Persevere

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – (James 1:4, NIV)

If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be. – (James 1:4, ERV)

So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. – (James 1:4, TLB)

This is such an important reminder when we are in a trying season, or are walking through a difficult situation. God uses all things to grow us and show us more of Himself, and the lessons we learn as we press on in Him, teach us of His unending faithfulness. Incredibly, when we get through the season or circumstance, we discover that we are closer to God and are better able to reflect His love and faithfulness to those around us. Character grows as we walk through struggles, not in the seasons of status quo. May we ever persevere with the Lord through challenging seasons, for He is faithful to use all things to grow us and make us more complete in Him.

No matter what comes,

Choose to persevere;

Not in our own strength,

But through Him who’s near.

Trust in His goodness,

On His strength, rely;

Keep moving forward,

His love is our “why”.

It’s easy to see,

From the other side;

How God got us through,

Our help from inside.

Always He’s near us,

With strength and His grace;

Our help and our hope,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we persevere through all that comes our way, You grow us to more clearly reflect Your light to the world. Thank You that You are always faithful to be present as we navigate all things. Forgive us for the times that we want to sit down and quit instead of trusting You. Teach us to keep moving in the direction to which we are called, and show us how to trust You to be our strength and our help throughout every day. Lead us in Your love to bless, encourage, and strengthen those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to walk beside us and strengthen us to persevere in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Corinthians 13:7

The Throne of Grace

This is a post from a few years ago, yet is so timely right now…

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – (Hebrews 4:16, NIV)

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. – (Hebrews 4:16, ERV)

So let us step boldly to the throne of grace, where we can find mercy and grace to help when we need it most. – (Hebrews 4:16, VOICE)

 

This is a timely reminder this morning, as I find myself on the brink of burnout. It is easy to remember to approach God on His throne of grace to petition on behalf of those around me, but I don’t think that I go before God often enough for the mercy and grace that I truly need. Don’t get me wrong, I pray for strength to get through the day and patience to persevere; but really boldly stepping into His throne room to rest and refresh and meet my own deepest needs – seldom, to rarely, at best. Perhaps it is a matter of looking for ways to keep a Sabbath. Rest is not my forte, and to do so would require serious intentionality. To find grace and mercy and help when we need it most, looks different for each person. For me, I feel closest to our Creator when I am outside in the beauty that He has made. When my body is moving, my mind and heart are able to find rest. For others, rest is a matter of being still. What does appear to be clear is that I need to make time to be intentionally in a space where my heart and mind are fixed on God, just being present (without studying, writing, or any sort of specific doing), so that His mercy, grace and help may be made tangibly known. May we each be intentional to step boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may find mercy and grace and help when we need it most.

 

Go to the throne room,

Seek God and His grace;

Rest in His presence,

Receive His embrace.

For as we choose rest,

Let our minds be still;

God’s goodness and help,

Floods as mercy fills.

Choose set aside time,

By grace, enter in;

Be refreshed in love,

It’s where peace begins.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us with an everlasting love. Thank You that You made the way through Your Son, so that we can come before Your throne and be in Your presence, and You grant us mercy and grace and the help we are needing. Thank You that You are greater than every challenge we face, and that You provide Your help and presence, with mercy and grace. Forgive us for not being intentional to seek time just being present with You. Teach us how to rest in You. Show us what it means to find rest and refreshment in Your throne room. Lead us to love those around us in a way that encourages, strengthens and refreshes where weariness is setting in. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and are forever grateful that we can come into Your presence and receive mercy and grace and help. Amen.

 

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

 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – Psalm 62:5

Confident Hope

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. – (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. – (Hebrews 11:1, ERV)

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. – (Hebrews 11:1, VOICE

Faith is a necessary component to all that we do. When we marry, though we cannot actually see the future or know how life will unfold, we can trust God and have faith that He has brought us together for a purpose and on purpose. With children, we trust in the hope that we have for them to grow and thrive, though we cannot see nor predict the future. By faith, we rise each new day and do our best, trusting that God will do more than we could ever do on our own. Confident hope in Christ and all that He has done for us, is the faith we need to navigate our days well. Just as we cannot see the wind, we know it is there as we see the evidence through how things move. It is the same with Christ. Though we cannot see Him, we can see evidence of His goodness and love all around us. May we hold fast to our faith in Christ, for all that is hoped for comes through Him, and He is the blessed assurance of all that is still unseen.

Faith comes in knowing,

Our hope is secure;

Not in things we see,

In Him, who is near.

Though we can’t see Him,

We know He is true;

His grace and His love,

Are found in plain view.

As the sun rises,

Each day as we wake;

We have a fresh start,

New hope to embrace.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can have faith in You, for we are assured of the hope held in You, even though we cannot see You. Thank You that there is clear evidence of who You are and how You love, all around us. Forgive us for our lack of faith when troubles come. Teach us to trust You more, for You are always moving on our behalf, even when we cannot see or fathom what You are doing. Show us how to love and encourage those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we hold fast to the faith we have in You, for our confident hope is held in Your heavenly hands. Amen.

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

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6

Our Calls For Help Are Heard

But I call to You for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer meets You. – (Psalm 88:13, HCSB)

Lord, I am asking You to help me! Early each morning I pray to You. – (Psalm 88:13, ERV)

But I am calling out to You, Eternal One. My prayers rise before You with every new sun! – (Psalm 88:13, VOICE)

God is faithful to hear us when we call on Him. Each day, as I rise before the sun, I call on God to be my help and my hope. If you have been following here, you know that the start to this school year has had its challenges. Yesterday, there was a bit of a change. It was far from perfect, yet how I felt at the end of the day was far better than the previous two. I am hopeful that today will be even better. May we ever call on the Lord for help, for He is faithful to hear us and help us in and through all things.

Each morning I rise,

Before daylight’s come;

I pray to the Lord,

The most Holy One.

I seek Him for strength,

My Help and my Hope;

To lead and guide me,

So love is evoked.

Ever He’s faithful,

To meet me each day;

His strength and goodness,

Lead me in His way.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You, You hear our prayer. Thank You that even when we do not see it, You are moving on our behalf. Forgive us for our frustrations and fears when things are heavy and feel as if we are in the throes of a never ending fight. Teach us to rise and pray to You, for You are our help and our hope. Show us how to love those around us well. Lead us in the light of Your gracious goodness for all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You each morning as we rise, trusting that You hear us and will be with us as we go. Amen.

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

Lord, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in Your righteousness answer me. – Psalm 143:1

The Helper

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. – (Romans 5:5, HCSB)

And this hope will never disappoint us. We know this because God has poured out His love to fill our hearts through the Holy Spirit He gave us. – (Romans 5:5, ERV)

And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love. – (Romans 5:5, VOICE)

Yesterday, our pastor began a new series titled, “The Helper”, with the purpose of unpacking who the Holy Spirit is. Too often the Holy Spirit is viewed as the manifestation of gifts that He gives rather than as the One who gives so much more. As he spoke, the thing that came clearly to mind for me is that the Holy Spirit is God made tangible to us. The concept of three-in-one is challenging to grasp. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are three separate parts that are each fully God. This in and of itself requires faith, as it is above what our thoughts can fully grasp. However, when we look at the roles that each person of the Trinity plays in the world and in our lives, it is a bit more graspable. That still small voice, the check in our spirit, the gut-feeling – these are all tangible examples of how the Holy Spirit speaks to us and guides us in the ways we are meant to go. The songs that rise in our hearts, the flood of warmth, the feeling of knowing that we are completely loved – are also ways that the Holy Spirit makes God’s nearness known. Hope is made evident as we come to recognize the Holy Spirit moving in and through us. Honestly, I don’t think I am adequately sharing, but am hopeful that the simple explanation of who the Holy Spirit is provides a desire to know Him more. May we ever seek the Lord to reveal more and more of who He is and how He loves so that we might go and love likewise.

The Lord, our Helper,

The Spirit of God;

Is ever-present,

And love is the bond.

Three persons are One,

Though it’s hard to see;

How it’s possible,

Holy Trinity.

God is our Father,

Creator of all;

His Son, Lord Jesus,

Redemption for all.

The Holy Spirit,

Our Helper and Guide;

God made tangible,

In our hearts resides.

Fear not the unknown,

Higher are His ways;

Instead seek to learn,

Throughout all our days.

For God is faithful,

Ever He is near;

To help, lead and guide,

As love removes fear.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are three in One. Thank You that You are our Creator, Redeemer, and ever-present Helper. Forgive us for our misunderstanding or fear of what we cannot fully grasp. Teach us to ever seek You to reveal more and more of who You are and how You love as we intentionally pursue You. Show us who You are through all that You have made; help us to grasp the greatness of Your love as we spend time in Your Word, and teach us to recognize the goodness and presence of You through Your Holy Spirit whom You have given to us. Lead us to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we intentionally seek You for new understanding and insight as to who You are and how You love. Amen.

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

And the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love, with You I am well pleased.” – Luke 3:22

Joy in the Wait

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. – (Psalm 37:4, HCSB)

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. – (Psalm 37:4, NIV)

Take great joy in the Eternal! His gifts are coming, and they are all your heart desires! – (Psalm 37:4, VOICE)

As we delight in the Lord, we begin to recognize the blessings that He has poured out upon us. The desires that dwell deep in our heart are the dreams He planted within. In our ongoing pursuit of a life lived with Him, He makes our hopes and dreams a reality. Often, the wait feels long, yet even when we do not see it, He is moving on our behalf. When we are seeking after Him with all of our heart, our desires align with His. It is in that alignment that He brings change, resolve and new things. Currently, I am in a space of waiting. My charge in the wait is to take joy in Him. This is not an easy task when it feels as if the weight of the world is pressing down, yet the more I press into Him, the more I feel the weight lifting. Too often, we carry what is not ours to carry. One of the gifts that He gives is His strong hands that are willing and able to bear our burdens and hold the heaviness within us. Jesus is gentle and kind, and He never forces His way in nor takes what we do not freely give Him. May we ever take joy in the Lord, for His promises are good and He is the One who grants the desires of our heart.

Great joy in the Lord,

Is where hope is found;

For all that is good,

In Christ, does abound.

What our heart desires,

Manifests in Him;

He’s our Provider,

Who ushers good in.

Timing’s the challenge,

We all want it now;

Yet it’s in waiting,

That He works somehow.

He makes plain a path,

For us to choose take;

Each step requires faith,

Trust the way He makes.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can always find joy in You. Thank You that joy in You is not dependent on our circumstances, but rather is dependent on You. When we recognize Your goodness, kindness and grace, we cannot help but rejoice in who You are and how You love. Thank You that our dreams and desires that dwell deep within our hearts are gifts from You. Forgive us for losing sight of the joy we have in You, or for losing hope in the dreams not yet realized. Show us how to trust You in the waiting and to find joy in the hope we have in You. Lead us to love those around us in a way that offers joy, peace and hope. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we take joy in who You are and give thanks for the good things that You have planned for us all. Amen.

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

You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures. – Psalm 16:11

Be Still O My Soul

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:1, NIV)

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. – (Psalm 62:1, ESV)

My soul quietly waits for the True God alone; my salvation comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:1, VOICE)

The older I get, the more I recognize that I want rest to come on my terms. God creates opportunities often, yet when it is not what I intended or not what I had hoped for, it takes a bit of time for me to recognize the opportunity to rest. I have a seemingly insatiable desire to be moving and doing, not resting and being still. Each time that I embrace the time and space that is intended for rest, I find refreshment and am reminded anew of the goodness and hope that I have in Him. Salvation is not only peace for today, but it is our hope forever. May we ever make time to quietly wait on the Lord, for it is in such spaces that we find His rest and are reminded of the joy of our salvation.

Be still, O my soul,

In silence, seek rest;

The Lord is faithful,

And He knows what’s best.

Sometimes it’s quiet,

The absence of sound;

Space to truly hear,

Where our hope is found.

Ever He’s faithful,

To meet all our needs;

With grace He provides,

And in love, He leads.

Help us to seek You,

In quiet, find rest;

Our hope forever,

As You know us best.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You is where we truly find rest. Thank You that You provide time and space for us to be silent before You. Thank You that You remind us again and again of the hope that is held forever in You. Forgive us for our restlessness and our resistance to rest in the spaces that You provide. Teach us to trust You more, so that when unexpected quiet or solitude come, we might embrace the grace that You have given us to find rest in Your presence. Show us how to love those around us in ways that point to hope and rest that You alone provide. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we find rest in the time and space that You provide and quietly wait in the hope that we hold in You. Amen.

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

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…” – Isaiah 30:15a

Before Each Day Begins

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. – (Psalms 46:5, NIV)

God is in that city, so it will never be destroyed. He is there to help everyone before sunrise. – (Psalm 46:5, ERV)

The True God never sleeps and always resides in the city of joy; He makes it unstoppable, unshakable. When it awakes at dawn, the True God has already been at work. – (Psalm 46:5, VOICE)

Though this verse is about a specific place at a specific time, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. God’s presence remains in us and for us, as we rise and begin each new day. He has already been moving on our behalf, before we have even risen to begin our day. The Lord hears and knows our needs, and is moving in ways that are both seen and unseen as we wake each day anew. I appreciate the NIV translation, as it reminds me of Who is holding me up in His hands and moving on my behalf. God is for us and is able to do exceedingly more than we could ever hope or imagine. In this ongoing space of uncertainty, He is here and moving in our midst. May we ever seek the Lord and trust in Him, for He is unstoppable, unshakable, and is already at work as we rise.

The Lord’s ever near,

Photo by Lukas Rodriguez on Pexels.com

Before we’re awake;

He’s working in hearts,

Moving for our sake.

His love never ends,

His grace makes us new;

Always He is near,

As He leads us through.

Through our highest highs,

And lowest of lows;

Ever He’s for us,

Faithfulness that shows.

Lord, help us to trust,

For Your word is true;

Love that’s unending,

Help to lead us through.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are near us and in us, ever working on our behalf, even before our day has begun. Thank You that You hold us up in the palm of Your hands, and will sustain us throughout all of our days. Forgive us for our circumstances and challenges to sway how we see You. Teach us to trust You and know Your goodness, power and love in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us in ways that remind them that they are loved, supported and held up in goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your goodness and grace that move on our behalf, and seek You anew at the start of each day. Amen.

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

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. – Hebrews 13:8

Strength and Secure Path

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – (Psalm 18:32, NIV)

God is the one who gives me strength. He clears the path I need to take. – (Psalm 18:32, ERV)

The true God who encircled me with strength and made my pathway straight. – (Psalm 18:32, VOICE)

God has created each of us with purpose and intention. I never cease to be amazed at what the human body can do. He grants us strength to move and guides and protects us as we go. As I find myself a week away from a major milestone birthday, I cannot help but stand in awe of the strength and safety that God has granted me. I love to be outdoors and moving, and He has empowered me with a strong healthy body that is able to run, hike, walk, bike and tackle whatever other physical challenge that is set before me. Each moment I am moving outdoors I am acutely aware of God and His goodness. May we ever recognize the strength and protection that are provided by God and give Him thanks for all that He does.

The God of all grace,

Grants us strength within;

Makes straight our pathways,

As we let Him in.

Equipped with mercy,

Empowered by grace;

All that is needed,

To run well our race.

Keep pressing forward,

And trusting in Him;

In Him we are strong,

To rise and begin.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give us strength and protection as we move forward in You. Thank You that You have created such beauty all around us to enjoy. Forgive us for taking even one moment of our ability to get out and enjoy it for granted. Teach us to praise and appreciate You in all things. Show us how to love those around us best, as we do the things You created us to do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we move in the strength that You provide and trust in You goodness to guide us safely. Amen.

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

The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. – Exodus 15:2

Faithful Healer

Lord my God, I called to You for help, and You healed me. – (Psalm 30:2, NIV)

Lord my God, I prayed to You, and You healed me. – (Psalm 30:2, ERV)

O Lord, my healing God, I cried out for a miracle and You healed me! – (Psalm 30:2, TPT)

God is a faithful healer, yet His timing is not our own. We are a society that is accustomed to fast food, fast service, and rapid response. The Lord works in mysterious ways, and we know not why some prayers are answered quickly, and others, by our own expectations, take too long. Even within my own household, answers vary. The entire family has been ill, and for most of us, it has been fairly short-lived. Yes, that in and of itself is an answered prayer, yet one of my kids is still dealing with symptoms that seem to linger. By now, he should be fever free and feeling fantastic, yet he is not. Fever and a cough seem to be holding on, and his sleep is a struggle too. Because we see that my son is still symptomatic does not mean that God is not healing him. For whatever reason, the healing is taking longer as sickness lingers. There has been enough relief for schoolwork to be completed and to hang out and be loved by the pups, we are not just waiting for all symptoms to pass and for full healing to happen. May we ever seek the Lord and call on Him to bring the healing that we need most, for He is faithful to meet us in our every need.

I called on the Lord,

And He heard my cry;

His answers will come,

God’s love won’t deny.

When answers seem slow,

We need to choose trust;

Faithfulness is sure,

He’s loving and just.

Keep calling on Him,

For His love is kind;

He heals by His grace,

As we seek, we’ll find.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You hear our cries and bring healing through Your hands. Thank You that even when we don’t see what we are hoping for in our timing, You are moving beyond what we can see. Forgive us for our frustrations with delays in what we hope to see. Teach us how to trust and to continue to contend for Your full and complete healing whenever it is needed. Show us how to love and pray for those around us in faith. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and trust You to bring healing through Your hands. Amen.

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

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. – Proverbs 16:24