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

Light Makes Things Clear

Everything exposed by the light is made clear, for what makes everything clear is light. – (Ephesians 5:13, HCSB)

But the light makes clear how wrong these things are. Yes, everything is made clear by the light. – (Ephesians 5:13, ERV)

When the light shines, it exposes even the dark and shadowy things and turns them into pure reflections of light. – (Ephesians 5:13, VOICE)

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. – (Ephesians 5:13, NIV)

The light that makes things clear to us is the light of Christ. In Him, there are no shadows. As we seek Him and invest time in His word, He illuminates what is good and right, and makes our path clear. As we walk in the light, we reflect His light and provide light to the places it is lacking. God is faithful to shine His light on the darkness within and lead us to change that allows His light enter in. May we ever seek the Lord, who is the light, for He will shine in dark spaces and show us which ways we are to go.

Welcome the Lord’s light,

My morning view in Fidalgo Bay.

At the dawn each day;

Faithful to meet us,

The Lord won’t delay.

His light ever shines,

And shows us the way;

That we’re meant to walk,

Each time that we pray.

Our prayers invite Him,

To shine bright His light;

That removes darkness,

And shows us what’s right.

May we ever seek,

The Lord God of light;

Follow His leading,

To do what is right.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are light and life and love. Thank You that there is no darkness in You, and as we seek You, Your light shines and removes the darkness within us. Forgive us for the times that we hide in the shadows. Teach us to trust You, for Your light is love and it leads us to all that is good and full of grace. Show us how to live in that place each day that we draw breath. Instruct us in Your love so that we might love those around us as You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your goodness and love to shine Your light upon us and show us all that is good. Amen. 

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

You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. – 2 Samuel 22:29

Wisdom Leads to a Lovely Life

Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. – (Proverbs 3:17, HCSB)

Wisdom will lead you to a life of joy and peace. – (Proverbs 3:17, ERV)

She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. – (Proverbs 3:17, NLT)

Wisdom from God is what leads us to joy and peace. His wisdom shows us the ways we are meant to go, and guides us throughout all of our days. When we listen to His leading, we know joy and peace in Him, no matter what lies ahead. In this season of seemingly unending curves and treacherous hills, knowing His nearness and listening to His leading are the things that make our paths plain and our vision eternal. As we learn to look through the Lord’s lens of love, we discover pleasant paths and true peace are found as we faithfully follow our Heavenly Father. May we ever seek the Lord to grow in wisdom, so that we discover His ways that lead us to a life full of His joy and peace.

Wisdom is waiting,

As we seek the Lord;

His ways are pleasant,

As grace, He affords.

He brings us His joy,

And provides His peace;

His wisdom, guides us,

And supplies our needs.

So, keep seeking God,

And wisdom He gives;

He’ll show us the ways,

That we’re meant to live.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your wisdom leads us to pleasant paths and fills our lives with joy. Thank You that the wisdom in knowing You is what grants us hope and peace. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of You, or for attempting to navigate in our own knowledge. Teach us to seek You in all things, for You are faithful to lead us in the ways that we are meant to go. Fill us with Your wisdom that makes plain the paths that we are meant to take. Show us how to love those around us as You do, so that peace and joy are passed along to all those we encounter. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we pursue Your wisdom to lead us and provide us with Your peace and joy forever. Amen.

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

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. – Psalm 90:12

Discipline Brings Delight

Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire. – (Proverbs 29:17, NIV)

Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did – they’ll turn out delightful to live with. – (Proverbs 29:17, MSG)

Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make our heart glad. – (Proverbs 29:17, NLT)

 

Discipline is such an interesting word, as it can carry such a vast array of experiences for people. For some, discipline equals correction and redirection done in love, much the way God intended, yet for others, that is not at all the case. For me, as a parent, it has been a necessity to correct and redirect to lead my boys in the direction that they are meant to go, in love with much patience. Now that they are eighteen, they do indeed (and always have) bring me delight and make my heart glad. It is an interesting road to navigate with discipline for a young puppy. We are in uncharted territory, and learning as we go. Puppy teeth are sharp, and the desire to chew is strong within them. This morning brought demand for creative “discipline”, as my feet and clothing cannot withstand the ongoing puppy attacks. After countless firm “No” responses, physical removal from the space by my feet, and then offering things that are appropriate to chew any time he comes near my toes, I had to figure something out. I went to the kitchen, grabbed the cayenne pepper, and sprinkled some on the top of each sock and rubbed it in. Innocently, I went and sat down. As expected, Thor pounced at my feet. He paused, sniffed, licked a sock and the zoomed around the room, not quite sure what to do with himself. Needless to say, he hasn’t come after my feet again since. He also settled back down and was able to lay beside me so that I could focus and do this. 😊 For the preservation of both my feet and my clothing, discipline is required. Thor is a delight already in how much he loves people, and being trained will bring a lifetime of gladness and peace of mind. I wonder if that is how God sees us? In the same way we take delight in our children (or fur babies) following the direction that we have given, I imagine He too, delights in our obedience to His leading. May we seek the Lord with open hearts, ready to hear and obey, so that we may bring delight as we walk in His way.

 

May we learn with grace,

To guide well in love;

Correct, redirect,

Like God up above.

Let love lead the way,

As we teach with grace;

What is right and good,

For those that we raise.

Help us also heed,

What You’re teaching us;

So that You delight,

As we choose kindness.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You ask us to lead in love in the same way that You lead us. Thank You that You correct, redirect, and show us what is good and what You have for us, any time we are willing to seek You and listen. Forgive us for the times that we have either ignored or resented Your discipline. Teach us to trust You more, as You correct and redirect so that we can be the very best version of ourselves. Show us how to discipline well, all those whom we are called to lead in love. May many come into lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we heed Your discipline for us and seek to discipline in love, those whom You have given us charge over. Amen.

 

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

 

The Lord is kind to His followers as a father is to his children. – Psalm 103:13

Poetry Lived Out

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – (James 1:22, NIV)

Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. – (James 1:22, ERV)

Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! – (James 1:22, TPT)

 

If we listen to God’s Word and know the truth of who we are and what we are called to do, but choose to neglect to walk it out, we are deceiving ourselves and creating a void that was intended to be filled by our obedience to God’s leading. However, as we seek after the Lord and pursue a life lived out according to His purposes, “His Word becomes like poetry written and fulfilled by our lives.” I know that I would much prefer to be like poetry than deceive myself. Listening to His Word is not a “one-and-done” situation. Each time we spend time in His Word, He uses it to transform our hearts and minds to become more like His. God opens our understanding and refines us to more clearly reflect His heart to the world. Each time we invest time in His Word, we have to choose to allow the Lord to speak to our hearts so that we can adjust according to His leading. This refining process is lifelong. Not one of us ever “arrives”. The more we listen, the more apt we are to act according to His will, rather than our own. May we all go beyond simply hearing the Word of Truth, boldly stepping out in obedience to become more of who we are called to be as we reflect the radiance of our Redeemer’s love and light to the world around us.

 

For we are all called,

To hear the Lord’s word;

Not just to know it,

But act on what’s heard.

As we choose take in,

The Word of the Lord;

He shows us the way,

To walk in accord.

When we walk with Him,

His love light will show;

Through our words and deeds,

As His good’s made known.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You teach, refine and lead us as we listen to and act on what You instruct through Your Word. Forgive us for the times that we have heard and known what is good and pleasing in Your sight, but chose to either do nothing, or go a different direction. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would listen and act upon Your leading. Show us how to love those around us in tangible and practical ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we obey what You say, and trust You to provide all that we need to do all that You ask. Amen.

 

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

 

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. -Proverbs 1:5

 

The New is Here

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV)

When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! – (2 Corinthians 5:17, ERV)

Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone – and see – a new life has begun! – (2 Corinthians 5:17, VOICE)

 

Today is the beginning of a new day, a new month, a new year, and a new decade! Seldom do we have similar spaces of new. Incredibly, when we are in Christ, we are made new every morning as we depend on Him. The more we choose to lean in and listen to His leading, the more He shapes us into who we were created to become. God is ever making us new. Daily, we have new opportunities to allow Him to write the pages of our story. He takes the ashes of the past and turns them into something new and beautiful and helpful to those around us; if we are willing. Our age, occupation, marital status, and the like, matter not when it comes to what Christ can do to bring the new. He grants fresh starts, new life, more hope, extra strength and increased tenacity to traverse into the new to which He calls us into. May we find the courage to let go of the past and press forward in faith, allowing God to make all things new – both within us and through us.

Yesterday provided a glimpse into the new that God can do for Mom. For the first time since her stroke, Mom was able to actually shop for clothes and things that she might enjoy. It may seem insignificant, but for her, it was a joy and a sort of return to something that felt normal. We went to Fred Meyer and determined to give the motorized carts a try. There were many giggles and was much joy as mom figured out how to drive the scooter and navigate her way through the store. It may have been a bit of a comedy act as I rolled clothing racks around to make way for Mama Andretti, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and she found a few items that she will very much enjoy wearing. The cane is now her only aid used for walking, and she is one motivated lady! God is doing a new thing in her, as her strength and resolve continue to leave me in awe. I cannot wait to see what God does in the coming year for Mom, as she continues to gain strength and mobility, ever working toward reclaiming her independence.

 

May the things of old,

Be given to God;

For He will make new,

In love, He responds.

The Lord brings beauty,

From ashes, despair;

Brings hope where there’s none,

He’s always aware.

Watch in the waiting,

Trust and you will see;

God making all new,

Possibilities.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we come to You and trust in You, You are ever making us new. Thank You that You are always moving on our behalf, bringing forth the new for us to walk forward. Thank You that Your presence is unending and Your love never fails. Forgive us for our fears and doubts. Teach us to trust in the new that You are doing both in us and for us; for You are always good. Show us how to love those around us well, so that we can contribute to the new that You intend in their lives too. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and praise You for the new that You are bringing forth in the coming year. Amen.

 

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

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6

To Purvey Perfect Peace

Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. – (Proverbs 3:17, NIV)

Wisdom will lead you to a life of joy and peace. – (Proverbs 3:17, ERV)

The ways of wisdom are sweet, always drawing you into the place of wholeness. – (Proverbs 3:17, TPT)

 

I’m not sure if I ever thought about it before, but it is intriguing that wisdom is referred to as “her or she” in several of the various translations of the Bible. After thinking about it for a few moments, what came to mind for me is my grandmother. She was the matriarch of our family, and the one whom all agreed was full of wisdom. Interestingly enough, she always seemed to be at peace, her faith secure, and her future, certain. If wisdom had a face, it would bear the image of my grandmother. Her example was an ever-present reminder of how to appreciate and enjoy a life of joy and peace. We are to never stop learning and growing, ever investing in God and walking in His ways. May we ever seek the Lord and His wisdom, allowing His leading to draw us into His place of peace.

 

Wisdom will lead you,

To a place of peace;

God in His goodness,

Grants joyous release.

Freed from the burdens,

That seek steal His joy;

Blessed in the knowing,

The grace God employs.

So, ever seek God,

His wisdom and grace;

For in His presence,

His peace comes to stay.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that wisdom from You brings peace and joy, comfort and hope. Forgive us for attempting to find peace anywhere other than in Your presence. Teach us to trust You more, as You are our Source and Supply. Show us how to love those around us in a way that makes Your peace tangible, in the same way You utilized my grandmother to show all who came near her. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You for wisdom and recognize the perfect peace that comes from You alone. Amen.

 

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

 

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12

Orchestrated Overcoming

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. – (Romans 8:28, NIV)

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him. These are the people God chose, because that was His plan. – (Romans 8:28, ERV)

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. – (Romans 8:28, VOICE)

 

It is beyond my understanding how God takes the most difficult or heart-breaking of seasons, events, or circumstances, and uses them to launch us into something far greater than we would have ever thought possible. Not one hurt nor heartache is overlooked, and He leads us through to so much more than we would have envisioned for ourselves. When we choose God and listen to His leading, we find His grace, comfort and love through the trials, and discover the hardest of roads lead to the most beautiful of destinations. It is easy to lose sight of hope in the midst of despair, yet as we cling to Christ, love lights the way through the darkness, and His hand leads and guides us to something new. His new is light, life and love. Dreams are imagined and beauty comes from the ashes we thought would never end. May we ever hold fast to hope in God, as He uses all things for our good as we trust in Him.

 

All things in our lives,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

Can be used for good;

When given to God,

His love, understood.

Beauty from ashes,

His hope from despair;

God shows us the good,

As His love repairs.

What once overwhelmed,

Darkness that has passed;

Seasons of struggle,

Lead to hope that lasts.

So, let us choose trust,

Find hope in His Name;

For there’s so much more,

Love changes the game.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You work all things out for good, as we trust in You. Thank You that You alone, can bring beauty from ashes and hope from despair. Thank You for the incredible outcomes of so many spaces we thought would be the end of us. Forgive us for our fears and doubts during seasons of difficulty. Teach us to trust You more, as we look to You to be our hope and help as we navigate to the new that awaits us on the other side. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends help in the now and hope for all that is yet to come. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust and rely on You, even when we see no possible way for good to come from what we are walking through. Amen.

 

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

 

…”to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…” – Isaiah 61:3