Faith Not Sight

For we live by faith, not by sight. – (2 Corinthians 5:7, NIV)

We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see. – (2 Corinthians 5:7, ERV)

The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes. – (2 Corinthians 5:7, VOICE)

 

Life is full of opportunities to walk by faith; for few of us have a path that is made plain enough to see our every next step. Faith is trusting that God will take us where we are meant to go, even when we cannot see a clear path, nor do we have our footing established. Often, we know where we are meant to go, but then only know how to take the first step. The steps to follow come with faith as we forge forward, and trust as we go. This evening, my husband, bonus son and I will be flying more than half-way across the country, to pay a final visit to his father. His health is failing, but we are trusting in faith, that our timing is right, and that we are doing what we ought to do. No matter what we see, we can trust that God can move mountains in the hearts of men, and we are going, trusting in His goodness and grace.

As for my Mom, I know that this road she walks is all about faith. I imagine there are days that it feels as if there is no end in sight as she longs to regain all that she has lost, yet by faith, she perseveres. Yesterday, I was thrilled to receive a text from her that her bible study ladies had called her while they met, and included her in their conversation. Her whole day was made by being remembered and included, as I know how hard it is for her to be away from her beloved friends. When I spoke with her after work, the joy and excitement was still present in her voice. Christy, Sandy, and the rest of you ladies – thank you!

 

Faith is a strong heart,

Trusts when it can’t see;

Possibilities,

Allow the Lord lead.

This journey of life,

Is an unknown road;

Requiring faith,

Space for trust be sown.

Each time we choose faith,

The Lord’s faithfulness;

Meets us in our trust,

By grace, He does bless.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to trust, even when we cannot see. Thank You that You fortify our faith as You move on our behalf. Thank You that You never leave us or forsake us, and that You are our strength and our peace. Forgive us for our lack of faith when we cannot see what we hope to see. Teach us to trust You more, as You already know the outcome, far beyond what we can see or imagine. Thank You that Your plans for us are good. Show us how to love those around us in ways that build faith and express the depth of Your goodness and love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You, even in the spaces where we cannot see a solution. Amen.

 

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

 

For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. – Psalm 33:4

Our Hearts Are Heard

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. – (1 John 5:14, NIV)

We can come to God with no doubts. This means that when we ask God for things (and those things agree with what God wants for us), God cares about what we say. – (1 John 5:14, ERV)

Since we have this confidence, we can also have great boldness before Him, for if we present any request agreeable to His will, He will hear us. – (1 John 5:14, TPT)

 

God amazes me with how He hears us, both audibly, and the very cries of our hearts. For me, since I have been home, there have been prayers met that were actually lifted, and then there have been those that were merely hidden hopes in my heart, that have been heard and honored by my Heavenly Father. One of the ways that my heart is filled best is through quality time with the people I love. After such an extended time away from home, it has been especially important to me to find time to spend with my family and friends before the school year begins again. Last week, I was able to take each of my boys back-to-school shopping, individually, and enjoy their company, one-on-one. I have been able to get some running in with my running bestie, and visits, walks and yes, even a run in, with my best friend too, as well as wonderful, ordinary, everyday life with my husband. Time together is such a blessing, and last evening, he took me back to the place where we had our very first date, three years ago. We sat at the same table, at nearly the same time of day. What a difference three years makes! Back then, I was so nervous, that I could not even lift my water glass without my hand shaking. That being said, Mark was able to set my heart and mind at ease, and made our first encounter light and enjoyable, as we began to learn more about one another. After he walked me out to my car and asked permission to call me to see me again, the nervousness had completely subsided, and I knew that there was something worth getting to know about this gentle giant. Nearly two years later we were married, and now, three years later, we have our first year of marriage under our belt with a lifetime to look forward to with joy. He too, was an answer to a prayer that I didn’t quite know how to pray. I knew that when the time came, I would need someone who could love me well, and that would appreciate being loved by me as well. God knew what we both needed, and fit us together perfectly. God hears and He answers when we ask Him according to His good and perfect will.

Yesterday, mom had a wonderful day of being celebrated well. The day began with my sister and her family taking mom to brunch, followed by a walk down by the river at a park nearby. The plan was to attend church after, but I did not catch whether or not that transpired or not, in our conversation last evening. Mom enjoyed the afternoon with the family, and was set up with some new technology to aid in the use of her tablet and cell phone. (Meg and family found holders for each that attach to mom’s chair so that she can use them while seated, one-handed) Their evening continued with my brother-in-love’s fantastic barbecue work for dinner, and a relaxing time enjoying one another. Our ask of the Lord this week is that God continues to settle mom’s heart and help all of them to find a routine so that each feels at ease and able to do what needs to be done. Change is challenging for all, but the grace of God is greater. We are trusting Him to be their peace and their Provider, as He leads them through each of the new that need be navigated this week.

 

Approach the Lord God,

In confidence, come;

All asked in His will,

Are heard and welcome.

For God knows our needs,

What blesses our hearts;

Place all in His hands,

As grace He imparts.

His goodness abounds,

As His love shall lead;

We will discover,

He’ll meet all our needs.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that because of Jesus, we can approach You with confidence, trusting that You hear our every prayer. Thank You that Your ways are higher than ours, and Your will is the only way we should go. Forgive us for the times that we find ourselves frustrated for the seemingly unanswered prayers, as You patiently wait for us to listen for Your will and way, or to recognize what the right answer really is. Thank You for loving us through our wandering. Teach us to seek and trust You more. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness and grace tangible. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and approach You with confidence, knowing that You will hear our every prayer that aligns with Your will. Amen.

 

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

 

I call on You, my God, for You will answer me; turn Your ear to me and hear my prayer. – Psalm 17:6

Stones of Remembrance

After this Samuel set up a special stone to help people remember what God did. Samuel put the stone between Mizpah and Shen and named the stone “Stone of Help.” Samuel said, “The Lord helped us all the way to this place.” – (1 Samuel 7:12, ERV)

 

I love how often in the Old Testament that those whom had seen a mighty move of God’s hand on their behalf, would set up a special stone to signify His help. They were intentional to mark the place where their Maker had moved mightily, and such a stone created a talking piece for many generations to come so that they too could speak of the faithfulness of God to their people. Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost, the miracles and mighty movement of God in the lives of people for the generations since, has been astounding. Imagine if each of us created our own stone markers for every time that we saw the hand of God move mightily in our lives – our homes, yards, and cities would have stones everywhere! Perhaps it is a positive practice to picture each time we are aware of His hand in our lives. Where would our remembrance stones be standing? May we take time to pause, reflect, and give God thanks for the help of His hand in our lives, as so often we take for granted the good that He gives on a daily basis.

 

Let us remember, 

The help of God’s hand;

As He walks with us,

Grants strength to stand.

In the midst of mess,

His presence is clear;

By His grace, He helps,

Makes known He is near.

Imagine our stones,

Where should they each stand?

Mile markers of grace,

Turning “can’ts“ to “cans”.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the practice of the people in the Old Testament of establishing stones to remember where You moved mightily on their behalf. Thank You that there has been tangible evidence of Your help and hope for us throughout the ages. Forgive us for not establishing stones of remembrance in our own hearts, as You move mightily on our behalf so often. Teach us to recognize and remember the help You have given, so that we may give You praise, and tell of all that You have done. Show us how to love others well, so that some of the stones of remembrance in their lives may be seeing Your love made tangible through people around them. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to be intentional about remembering and sharing the goodness and grace of who You are as You help us in ways that are worthy of praise. Amen.

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

For the Lord your God will bless you, …and your joy will be complete. – Deuteronomy 16:15

He Stills the Storms

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. – (Psalm 107:29, NIV)

He stopped the storm and calmed the waves. – (Psalm 107:29, ERV)

He commanded the storm to calm down, and it became still. A hush came over the waves of the sea. – (Psalm 107:29, VOICE)

 

Life gets harrowingly hectic, and at times, all we want is to stop and sit in silence. The amazing thing about God is that there are times when in the midst of a raging storm, He brings peace; out of nowhere, we find rest and are refreshed, despite what has been raging around us. The very same God who can command the wind and waves to be still, can calm the hurricane that is happening around us. Sometimes it is in an instant, and other times, He walks us gently through the eye of the storm to safety, and before long we can look back and see how far we’ve come by His goodness and grace. May we ever seek the Lord, for He alone is the One who can bring stillness to our every storm, and lead us safely back to shore.

 

When waves are crashing,

And life’s storms have come;

We must seek the Lord,

The safe, anchored One.

He silences storms,

With only a word;

The waves all stand still,

As His voice is heard.

Sometimes God will calm,

All that’s running wild;

And then other times,

It’s peace to His child.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You can still the storms to a whisper and every wave that comes can be hushed. Thank You that sometimes You bring peace to that which surrounds us, but other times You simply grant us peace in our hearts as we navigate the storms. Thank You that no matter what, You are with us and will never leave us. Forgive us for questioning Your presence when the storms rage. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would cling ever closer in the midst of the storms. Show us how to love well, those who are in the middle of their own storms, so that they would find hope and help and safe harbor in those You have intentionally placed in their lives. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to still our storms, both inside and out. 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

Truth Be Told

As Jesus was on the road to Jerusalem and the people began to shout out praise and adoration for all that they had seen through Him, some of the Pharisees objected strongly, and asked Jesus to rebuke those who were following Him.

He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” – (Luke 19:40, ESV)

 

When the truth of God need be told, it will come forth – be it naturally or supernaturally. God often uses unlikely places to speak His truth in a way that helps our hearts to hear Him best. For Jonah, it took time in the belly of a big fish to get his attention. For Saul, who became Paul, he was blinded through a heavenly encounter along the road. For another, a talking donkey; still others, pillars of fire, a burning bush, parted seas, plagues, writing on a wall… The list goes on. God comes close and meets us where we are, so that we might turn to Him and seek His face. In our space of seeking, we come to find His nearness, and how faithful He is to listen to our heart’s cry. He walks beside us through the wilderness, and leads us to safe pasture where we find rest. He is good, and His love endures forever. May we ever speak of the wonders that He has done, so that others too, may hear His heart for people.

 

Let’s not be silent,

for we’re called to praise;

speak of His goodness,

for all of our days.

For if not from us,

the truth still be told;

the rocks shall cry out,

all praise to behold.

It is our calling,

what we’re charged to do;

to speak of His love,

and how we’re made new.

It is by His grace,

our story to tell;

may we share in faith,

with hope, it is well.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to participate in the sharing of Your story. Thank You that we each have a story of how You have come into our lives and changed our hearts as we have sought after You. Thank You that You love people so much that if we did not speak the truth of who You are, even the rocks would testify on Your behalf. Forgive us for staying silent when we are meant to speak. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would be courageous and not fear what others might think of us when we share of what You have done for us, personally. Thank You that You have done so much. Show us how to love others so that they may see the hope that is held in You alone. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we speak of Your goodness and grace, and how You love in even the most broken space. Amen.

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

Father, I thank You that You have heard me. – John 11:41

 

 

Walking in Wisdom

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. – (Proverbs 28:26)

 

Though some view the bold individual who soldiers on as a hero, if they are self-reliant – neither asking for nor giving advice, they are living in a way that is contrary to that in which God calls us to live. God surrounds us with His people for a purpose. We are meant to support and protect one another from both foolishness and harm. Yes, ultimately, the Lord is our protection and wisdom, yet as humans, we often need the audible and tangible to really have His will make sense.

 

Just yesterday, I had a task that I was about to “soldier” through. A good run and a clear mind had me in a solid state to enter into what I needed to do. When I paused for a moment and entered into what was before me, I quickly called on a few dear friends to pray. I knew that I needed to be covered and calm, and by allowing them access to the fact that what was before me was more than my heart could handle on its own, God met me in a very real way as I walked through what needed to be done. He is faithful to grant wisdom and safety to all who place their trust in Him. May we allow Him access to all, and place our trust in Christ.

 

Let’s trust not ourselves,

in strength, soldier on;

for that is foolish,

in God, it is wrong.

For those who are wise,

seek wisdom, advice;

surrounded and safe,

mere folly’s demise.

Let’s trust in the Lord,

and those who surround;

the wise and faithful,

may the lost be found.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and that You are our safe place and where we find wisdom. Thank You that You did not create us to go forth on our own, but rather You created us for relationships that reveal more of Yourself, and challenge and grow our faith further with You. Forgive us for failing to depend on You and those whom You have placed on our path to help and support us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will call on You for wisdom and safety in all situations, and that we will go forth together with those whom You have placed beside us. Lead us to love others well, just as You so wonderfully love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You, and walk in Your wisdom and safety with those You set beside us. Amen.

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

For the Lord you God will bless you, …and your joy will be complete. – Deuteronomy 16:15

Faithful as He is Faithful

For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. – (Psalm 33:4)

 

I am in awe of His faithfulness. From the moment I rose, to the time I turned in at day’s end, He was faithful to meet me in every moment. As I prepared for the first day of school, ideas solidified as to how exactly to begin the first day with my new students to help establish a sense of community and comfort. In the classroom, when students appeared to be “off“, I simply wandered their way to investigate further. Kind questioning revealed that what had appeared to be non-compliance, was simply a matter of an inability to see the board from the back of the room. A bit of a connection established with potential “tough” kids, and I now know to move a few fellas to the front, or to write instructions on the back board too. All of my classes are back-to-back, with no opportunity for a break until after 4th period when we take lunch. He even cares about my comfort, as a kind colleague across the hall offered to cover my class so that I could use the ladies’ room.

 

Jesus tells us that He is for us. Again and again in His word, we are reminded of His faithfulness. If we stop and look back, it is overwhelming to see just how faithful He has been, even in the hardest of times. His strength has carried and covered us, His hands, held our heart when we though the shattered parts would never be made whole again, and His love grants us life and breath, hope and help for each new day that we wake. May we trust in His word that is right and true, and give thanks for His faithfulness.

 

Always right and true,

the word of the Lord;

for He is faithful,

all grace He affords.

From when we first rise,

to when the day’s done;

His presence remains,

the most Holy One.

He loves us to life,

and gives us each breath;

He walks beside us,

through life unto death.

We need never fear,

for He is always;

faithfully for us,

through all of our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful and that Your word is right and true. Thank You that we can trust You in all things and at all times. Thank You that You care about the little things in our lives, and remain present always. Thank You that even when trials come, and we are unaware of Your presence, You are there – holding us up, and working on our behalf. Forgive us for our fearfulness and our lack of fortitude in the fight. Teach us to trust in You, always. Grant us Your strength and endurance when the road is long, and help us to lean into You, when we grow weary. Help us to love others as You so completely love us. May many come to know just how faithful You are for themselves, as we walk in You way and live in Your truth. Be exalted O God, as we seek to be faithful as You are faithful. Amen.

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

Shout aloud and sing for joy. – Isaiah 12:6