Upheld

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. – (2 Timothy 1:7, HCSB)

The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control. – (2 Timothy 1:7, ERV)

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit. – (2 Timothy 1:7, VOICE)

The Spirit of God that dwells within us when we invite God to be Lord of our lives is one of power, love and self-control. With God in us, we need not fear, for He empowers us with strength, love and self-discipline. Right now, there are many situations and circumstances surrounding us that can cause fear, yet God within us is greater. When fear creeps in and anxiety rises, it is God who is able to steady our hearts and soothe our spaces of unrest. May we ever turn to the Lord in trust to be our strength, love and peace of mind, for in Him, we have all that we need to persevere.

For God’s within us,

We need not choose fear;

He helps, upholds us,

Remains ever near.

Lord, help us rise up,

And hold fast to You;

Our anchor of hope,

That’s steady and true.

When fear finds a way,

To make waves, roll in;

Bring peace and Your strength,

Help and hope within.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You, we need not fear, for You provide the help that we need to overcome whatever lies before us. Forgive us for our fears and doubts. Teach us to trust in You, for You are our Source of power, love and self-discipline. Lead us to love those around us as You do, and keep fear far from us. Show us Your power and love in every space we find ourselves in. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to give You our fears and receive Your strength, hope and love that bring peace in its place. Amen.

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

God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life. – Psalm 54:4

Strength and Peace to the Seekers

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

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)

God is faithful to strengthen us and supply His perfect peace when we seek Him. It does not mean that peace will necessarily surround us, but we can experience peace within us, despite our circumstances. The Lord equips us with the strength we need to navigate each new day. There is much going on in the world that screams for our attention and can easily pillage our peace. However, when we seek His strength and peace, God settles our hearts and grants us words to pray. He strengthens us and places His peace within us, despite what is going on around us. May we ever seek the Lord to be our strength and peace, and pray for strength and peace for those around us, both near and far.

God grants us His strength,

As we choose to seek;

Floods us with His love,

When we’re feeling weak.

In space of unrest,

God’s peace can be found;

He’ll fill up our heart,

Bring calm that astounds.

Lead us, Lord Jesus,

To ever seek You;

Strengthen us with Your peace,

Grant us hope anew.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to strengthen us and provide Your perfect peace when we seek You. Forgive us for allowing what is going on around us to steal the peace that You place within us. Teach us to turn to You in trust, for You are our strength and the Provider of perfect peace. Teach us to lean into You. Show us how to love those around us with kindness and grace that extends strength and peace to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we ever seek You to supply Your strength and to be our peace in the chaos that comes our way. Amen.

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

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. – Lamentations 3:25

Unseen Reality

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. – (Hebrews 11:1, HCSB)

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. – (Hebrews 11:1, ERV)

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. – (Hebrews 11:1, VOICE)

Faith and hope are funny things, for we all have faith and hope in something. Some hope for a spouse, a job, a vacation or simply something more than they have known before. In Christ, we can have faith in a hope that is certain, and proof of what we cannot see. His love overwhelms and surrounds us and shows us that we can be certain in the reality that we do not yet see. Without faith, it is impossible to find hope, for we must trust in something to hope that there is more than what we now see. May we ever look to the Lord to grow our faith, it is through Him that we know hope and trust in the things unseen.

Lord, strengthen our faith,

In all that is true;

Let Your hope be known,

As we trust in You.

Please grant us Your peace,

In space of unrest;

Lead us and guide us,

To all that is best.

Make the things unseen,

Known reality;

For all that You are,

Hope that sets us free.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we learn and grow in the goodness of Your love, faith rises and we become certain of our hope in You. Thank You that though we cannot see You, we can know You and be tangibly aware of Your presence. Forgive us for our fears and doubts and for relying on what is only seen right now. Teach us to trust You more, for You are our hope, help and future that is secure. Show us how to love those around us so that they too may know hope, even in that which is not seen. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You to grow our faith, for our hope is held in You forever. Amen.

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

So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:18

The Knowing in Stillness

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God…” – (Psalm 46:10, NIV)

God says, “Stop fighting and know that I am God…” – (Psalm 46:10, ERV)

Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God… – (Psalm 46:10, TPT)

I love that each of these translations use a different phrase prior to pointing out that God is God. We are called to be still, to stop fighting, and to surrender our anxiety to Him. These things do not transpire automatically, rather they are actions with intention. To be still, we must stop what we are doing and find a space of quiet rest. In the midst of fighting or anxiety, being still is typically the last thing we want to do. God’s ways are not our ways, yet He sees and knows what we need. It is in that space of slowing down and releasing what burdens us, that we recognize God in the midst of all that we are going through. In the same way that we often miss things if we are driving by a space because we are moving too quickly, and then suddenly notice if we are walking by at a leisurely pace, so it is also with the goodness of God. We realize the depth and breadth of who God is and how He loves best when we slow down, are intentionally still, and sit in the stillness of knowing that God is God and He is for us. May we all be intentional to find time and space to be still, for in that stillness peace comes and love abounds.

Just stop and be still,

Give all to the Lord;

Burdens and unrest,

Peace is our reward.

In stillness we’re shown,

The power of God;

And how great His love,

So deep and so broad.

Choose to surrender,

All things unto Him;

Faithful to meet us,

As we let Him in.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to surrender, lay our burdens and anxieties down, and simply be still. Thank You that we can trust in You and Your faithful love, no matter what state we find ourselves in. Forgive us for the times we don’t slow down and continue to try to carry what was never meant to be ours. Teach us to trust You more and to seek You in intentional stillness, for that is where we find You best. Show us how to love those around us in ways that help them discover still spaces to lay down what they need not carry. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to be still and surrender all that we are and all that we are going through to You and Your love. Amen.

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

Who is like You, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and Your faithfulness surrounds You. – Psalm 89:8

Hope and Rest to the Seeking

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NIV)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the One I love, waiting as long as it takes for Him to rescue me. Only God is my Savior, and He will not fail me. – (Psalm 62:5, TPT)

Rest and hope are two things that all of us need. Sometimes, the need for rest has nothing to do with the physical, and everything to do with our heart, mind and soul. It is God’s hope that brings peace to our places of unrest, as He restores us in His love once again. In this seemingly never ending lockdown, I am so thankful for the hope that is held in Him. Though we know not what will come of the pending changes, we can trust the One who holds the world in His hands. God is good, and His love provides and in Him, hope abides. May we ever slow down and turn to the One who ever holds hope and provides rest where we need it most.

In stillness I come,

Before God our King;

Hope is held in Him,

Maker of all things.

Where rest is lacking,

The Lord will provide;

He stills all our storms,

And brings peace inside.

When hope’s all but lost,

We need never fear;

For God in His love,

Remains ever near.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our space of rest and hope forever. Thank You that no matter how we come, You meet us with open arms and bring us into Your loving embrace that provides the peace our hearts need most. Forgive us for continually running, rather than slowing down and turning to You to be our hope and rest. Show us how to rest in You to find the hope that our hearts need. Lead us to love well, all those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come to You for rest and place our hearts in Your hands; for in You, hope is forever found. Amen.

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

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope. – Acts 2:26

Do Good and Seek Peace

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. – (Psalm 34:14, NIV) 

Stop doing anything evil, and do good. Look for peace, and do all you can to help people live peacefully. – (Psalm 34:14, ERV) 

Turn your back on sin; do something good. Embrace peace – don’t let it get away. – (Psalm 34:14, MSG) 

If ever there was a time to do good and seek peace, the time is now. My heart breaks more every passing day, as the cities of our nation are being set on fire, and people can find no peace. How do we collectively turn from evil and do good?  

I am seeing examples of communities coming together in the aftermath of the destruction caused the night prior, and working together to clean up and restore the areas heavily damaged. There is good being done. It is a start, but not at all where it should end. Relationships are fragile, and choosing to look for ways to do good is one thing that we all can do. 

In this space, where peace is seemingly impossible, we must seek the Prince of Peace. We need wisdom and grace, mercy and understanding, to move forward to bring forth peace. May we fix our eyes, hearts and minds on He, who is our peace, and choose to do good so that peace may be found and embraced. 

Choose turn from evil, 

Image shared by Patricia Taylor

And seek to do good; 

It is how to love, 

Makes grace understood. 

In space of unrest, 

With Christ, pursue peace; 

Move forward in grace, 

Goodness be released. 

In all things, choose love, 

For it is the place; 

Where peace may be found, 

Purposeful embrace. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the Prince of Peace. Thank You that in times of turmoil, we can turn to You and find peace and choose to do good. Forgive us, individually, and collectively, as we need Your healing to come into our hearts, homes, cities and our nation. Show us how to do good, and bring Your peace in places where peace is lacking. Teach us to love practically and tangibly, so that healing may happen and peace may be found. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we prayerfully pursue You, and listen to Your leading to love well and do the good that must be done. Amen. 

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

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27

Helped in Him

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. – (Psalm 54:4, NIV)

But see now! God comes to rescue me; the Lord is my valiant supporter. – (Psalm 54:4, VOICE)

But the Lord God has become my divine helper. He leans into my heart and lays His hands upon me! – (Psalm 54:4, TPT)

 

Truer words have never been spoken, as David is remarkable at capturing the sentiment of my own heart. Daily, I see and feel the evidence of God’s hands and heart at work in sustaining, supporting and helping me, as I navigate this long and challenging road. He grants joy in the journey, and strength when I feel as I have none. His peace comes when concerns and sorrow seek to sink my soul.

Yesterday began with an encouraging occupational therapy appointment for mom. With the entire appointment focused on moving her right arm through the use of her shoulder and scapula, we were extremely encouraged to see the gains mom is making, as she was able to do more than ever before. In the early afternoon, two of mom’s dearest friends stopped by for a visit. Their encouragement and loving support are tangible evidence of His help and His heart for her, and I know that mom is refreshed and renewed, each time she has enjoyed the company of her close friends. We had a bit of down time in the afternoon, which was perfect, as I needed to take care of some follow up calls with the medical insurance company for Oregon, and mom was eager to enjoy a movie and relax. God’s grace and favor was with us, as the leg work that my sister had initiated and research she had sent over, made navigating the finalization of mom’s switch to Oregon coverage, fairly simple. It is a tremendous blessing to work together as a team and be able to share information with one another so well. All went exactly as we needed it to, as it was essential that mom be enrolled in Oregon insurance as of August 1st, otherwise, she would not qualify to do so until September 1st. Again, by His grace, all went smoothly and each prayer extended regarding this portion of the transition, has been faithfully answered. After all of the insurance orchestrating, another sweet friend of mom’s came for a visit. We invited her to stay and join us for dinner, and to our delight, she did so. It was wonderful to watch the two ladies enjoy one another’s company, and it provided me the opportunity to make dinner and communicate with my family at home. Additionally, Sharon, (the same friend that has the pool) continued with her gift of stretching mom’s fingers and hands, and helped facilitate extra work that is so helpful for her right arm recovery. The evening closed well, and mom only woke once in the night. Today is her final day of therapies in Washington, as coverage here ends once Oregon coverage begins. She will meet with all three therapists today, so it will be quite busy on the home front. Each one has been a tremendous blessing, and goodbyes will be difficult. Please pray for mom as this will be one of the challenging portions of her transition.

May we ever seek the Lord to be our help, as He is our support and the One who sustains us in all things.

 

O Lord God, our Help,

You’re all that we need;

You strengthen, protect,

Our hopes You exceed.

Help our hearts to trust,

Each step of the way;

No matter what comes,

You’re our help and grace.

Show us green pastures,

Where strength’s realized;

Beautiful blessings,

As in You, we rise.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our help and our hope. Thank You that You strengthen and sustain us in all things and at all times. Thank You that You support us and remain ever near. Forgive us for our fearfulness and unrest when we are uncertain of what lies ahead. Teach us to trust You more, as You have already gone before us and prepared the way. Show us how to love those around us in a way that supports, encourages and extends the grace that is needed to supply strength and hope to keep moving forward. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to rescue us and be our strength. Amen.

 

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

 

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. – Psalm 28:7

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

Within Us

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. – (Psalm 46:5, NIV)

The True God never sleeps and always resides in the city of joy; He makes it unstoppable, unshakable. When it awakes at dawn, the True God has already been at work. – (Psalm 46:5, VOICE)

God is in the midst of His city, secure and never shaken. At daybreak His help will be seen with the appearing of the dawn. – (Psalm 46:5, TPT)

 

David’s declaration of God’s faithfulness in song, as found in Psalm 46, was a proclamation of how God remains faithful and keeps His people secure. It is a reminder that the Lord never stops moving on our behalf, and that we are made aware anew each morning, as the dawn of each day appears. Though the phrasing of the NIV is in reference to an entire people group, I appreciate how it makes it feel more personal. When I imagine the words are from God’s heart to mine, reminding me that He is within me (and mom) and that we will not fall; that He will help us at the break of day, I find renewed hope and strength, trust and resolve. This morning, this feels especially true, as I am rested and restored, after mom only woke once in the night, and it was after a five-hour stretch. Her appointment yesterday was encouraging, as we so appreciated meeting with a neurosurgeon who was clearly practicing for the intent and purpose of helping people. Though his specialty is surgical, his recommendation for mom was on that would be far less invasive, with little to no recovery time. Rather than take on something himself, he was quick to make a referral for something far less complicated; clearly holding mom’s healing and rehabilitation in mind. We left the appointment encouraged, with an ongoing appreciation for the care that is available in mom’s home town. Incredibly, mom had a fantastic physical therapy session prior to her appointment, despite here lack of sleep, and continues to make great gains as she works on walking with a walker up and down her hallway.

After the appointment, we had called in an order for fresh spring rolls from our favorite place in town. We made a quick stop to pick them up, and then headed home. Astonishingly, mom only took a 45-minute siesta after lunch, and was up and alert the remainder of the afternoon. Once we had finished dinner and settled in to watch a movie, mom began to fade quickly. Though she attempted to fend off the exhaustion, sleep overtook her, and she dozed in her comfy chair by 7:30. We called it a night at 8:00 pm, and she was snoozing away in her bed within thirty minutes. God truly has us; He won’t let us fall; He helps us anew every morning. May we trust in He who is faithful forever; for He is always good.

 

God is within us,

With Him, we won’t fall;

He’ll help us anew,

With each new day’s call.

The Lord never sleeps,

He’s ever aware;

He knows all our needs,

And answers with care.

Grants rest when weary,

Hope in our dismay;

Peace in our unrest,

Help for each new day.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love is unfailing and never ending. Thank You that You do not sleep and are ever watching over us. Forgive us for our frustration in our own weariness. Teach us to trust You more, as You are our Source and Supply. Thank You that with You in us, we will not fall, and that You will help us with the dawn of each new day. Show us how to love those around us in a way that offers help and hope to press on, even on the most discouraging of days. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rise with You in us. Amen.

 

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

 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10

Fully Known

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV)

You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because You made me in such a wonderful way. I know how amazing that ways! – (Psalm 139:13-14, ERV)

For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath. I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe. You have approached even the smallest details with excellence; Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul. – (Psalm 139:13-14, VOICE)

 

Every single day, as I watch in wonder and awe, I recognize God’s mighty hand, as I see not only His restorative power as He heals and renews the portion of mom’s brain impacted by the stroke, but how His hand is clearly evident in everything. The very One who knit her together in her mother’s womb, knows what she needs most. He hand-selected physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, social workers, custodial staff, dietitians and doctors to be exactly the people to bless and encourage, love and inspire mom in the way that moves her most. She is in the place she is meant to be, and is thriving. Days are busy and fully scheduled, so visits from anyone other than the immediate family or very close family friends that have already been notified, are still just too much to add to her day. The process of healing from a stroke is a sort of great awakening, and the more focused she can be on that, the more quickly the connections are reestablished. Gradually, she is asking to make phone calls on speaker, so for those eager to hear, please stay patient. For those who have sent cards, thank you! She loves how I have hung the cards around the top perimeter of her room, reminding her that every card represents loved ones who are praying for her and cheering her on. Sometimes, at the end of the day, she sits in the middle of the room in her chair and slowly turns herself around, looking at each card above her, grinning ear to ear. At times her eyes get a bit glossy, simply because she is overwhelmed knowing how very loved and supported, she truly is. God created my mom to be a warrior and a friend to all. Both her kindness and drive are fueling this fight to regain what the stroke tried to take. Each day, we see new evidence and hope towards the restoration of her right side. God knows what mom needs, and He knows how to restore the connections that have been disrupted. May we ever seek our Savior, for He is our help and our hope forever.

 

The same mighty hands,

That formed us with care;

Are holding us now,

Our burdens, He’ll bear.

We need only come,

And sit and His feet;

To find safe harbor,

Love’s gracious retreat.

With arms open wide,

His love does embrace;

Spaces of unrest,

As He fills with grace.

God knows what we need,

And His way is best;

We need seek and trust,

It’s how we find rest.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You know every intimate detail about us and how our bodies work best. Thank You that You know our mom and how to best restore her to health and wholeness. Thank You that we are witnessing Your miraculous healing power every single day before our own eyes. Forgive us for our discouragement at the pace. Teach us to trust Your timing, rather than our own desires to have what we want when we want it. Show us how to love mom and those around us in a way that encourages, supports, and shines Your light so brightly, that there is no denying the difference You make in a person. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we live and love with hope and trust in You, the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. Amen.

 

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

 

Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. – Isaiah 12:5