For God and His Grace

Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You. – (Jeremiah 32:17, NIV)

Lord God, with Your great power You made the earth and the sky. There is nothing too hard for You to do. – (Jeremiah 32:17, ERV)

Eternal Lord, with Your outstretched arm and Your enormous power You created the heavens and the earth. Nothing is too difficult for You. – (Jeremiah 32:17, VOICE)

 

The same God, who in His great power, made the heavens and the earth, also knit each of us together while we were being formed in the womb. He knows every cell and fiber of our being, and the unspoken needs of our hearts. God sees, He hears, He cares, and He answers, even when we are unsure of what we are asking.

This morning, I am grateful that I had a four-hour stretch of sleep, after multiple wake-ups due to the pain that mom is suffering from her right shoulder. Finally, after a second dose of ibuprofen, she was able to sleep for a stretch long enough to provide both of us some true rest. Thankfully, her shoulder seldom bothers her during the day, as she is able to support it properly and stretch and utilize it in the ways that best keep it stable. The struggle is during the night as she sleeps. As she continues to grow stronger, she adjusts her sleep position more and more, yet doing so in a way that does not cause pain to her shoulder, is extraordinarily difficult, particularly when she is maneuvering in her sleep. Yesterday, mom did her best walking yet. She walked the full length of the hallway with her walker without assistance nor pause, and did so fluidly and with clear purpose. Additionally, mom showed marked improvement with all of her strengthening exercises during physical therapy as well. So much so, that we discussed a possible transition to a hemi-walker on Friday (which is a much smaller, one-handed walker that assists in a transition to a cane). Mom is motivated and determined, and after she and I had a quick outing to drive to pick up a prescription and coffees, we returned home. After lunch she decided she would relax and watch a movie in the living room, so I had her transfer from her wheelchair to a comfortable chair. For the first time ever, as she transferred, she actually picked up her right foot as she stepped! She did not slide nor drag it, but picked it up for an actual step. The entire transfer was completely on her own, with me only holding her right arm so that it would not dangle down and cause pain. We both recognized right away what she had done, and looked at one another in awe and pure delight. God is moving, and we are seeing the fruit of her labor and His faithfulness. The biggest prayers right now are obviously for her full and complete healing, yet as we wait, for no more pain and ongoing regain in that right arm. He is good, and we continue to trust in Him.

 

The very same God,

Who made earth and sky;

Saw fit to make us,

And loved with His life.

Whatever we face,

All that comes our way;

Is never too much,

For God and His grace.

He knows all our needs,

And hears our heart’s cry;

He draws ever near,

Lord of love, Most High.

So, each day we choose,

To trust in His grace;

For always He’s good,

And He’ll make a way.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You, the One who created heaven and earth, by Your great power, can overcome anything with a mere word. Thank You that You know us and love us, and are willing to draw near and hear our every cry. Forgive us for our wavering faith. Teach us to trust You more. Show us how to love those around us in a way that encourages and strengthens and gives grace and goodness in the spaces where it is needed most. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to trust in You, and recognize that You are far greater than all else. Amen.

 

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

 

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. – Daniel 2:20

Filled by Grace

From His abundance we have received one gracious blessing after another. – (John 1:16, NLT) 

Yes, the Word was full of grace and truth, and from Him we all received one blessing after another. – (John 1:16, ERV) 

And now out of His fullness we are fulfilled! And from Him we receive grace heaped upon more grace! – (John 1:16, TPT) 

 

Jesus came so that we could have life abundant in Him. Full of grace and truth, He grants us blessings upon blessings. That is not to say that He gives us a life free of suffering and pain, but rather He promises to be with us, as He pours out His love, grace and blessings in the midst of all. Christ is the light in our darkness and joy in the midst of difficulty. His loving kindness knows no end. May we seek the Lord and His gracious love, allowing His goodness to be made known, both in us and through us. 

 

In the beginning,

The Word always was; 

Loving, creating, 

Heart ever for us. 

At the very time, 

The world so in need; 

Came God, the Most High, 

So all might be freed. 

Set free from our sin, 

Pain and all our shame; 

The hope of the world, 

Found in Jesus’ Name. 

His grace upon grace, 

To us He outpours; 

So we might know hope, 

And choose sin no more. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the precious gift of Your Son. Thank You that through Him, grace, love and blessings are poured out abundantly. Forgive us for not looking to You to be our peace, comfort and hope in the midst of our storms. Teach us to trust You more, as You are the giver of all grace, and You pour out Your provision to all who seek You. Show us how to love those around us in a way that shares Your loving kindness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the blessings that You pour out on us and the grace You give so that we trust You in all.

 

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

 

And all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. – Romans 3:24

 

 

Provision of Peace

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, NIV) 

I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way that the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid. – (John 14:27, ERV) 

I leave the gift of peace with you – My peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but My perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts – instead, be courageous! – (John 14:27, TPT) 

 

Jesus came to us, lived, loved, taught, modeled and performed miracles to show us His love and peace that last forever. When He returned to the Father, He sent His Spirit to be our peace, present in all things and at all times. God’s peace conquers fear and concern, and grants courage and strength where there seemingly should be none. The peace He left is present always, we need only seek Him to be made aware of what is already there. May we ever seek the Lord to be our peace, no matter what stands before us, for He is greater than all. 

 

Provision of peace,

The Lord God, He gives; 

To all who choose seek, 

Among us, He lives. 

Peace comes in knowing, 

The strength of our Source; 

The power of love, 

Infallible force. 

All trust we can give, 

To our God, Most High; 

He answers in love, 

Every heart cry. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You make peace possible, no matter what surrounds us. Thank You for Your presence that provides perfect peace. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances or surroundings to steal our peace, when You are ever-present to provide. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would depend on You when chaos seems to surround us, and praise You when we are aware of Your nearness that is providing our peace. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends Your peace to places of unrest, as You alone help us to love best. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You in all things and at all times to be our Provider of Your perfect peace. Amen.

 

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

 

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

Called to Task

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. – (Luke 1:76-77, NIV) 

Now you, little boy, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go first before the Lord to prepare the way for Him. You will make His people understand that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven. – (Luke 1:76-77, ERV) 

 

As Zechariah’s song of praise continued, he proclaimed words of truth, as God revealed the role that his son, John, would play in preparing the hearts of people for all that Christ had to offer. John was a faithful proclaimer of truth, and he spent his life, even unto his own death, speaking of the way to salvation through the forgiveness of sins. As the parents of John, Zechariah and Elizabeth knew their son was called to a task that was beyond their own human understanding. Both, likely spent John’s formative years, educating and raising him close to God, guiding him in the direction that he was meant to go. I imagine it took tremendous faith and dependence on God, to lead a child who was called to such specific work for the Lord. Parenting is not for the faint of heart. Raising children who have been set apart from infancy, or even earlier, would be a task that takes trust beyond measure. In my own experience, simply being responsible for two tiny humans at the same time, took formidable faith, as premature twins in the care of a first-time parent was slightly terrifying. God’s grace, mercy and strength made the unknown and unyielding, manageable and marvelous. May we seek the Lord and His strength, as we recognize that He is our help and our hope in raising up the next generation of faithful followers of Him. 

 

O Lord, let our faith,

Be rooted in You; 

Our strength and our hope, 

For Your love is true. 

However You call, 

Whatever our way; 

Your help, grace and hope, 

Will lead us each day. 

Faithful forever, 

O Lord God, You reign; 

Please show us each day, 

The path we’re to take. 

  

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness, grace and faithfulness forever. Thank You that You never call us to anything that You are not also willing to equip us to do. Forgive us for our fearfulness when the call seems far beyond our ability to navigate. Teach us to trust You more, for You are greater than any seeming impossibility that lies before us. Show us how to faithfully navigate the roles to which we are called. Lead us to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness and grace tangible. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You in all things at all times, and faithfully walk wherever You lead. Amen.

 

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

 

When I called to You for help, You answered me and gave me strength. – Psalm 138:3

The Greatest Gift

But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. – (Galatians 4:4-5, NIV)

But when the right time came, God sent His Son, who was born from a woman and lived under the law. God did this so that He could buy the freedom of those who were under the law. God’s purpose was to make us His children. – (Galatians 4:4-5, ERV)

When the right time arrived, God sent His Son into the world (born of a woman, subject to the law) to free those who, just like Him, were subject to the law. Ultimately, He wanted us all to be adopted as sons and daughters. – (Galatians 4:4-5, VOICE)

 

God knew that humanity needed a Savior. For most, the law was a list of do and do not from a distance out of fear and reverence, rather than being rooted in relationship. The arrival of Jesus changed everything. God out there, became God is here. Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension gave way for us to be adopted into God’s family as His children. No more are we simply subjects attempting obedience out of fear, but rather we are children of the Most High, saved by grace and dearly loved. From this position of freedom, it is difficult not to desire to do what is pleasing to the very One who set us free. May we rise up and recognize the sacrifice that was given so that we could be free, and walk out our days honoring God with our words, deeds and praise.

 

God saw all our need,

And set forth a plan;

Redemption and grace,

By His loving hands.

Hands that chose to send,

His beloved Son;

To bear all the weight,

Of what we have done.

Freely He took on,

All our ugliness;

So we may be called,

His in righteousness.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You saw mankind’s need for a Savior and sent Your Son to redeem us. Thank You that not only do You forgive us of all of our sin, but You adopt us as sons and daughters of Your own. Thank You that You lovingly receive all who come seeking You. Forgive us for forgetting the magnitude of Your sacrifice to be called sons and daughters. Teach us to treasure the gifts of Your mercy and grace far more than we do. Show us how to love others in a way that extends the same sort of mercy and grace to others, so that they might see glimpses of You through the good we give. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise for the greatest gift ever given through the sending of Your Son. Amen.

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

 

May God Almighty grant you mercy. – Genesis 43:14

Praise

I praise the Lord because He is good. I praise the Name of the Lord Most High. – (Psalm 7:17, ERV)

I’m thanking God, who makes things right. I’m singing the fame of heaven-high God. – (Psalm 7:17, MSG)

 

God deserves our praise, as He is good, and He is the One who makes things right in our lives and hearts. Even when things around us are less than ideal, God is with us, and His presence provides us reason to praise. He brings peace when there should be none, and hope when hope does not make sense. Let us thank and praise the Lord for His goodness and grace, because He is God and He deserves all of our gratitude forever.

 

Oh Lord, may my life,

image by Christopher Wilson

Be filled with all praise;

Unto You, O God,

For all of my days.

Praise for Your goodness,

As You make things right;

Praise for the great grace,

Names us Your delight.

I’ll sing forever,

Because God is good;

Glory to You, Lord,

Where love’s understood.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good. Thank You that You make things right, even when we cannot begin to fathom how our situation or circumstances could ever improve. Thank You that You are the God of miracles who is mighty to save. Forgive us for not trusting You enough, and for forgetting to give You proper praise for all that You have done. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek You in all things and at all times. Show us how to love others in a tangible way, that demonstrates Your goodness through what we do and say. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise for all that You do and all that You are for all of our days. Amen.

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

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. – Psalm 145:8

Sing – For Joy Rises

I will be filled with joy because of You. I will sing praises to Your Name, O Most High. – (Psalm 9:2, NLT)

 

Though there is much joy to be found in the reason for this blessed season, often there are sorrows that surround people, and the holidays are a struggle. Finding joy despite our circumstances, comes not when we fake it ’til we make it, but rather when we turn our eyes and attention on He who is our Source of all joy. No matter what surrounds me, when I begin to sing praises to His Name, joy begins to bubble up and fill my heart again, as I am reminded of what is eternal. There are times that what is weighing us down seems so heavy and long lasting, yet when we take pause, we know that there will be an end. Hope of better days, better seasons, better times, is held fast in our hearts, as we know that in Christ, this is not our end. What is yet to come is beyond what we can even begin to imagine, and because of that hope, we can hold onto His joy. May we allow our hearts and voices to sing praises to His Most Holy Name, as He fills us with joy once again.

 

We’re filled with all joy,

because of our King;

not by circumstance,

but through truth He brings.

Let our hearts sing praise,

our thank offerings;

let‘s honor His Name,

our great Holy King.

May His joy rise up,

as voices are raised;

His truth be proclaimed,

and Holy Name praised.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You fill us with Your joy, not because of our circumstances, but because You are good and You are loving. Thank You that we can sing praises to Your Name, no matter what we are going through, and as we do, joy rises up in us again. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to steal the joy that You have given us, and help us to hold fast to You and Your promises so that we would have joy in spite of what is happening around us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would sing praise even when it doesn’t make sense. Show us how to love others well, and to spread joy wherever we go. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we sing praises to Your Name and are filled with Your unending joy. Amen.

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

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you.” – Exodus 33:19

 

 

 

 

Thankfulness As A Sacrifice

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. – (Psalm 50:14, NLT)

Set out a sacrifice I can accept; your thankfulness. Be true to your word to the Most High. – (Psalm 50:14, Voice)

At first glance, I wondered how thankfulness would be considered a sacrifice before God, however, when I pondered the passage for a moment, I recognized that the reality in the midst of struggles and suffering is that we must sacrifice some of ourselves (our desire to complain, whine, or wallow) in order to have a thankful heart before the Lord. Additionally, when we present promises to God, He expects us to keep them. None of this is possible in our own strength, yet with Christ in us, we can make thankfulness our sacrifice to God, and be true to the words we commit unto the Lord. May we give up our desire to identify the things that go wrong, and instead sacrifice our self-focus for a God-focus, giving Him all of our thanks and praise. Let us be true to our word to the Lord Most High, as it is by Him and through Him that all moments are measured.

Let a thankful heart,

be our sacrifice;

before the Lord God,

as He paid the price.

For every sin,

has been washed away;

so that we can stand,

and walk in His way.

May we keep the vows,

promises to God;

let’s give our whole heart,

not just a facade.

No matter what comes,

be trial or grace;

may thanks fill our hearts,

and from our lips, praise.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You receive our thankfulness as a sacrifice before You, and that You are pleased when we are true to our word unto You. Forgive us for not making thankfulness our sacrifice before You, or for not keeping the promises that we have made to You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would have hearts that are filled to overflowing with gratitude for who You are and all that You have done, as well as an unwillingness to waiver from our word unto You. Show us how to love others from a position of thankfulness, so that they too may see Your goodness through our gratitude. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we make thankfulness our sacrifice before You, and keep our promises that we make to You. 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

Thanks Beyond the Scope of Simply Seeing

I will thank the Lord because He is just; I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord Most High. – (Psalm 7:17, NLT)

Yet another reason to thank the Lord is for the nature of His character. He is just; (guided by truth, reason, justice and fairness – dictionary.com) because He is the truth, therefore He determines what is reasonable, grants justice, and provides fairness according to His standards, not our own. The justice that we long to see, often takes place beyond the scope of our simply seeing. The Lord’s justice has eternal consequence, it is not often only a here and now action. Again, our response to God and His Name Most High, ought to be to offer all of our thanks and praise. As we sing praise unto Him, our hearts lay hold of the truth of who He is, and the faithfulness that He provides not only in the here and now, but for all that is yet to come. May we thank the Lord because He is just, and sing praise to His Name Most High.

O Lord, we give thanks,

because You are just;

we choose to sing praise,

unto God with us.

For Your Name is great,

as You are what’s true;

You grant us justice,

and make all things new.

No matter what’s seen,

O God, You provide;

present in battle,

with arms open wide.

We give You all thanks,

and sing You our praise;

ever lift our voice,

for all of our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are just. Thank You that You are worthy of all of our thanks and praise. Forgive us for not trusting that You are at work on our behalf, even when we cannot see the evidence of the movement You are making. Teach us to trust You more, as You alone deserve all of our trust, as You are forever faithful and true. Help our hearts to hold fast to an attitude of thanks and praise, regardless of what we see. Show us how to love others with open arms, just as You love us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for Your justice and sing praises unto Your Most Holy Name. Amen.

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

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; …write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3

Give Thanks, Tell and Sing

Give thanks to the Lord and call out to Him! Tell the nations what He has done! Sing to Him; sing praises to Him. Tell about the amazing things He has done. – (Psalm 105:1-2, ERV)

As I prepare for my final day of the first week of this brand new school year, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. My anxiousness has been turned to enthusiasm, and my fear transformed to fuel for further learning and growing to better the experience for my students and myself. Each of these young lives who have walked into my classroom, have found a place in my heart. Their stories are only beginning to unfold, and I cannot wait to discover more and more of who they are, and what drives them to do their very best. Additionally, my own children have encountered the same sentiment from their teachers too. My colleagues are loving my boys well, and they feel safe and secure in each space. This, this is my reason to sing praise today. Among many other monumental things that He has done to care for my family and love us well, the blessings of a great beginning create a comfort in the hope of all that is yet to come. May we give God thanks and call on Him, telling of all the great things that He has done. May our very lives sing praise to Him, as we recognize the remarkable He continues to do in our lives.

May our hearts give thanks,

to the Lord most high;

for how He has loved,

all throughout our lives.

Tell all of the world,

of what He has done;

so they too may know,

the Most Holy One.

Let our praises ring,

as we lift our voice;

for the songs we sing,

should in Him, rejoice.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and love, and for the amazing things that You do in and through our lives. Thank You that we can call out to You, and You hear our every call. Forgive us for not giving You the glory that You deserve, as every good and perfect gift comes from You. Teach us to trust You more, so that our immediate response would be to give You thanks and to tell others of the great things that You have done in our lives. May our very lives sing continual praise unto You. Lead us to love others in such a way, that they too may come to know Your faithfulness and love for themselves. Be glorified O God, as we give You thanks and praise, and tell of all that You have done. Amen.

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

You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence. – Acts 2:28