Welcomed With Celebration

Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord. – (Psalm 27:14, HCSB)

Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help. – (Psalm 27:14, ERV)

Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God. – (Psalm 27:14, MSG)

Staying with God and waiting on Him is what we need to finish our race and enter into the glory of eternity with God. In our current series at church, Kingdom Come, yesterday’s message had a great analogy of how God welcomes us into His Kingdom. One of our pastors, who knew little about football, had attended her first Seahawks game the week prior. She took notice of new things and asked questions about what she was observing. As she was closing up her message on Matthew 6:1-13, one part of her analogy that she had observed at the game, challenged my thinking. She spoke of how each play was introduced by name with fireworks as they came into view from the tunnel. Her comment was that God celebrates and welcomes us in the same way. At first, I paused and thought, by name, sure, but fireworks? That is a big deal for one person. As I pondered, the first thing that came to mind was that though I do not deserve a big production, Jesus does. Jesus in me deserves all accolades. Then I considered things further. When we welcome a baby into the world, we celebrate with thanksgiving, gifts, and great cheer. God is our Father in Heaven, and He celebrates us in the same way. We are known and acknowledged with good things because we are His. May we ever seek the Lord, for He is our strength and where our courage comes from. He celebrates and acknowledges each of us by name, and with great celebration because we are His.

With celebration,

The Lord calls our name;

He ushers us in,

To goodness proclaimed.

His Kingdom is now,

And forevermore;

We’re meant to embrace,

And trust in the Lord.

For as we choose live,

Depending on Him;

He equips with strength,

To do as He did.

In Him we can live,

As is His intent;

To love each other,

With grace, enter in.

So, trust in the Lord,

Know you are enough;

Not for what you do,

But because He’s tough.

Strong to uphold us,

Grace that always loves;

Purveyor of peace,

All hope from above.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we wait on You, You show us who You are and that Your Kingdom is not only in Heaven, but is here and now as well. Thank You that You know us and call us by name, and that You celebrate us, not for what we do, but because we are Yours. Forgive us for the times that we fear that we are not enough or we lose heart in the waiting. Teach us again and again that our value is found in You because we are Yours, and that as we wait on You, You grant us strength and hope and help. Show us how to love one another as You created us to do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we wait in trust for You in tough spaces, and praise You that we are known, loved and upheld by You, our Heavenly Father. Amen.

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

I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds. – Psalm 9:1

Wise with Words

When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should. – (Colossians 4:6, ERV)

Let your conversations be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. – (Colossians 4:6, NLT)

Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not to put them down, nor cut them out. – (Colossians 4:6, MSG)

 

First, in a season of so many unknowns, it is difficult to speak with any sort of wisdom about what lies ahead. That being said, kindness and grace must be intentional and come from Christ, or answers will not be the right response in the moment. Before I expand further on what I am learning about this through this whole ordeal, I know the update that so many are looking for ought to come first.

Yesterday, was another good day for mom. Her day was full of various therapy sessions, each one with intention and purpose to propel her to strength and independence. She was at the table in the dining area picking at breakfast when we arrived and handed her the “smuggled in” Frappuccino. From there we met with the social worker and case coordinator (whom I affectionately refer to as Thor and Llama, based on the collections in their office), as they reviewed mom’s rights and care information with mom, my sister and me. Next up was the OT extraordinaire, Stephanie (I think, so many names), who took her in to help her begin to relearn the whole showering process. Cleanliness is next to godliness, and she felt refreshed to have soaked in that warm water, rather than hospital shower wipes. Her least favorite rebuilding session so far was speech therapy. It had little to do with the who, and everything to do with the what. Due to where the stroke occurred in mom’s brain, she is experiencing some apraxia. For those non-medical folks like myself, the dictionary defines apraxia as a disorder of the nervous system, characterized by an inability to perform purposeful movements, but not accompanied by a loss of sensory functions or paralysis. To make it even simpler, based on observations, there has been a disruption in the connection between message sending and receiving for some words to actions, words to objects, and most certainly, thoughts to movements on the right side of her body. Speech is the space where she is made glaringly aware of the disconnect. It is difficult and frustrating, and an area where extra grace will be needed, for sure. Already the speech therapist will adjust the schedule to meet with her in two 30-minute sessions, rather than one longer sitting. As soon as we returned downstairs from speech, Sophie, the recreational therapist came in. Who even knew that was a thing?! Anyway, super sweet, and her job is to help mom get back to doing the recreational things she enjoys, so I made sure she was aware that the bar was extraordinarily high. Sophie was quite pleased. Next up was OT again to work on vision and upper body, then lunch, followed by PT. It was not Penny yesterday, but Kristen was equally lovely and encouraging, and PT is by far, mom’s favorite therapy session of the day. In fact, she was trying to negotiate trading speech time for more PT time. 🙂 We were able to go outside again after dinner, and enjoyed a movie together before I headed back home for the night. A few phone calls were made on speaker, which was huge for mom, as it was a start to regaining a connection to those not standing in front of us.

Anyway, back to the verse of the day. This whole situation is showing me more and more how critically important it is to seek the Lord and His grace to speak to others. We have now had two people in the last week, tell us (in front of my mom!) stories of their own family members who had strokes and died a few months later. Seriously? Not the encouragement, wisdom, nor words seasoned in the love of Christ that this girl’s heart needed to hear, nor the protector in me wanted ANYWHERE near my mom. I was gracious, but it took much self-control to not scream that I am not their therapist, I am fighting for MY MOM, and no nay-sayers allowed. I am well aware of the risks and reality of our circumstances. What we need is love and support, encouragement and most of all, covering in prayer. It is a strange place when I don’t know someone who cares deeply for mom, is super emotional, and I am an empath who refuses to emote. Too much weight. Additionally, mom doesn’t need to see others feeling sorry for her. She needs cheerleaders, encouragers, shoulders who are ready to rise up and walk beside her. It is biblical. It is right. There is an army that has risen, and for you, we are forever grateful. For those waiting in the wings, feeling uncertain of what to do; keep praying – Your prayers are fueling this fight!

 

O Lord let my words,

Be faithful and true;

Seasoned with kindness,

Reflections of You.

By Your loving grace,

May all that I say;

Encourage, build up,

Each day, Lord, I pray.

God grant me wisdom,

In each circumstance;

May Your truth be known,

Your kingdom advanced.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the watcher of our words. Thank You that what is intended to harm, You use for good. Thank You that You guard our hearts, even though we may have moments of frustration of anger at what we hear, we can trust that You are greater and have us in Your hands. Forgive us for those moments when anger arises and our thoughts are less than godly toward others for the things that they say. Forgive us too, for the times that we have done the same. Not one of us is perfect and we all have fallen short and said the wrong thing at the wrong time, even with the best of intentions. Teach us how to lean on You to love and extend grace with wisdom through our words. Show us how to love like You to all those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to speak with wisdom and grace, ever extending kindness and grace to all those around us. Amen.

 

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

 

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. – Colossians 4:2

Trusted Thoughts and Worthwhile Words

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, NLT)

May my words and thoughts please You. Lord, You are my Rock – the One who rescues me. – (Psalm 19:14, ERV)

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, VOICE)

 

The art of self-editing is something that I share with my students, often. Just because we have a thought on a matter, does not necessarily mean that we need or ought to give it a voice. This verse takes it a step further, and reminds us that it is more than our words that need to be reined in, but our very thoughts as well. If I want my thoughts and words to be pleasing to God, I need to view the world through His lens of love. Such perspective is only possible if I am in tune with the heart of the Father. The way to know His heart and see His perspective is found through time invested with Him. In the same way that we begin to take on a likeness to those whom we spend the majority of our time, likewise is true when we are intentional with prioritizing time with God. May we invest our heart and mind in purposeful time pursuing God and His heart for people, so that the words that we speak and the thoughts that we think are pleasing unto our Provider.

 

O Lord, may my life, 

Be lived unto You;

Each word and each thought,

All things that I do.

Teach my heart to choose,

To see through Your lens;

So my words and thoughts,

Give grace as to friends.

Let all that I think,

And each word I say;

Be pleasing to You,

Throughout all my days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You do not call us to anything that You are not also willing to equip us to carry out. Thank You that though impossible on our own, with You, our every word and thought can be captured by Your love. Forgive us for the words and thoughts that we have entertained that were not in line with Your heart. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would commit our thoughts to You, and speak words that offer light and life and love. Show us how to love those around us with both thoughts and our words. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to be intentional in our time with You, allowing Your heart to shape our thoughts and words so that we may clearly reflect Your love to the world. Amen.

 

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

Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put My words into your mouth.” – Jeremiah 1:9

Goodness Found in Faith

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. – (Hebrews 11:6, NIV)

Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that He is real and that He rewards those who sincerely try to find Him. – (Hebrews 11:6, ERV)

And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that He is real and that He rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking Him. – (Hebrews 11:6, TPT)

 

Faith is like a muscle, we all are inherently born with the propensity to have it, yet unless it is exercised, it atrophies and becomes weak. However, as we exercise our faith, it grows stronger. What may begin as a faint fleck of faith, has the capacity to develop and be transformed into something monumental that moves mountains and paves paths where there previously seemed to be no way. God is faithful to meet us where we are as we seek Him, our part is to look to Him, as He is already looking to us. The Lord is not pushy, He is patient and loving and kind. He will only enter in if invited, so our portion is to seek, ask and believe. May we ever pursue a life of opportunities to grow our faith further in Him, for God is faithful and will make His goodness known as we seek and trust in Him.

 

Let us trust the Lord,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

For that’s how faith grows;

And it is by faith,

That God’s goodness shows.

He’s faithful to hear,

Each word that we pray;

By His loving grace,

He’ll show us the way.

The way to new life,

Where faith overcomes;

No mountain too high,

To block God’s outcome.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we choose to exercise our faith in You, You grow and strengthen that which is in us to move past all that lies before us. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked the faith to seek You. Teach us to trust You more, as You are mightier than all that stands before us. Show us how to love those around us in a way that blesses hearts and renews hope. May many find faith in You forever. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and ever move forward in faith, trusting that You will grow that which is within us to move all that is before us. Amen.

 

 

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

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. – Hebrews 11:1

Rest from the Heaviness

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

“Come to Me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, ERV)

“Come to Me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, CEB)

 

It is good to work hard and complete the tasks that lie before us, yet there comes a point when we have to listen to our bodies and choose to slow down and rest. God provides the time and space necessary for us to rest, if we only choose to do so, and He grants us help and hope and relief when all seems too much to slow down. Often the thing that keeps us from resting is a busy mind. When the day is done and we actually lie down to rest, our mind continues to plan, prepare, and ponder ways to accomplish the long list that is yet to be done, further removing the rest that is so desperately needed. Thankfully, true to His word, when we turn our attention to Him, rather than what needs to be done, peace comes and rest enters in. May we ever seek the Lord in our times of weariness, for He is the perfect Provider of the rest our bodies and minds require.

 

Jesus is calling,

For He says to come;

All who are weary,

Seek the Holy One.

For He grants us rest,

And His perfect peace;

He loves us to life,

Grants heavy relief.

So, let us draw near,

To our God above;

As He grants us rest,

And fills with His love.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can come to You in our weariness with our heavy burdens, and You will give us rest. Thank You that Your rest refreshes and provides relief so that we can press on in Your strength. Forgive us for not slowing down to rest, even though it is intended for us all. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would take time to rest and refresh in You, as You lighten our load and make our burdens bearable. Show us how to love those around us in a way that helps shoulder the heavy loads and encourages rest as it is needed. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come to You when we are weary and heavy burdened, knowing that You will grant us rest. Amen.

 

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

 

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

 

Power to the Tired

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. – (Isaiah 40:29, NIV)

He helps the tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it. – (Isaiah 40:29, ERV)

His understanding is beyond human reach, giving power to the tired and reviving the exhausted. – (Isaiah 40:29, CEB)

 

I am so grateful to know where our strength comes from when we feel as though there is none remaining in us. It has been an incredibly long week, particularly for my fiancé, as he has worked long days with a grueling commute, and then has been driving to his old house to work and make preparations to sell and then on to further make ready the new home that we will all share in a few short weeks. Yesterday evening, he hit the wall, and was done. Exhaustion had taken over, and rest was required. After spending a few hours at the house with him, working on finishing details beyond his already lengthy day, he reached a point where he needed to be done. We left, met the boys, my mom and sister for dinner, gave a tour of our new home, and departed so my Viking and my bonus son could get some rest. This morning, I trust that he will be strengthened and rested and revived. God is faithful to provide what we need as we need it most. May we ever seek the Lord and His strength in our weariness and allow His rest to refresh us from exhaustion.

 

O Lord, I thank You, 

You’re faithful to meet;

Us when we’re weary,

Revive from defeat.

You grant us power,

When we find we’ve none;

You love us to life,

All things, overcome.

Your understanding,

And help in our need;

Grant strength to rise up,

In Your strength, succeed.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us, no matter how we come. Thank You that You give strength when we are weary and grant us power when we are weak. Thank You that You see us in our need and provide in places we lack. Forgive us for attempting to power through beyond what we are meant to do. Teach us to turn to You for strength in spaces it is lacking, and for renewal when we are worn. Show us how to love those around us in practical ways so that we may help strengthen and encourage in practical ways when they are weary. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You for the strength and refreshment we need to navigate all that we are called to complete. Amen.

 

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

 

Father, I thank You that You have heard me. – John 11:41 

Live as Lifelong Learners

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. – (Proverbs 4:7, NLT)

The first step to becoming wise is to look for wisdom, so use everything you have to get understanding. – (Proverbs 4:7, ERV)

Gaining sound judgment is key, so first things first: go after Lady Wisdom. Now, whatever else you do, follow through to understanding. – (Proverbs 4:7, VOICE)

 

We should never stop seeking to learn and grow. Not one of us has the capacity to obtain all wisdom and understanding in existence, yet the more we know and understand, the better we are able to love as we are loved. One of the greatest examples of this that I have ever known, was my grandmother. During her 98 years on earth, she never stopped seeking to learn and understand more. She was the wisest person I have known and had deep understanding of so many things. Even the most stubborn of her offspring would give ear to her words, as each knew and understood the wisdom that came with the words that she spoke. May we seek to be lifelong learners, as we pursue wisdom and understanding so that we too may love those around us, as we are loved by the Lord.

 

Let’s choose seek wisdom, 

May we become wise;

Chase understanding,

So truth’s realized.

Sound judgment follows,

When we choose pursue;

Ever we’re learning,

What we’re meant to do.

So, look for wisdom,

Seek to understand;

Ask for the Lord’s help,

To walk out His plan.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to pursue wisdom and understanding so that we are not left wandering around in ignorance. Thank You that good judgment comes as we develop into lifelong learners. Forgive us for thinking we know enough, or for not seeking to understand further. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would continually pursue more wisdom and insight for all of our days to love others well and walk in Your ways. Show us how to love others as You call us to love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to live lives as lifelong learners. Amen.

 

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

 

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you.” – Exodus 33:19

How Impossible Becomes Possible

Remember, what is humanly impossible is possible with God. – (Luke 18:27, VOICE)

He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” – (Luke 18:27, NLT)

Jesus answered, “God can do things that are not possible for people to do.” – (Luke 18:27, ERV)

 

The mountains that lie before us, no matter how great or small, can be climbed or moved when we rely on Christ. In our own strength, there is much that is seemingly impossible that stands before us, beckoning to be accomplished. Through human insight and understanding, it seems we may as well stop before we even start. However, if God has called us to something, He will lead us through it. The seemingly impossible becomes possible, as we choose to be led by faith and not by sight. God’s grace, goodness, provision and strength, carry us further than we ever thought we might go. May we look to the Lord and be led by faith, rather than staying stuck on the seeming impossibilities that stand in front of us.

 

Mountains before us, 

That seem far too high;

Passable in Christ,

When on Him, we rely.

No height that’s too great,

Nor valley too low;

All that’s before us,

With us, God will go.

So trust in the Lord,

And see what He’ll do;

Mountains will be moved,

As we’re carried through.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that what is impossible for us, is possible with You. Thank You that in You, all things are possible. Thank You that You do not call us to anything that You are not also willing to strengthen, equip and carry us through. Forgive us for our fear and lack of faith when we see the seemingly impossible standing in front of us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would see the seeming impossibilities as opportunities for Your power to be demonstrated in incredible new ways. Show us how to love others in ways that help them to see the possibilities before them rather than the obstacles. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to do the impossible in our lives, as only You can. Amen.

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

Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. – Psalm 69:16

Success Through Commitment

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. – (Proverbs 16:3, CEB)

Turn to the Lord for help in everything you do, and you will be successful. – (Proverbs 16:3, ERV)

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish you plans. – (Proverbs 16:3, NIV)

 

This is an interesting verse to have stand out to me this morning, as I am following the unfolding story of my dear friend, Ashley, as she is dealing with the distraction of being bitten by a botfly while in Belize in the midst of being there with her three kids, and participating in important contact meetings as she continues to further establish relationships within the nation for sending medical missions teams. She has completely committed all that she does to the Lord, and His favor has been upon her every step of the way. Remarkable doors have been opened where it did not seem possible, and He has developed and rerouted plans beyond what she would have ever imagined. So why this botfly bite? It is a horrible and strange happenstance, however, I know that God will use this to give Ashley further wisdom and understanding as she leads teams into parts of the nation that nearly never receive medical attention. Somehow, this present experience will give her more wisdom when treating those in need as she goes. For me, it has suddenly increased my passion to pray not only for Ashley and her kiddos right now, but for the team that I will be joining in the jungle of Belize at the end of July. I do not want to go in fear, but rather I need to choose to commit the trip to Him and trust that what He plans, will be accomplished. May we ever trust in the Lord and His goodness, despite distractions that attempt to derail us.

 

Commit to the Lord,

All that you choose do;

When given to Him,

He will lead us through.

If we allow plans,

Of ours to be His;

His will established,

Our hearts will not miss.

In all that we do,

Father, You we need;

As we choose to trust,

In You, we succeed.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we commit everything that we do to You, You meet us and establish success according to Your plan. Thank You for the faithful who are walking out their commitment to You in mighty ways. Please protect and heal those in spaces where they are exposed to risk factors that are outside our realm of reality. Please bring healing and relief to Ashley, and protect she and her kids in every way. Forgive us for not committing all that we do unto You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek You first, and commit all that we are and all that we do unto You. Show us how to love those around us in a way that demonstrates Your unending faithfulness. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we commit all that we do unto You, and trust You to establish success in the plans that You have for us. Amen.

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

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. – 2 Corinthians 3:5

Outward Pressure Inward Transformation

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad – for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world. – (1 Peter 4:12-13, NLT)

 

“Outward pressure works inward transformation. Rivals reveal the destiny that God has prepared for us.” – (Without Rival, Lisa Bevere) As my book study continues, not only are there fantastic foundational truths that are being reinforced, but there are these great little nuggets that resonate as relevant reminders that whatever we go through – can all be used to further refine us into whom God is calling us to become. We do not grow and change when we are comfortable. It is in the times of trial that we are forced to rise up and cling to Christ, and discover the true strength that He alone can provide. Though we might not enjoy the trying times, they are the very spaces that show us who He is, and how much more we can have of Him. May we seek the Lord in times of trial and of blessing, and recognize that rivals are real ways for God to reveal more of Himself to us and through us as He works within us.

 

Fear not the trials, 

That happen our way;

For God uses them,

To show us He’ll stay.

Every rival,

God can use for good;

To grow and refine,

His strength understood.

For outward pressure,

Causes change within;

As we lean on Christ,

Glory’s ushered in.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that trials transform us into more of who You are calling us to become. Thank You that though we don’t want to endure trials or rivals of any kind, You use them to grow us and raise us up according to Your plan. Forgive us for wanting to run and hide when trials come. Teach us to trust You completely, so that we would seek You and Your strength, to forge forward and face whatever obstacle comes our way, knowing that You will provide whatever we need to continue in the direction to which we are called. Show us how to love, support and encourage those around us, so that they too would keep moving towards all that You have for them. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to transform us when the pressure is placed upon us. Amen.

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

Shout aloud and sing for joy. – Isaiah 12:6