Thankful for Blessings

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. – (Psalm 107:8, NIV)

Thank the Lord for His faithful love and for the amazing things He does for people. – (Psalm 107:8, ERV)

So lift your hands and thank God for His marvelous kindness and for all His miracles of mercy for those He loves. – (Psalm 107:8, TPT)

 

Whenever the verse of the day comes from the Psalms, I seldom read just the one in which the verse is found. The raw and real that reads like poetry, speak clearly to my heart. As I somehow found myself in Psalm 107, after having begun in 97, I discovered that the words written in verse eight, are repeated three more times in the same Psalm. Any time there is repetition in scripture, it is a clear indicator to pay attention and take note. I appreciate how each of the various translations unpack a slightly different aspect of the truth of God and why we ought to give Him thanks. Unfailing love, wonderful deeds for mankind, faithful love, amazing things for people, marvelous kindness, and miracles of mercy for those He loves, are the specific reasons to give thanks to the Lord, all found in one verse that is repeated three times in a single chapter. Personally, it would take little time to fill an entire page with examples of God’s faithful love and the amazing things that He does for people. I have been both the recipient and an observer, and am equally blessed in knowing the powerful love that fuels such wonderful deeds for humankind. May we ever give thanks to God, for He is faithful and loving and His willingness to extend His marvelous kindness and miracles of mercy to those He loves, never ends.

Yesterday marked the one-week countdown for Mom, before she moves into her next leg of her healing journey. There has been much prayer, preparation and discussion to reach this step of her path, so all encouragement is wonderful and welcome. As with anything new, there are concerns and hesitation; primarily due to change. The struggle comes when those on the outside begin to question decisions that were made with confident faith in Christ, and the determination and resolve begin to waver. For Mom and the immediate family, loving support and encouragement will be the most helpful as the new comes into fruition. Thank you in advance, for all who have been and continue to pray, for we anticipate amazing things in the coming weeks and months! God’s marvelous kindness and miracles of mercy have been present every step of the way so far, and we look forward with faith, to all of the blessings He has in store for Mom that are yet to come.

 

May we choose give thanks,

To You, Lord above;

For wonderful deeds,

You’ve done in Your love.

For kindness and grace,

We give You thanks too;

With all that we are,

We lift praise to You.

For great miracles,

That make Your heart known;

Thankfulness we bring,

For blessings You’ve shown.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithful love that extends kindness and mercy, goodness and grace, for all of our days. Thank You that Your love for us is greater than our hearts can even begin to comprehend. Forgive us for doubting Your care, concern or nearness when times are trying. Teach us to trust that You are present and moving on our behalf, even when we cannot see what You are doing. Show us how to love those around us through every season and struggle that we walk through. Let Your kindness be evident in us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your faithful love and incredible blessings, as You move in our lives and on our behalf. Amen.

 

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

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Train in Truth

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. – (1 Timothy 4:7, NIV)

People tell silly stories that don’t agree with God’s truth. Don’t follow what these stories teach. But teach yourself to be devoted to God. – (1 Timothy 4:7, ERV)

Be quick to abstain from senseless traditions and legends, but instead be engaged in the training of truth that brings righteousness. – (1 Timothy 4:7, TPT)

We live in a day and age where there is so much out there, vying for our attention, that if our heart and mind are not set secure in the truth of God, we will be pulled in so many directions that we will have no direction at all. God calls us to set our sights on Him, the author and finisher of our faith. As we do, we find our hearts and minds protected and directed away from the senseless things that would tempt our attention and cause fear and anxiety, rather than faith and trust in what is true. This is why it is so important that we know and understand the word of God. When His truth is rooted and established in our hearts, we are easily able to decipher what is true and from Him, and that which is not. May we ever invest time in the word of God, so that we may know and understand what is good, lovely, righteous and true.

As for a mom update: One of my favorite things is when I receive a text from Mom. Yesterday, just as I was leaving work to go run, I discovered a sweet “hello, I’m thinking of you” sort of message that made me wish even more, that mom was not such a long drive away. I gave her a call, and we were able to catch up on the day’s happenings, thus far. She is continuing to work hard, as the next step for her will be the transition to outpatient therapies, rather than in-home therapies that she is currently doing.

Follow not stories,

Or legends or tales;

As how to live life,

In the end, they’ll fail.

For God is the truth,

The way and the light;

Our path provider,

He shows us what’s right.

In everything,

Seek God earnestly;

For He’ll point the way,

To live fruitfully.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Source and Provider. Thank You that Your word is truth. Thank You that as we seek You and invest time in Your word, You make Your path more plain to us. Forgive us for allowing our hearts or minds to be distracted by all of the things that vie for our attention that do not point us back to You. Teach us to seek You first, so that we may look through Your lens at all that is placed before us. Show us how to love well, all those whom are in our lives. Help us to be Your hands, feet, heart and voice to those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and seek You and Your word to lead and guide us in the ways we are meant to go. Amen.

 

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

 

Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. – Psalm 25:5

Fit Our Feet With Peace

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. – (Ephesians 6:15, NLT)

On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. – (Ephesians 6:15, ERV)

Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share the blessings of peace. – (Ephesians 6:15, TPT)

 

This portion of Ephesians six is talking about the armor of God that each of us should wear as we go about our days. The idea of peace on your feet makes perfect sense, as it is a reminder that wherever we go, peace should be present and a foundation on which we stand. His peace is not just any peace, but is the perfect peace that brings blessings and strength, and is present, even when it seems like peace should not be possible. To put on the peace that comes from the Good News, we must know, trust and believe the truth of God. As we learn and grow our roots deeper in Christ, peace becomes more readily present; for we trust what we know. May we invest well in our relationship with the Lord, ever making ready our feet to go forth and share the blessings of peace.

 

May we make ready,

Our feet with God’s peace;

As we seek the Lord,

His grace He’ll release.

Strengthened for blessings,

With peace meant to share;

Feet readied to love,

Through ongoing prayer.

Rise up, be ready,

Shoe your feet with peace;

Bless in His goodness,

Surrendered release.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to ready our feet with peace so that wherever we go, peace may accompany us. Thank You that as we grow in You, Your peace is present within us, regardless of our circumstances. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to allow the peace that is already within us, to pour out of us in the places it is needed most. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would be sensitive to Your leading and know how to best share Your peace in places it is absent. Show us how to love those around us well; especially those in need of peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we fit our feet with Your peace, every step we take each day. Amen.

 

 

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

 

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

Light in Darkness

Even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You. – (Psalm 139:12, NIV)

Even the darkness is not dark to You. The night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same. – (Psalm 139:12, ERV)

You can see in the dark, for it is not dark to Your eyes. For You the night is just as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to Your eyes. – (Psalm 139:12, VOICE)

 

There is such power in being reminded of the truth of God. It matters not what season we are in, be it one of joy or sorrow; God is present and He sees and knows our need. The people in my life are in a variety of spaces and seasons. For some, they are enjoying a time of blessing and peace, whereas others are in a space of struggle or sorrow or trial. Incredibly, the Lord is near for all, no matter the state we find ourselves in. He is faithful and kind, loving and full of grace. Peace is possible, even in the eye of the storm, and He light can illuminate the darkest of circumstances. May we ever seek the Lord and trust in His love to light the way.

For mom, the light that God is using to demonstrate His nearness, is the connection of her best friend in Wenatchee. She is so faithful to call and be intentional to contact mom, that every time mom mentions that she has spoken with June, her heart sounds lighter and more encouraged. I know there are others as well, she just happens to be the one that has been the most consistent and already had such a closely established friendship with mom.

 

Whatever season,

More poster-making fun for my classroom. ❤

We find ourselves in;

God will be present,

If we welcome Him.

Even our darkness,

Is not out of reach;

Of His loving light,

That provides peace.

So, turn to the Lord,

Whose love is complete;

In His perfect light,

We find safe retreat.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You see us the same, no matter what season we are in, and that darkness and light are the same to You. There is nothing nor any place too dark for You to see. Thank You that Your love illuminates dark spaces. Forgive us for forgetting that Your light dwells within us, even on our darkest days. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek You to strengthen and carry us through the storms. Show us how to love those around us, so that we may bring light and life to places that have become dark. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and invest in our relationship with You, as that is what fuels our light within. Amen.

 

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

 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

Recorded Reminders Bring His Holy Hope

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. – (Romans 15:4, NIV)

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. Those things were written so that we could have hope. That hope comes from the patience and encouragement that the Scriptures give us. – (Romans 15:4, ERV)

You see, everything written in the days of old was recorded to give us instructions for living. We find encouragement through the Scriptures and a call to perseverance that will produce hopeful living. – (Romans 15:4, VOICE)

 

Scriptures show us the repeated faithfulness of God over time. The more one invests time to discover the truth of God’s word, the more encouragement is found to persevere with patient hope, as that which comes in the end, is well worth the wait. There is nothing new under the sun. Every difficulty, trial, and pain that we face, has been endured before. Though the struggles of those in the past may not look exactly like the things we endure, there are so many similarities, that we can witness the ongoing faithfulness of God, as each inspires us to continue to hope in Him. Recording His faithfulness in writing has always been a way to encourage and inspire those who follow and face something similar. May we look to the Lord and His Holy Word, to remind us of His faithfulness and the hope that is held in His holy hands.

 

All that is written,

In God’s Holy Word;

Inspires, brings hope,

To all who have heard.

For the truth of God,

Brings life, love and light;

Hope in the darkness,

Reminders to fight.

Fight through the heartache,

The struggles and fear;

Proof of His true love,

To all who draw near.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible gift that is recorded in Your Word. Thank You that no matter what we go through, we can turn to You and trust in Your Word to remind us of who You are and how You love. Forgive us for the times that we have sought answers, help and hope elsewhere. Teach us to turn to You first in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us through their trials, and to record and recall the countless examples of faithfulness You have made known in our own lives. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we invest time in Your Word so that we may more deeply come to know who You are and how You love; for hope is forever held in the truth. Amen.

 

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

 

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3

Operating in Obedience

Paul’s arrival in Athens

image from Wikipedia

came with much distress.

For everywhere were idols,

confusion, a mess.

He spoke out in the market,

and the synagogue.

Challenged the philosophers,

told the truth of God.

They questioned his teachings,

yet His words were sound.

Thinkers wanted to hear more,

til’ the truth be found.

Paul shared of our Creator,

Who needs not our hands.

He dwelleth not in temples,

but in the hearts of man.

We are His very offspring,

from Him, our life and breath.

He took our sins upon Himself,

and then defeated death.

Some men sneered, but others said,

“Please come and tell us more.”

A few then chose to follow,

live their lives for the Lord.

(Responding to Acts 17:16-34)

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are not responsible for what people choose to do with Your truth, nor how they respond.  Thank You that what You ask of us, is to speak it, to live it, and to allow Your Spirit to do the heart work.  Forgive us for thinking we need to fulfill Your role, and help us to trust You to move mightily in the lives of our loved ones.  Please teach us when to speak and when to stay silent; when to move, and when to stay still.  May we walk in ongoing obedience as Your available vessels, ever ready to pour out Your goodness and grace to all who need to know it.  May many come to know You as Lord of their lives.  Amen.

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