Trust Beyond

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” – (Mark 10:27, NIV)

Jesus looked at them and said, “That is something people cannot do, but God can. He can do anything.” – (Mark 10:27, ERV)

Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.” – (Mark 10:27, MSG)

Our God is the God of possibilities. Though things may be impossible for us on our own, with God, anything is possible. The Creator of the universe and of each one of us, is not limited by human understanding. He sees far beyond what we can see, and He knows the outcome before things have even begun. The longer we follow Jesus, the more we grow to understand that all things are possible with Him. His thought are higher than our thoughts, and His ways are far beyond what we can imagine with our own limitations. God sees and knows what is possible when we trust in Him and makes a way where there seems to be no way. May we ever seek Him with a child-like faith, trusting Him, not what we can see or imagine.

The impossible,

Our reality;

When we look beyond,

What our eyes can see.

For God’s perfect plans,

Surpass our own reach;

Only possible,

Through the One we seek.

In Him there is more,

His strength limitless;

He makes mountains smooth,

His love is endless.

Lord, help us to trust,

For in You, there’s more;

As You see beyond,

And open new doors.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your ways are higher than ours, and Your thoughts – beyond what we could begin to imagine. Thank You that nothing is impossible with You. Forgive us for our uncertainty and fears, for we only see in part all that truly could be. Teach us to trust You boldly, so that we walk forward in faith into all that You are leading us into. Show us how to love and encourage those around us in ways that spur on hope and trust in You for all that lies ahead. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to grow our trust and teach us to look beyond what we can see. Amen.

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

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. – Job 37:5

Ponder the Pain

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, He took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life!” – (Matthew 20:17-19, NIV)

Jesus was going to Jerusalem. His twelve followers were with Him. While they were walking, He gathered the followers together and spoke to them privately. He said to them, “We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the leading priests and the teachers of the law, and they will say He must die. They will hand Him over to the foreigners, who will laugh at Him and beat Him with whips, and then they will kill Him on a cross. But on the third day after His death, He will be raised to life again.” – (Matthew 20:17-19, ERV)

 

As I opened my Bible application to read the passage for today, I was taken aback as I realized our nearness to Easter, and the significance of the passage presented. It has taken all of my fortitude to simply keep current on what day of the week it is, and recognize which particular date corresponds on the calendar, (with loads of helpful reminders from modern technology) let alone look further forward than a day or two. This passage, however, jolted my head and heart back to the reality of the sacred remembrance of this season. Jesus boldly and willingly went to Jerusalem, knowing what stood before Him. The love within Him was far greater than the human desire to detour away from pain and suffering. Jesus chose the agonizing road, so that we could have life, light, hope, love and freedom in Him. I imagine the days leading up to the cross seemed agonizingly long. He knew what He had to do, yet He could not stop preparing and living and loving, leading up to that point in time, when all of the sin, shame and suffering of the world would be His to bear on our behalf. There are a million directions my mind could go when I ponder the pain He endured for me. This morning, my thought is simply that if He could continue in living and loving, knowing that He would have to endure so much suffering; how much more ought we choose to live and love with hope, knowing that our present circumstances will not remain as they are forever. Though we do not know the end date, and have disappointments and losses and reasons to grieve, we also have reason to live and love and spread hope through extending the very same kindness that Christ has granted to us. May we take pause and ponder the purpose of this season, as we observe new life sprouting and taking root all around us. He is risen, and hope is here.

 

Even in darkness,

Light finds its way in;

Buds begin blooming,

As springtime begins.

In our rough seasons,

We are not alone;

Christ’s gone before us,

Each pain He has known.

And just when darkness,

Seemed it would not end;

His death on the cross,

Then He rose again…

From out of the grave,

Three days He had lain;

Christ resurrected,

Hope rose once again.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You came and chose the painful road on our behalf, because You love so deeply. Thank You that Your life, death and resurrection made the way for life, hope and love for us all. Forgive us for allowing our present darkness to overshadow the light of all that You have done and continue to do for us and in us. Show us how to love those around us in ways that offer love, light, life and hope in the same way that You do for us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the incredible sacrifice that You made on our behalf, and the love that carried You down that difficult road. Amen.

 

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

 

So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. – Hebrews 9:28

To Bear Good Fruit

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)

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard- things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. – (Galatians 5:22-23, MSG)

 

Social media has been a valuable tool for me to stay connected with friends all over the world. I delight in sharing bits of life with those who are too far away to see in person. Sadly, there are those who use it to lash out in anger at anyone who does not share the same opinion on current “hot topics”. When words are exchanged in anger, without seeking the Spirit to be in the center, greater divisions grow between those who formerly considered one another friends. My hope is to be a purveyor of peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, rather than a wrecking ball. May we ever seek the Lord and the fruit that His Spirit within us produces, instead of allowing said fruit to drop off and rot away.

 

God is our compass,

His love points the way;

To love as He loves,

Let Him in to stay.

Through Him we bear fruit,

That blesses with peace;

Choose give love away,

With reckless release.

Freely and boldly,

Give peace, love and joy;

Patience and kindness,

Gentleness employ.

Let’s choose self-control,

Not seek to be right;

There’s not a winner,

When we aren’t polite.

Let’s seek to listen,

Choose peace and be kind;

More is accomplished,

When hearts are aligned.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You, You grow in us that which is meant to be shared with others. Thank You that the fruit You plant is good. Forgive us for allowing that which has been planted within us to rot and waste away rather than be used to nourish the people whom You place all around us. Teach us how to operate in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us so that Your fruit may be evident to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to love in a way that bears Your fruit. Amen.

 

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

 

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3

 

 

Seek to Receive

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – (Hebrews 4:16, NIV) 

 

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. Then we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. – (Hebrews 4:16, ERV) 

So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. – (Hebrews 4:16, TPT)

There are days that I seem to be more readily available to receive the grace that is desperately needed to navigate than others. I know there is nothing that we can or cannot do to be more or less worthy of receiving His grace and mercy, yet I think our intentionality to approach His throne directly affects the help that we receive; for when we seek, we find. If we do not ask, we are actually attempting to power through on our own. Lately, I have been intentional to pray over the day as I drop my boys off at school. I begin by asking for protection over them – body, heart and mind, and for them to be blessed and a blessing to and by those around them. From there, I begin lifting up my day – my students, my colleagues, lesson plans, classroom environment, and the like. Though I am uncertain as to whether or not there has been a change in students, I feel like there is a shift for me. Perhaps I am simply more aware of the grace I am being granted to get through each day. Whatever the shift, it matters. May we boldly approach Love’s throne for the grace and mercy we need; for He is faithful to meet us and provide the strength and grace to carry us through.

When mercy and grace, 

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography<3

Are needed the most; 

Go to the Lord’s throne, 

He’s a loving host. 

With kindness and grace, 

He hears our heart’s cry; 

His love lifts us up, 

He’s ever nearby. 

So, run to the Lord, 

Let Him know the need; 

His grace will cover, 

And His love shall lead. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy and grace that welcomes us as we come to You. Thank You that You hear our every prayer, and meet us wherever we are. Forgive us for attempting to power through on our own, rather than seeking You for all that we need. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would know Your ongoing faithfulness forever. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends Your kindness and grace where it is needed most. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we approach Your throne for the mercy and grace we need each day. Amen.

 

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

 

Overcoming Power

“He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told you back in Galilee, that the son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day.” – (Luke 24:6-7, NLT)

 

Grief does funny things to our ability to think clearly. I can only begin to imagine the weight of the sorrow shared by those who had walked closely beside Jesus, prior to His crucifixion. Despite His having told those dear to Him what had to happen, and what would happen after, if they were anything like most of us, they probably could not grasp anything beyond His having to die. Even more surreal to see in one’s mind, is the arrival at the empty tomb. What began as shock, horror, and perhaps even outrage that Jesus’ body was missing, was quickly turned to worshipful awe, as they were greeted by angels who told them what had happened. It had to have been quite a sight to see, if the first words from those whom God had sent, was, “Don’t be afraid.” I envision it being a two-fold extension of kindness. Don’t be afraid of us, and do not be afraid of what you do not see. It did not take long for the truth that they had been told prior to Jesus’ death to be recalled, and suddenly, everything changed. Mourning turned to gladness, and sorrow surrendered to great joy! Jesus had risen! May we rise this day and remember the reason for the festivities. The Light of the world defeated death and conquered the grave so that we could have life everlasting in Him.

 

Two days of darkness,

Then third day, He rose;

Defeating the grave,

All hope to disclose.

Greeted by angels,

At the empty tomb;

Awe and amazement,

Minds blown at the truth.

Though He had foretold,

Was hard to believe;

No more was Christ dead,

He’d risen indeed.

What joy they had found,

Their sorrow, no more;

Jesus has risen,

Worship and adore!

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You did not stop at the death on the cross on our behalf, but You showed us Your power as You defeated death and overcame the grave so that we could have life everlasting in You. Thank You that the very same power that conquered the grave is available to all who trust in You. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to defeat our resolve, rather than turning to trust in You. Teach us to trust You more, as You alone have the power to carry us through every circumstance. Show us how to live and love boldly, as we have been given all that we need to love as You love us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to fill us so that we may live and love in the overcoming power You place in each of us. Amen.

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

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. – Psalm 54:8

Boldly Come

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV)

 

The second chapter of the book for my book study, Adventurous Prayer, began with the verse above. It is easy to forget that we are invited to come boldly – without hesitation or fear; courageously – to the very presence of God to gain His grace and mercy as we are in need. His invitation is extended, and His promise is eternal. Let us rise up in courage and approach the Lord with our every need, trusting that He is for us and ready to be our help and our hope.

 

May we boldly go,

To the throne of grace;

As hearts are in need,

Let us seek His face.

For as we choose seek,

We surely shall find;

the mercy and grace,

Of our Lord, Divine.

So ask without fear,

Have courage to pray;

Our God is gracious,

His love lights the way.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You invite us to come boldly before You. Thank You that You are merciful and full of grace, and that You are our help in times of need. Forgive us for not seeking or trusting in our troubles, and teach us to trust You more. Help us to know how near You are, so that we would come boldly before You, no matter what we are facing. Show us how to love in a way that extends Your mercy and grace to all those around us, so that they too might see Your heart for them, individually. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come boldly before You, trusting in Your grace and mercy in our times of need. Amen.

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

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. – Psalm 34:8

Embracing 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)

Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone – and see – a new life has begun! – (2 Corinthians 5:17, VOICE)

 

Whether we have been rooted in Christ for many years, or it is relatively new, life takes us through seasons. Inevitably, there will always come a season where we must struggle through something – be it a trial, a loss, a refining process, or simply a season of something new that creates challenge as we attempt to adapt and navigate as we have been called. Sometimes in the seasons of struggle, we must be reminded that we are no longer who we’ve been, and that He is leading us into something new that is ultimately for our good. May we embrace the truth that we are a new creation in Christ, and trust Him to provide new life in every area where light is difficult to find.

 

In that broken space,

where light seems but lost;

help our hearts to trust,

no matter the cost.

Despite what we see,

Your presence is real;

move on our behalf,

in You, hearts shall heal.

Let us each reach out,

in our brokenness;

allowing Your grace,

move in tenderness.

Thank You that this space,

is not where we’ll be;

for we have the hope,

of eternity.

No matter what’s now,

better‘s yet to come;

for Christ shall make new,

brand new day begun.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are made new in You. Thank You that the old sinful and broken self has been washed away, and we are being made new and whole in You. Thank You that despite the seasons that we walk through, You are present, and You use each one to lead us deeper in our walk with You. Forgive us for reverting to that fearful space in seasons that don’t make sense. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would walk boldly in You, trusting that You will lead us each step of the way – no matter what comes. Show us how to love others in such a way, that they too might see the hope found in our new life in You. May many choose to invest their lives in relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we turn away from the old and embrace the new that You are calling us into. Amen.

A song that really hits home for me regarding this process of embracing the new after walking through an extraordinary difficult season is, Tell Your Heart to Beat Again by Danny Gokey. (click highlighted text to listen.)

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

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. – Psalm 145:8

Strength and Peace

The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, NLT)

May the Lord make His people strong. May the Lord bless His people with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, ERV)

We ask You, Eternal One, to give strength to Your people; Eternal One, bless them with the gift of peace. – (Psalm 29:11, VOICE)

 

When I read a passage of scripture, I often opt to read multiple translations of the text. Often, I find new insight or perhaps a perspective that I had not seen before, as His word further comes to life through time invested. This morning is no exception. What I love about the above verse and the three different translations, is that the truth that is being expressed is the same, yet how it is conveyed seems to take on a variation in purpose. All three are clear in that God gives both strength and peace to those who are His. How that message is expressed, seems to have three different purposes in the three different translations.

The first, “The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.” (NIV) is a solid statement of faith. God is, and He does. The second, “May the Lord make His people strong. May the Lord bless His people with peace.” (ERV) feels more like a blessing or a benediction. Lastly, the final translation, “We ask You, Eternal One, to give strength to Your people; Eternal One, bless them with the gift of peace.” (VOICE) very much is presented as a prayer. The words are full of encouragement, whether as a statement, blessing or prayer. God is indeed our source of strength and peace, and He blesses us with both when we seek Him. May we lift our eyes to the Lord and trust in His unfailing love, allowing His strength and peace to be poured out upon us as we go forth.

 

The Lord is our strength,

our blessing of peace;

when all is awry,

He is our release.

Always He’s faithful,

our hope is assured;

our lives in His hands,

where future’s secured.

Let His peace come reign,

as He makes us strong;

let our very lives,

sing out His love song.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give us strength and You bless us with peace. Thank You that when we belong to You, we can come to You in prayer, we can boldly state the truth, and we can speak Your words over others too. Forgive us for not seeking or resisting what You are offering. Teach us to trust You more, as You are our Source of strength and peace, and the place where we find rest and restoration within our hearts and minds. Show us how to live and love so that we may offer strength and peace to people who do not yet know You. May many be drawn into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we embrace the blessings of Your strength and peace that You pour out upon us. Amen.

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

Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. – James 5:13

Come Boldly

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find the grace to help us when we need it most. – (Hebrews 4:16, NLT)

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. – (Hebrews 4:16, ERV)

 

Today is certainly a day to come boldly before His throne. This is the last school day before we begin spring break, and the weather is again, expected to exceed seventy degrees. The level of crazy among middle schoolers is at an all-time high, and the amount of mercy and grace needed by this weary teacher, is tangible. It has been the longest week that I have had in a very long time, as our gymnastics season just came to an end, and there has been something every evening this week. All of the busy has been good, just a bit exhausting. His grace has covered me in extraordinary ways already, as I have been migraine-free this week, despite a serious lack of sleep. This, in and of itself, is a remarkable gift of grace. Kids are weary as well. Some are eager for the plans that their families have made in the coming week, yet others, are anxious at the uncertainty of where they will be obtaining meals, concerned about how they will be treated, or overwhelmed by the weight of responsibilities that they will be expected to bear. The kindness, mercy and grace that He gives, is the very same gift that needs to be passed on to these kids in their spaces of uncertainty. May we each seek the Lord and His mercy and grace, and then go forth and extend the same to all others who share our space.

 

Let us boldly come,

to His throne of grace;

where mercy’s received,

as we seek His face.

The grace that He gives,

is more than enough;

our help in our need,

strength when times are tough.

And as we depend,

on our great High Priest;

we too offer grace,

as agents of peace.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that because of Your Son, we can boldly approach Your throne and receive mercy and grace when we need it most. Thank You that You give us what we need, and are our help and our strength. Forgive us for attempting to power through things on our own, or for not trusting You to be enough to see us through our space of need. Teach us to trust You more. Show us how to rely on You to be our strength and supply, so that we too, may go forth and extend Your grace and mercy to those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love and honor You in our seeking and extending of the truth. Amen.

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

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. – Job 8:21

Come Boldly

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. – (Hebrews 4:16, NLT)

 

It is easy for me to get so busy in the routine of my day, that I don’t realize how desperately I am in need of His grace. Often, He has already given it, which is why I am still standing, yet when I take pause and set my sight on Him, I recognize how much I need His grace, mercy and ongoing presence in order to navigate an ordinary day in His way. God is always available. He never leaves; He patiently waits for us to come. Our charge is to seek Him, as God is gracious and full of mercy. His arms are wide open and He is ready to grant us what is needed to faithfully honor Him in all that we do. May we boldly approach the throne of God, ready to receive His mercy and grace, as He loves us through the trials and triumphs of all of our days.

 

With boldness, let’s seek,

the throne of our God;

for that’s where our hearts,

hear heaven’s applaud.

All thanks for mercy,

gratitude for grace;

that He freely gives,

when we seek His face.

Whatever our need,

He comes where we are;

He holds hands and hearts,

collects tears in jars.

Our great gracious God,

gives hope in our need;

He helps and He loves,

our hungry soul feeds.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can come boldly before Your throne. Thank You that as we do, You grant us Your grace and mercy to help us when we need it most. Forgive us for trying to navigate our trials on our own, rather than seeking You and Your strength. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would boldly and with unwavering faith, come to You with our trials and triumphs, thankful that You are with us in all things. Show us how to love those around us in a tangible way, so that they may find mercy, grace and hope through how we love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come boldly before You in all things and at all times, trusting You to be our help and our hope. Amen.

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

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3