Our Greatest Blessings

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. – (Psalm 127:3, NIV)

Children are a gift from God; they are His reward. – (Psalm 127:3, TLB)

Children are God’s love-gift; they are heaven’s generous reward. – (Psalm 127:3, TPT)

 

My husband and I are abundantly blessed with three amazing boys between us. Earlier this month, the eldest, had his 19th birthday while I was still in Wenatchee with my mom. Upon my return, I apologized for having missed his birthday, and let him know that we would love to celebrate him still. He grinned and claimed that it wasn’t a big deal, yet I knew that he was delighted to be remembered. As he and I spoke about possibilities, we determined that a weekend in Vancouver, BC, would be wonderful. He, in his nineteen years, has never been out of the country, and has an enhanced driver’s license, so he is ready to go. Today, the weekend has finally arrived, and we are merely waiting for our hard-working young man to return home from work (he works graveyard shift) to begin our adventure. Not only is it a delight to celebrate this gift from God, but it is a joy to anticipate watching in wonder, as he takes in all things new. It never ceases to amaze me how blessed the giver ends up feeling in the process of anticipating and carrying out a planned adventure of blessings. I imagine it is but a glimpse of how God feels, as He blesses us with good things. He sees our needs and the desires of our hearts, and then orchestrates ways to surprise and delight us; His sons and daughters. May we ever give thanks to the Lord for the incredible gift of children that we have been given, for they truly are a treasure from heaven.

 

Our greatest blessings,

Come to us, so small;

They capture our hearts,

Not just part, but all.

Each milestone achieved,

Brings joy and delight;

Every tear shed,

Keeps us up at night.

With all that we are,

We love, hope and dream;

For every good gift,

To show what love means.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible gift and blessings that are found in our children. Thank You for the opportunity to celebrate and bless them, individually, so that they might gain a glimpse of how You see them. Forgive us for the times that we grow weary and frustrated with the gifts. Teach us to treasure our children and to show them the way to love like You. Help us to love those around us with a love like Yours. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You all of our gratitude for the gift You have given us in our children. Amen.

 

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

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Encourage and Build Up

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NLT)

So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ERV)

So support one another. Keep building each other up as you have been doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, VOICE)

 

I continue to stand in awe as I watch how God orchestrates community. A few years ago, when my world turned upside down, I found myself in the midst of friends who became family. These people encouraged and built up both me and my boys, and we have grown stronger as a result. As life keeps moving forward, and the circle expands, each of us have opportunity to encourage, build up, and support one another as we grow. Though time marches on and life becomes busy, the joy that is found in time spent together, remains. May we lay hold of every opportunity to encourage and build each other up, as we grow in faith and His strength as we walk out His will.

 

Called to encourage,

And build others up;

To grow in our faith,

In strength we lift up.

Choose invest time well,

In community;

It is where your friends,

Become family.

All thanks be to God,

Who knows what we need;

Surrounds us the best,

So we can succeed.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to be invested in communities. Thank You that as we encourage and build one another up, we grow stronger in our faith, and friends become family in You. Thank You that You know our need and meet it far better than we ever could. Forgive us for attempting to isolate ourselves or for withdrawing from the places that we have been planted. Teach us to trust You completely, so that we would invest well in the people that You have brought into our lives. Show us how to love, encourage and build others up, just as You have done for us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we support each other as You have called us to do. Amen.

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

Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.  – James 5:13

Healed Hands Reach Out

Healing happens regularly, we just have to be ready to recognize it as such, when it does.  Sometimes it is through a Divine touch, and other times, it is through the miracle of modern medicine.  Either way, God orchestrates each occurrence, so to Him, we ought to give our eternal gratitude.

Beyond thanksgiving, what are we meant to do, when healing happens?  Through this morning’s study of scripture, the following verses really captured my attention: “Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon.  Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.  So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.  She got up at once and began to wait on them.” – (Luke 4:38-39)

What stands out as so significant, is that not only was she healed, but she embraced her healing and immediately set herself to serve.  Her own expression of gratitude and love for God and for others, was being expressed through the work of her hands – the hands that had only moments before, been too frail with fever to do anything.

When I think of the examples set before me in my own life, I have no excuse but to embrace healing by the hand, and lay hold of life to the fullest.  My dear friend Anne, who went on to be with the Lord in September, had numerous incidents of healing happen along her long and arduous journey with very invasive cancer.  On death’s door more than once between last winter and all summer long; each time she was spared, released from the hospital, and found back in church the next Sunday, serving in the bookstore, and encouraging others.

When healing happens,

what will our hearts do?

Will we keep quiet,

joy hidden from view?

If our healing comes,

a purpose must be;

intended for us,

so others too, see.

What better to show,

His love and His grace;

than our own story,

hope that we embrace?

Whatever is healed,

may we freely show;

share hope with others,

so they too, shall know.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Healer.  Thank You that You heal through various avenues, and we cannot expect You to work in just one way.  Thank You for the gift of wisdom that You have granted in modern medicine, and thank You that You use people as Your hands and voice to touch hearts and hurts of one another on Your behalf.  Thank You that You take our tests and turn them into testimonies of Your love and faithfulness.  Forgive us for our fear in the fight, and grant us strength and fortitude to trust You and move forward in faith.  May we each embrace the healing You have done in our hearts and lives, and may we use our own stories to share of Your great love with those around us.  May many come to know You, personally.  Be exalted in all that we do.  Amen.

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

(For an amazing story of God’s healing power, go to charispsallo.wordpress.com)