His Strength and 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 peoples peace. – (Psalm 29:11, MSG)

 

There is a strange transition in my sister’s and my world, that began late yesterday morning, and will conclude as soon as I arrive back in Wenatchee, early this afternoon. For the first time since mom’s stroke, there is a gap in time, where neither of us is there. Both of us really struggled with the thought in the beginning, as we ordered and aligned our calendars to attempt to best balance time at home and to make certain one of us was always with mom. There was this small gap that we could not seem to reconcile, yet when speaking with both mom and her best friend, we were reassured that all would be well and the time would be covered. After having been with mom every single day since the stroke, I thought I would really struggle to head home for a few days. I was a bit torn to go, however, I knew she was in great hands with my sister, which allowed me to go in peace, and be present with my family, students and friends at home. There were still check-ins with my mom and sister, yet my purpose and focus has been on those who were present with me at home. God gave me the strength to do what I needed to do here, so that I would again feel prepared and eager, to return to Wenatchee this morning. Long before my alarm was to sound, I was wide awake. My entire being knows and is prepared to return to mom, excited to see her.

Yesterday, one of my sister’s and my dearest best friends since childhood, surprised mom and showed up to give mom a manicure. Such a sweet blessing, especially as she was like another sister in our home (and us in hers) throughout our entire growing up years. Mom continues to do the difficult work to prepare to transition home from the acute care facility. Much of her progress in the coming week or so will help us best determine what we need to do to best prepare her home to make the adjustment as smooth as possible. Please join us in continuing to pray for complete healing, and for wisdom to know each next step as it comes. God is faithful, and has clearly been present to make us strong and grant His peace, as only He can do.

 

Lord, grant us Your strength,

As only You do;

For in You, we’re strong,

Our hope is renewed.

You’re our place of peace,

Wherever we go;

As we look to You,

You help us to grow.

Show us Your way, Lord,

Point out each next step;

All thanks unto You,

In Your grace, we’re kept.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your loving kindness that grants us strength and peace, as only You can provide. Thank You that You supply all that we need in ways we might never anticipate. Forgive us for worry and doubt in spaces where we are uncertain or weary. Teach us to trust You more, as You are stronger than our struggles and You are our peace. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens those who are struggling and brings peace to those in turmoil. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we listen to Your leading and rely on You to be our Source of strength and peace in all things. Amen.

 

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

 

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. – 1 Chronicles 16:11

Why We Gather

“For where two or three gather in My Name, there am I with them.” – (Matthew 18:20, NIV)

“Yes, if two or three people are together believing in Me, I am there with them. – (Matthew 18:20, ERV)

“And when two or three of you are together because of Me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” – (Matthew 18:20, MSG)

 

This verse is a reminder of why it is so important to gather with other believers. Church is not about religion and rules, it is an opportunity to join together and recognize the presence of God. Yes, God is with us, always, but there is something powerful that transpires when a group of people gathers to seek the heart of God. His presence is made known, and those in the midst of it are strengthened, encouraged and equipped to go out in His power. We were created for relationship. Isolation for too long, causes the heart to grow weary, and faith to become frail. God is faithful and loving no matter what, but He invites us to lay hold of the power of His presence through gathering together with others who seek Him. May we ever pursue opportunities to gather with others who are seeking the Lord, so as to mutually encourage and edify one another as He makes His presence known.

 

Let us seek gather,

With others, pursue;

The heart of the Lord,

As His word is true.

When people choose join,

Their hearts and their minds;

To seek our Savior,

His presence, they find.

Our God is faithful,

His word ever true;

He makes Himself known,

Collective pursuit.

Let’s seek with intent,

And join together;

For God will be found,

Most gracious treasure.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to join together to seek You. Thank You that You are faithful to make Your presence known, each time we gather to pursue You. Forgive us for thinking that we can handle life on our own, rather than joining with others to seek and find Your faithful presence. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would invest in relationships that support and encourage a life lived in pursuit of You. Show us how to love and encourage those around us, so that they too, would want to pursue Your heart with others to experience the power made known as we gather. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we gather in Your Name, recognizing the power of Your presence that comes when we join together to seek You. Amen.

 

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

 

Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your Holy Name and glory in Your praise. – Psalm 106:47

Today I Trust

This morning as I woke, thirteen minutes prior to my alarm, my first thought was, “Today is the day!” At first, a laundry list of last minute details started filing through my mind, but was shortly squashed by the tender reminder: 

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your path.” – (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV) 

 

Trust. Such a simple concept, yet often so difficult to truly do. Today, I will choose trust, as it is in His hands. My bag has been packed for a few days, my boys’ bags are packed and ready for camp, I have their camp mail ready to go out so that they know my thoughts are with them, and I have done all that I know to do to prepare here, so now it is a matter of getting there. At times, our trust gets tried in the details, whereas other times there is something major lying before us and we have no choice but to trust. I imagine there will be plenty of opportunity to trust and trust again, as I go where I’ve never been to do things I’ve never done. I have to trust the Lord to be my strength and to lead me in the way I am meant to go. As a non-medical person going on a medical outreach, my role is all about trusting His leading. So far, He has taken something I enjoy, and turned it into part of my purpose and role for the health fair portion of our outreaches. My part will be to share about fitness, and help people recognize how simple it is for them to get out and get moving. God uses whatever we are willing to give, and I never cease to be amazed and how He does just that. May we choose this day to trust in the Lord with our whole heart, and lean not on our own understanding. May we acknowledge Him in all of our ways, and look to Him to direct our path.  

 

Lord, I choose to trust, 

With all of my heart; 

For Your ways are best, 

From finish to start. 

Help me not to lean, 

On what I now know; 

But rather to trust, 

So my faith can grow. 

For Your ways are best, 

Not early or late; 

When I choose You, Lord, 

You make my path straight. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being trustworthy. Thank You that we can trust in You with all of our heart, rather than our own understanding, and as we do, You show us the way to go. Forgive us for worrying when we need to trust. Teach us how to acknowledge You in all things, so that we would recognize how easily You can handle all that seems impossible to us. Show us how to love all those whom You place in our path. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You with all of our heart and acknowledge You in all of our ways. Amen.

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

The joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10

As We Ask, He Answers

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. – (Matthew 7:7-8, NLT)

Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them. – (Matthew 7:7-8, ERV)

 

Sometimes I forget that the way to walk in His will and see hopes and dreams that He has planted come to fruition, involves first and foremost, our faithful pursuit of Him. It is easy to get so caught up in all of the things that need to be done to get from here to there, that we neglect our need to seek and ask our Savior what we ought to do next. He opens the doors that lead the direction to which we are called. If we are not asking, it is equally likely that we are not listening for answers. God has promised to hear all who call on His Name, and be found by all who seek Him. May we go forth this day, seeking and asking for the answers that our hearts need to know; for He is faithful to hear us and respond according to His good and perfect will.

 

Lord, teach us to ask,

You’re faithful to hear;

You give us good gifts,

As we choose draw near.

It is through seeking,

That we truly find;

God, You are waiting,

You’re loving and kind.

Keep knocking on doors,

That He leads us to;

And watch them open,

As His path’s pursued.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we ask, You answer. Thank You that when we seek You, You are found. Thank You that You open the doors that we are meant to walk through as we move forward in the direction to which we feel called. Forgive us for not seeking or asking when we need answers and Your help. Teach us to trust You more so that we would come to You in all things and at all times, knowing that You are faithful to hear us and help us, opening the doors that we are meant to walk through. Show us how to love those around us in a way that demonstrates Your goodness and faithfulness. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek and ask and knock on the doors that appear before us, trusting You to lead us where we are meant to go. Amen.

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

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