His Hand in the Storm

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. – (Psalm 18:16, NIV)

He reached down from above and grabbed me. He pulled me from the deep water. – (Psalm 18:16, ERV)

He then reached down from heaven, all the way from the sky to the sea. He reached down into my darkness to rescue me! He took me out of my calamity and chaos and drew me to Himself, taking me from the depths of my despair! – (Psalm 18:16, TPT)

I love the imagery found in this particular verse; it is so powerful! Being an incredibly visual creature, I can picture a giant, strong, yet gentle hand, reaching down from heaven, to pull me out of the raging sea in the midst of a fierce storm. Though my current status is not tumultuous nor terribly storm-like, I know for many, it is. I have been in several raging storms throughout my life thus far, and each time, God has been faithful to be present and bring His peace, drawing me unto Himself to calm the storm within me. My circumstances seldom changed right away, but the depth of despair, desperation and isolation, did. As God takes our hand, He leads us in His loving kindness to places of peace. Sometimes, He has to guide us from deep waters to a safe harbor, yet other times He simply speaks to the storm within us, and says, “Be still.” Our current season feels long, as one day runs into the next, and into the next. Staying in one place for a long period of time can create a sort of storm within us. The greatest combatant to getting stuck in the deep end is to remember what keeps us afloat. Gratitude, faith, and hope are terrific navigation tools when storms come our way. May we look to the Lord to take our hand and pull us from the places that do not keep our head and heart above water, and trust in Him to be our help and hope as we navigate each new day that we are blessed with on this journey.

In troubled waters,

The deep raging seas;

The Lord reaches down,

His love rescues me.

His strong, gentle hand,

Extends out to mine;

A powerful peace,

No words can define.

Though storms keep raging,

Knowing He is near;

Quiets storms within,

Removing the fear.

No matter how great,

The storm will not last;

But for a season,

Then this too, shall pass.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gentle, yet powerful love that You have for all. Thank You that as we call on You from the midst of raging storms, You reach out Your strong hand to pull us out to a place of peace. Thank You that You still the storm within us, even if the circumstances around us continue. Thank You that all things right now are temporary, and will come to a close. Forgive us for thinking that the hardest seasons will never end, or that we are in them on our own. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would be ever aware of Your presence and Your peace; for You never leave us nor forsake us. Show us how to love those around us in ways that offer peace, love and hope, reminding them that better days will come again. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust Your strong hands to keep us safe through the storms, and keep hope in knowing that what is yet to come is far better than what is right now. Amen.

 

 

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

 

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. – Psalm 46:1

Peace that Passes Perception

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – (Philippians 4:7, NLT)

And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds. – (Philippians 4:7, ERV)

Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. – (Philippians 4:7, CEB)

 

Part of the perks in partaking in life with Christ, include protection over our hearts and minds, and participation in His perfect peace. He imparts in us, His peace, and covers us with His protection, as we live out our lives with the Lord. The way in which God loves, is far beyond what our minds can conceive. In Him, we come to know peace that should not exist in the midst of raging storms, and despite what we see, our thoughts and feelings are kept from despair, as Christ guards our minds and hearts. May we trust in Him to whom we belong, as He will guard our hearts and minds and provide His perfect peace.

 

Because we belong,

to the gracious Lord;

we experience peace,

as love is outpoured.

For He guards our hearts,

and minds in the storms;

brings peace in chaos,

as lives He transforms.

The Lord’s peace exceeds,

what we understand;

as He holds us up,

by His tender hand.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You, we find peace that goes far beyond our human understanding. Thank You that You guard our hearts and minds, and You love us to life, even when the storms rage around us. Thank You that though a life in You is not free of trials and troubles, we have the promise of Your protection, presence and peace, regardless of what comes our way. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to steal Your peace, and teach us to trust You more, so that we would rely on You and Your strength to protect and provide in all things and at all times. Show us how to love in such a way, that we too may be presenters of Your peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You to guard our hearts and minds, and provide Your perfect peace. Amen. 

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

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3

Rest in His Unfailing Love

We wait in hope for the Lord;

He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust His Holy Name.

May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,

even as we put our hope in You. – (Psalm 33:20-22)

 

If we were to truly live this way, what might it look like? Perhaps, even in the midst of life’s raging storms, we would do as follows:

 

Press on, continue in expectation, trusting that the Lord is good. He is our Source, Supply, and the Provider of our protection. As we place all trust in Him, joy rises up, even in the darkest of days. His love that never fails, shall remain with us, as we place all of our hope and anticipation of what is yet to come, in Christ.

 

Lord, may we come,

place all hope in You;

for You alone,

are all that is true.

Faithful in hope,

unfailing in love;

our hearts rejoice,

as we look above.

Teach us to trust,

with all of our heart;

for You remain,

from finish to start.

And more than that,

You’re our help and shield;

my heart to You,

my whole life, I yield.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we wait in hope, regardless of our circumstance, You are with us as our help and our shield. Thank You that whether or not we see the evidence of Your hand, we can rejoice, trusting that You are who You say You are, and that You are faithful forever. Thank You that Your love is unfailing, and that it remains with us, always. Forgive us for our faltering hope when the weight of the world becomes an unbearable burden, and help us to place all of our cares and concerns in Your hands, trusting that You will direct our steps and be our help. May many come to know You, personally, as they see the evidence of Your faithfulness in our lives. Let us love as You love, and rejoice as we trust in You, regardless of our circumstance. We love You, Lord, and long to honor You with all that we are. Amen.

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

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

 

To Trust in You

When my heart wanders,

or downcast my soul;

my hope shall remain,

in Him who makes whole.

Because of His love,

we’ll not be consumed;

though our surroundings,

may be full of gloom.

For we have great hope,

as we call on His Name;

new mercy each day,

our portion proclaimed.

He is so faithful,

and for Him, I’ll wait;

never is early,

and never is late.

For He is so good,

to all those who seek;

grants us salvation,

strength when we are weak.

I’ll quietly wait,

and trust in the Lord;

He is my answer,

all hope to afford.

(Responding to Lamentations 3:22-26)

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that regardless of our condition or circumstance, we can always come before You. Thank You that we are received and restored as we place our trust in You. Thank You that though things get heavy and at times, unbearable, You will not allow us to be consumed by the weight. thank You that You are our hope, and that You hold us in the hollow of Your hand. Forgive us for our fear, and grant us strength in You, so that we may stand and face every giant that comes our way. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning, and that Your faithfulness never fails. Teach us to trust in You in all things and at all times. May the hope we hold, even in the midst of raging storms, show many the way to be forever found in You. Lead us in love, we pray. Amen.

Anne update: Yesterday was a day where Anne was worn. Late last evening, she was actually on her way to the ER. However, after they had to pull over for her to be ill, she felt much better and was able to turn around and return home. Please continue to pray with me for her complete healing – for every cancerous cell in her body to be gone, and for a smooth transition as she moves to her new space. With a grateful heart, Shannon

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

Sense in Storms

Sensory showing,

image by Jean Guichard

need not be what’s true.

For often what’s seen,

is obstructed view.

Hidden by our fears,

blurred by raging storm;

clarity eludes,

when nowhere feels warm.

Fortunately faith,

is not sense nor sight.

It’s a choice to trust,

when nothing seems right.

Despite the chaos,

and all that surrounds,

if God’s our anchor,

He’ll not let us drown.

Storm or in stillness,

He will bring true peace.

He may calm the storm,

or heart that’s ill at ease.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that our faith in You is not dependant on our senses.  Thank You that our relationship with You is built by faith that comes through trusting that which we know is true, regardless of what we see.  Forgive us for becoming fearful or losing focus when we are caught in the midst of raging storms.  Teach us to trust in all things and at all times, as You are our Strong Tower that will not be shaken, nor ever change.  Thank You that nothing is impossible for You.  May our words and our deeds be a witness of Your unfailing love and faithfulness to all those whom we meet.  May many come to call You the Savior of their souls.  Amen.

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