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 Sliver of Glory in the Quiet Darkness
I sat in the quiet darkness by the light of a candle. A warm glow — a sliver of glory — peeked over the mountain ridge. All else lay in the ebony of night that remained. I shifted my gaze northward where stars still twinkled and faraway galaxies gave a hint of purple majesty in the depths of the sky bursting with dawn.
The morning star outshone them all.
You Are a Shield About Me. Surround Me, Lord
Father, from the depths of my heart I cry out to You … and You hear me. You are not only a shield, You are my shield — my protector and defender.
You are the Keeper of my soul.
Whenever I feel afraid of uncertain days, whenever anxiety overwhelms me, I remember … I remember that You, O Lord, are a shield about me, the glory and the lifter of my head.
When Dense Fog Obscures the Rising Sun, Where is God?
Oyster-gray clouds, low and heavy, shrouded the mountain. Dense fog had descended in the early morning hours, obscuring the rising sun and its swath of glorious color.
Expected color turned to gray.
Faithful light grew dim.
Deep inside, my spirit stirred as my thoughts resonated with the scene outside my window.
Uphold Me, Preserve, and Sustain Me, Lord. I Need You
Father, the more I know You the more I love You. The more I understand who You are, the more I realize how much I need You. Uphold me, Lord … preserve and sustain me.
The world I know is changing as evil seeps into every crevice, blanketing the landscape. But Lord, You haven’t changed. You remain faithful and very much in control.
The Refuge of Brokenness, a Balm for My Soul
I walked beneath the pine canopy, its fingers gracefully intertwined across our country road. The forest dense and mysteriously beautiful calls to me each time I pass by. It is a refuge for my thoughts, a balm for my soul.
Scampering to my left caught my attention. A small rabbit made its way through the underbrush to a group of fallen trees that leaned against one another creating an alcove — a cleft, if you will.
My Redeemer Lives! This I Know and Hold Fast to, Lord
Father, the world may be crumbling around me, the depravity of man may be pervasive, and evil may have been unleashed, but this I know: My Redeemer lives!
I have no reason to fear. I have no reason to surrender to overwhelming anxiety because You are with me. You will never leave nor forsake Your children — we are the apple of Your eye, Your special treasure.
On A Hard Day, a Mournful Song Rises in Praise
The violin sang its mournful song as the raindrops splashed against the windowpanes, mocking the tears escaping my eyes. It had been a hard day, emotions gone awry, thoughts restless. Just as I found myself slipping into deeper sorrow, the sounds of a piano and guitar dominated the violin. The shift caught my attention as I listened closer.
In the music video, men and women began singing praise to the Lord. The mournful violin was still part of the melody, but the dominant sound was now proclaiming the love of God and the joy of knowing Him.
Search My Heart, Lord. Know My Anxious Thoughts
Father, You are my comfort, my joy … You are my faithful God who I trust. So why do I worry? Why do I fret? Search my heart, Lord, and know my anxious thoughts. Lead me in the ways of righteousness.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but You promise to deliver us out of them all. For this, I am thankful. The flames of adversity are raging upon Your people. The pressures are often unbearable — our vision of You can easily grow dim in the distractions of stress.
Deep Within the Barren Places, Life Flows.
Its crimson robe stands out among the stark branches of the old apple tree. All around, the earth rests in shades of gray and brown, its winter dormancy visible to those who take time to see. Beneath the glistening, frosted ground and deep within the barren branches, life flows. Never ceases.
The cardinal nestled in the old apple tree must surely know this, therefore it can rest contented in the bitter cold of a mountain winter. And so its song comes easy, even in the frigid air.
I know another clothed in a crimson robe, a robe of suffering stained with blood.