Filled

May the God of 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)

I pray that God, the Source of all hope, will infuse your lives with an abundance of joy and peace in the midst of your faith so that your hope will overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, VOICE)

Hope, joy and peace through Christ are the very things that strengthen us to persevere when things are difficult. Joy is deep-rooted within us and is not dependent on our circumstances. The joy is found in knowing God and trusting that His plans are good. His peace, true peace, is an anchor through our storms and a green pasture to lie in beside still waters when we need rest. All around us are reminders of God’s goodness and grace. This morning, despite being woken up twice in the night by a restless dog, I am surrounded and snuggled by him and his sister, as I am enjoying the sweet silence of the morning and watching the morning sky change colors as I sip on hot coffee. God knows all of the little things that bless our hearts and reminds us of His love and tender mercy anew every morning, if only we look around as we seek Him. May we ever seek the Lord to open our eyes to His goodness all around us and recognize the hope we have in Him that infuses our lives with joy and peace.

Each day as we rise,

May we find anew;

The joy that we have,

In knowing the truth.

Hope overflowing,

For all that’s ahead;

Joy in the journey,

Peace as we are led.

His goodness abounds,

In all things, always;

No matter the road,

Beside us He stays.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our hope, joy, and peace in all things, always. Thank You that Your nearness is not dependent on our circumstances. Forgive us for our lack of faith when the road before us is rough. Teach us to trust You to lead us every step of our journey. Show us how to love those around us in ways that share the hope, joy, and peace found in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for who You are and how You love us all. Amen.

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

The whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, You call forth songs of joy. – Psalm 65:8

Trust to Hope Overflowing

May the God of 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)

I pray that God, the source of all hope, will infuse your lives with an abundance of joy and peace in the midst of your faith so that hope will overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, VOICE)

As we trust in Christ, His joy and peace fill us with hope. When hope grows it overflows and reaches those around us through the power of the Holy Spirit. I have several friends who are walking difficult roads that have been clinging closely to Christ. The trust they have has filled them with His joy and peace, and their hope has been an encouragement to me and many that know them. It always amazes me that God can take our challenges and turn them into encouragement to others. How we walk in the midst of life’s trials speaks clearly of the hope we know in Christ to those around us. May we ever trust in Him who is our hope, and may we be filled to overflowing with joy and His perfect peace. 

May hope overflow,

Through all that we do;

As we place our trust,

In that which is true.

The Lord is our peace,

When peace seems beyond;

And joy is present,

For His love responds.

When the road is rough,

God’s faithful to be;

Right alongside us,

Granting us His peace.

May hope overflow,

From us to others;

True joy and sweet peace,

To sisters, brothers.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we trust in You, You meet us, walk beside us, strengthen, encourage, and fill us with joy and peace so that hope in You overflows to those around us. Forgive us for our fears and doubts that creep in when we take our eyes off of You. Show us how to trust You more and more so that hope ever flows out of our every word and deed. Lead us to love and encourage those around us as You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we learn to trust You in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. – Psalm 19:8

Dependent for Peace

You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, HCSB)

God, You give true peace to people who depend on You, to those who trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, ERV)

You will keep the peace, a perfect peace, for all who trust in You, for those who dedicate their hearts and minds to You. – (Isaiah 26:3, VOICE)

Early mornings are my favorite time of the day. The world is still sleeping and the house is silent. My mind and heart have intentional time to focus on He who is our peace, and I am typically flanked by two sweet sleeping puppies. In the same way that they trust me to provide for them and keep them safe, we too need to trust in God. It is in the space of trusting Him that we understand His peace, regardless of what goes on around us. By starting each day in the silent stillness with God, my heart is filled and equipped to navigate the day. May we ever keep our minds dependent on God, for it is in trusting and depending on Him that we know His perfect peace.

There is perfect peace,

That we all may know;

It’s found in Jesus,

Where His love is shown.

As we choose seek Him,

Surely we shall find;

His loving kindness,

That gives peace of mind.

So, choose to trust Him,

He’s faithful and true;

His grace abundant,

As He leads us through.

Throughout each new day,

He will remain near;

And give us His peace,

And make our paths clear.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are where we find peace as we trust and depend on You. Thank You for quiet spaces to seek You. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of You, as peace is disrupted when we depend on anything other than You. Teach us to trust You in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us well, so that we can share Your goodness, grace and peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we depend on You to be our perfect peace. Amen.

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

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13

Hope Overflowing

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

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)

I pray that God, the source of all hope, will infuse your lives with an abundance of joy and peace in the midst of your faith so that your hope will overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, VOICE)

When we know and understand the hope that God alone provides, joy and peace are present and hope grows and overflows from us. Hope is not dependent on our circumstances, but rather is present despite them. We all experience mountains and valleys in our lives, and with God, we can still know peace and joy in the midst of the most difficult seasons. May we ever seek the Lord to grow our faith and trust in Him so that our hope overflows and His joy and peace are ever present.

May the God of hope,

Fill you with all joy;

Peace that comes from faith,

As love is employed.

Hope overflowing,

Is how the Lord gives;

As we trust in Him,

To lead us to live.

Live in His presence,

Where hope’s always found;

Goodness and His grace,

In Him do abound.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that all hope is found in You. Thank You that as we seek You and spend time in Your presence, You fill us more and more with Your joy and peace as hope overflows from the abundance You grow within us. Forgive us for thinking joy and peace are dependent on our circumstances. Thank You that they are dependent on You alone. Thank You that You provide peace and joy through all things and at all times, despite our circumstances. Teach us to trust and depend on You to be our hope. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your joy, peace, and hope overflow to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You because You are our hope, and the place where we find joy and peace are present, always. Amen.

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

May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You. – Psalm 33:22

Peace Makes a Way

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. – (Colossians 3:15, NIV)

Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful. – (Colossians 3:15, ERV)

Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of His one body. And always be thankful. – (Colossians 3:15, TPT)

When we allow the peace of Christ to come and dwell within us, we are equipped and empowered to be promoters of peace to those around us. It is by God’s grace that we are placed exactly where we are for this very season, and it is out of a heart of gratitude that we discover His peace and purpose for us. I had mixed feelings as I left campus yesterday. It was the last day of a long and challenging year, and my class load for next year was shared with me. Though I was thrilled to know that I will have three sections of art, the two sections of 8th grade English grieved my heart a bit. The grieving is over the loss of working on a fabulous team with dear friends with a curriculum that I finally feel like I know, yet the two ladies that I will be teaming with next year are incredible, so I do look forward to getting to know them better. Peace was disrupted by the thought of yet again, having to learn an all new curriculum, causing me to feel like a brand new teacher. This is a space that I have to trust in God’s grace, and allow His peace to cover me. May we ever give thanks to God for His goodness and grace and allow the peace of God to fill us to overflowing, so that we may go forth and be promoters of peace.

O Lord, flood our hearts,

With Your perfect peace;

May all our concerns,

To You, be released.

As we choose let go,

You fill us with peace;

‘Til it overflows,

Anxieties cease.

All thanks unto You,

Throughout all our days;

Lead us in Your love,

As peace makes a way.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You fill us with Your perfect peace so that we can go and bring peace to those around us. Thank You that Your grace covers us and Your love fills us. Forgive us for the times that we have allowed circumstances to steal the perfect peace You provide. Teach us to trust You with everything, for You are always faithful. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends Your peace to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You with our cares and concerns and rely on You to provide our perfect peace. Amen.

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

May the God of 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

A Fountain of Hope

May the God of 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 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 inspiration and 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)

 

A fountain of hope is something that we all could use about now. To be filled with uncontainable joy and perfect peace is exactly where I long to be. In all honesty, I am not there yet. I have moments, hours even, where I trust God and feel His peace, yet then I hear word of what may happen next, or what I can and cannot do to help my students, or think about my own children who are missing out on their senior year of high school, and the peace is disrupted. Thankfully, God is far greater than my questions, fears, frustrations and doubts. He patiently waits for me to stop and seek Him. Each time, the Lord is ready and waiting to restore hope and flood my heart with His perfect peace. Joy comes as I lay down my expectations of what things were supposed to be, and simply choose to trust and give God room in the right now. He provides as we abide, and there is no better place to be than soaking in His fountain of hope that fills us to overflowing, so that we may extend hope to those around us. May we allow the Lord to fill us with His hope, peace and joy, so that we may overflow the same to all whom He has placed in our lives.

 

God, You’re the fountain,

Where our hope comes from;

Joy we can’t contain,

From You, Holy One.

You are our true Source,

To find perfect peace;

In You, we’re given,

You meet all our needs.

Help us to trust You,

When nothing makes sense;

For You are our Rock,

In each circumstance.

Today, we choose trust,

In You, hope’s renewed;

Joy overflowing,

As Your peace ensues.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our hope, and that You fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in You. Thank Your that as we do, Your hope overflows through us to those around us. Forgive us for our fears and frustrations that get in the way of allowing Your hope to show. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would continually operate from a space of hope as You fill and renew us with joy and perfect peace. Show us how to love those around us in ways that share hope and joy and peace in spaces where it is needed most. Lead us to encourage others well. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to be our hope and fill us with joy and hope that is overflowing and spills over to everyone whom our influence may reach. Amen.

 

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

 

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. – Deuteronomy 4:29

 

 

The God of Hope

May the God of 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 inspiration and 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’s hope fills us with joy and peace, and empowers us to trust in Him. As our trust grows, hope flows from us, and becomes a beacon in our lives. This process is ongoing, and there is always room to grow. Though I trust God, I certainly find myself in moments where I lose sight of His peace and have to take pause to remember what matters eternally. Yesterday at school, this was my reality for a few minutes. Just as my students had left my classroom and I was beginning to settle in and make preparations during my planning period, one of my colleagues entered my room and handed me a sub folder for a class. I took pause, in frustration asked, “Are you kidding me, right now?” And then proceeded to process the fact that I was losing my planning with no notification. At first, I was completely stressed about how I would get everything done, but then stopped and settled into trust, recognizing that I could utilize my lunchtime to do the planning I still needed to do. Peace arrived, the moment I slowed down and chose trust. The lack of notice was an oversight on the part of very busy, lovely humans, and grace is the only thing warranted in such circumstances. All worked out and the planning required was completed, reminding me, yet again to trust and keep my hope in He who gives me strength. May we ever hope in God, our ever-trustworthy place of peace.

Mom is continuing to push along on her road to recovery. Yesterday, my brother-in-love posted the best photo of my sister and mom that I have seen in a long while. Mom was actually at the island helping Megan prepare dinner! This is huge for so many reasons; mom standing and balancing, engaging in what she used to love to do, and recognizing that she is able to do exceedingly more than she may have thought possible. My prayer is that His peace would continue to flood their home as trust and hope grow greater still.

 

May the God of hope,

Fill you with all joy;

May peace be present,

As hope is employed.

May His hope rise up,

Flood each heart and mind;

To overflowing,

As God’s love is kind.

Let God empower,

Your mind and your heart;

Hope overflowing,

Where peace and joy start.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your peace and joy that come and fill us with all hope as we trust in You. Thank You that hope rises and overflows. Forgive us for the times that we take our eyes off of You and lose sight of where trust belongs. Teach us the power found in trusting You, so that we would not waiver in our faith. Show us how to love those around us in a way that spreads Your peace and joy, where by hope overflows where it is needed the most. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust all in Your hands and hold fast to the hope we know in You. Amen.

 

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

 

Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. – Psalm 9:10