Great Things

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. – (Psalm 126:3, NIV)

Yes, we will be happy because the Lord did a great thing for us. – (Psalm 126:3, ERV)

We shook our heads/ All of us were stunned – the Eternal has done remarkable things for us. We were beyond happy, beyond joyful. – (Psalm 126:3, VOICE)

After months of waiting and planning, tomorrow is now only a day away! Our dearest friends moved to Texas on January 1^st, and we have been waiting for spring break to arrive. At long last, tomorrow is the day. God has provided the time and resources to travel to spend our break together. Our joy is increased in the anticipation of being reunited. The thing is, He has done great things in the waiting, and the ultimate joy is found in knowing Him. He has supplied the strength and stamina to press on, even through the most challenging times, and has brought us to a space where rest and refreshment are within reach. This morning, I am refreshed in His presence and renewed in the hope of all that He has for us. Though today will be a very long day, I am looking forward to it, as conferences are a great time to see students with their parents, and to catch up on paperwork in between. God is good, and He is the One who fills us with His joy. May we ever take notice of all that He has done, and give thanks from hearts full of joy from knowing how good He truly is.

So great are the things,

God has done for us;

He has brought us here,

Showed us we can trust.

Trust in His goodness,

Know He will provide;

In Him there is joy,

As we choose abide.

Abide in His love,

Give thanks for all things;

Hope everlasting,

Through love He does bring.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your outpouring of goodness and grace that carries and sustains us through all of our days. Thank You for the joy that You plant deep within us, and then water and grow it as we come to know You more. Forgive us for the times that we allow our circumstances to steal our joy. Please fill us anew as we go forth today and lead us in the overwhelming love that You have given so that we may do likewise. Show us how to love and care for those around us as You intended, and may each come to know the joy found in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the great things You have done and continue to do, and may our joy be contagious to those around us. Amen.

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

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. – Psalm 28:7

No Limits

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” – (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV)

The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like yours. Your ways are not like mine. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” – (Isaiah 55:8-9, ERV)

“I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above the earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.” – (Isaiah 55:8-9, MSG)

I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful that this is true. Many times, I have thought or hoped for something, only to discover that His way was always better than what I could have imagined. Our hopes are limited to our own experiences, whereas God, the Creator of all, has no limits. He can do so much more than we could hope or imagine, and none of us can accurately fathom the good He has in store for those who love Him. The same God that can bring beauty from ashes and hope from despair, has a plans and purpose for each of us. As we seek Him, He shows us more and more of who He is, how He loves, and the direction that we are meant to take. Each time I choose to listen and follow His leading, I discover more of His goodness and grace. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us and guide us through all our days, for He is near and is faithful always.

Our thoughts have limits,

The Lord’s, they do not;

His plans are for good,

As His ways are taught.

He shows us the things,

That He has in store;

And promises us,

That there’s so much more.

Love beyond measure,

And hope for always;

His heart is for us,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your thoughts, far beyond our own thinking. Thank You that You are good, and You have great things in store for those who love You and trust in Your Name. Forgive us for our fears and doubts as we face obstacles and challenges. Teach us to embrace Your strength and grace that You faithfully provide to see us through. Show us how to love those around us in ways that reflect Your goodness to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your promises and praise You that You are always good. Amen.

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

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds. – Psalm 73:28

With Praise

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, …for the Mighty One has done great things for me – Holy is His Name.” – (Luke 1:46-47, 49, NIV)

Then Mary said, “I praise the Lord with all my heart. I am very happy because God is my Savior… Yes, the Powerful One has done great things for me. His Name is very holy.” – (Luke 1:46-47,49, ERV)

Mary: My soul lifts up the Lord! My spirit celebrates God, my Liberator! For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is God’s Name! – (Luke 1:46-47,49, VOICE)

A teenage girl, more than 2,000 years ago, sang these words in celebration of being chosen to bear the Savior of the world. Not only did she recognize who God is, but she also celebrated all that He has done. This is the space that I need to soak in for a while. The challenge of the last few weeks has been exhausting, yet God has been with me. He is near, and He grants me tangible reminders of who He is and how He loves. As we finish out our final school day of 2022, I want to stand in a sweet space of gratitude, for God has been good through it all. May we ever praise the Lord because He is our Savior, and give Him thanks for all that He has done and continues to do.

Lord, help me to stand,

In a grateful space;

May thankfulness reign,

As I think of Your grace.

God, You’re always good,

Even through hard times;

Ever You show us,

Your mercy and grace.

Lead us, Lord Jesus,

To give You all praise;

No matter what comes,

You’re faithful always.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so good. Thank You for who You are and how You love and bless us all. Forgive us for the times that we have forgotten the countless blessings You have poured out upon us, or how generously You love. Teach us to ever praise You for who You are and how You love, and to count our blessings on a daily basis, for You alone deserve our praise. Lead us to love those around us like You do. Help us to show goodness, kindness, and love in tangible ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we recognize the power of who You are and the goodness found in Your incredible love. Amen.

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Beyond Understanding is Love

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. – (Job 37:5, NIV)

God’s thundering voice is amazing! He does great things we cannot understand. – (Job 37:5, ERV)

The voice of God that is thundering wondrously. He does magnificent things, beyond our comprehension. – (Job 37:5, VOICE)

Who can grasp the greatness of God? If Job, who understood God’s greatest blessings, endured the most difficult hardships, and again found himself blessed beyond what he had known before speaks about how marvelous and unfathomable God is, we cannot begin to pretend to understand all of His ways. The difference for us is that we have the benefit of knowing Jesus, who showed us great glimpses of who God is and how He loves. Jesus chose ordinary men and women to share His love with the world, not the “great” religious leaders of the time. Fishermen, tax collectors and tent-makers, to name a few, were those whom Jesus placed in roles to share His good news with the world. God brought all of creation into existence with His voice, and the intricate details of all that He has made go beyond our realm of understanding. May we ever stand in awe of the greatness of God, and give Him all honor and praise for His marvelous ways as we navigate each new day.

Both in the stillness,

And through mighty roars;

God can silence seas,

And bring end to wars.

He makes mountains move,

And the rain that falls;

Can free the captives,

Our great Lord of all.

Though we cannot see,

All that He can do;

We can trust in faith,

For His word is true.

So, rise up in faith,

Choose trust in the Lord;

For He’s always good,

He whom we adore.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so good. Thank You that You have a voice that thunders with power and might, yet also one that can whisper in the stillness to our hearts. Thank You that Your ways are higher than our own, and that though we cannot grasp all of Your magnificent ways, we can trust in Your goodness and faithfulness and love. Forgive us for our fears and doubts in the spaces that we do not understand. Teach us to trust in You and the power that You hold in the hollow of Your hands. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your heart clear. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your power and might, and for all of Your ways that go beyond what we can comprehend. Amen.

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

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

The Power in Partnerships

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. – (Ecclesiastes 4:9, HCSB)

Two people are better than one. When two people work together, they get more work done. – (Ecclesiastes 4:9, ERV)

It is better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. – (Ecclesiastes 4:9, MSG)

I love how practical these words are to all. I know this to be true, and can attest to the rewards of working together in a partnership. At work, being on a grade level team for the subject I teach makes a world of difference. Together, we can make meaning of the curriculum and plan together the small steps to reach the end goal. In doing so, the load is shared and the burden is lessened. In marriage, we each bring different strengths to the partnership, and together, we can accomplish far more than we could alone. One simple example is when we need to do yard work. For one person to complete the job, it would take several hours. However, when my Viking and I share the work, we often can complete the task within an hour. Additionally, as we both work and contribute to expenses and savings, we are afforded the blessing of being able to take vacation. God is good, and when we seek Him to lead us to spaces where we can work together and share the load, we discover strength is multiplied and there are great blessings that come from partnering with people to accomplish necessary tasks. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us to connect with those whom we are given to work beside, and may the pairing and sharing be a blessing to all.

Together we rise,

Accomplish great things;

Working together,

More strengths we can bring.

For work divided,

Is better a task;

When shared together,

We give and get back.

Lord, lead us to work,

Alongside others;

To share with the load,

As overcomers.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You created us to be in community. Thank You that as we pair up with those around us to accomplish tasks, the work is divided and the reward is blessings. Forgive us for the times that we attempt to do things alone that You intended to be shared. Show us who and where we can walk alongside to work together and get things done. Lead us to love like You, so that we support, encourage, and challenge each other to do what You have for us to do and become who You have created us to be. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we work together with those whom You have placed in our lives to do what we are called to do. Amen.

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

But as for you, be strong; don’t be discouraged, for your work has a reward. – 2 Chronicles 15:7

The Goodness of God

For You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done; I will shout for joy because of the work of Your hands. – (Psalm 92:4, HCSB)

Lord, You make us very happy because of what You did. I gladly sing about it. Lord, You did such great things. Your thoughts are too hard for us to understand. – (Psalm 92:4, ERV)

Because You, O Eternal One, thrill me with the things You have done, I will sing with joy in light of Your deeds. – (Psalm 92:4, VOICE)

God is always good. It is important to pause and take inventory of His faithfulness in our lives. When we look back, we can see how God has been present throughout all our days. There is evidence of His loving kindness and the work of His hands, as we remember what He has brought us through. I am in awe of how He provides and moves when we seek Him. After a crazy school year, it is incredible how in a mere four days, I am feeling rested and refreshed. My heart sings in response to the joy that rises as I reflect on His goodness. May we ever recognize God’s presence and help throughout our days, and sing for joy in thanksgiving for His goodness.

The goodness of God,

Is beyond compare;

In love, He meets us,

Shows us tender care.

His strength upholds us,

As He leads us on;

Kindness unending,

By grace we’re made strong.

Strong to keep moving,

In love and with grace;

May we give God praise,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us and do great things in our lives as You remind us of Your faithfulness and goodness. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to praise You for Your presence and love. Teach us to recognize Your nearness in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your heart evident. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and praise You for who You are and how You love. Amen.

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

They will give a testimony of Your great goodness and will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7

Discover What He’s Done

Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. – (Isaiah 12:5, NIV)

Sing songs of praise about the Lord, because He has done great things. Spread this news about God throughout the whole world. Let all people know these things. – (Isaiah 12:5, ERV)

Sing praise to the Eternal! Everyone, everywhere should know that God acts in amazing ways. – (Isaiah 12:5, VOICE)

The evidence of God’s hand is all around us. It takes little looking to discover all of the great things that He has done. From the way that the waves know how far upon the shore to come, to the smiles and laughter of loved ones, all have been formed by His loving hands. There are times that it is easy to get caught up in the chaos that comes and neglect to be aware of all of the glorious things that God has done around and in us. When we pause and sing songs of praise, we are reminded of just how good God truly is. The more we recognize and celebrate His goodness, the better His heart is made known to those around us. May we ever sing praise to the Lord, for He is good and has done great things.

Let’s sing to the Lord,

For all He has done;

The work of His hands,

The battles we’ve won.

All that’s created,

Each blessing of grace;

Beauty surrounds us,

Throughout all our days.

Give thanks to the Lord,

Choose rise, sing His praise;

All thanks to the King,

Who’s faithful always.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and faithful and worthy of all of our praise. Thank You for the incredible works of Your hands that provide and bless us all. Forgive us for not giving proper credit to You, for every good and perfect gift has come from You. Teach us to sing Your praise throughout all our days. Show us how to love those around us well so that they too, may see the goodness of Your love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we sing songs of praise to You and share Your goodness with those around us. Amen.

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

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him! – Psalm 147:1

With Thunder and Grace

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ – (Job 37:5-6, NIV)

God’s thundering voice is amazing! He does great things that we cannot understand. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth.’ And He says to the rain, ‘Pour down on the earth.’ – (Job 37:5-6, ERV)

The voice of God thunders wondrously. He does magnificent things, beyond our comprehension. To the snow, He issues the order, “Go! Fall on the earth.” And to the rain shower, “He says, “Show your power, beat down heavy on the earth!” – (Job 37:5-6, VOICE)

I love that the same God who thunders in marvelous ways, also will gently whisper in ways that show us His love. In our home, His “dew of heaven” was delivered to us yesterday. After much searching, and God’s incredible intervention, we welcomed another sweet puppy into our home. Tali, which is Hebrew for dew of heaven, completes what was missing. She is my husband’s dream dog, and Thor’s greatest blessing. He was in desperate need of companionship, and this beautiful, sweet pup is a perfect playmate already. Though she is tiny (in comparison to Thor), she holds her ground and uses her voice to instruct Thor as to how to play best. I love watching the gently falling snow and the powerful, torrential rains. Much in the same way, these two romp and play like a downpour, yet they also settle and rest with ease, just as snow silently drifts and rests on the ground. God is good, and He reminds us in grand and powerful ways and in gentle whispers. May we ever seek the Lord and His voice, as He shows us the way to go and demonstrates His mighty love for us all.

In power, He speaks,

With love, He exclaims;

His goodness and strength,

Blessed be His Name.

He commands the rain,

Torrentially fall;

And calls to the snow,

Fall softly below.

The very same God,

To us does the same;

In peace, shows His love,

His power proclaimed.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are both power and peace. Thank You that You demonstrate Your love for us with passion and gentleness. Forgive us for seeing one or the other as more valid. Teach us to recognize both Your downpours and Your gently falling grace, as we learn to identify Your voice and ever seek Your face. Show us how to love one another as You call us to love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give Your praise for both Your magnificent power and unending grace. Amen.

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

“Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” He said. “Peace! Be strong now, be strong.” When He spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my Lord, since you have given me strength.” – Daniel 10:19

Created for Good

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – (Ephesians 2:10, NIV) 

God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things He had already planned for us to do. – (Ephesians 2:10, ERV) 

We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! – (Ephesians 2:10, TPT) 

As God’s handiwork, His poetry, we have been created to do all things in love. If love is our motivation, the good will be evident in all that we do. This applies from simple things to great things, for all ought to be done in love. Each day, as we live and move and are being, the decisions we make ought to be determined through Christ’s lens of love. Will our words, thoughts and actions clearly reflect His heart for those around us? If so, then we are doing the good He has prepared for us. Often, it is the seemingly smallest of gestures, that have the greatest impact. When others see us, care for us, and act in a way that makes us feel known and that we matter, God’s heart is made tangible. God uses our willingness to bless others in the same way. May we go forth in the knowledge that we have been made the way that we are for a purpose, and as we do all things in love, good works will be done that fulfill His purpose in us, for us, and through us. 

We are created, 

God’s own works of art; 

Made to do good things, 

His love we impart. 

As we allow God, 

To love and to lead; 

We’re equipped to do, 

Loving acts, good deeds. 

So, rise each morning, 

Pursue the Lord’s best; 

For as we seek Him, 

His love is expressed. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have created us to do good and be the good that the world sees. Forgive us for the times that we have turned away from the good we knew we should have done. Help us to lean into You, so that we would constantly pursue You to lead us and equip us to love as You love. Show us how to do good wherever we are and with whomever we are with. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to do the good that You have created us to do. Amen. 

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

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. – Psalm 34:14

His Wisdom

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible is it for us to understand His decisions and His ways! – (Romans 11:33, NLT)

Yes, God’s riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand His ways. – (Romans 11:33, ERV)

Who could ever wrap their minds around the riches of God, the depth of His wisdom, and the marvel of His perfect knowledge? Who could ever explain the wonder of His decisions or search out the mysterious way He carries out His plans? – (Romans 11:33, TPT)

 

This is arguably one of the strangest seasons in modern history. Neither our parents, nor grandparents, experienced quite a time such as the one we are living in right now. For many of us, our grandparents lived through the depression, WWII, Vietnam, Polio, and the like, but nothing that ever brought the entire world to a screeching halt, in the same way that this current pandemic has done. Many are left wondering why. Why would this happen? If God is good and just and kind, why allow so many to suffer? This is the space where it is impossible for us to understand the mysterious ways of God. He can bring beauty from something that has caused so much destruction, and good, from something seemingly so horrid. I know not what all of His plans entail, but I do see evidence of the good, all around me. People are intentional to reach out to one another. They are creative and innovative to find ways to help people feel celebrated and loved when they achieve milestones or have birthdays, and there is much philanthropy in the hearts of the community, as so many needs are being met through both individuals and various organizations that have popped up in response to known needs. The “church” is not limited to a building to thrive, and healthy churches are staying connected, holding services online, and reaching out to serve their communities in practical and tangible ways. Though I long for the freedom to travel, especially to go and see my mom, I am grateful that we live in the era we do, where we have access to one another, more than we ever have before. Communication is at the touch of a button, and there are countless methods we can use to stay connected with one another. God is good, and His wisdom supersedes that of humanity. Our plans are not His, nor our ways, His; and trusting Him is what we need most to navigate this season. May we seek the Lord in His wisdom, for He is able to provide all that we need to persevere through the wait.

 

The riches of God,

Are beyond compare;

His wisdom, kindness,

And limitless care.

Though we cannot know,

Why all things occur;

From all can come good,

For God’s love is sure.

In seasons of loss,

In love, He provides;

All that is needed,

As we choose abide.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that all wisdom and knowledge and provision come from You. Thank You that though we do not understand the reason why things happen as they do, You love us through them. Forgive us for our fears, frustrations and doubts. Teach us to trust You; always. Show us how to love those around us well. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as trust in Your wisdom in every circumstance. Amen.

 

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

 

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. – Job 37:5