Keep Singing

O my Strength, to You I sing praises, for You, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. – (Psalm 59:17, NLT)

I will sing praises to You, my source of strength. You, God, are my place of safety. You are the God who loves me! – (Psalm 59:17, ERV)

I will lift my voice to sing Your praise, O my Strength – for You came to my defense. O God, You have shown me Your loving mercy. – (Psalm 59:17, VOICE)

 

As I prepare to head home for a quick visit until Sunday morning, I have much to be grateful for as I go. God is doing a new thing in mom, as He is granting her courage and desire to actually get out of the house and enjoy a change of scenery. For me, this has been a huge answer to prayer, especially with no appointments scheduled over the long holiday weekend. Mom desperately needed something to break up the long hours, and I needed a change of scenery and an escape. Wednesday, she willingly obliged to go into town for a quick coffee run, and consequently, we picked up lunch at a favorite take out place. Yesterday, what began as another quick coffee run, turned into a glorious adventure in scenic driving, as mom directed me on amazing back roads that I had never been. We both were all smiles as we soaked in the sun and the scenery along the river, nestled between the surrounding mountains. For a few hours, life did not seem like we were in this post-stroke limbo space, but rather we were simply out on an adventure together. Dare I say, all felt gloriously normal. The outing challenged her enough to leave her needing a rest, and helped break up the day so that what could have been a long and dull day, actually flowed and was an enjoyable and relaxing one. Sleep last night was decent, and the sunrise this morning was an exceptional orange glow. As I drive home late this afternoon, I know that my way will be accompanied by a loud sing-along to my favorite songs of praise. God is loving and merciful, and He provides all that we need, just as it is needed. May we ever praise Him for His goodness and grace.

 

Forever faithful,

God of strength and grace;

Our space of refuge,

For all of our days.

You show us Your love,

As it never fails;

Kindness unending,

Your goodness prevails.

May we ever sing,

Give unending praise;

To You, our Savior,

Hope of all our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are goodness and kindness, strength and love. Thank You that You are our refuge forever. Thank You that You teach our hearts to sing, so that we may ever praise You. Forgive us for forgetting the tune that You have planted in our heart when things feel too heavy. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will place all in Your hands and praise You through life’s storms. Show us how to love those around us in a way that helps lighten the load that others are bearing, so that they too, may find the song within. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You, our strength and refuge, for Your unfailing love. Amen.

 

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

 

Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises. Tell everyone about His wonderful deeds. – 1 Chronicles 16:9

Anchor

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. – (Hebrews 6:19, NLT)

This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God Himself behind the sacred curtains of heaven. – (Hebrews 6:19, TLB)

This hope is like an anchor for us. It is strong and sure and keeps us safe. It goes behind the curtain. – (Hebrews 6:19, ERV)

 

Hope is everything. Without it, we sink. As this journey has unfolded on the road to recovery following mom’s stroke, the image of an anchor with the word “hope” on the crossbar, seems to be etched in my mind. I am only beginning to realize how important the picture is to hold, as I feel like a ship, being tossed to and fro, desperately in need of anchoring in each port of call. When I am home, I need to set anchor here; allowing Him to lead and guide and grant me hope in my daily life as I attempt to reenter a world that has continued in my absence. At mom’s, it is a bit easier to feel anchored in hope in where I am, yet there are strong waves of doubt, fear, sorrow, and wonder, as to whether or not I am doing enough, or if I am doing a huge disservice to my family and loved ones at home.  This anchor of hope we hold in Christ is strong and secure, it allows us direct access to God. No more do we have to stand in the outer courts, but because of Christ, we can present our petitions directly to the heart and ears of God Himself. He hears and He knows; He answers and He loves. I know this is a seemingly odd post on Father’s Day, yet I can think of no better example of a father. The very best of fathers grant us safe harbor and teach us to set anchor so that we may weather life’s storms safely. God does this for us when we seek Him. May we ever trust our hope in He who is the anchor for our soul, who takes us behind the sacred curtains of heaven and hears our hearts, individually; personally.

 

Hope is the anchor,

When we’re tossed at sea;

Waves keep on crashing,

What will come of me?

Hope sets us steady,

Brings our hearts to peace;

Space of safe harbor,

As grace is released.

When the storm rages,

You are stronger still;

Bring us to safety,

And with Your love, fill.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Anchor in whom we can hope forever. Thank You that You steady our soul and keep us safe through all of life’s storms. Thank You that You are strong when we are not. Forgive us for our fears, frustrations and doubts, as we attempt to depend on our own oars, rather than You, who anchors us to safety. Teach us to trust You more, even when we cannot see shore. Show us how to love those around us in a way that helps anchor hope into drifting hearts. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to be the anchor of our hope, and praise You for being our good, good Father. Amen.

 

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

 

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. – Psalm 31:24

 

I heard this new song, Anchor, by Skillet (my favorite band) two days ago, and was flooded by the truth of the lyrics. You can click the link to listen. Blessings. ❤