The Gift of Mothers

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. – (Psalm 139:13, NIV) 

You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb. – (Psalm 139:13, ERV) 

For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath. – (Psalm 139:13, VOICE) 

Today, as well as every day, I have a heart overflowing with gratitude for my mother. Not only did God choose her to be my mom, but He chose me to be her daughter. God knew from before I had breath, who would be the perfect fit to raise, train, love and lead me best. My mom’s birthday is today, and I am so blessed to have the privilege of going to see and celebrate her existence. She is the most loving, giving and kind woman that I know. God created her for love, and she loves in ways that teach all of us what love ought to look like. Her patience and perseverance over the last many months have been inspiring, to say the least. Mom has been working tirelessly to regain strength and mobility that was lost when she suffered a stroke, nearly sixteen months ago. Though I cannot fulfill her greatest wish today, we are trusting God to pave the way and help orchestrate the details, so that mom’s next step will be to move back to her own home soon. He knows what she needs, and we are trusting that He will provide the perfect people to help provide the assistance she needs to thrive back in her own home. God is so good, and every time that I see or speak with my mom, I am reminded of just how good He truly is. May today be a day of blessings and miracles for my mom, and an opportunity for all of us to remember that God knew us and formed us with purpose, and set us in families for a reason. 

All praise be to God, 

There is no other; 

Who gives life to us, 

And gifts us mothers. 

Before we were formed, 

God already knew; 

Who He’d gift to us, 

To show us love’s true. 

And oh, how I know, 

To look to His face; 

Because mom has shown, 

His love and His grace. 

God bless her, keep her, 

Sustain her, I pray; 

All thanks unto You, 

For my mom, each day! 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You knit each of us together with intention. You designed us to love and be loved. Thank You for the incredible blessing we have through the gift of our mom. Forgive us for not thanking You enough, for Your goodness knows no end. Teach us how to love one another in a way that honors You best. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the incredible gift of mothers. 

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

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. – Psalm 34:8

On Purpose With Purpose

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, and I know that full well. – (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV)

You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because You made me in such a wonderful way. I know how amazing that was! – (Psalm 139:13-14, ERV)

For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath. I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe. You have approached even the smallest details with excellence; Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul. – (Psalm 139:13-14, VOICE)

 

I love the Psalms, as they are a space where I find much comfort. There is much raw and real in the calling out to God, followed by the recognition of who God is and how He loves. This passage is no exception, as it reminds us all that we were created intentionally, uniquely, and with purpose; down to the way that we think and feel. Perhaps I needed the reminder this morning, or maybe, it is for you. We, collectively, are known and loved and intentionally made. Our existence is for a purpose, on purpose. Each day that we draw breath, there is reason to praise; for even that is a gift not all are afforded. The way we take in our surroundings and interact with those around us, is an individual design, that has no duplicate. There is only one you, and your contributions to your surroundings are irreplaceable. It is not about being the “greatest” or the “best”, but rather embracing the beauty of God’s design as we discover we are called to be who He made us to be; nothing more, nothing less. The more that we seek and know Him, the more clearly, we come to know and understand His design for us, individually. May we take time today to thank the Lord for His intentional creation – in us, our loved ones, and for everyone with whom we interact; every work is wonderful and made with a purpose.

 

Designed with purpose,

Each one, fully known;

Before our first breath,

He called us His own.

Wonderfully made,

Unique in design;

There’s only one you,

You’re one of a kind.

The way that you think,

Look, talk, touch and feel;

There’s no other you,

His love is for real.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You knit us together in our mother’s wombs with intentional design and purpose. Thank You that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Forgive us for the times that we have questioned our purpose or worth. Teach us to lean into You, even in our moments of frustration or feeling lost. Show us how to love those around us well, so that they might recognize the beauty of their unique, wonderful and purposeful design, as they understand that they are loved and valued as they are. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You and praise You that You know us and that You designed us each with purpose, on purpose. Amen.

 

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

 

You have searched me, Lord, and You know me. – Psalm 139:1

 

 

Growing Good

Large cypress trees will grow where there were thorn bushes. Myrtle trees will grow where there were weeds. All this will happen to make the Lord known, to be a permanent reminder of His goodness and power. – (Isaiah 55:13, ERV)

In place of the thorn the cypress will grow; in place of the nettle the myrtle will grow. This will attest to the Lord’s stature, an enduring reminder that won’t be removed. – (Isaiah 55:13, CEB)

Prickly thorns and nasty briers will give way to luxurious shade trees, sweet and good. And they’ll remind you of the Eternal One and how God can be trusted absolutely and forever. – (Isaiah 55:13, VOICE)

 

Just as God promised to replace the harsh and harmful places with those that are beneficial and blessed, He does the same in the lives of those who place their trust in Him. It takes little to look back and discover the spaces within our own hearts and lives where God has taken the things that brought harm and redeemed us with His blessings that overflow and offer good to those around us. God is faithful, and each place where we see new growth of good, we have a lasting reminder of His goodness and power – both in us and for us forever. May we seek the Lord and His everlasting love, as He is the One who brings new growth of good where destructive and harmful things once stood.

 

In place of the thorns, 

God will grow new good;

As we see Him move,

His heart’s understood.

This amazing grace,

That makes broken new;

Shows with great power,

That His word is true.

For as bad gives way,

To new, good and sweet;

The Lord is made known,

Our sacred retreat.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that where dead and destructive things once grew, You have brought new that is good and beneficial. Thank You that in every space where You have turned the harmful into good, we have an enduring reminder of Your goodness and power. Forgive us for our frustration and fearfulness of the prickly and nasty spaces – both inside and out. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rely on You to be our strength in the pruning process, and our guide to navigate through the new. Show us how to love others well, so that we may be reminders of Your faithfulness forever. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we keep our eyes and hearts open to be aware of the good that You are growing in and around us. Amen.

 

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

 

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. – James 5:11