Real Love

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – (1 John 3:18, NIV)

My children, our love should not be only words and talk. No. our love must be real. We must show our love by the things we do. – (1 John 3:18, ERV)

My little children, don’t just talk about love as an idea or a theory. Make it your true way of life, and live in the pattern of gracious love. – (1 John 3:18, VOICE)

Real love is not mere talk, but rather it is demonstrated again and again through the way we treat others and the things that we do. God’s love is an ongoing pattern, an actual way of life, not a theory or idea. Love chooses kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Yesterday afternoon, my high school gymnasts and the coaching crew, all attended a collegiate gymnastics meet together. Among us, were some excellent examples of love in action. First, there was a father of one of my gymnasts who decided to drive his daughter and a few of her teammates who needed rides to the meet. Willingly, he gave of his time, energy, and resources to help provide a wonderful experience for these young ladies. Second, the boyfriend of one of my senior gymnasts came along to be supportive. For him, he gave of his time and utilized his hard-earned resources, so that he could be beside her as they watched some incredible gymnastics. Another example among us was the cousin of one of my gymnasts. Her sweet cousin came along to provide comfort and companionship, as walking into the unknown can be challenging for some. Finally, my Viking joined us as well. He was a driver for me and another coach, and a presence among us as we walked from the parking lot to the venue, and remained seated beside me as I watched in awe and wonder at the incredible display of athleticism and grace, and gained a deeper understanding of the sport I have joyfully coached for all these years. Love walks beside, supports, encourages, and remains present. This is not something that merely happens by accident, but rather to love is an ongoing decision. May we ever seek the Lord to make love our way of life so that in all that we do, love is the evident motivator.

Lord, help us to love,

In all that we do;

Let Your fruit be found,

As we love in truth.

May ev’ry action,

Demonstrate Your grace;

Faithful in all things,

Lead us in Your ways.

Father, please show us,

Your heart in all things;

So Your love is shown,

Through goodness we bring.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love is not merely words or an idea, but rather it is found in everything You say and do. Forgive us for the times that our lives have not reflected Your love to those around us. Teach us how to walk in Your ways and demonstrate the truth of Your incredible love through all that we do. Show us how to love each person we encounter best, for You know each heart and each need. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for the examples of Your love that are all around us, and ask You to lead us to do the same for others as we seek You to infuse love in all things, always. Amen.

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

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10

Patient and Full of Love

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love. – (Psalm 103:8, HCSB)

The Lord is kind and merciful. He is patient and full of love. – (Psalm 103:8, ERV)

The Eternal is compassionate and merciful. When we cross all the lines, He is patient with us. When we struggle against Him, He lovingly stays with us – changing, convicting, prodding. – (Psalm 103:8, VOICE)

In the same way that the Lord is compassionate, gracious, patient and full of faithful love for us, we ought to be the same for others. God shows us the way to love one another as He loves each of us so well. Even when we fall short or fail miserably, He remains present to show us how to do and be better. His kindness leads us to repentance and real change. May we ever seek the Lord to show us the ways we are meant to go, and lead us to love one another as He loves us all.

Full of compassion,

And gracious His love;

Abundant mercy,

Hope from God above.

In our own struggle,

Still the Lord stays near;

To grant us His strength,

And take away fear.

Lead us Lord Jesus,

To love as You do;

Faithful forever,

Your grace makes us new.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are compassionate and gracious, patient and rich in faithful love. Thank You that You lead, correct and direct us in the ways we are meant to go when we seek and submit to You. Forgive us for our shortcomings and our lack of faith. Teach us to trust in You completely. Lead us in Your compassionate and gracious love so that we might love those around us with patience and faithful love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead and love us through all things. Amen.

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

This God, our God forever and ever – He will always lead us. – Psalm 48:14

Beautiful Unknown

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. – (Ecclesiastes 11:5, NIV)

You don’t know where the wind blows. And you don’t know how a baby grows in its mother’s womb. In the same way, you don’t know what God will do – and He makes everything happen. – (Ecclesiastes 11:5, ERV)

You can no more predict the path of the wind than you can explain how a child’s bones are formed in a mother’s womb. Even more, you will never understand the workings of the God who made all things. – (Ecclesiastes 11:5, VOICE)

 

Back during the times of King Solomon, when he scribed Ecclesiastes, there was no Doppler radar system, nor ultra sound; the discoveries made over the last century in technology were not even an inkling of an idea, and so, and that time, those were reasonably comparable things to the ways of God. In current times, it seems that the comparison would be more along the lines of knowing what this COVID-19 virus actually is, if an effective vaccination is possible, and if and when life might return to a non-shutdown state of existence. God can do incredible things, and we never know how He will move in any given situation. After walking through last year with my mom, I thought this year might be a breeze, in comparison. This separation is an equal sort of difficult. I cannot predict how it will go, nor when it will change. All I can do is trust God, who is far greater than every obstacle we face, and seek Him to be with us through this season too. In the same way that the Lord never left me, and was faithful to show me His nearness every step of the journey, (and still is doing so), I know that He remains present in our current circumstances and is walking us through the valleys so that we may reach the other side of this seemingly sordid space. God is faithful, even in our most difficult seasons. To honestly look at this current season, I cannot say it is all bad. More time with my boys is an absolutely gift, and the time to get a puppy and be present to bond and train him is blessing as well. Though we cannot predict or know how God will move and work in all things, we can be certain that He will move and He will work all things for good for those who love Him.

 

Though we do not know,

All that lies in wait;

Nor why things take place,

The next that awaits.

For God’s ways are not,

The same as our own;

Unpredictable,

Beautiful unknown.

Though sometimes scary,

And not understood;

God’s ever working,

For ultimate good.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the certainty of You, when everything else around us is uncertain. Thank You that though we cannot possibly know and understand all of Your ways, we can know Your heart and Your character; that You work all things out for the good of those who love You. Forgive us for our fear and doubt when we cannot figure out how things could possibly change, or find ourselves frustrated with timelines that do not align with our own. Teach us to trust Your ways and Your timing in all things. Show us how to love those around us in the waiting. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to bring good through all things. Amen.

 

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

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Filled Each Morning

Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. – (Psalm 90:14, NIV)

Fill us full every morning with Your faithful love so we can rejoice and celebrate our whole life long. – (Psalm 90:14, CEB)

With every sun’s rising, surprise us with Your love, satisfy us with Your kindness. Then we will sing with joy and celebrate every day we are alive. – (Psalm 90:14, VOICE)

 

How our days begin make all the difference in how we perceive the remainder of our waking hours. When we wake and are acutely aware of the faithful love that God has for us, there is a deep-rooted joy from within that rises up and remains present throughout the day, regardless of what comes our way. That is not to say that we will always be happy with our circumstances, yet we can continue to find joy, in spite of them, when we know the kindness of the Lord. God makes His unfailing love known to us in countless ways, if we are only willing to open our eyes to the wonder of all that He does. Each morning the sun rises, and we have a new day to take in His goodness and grace as we draw breath with purpose and can see the evidence of His love all around us. May we rise and rejoice, ever celebrating each new morning that we are granted, for His faithful love will be with us all the day long.

 

Fill us each morning, 

With Your faithful love;

As joy and gladness,

Are given to us.

Let us choose to sing,

Celebrate Your ways;

Give thanks for the good,

Throughout all our days.

With each sun’s new rise,

Your grace satisfies;

May we opt rejoice,

Each day of our lives.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You fill us each morning with Your faithful love as we seek You with intention. Thank You that Your love is evident all around us, and Your goodness will never end. Forgive us for not opening our eyes to Your kindness in the midst of our messes. Teach us to turn to You in trust so that we may see and know Your faithful love that remains with us, no matter our circumstances. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends Your kindness, spreads joy, and creates a sense of gratitude for each new day. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You each morning and recognize Your unfailing love so that we may sing for joy and be glad all of our days. Amen.

 

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

 

When times are good, be happy. – Ecclesiastes 7:14

Promise to Save

“For I am with you and will save you,” says the Lord. – (Jeremiah 30:11a, NLT)

I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord. – (Jeremiah 30:11a, CEB)

For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord. – (Jeremiah 30:11a, ESV)

 

When I am with people and my mind is occupied, I am in a reasonably good space, considering I am not allowed to do the very things I long to do the most. However, in the quiet moments, when I am alone, I find fear and anxiety try to find a foothold, as I become acutely aware of my own mortality and the potentially ticking time bomb that is currently calling a vein deep in my calf, home. I know that not one of us knows the number of our days, nor have we been given any sort of guarantee nor shelf life. However, I do know that this verse in Jeremiah is a great reminder this morning, as God is with me, and He will save me from this season in His time. For whatever reason, it is a road that I have to currently walk. I do not know if it is to learn patience, perseverance, or to simply be shown in an even greater capacity, how He remains present through all things. Whatever the reason, I will keep fixing my eyes on the reality that He is with me and that He is present to save. May we set our hearts and minds on the truth and trust in the Lord who is mighty to save.

 

Allow not the fear, 

To find a way in;

For God is present,

He fights from within.

Ready to rescue,

The Lord’s ever near;

Let anxiousness go,

As He calms all fear.

Rise up in His strength,

Keep moving, be brave;

For God is with us,

He’s mighty to save.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are with us and You save us. Thank You that Your presence preserves and strengthens us as we keep pressing forward. Forgive us for our fears and anxiety over the unknown, as lack of faith fuels these things. Teach us to trust You more, for You have promised to be with us, always. Show us how to hold fast to Your promised presence, so that we will walk boldly into all that You ask of us. Lead us to love others in Your strength, so that we would encourage and support those around us well. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your presence and Your promise to save. Amen.

 

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

 

I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power. – Daniel 2:23

O Soul, Be At Rest

Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. – (Psalm 116:7, NLT)

My soul, relax! The Lord is caring for you. – (Psalm 116:7, ERV)

I said to myself, “Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings.” – (Psalm 116:7, MSG)

 

In the midst of our struggles or the peak of our pain, is often the time when we need most to be reminded of the Lord’s goodness and care for us. A cliché offering of thoughtlessly uttered words does not typically bring rest to a soul stirred up. However, when someone comes alongside us and remains present in our pain and near in our need, we become acutely aware of the goodness of God. As we see and experience His blessings made tangible, it is far easier to slow down and relax and rest in His goodness. Our focus fixes back on Him, rather than that which diverted our attention in the first place. May we relax and rest in the Lord, for He has been good to us, no matter the obstacles before us.

 

O soul, be at rest,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

For the Lord is good;

His care is present,

And grace understood.

Despite what we face,

His presence is near;

He will provide rest,

As we release fear.

Embrace the blessings,

He tangibly gives;

Each day that we live.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can rest and relax in You because You care for us and shower us with Your blessings. Thank You that You make Your goodness tangible in ways our hearts can grasp. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to steal our rest in You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would fix our eyes on Your goodness that knows no end, rather than our trial that is temporary. Show us how to love well all those whom You place around us, so that we may make Your goodness tangible to others. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rest and relax in You because You are always good. Amen.

 

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

 

Answer me O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. – Psalm 69:16

Where Good Comes From

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts shifting shadows. – (James 1:17, NLT)

Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from Him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. – (James 1:17, ERV)

Every good gift bestowed, every perfect gift received comes to us from above, courtesy of the Father of lights. He is consistent. He won’t change His mind or play tricks in the shadows. – (James 1:17, VOICE)

 

All that is good, all that is lovely, all that is worthy of praise, exists because God gives. The trials and troubles that come are not given by God, but rather occur because sin, brokenness, and free will are part of our reality. Even in the midst of our struggles, God is still good, and remains present with us. As the days grow longer, it is a tangible reminder that He is the Father of lights. He times the sun to rise and set, and paints brilliant colors in the process. On dreary days, light still appears, and then darkness returns at day’s end. Just as the coming of a new day is consistent, so too is our God. He doesn’t take time off, nor does He neglect the cries of His people. When we call on Him, He hears. May we ever give praise for every good and perfect gift that comes from God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

 

Every good gift,

That comes from above;

Is given to us,

In God’s perfect love.

The Father of lights,

Continues to show;

How faithful His love,

So our hearts may know.

He never changes,

His love shall remain;

All good gifts from God,

Our hope to now claim.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that every good and perfect gift comes from You. Thank You that You are the Father of lights, and that You do not change nor try to trick us like the light of shifting shadows. Forgive us for forgetting how very faithful and consistent You are. Teach us to give You thanks for every good gift, and to seek Your help in times of trouble. Show us how to love well, all those whom You place in our lives. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we appreciate every good and perfect gift from You, and seek You in all things. Amen.

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

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7