Be Strong in Him

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

To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in His great power. – (Ephesians 6:10, ERV)

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

It is amazing what we can accomplish when we draw our strength from God. My least favorite job is cleaning and organizing indoors. I much prefer to be outside doing yardwork or going on an adventure. However, there have been several neglected spaces in our home that have been waiting for my attention. Incredibly, after beginning my days with God and then taking the dogs for a long walk, I have found the strength and motivation to get things done. The more I complete said tasks, the more I discover I want to get others finished as well. I so appreciate having more organized spaces, and find myself ready to keep pushing to complete as much as possible each day. God’s power is limitless, and He supplies the strength we need as we seek Him. May we ever go to God to be our strength, and pursue the path that He has placed before us in all things.

Be strong in the Lord,

for His strength is great;

He meets as we seek,

and trust in the wait.

Each day He’ll equip,

with the things we need;

to keep pressing on,

in every deed.

No matter how great,

or how small the task;

He always hears us,

when we seek and ask.

Thank You, Lord Jesus,

that You hear our heart;

and grant us Your strength,

to complete each start.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and faithful to meet us as we seek You. Thank You that You strengthen and equip us to do the things that we need to do, even the seemingly trivial tasks. Thank You that You care about the details. Forgive us for the times that we try to push through on our own and find ourselves falling short. Teach us to trust You more and to rely on You to be our strength and resolve. Lead us in Your lavish love to care well for those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our strength in all things and at all times and we give You praise for Your unfailing faithfulness and love that lead us. Amen.

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

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

Evidence of Love

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. – (Psalm 96:11-12, NIV)

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be happy! Let the sea and everything in it shout for joy! Let the fields and everything in them be happy! Let the trees in the forest sing for joy. – (Psalm 96:11-12, ERV)

Let’s hear it from sky, with earth joining in, and a huge round of applause from the sea. Let wilderness turn cartwheels, animals, come dance, put every tree of the forest in the choir. – (Psalm 96:11-12, MSG)

My favorite place to be is outdoors, and summer is the season where I am afforded the most time to get out and enjoy creation. Though I rise before the sun, as I wake with my husband as he needs to leave for work before 5am, I am able to enjoy the stillness of the early morning, and watch and listen as the sun rises and the birds wake with song. Each day, I have the opportunity to either walk or run with my dogs, or take them for an adventure that includes exploring places that have new sights and sounds and scents. Each step, I am reminded of God’s goodness, and am in awe of the beauty that surrounds us in the Pacific Northwest. Incredibly, we have had the opportunity to visit other climates this summer as well. Despite the crazy heat, there was glorious beauty in these places as well. Wherever we are, may we recognize the glory of creation and how the hands of God have intentionally crafted it all.

All of creation,

beauty to enjoy;

made by our Savior,

His love was employed.

From mountains to seas,

forests that surround;

hand-crafted delight,

let our praise resound.

Each wave as it rolls,

knows how far to come;

to greet well the shore,

but not overcome.

The trees with their shade,

protect and keep cool;

the mountains reach up,

remind us Who rules.

Each day as we rise,

may we give God praise;

for His creation,

and His loving ways.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all that Your hands have made. Thank You for the gift of time to enjoy it. Thank You that You show us more and more of who You are and how You love as we take in the beauty of creation. Forgive us for not appreciating it enough, or for not being good stewards of all that You have made. Show us how to care well for Your creation, and how to give You praise for all that we see and experience. Lead us to love well, as people are Your most treasured creation. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your goodness, love, and creativity. Amen.

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

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. – Psalm 19:2

Sing of His Goodness

I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me. – (Psalm 13:6, NIV)

Then I will sing to the Lord because He was so good to me. – (Psalm 13:6, ERV)

I will sing to the Eternal, for He is always generous with me. – (Psalm 13:6, VOICE)

There is nothing quite like being near the ocean to raise up awe and wonder at the goodness of God. His hands crafted the beauty and power, and at a word He tells the waves how far they may come ashore. We are blessed with blue skies in Lincoln City, Oregon, and comfortable temperatures in the sixties. A weekend away with my love after nearly a week apart is such a wonderful blessing and a memorable way to begin my next trip around the sun. God is so good to me. This does not mean that my journey is trouble-free or easy, but it does mean that I am acutely aware of His goodness and His presence, and I can look back and see just how incredibly He has strengthened me and led me through every trial and triumph. My heart is filled with praise throughout my days, as His love is tangible to me. May we ever sing praise to He who is worthy of it all; for He is so good to us all.

Look out in wonder,

the beauty brings awe;

His fingerprints clear,

His work without flaw.

From blue skies above,

to powerful sea;

Purposefully made,

for you and for me.

Array of colors,

wherever we go;

beauty to behold,

make His power known.

Ever I’ll give thanks,

for He is so good;

help, hope, love and life,

by grace understood.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace that is poured out upon us throughout all our days. Thank You for the beauty that surrounds us and the hope that dwells within us. Forgive us for not praising You enough for all that You are and how incredibly You love. Teach us to sing of the glory of Your goodness and to ever give You praise. Show us how to love those around us in such a way that Your heart is made clear to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we sing praise to You throughout all of our days, for You are worthy of all of our thanks and praise. Amen.

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

Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. – 1 Chronicles 16:9

Give Glory Due

For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen. – (Romans 11:36, NIV)

Yes, God made all things. And everything continues through Him and for Him. To God be the glory forever! Amen. – (Romans 11:36, ERV)

Everything comes from Him; Everything happens through Him; Everything ends up in Him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes. – (Romans 11:36, MSG)

This is an excellent reminder of who God is and how He deserves all glory and praise. Everything good in our lives is from Him. From the moment I rise to the time I close my eyes at the end of the day, I have countless reasons to praise Him. For life and breath, health and hope, family and friends, love and laughter, food and shelter, and so much more. He is in all, with all, and through whom all goodness is provided. May we be ever aware of the goodness of God and give Him praise for who He is and how He loves.

All praise be to God,

image by Christopher Wilson

Our Lord God on high;

Who blesses and keeps,

Us close by His side.

Through good times and bad,

His presence remains;

Our help and our hope,

Is found in His Name.

All that’s created,

A blessing from Him;

Beauty around us,

Our Savior comes in.

Forever He’s near,

To strengthen and guide;

Our Help and Healer,

With arms open wide.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You are and all that Your hands have made. Thank You for all that You do to strengthen and sustain us, as You love us more than our human hearts can comprehend. Forgive us for not giving You the glory You deserve, for even if we praised You every moment of every day, it would not adequately be what is due. Teach us to see You in and through all things, and to give You praise for Your goodness and grace that are made new every morning. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your heart known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You, praise You, and give You all glory for who You are and how You love. Amen.

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

Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. – 1 Chronicles 16:8

Whatever is Good

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. – (Philippians 4:8, NIV)

Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. – (Philippians 4:8, ERV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. – (Philippians 4:8, VOICE)

Yesterday, my Viking and I drove more than 500 miles to spend the extended weekend with my sister and her family to watch and support her eldest son as he is living out his baseball dream. With such a long drive, there is much time to think. For both Mark and I, the thing that stood out to us was the incredible beauty that unfolded before us. Yes, there are parts of the drive that are dry and dusty, yet it took little time for green fields to unfold under clear blue skies, and at one point, we were able to see two of our area’s mountains from the opposite side. For me, anytime that I travel, see family, or get outside, I cannot help but stand in awe of the One who made it all. There is so much good, lovely and praiseworthy, even when things in the world do not seem honorable or right. God always is. His character does not change, so when we fix our eyes on Him, the things that we ought to set our sights on become obvious. May we ever seek the Lord and give Him praise, as we focus on His beauty and truth that demonstrate and grant both goodness and direction throughout all our days.

O Lord lead our hearts,

Throughout all our days;

To focus on You,

And choose give You praise.

For all that is good,

And right, pure and true;

Your very nature,

That will lead us through.

Help us to follow,

For all of our days;

Your heart, word, Spirit,

By Your loving grace.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You show us what is honorable, right, pure, lovely, good, virtuous and praiseworthy as we seek You and spend time in Your word. Forgive us for diverting our attention from the things You show us. Teach us to keep our hearts and minds fixed on the good that You intend for us. Lead us to love those around us as You do, and show us how to demonstrate Your heart to the world. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we fix our eyes, hearts and minds on all that is lovely, good, pure and right, and let us give You proper praise for who You are and all that You do. Amen.

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

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. – 2 Peter 1:3

Gratitude for Lasting Good

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. – (Psalm 136:1, NIV)

Praise the Lord because He is good. His faithful love will last forever. – (Psalm 136:1, ERV)

Let everyone thank God, for He is easy to please! His tender love for us continues forever! – (Psalm 136:1, TPT)

Because God is good and loving forever, we ought to give Him thanks and praise. God’s love is tender and kind, for He loves us as we are, no matter how we come before Him. He loves us at our worst, and brings us to our best as we pursue Him. Every time that I pause and recognize all that God is and all that He has done, I cannot help but give Him thanks and praise. May we ever look around and see the goodness of God and give Him our gratitude, as His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord,

For He’s always good;

Love that’s forever,

His grace understood.

All praise to our God,

For His love that lasts;

It’s not dependent,

On future or past.

He loves us right now,

And He always will;

For that’s what Love does,

Brings peace and goodwill.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are always good, and that Your love endures forever. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to thank and praise You, as our perspective becomes clouded by the challenges we see, rather than Your solutions that we do not. Teach us to trust You and give You praise, no matter how things seem. Show us how to love those around us in ways that inspire hope and make Your love tangible. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give you thanks forever, for Your love, goodness and grace. Amen.

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

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds to mankind. – Psalm 107:8

Statements of Praise

 

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. – (Psalm 107:8, NIV)

Thank the Lord for His faithful love and for the amazing things He does for people. – (Psalm 107:8, ERV)

So lift your hands and thank God for His marvelous kindness and for all His miracles of mercy for those He loves. – (Psalm 107:8, TPT)

 

Any time that there is repetition in scripture, I recognize the need to take notice. In this particular Psalm, the same sentence is repeated four times by David, as he tells of a long list of God’s faithfulness to those who belonged to Him. I imagine many of us, particularly in this season, could create our own list of ways that God has shown His unfailing love and mercy, and follow each remembrance with a statement of praise. For me, in spite of much heaviness that has found our household this year, there has been in equal measure, God’s faithful provision, joy, peace, comfort, and abundant blessing. Perhaps it is why I so often find myself settling in the Psalms, as David understood the highest heights and the deepest depths, yet sought the Lord and praised Him through it all. He was human and fell short, yet searched for God, and was receptive to the Lord’s correcting and redirecting as he continued to move forward and give thanks. May we ever give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His miracles of mercy that He pours out upon those whom He calls His own.

 

When life knocks us down,

Takes wind from our sails;

The Lord’s love and grace,

Comes near, never fails.

In seasons of loss,

Struggle and heartache;

The Lord’s love remains,

And miracles take.

Where blessings abound,

And grace is made known;

Again, it’s God’s love,

And His power shown.

Rise up and give thanks,

For love that won’t end;

For wonderful deeds,

That move God’s love in.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unfailing love and for the wonderful things that You do for those who follow You. Thank You that You hear our prayers and move mightily on our behalf. Thank You that Your power is made perfect in our weakness. Forgive us for allowing discouragement or sorrow to cause us to question Your love or care for us. Teach us to trust You through every high and low, as You remain present through all things at all times. Show us how to love those around us well, so that we may make Your unfailing love and marvelous kindness tangible in spaces where it is difficult to access. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise for Your unfailing love and Your miraculous deeds, done on our behalf. Amen.

 

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

 

Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. – 1 Chronicles 29:13

Preserving His Promises

The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.’” So, he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. – (Genesis 12:7, NIV) 

The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” Abram built an altar to honor the Lord who appeared to him there. – (Genesis 12:7, ERV) 

God appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your children.” Abram built an altar at the place God had appeared to him. – (Genesis 12:7, MSG) 

 

What stood out to me is that Abram heard God, trusted Him, and built an altar to commemorate a promise spoken. How often do we hear a promise from God, and then carry on with our existence, just as before? Abram did not wait for the promise to be fulfilled to create a memorial, but rather, by faith, built an altar because God had spoken a promise. There is a lesson to learn from Abram’s faithfulness. He took God at His word, and moved forward accordingly. We too, ought to take time to signify the promises God speaks to our hearts, and place them where we can look back and remember what He has spoken to encourage our hearts to press on. Additionally, it is a reminder of His faithfulness, for we are able to look back, see what has been spoken, and celebrate with thanksgiving, the fruition of promises fulfilled. Though I am a writer, I am not sure that I am intentional enough to commemorate the promises spoken for me, so that I have something tangible to look at and remind me to press on, even when what has been promised seems out of reach. In hindsight, I can speak of the Lord’s faithfulness for days, yet I seldom have something to look back upon to identify the promise that has now been fulfilled. All of us have promises from God. He speaks to our hearts and His word is for all who trust in Him. God has a plan to prosper us and not harm us, to give us a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) He promises to: never leave us nor forsake us… (Deuteronomy 31:8) The list goes on as we dig into His word and discover His heart for us. May we seek our Savior with all of our heart, and mark out the promises He places in our hearts. As we do, we will have reminders of what is true and will be able to look back in awe, at the faithful way that He has worked things out in our lives. 

 

Promises spoken,

Will surely come true; 

For God is for us, 

And makes all things new. 

What God speaks to us, 

He’s faithful to do; 

His word’s forever, 

He will see it through. 

Perhaps we should mark, 

What He says He’ll do; 

Reminders to trust, 

The Lord for breakthrough. 

As His word is kept, 

And we see the truth; 

Our trust ever grows, 

Fulfillment in view. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises spoken and Your faithfulness to fulfill. Thank You that despite what we see, You are ever moving on our behalf and are always true to Your word. Forgive us for our fearfulness and doubt, despite the promises You have made. Teach us to trust You more and to find way to commemorate that which You have spoken, so that we may look back and be encouraged to press on and then give You praise for Your faithfulness as Your word is fulfilled. Show us how to love those around us when they grow weary in the waiting. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we record the promises that You have spoken and look to Your words to encourage and strengthen us as we press on in faith to their fulfillment. All praise to You for Your eternal faithfulness. Amen.

 

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

 

Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. – Joshua 21:45

Our Saving Help

But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who long for Your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!” – (Psalm 70:4, NIV) 

But let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You, and let those who love Your saving help say again and again: “God is great!” – (Psalm 70:4, CEB) 

Let all those on the hunt for You sing and celebrate. Let all who love Your saving way say over and over, “God is mighty!” – (Psalm 70:4, MSG) 

 

God is our help and our hope, and we have reason to rejoice and be glad regardless of our circumstances because He is always good. It is the great love of the Lord that saves us, as He holds us in the hollow of His hands. The more we seek God, the more we come to know Him, and cannot help but rejoice and be glad for the salvation that He brings. May we ever seek the Lord and rejoice in Him, for He is mighty to save and loves us throughout all of our days. 

 

May each heart that seeks, 

Rejoice and be glad; 

For our saving help, 

Is no passing fad. 

Our God is mighty, 

We’re held in His hands; 

As we seek, we find, 

He shows us His plans. 

God saves and He leads, 

As we seek His face; 

He’s faithful to help, 

For He grants us grace. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to hear and help us as we seek You. Thank You that we have reason to rejoice and be glad, for You are mighty to save as You love. Forgive us for not seeking You in our spaces of need, or for not rejoicing in who You are and how You love. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would remember that You hold us in Your hands and that You are greater than anything that we face. Show us how to love those around us in a way that offers strength and hope and light where there is need. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You with gladness and give You praise for Your saving ways that You extend to each of us who seek You. 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