Place of Safety

Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. – (Psalm 62:8, NIV)

People, always put your trust in God! Tell Him all your problems. God is our place of safety. – (Psalm 62:8, ERV)

Join me, everyone! Trust only in God every moment! Tell Him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to Him. Believe me when I tell you – He will help you! Pause in His presence. – (Psalm 62:8, TPT)

 

We really are in a space of having no choice but to trust in Him. With the daily tolls climbing of those affected by COVID-19, and the increasing impact it is having on medical system, our economy, and families, it is a space where people either panic or choose to trust. God is a great listener. He hears all that we have to say. No question is too small nor too great, and He is not offended by our lack of understanding. God is our safe space, waiting with open arms to embrace us in our moments of fear, frustration or disbelief. For me, the greatest struggle is having to stay at home. Don’t get me wrong, I love my people who make our house a home; it is the wanderlust in me that has this constant desire to be out moving and doing and exploring. My one escape each day is to run, but that is severely out of balance in relationship to the number of hours I find myself seated on the couch, attempting to make sense of my job and how to function digitally. Please do not misunderstand, for I am immensely grateful that I am among the gainfully employed. Rather, it is a struggle to shift from continually moving around my classroom, and walking about campus, to spending so much time indoors. There is a learning curve, and I am adapting, it just takes time and trust and prayer. What I realize more than ever, is the countless reasons that I do have to express gratitude. Even from indoors, I can see trees surrounding us out each window. When I head outside and walk, I do not need to go far to see cherry blossoms blooming, daffodils cheerfully greeting walkways, and not far off, I can catch glimpses of the Puget Sound. Additionally, when I go further, the snow-capped Cascades rise over the water. If I head a different direction to run, I am greeted by the glorious glaciers gleaming in the early morning light a top Mt. Rainier. Beauty is everywhere, and this is our opportunity to truly take it all in. As we close out our week, may we pause in His presence and share our hearts with He who holds us in the hollow of His hands. God is good, and His love for us knows no end.

 

Choose trust in the Lord,

Share your heart with Him;

He’s present to help,

As we let Him in.

Our place of safety,

When troubles surround;

Peace in the chaos,

Where life and love’s found.

Lean into Jesus,

He always is near;

Ready to listen,

Each heart cry He’ll hear.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are certain, even when all around us is not. Thank You that we can trust in You and depend on You to be our space of safety and the One to whom we can say anything that is on our heart. Thank You that You are bigger than our fears, frustrations and doubts. Forgive us for our restlessness as we adjust to a new normal. Show us how to call on You and depend on You to be our safety, our comfort and our companion. Teach us how to love those around us well, even though it will look different, Your heart can be conveyed through kindness, encouragement and support as we offer what we have to give. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to be our safety, our confidante and the One who hears our every heart cry as we wait out this storm, loving people well. Amen.

 

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

 

You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. – Psalm 32:7

The Power of Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NIV)

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs against it. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, ERV)

Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. – (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, TPT)

 

Love is a powerful force, created by God, to bring people together. Not only are we commanded to love, but His word unpacks for us, how to love like Him. To say that love is patient, means that love needs to contain the capacity for endurance. It is not to have an on/off switch based on circumstance, but rather love endures through all things, at all times. Love is kind, is an expectation that love will choose to be considerate, helpful, gentle and from a tendency toward tenderness. A love that does not envy, is one that rejoices in the successes and blessings of others, rather than wishing they were their own. True love does not need to place their own accomplishments on parade, nor promote self, for their heart, their love and their kindness speak for their character. This one is one that I witness far too often in middle school, and it is one of my greatest frustrations, as love does not dishonor, belittle nor disrespect others. To be easily angered is to have a short fuse, and God, in His grace, will replace the short wick with a long one, if we depend on Him. Lastly, love not keeping record of wrongs, is a curious call. Of course, we are not to hold grudges, and we must forgive, for unforgiveness is toxic to the holder, not the offender. However, it is impossible in our own strength to not be at least a bit influenced by the treatment we have received in the past from others. To love the way in which God calls us to love, we need Him, every moment of every day. We are broken and flawed; He is holy and perfect and pure. If we rely on Him, we can learn to love as we are meant to love. May we ever seek the Lord and His heart for others, so that we love as He first loved us.

 

Lord, help us to love,

Be patient and kind;

Never to envy,

Keep others in mind.

Lead us to honor,

Each other in love;

Respect and forgive,

Love as You first loved.

Help us to let go,

Of wrongs of the past;

Forgive, move forward,

With Your love that lasts.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us and instruct us to love. Thank You that You sent Your Son to show us what it is to love the way that we are called to love. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to love, as our words, thoughts or actions countered the very things You call us to do. Teach us to trust You more, so that we walk in love according to Your instructions. Show us how to love patiently and with kindness, and keep envy, pride and anger far from us. Help us to meet those around us with the love that is needed most, even when their words or actions make us want to run the other direction. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we depend on You to love the way that You are calling us to love. Amen.

 

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

 

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. – Psalm 103:8

With All That We Are

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. – (Deuteronomy 6:5, NIV)

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. – (Deuteronomy 6:5, ERV)

Love God, your God, with your whole heart; love Him with all that’s in you, love Him with all you’ve got! – (Deuteronomy 6:5, MSG)

 

We are called and created to love God; not just in theory or in words, but with our entire existence. To love God with all our heart and soul and strength requires us to love Him in all that we say, think and do. I love God, but know that I still have a long way to go for love to permeate every single word, thought and deed of every moment of every day. God is love. He loves us the way that He calls us to love. When we seek Him and invest time with Him, He transforms our hearts and minds to more clearly reflect the radiance of His love toward Him and those around us. If we love God with all that we are, we will love all whom He has created in the same way. May we intentionally invest time with the Lord so that we may know Him more, as the more we know, the more deeply we love He who first loved us.

As for an update on mom, today should be an exciting day! Meg, Scott and Mom will be driving north to Portland, while Mark and I will drive the few hours south, so that we can all meet up for lunch and an afternoon together in the city. Though it is a short span of time together, we were thrilled to figure out a way to make it work with the crazy calendars that we all are fielding over the coming few months. Time together is our favorite, and it will be wonderful to have the face-to-face connection that I have not had since the beginning of this month. We are praying for sweet time together and blessed conversation.

 

Love the Lord our God,

Strength, soul and whole heart;

With all that you are,

Not just a small part.

For God is faithful,

To all who seek Him;

He loves and equips,

As goodness floods in.

In all that we say,

Each thought and each deed;

Do all things in love,

And let the Lord lead.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to love You with all our heart, soul and strength. Thank You that this is not something that we can do in our own strength, but rather You transform our hearts and minds as we seek and invest time with You. Forgive us for the times that we have not loved with our heart, soul or strength. Teach us what it is to love You in each of these areas, every moment of our lives. Show us how to love those around us in a way that is out of the overflow of our love for You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we continue to learn how to love with all our heart, soul and strength. Amen.

 

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

 

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. – Psalm 136:26

Worship in All that We Do

So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives as a living sacrifice to Him – an offering that is only for God and pleasing to Him. Considering what He has done, it is only right that you should worship Him in this way. – (Romans 12:1, ERV)

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. – (Romans 12:1, AMP)

 

As someone who thrives on movement, I am acutely aware of the blessing I have been given to have a healthy body that can be challenged and pushed to do extraordinary things. When we use our bodies to fulfill the purposes and callings that have been placed upon our lives, whatever we do can be an act of worship to God. Something that has stuck out to me for many years is the line from Chariots of Fire, “…when I run I feel His pleasure.” -(Eric Liddell) This is an encouragement to me, as I pursue new athletic endeavors, knowing that each one presents opportunity to love as I am called to love, and to utilize what I have been given to its full potential. My hope is that each time I take to the field this season, I will remember the One who gives me strength, and consider every moment an act of worship that will be pleasing unto Him. May we dedicate all that we do unto the Lord, and allow our every deed to be an act of worship to the One who gives us life.

 

I urge you, dear friends, 

In all that you do;

To give all to God,

In worship and truth.

All that we offer,

Is pleasing to Him;

From hearts of worship,

Praise flows from within.

Let all that we do,

Be an offering;

Though we can’t repay,

God finds this pleasing.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give us the ability to dedicate ourselves to You in whatever we do. Thank You that it is pleasing to You when we choose to offer that which we do as a sacrifice to You. Forgive us for neglecting to give You praise for that which You make possible. Teach us to recognize Your hand in every detail of our lives, so that we will give You all of the glory for the good that You bring. Show us how to love and encourage those around us in a way that sets us apart by Your grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we dedicate all that we are and all that we do as an act of worship unto You. Amen.

 

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

 

You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence. – Acts 2:28

Near to Those Who Call

The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. – (Psalm 145:18)

God promises to be present when we call on His Name. He is near, when we feel fear. As we pray and trust in He who made our hearts and hands, He is faithful to come close and make His presence known. Our job is to trust God, more than that which we are facing. As we do, we become acutely aware of how great God is, and how His presence can shrink the appearance of the obstacles before us. Far greater is He who is in us, than that which is in the world. May we choose to call on Christ in truth and in trust, and be still long enough to become aware of how close He comes in our every moment of need.

In truth we must call,

image by Avi Duckor-Jones

on the Name of God;

for He shall be near,

on each path we trod.

We must trust in Him,

and look to His face;

to become aware,

of His present place.

For each time we ask,

He makes Himself known;

helps us know He’s near,

as His love is shown.

Whatever we face,

shan’t even compare;

to the Lord’s goodness,

once we are aware.

Present in moments,

of fear and despair;

He’s strength and He’s hope,

when we’re unaware.

Let us each rise up,

and call on His Name;

for we can all trust,

promises proclaimed.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we call on You in truth, You are near. Thank You that Your presence is enough to strengthen, sustain, encourage, enlighten, and supply all that we need to navigate through any storm. Thank You that You first loved us, so that we may come to know You. Forgive us for failing to call on You in times of need and in times of thanksgiving. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would call on You in truth and in trust in all things and at all times. Lead us to love in such a way, that Your light and hope is clearly expressed to those who don’t yet know You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we call on You in truth and are aware of how very near You are. Amen.

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

The joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10