The earth remained in darkness when I woke this morning. The chill of late fall covered the ground in a light frost that began to sparkle because, like every morning before, the sun still came up just over the ridge.
Coffee in hand, I made my way to my quiet place by the window overlooking our lower yard, creek, and forest edge. The old apple tree stood stark, branches bare from the last storm.
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I love You, Jesus … where would I be without You? You are my strength, my joy; You are my peace. Whatever comes my way, I can say, “It is well with my soul” because I trust You — You are my living hope.
What a beautiful gift this is. Sometimes I struggle to be content in the difficult place, but then I remember what You endured for my sake.
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Her tawny feathers plumped out to protect her against the chill of an early October morning. She sat perched on the edge of my bird feeder, waiting for her morning meal. The sun began its slow ascent over the mountain ridge and the day began to brighten. A misty shroud hovered over the lower yard near the creek, softening the shadows lingering from the night.
Even though my mind felt a thousand miles away, the cardinal remained still. Poised. Assured that the hand that feeds her would come.
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Lord, when I consider how great You are, my troubles grow smaller. Some days, I become overwhelmed with anxiety; I battle sorrow and fear. Life can be crushing, but then I remember … I remember I belong to You, and You are greater than anything I face. You are magnificent and complex. You are faithful and true, merciful and kind. You are everything that I need.
Take me higher, Lord — higher in my understanding, deeper in my faith. I want to know You more because I know I belong to You.
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The air became still all around me; the silence deafening. A solitary cloud drifted along on a periwinkle sky while a stray sunbeam lit up a golden maple leaf with tinges of red on its edges. It glowed with radiant light, especially in the soft shadows of early evening.
Where are You, God? The thought snuck into the quiet, serene moment, taking me by surprise.
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Lord, for so many years I have loved You as a Father and a Friend. I have known the warmth of Your love as I imagine crawling into Your lap and being held, comforted, and reassured as Your child. Because of Jesus, I can call you, Abba, Father — I know You as a Daddy God who loves me as Your daughter. How beautiful this is! How miraculous …
But now I’m beginning to gain the knowledge of Your holiness, and I stand in awe — You are the Holy God!
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The gentle rocking of our porch swing took me back to my childhood as I closed my eyes and reminisced. I was a little girl, held in granddaddy’s arms, swaying back and forth on his porch glider. I felt loved. Secure. Taken care of.
Life was simple then — not a care in the world. Do you remember, too? Like a soft quilt, I snuggled in my precious memories and rested. A stiff breeze escorted voluminous clouds over the mountain ridge.
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I love You, Lord, because You heard my cry. You bent low to listen to my heart and quickly worked to comfort and reassure me. You always hear me because You love me — this I know, and this I cherish.
Life is hard at times, but in the difficult places is where I find You. You become my exceedingly great reward. You replace my despair with hope and my sorrow with joy … Your watchcare amazes me and fills me with gratitude.
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The early morning sunlight felt gentle and warm against my troubled spirit. I sat on the porch sipping my coffee, Bible in my lap; the silence offered a wonderful reprieve from worry. I had become a weary traveler on this walk of faith. Where was God? He promised to carry me when I had no strength.
But here in the blush of a new day, I sensed God’s presence drawing near.
Lord, You are my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in You. My soul finds rest in You, even when silence is Your response to me.
I still trust You.
But it’s hard.
I know I can trust Your heart that is for me and not against me. I know I can trust You to work everything together for my good. This I know, but Your voice is a calm reassurance to me.
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Bless her heart. She was a haggard little thing. Tan and crimson feathers were askew, falling out, barely hanging on. Molting? Maybe. I’m not sure. What I am sure of is how she spoke to me this morning.
A birdfeeder sits right by my window beside the couch where I enjoy my quiet time in the mornings. From this vantage point, I can watch the world awaken with its dawning light, its mist lifting over the creek, its air filled with birdsong.
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Lord, in the stillness, in the quiet, I hear Your delicate whispers. I sense Your presence as deep calls to deep — the depth of my pain calls out to the depth of Your love, and I am helped.
Often, I don’t need words because I don’t have words. Tears become my prayer. You search my heart and know my anxious thoughts. You wrap me in Your grace and quiet me with Your love.
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