To Whom Do We Anchor?

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. – (Hebrews 6:19a, NIV)

This hope is like an anchor for us. It is strong and sure and keeps us safe. – (Hebrews 6:19a, ERV)

We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God Himself. – (Hebrews 6:19a, TPT)

To whom do we anchor? When the wind howls and the waters rage, where do we turn? Over the past few years, I have weathered several storms. What I have discovered is that Christ does indeed anchor our soul, as He provides us with strength and safe harbor in the midst of the storms. Right now, the storm is a sick son in the hospital. Due to the nature of his illness, he is not permitted any visitors; not even me. This is, as a momma, one of the most difficult storms to weather. Not being able to be tangibly present to see and hear and advocate for my child is an agonizing space. That being said, God is faithful to provide peace, strength and comfort as each new day begins. He is providing hope anew as I talk and text with my son. Incredibly, the young man my boy has become is strong. His strength of heart and positive take on things is an encouragement to all. Rather than the “why me?” approach, he is recognizing the good that is coming from his experience. Despite the dance of the poking and prodding involved in his treatment, he is prioritizing his college coursework and communicating with family and friends. God knows what each of us need, and anchors our hearts to His to navigate all that comes our way. On my own, I would sink. With Christ, I can rest assured that He has us tethered to His safety and strength. May we ever seek the Lord and trust Him to be the anchor for our souls, for He is strong and secure and the One who provides our hearts with peace.

Hope is an anchor,

That tethers the soul;

Strength in our Savior,

His love makes us whole.

When storms come our way,

The Lord is our peace;

He steadies our hearts,

As grace is released.

Hope is the promise,

Presence that won’t end;

Hands that will hold us,

As each day begins.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the hope that anchors our soul. Thank You that You provide peace and strength and safety in spaces where it seems impossible for such to exist. Forgive us for doubting the security of Your hands to hold us. Teach us to continue to anchor our hope in You. Lead us to love those around us in ways that encourage, strengthen and uplift. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we anchor our hope forever in You. Amen.

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

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

As I Rise

You are my strength, I sing praise to You; You, God are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely. – (Psalm 59:17, NIV)

I will sing praises to You, my Source of strength. You, God, are my place of safety. You are the God who loves me! – (Psalm 59:17, ERV)

I will lift my voice to sing Your praise, O my Strength – for You came to my defense. O God, You have shown me Your loving mercy. – (Psalm 59:17, VOICE)

 

This morning, there is a choice to trust and praise involved as I rise. The day holds an overwhelming amount of new, which requires strength of heart, mind and body, to navigate as I go. For me, a new semester means three brand new classes of students to get to know, as well as the first day of middle school gymnastics. No matter how many times one has experienced such firsts before, there is always a bit of nervous anticipation for how all will unfold. Yes, there is wisdom in experience, yet each new group has its own dynamics and set of personalities. There is never a “one-size-fits-all” in establishing a positive classroom culture. This is the space where I rely on God’s grace to lead and guide me as I go. Of course, I prepare the things that I need to have ready, but I trust in the Lord to guide me as I navigate the new. Today I praise God, the Source of my strength, and trust in His loving kindness and provision as I prepare for the new that this day has in store.

 

This morning I rise,

And choose to sing praise;

For God is my strength,

Throughout all my days.

Faithful forever,

No matter what comes;

His presence promised,

Loving, Holy One.

Ever I will seek,

For in Him I find;

All that is needed,

To press on, be kind.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unending faithfulness to be our strength and security in our spaces of the unknown. Thank You that You empower and equip us to navigate the new, and help us to do as You call us to. Forgive us for our anxiousness at all that lies before us, when we take our eyes off of You and allow our minds to fix on the size of what lies ahead. Teach us to trust You with all, as You are more than enough to navigate every circumstance and situation with wisdom, strength and grace. Show us how to love those around us well, so that Your strength and loving mercy may be made evident in tangible ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You, our Strength, for who You are and how You provide for us. Amen.

 

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

 

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

Trust Him to Bless

Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in You. – (Psalm 84:12, NIV)

Lord All-Powerful, great blessings belong to those who trust in You! – (Psalm 84:12, ERV)

O Lord of the armies of heaven, blessed are those who trust in You. – (Psalm 84:12, TLB)

 

As the end date of this season in Wenatchee draws ever nearer still, trust is a very necessary thing. Though my heart has ached and grieved being away from my husband and children, there is also a grieving in leaving my mom. After spending nearly three and a half months with her, twenty-four hours a day, it will be a strange sort of separation to be away from one another. It is good, as I know mom with be in great hands with my sister and family, and equally good for me to be back with my own family. It is a space of each of us desperately needing to rely on the Lord and trust in Him to provide and order our days according to His purposes where we are meant to be. I trust that God has not brought us this far, to only bring us this far. Our prayer is for mom’s complete and total healing, and we are trusting that a full recovery will come to fruition as she continues the hard work in this next leg of her journey. I look forward to watching and hearing about the new blessings that unfold, as mom continues to patiently persevere.

Yesterday, was a bit of a rough start, as we had not slept well and had to take mom’s car to the dealership for an oil change and tire rotation by 8:30 am. We managed, and made it home with time to relax and recharge, prior to a lovely visit with a fantastic pair of mom’s neighbors. Their company was wonderful, and gave mom an encouraging boost. We were able to take it easy the remainder of the day, accomplishing a few of the necessary items on mom’s checklist to prepare for her move, yet still keep a pace that didn’t push our sleep-deprived brains beyond what they could take. Thankfully, last night was a far better night. Though there were two wake-ups, they were spread out enough that there were some good, solid stretches of sleep that were had by both of us. Coffee and breakfast have been consumed, and mom is relaxing as I sit here and write. Today, we have two separate visits scheduled with friends, so the day will likely pass quickly.

May we ever continue to trust in the Lord, as He blesses and keeps us, every step of our journey.

 

The Lord of heaven,

He sees and He knows;

All that our hearts need,

And in us, He grows.

As we choose to trust,

He grows faith and love;

Grants us strength of heart,

As His own beloved.

Let us ever trust,

The God of all grace;

For He’s ever near,

As we seek His face.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You bless those who trust in You. Thank You that Your blessing comes through Your faithfulness and love forever. Thank You that we never need fear or doubt, for You are always with us. Forgive us for our fears and doubts when obstacles or unknowns lie before us. Teach us to trust in You. Show us how to love those around us in ways that offer hope and strength, grace and goodness. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You, the One from whom all blessings flow. Amen.

 

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

 

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:2

Made Strong in His Peace

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, NIV)

May the Lord make His people strong. May the Lord bless His people with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, ERV)

God makes His people strong. God gives His people peace. – (Psalm 29:11, MSG)

 

After having been away for another long three weeks, this is exactly the reminder I need, prior to heading back to school to finish out the final three days of the school year. I know not what I will discover, as I reenter my classroom after my absence. Each time I have been away, I find myself nervous to return. It will be good to finish out the year, and I am looking forward to seeing my colleagues and students; there is simply a nervous anticipation in the waiting. God will give me the strength I need and provide His peace, if only I remember to slow down and breathe. This too, is part of the reason I rise as early as I do – extra time to process and prepare.

In the same way, God continues to give strength and peace to mom and Megan in Wenatchee. Yesterday was a leisurely Sunday, as they took care of practical things as well as enjoyed a visit with one of mom’s dearest friends. The fruit of all mom’s many months of labor is in full bloom, as her yard is bursting with color every direction the eye can see. Exposure to her yard over the last few months has certainly inspired me to dream about what to do with my own.

In all things, God is our strength and peace, and the One in Whom we can trust at all times.

 

The Lord makes us strong,

A view on a walk near home…<3

Beyond physical;

He grants strength of heart,

Unsurpassable.

And oh how His peace,

Comes in and surrounds;

Calm to our chaos,

As His grace is found.

No matter what comes,

The Lord will be near;

Promised, His presence,

So, we need not fear.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our strength and our peace. Thank You that You are with us wherever we go and whatever we do, so we need not fear with You. Forgive us for our anxiousness about what lies ahead when we cannot see past the first step. Teach us to trust You more, as You always make a way and never leave us nor forsake us. Show us how to love those around us in a way that offers strength and peace in places of unrest. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to be our strength and peace in all things and at all times. Amen.

 

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

 

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. – Numbers 6:26

Power Within

Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and His powerful strength. – (Ephesians 6:10, CEB)

Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. – (Ephesians 6:10, TLB)

 

Strength is a peculiar thing. We can work hard to build it up, yet there are variables beyond our control that can take it away in an instant or over time. The strength that is sustained within us, is strength of heart that comes from the Lord. His strength is that which grants us the resolve to keep rising, even when what lies before us is heavy, and often far more than we can bear. Though physical strength is both a blessing and a gift from God, it is the strength within us, that He deposits by His Spirit, that will carry us through all of the days of our lives. May we ever seek to be strengthened by the Lord in His mighty power, so that we are equipped to do all that to which we are called.

 

Be strong in the Lord, 

And His great power;

We can trust in Him,

Our safe Strong Tower.

He strengthens our hearts,

Emboldens our minds;

Grants us the resolve,

Move as we’re designed.

No matter what comes,

He’s faithful to be;

Present with His strength,

To help in our need.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can be strong in You and Your mighty power, no matter what comes our way. Thank You that though physical strength is a blessing and a gift, it is strength of heart that comes from You that will carry us through the trials that life provides. Forgive us for not seeking You to supply the strength we need and teach us to trust You for all of our days. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens hearts and minds, just as You do for us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise for Your strength and power that You provide within us as we turn in trust to You. Amen.

 

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

 

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:1

Be Our Strength

The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, NLT) 

May the Lord make His people strong. May the Lord bless His people with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, ERV) 

God makes His people strong. God gives His people peace. – (Psalm 29:11, MSG) 

We ask You, Eternal One, to give Your strength to Your people; Eternal One, bless them with the gift of peace. – (Psalm 29:11, VOICE) 

 

In this seemingly crazy, busy season, this is my prayer for us all. Where there is chaos, may His calm come and reign in our hearts. In places where we are unsettled or uncertain of how we will press on, may we find His strength. He is faithful to provide what is needed when we trust in Him. May we call on the Lord to be our strength, and trust in His grace to grant us the gift of His perfect peace. 

 

O Lord, here we stand, 

Where chaos surrounds; 

We need strength and peace, 

Your presence, be found. 

What joy in knowing, 

That as we choose pray; 

In love, You answer, 

By grace, make a way. 

In chaos, there’s peace, 

As we look to You; 

Strength in our weakness, 

For You lead us through. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give us strength and bless us with peace. Thank You that as we call on You, You hear our every prayer. Thank You that Your presence provides our hearts the assurance that grants calm, regardless of our circumstances, and strength of heart, when we feel our strength is all but gone. Forgive us for not seeking You for the strength and peace that only You provide. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would come to You for all that we need, no matter what state we are in. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens hearts and brings peace to places where it has not previously been present. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we receive the strength and peace that You plentifully provide as we approach Your throne of grace. 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

Persistent Pursuit

“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” – (Luke 18:41-42, NLT)

 

“What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, I want to see again.” Jesus said to him, “You can see now. You are healed because you believed.” – (Luke 18:41-42, ERV)

 

Jesus: What do you want Me to do for you?

Blind Man: Lord, let me receive my sight.

Jesus: Receive your sight; your faith has made you well. – (Luke 18:41-42, VOICE)

 

I so appreciate this story about the blind beggar and his exchange with Jesus that led to his healing. The blind man could have sat in silence and kept to himself, yet, he had heard word of this man, Jesus, who had healed others. Somehow, in the depth of his heart, the blind man realized that he had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Hope gave him strength of heart and voice to keep calling out to Jesus from the side of the road, despite the disciples and passersby attempt to keep him quiet. When Jesus saw the persistence of the blind man, He stopped and gave him His undivided attention. In a brief, but intentional exchange, Jesus asked the man what he wanted, and healed him because he had believed. Imagine if we called out to Jesus in the same way… May we go to God without hesitation, trusting that He has the power to do insurmountably more than we could ever hope or imagine as we surrender ourselves and our need to Him.

 

When we go to God, 

And choose to believe;

He moves mightily,

As grace is received.

For if we ask not,

How can we receive?

It is by our faith,

We learn to believe.

All that is required,

Is but a small seed;

For hope to grow faith,

God grants what we need.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You hear our cries for Your help, and You are ready to meet our needs. Thank You that all that is required of us is faithful pursuit of You. Forgive us for allowing what we see or think we know about our circumstances or those around us to get in the way of our asking in faith. Teach us to trust You more, as You are far greater than anything that we face. Show us how to love those around us in a way that grants hope and strength, so that they too see the hope that is held in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we persistently pursue You with unflappable faith. Amen.

 

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

 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6