Take hope in the knowledge that you are cherished by the One who made you—you are sheltered in the shadow of His wing, close to His heart. It is my prayer that as we get to know one another you, too, will see beyond the veil and will learn to say, “Even so, I walk in the Presence of the Lord”
With joy,
Nan
A Holy Hush Settled as God Quieted Me With His Love
A holy hush settled upon the earth. Remnants of snow lay heavy on the stark branches of winter. A faint glow in the eastern sky spoke of the awakening dawn pushing against the blanket of clouds covering the earth.
Stillness. Quiet.
Just moments earlier, I had asked the Lord to quiet me with His love — to still my restless thoughts where anxiety lay. It was then that I set my gaze toward the winter scene outside my window.
Help Me Find You in This Valley, Lord. I Need You
Lord, the valley is deep. I’m stumbling over giant stones of overwhelm. I find myself tripping over the lies of the enemy — the very lies I recognize as such and yet yield to their evil intent to take my eyes off You.
Forgive me, Lord.
I know You to be faithful, full of love and mercy. I know You as El Roi, my God who sees me and knows all about it.
Be Like a Field Mouse. Know Your Enemy
The deep blue sky of the chilly winter day was a balm to my weary soul, for God’s creation calls to me as deep calls to deep. While I walked, I thought of the beauty around me; creatures as small as a field mouse and as large as an eight-point buck were all in sight against the forest’s edge.
I watched a hawk lift from its perch at the top of the tall pine. His wings spread wide as he swooped toward the meadow, the sun burnishing his rusty feathers with glints of red and gold.
He was beautiful against the winter sky.
His beauty deceptive to the reality of his intent.
Lord, A Spirit of Heaviness is Weighing Me Down
Lord, the Christmas bells are still ringing, and twinkling lights still dot the landscape. Sanctuaries still announce Your birth with red, gold, and silver raiment laced through the evergreens, and yet a spirit of heaviness weighs me and many others down. I need a breakthrough of joy, Lord. Rescue me from this sadness.
It has no rhyme or reason — this sadness. It just is. Perhaps it’s an accumulation of sadness — sorrow upon sorrow, until now it is beginning to consume me. Now I can distinguish it as a spirit of heaviness.
Do You Have Time to Hear His Gentle Whisper?
The earth lay in a silky blanket of night. A quiet breeze drifted across the field, carrying the bleating of the sheep near and far. The gentle whisper of God also floated on the breeze, but no one was listening. Heaven had come to earth, but the people did not discern it.
Stars like diamonds glimmered — too numerous to count, too beautiful to fathom. In the eastern sky, a star shone high above the others, its beams of light touching the earth.
Quiet Me With Your Love, Lord. I Need Your Peace
Lord, You are the God of all comfort, my refuge in the difficult place. You are Wonderful, Counselor … the Prince of Peace. Oh, how I need Your peace. Will You quiet me with Your love?
Your love is so much stronger than whatever troubles me. I need You like I never have before, yet … I’m thankful because I know You like never before. This difficult place is teaching me who You are — the Keeper of my soul, the One who steadies my heart, the One who quiets me with His love.
When Growth Occurs Despite the Season, but How?
The aged apple tree stretched toward the heavens with its thin, finger-like branches. It grew on the forest’s edge, surrounded by pine, oak, and hemlocks. It grew despite the season, quite obviously a happenstance, a surprise to its forest shadows.
The aged apple tree stretched toward the heavens with its thin, finger-like branches. It grew on the forest’s edge, surrounded by pine, oak, and hemlocks. It grew despite the season, quite obviously a happenstance, a surprise to its forest shadows …
I Choose to Be Thankful, Lord, Even Though …
Lord, You alone deserve all glory, honor, and praise, for there is no one else like You. You are the Living God, Maker of heaven and earth, and yet You know my name. You know my anxious thoughts, and You know when I grow weary from the challenges of life. I come to You with a thankful heart, even though life is so very hard right now.
You have taught me that living with a thankful heart allows me to abide with You.
Are You Troubled and Weary? Put Your Hope in God
My gaze landed on the mountaintop in the distance. Blue-purple ribbons of rolling hills surrounded the giant dome. I was in the battle of faith and despair, trying to let faith win out. Why are you troubled and weary, Nan? I asked myself. Why so downcast? Put your hope in God, Maker of heaven and earth.
I often lecture myself. I suppose King David did the same. Throughout the psalms, his dialogue addresses the battle of faith and despair, spirit and flesh. Mountaintops reminded David of God, just like they do for me.