Give Thanks for Moms

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

Give thanks to the Lord because He is good. His faithful love will last forever. – (1 Chronicles 16:34, ERV)

Give thanks to God – He is good and His love never quits. – (1 Chronicles 16:34, MSG)

I am convinced that mothers are granted to us to demonstrate the goodness of God and the reality of what faithful love looks like. My mom, and her mother before her, have shown me that God is good and that His love endures. Their examples have filled my heart full of thanks, and being blessed with the privilege to love my own children in the same way, keeps my gratitude overflowing. Motherhood is not easy, but it is beyond worthwhile. From infancy, to toddlerhood, the teen years, and this transition into adulthood, it is a gift to be included in the process. Today, I am reminded to give God thanks for His goodness and love that He has made tangible through mothers and those who fill maternal roles. May we ever give thanks to God for His goodness and faithful love, as He shows us His heart through mothers.

Heavenly Father,

I give You all praise;

For goodness and love,

Granted all our days.

For kin and dear friends,

That make Your love known;

The gift of the moms,

Through whom grace is shown.

Your blessings are made,

Abundantly clear;

Through mothers and kids,

The ones we hold dear.

God, You have shown me,

That my heart is seen;

Through the gift of mom,

For love’s what mom means.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the precious gift that You have given me through my mom and in being a mom. You make Your love abundantly clear as Your goodness is displayed through those who mother us well. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to give You thanks for the incredible gifts You have given. Teach us to give You thanks each new day, and to celebrate the gifts that You have given through our mothers and the treasured blessing of motherhood. Show us how to love those around us well, so that all may feel encouraged, appreciated and loved. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for mothers and for the opportunity to fill the role of mom. Amen.

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

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – Psalm 106:1

Great Comfort in Knowing

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)

Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love – not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us – nothing in the whole created world – will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord. – (Romans 8:38-39, ERV)

For I have every confidence that nothing – not death, life, heavenly messengers, dark spirits, the present, the future, spiritual powers, height, depth, nor any created thing – can come between us and the love of God revealed in the Anointed, Jesus our Lord. – (Romans 8:38-39, VOICE)

 

There is great comfort in knowing that there is nothing that surrounds us, comes against us, nor that we could go through, that can separate us from the love of God. His love is eternal and knows no limits. Whether we are having a wonderful day or a day that we would rather have remained in bed, God’s love for us is constant, consistent, and secure. Being loved when we are least lovable, demonstrates the true depth of love granted to us. It is not earned nor somehow rewarded, but rather freely given as the Creator loves His created. May we receive and recognize the remarkable love of our Redeemer, so that we may go forth and love others in the same way.

 

O Lord, as I rise,

Make Your love so clear;

No matter what comes,

Show me that You’re near.

There’s no height nor depth,

That can keep away;

The goodness You give,

When to You, we pray.

Go before us Lord,

With Your love and light;

Be near and guide us,

To choose what is right.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that there is nothing that can separate us from Your love. Thank You that as we receive the love You offer, You equip us to go forth and love others in the same way. Forgive us for the times that we have either not received what You freely give, or have withheld what we were meant to extend to those around us. Show us how to love one another well. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your limitless love, and seek You to love others in the same way. Amen.

 

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

 

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. – Titus 3:4-5a

Power, Protection and Presence

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at the break of day. – (Psalm 46:5, NIV)

The True God never sleeps and always resides in the city of joy; He makes it unstoppable, unshakable. When it awakes at dawn, the True God has already been at work. – (Psalm 46:5, VOICE)

God is in the midst of His city, secure and never shaken. At daybreak His help will be seen with the appearing of the dawn. – (Psalm 46:5, TPT)

 

The entire 46th Psalm speaks of the power and protection in the presence of God. Each translation gives a slightly different visual to imagine. I appreciate the NIV translation, as it makes it personal, yet the following two translations are a reminder that He is present, purposeful and powerful wherever we dwell. Every morning is new, and God is already at work, making a way for the day. Yesterday, He made a new way that blessed mom and those of us present, beyond what we thought possible. First, my Viking drove over to be with us, which of course was fantastic for me. (Mom was glad too) Next, we all were invited to a dear friend of mom’s, to go give swimming a try. Mom used to be a lap swimmer, so my sister and I have been desperately wanting to get mom into a pool, as we knew she would love the feeling of being in the water. The way was provided, and the three of us navigated our way to Sharon’s beautiful home. She welcomed us and supplied the perfect space to allow mom the opportunity to give time in a pool a try. Slowly, we walked her together into the pool, lowering one step at a time. We determined together that a life jacket would likely be best, as it would provide a sense of security in a space of uncertainty. Almost immediately, mom wanted to get out beyond where her feet could touch bottom so that she could propel herself with kicking. The freedom of movement in the water was incredible, and the smile did not leave her face the entire time we were in the pool. In fact, I had to convince her that she ought to get out after more than an hour, as her teeth had started chattering. Additionally, as we floated and treaded water, Sharon was stretching mom’s right hand and fingers all the while. Not only did they have a fantastic visit, but mom had some bonus occupational therapy as well as physical therapy in that pool time. By the time we were ready to go, the three of us were in need of dinner. Originally, we had planned to stop and pick something up on the way home, but Mark easily convinced mom that we should just dine in at a family-style Mexican restaurant we enjoy. It was delicious and she did fantastic. We even played a few games of Dirty Marbles after arriving home. All in all, it was a wonderful day, and one I wish we could repeat often.

May we ever trust in God, who is already at work as we rise, and is present in us and our space, ready to keep us going in the right direction.

 

God is within us,

He won’t let us fall;

He’s moving for us,

Each time that we call.

Protector, Healer,

Strength, God of all grace;

Ever He’s working,

Present all our days.

So, choose to trust Him,

For He’s always good;

He’s making things new,

As only He could.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are within us, around us, and for us. Thank You that You never stop moving on our behalf. Thank You that as the new day dawns, You already have a plan in place to propel us forward in Your goodness and grace. Forgive us for the times that we wonder where You are when we cannot understand the direction that life is moving. Teach us to trust You in all things and at all times, as You do new things in ways that are far beyond our understanding. Show us how to love those around us in a way that supports and strengthens those caught in life’s struggles. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You and Your love for us all. Amen.

 

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

 

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

 

 

The Love That Remains

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)

Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love – not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us – nothing in the whole created world – will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord. – (Romans 8:38-39, ERV)

I’m absolutely convinced that nothing – nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable – absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. – (Romans 8:38-39, MSG)

 

These are incredibly powerful words of declaration, meant to remind and encourage each of us of just how vast the love of God is for us all. No matter where we go, no matter what we do, God loves us in spite of ourselves. We have the choice to receive or reject His love, but His love remains. The closest comparison I can come up with is the love I have for my children. My love for them is not situational, circumstantial, nor dependent on whether or not they receive and give love in return – I love them because they are mine. If we in our broken humanity have the capacity to love those whom He has gifted us to love, how much more does He who is love, love us in spite of ourselves? When we slow down and are ready to receive that which He offers freely, the depth and breadth of His love surrounds and overwhelms. May we each choose to receive that which God offers to each of us, as His love shall always remain.

 

There isn’t a thing, 

Created on earth;

That can take away,

Our infinite worth.

Because we are God’s,

Made by His own hand;

His love shall remain,

Forever will stand.

No height nor great depth,

For there is nothing;

That can take away,

The love that God brings.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love for us is not dependent on our circumstances, surroundings or on what we do or do not do. Thank You that You love us because we are Yours. Thank You that Your love is ready to receive for all who choose to call on Your Name. Forgive us for rejecting what You freely offer and teach us to trust You more. Show us how to love others with the same tenacity that You have as You love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your love that never ends and seek to go and love likewise. Amen.

 

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

 

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:18

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 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)

So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His loves who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose. – (Romans 8:28, TPT)

 

I don’t know that I can even count the number of times that what I perceived as something awful, (and at the time, perhaps it was) that God, in His infinite goodness and grace, ultimately used it for good. Each time that I have had to walk through the hard or horrible that life brings, as I sought God and relied on Him, He provided what I needed to navigate the season, and later used the experience for something positive. At times the benefit has been personal growth and the discovery of His strength in times of my own weakness, yet still other times, He has turned my experience into a tool by which I am able to honestly speak to others going through similar, as I can share of His faithfulness that brought me through. God is good, and He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. When we choose to trust in Him, He leads us through life by the light of His love, even when we are in spaces of darkness. May we ever seek the Lord and His plan, as He is good and is the only One who can bring beauty from our ashes.

 

With all certainty, 

I truly can say;

God works all for good,

When we seek His way.

Though life’s not easy,

And despair may come;

The Lord is faithful,

’til each day is done.

He walks beside us,

And shows us the way;

Grants us renewed strength,

Fresh start for each day.

We can be certain,

He’ll use all for good;

If we choose to trust,

Hope our livelihood.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we trust You, You ultimately work all things for good in our lives. Thank You that even when we cannot see how that is possible, You are moving and making it so. Forgive us for our fearfulness and doubt. Teach us to trust Your hand in all things, as You are far greater than anything that we face. Show us how to love those around us in a way that encourages, strengthens and builds faith. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to orchestrate everything in our lives toward something good, as only You can do. Amen.

 

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

 

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7

Always…

Always be full of joy. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus. – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ERV)

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)

 

My heart is full, and there is joy despite the sorrow of loss. After hearing more stories of the incredible life that my Gram led, I am even more convinced than I was before that she did exactly what we are called to do in the verses above. Her heart was lined with joy that poured out to all who had the blessing to be near. Gram prayed unwaveringly for each of us, and the words that left her lips were laced with gratitude. Even in the final few months of her life, when she was ill and in agony, she found joy in the nearness of family and friends, and would still love and live and laugh in spite of the pain. Though I will miss her terribly, the lilt of her laughter, the warmth of her smile, the kindness of her encouraging words – the essence of who she was in Christ, will forever live in my heart and mind until we again embrace in eternity. Her example is one that continues to challenge me to seek the Lord in all things. In all circumstances, I can find His joy and express gratitude for who He is, simply because I am loved well. May we never stop praying, as it is in our space of communing with Christ that we find joy and gratitude rises up within us.

 

Such fullness of joy,

Shall rise and find way;

When we seek the Lord,

In all things, choose pray.

No matter what comes,

Let thanks leave our lips;

For God who is love,

He strengthens, equips.

To pray and be full,

Of thanks and His joy;

God’s own will for us,

Through grace He’ll employ.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You and pray to You, we always have reason to be thankful and full of joy. Thank You that this is Your will for us, as You have designed us to have Your joy dwelling within us all of our days. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to steal our joy or to keep us from giving thanks for the good that exists in spite of the difficult. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would never stop praying and praising You. Thank You for the incredible example of my Grandmother, who prayed without ceasing and was overflowing with thankfulness and joy. Show us how to love others in a way that demonstrates our gratitude and allows the joy that You give to overflow and bless every life we are near. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we are filled with Your joy, pray always, and give thanks in all things. Amen.

© 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

Trust in His Words

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. – (Romans 4:20-22, NLT)

He never doubted that God would do what He promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what He promised. So that’s why “he was accepted as one who is right with God.” – (Romans 4:20-22, ERV)

 

Abraham’s righteousness before God was not based on his following the letter of the law, but rather by his faith in the Father. God looks at us the very same way that He looked upon Abraham. He is not looking for people who cross their “t’s” and dot their “I’s” just so, but rather He wants people who place their trust in Him and believe that He will do what He says He will do. Our faith is both challenged and grown in the wait between the promise and its fulfillment. Few of us have to hold out for seventy-some years to see God’s promises realized, but how we choose to trust in the interim matters just as much. Thankfully, we have countless examples that have gone before us to show that faith is worth the wait. Additionally, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, to encourage our hearts and remind us who He is and how He loves. May we ever trust in our Heavenly Father, as He is faithful to fulfill every promise that He provides.

 

By faith we are seen,

As right before God;

Our trust in His words,

Triumph over flaws.

For righteous to Him,

Belief that He’ll do;

All He has promised,

That His word is true.

Let go of the law,

And focus on Him;

By faith we’ll do right,

As we enter in.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that what You promise, You are faithful to fulfill. Thank You that You count all who trust in You as righteous before You. Forgive us for not believing that You will do what You have promised, and grow in us an unwavering faith that always trusts. Show us how to love others well as we walk forward in the faith that You loving give to us as we seek You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your words and believe Your promises will be provided. Amen.

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

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

The Power of Perfect Love

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today or our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. – (Romans 8:38, NLT)

 

There is NOTHING more powerful than the love of God. His love covers fears, conquers giants, defeats death, and draws us unto Himself when we feel far away from Him. The more we embrace the grace that He has granted and seek to know Him more, the greater our understanding of just how powerful God’s love is, and how there truly is nothing that can take it away from us. May we extend our hands and hearts to the Lord, and allow His love to wash over all that attempts to separate us from Him. He is good, and His love endures forever.

 

The love of the Lord,

Shall overcome all;

It’s greater than death,

Lifts up when we fall.

There’s no height nor depth,

Nor place we can go;

Where the love of God,

Cannot freely flow.

Far greater is He,

Who calls our hearts home;

Than opposition,

Both seen and unknown.

Worry not today,

Nor for that to come;

God’s love is greater,

The battle’s been won.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that NOTHING can ever separate us from Your love. Thank You that Your love has defeated death and fuels our faith to forge forward, even in the face of fear. Forgive us for our fears and doubt when trials come our way. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would hold fast to the truth that You are far greater than anything that may try to come against us. Show us how to love those around us in a way that demonstrates the power of Your limitless love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we receive the love that You give that cannot be removed. 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

No Fear in Perfect Love

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. – (1 John 4:18, NLT)

We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; His perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what He might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what He might do to us and shows us that we are not fully convinced that He really loves us. – (1 John 4:18, TLB)

 

Perfect love drives out fear, and assures us that we are loved. God loved us not because we are lovable, but because He is love. In His perfect love, God made the way for us to come to experience a love that goes beyond what we can grasp, and receive hope that heals hurts and drives out fear. Through Christ, we need not fear punishment, but rather are to embrace the grace given in its place, as we are so deeply and completely loved. When fear creeps in, we must trust in He who is greater than all that can come against us. Allowing fear a foothold is releasing the reality of how completely Christ loves us and is for us. May we allow His perfect love to permeate every hollow of our heart, so that fear cannot find place to hide His unending grace.

 

In God’s perfect love,

there‘s no room for fear;

His love is complete,

it‘s grace that comes near.

For we mustn’t dread,

what He’ll do to us;

the Lord, He forgives,

through His Son, Jesus.

May we be convinced,

of how great His love;

no more allow fear,

to grab a hold of…

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are love. Thank You that in You, there is no fear, as Your love eliminates all fear. Thank You Jesus, for taking all of our sin and shame upon Yourself, so that we need not fear punishment, as You have already paid the price. Forgive us for our fearfulness. Teach us to trust You more, so that we might fully experience Your perfect love, and not question Your presence and Your willingness to be for us. Show us how to love without fear, so that people might see Your love through us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we set aside fear and embrace Your perfect love. Amen.

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

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7

Love that Will Not Fail

For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels won’t, and the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are – high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean – nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He died for us. – (Romans 8:38-39, TLB)

 

There is much reassurance in this passage. No matter what twists and turns our life takes us on, Christ will be present and His love shall remain. When curve balls come our way, it is easy to allow worry to enter in. Even in our space of angst, Christ is near. His love leads us out of our darkness, and into His light, where we can regain a proper perspective – recognizing that He is far greater than anything that comes against us. As we establish our hope in He who is eternal, we begin to realize the significance that our hope truly holds. Though there will be struggles – highs and lows, peaks and valleys – that we must walk through – He will be present, and what awaits us at the end of our journey is far greater than any difficulty that we encounter along the way. May we hold fast to the truth of who God is, and how unfailing and eternal His love is for all who call on His Name.

 

To where can we go,

where love cannot find?

No depth is too deep,

nor mountain too high.

Wherever we are,

God will be there too;

His love shall remain,

to light the way through.

No force that may try,

to come against us;

compares to the strength,

found in Christ Jesus.

Nothing on the earth,

above or below;

compares to the love,

that in Christ we know.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that nothing can ever separate us from Your love. Thank You that no matter where we go, or what comes against us, You remain with us, loving us through. Forgive us for forgetting how very faithful and powerful Your love is, and help us to depend on You in all things and at all times. Show us how to turn in trust, even when it feels as if our world is caving in on us. Lead us to love others in such a way, that they might see Your strength and hope through how we love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your unfailing, eternal love. Amen.

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

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6