Rest that Refreshes

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. – (Psalm 23:2, NIV)

He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water. He restores my strength. – (Psalm 23:2, ERV)

He provides me rest in rich, green fields beside streams of refreshing water. He soothes my fears; He makes me whole again. – (Psalm 23:2, VOICE)

By the time summer rolls around each year, I am more than ready for the break from the school year. This year, more than most, I was needing reprieve from the chaos. Between the logistical challenges of physical distance from my extended family, a health scare that needed to be navigated, learning and teaching new content, and the added responsibilities of coaching a new sport, I was weary and in need of rest. The day after school let out, I went and spent a few days with my mom, sister and family. After that, I had nothing scheduled for the next three weeks. Part of me was longing to get out of town and go and see and do, yet somehow I knew that God was providing me a season of unscheduled rest. During that time, I was able to do some of the things that I needed to do, yet there was also much time to simply hang out with my family and our dogs. A six-day stretch followed the restful time in which my sister and I went to mom’s house to work on preparing it to be sold. Time with my sister was soul-soothing, and together we navigated the challenges of determining what stays, goes, is kept or sold, as we worked to honor what mom wants to have done. Upon my return, I had a day to settle at home before being whisked away to my favorite coastal town for my birthday. Interestingly, the view at mom’s included green fields and her own lush lawn. On the coast, we spent much of our time in the harbor crabbing, and as shown in the photo, it truly was a space of calm and soothing waters. My soul feels refreshed, and I am ready to enjoy the slow pace of today and tomorrow, and then an anniversary getaway that will include time catching up with friends whom we have not seen since they moved away a few years ago. God really is so very good and He provides the rest we need when we need it most. May we look to the Lord to show us how to rest in seasons of rushing around, and remind us that when things seem slow, it is indeed for a purpose.

The Lord is so good,

for He knows our need;

He provides the rest,

soul-soothing, indeed.

Lay in green pastures,

a space of calm rest;

beside still waters,

refreshment is best.

Places to be still,

and truly slow down;

give thanks unto Him,

renewed strength is found.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You order our days, and You supply the rest we need when we need it most. Thank You that for me, You provided the green pasture and still waters that my soul needed most. Forgive me for the times that I grow restless when I am simply meant to be still. Teach me how to continue to slow down and find spaces to rest in You, even when my days are busy and exhausting. Show me how to love those around me in ways that lead others to green pastures and still waters so that they too, may know refreshment in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for spaces of rest that You provide, and lead us to ever seek You to show us when to slow down and when to press on. Amen.

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

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

Strength in Love

I love You, Lord, my strength. – (Psalm 18:1, NIV)

I love You, Lord! You are my strength. – (Psalm 18:1, ERV)

I love You, God – You make me strong. – (Psalm 18:1, MSG)

 

Everything about God is good. From sunrise to sunset, His wonders and provisions never cease to amaze me. He grants strength when we are weary, hope when we despair, and joy when sorrow seeks to sink our hearts. I am not certain of what has caused the shift, but there has been a fortification of sorts in my heart that was not present prior. Where I was anxious, I find that I have trust; where I was weary and exhausted, I have renewed strength and hope. It may be in part the new strides that mom is making with her walking, but honestly, I think that it is a work that God is doing within me. There is no magical timeline of healing and recovery that can indicate an end date to when mom will be restored and ready to be independent again, yet I find my heart in a space that is finding it easier to simply stay present and trust. I am embracing each day, each moment as they come, and celebrating the victories – great and small, appreciating the fact that I am overwhelmingly blessed to have all of this precious time with my mom. We laugh often, and there is little sweeter than our early morning wake-up routine of her surprise first call of the day, be it a song, a phrase, or something completely silly, we usually end up giggling about it as we waltz to the restroom before breakfast. Together, we sit in wonder and awe as we watch the sunrise together. Incredibly, the painting across the sky transforms rapidly, and may begin in shades of pink and blue, turn to gray, then reappear in a fiery orange glow. That was our gift from God this morning. 😊

Yesterday was quite busy in the morning, as mom had occupational therapy and physical therapy back-to-back, filling the late morning slot. During OT, Larissa, mom’s wonderful occupational therapist, devised a simple way to tape mom’s shoulder to provide a bit of extra support, as the right one is beginning to have a bit of twinge pain with some movements. The added support really seems to help. Physical therapy was a fantastic continuation of working to strengthen mom’s right leg and keep up her hallway walking. After the therapists had gone, mom was a little restless, and I talked her into a quick field trip into town to go through the Dutch Bros drive through. We both benefited from an escape, and it was a gorgeous sunny day. The remainder of our day was rather quiet, spent resting, stretching, doing laundry and the like. Mom slept very well, with only one wake-up in the night, so we are both rested and refreshed this morning. God is faithful, and He is always ready to supply the strength that we need.

 

O Lord, You are love,

Strength, power and grace;

Much more than enough,

To conquer each day.

Not in my own strength,

But only in Yours;

For it’s Your strong hand,

That opens locked doors.

Lord, show me the way,

You’d have me to go;

Each new direction,

By Your love, make known.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the One who gives us strength to navigate this life according to Your purpose and plan. Thank You that You turn seemingly horrendous detours into beautiful routes we would have never known. Forgive us for our fears and doubts when trials and tribulations derail us. Show us how much strength You are willing to deposit within us, so that we can navigate the new that stands before us. Teach us how to love those around us in a way that offers strength and encouragement when theirs feels depleted. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, our strength, as we praise You for Your faithful provision. Amen.

 

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

 

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – 2 Samuel 22:33

 

Grace to Intake

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your word. – (Psalm 119:147, NIV)

I get up early in the morning to pray to You. I trust what You say. – (Psalm 119:147, ERV)

I wake before the dawn and call for help; I hope in Your words. – (Psalm 119:147, VOICE)

 

I am not certain if it is the ever-changing nature of my job, an ongoing growth in my recognition of my own shortcomings, or simply an acute awareness of my need for God to navigate each day, but whichever takes the lead on a given day, the intentional act of rising early to seek the Lord and hope in His word, grants renewed strength. When my hope is in the Lord and the truth of His word, joy is sustained, no matter what surrounds me. There are days that even so, it is difficult to keep my eyes fixed on Him and the hope He holds, rather than the weight of what lies before me. God is good, and His love endures forever. He is faithful and true, and we can trust in His word. May we wake each morning and present our requests, trusting that what the Lord says, He will do.

 

Early each morning,

With purpose I wake;

Time spent with the Lord,

His grace I intake.

Grace for the new day,

No matter what comes;

Hope, strength and His love,

As my day’s begun.

Always He’s faithful,

To speak to my heart;

Reminders of love,

His goodness imparts.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to meet us whenever we come to You. Thank You that when we rise early, You begin our day with Your faithfulness and grace to carry us through. Forgive us for not seeking or for taking our eyes off of the truth that we hold in our eternal hope. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would know the faithfulness that is found in You in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us in a way that blesses each with grace and peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rise early in the morning to seek You, and hope in You forever. Amen.

 

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

 

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. – Psalm 105:4

 

 

All for Good

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. – (Romans 8:28, NIV)

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. – (Romans 8:28, VOICE)

So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His loves who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose. – (Romans 8:28, TPT)

 

I don’t know that I can even count the number of times that what I perceived as something awful, (and at the time, perhaps it was) that God, in His infinite goodness and grace, ultimately used it for good. Each time that I have had to walk through the hard or horrible that life brings, as I sought God and relied on Him, He provided what I needed to navigate the season, and later used the experience for something positive. At times the benefit has been personal growth and the discovery of His strength in times of my own weakness, yet still other times, He has turned my experience into a tool by which I am able to honestly speak to others going through similar, as I can share of His faithfulness that brought me through. God is good, and He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. When we choose to trust in Him, He leads us through life by the light of His love, even when we are in spaces of darkness. May we ever seek the Lord and His plan, as He is good and is the only One who can bring beauty from our ashes.

 

With all certainty, 

I truly can say;

God works all for good,

When we seek His way.

Though life’s not easy,

And despair may come;

The Lord is faithful,

’til each day is done.

He walks beside us,

And shows us the way;

Grants us renewed strength,

Fresh start for each day.

We can be certain,

He’ll use all for good;

If we choose to trust,

Hope our livelihood.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we trust You, You ultimately work all things for good in our lives. Thank You that even when we cannot see how that is possible, You are moving and making it so. Forgive us for our fearfulness and doubt. Teach us to trust Your hand in all things, as You are far greater than anything that we face. Show us how to love those around us in a way that encourages, strengthens and builds faith. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to orchestrate everything in our lives toward something good, as only You can do. 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

Sheep Need a Shepherd

The Lord is my Shepherd. I will always have everything I need. He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water. He restores my strength. He leads me on right paths to show that He is good. – (Psalm 23:1-3, ERV)

The Eternal is my Shepherd, He cares for me always. He provides me rest in rich, green fields beside streams of refreshing water. He soothes my fears; He makes me whole again, steering me off worn, hard paths to roads where truth and righteousness echo His Name. – (Psalm 23:1-3, VOICE)

 

Sheep desperately need a shepherd to lead them. They follow one another into harm’s way if they are not routed elsewhere, and they are easy prey for predators if no one is protecting them. We are no different than sheep in our need for the Savior. He is our Shepherd. He leads us and protects us, if we are willing to be among His flock. The Lord’s leading brings us to places of rest, safety and renewed strength, as He shows us the road to righteousness and truth. His direction for our lives is good, and in Him, we need not fear. He heals, restores, and loves us to life, when we are weary and worn. May we trust in the true Shepherd, as He provides all that we need and leads us on the path to life everlasting.

 

God is my shepherd,

I have all I need;

He protects, provides,

hears what my heart pleads.

The Lord grants me rest,

when I become worn;

restores what’s broken,

when my heart is torn.

He renews my strength,

when all strength is gone;

and shows me the path,

I’m meant to walk on.

Where He leads is good,

for His way is right;

He points to the truth,

and leads by His light.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Shepherd. Thank You that in You, we have everything that we need. Thank You that You give us places of rest and refreshment, and that You restore us and make us whole again when we are weary, worn and broken down. Thank You that You lead us on Your path that is right and true, so that we can obey and honor You. Forgive us for attempting to run when You call us to rest. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will listen for Your voice and do as You ask, trusting that Your way is what is best for us. Lead us to love others in such a way, that they too may find refreshment and rest in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, Lord. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to shepherd us on the path to life everlasting. 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