Rest in Hope

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NIV)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

My soul quietly waits for the true God alone because I hope only in Him. – (Psalm 62:5, VOICE)

God is the great provider of rest. He comes in the quiet moments we sit before Him and covers us with His peace. His rest looks different for everyone, and often is found in sweet simplicity. Saturday, my final meeting for high school gymnastics this year took place as we held our end-of-the-season banquet. It ended up being on the small side, but it was a sweet, calm time of coming together. No stress, no pressure, just enjoyable time together. Yesterday, as I was in the media area for church both prior to, and throughout both services, there was an extra flooding of peace as the sounds of worship soothed my soul. After church there was a perfect balance between getting things done to prepare for the week, and time spent loving on our dogs. God’s rest can be found wherever we are and in the midst of whatever we are doing, if only we quiet our hearts to hear from Him. May we slow down and seek Him anew each day and recognize the rest that He who is our hope, provides.

My soul finds true rest,

When I slow my mind;

Choose focus on Him,

In whom hope I find.

For He is the peace,

That brings forth the calm;

No matter what comes,

He’s the soothing balm.

Peace that is present,

Hope that is assured;

Rest when we’re weary,

His love is made clear.

Ever choose seek Him,

For He is our rest;

He knows and loves us,

And gives us His best.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are where we find rest and hope and peace, no matter what surrounds us. Thank You that You are the calm in our storms and the peace in our chaos. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to turn to You, for You are faithful forever. Teach us to trust and rely on You to provide the rest we need and the hope that holds our heart in a space of contentment. Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for being our hope and our space of real rest in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28

Jesus is Our Refuge in Suffering

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. – (Psalm 62:1-2, NIV)

I must calm down and turn to God; only He can rescue me. He is my Rock, the only one who can save me. He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me. – (Psalm 62:1-2, ERV)

God, the One and only – I’ll wait as long as He says. Everything I need comes from Him, so why not? He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, an impregnable castle: I’m set for life. – (Psalm 62:1-2, MSG)

Though I have not been suffering, I have been navigating uncharted territory through this whole skin cancer ordeal. From biopsy of the unknown to a bigger biopsy to determine nature of what had become known, to the confirmation that my new normal will include a medical team to watch diligently, to make certain that what was surgically removed, will not return. In the coming weeks, I have two appointments with two different oncologists, and an appointment with a dermatologist. Again, I am not in a space of suffering, but I am in a space of uncertainty of the unknown. God has been faithful to be ever near as I have walked through two biopsies and two surgeries that followed. I can trust Him to be faithful to remain near as we navigate all that lies ahead. Thankfully, His peace has been present and He is helping keep fear at bay. Yes, the not knowing makes me uneasy, but the certainty in knowing that He will be with me grants the courage to keep pressing forward without allowing the unknowns to monopolize my thoughts. Also, He has provided financially, as being double-covered with medical insurance has kept the bills that have come to a minimum. The Message says it well, as it states, “He’s the solid rock under my feet, and breathing room for my soul…” May we ever seek the Lord in our uncertainty, suffering or sorrows, for He is our refuge and the One on whom we can depend.

Present through trials,

God is ever near;

Foundation to stand,

As He calms each fear.

Forever our hope,

Our place of refuge;

Comfort Provider,

Love that each day’s new.

Help us rise up, Lord,

Our strength comes from You;

All thanks and our praise,

Are unto You, due.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our help and our hope, and that You are our refuge in suffering. Thank You that You promise to be present through every trial as we call on You to be near. Forgive us for our fears and doubts, for in all things, the ultimate outcome is forever with You. Teach us to have an eternal perspective and to trust in You to be our strength and peace. Lead us to love those around us in ways that promote peace, pray for healing and wholeness, and bring hope to spaces that hope is lacking. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our comfort and praise You for Your unending faithfulness that we know is true. Amen.

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

But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. – Psalm 59:16

Answer Gently

A gentle answer makes anger disappear, but a rough answer makes it grow. – (Proverbs 15:1, ERV)

A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire. – (Proverbs 15:1, MSG)

A tender answer turns away rage, but a prickly reply spikes anger. – (Proverbs 15:1, VOICE)

This is a timely reminder as the end of the school year draws ever nearer, and exhaustion is at an all-time high. Patience wanes when weariness is prevalent, and it is important to remember what matters. I have both seen and experienced the truth of this proverb, as I have both calmed and been calmed when a gentle response has been given in a moment of anger. Similarly, I have been both the provider and the recipient of a rough answer, and such is never well-received. If we are truly choosing love, our response to people must align. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us to respond gently in love, so that anger dissipates and kindness reigns.

Tender the answer,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

That turns away wrath;

Kindness defuses,

As good we enact.

Gentle responses,

Lead us to calm down;

Extending God’s love,

To those all around.

Lead us, Lord Jesus,

To gently respond;

Take a breath, listen,

In love, correspond.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You show us Your faithfulness as we choose to respond gently to tempers inflamed. Thank You that the fruit of the Spirit are the things that keep relationships intact and communication open. Thank You that You call us to be gentle and kind, for each time we have received these things in a moment of anger or frustration, the fury melted away and calm came forth. Forgive us for the times that we return anger with anger. Teach us to slow down, take a deep breath, and listen to Your leading – for Your response in loving, patient and kind, and brings peace in the midst of frustration or fury. Show us how to love one another in all situations and circumstances so that we would answer each other gently and in love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to help us always answer gently and with love so that Your heart may be clearly seen. Amen.

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

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control… – Galatians 5:22-23a

Quiet Waiting

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, HCSB)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

My soul quietly waits for the True God alone because I hope in only Him. – (Psalm 62:5, VOICE)

This week has been another long week, and I know many of us are weary and ready for rest. Thankfully, tomorrow is an extra day off, as it is a scheduled snow make-up day that we did not need, so the long weekend is four days instead of three. Though we can be intentional about finding quiet spaces to rest in God each day, there is something extra that helps our hearts when we have a few unscheduled days in a row. For me, a change of scenery, especially near water, is the sort of space that I am best able to rest and wait on the Lord. When we find space to be still before Him, we discover that hope rises, despite what has been going on around us. It is my prayer that all who are weary would find rest during the long weekend, and that hope would rise in the spaces of our hearts where it is lacking.

In sweet surrender,

I quietly wait;

The Lord’s ever near,

On time, never late.

He meets us with peace,

Shows us hope again;

Despite brokenness,

Heartache’s not the end.

For where we seek Him,

Ever we shall find;

Faithful love waiting,

For God’s always kind.

Loving forever,

In Him, hope’s restored;

Beauty from ashes,

Grace we can’t ignore.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can find rest and hope in You. Thank You that You provide room to rest and be refreshed when we are weary and worn. Forgive us for losing sight of hope when horrible things happen. Show us what we can do in every situation and circumstance to bring change for the better. Lead us in Your love to extend hope, help and Your heart to all those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and wait on You, for You are our peace, rest and hope forever. Amen.

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

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – Psalm 62:5

Rest in Hope

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, HCSB)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

My soul waits quietly for the True God alone because I hope in only Him. – (Psalm 62:5, VOICE)

Some mornings, the distractions around me make quiet rest seem impossible. However, as I choose to stay calm and pursue the space I need to seek Him, calm comes close and my heart can hear hope with each new breath. When we are intentional to rest in Him, we are reminded of who God is and how He loves, as He fills us with fresh hope again. In the chaos that spring days can bring, hope is needed to navigate. May we find rest in God, and embrace the grace that He provides to strengthen our hope in Him.

Lord, settle my soul,

As I turn to You;

In quiet, I wait,

As I read Your truth.

You show me that hope,

Is found in the space;

Where we choose to seek,

Your goodness and grace.

Our strength comes from You,

When we seek, we find;

Just how near You are,

And Your love is kind.

Help us find quiet,

Throughout each new day;

As hope is restored,

And love leads the way.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that rest and hope come from You. Thank You that You speak to our hearts in the stillness as we seek You, and You fill us with Your hope and love. Forgive us for the times that we allow the noise and distractions to keep us from pressing into You. Teach us to rest in You as You fill and restore hope within us. Lead us to love those around us well. May they find the hope that is held in You alone and enter into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rest in You and hold fast to the hope we have in You. Amen.

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

I wake before the dawn and call for help; I hope in Your words. – Psalm 119:147

Hope and Rest to the Seeking

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NIV)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the One I love, waiting as long as it takes for Him to rescue me. Only God is my Savior, and He will not fail me. – (Psalm 62:5, TPT)

Rest and hope are two things that all of us need. Sometimes, the need for rest has nothing to do with the physical, and everything to do with our heart, mind and soul. It is God’s hope that brings peace to our places of unrest, as He restores us in His love once again. In this seemingly never ending lockdown, I am so thankful for the hope that is held in Him. Though we know not what will come of the pending changes, we can trust the One who holds the world in His hands. God is good, and His love provides and in Him, hope abides. May we ever slow down and turn to the One who ever holds hope and provides rest where we need it most.

In stillness I come,

Before God our King;

Hope is held in Him,

Maker of all things.

Where rest is lacking,

The Lord will provide;

He stills all our storms,

And brings peace inside.

When hope’s all but lost,

We need never fear;

For God in His love,

Remains ever near.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our space of rest and hope forever. Thank You that no matter how we come, You meet us with open arms and bring us into Your loving embrace that provides the peace our hearts need most. Forgive us for continually running, rather than slowing down and turning to You to be our hope and rest. Show us how to rest in You to find the hope that our hearts need. Lead us to love well, all those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come to You for rest and place our hearts in Your hands; for in You, hope is forever found. Amen.

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

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope. – Acts 2:26

Rest and Rescue

Truly my soul finds rest in God, my salvation comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:1, NIV) 

I must calm down and turn to God; only He can rescue me. – (Psalm 62:1, ERV) 

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:1, NLT) 

Rest, calm and quiet seem to come most easily for me when I am out in His creation. This is especially true near the ocean. There is something about the powerful repetition of crashing waves being commanded to only come so far onto the sand, that brings peace in the sanctuary of the shore His hands have made. I was blessed with a few days away at the ocean, and my heart is full at the reminder of His rest. Despite having to work the first full day that we were there, knowing we were in a space to retreat, paired with the salty air, brought calm into my chaos within. God is good and He is our place of peace and rest. I am so grateful that He provides tangible reminders of who He is and how He loves as we earnestly seek rest in His presence. May we ever seek the Lord to be our rest; for our salvation and victory are found in time with Him. 

Lord I am waiting, 

In quiet, I seek; 

You are my rescue, 

Where hope is complete. 

In You, salvation, 

Space of perfect peace; 

Love everlasting, 

Goodness is released. 

Lord, I’m so grateful, 

That You’re always near; 

Ready to help us, 

And calm all our fears. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your nearness and the rest You provide in Your presence. Thank You that You rescue us and grant us victory in Your salvation. Forgive us for allowing life’s circumstances to become overwhelming. Teach us to turn to You in trust, as You are where we find rest and safety.  Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to find rest and remember the hope that we have in our salvation. Amen. 

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

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – Psalm 62:5

Finding Rest and Hope

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NIV) 

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV) 

My soul quietly waits for the True God alone because I hope only in Him. – (Psalm 62:5, VOICE) 

There is much in me that is unsettled, as I still do not know exactly what the coming school year will look like, nor what the specific expectations will be to successfully instruct online. Between that and my ever-increasing sense of restlessness, I feel weariness creeping in. It hit especially hard today when I returned from an early morning workout. I sat down to begin to do my devotions and get to this, but was struggling to keep my eyes open. Rather than attempting to power through, I relented and simply sprawled out on the couch and took a rest. As I relaxed into the couch, my soul settled and I got a bit of rest. I was again reminded of Who to look to for help and hope and rest, and am feeling far more refreshed and recharged for the day. May we ever seek the Lord to be our hope and our rest, as He provides all that is needed and more. 

In quiet waiting, 

Is where rest is found; 

The Lord is gracious, 

His goodness is sound. 

For in Him is hope, 

Beyond what we see; 

His love, unchanging, 

Where worry’s set free. 

So, choose to seek Him, 

Our Source and Supply; 

Where true rest is found, 

Morning, noon and night. 

Dear Heavenly Father, that You that we can find rest in You, as You are our hope and provision. Forgive us for attempting to “power through” when You are providing us spaces of rest. Teach us to trust You more, so that all of our hope dwells in You. Show us how to love those around us well, in ways that promote hope and sets worry free. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rest in You and place our hope in You alone. Amen. 

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

Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. – Psalm 25:5

Rest in Hope

Yes, my soul find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NIV)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

Oh, I must find rest in God only, because my hope comes from Him! – (Psalm 62:5, CEB)

 

Again, a timely reminder, as it was the second sleep-compromised night in a row. Though I am one who can function well on less sleep than most, it will very much be a God-thing to navigate this day on a two-day streak of five and six wake-ups per night. My longest consecutive stretch of sleep last evening was the first one, as I think I slept from nine to nearly eleven. After that, there was never a solid hour in between wake-ups, and finally after I was able to get mom settled back in bed after the 4:00 am restroom run, I decided to just stay up. Even now, an hour later, I already hear her beginning to stir. And, she’s up; ready for breakfast. Incredibly, as tired as I was yesterday, God provided the grace, strength and hope to navigate the day well. We were able to get showers, a visit in with a life-long friend of my sister’s, have lunch, and complete a few drive-thru errands in town, prior to mom’s neurology appointment and the crazy downpour that brought flash flood warnings with it. Our time in the room spent waiting for the neurologist was actually quite entertaining, as the pouring rain and electrical storm provided an incredible show. I opened the curtains from the third-floor room, and mom and I watched and listened to determine how far away the lightning strikes were hitting. (The nearest was likely three miles away) Dr. Seamans was fantastic, and took time to explain more about mom’s stroke and recovery to her. After her appointment, we braved the rain to make our way back home. Mom was able to take a reasonable rest before dinner, and we enjoyed a couple of movies after that, while she practiced her PT exercises on the commercial breaks. Today, she has physical therapy at 8:30 am, and a physiatry appointment at 2:15. I anticipate great things for both, as she is determined and motivated for PT, and her physiatrist is the same doctor who oversaw her care in the acute care rehabilitation center. May we ever hope in the One who grants our soul rest, and sees our every need.

 

Find rest in the Lord,

For hope comes from Him;

He won’t let us sink,

He’ll teach us to swim.

No matter the storm,

Or spaces of lack;

The Lord is faithful,

To keep us on track.

Continue forward,

To all that He’s called;

Always we can trust,

As grace is installed.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can trust You to be our hope and our help in all things and at all times. Thank You that You provide the rest that our soul needs, even when we fear our bodies are going to give. Thank You that there is always enough in You. Forgive us for our frustrations when things seem to be going the wrong direction. Teach us to trust in You, rather than what we see. Show us how You are growing us through the challenges. Equip us to love like You, in all things and at all times, so that those around us understand the greatness of Your grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to be our hope and strength and rest. Amen.

 

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

 

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. – Psalm 31:24

Answer Gently

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – (Proverbs 15:1, NIV)

A gentle answer makes anger disappear, but a rough answer makes it grow. – (Proverbs 15:1, ERV)

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words cause quarrels. – (Proverbs 15:1, TLB)

 

Both my mother, and her mother before her, modeled this verse in action for us growing up. On countless occasions, I witnessed each of them diffuse situations, simply by meeting someone kindly, who was engaging with them in a way that did not begin on the kindest of terms. Their smile and genuine love for people would soften the hardest of hearts, and win over the grumpiest of characters. For me, more times than not, a gentle response to a child escalated in the classroom, has provided them room to calm down or breathe long enough to avoid further incident. Walking this road to recovery with mom is no different. Losing mobility, freedom and independence, for a strong, self-sufficient, care-giver like mom, has got to be beyond frustrating. She is handling it gracefully 99% of the time, and it is my charge to be extraordinarily gentle through the 1%, when her frustration gets the better of her. Gentle words affirming her frustration, yet recognizing her strength and progress, have been pivotal in working through moments of challenge. Humor has been a lifeline as well. Thankfully, we know each other better than anyone else, so a mere look speaks volumes, and can inspire giggles in an instant, even in moments of madness.

Much of the reason she is not feeling ready for visitors, (other than the very short list of family and lifelong friends whom have already been in contact), is her own desire to uphold a spirit of gentleness and kindness, as she cannot wrap her head around not being able to be the gracious host that she normally would be. Please continue to be patient with her willingness to see visitors, as I imagine she will become more willing as she is more confident and settled back in her own space.

Today will be the first official day of in-home therapies, as physical therapy kicks off this afternoon at 1pm. We are eagerly awaiting phone calls from the occupational therapist, speech therapist and nursing care facilitator, to figure out what the schedule will be for them as well. Yesterday was a very relaxing day, as mom and I enjoyed watching a few movies between meals, stretching and rests, after the fellas went home. This week will be busy, as we work to discover a new normal with appointments coming into the home to aid in mom’s recovery. May we ever rely on the Lord to be gentle with those around us, for kindness keeps anger at bay.

 

No matter what comes,

Be gentle and kind;

For we do not know,

Battles deep inside.

So often anger,

Is hurt or a fear;

Set free by kindness,

If love braves draw near.

Seek to have courage,

To always be kind;

Give love to others,

And true peace, you’ll find.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that a gentle answer turns away anger. Thank You that this is not simply a theory, but proven, time and time again. Thank You that Jesus modeled this for us throughout His life, death, resurrection and ascension. Forgive us for the times that our responses are not gentle or kind. Teach us to trust and rely on You to give us the wisdom and strength to be Your heart and voice to others, so that they may see Your love in the way that we respond. Show us how to love others well, as we choose to be gentle and kind to all, no matter how others speak or act toward us. Give us grace O God. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose kindness and love, just as You do with us. Amen.

 

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

 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! – Galatians 5:22-23