Honor and Protect

May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in You. – (Psalm 25:21, NIV)

You are good and do what is right. I trust You to protect me. – (Psalm 25:21, ERV)

May honor and strong character keep me safe. Vigilantly I wait for You, hoping, trusting. – (Psalm 25:21, VOICE)

 

One of my husband’s favorite things about his job is that he works with great people. He is especially drawn to the motor officers, as he has had the privilege of working closely with and attending training each summer with them, as he keeps their motorcycles running safely throughout the year. Last evening, we were honored to attend a small retirement dinner for one of the motor officers, whom Mark has worked with the entire time that he has been employed by the city. It was a joy to be in the company of men and their wives who live upright and are of strong character; humbly trusting and hoping in God as they choose to serve their community. In such a position, I imagine it requires intentional trust each day, for protection and direction as they seek to fulfill their duties with integrity and uprightness. In the same way that I pray daily for the safety and protection of my family, I ought to also remember those who serve our city, state and our nation. May integrity and uprightness protect us all as we place our hope in the Lord, who is worthy of all of our trust.

 

Lord, help me to seek,

A heart after Yours;

Strong in character,

That in trust, endures.

May I walk upright,

In all that I do;

Let each word and deed,

Clearly reflect You.

Protect me, O God,

In all of my ways;

So Your light is shown,

Today and always.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace, and for the protection You provide for those who faithfully pursue Your ways. Thank You for those who willingly place their lives on the line to keep us safe, daily. Watch over and provide for their families too, as there is sacrifice in the space of uncertainty. Forgive us for taking such servants for granted, as so many seek You to lead and guide them in what they do. Teach us to remember in prayer, all who serve, and to pursue You to live with integrity and uprightness every single day. Show us how to love those around us in ways that encourage goodness, honor and strong character to rise up and be rooted securely in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, Lord. Be glorified O God, as we trust our lives into Your hands and seek You to live in such a way that You are honored well. Amen.

 

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

 

But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your Name may rejoice in You. – Psalm 5:11

Known with Purpose

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. – (Psalm 147:4, NIV)

He counts the stars and knows each of them by name. – (Psalm 147:4, ERV)

He sets His stars in place, calling them all by their names. – (Psalm 147:4, TPT)

 

If God, the Creator of the heavens and earth and all that is, knows each star and calls it by name, how much more does He know us, His created? God is aware of even the seemingly most insignificant details; “And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” (Matthew 10:30) Love alone, drives such care and concern for who we are, and everything about us. He knows how we were knit together, and He has already called it “good”. Each one of us were born with a plan and a purpose – with gifts and talents to share with the world. Our charge is to seek Him to discover what we have been created for, and then to go forth, and do whatever it is, in love. As a teacher, especially as I wear my art teacher hat, I have the opportunity to help each student who enters my classroom discover that they are an artist. Some come in with a preconceived idea that they have zero artistic abilities, and I spend the entire semester working to help them discover that there are more mediums in art that drawing. Additionally, art is in the eye of the beholder. To one, Picasso is the most profound, whereas to another, Monet or Degas have been deemed the best. God set us all in place too, and He knows us each by name. His care goes far beyond the knowing; He loves so that we can become the very best version of ourselves. May we ever seek the Lord and His loving kindness, so that we can live life in our strengths and purpose with love.

On the way back from a grocery trip with one of my boys, I was able to reach mom on the phone. It was great to talk to her and hear her voice, and I know that it was a bonus for both she and Lucas to speak with one another. Eager to hear about the start of school, much of the conversation was spent answering questions posed by mom. She caught us up on her day, and was pleased to let us know that she had been working hard on walking and other therapy exercises. Her determination and strength are inspiring, and part of the gift of how she was intentionally designed. We continue to pray for the details to fall into place, as mom is still in limbo, waiting for in-home therapies with actual therapists.

 

The very same God,

Who hung all the stars;

Made us with a plan,

Purpose that is ours.

Designed with intent,

Wonderfully made;

Fully we are known,

As His love’s displayed.

May we each go forth,

And pursue His plan;

Love with intention,

Each day as we can.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You know and love us so well. Thank You that all of creation has been designed intentionally, and is fully known by You. Forgive us for somehow forgetting just how vast the expanse of Your love and wisdom reaches. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would faithfully pursue You and all that You have for us. Show us how to love well, so that we may walk out our days with purpose in a way that lifts up and encourages those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us to love and grow into all that You have for us. Amen.

 

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

 

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. – Philippians 2:13

 

* A song that comes to mind as a reminder of this truth, is Stars, by Skillet. ❤

 

 

Inscribed on Human Hearts

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. – (2 Corinthians 3:3, NIV)

You show that you are a letter from Christ that He sent through us. This letter is not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. It is not written on stone tablets but on human hearts. – (2 Corinthians 3:3, ERV)

You are the living letter of the Anointed One, the Liberating King, nurtured by us and inscribed, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God – a letter too passionate to be chiseled on stone tablets, but emblazoned upon the human heart. – (2 Corinthians 3:3, VOICE)

 

Though this verse is but a portion of Paul’s second letter to the church of Corinth, it applies to all who faithfully pursue the Lord and seek to do His will. Those who invest in the spiritual growth of others, help nurture the truth that Christ engraves upon the hearts of all who follow Him. It is by God’s Spirit that our hearts become more like His. I love the imagery that this presents. We, as followers of Christ, carry the Spirit of God in our heart, and help others discover the same. Our hearts emblazoned with the love, light and truth of the living God… May we ever passionately pursue Christ, as He is the way, the truth and the light, who deposits His heart in ours, so that we may love as He loves.

 

A letter of love,

Inscribed not with ink;

But by God’s Spirit,

Most holy love link.

His Spirit within,

Makes the truth be known;

So as we love well,

His heart shall be shown.

In all that we do,

And all that we say;

May our hearts make known,

God’s goodness and grace.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we pursue You, You inscribe truth, love and light within us, so that we may point others to all that You are. Thank You for the people whom You have placed in our lives to show us what it is to have a heart that has been inscribed by You. Forgive us for the times that we have not pursued Your heart or have failed to represent all that You have deposited within us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would further seek Your inscription upon our lives, and go forth investing in others around us, so that they too, may know Your nearness. Show us how to love like You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we allow You to write upon the tablet of our heart. 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

 

Pursue Purpose

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. – (Philippians 3:12, NIV)

I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason He made me His. – (Philippians 3:12, ERV)

I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into His abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover. – (Philippians 3:12, TPT)

 

We are all a work in progress. The more we pursue God and the path He has prepared for us, the more we become the person that He designed and purposed us to be. It is remarkable to think about. The Creator of all, created each of us, with a plan and a purpose. Uniquely designed to love Him and love people in a way that can be exclusively exhibited through us as we walk out our days seeking to honor Him in all that we say and do. Not one of us has perfected this yet, however, we are an ongoing work in progress, and the longer we pursue Him, the more refined we become in living out love according to His for us. May we ever pursue the path that God has placed before us, and seek Him to be our strength to walk out each day well.

 

Let us choose pursue,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

The path of the Lord;

Though none have arrived,

All grace He affords.

As we keep seeking,

Keep running our race;

God’s love will provide,

What we need for each day.

Keep seeking to love,

And walk in His way;

Let His love light shine,

As we extend grace.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us despite our flaws and failures and call us to pursue the path that You have placed before us, according to how we are each uniquely designed. Forgive us for neglecting to love as we are loved, or for ignoring the way that we know we are meant to go. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would walk out our days living and loving according to Your ways. Show us how to faithfully pursue all that You have for us, so that we may love those around us as only we can do through You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we run with passion in the purpose for which You have placed within us. Amen.

 

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

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

What I Give

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” – (Acts 2:3-6)

A man crippled from birth, was begging at the temple gates, just as he did every other day. However, this day, was to be like no other day before. Pious people had given him enough in the past to get by, yet on this day, he was to receive so much more! Though he was asking for money, he was given something far better – the use of his legs. So often, it is the same for us. We seek God, asking for something that we think will be a solution to our situation, yet His provision comes as something far greater – a need met that we may not have even perceived, nor had the courage or faith to ask. God’s plan for us is to provide a whole new life, not just a quick fix to a temporary situation. He wants to grant freedom where we are held captive, joy where there is despair, and peace where anxiety reigns. Christ’s answers far exceed the expectations of what we ask. May we earnestly seek Him as we faithfully pursue His plans for our lives. For His faithfulness, let us also give praise and rejoice.

 

Faithfully seeking,
we timidly ask;
what we think we need,
to complete a task.
The Lord sees our hearts,
and the road ahead;
He knows what we need,
and gives that instead.
We simply must trust,
and ask of the Lord;
for His grace and help,
all things, He’ll afford.
Whatever He asks,
He’ll prepare us too;
He’s more than enough,
as He makes us new.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so good. Thank You that You love us so much that You do not always give us the things that we want or that which we think we need, but rather You supply what we really need. Thank You that Your grace is greater than our ignorance. Forgive us for our shortsightedness and lack of faith when things do not appear to be anywhere near being answered, and help us to trust You, knowing that You are always at work, and that Your solution is for our greater good. Lead us to love others as You so faithfully love each of us, and may many come to know just how great You are, as a result. Be glorified, O God, as we live and love, completely trusting Your faithfulness in all things. Amen.

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

I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power. – Daniel 2:23