to pray;

For ev’ry person,

Throughout each new day.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to show us what it really is to love and pray for all. On the cross, Jesus prayed for those who hung Him there. Forgive us for our frustration and lack of love for those who need love the most. Show us how to pray for and bless everyone whom we encounter. Change hearts and lives to reflect Your love to the world. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we pray for and bless others as You have modeled for and equipped us to do. Amen.

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

Father, I pray that all who believe in Me can be one. You are in Me and I am in You. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that You sent Me. – John 17:21

Generously and Faithfully

“They don’t need to go away,” Jesus told them. “You give them something to eat.” “But we only have five loaves and two fish here,” they said to Him. “Bring them here to Me,” He said. – (Matthew 14:16-18, HCSB)

Jesus said, “The people don’t need to go away. You give them some food to eat.” The followers answered, “But we only have five loaves of bread and two fish.” Jesus said, “Bring the bread and fish to Me.” – (Matthew 14:16-18, ERV)

Jesus: They don’t need to go back to the villages in order to eat supper. Give them something to eat here.

Disciples: But we don’t have enough food. We only have five rounds of flatbread and two fish.

Jesus: Bring the bread and fish to Me. 

So the disciples brought Him the five rounds of flatbread and the two fish. – (Matthew 14:16-18, VOICE)

This passage is an excellent reminder of how God can supply all that we need and more when we trust Him with what we do have, especially when we seek to be generous. Though I have not personally witnessed five loaves and two fish feeding thousands, I have seen God do immeasurably more than I could have hoped or imagined when I placed what I had to offer in His hands. He takes what we have and makes it enough. This is true with our time, talent and resources. We are called to love and give, and as we do, God supplies for both the giver and the recipient. May we ever seek the Lord to be our supply, for He is generous and kind, and faithful to meet us as we stand in faith.

In Christ there’s enough,

Our Source and Supply;

He takes what we bring,

And then multiplies.

The Lord is the One,

Who sees ev’ry need;

Then takes what’s offered,

And makes it exceed.

Exceed what is seen,

Go beyond what’s known;

The Multiplier,

Of each seed that’s sown.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have shown us how You can take the little that we have to offer and use it to bless many. Thank You that You see every offering and hear every prayer. Forgive us for our fears and doubts, for You are always enough. Teach us to trust You with all so that we might give generously and live faithfully. Show us how to love in tangible ways so that those around us might come to know the goodness of Your love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we place all that we have and all that we are into Your hands, for in You, there is enough. Amen.

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

God gave us this command: If we love God, we must also love each other as brothers and sisters. – 1 John 4:21