To Stay Steadfast

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, NIV)

God, You give true peace to people who depend on You, to those who trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, ERV)

Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with You; they confidently trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, TPT)

You will keep the peace, a perfect peace, for all who trust in You, for those who dedicate their hearts and minds to You. – (Isaiah 26:3, VOICE)

As I read the first translation of this verse, I really paused to think about what it means to have a mind that is steadfast. I even went so far as to look it up, so that I might ponder the meaning further. According to dictionary.com, steadfast is to be fixed in direction, firm in purpose, and unwavering. To be fixed in direction and firm in purpose without wavering does indeed protect His perfect peace. It is in that space of knowing Who is leading us in the direction to which we are called, and Who has created us with purpose that we find His peace is present as we trust in Him. Our peace wavers when we trust what we see rather than who holds us in the hollow of His hands. Though my heart and mind are dedicated to Christ, my eyes deceive my heart when I allow my peace to be found in what I see. For the last couple of years, what has been seen has not pointed to peace. However, each time I slow down, fix my eyes and heart on Him, His perfect peace is present and my mind returns to the steadfast state to which I have been called. It is an ongoing battle, particularly when few things are as anticipated or hoped for. May we ever seek the Lord to show us how to be steadfast in Him, so that we may know His perfect and ongoing peace.

Lord, help us trust You,

To keep perfect peace;

In each steadfast heart,

That faithfully seeks.

You’re ever present,

To hear all we pray;

In love, You answer,

As peace comes to stay.

Help us fix our eyes,

Securely on You;

Let not what surrounds,

Take away the truth.

In You there is peace,

A hope that’s secure;

Future forever,

Knowing You’ll be near.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and that the peace You provide is not dependent on our circumstances. Thank You that You bring peace to us amidst chaos, and settle our weary hearts. Forgive us for allowing the trials of this world to steal the perfect peace that You offer. Teach us to continually, steadfastly fix our eyes and hearts on You, for in that space of trust, we find Your peace is present. Show us how to love those around us in ways that offer Your peace, even when it seems impossible to find. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we keep our minds steadfast on You because You are trustworthy, and Your promises true. Amen.

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

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. – Psalm 51:10

Create In Me

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. – (Psalm 51:10, NIV) 

God, create a pure heart in me, and make my spirit strong again. – (Psalm 51:10, ERV) 

Create a new, clean heart within me. Fill me with pure thoughts and holy desires, ready to please You. – (Psalm 51:10, TPT) 

A pure heart is fairly clear, yet a steadfast spirit seems to be much more than strong. Under further investigation, steadfast is defined as: fixed in direction, firm in purpose, unwavering faith, and firmly established. These descriptors are far more helpful in expressing the prayer of my heart, as my desire is to have a pure heart and a spirit within me that is fixed in direction, firm in purpose, unwavering in faith, and firmly established in Christ. My desire is for my heart, mind and spirit to fix on the things of God, so that I am able to love as I am called to love. Thor, our puppy, is a tangible illustration for me, as though he can be mischievous and a little crazy, his love and trust in us is unwavering. God desires for us to love and trust Him in the same way, despite our shortcomings. May we all seek the Lord to cleanse our hearts and establish a steadfast spirit within us, so that we may walk out our days in His will. 

O Lord, help my heart, 

To be clean and pure; 

So my words and deeds, 

Show Your love is sure. 

Please renew and grow, 

Steadfastness in me; 

Let all that I do, 

Show Your love clearly. 

Lead me and guide me, 

In all of my ways; 

So I reflect You, 

Throughout all my days. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your willingness to cleanse our hearts and solidify steadfast spirits within us. Forgive us for our sinfulness. Teach us to invest in relationship with You, so that we may be made pure and steadfast before You. Show us how to love purely and with clear direction from You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to make our hearts pure and our spirits steadfast. Amen. 

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

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. – Proverbs 4:26

Joy in Every Season

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! – (Philippians 4:4, NIV)

Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy. – (Philippians 4:4, ERV)

Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let joy overflow, for you are united with the Anointed One! – (Philippians 4:4, TPT)

 

This weekend is turning out to be a wonderful blessing, that I had not anticipated. As my husband and my anniversary draws ever nearer, and we have a planned getaway late next week, I did not imagine that not only he and my boys would come this weekend, but my running bestie arrived last evening and stays through late morning, and then as my guys leave on Sunday, my best friend will roll in for an overnight as well. The great thing is that the one who gave me life reaps the blessings, as well as the one whom they come to celebrate. It is a win-win, and yet another reason to rejoice.  The thing is, rejoicing in the Lord is not actually about our circumstances, but rather about our hope that is held in Him. My mom is an incredible model of this each day, as her joy is unwavering and her strength and determination are clearly grounded in God.

Yesterday, Mom had physical therapy and occupational therapy back-to-back, early in the day. During PT, mom walked the length of her hallway with a hemi-walker for the first time, which is incredible, as it is a one-handed walker and the step prior to transitioning to a cane. In fact, at the end of her session, Nick, her physical therapist, recommended that we find a cane for her before Monday. Occupational therapy was equally great, as the brace for mom’s shoulder that we had ordered had arrived, and Larissa adjusted and educated us both as to how it is to be placed and worn. Mom did a great job with her exercises for OT as well, and did some walking with her shoulder brace and hemi-walker, just to see what it would feel like to not need someone help hold her arm to keep it from hanging painfully. It was fantastic! After lunch, mom wisely took a rest, knowing that the afternoon and evening would be busy. Two of her sweet neighbors stopped by to visit and check in, while another neighbor from next door, was reinforcing brackets on some of mom’s sprinkler lines (just because he is kind). Shortly after the neighbors had gone, by dear friend, Ashley arrived. Mom was just as excited as I was, and we all shared dinner together, followed by a fun evening of teaching her our favorite game. Apparently, we taught her too well, as she won the last round. 😉 Mom had another good night of sleep, and we are hoping to sneak mom down to the paved path by the river so that we can at least get a good walk in, since mom’s chair will not allow a jog pace. We will see what mom is up for, but either way, the visit is great for all of us. May we ever rejoice in the Lord, for He has given us life and breath, hope and love; to Him be the glory forever.

 

Rejoice in the Lord,

This morning’s view… ❤

As each season comes;

For He is faithful,

His will shall be done.

Despite what we see,

He’s working within;

Making a new way,

As we choose trust Him.

Find joy in trials,

And joy in success;

For God is in both,

His heart is to bless.

Look to the heavens,

Ever seek His face;

For there you’ll find joy,

And unending grace.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we always have joy in You, no matter our circumstances. Forgive us for losing sight of that joy when troubles or trials cloud our view. Teach us to fix our eyes on You above all else, so that we never lose sight of the joy we have forever. Show us how to love those around us in a way that spreads joy in all circumstances, and extends grace to those needing it the most. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and find joy in our hope in You forever. Amen.

 

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

 

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10b

Always…

Always be full of joy. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus. – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ERV)

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)

 

My heart is full, and there is joy despite the sorrow of loss. After hearing more stories of the incredible life that my Gram led, I am even more convinced than I was before that she did exactly what we are called to do in the verses above. Her heart was lined with joy that poured out to all who had the blessing to be near. Gram prayed unwaveringly for each of us, and the words that left her lips were laced with gratitude. Even in the final few months of her life, when she was ill and in agony, she found joy in the nearness of family and friends, and would still love and live and laugh in spite of the pain. Though I will miss her terribly, the lilt of her laughter, the warmth of her smile, the kindness of her encouraging words – the essence of who she was in Christ, will forever live in my heart and mind until we again embrace in eternity. Her example is one that continues to challenge me to seek the Lord in all things. In all circumstances, I can find His joy and express gratitude for who He is, simply because I am loved well. May we never stop praying, as it is in our space of communing with Christ that we find joy and gratitude rises up within us.

 

Such fullness of joy,

Shall rise and find way;

When we seek the Lord,

In all things, choose pray.

No matter what comes,

Let thanks leave our lips;

For God who is love,

He strengthens, equips.

To pray and be full,

Of thanks and His joy;

God’s own will for us,

Through grace He’ll employ.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You and pray to You, we always have reason to be thankful and full of joy. Thank You that this is Your will for us, as You have designed us to have Your joy dwelling within us all of our days. Forgive us for allowing our circumstances to steal our joy or to keep us from giving thanks for the good that exists in spite of the difficult. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would never stop praying and praising You. Thank You for the incredible example of my Grandmother, who prayed without ceasing and was overflowing with thankfulness and joy. Show us how to love others in a way that demonstrates our gratitude and allows the joy that You give to overflow and bless every life we are near. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we are filled with Your joy, pray always, and give thanks in all things. Amen.

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

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. – Psalm 145:8

Hope’s True Source

I pray that God, the Source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, NLT)

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in Him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, ERV)

I pray that God, the Source of all hope, will infuse your lives with an abundance of joy and peace in the midst of your faith so that your hope will overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, VOICE)

 

These words were among Paul’s letter to the Romans, as he gave them glimpses of his faith prior to visiting them in person. His prayer for the people was powerful, for who would not appreciate a life infused with an abundance of joy, peace and hope? Such prayer is still available and applicable to us today, as we are filled with hope, peace and joy when we trust in Him. Furthermore, we become infused with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit within us when we allow our hearts and minds to align with His. May we ever place our trust in God, as He fills us by His Spirit to overflowing, with hope, peace and joy.

 

 

When we come and pray,

Seek God, hope’s true Source;

We find joy and peace,

As He guides our course.

In our space of trust,

He’ll faithfully show;

That confident faith,

From our hearts shall flow.

Be filled with His peace,

And joy trusting Him;

As we share His hope,

We’re filled up again.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Source of hope, and that You fill us completely with Your joy and Your peace when we trust in You. Thank You that by Your Holy Spirit, You grow in us a confident hope that overflows. Forgive us for our fickle faith that falters when the unexpected occurs. Teach us to have an unshakable, unwavering confident hope in You, that trusts no matter what we see. Show us how to love in a way that overflows the hope that we have through the power of Your Holy Spirit within us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to be our joy and peace, and to fill us to overflowing with hope in You. Amen.

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

May God Almighty grant you mercy. – Genesis 43:14

Impossible Made Possible

“We have a God who delights in impossibilities.” – Andrew Murray

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – (Matthew 19:26, NIV)

Jesus looked at them and said, “This is something that people cannot do. But God can do anything.” – (Matthew 19:26, ERV)

I am so grateful that God is a God of making the impossible, possible. What is seen through human eyes, is not the full reality through God’s perspective. We only see in part, what God sees in whole. That which is our struggle, the mountain that seems impossible to navigate today, may either be made low or He could grant us His strength to overcome far more than we could imagine in the coming days. Our job is to trust and to continue moving forward in the direction to which He is calling. He does not ask us to climb the entire mountain in one swift movement, but rather one step at a time. It is remarkable to take pause and look back, for we can suddenly see clearly, just how far He has brought us beyond where we thought we could climb. May we seek the strength of our Savior, and trust in His unfailing love; for in Him, all things that seem impossible can become possible as He calls them into being.

The mountain ahead,

http://www.jskogerboe.com

seems too hard to climb;

for we’ve not the strength,

for just one more time.

It’s not up to us,

but rather to God;

to what is conquered,

and what path we trod.

For impossible,

only through our eyes;

with God there’s a way,

He hears all our cries.

He makes plain our path,

and grants us the strength;

to keep climbing upward,

o’er height and great length.

Let us seek the Lord,

no matter the task;

He makes possible,

to those who choose ask.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that what is impossible for man, is possible for You. Thank You that You delight in showing us Your loving kindness and power, as You strengthen and equip us to do the impossible through You. Forgive us for our lack of faith that causes us to shut down in the face of impossibilities. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rise up in faith and recognize that though something is impossible for us in our own strength, for You, ANYTHING is possible. Show us how to love others in such a way, that they may come to know and understand Your relentless and unwavering love for them too. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to make the impossible possible, by Your grace and strength. Amen.

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

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