Ever Near

I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. – (Psalm 16:9, HCSB)

I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me. – (Psalm 16:9, ERV)

He is ever present with me; at all times He goes before me. I will not live in fear or abandon my calling because He stands at my right hand. – (Psalm 16:9, VOICE)

This is the goal for sure, to keep the Lord in mind always and to remember that He is ever present with us wherever we go and whatever we do. Whatever He calls us to, He will see us through. It does not mean that it will be easy, but it will always be worthwhile. Whether we have known Jesus the majority of our lives or for a short while, it is good to be reminded of how very near He is. When we are aware of His presence, fear flees and we find we are equipped and empowered to move forward into all that He is asking. May we ever seek the Lord and be intentional to spend time with Him, as it is through our drawing near that we are reminded that the Lord is but a heartbeat away.

O Lord, You are good,

Chasing sunsets on Oahu.<3

Ever near to me;

My help and my hope,

For eternity.

As close as my hand,

You stay by my side;

Your nearness is clear,

As I choose abide.

Remind us, O God,

Of Your strength and grace;

How present You are,

When we seek Your face.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are always with us and ever ready to help us and strengthen us so that we can press on. Thank You that we need not fear because You are with us. Forgive us for losing sight of Your nearness. Teach us to trust in Your goodness and grace that is ever with us. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your nearness tangible. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we are ever aware of Your nearness. Amen.

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

The Lord is near to all who call out to Him, all who call out to Him with integrity. – Psalm 145:18

Come to the Fountain

May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, NIV)

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in Him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, ERV)

Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with His super-abundance until you radiate with hope! – (Romans 15:13, TPT)

God is our fountain of hope. His outpouring is constant and abundant, if only we allow ourselves to draw near. The more we allow His hope to flow over us, the greater our experience of His joy and peace though trusting Him becomes. Even more, as we receive what He offers, the same will overflow from us. To radiate hope is exactly the way that I want to live. This only transpires through trust in Him. The Holy Spirit in us allows hope to flow from us in abundance. May we ever draw near to God, who is our fountain of hope, so that we may extend the same to those around us.

The God of all hope,

A fountain that pours;

Grace overflowing,

Flings wide open doors.

The doors to His peace,

And abundant joy;

For where hope is held,

Goodness is employed.

Let’s soak in the hope,

As He grants us peace;

No matter what comes,

His joy is released.

Joy in the journey,

Hope for the long ride;

Peace in the knowing,

He’ll be by our side.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our fountain of hope that never stops outpouring. Thank You that Your Holy Spirit within us grants us peace and joy, no matter our circumstances. Forgive us for not drawing near to receive all that You offer, which in turn dulls the light within us. Teach us to continually draw near so that we may radiate the hope we have in You. Show us how to love all those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You as Your hope brings the joy and peace that has been absent. Be glorified O God and continually draw us into Your presence so that we may soak in the goodness of Your love that grows eternal hope, abundant joy and perfect peace. Amen.

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

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. – 2 Peter 1:3

To Wait in Hope

We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. – (Psalm 33:20, NIV)

So we will wait for the Lord. He helps us and protects us. – (Psalm 33:20, ERV)

The Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in Him with all our hearts. His wrap-around presence will strengthen us. – (Psalm 33:20, TPT)

 

This is the time where I have to dig in and wait in hope all the more for God to be my help and my shield. As my time with my husband and my brief time at home with my boys this evening will be drawing to a close as I return to my mom in Wenatchee tomorrow morning, I have to place my heart and my trust in Him. Each time I leave my family, I am a bit more gutted than the last; not because I am going to my mom, as I love the time with mom and am grateful to be able to be with her and help her, but rather because I have been away from my husband and children for far too long, and it is taking its toll on all of us. Each of us knew the cost when we decided as a family that my being with mom was the best choice, but as the end date is drawing near, closure and next steps are needed. That being said, we need the Lord to orchestrate the details for mom’s time and care in Oregon. There is much to consider and many things that must be in place, prior to moving mom seven hours from her home for a season.

As for mom, prayers were answered last night, for she slept far better, with a five-hour consecutive stretch in the night. She had a great day and enjoyed a couple of great visits with some of her dearest friends both during the afternoon and again in the evening. I imagine that the extra stimulus contributed positively to her stellar sleep. Today includes both occupational therapy and speech therapy on the agenda. Both are great for taxing the body and mind, and will hopefully aid in another great night of sleep. Tomorrow will be transition day, as Megan will make the long drive back to Oregon, and I will return from my home west of the mountains. It sounds as if we will not actually see one another in the switch, as a dear friend will likely stay with mom during the gap. Please continue to pray with us for every detail of mom’s care in Oregon to fall into place, so that the transition will be smooth and timely. Ideally, there will be little to no gap in therapy appointments, to maximize mom’s continued progress. Though we cannot fathom how all of this will come to fruition, God can.

 

We wait on the Lord,

In hope, love and trust;

For He is faithful,

And forever just.

He knows all our needs,

Each cry of our heart;

He answers in ways,

As faith, He imparts.

So, trust in the Lord,

Even when it’s tough;

His grace is greater,

And blessings, enough.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we wait on You, You help us and protect us. Thank You that You provide all that we need, as it is needed. Forgive us for our fears and doubts, especially when we cannot conceive a way for things to work out. Teach us to trust You more, as You are so much greater than our doubts and our lack of vision beyond what our mere eyes can see. Show us how to love those around us through the struggles and doubts, and encourage one another to trust in Your goodness and love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You; our help and shield forever. Amen.

 

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

 

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. – Psalm 27:14

Lean into Love

For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. – (Hebrews 7:19, NLT)

The Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. But now a better hope has been given to us. And with that hope we can come near to God. – (Hebrews 7:19, ERV)

After all, the law could not make anyone or anything perfect. God has now introduced a new and better hope, through which we may draw near to Him. – (Hebrews 7:19, VOICE)

 

Our confident hope is found through drawing near to Jesus. No longer are we weighed down with the burden of abiding by a strict set of rules and regulations for every aspect of our lives, but rather we are called to love God and love each other, and thus by doing so, we fulfill His requirements of us. A life of drawing near to God deepens our love and understanding of what His will is for our lives. Additionally, the better we know the Lord and His heart for us, the more certain we are of our hope in all that is yet to come. May we draw near to God with hearts full of thanks, as He shows us the hope that is found forever in Him.

 

Though all imperfect,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

Weighed down by our sin;

When we go to God,

We are forgiven.

Made right by His grace,

Compelled by His love;

He shows us His hope,

As He’s sought above.

Let’s turn to the Lord,

With hearts full of praise;

Lean into His love,

And walk in His ways.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are no longer required to adhere to an extensive list of rules and regulations to attempt to come before You. Thank You that You made the way for us to come directly to You through the sacrifice of Your Son. Thank You that Your grace covers us and leads us to a life of love that is full of hope in You. Forgive us for the times that we have not turned to You, as You are our Source of help and hope forever. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would lean into You in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us in a way that draws others into Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise forever for the hope we have in You. 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

 

 

Drawing Strength

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. – (Ephesians 6:10, TLB)

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. – (Ephesians 6:10, VOICE)

 

For whatever reason, be it the full moon, the constant fog each morning, spirit week at school, Halloween drawing near – whatever it is, there has been an abundance of energy and distraction in the classroom so far this week, and two days have felt like an entire week. In my own strength, I would have had to tap out about halfway through Monday. However, when I seek the true Source of strength and rely on His power already placed within me, I am equipped and empowered to press on. It does not mean that it is easy or that all is smooth sailing, but it does assure me that He is present and He will not leave me alone, even on the most trying of days. Though yesterday was rough, I had the strength I needed to navigate the day and was slightly less weary than the day prior. As I continue to draw my strength from He who is my strength, I trust that all I need will be supplied. He is faithful forever and I will trust in Him. May we ever be strong in the Lord, who is our strength, for He will grant us what we need to navigate each new day.

 

Let us remember, 

Where true strength comes from;

From when our day starts,

To when it is done.

Faithful forever,

The Lord will be near;

To supply our needs,

Our requests, He hears.

Trust in the Lord’s grace,

His power and might;

The strength that He gives,

To fight the good fight.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can call on You to be our strength and You are faithful to supply what we need for each new day. Forgive us for attempting to “power through” on our own, rather than seeking You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would come to know Your faithful provision of power when we feel powerless. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens and lifts up those who are weary. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You and Your strength to successfully navigate our days. Amen.

 

 

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

 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2

Faithful to Finish

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – (Philippians 1:6, NLT)

I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until He completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again. – (Philippians 1:6, ERV)

There has never been a doubt in my mind that God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day that Christ Jesus appears. – (Philippians 1:6, MSG)

 

What God begins in us, He will be faithful to finish – even if it seems to be a very slow and labor intensive process. God loves us as we are, wherever we are at, but His love is too great to leave us that way. He takes the good and makes it better, and meets us in our most broken and wounded places and begins to mend and restore and bring beauty where there was once only ugly and injury. If we are willing to allow Him in, He often will take what we perceive to be our most worrisome weakness, and utilize it somehow to magnify His majesty as we rely on His strength. May we ever seek the Lord and trust Him, as He is faithful to finish all that He has begun both in us and through us.

 

God, He is faithful,

For what He begins;

He will continue,

Persist to the end.

Each good work started,

Will continue on;

Until it’s finished,

And old ways are gone.

So ever seek Christ,

And allow Him move;

As His will is done,

And His goodness proved.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that the good work You begin in us will continue until it is finished when You return. Thank You that none of us “arrive” or get it right all of the time, yet You are good and full of grace, ever loving us and drawing us nearer to You still. Forgive us for not seeking You in the places we need You most. Teach us to trust You more. Show us how to love well, all those whom You place in our lives to love as we are loved by You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your unfailing love that works within us to finish every good work that has been started by You. 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

The Gift of Presence

I will make My home among them. I will be their God, and they will be My people. – (Ezekiel 37:27, NLT)

My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people. – (Ezekiel 37:27, NIV)

 

Long before the arrival of Christ, God had His plan in place to make things right again so that He could dwell among us. Humanity had become so broken and disconnected from God, that the only way to be restored to a right relationship with Him, was through the sending of His Son. This season marks the celebration of Jesus’ arrival; the beginning of the relationship that restored us to our Redeemer. Without Christ, we would be limited to only drawing as near to God as the outer courts of the temple. However, because Christ came, we can invite Him to be Lord of our lives, and He will come and make His home in us and among us. He no longer is God out there, but He is now the Lord who is always near. May we fix our eyes and hearts on Him who came from heaven to earth to make the way for us to know His nearness, both now and forevermore.

 

From heaven on high,

He came down to dwell;

So people might know,

The hope His life tells.

As we lift our eyes,

To the Lord above;

He calls us His own,

Showers with His love.

Let us fix our gaze,

This holy season;

On Christ born to us,

Our hope and reason.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that it has always been Your plan to dwell among us. Thank You that despite our sinfulness and brokenness, You made the way to restore a right relationship with You through the sending of Your Son. Forgive us for not fixing our eyes on You and the reason for the season, as we get caught up in the chaos of things that “need” to get done. Help us to slow down and settle in, so that we may meditate on the real meaning and the weight of what You have done for us all. Teach us to trust You more, as You alone are worthy of all of our trust. Show us how to love those around us in a way that spreads hope and points them to the path that leads to You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we embrace the treasured gift of Your presence this most sacred season. Amen.

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

Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; …my hope is in You all day long. – Psalm 25:4-5

Turn to Trust

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. – (Psalm 56:3, NLT)

When struck by fear, I let go, depending securely upon You alone. – (Psalm 56:3, VOICE)

When I get really afraid I come to You in trust. – (Psalm 56:3, MSG)

 

I so appreciate that these were the honest words prayed by the heart of David, who was a mighty warrior. As one who had fought lions, giants, armies, elements, exhaustion and having to endure the anguish of alone, he identified and admitted his fear, and recognized and ran to the One in whom he knew he could trust. God was faithful to be present and protect David, despite the times of trial that he endured. The very same God who was worthy of such trust for David, remains present, approachable and available for each of us today. If fear attempts to find footing, we have One to whom we can run. May we depend securely upon the Lord alone, for He is the One in whom we can place all of our trust.

 

When fear tries creep in,

May we turn to trust;

For our God alone,

Is faithful and just.

As we choose let go,

Give God all our fear;

He makes His heart known,

Through His drawing near.

To come still closer,

The Lord welcomes us;

To release each fear,

And trust in Jesus.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we are afraid, we can come to You and trust You to be present and faithful to remain with us. Thank You that You never leave us nor forsake us. Forgive us for choosing to remain frozen in our fears, rather than running to You and laying them at Your feet. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would bring You our every fear, and trust You to lead us and guide us through the spaces that seem far beyond what we are equipped to handle. Show us how to love well, every person that we encounter, so that they might gain glimpses of You through how we love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You when we are afraid, knowing that You are faithful; always. Amen.

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

Listen… be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. – Proverbs 23:19

Run for Your Life

Paul, as he was serving his final sentence in prison and awaiting his earthly demise, he knew with confidence that he had done all that he could do to love God and love people with his life. Because his hope was in Christ, he knew what was in store. Though his earthly end was drawing near, his eternity in glory, was about to begin. As He held fast to the truth, he was able to say with confidence: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – (2 Timothy 4:7)

 

Can we with confidence, also claim that we are fighting the good fight, running the race to which we are called, and all the while, keeping the faith? It is a weighty question, and one that can only be answered with a “yes“, if we walk out our days dependent on Christ. Some days it is easier to fight the good fight than others. Just as some days are beyond difficult to get out of the house and run, so too is our faith in action. Yesterday, between the heat and the having to run solo, it nearly kept me from walking out my front door. Deep within me, I knew that if I did not get out and go, I would regret it. It was hot and hilly, and quite frankly, a bit miserable. However, when I was finished, I was so grateful to have gone. Likewise, the weariness and the worries of the world can wear us down and keep us from walking out our front door, or from reaching out where we know we are called to go. That being said, we have a Savior who calls and equips us to run and fight in faith. All that is needed He will provide. May we stand firm in our faith as we run the race to which we are called; and in His power, fight the good fight until our final breath is drawn.

 

Let our lives be led,

by the Lord’s great love;

as He fuels our faith,

seek His ways above.

For we have been called,

to run our own race;

to fight the good fight,

stand firm in our faith.

Let our race be run,

in a mighty way;

so that “Well done’s” heard,

on our final day.

Let’s fight the good fight,

and run our race strong;

propelled by the faith,

that pulls us along.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to fight the good fight and run the race that You have set before us, through the faith that You impart to every heart who seeks You. Thank You that the reward that awaits a life lived for You, far outweighs any darkness or suffering that we endure in the here and now. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of eternity, and allowing the here and now to define us. Teach us to fix our eyes on You and what lasts forever, not on that which will one day fade. Lead us to love others intentionally and generously, just as You so love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we fight the good fight and run our own race through a relentless faith in You. Amen.

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

God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. – Genesis 21:6