Where Peace Can Be Found

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, NIV)

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)

This morning, Thor, our Lab, woke me up at 2:00 am. I brought him upstairs to take him to go outside, but when I took him back downstairs, he would not stop whining until I gave up and brought him back upstairs at 3:00 am to be up. After he was fed, he climbed on my lap and has shown no sign of any desire to do anything else. Where am I going with this? For Thor, his place of peace was found on my lap with a full belly; for us, we can find the ultimate perfect peace when we trust in Jesus and depend on Him. God settles our hearts and minds in His presence, and provides the peace that comes from Him alone. Knowing He holds us in the hollow of His hands is much like the completely content countenance that Thor displays in that space of simply resting in the security of loving arms (or a blanket-covered lap). God has us, and He will provide the places of peace where we need it, and will show us again and again the goodness of His love and the peace that He supplies. He is not inconvenienced by our need, nor does He refuse us time in His presence. The more we seek Him, the more aware we become of His presence and the perfect peace that He alone provides. May we ever dedicate our hearts and minds to You, and recognize with thanksgiving, the goodness of Your presence, peace and love.

A warm and safe space,

To rest and sink in;

Where peace can be found,

No matter what’s been.

The hand that holds us,

When chaos ensues;

The calm that comes close,

No matter our view.

Each time we choose trust,

God makes His heart known;

Wraps us in His peace,

As goodness is shown.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You provide Your perfect peace when we place our trust in You. Your peace is not dependent on our circumstances, but rather it is present despite what surrounds us as we trust You to be near. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of You when storms come our way. Teach us to seek You to be our anchor through each storm and our warm, peaceful space of safety no matter what comes. Show us how to trust You more. Lead us in Your love to present Your peace and goodness to those around us in all things and at all times. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we place our trust in You and rest in Your perfect peace. Amen.

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

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27

Our True Hope

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. – (Psalm 100:4-5, NIV)

Come through the gates to His Temple giving thanks to Him. Enter His courtyards with songs of praise. Honor Him and bless His Name. The Lord is good! There is no end to His faithful love. We can trust Him forever and ever! – (Psalm 100:4-5, ERV)

Go through His gates, giving thanks; walk through His courts, giving praise. Offer Him your gratitude and praise His Holy Name. Because the Eternal is good, His loyal love and mercy will never end, and His truth will last throughout all generations. – (Psalm 100:4-5, VOICE)

Because of Jesus, we are able to come before the throne of God. His sacrifice made the way for us to enter His very courts without fear or hesitation, but rather in confident faith that we are known, loved and received however we come. It is the Lord’s great love that reminds us of the countless reasons that we ought to give Him thanks and praise His Name. When we begin to understand what faithful love truly is, we cannot help but give thanks and praise. May we ever enter His courts with thanksgiving and offer Him all of our gratitude for His never-ending faithful love.

Enter God’s presence,

For He’s ev’rywhere;

Loving arms outstretched,

With mercy and care.

In love the Lord waits,

For us to draw near;

Each prayer we offer,

He lovingly hears.

All thanks unto God,

Our Savior and King;

For love, life and hope,

The joys that He brings.

God is our true hope,

In whom we are known;

All thanks unto Him,

Who sits on the throne.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can come to You and enter Your courts, Your very presence, as You welcome us with open arms. Thank You that You love and forgive and draw us unto Yourself with Your overwhelming and unending love. Forgive us for the times that we have not given praise and honor unto You. Every good and perfect gift comes from You, and we ought to recognize and acknowledge the abundant blessings You bring to us all. Teach us to see Your hand in all things, and make us ever aware of Your loving kindness. Show us how to love those around us well, so that they too, might come to know the beauty of Your unending love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You and praise You for who You are and how You love. Amen.

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

Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord. – Psalm 31:24

The True Look of Love

For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. – (John 3:16, NLT)

Yes, God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him would not be lost but have eternal life. – (John 3:16, ERV)

For this is how much God loved the world – He gave His one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in Him will never perish but experience everlasting life. – (John 3:16, TPT)

 

There is no love that has ever been nor that will ever be, that compares to the love God has for each of us. Many of us would give up tangible things that we care about for those whom we love, but I imagine none of us would willingly send our sons or daughters to those whom were against us, knowing that they would die. God gave all so that we would have all in Him. We have a free will that grants us the choice to either believe and receive the glorious gift that He has given, or to reject our redemption and run our own race. Even in that, I envision the vastness of the Father’s heart. He waits patiently for those who wander and welcomes each into His loving arms when we are ready to receive all that He has for us. May we fix our eyes on He who is love rather than on what the world attempts to define as love.

 

The true look of love, 

Is not from a store;

But comes from above,

And means so much more.

The greatest love known,

Is that which God gives;

Because of His Son,

We gain life to live.

As we choose believe,

Receive His great grace;

We’re set on the path,

To run well His race.

The glorious end,

Our true finish line;

Heaven forever,

Most Holy Divine.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You loved the world better than any of us could begin to fully comprehend. Thank You that everyone who believes in You gains life with You forever. Forgive us for allowing the world to define love for us, rather than looking to You for the truth. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would receive and believe all that You offer, so that we may go and love as we are called to love. Show us how to love others in a way that reflects Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we receive and believe the greatest love ever given, as You sent Your Son to us to show us what love truly is. Amen.

 

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

 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6

He Upholds

The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. – (Psalm 145:14)

 

Though at times, our burdens seem to be more than we can bear, the Lord is faithful to uphold us. As we submit all things unto Him, He is faithful to meet us where we are, and will grant us the strength necessary to carry on. Christ keeps us on our feet when we fear the path is unsure, and remains with us, every step of the way. When we stumble, He is standing beside us, ready to take our hand, lift us up, dust us off, and lead us on in the direction we are meant to go. May we seek Him with our whole hearts, and allow the Lord to direct our steps.

 

When we fall down,

Christ comes along side;

His loving arms,

extended out wide.

He reaches out,

to lift us back up;

remains present,

again fills our cup.

Submitted hearts,

are held by our King;

He hears our cries,

and each offering.

The greatest weight,

is one we can bear;

as Christ meets us,

and provides His care.

So seek Christ first,

submit all to Him;

the gracious One,

shines light where it’s dim.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You uphold us when our burdens seem more than we can bear, and that You lift us up and help carry us, as we submit all unto You. Thank You that You are our help and our hope, and that we need not fear nor flee the difficult, but rather we can depend on You in the spaces that You have called us. Forgive us for our desire to run or give up when the going gets too tough, and help us to lean all the more into You. Teach us to trust You completely in all things and at all times, as You are faithful always. May we love without reservation, and walk freely in the light of Your love. Let many come to know You as we do. Be glorified, O God, as we seek and rely on You in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6

So Long, Sweet Aine

Sweet Aine

The faithful fight,

now knows its close;

no more in pain,

nor torments throes.

Such blessed rest,

yours to behold;

He takes your hand,

on streets of gold.

He waited near,

arms open wide;

for you to run,

unto His side.

Into His arms,

loving embrace;

you hear His heart,

and feel His grace.

You know each beat,

of His heart true;

as He holds close,

the perfect you.

Your hand He takes,

as you two walk;

He shows you all,

with loving talk.

All pain that was,

is now long gone;

in heaven, home –

where you belong.

So long sweet warrior, until again we one day meet…

The long and valiant fight of my dear friend, Anne, has come to a close. Last evening, I had the joy of holding her hand as she struggled to breathe her last breaths. She went from suffering struggle to perfect peace, in but a moment.

As I was praying for her during the day, seated by her side, God showed me such a sweet picture, and I was actually able to share it with Aine (On-ya), while she was still able to respond. I saw Jesus with outstretched arms, and Aine ran to Him, as a carefree child. He scooped her up and they twirled around and around. When they stopped, Aine rested her head over His heart and He held her close. He spoke and told Aine, “each heartbeat you hear, is just for you.” When she was ready, He set her down, took her hand, and led her along the streets of gold, showing her all that He had prepared for her.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are loving and merciful and so very kind. Thank You that You hate to see Your children suffer, even more than we do. Thank You for the amazing grace You give, and for the people and provision You grant us, O God, our great Provider. Thank You that all hope is held in You. Forgive us for our fear, and help us to embrace all that You offer, so that we may come boldly before You and rest in Your grace. May many continue to be moved toward You through the way we live our lives. Thank You that Aine was such a faithful example of how to place all hope in You. All thanks and praise to You, our perfect Prince of Peace. Amen.

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

Cherished in Beauty and Strength

Cherished by Amy Tyler

Three things I desire,

from the Lord I must seek;

from anywhere else,

the outcome is bleak.

To be a beauty,

from the inside out;

drawing others near,

with heart that’s devout.

Peace, patience and love,

kindness, goodness too;

self-control and joy;

the spiritual fruit.

Next, to be cherished,

to be held so dear;

only our Savior,

forever is near.

For He holds our heart,

and knows us so well;

the hairs on our head,

the dreams we don’t tell…

Strength is another,

that must come from Him;

for when it’s our own,

it will soon grow dim.

Yet His strength endures,

the mightiest storms;

He will empower,

show us His true form.

(Scriptures referenced include: Galatians 5:22-23, Psalm 139:13-16, Psalm 28:8)

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for wonderful reminders of what matters.  Thank You that You cherish each of us as Your children, and have created us with the capacity to bear the sort of beauty that draws others unto You – that which comes form the inside and produces fruit that lasts: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  May we be people who embrace spiritual beauty, rather than that which is fleeting.  Thank You for Your Spirit, who grants us the strength to bear good fruit and to endure every challenge that comes our way.  Forgive us for making comparisons and for our doubts, and please equip us with Your strength that sustains forever.  May we bear fruit that leads those who are looking, into Your loving arms, so they too may come to know the treasure they are to You.  Amen.

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

Two-Year Trial

When seated on trial

image by David Warkentin

the false witness did fly.

Such slanderous speaking,

their story, falsified.

In power, Paul’s response,

uncovered every lie.

All heard the truth he spoke,

his words they’d not deny.

Felix, who knew the Way,

adjourned ’til later meet.

Paul ordered under guard,

so friends could meet his needs.

Felix came to visit,

with hope of gaining bribe.

Instead, he heard the truth,

required for new life.

When two years had passed by,

Festus succeeded him.

Felix wanted favor,

and left Paul in prison.

(Responding to Acts 24)

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the examples of patience and faithful endurance that are presented again and again in Your word.  Here, Paul, who had done nothing wrong, was stuck under guard and in prison for two years.  What is more remarkable still, is despite his seemingly “stuck” space, Paul shared of Your goodness and truth, even with those who were imprisoning him.  Forgive us for whining or wallowing when we have to wait, or when things don’t seem to go our way.  Please teach us to trust and be patient in the process, and protect our hearts and minds from grumbling.  Lead us to live in love in all things and at all times.  May Your light shine brightly through us, whether we are in the darkest night or in the light of day.  Use us Lord, to lead the lost to Your loving arms of grace.  Amen.

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

Give Thanks In All Things

image by Megan/Brassy Apple

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.” – I Thessalonians 5:18

This does not mean that we need to be thankful FOR all circumstances, rather, we are to be thankful IN all circumstances, for God is still our God – be it in blessing or in battle.  His love and presence remain, and for that, we ought to give Him thanks and praise.

Every evil attack against us is NOT from God.  He who is good and is love, has nothing to do with that which comes against us.  God, in His infinite wisdom, continuous kindness and lavish love for us, His kids, will keep close – as near as our next breath – through both the presence of pain and of plenty.  God’s very nature, His nearness, these are our reasons to be grateful and to give Him praise at all times.

There are times when the suffering or the struggle are making it seemingly impossible to stand, yet in Him, there is strength.  In Him, there is hope.  In Him, there is reason to reflect upon His goodness and grace.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our reason to give thanks.  Thank You that no matter what surrounds us or comes against us, You alone, remain with us, holding our hands and our hearts.  Forgive us for losing sight of You in our storms, and help our hearts to hold onto our hope in You, no matter what comes near – as You are our beacon that shows the way through the storm to the safety of Your loving arms.  Teach us to trust in You; Your strength, Your mercy, Your grace, Your great love for each of us that always stays the same.  May we give thanks IN all things and at all times, not FOR our circumstances, but for Your faithfulness to us in them.  May many come to know Your nearness through our lives lived in gratitude, despite our circumstances.  Amen.

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