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
Lord, Teach Me to Abide in You When Life is Hard
Lord, You are the Most High God, You are El Shaddai — the All-Sufficient God who meets my insufficiencies and completes me. You fulfill all that I need. I know You are with me and I know You are for me, so when life is hard, I look to You for help. But, unless I abide in You as You abide in me, I am vulnerable to the enemy’s assaults.
Teach me to live within Your love when life is hard.
I Feel Discouraged, Lord. Will You Help Me Overcome?
Father, I’m reminded of Your unfolding grace, Your unforced rhythms of grace so amazing, so available … so sufficient. So why do I feel so discouraged? Why am I drowning in complacency, just going through the motions, clinging to Your hand? Will You help me overcome, Lord?
You are my God, my faithful Father who has never failed me. Stir within me and help me rise from this pit. I got swallowed up slowly … over time … and wasn’t aware of how much the world was taking out of me.
Farther Along, Lord, I’ll Understand Why
Lord, life in a fallen world can be hard, and yet You remain through it all, never leaving the side of Your child. Things can be difficult — bewildering — but I have learned that farther along I’ll understand why. As I rest in Your sovereignty, one day I’ll know all about it and give praise for Your goodness.
You do all things well, Lord. You hung the stars in place, You tell the ocean how far it can come. You hold the seas in the hollow of Your hands, and You search my heart and know all of my anxious thoughts.
Carry Me Close to Your Heart, Lord. I Need to be Held
Lord, how precious You are. Thank You for loving me so beautifully. In the wilderness places, You carry me close to Your heart; in the difficult places, You comfort me and whisper Your perfect peace over my restless heart.
You quiet me with Your love.
What manner of love is this? The depths cannot be understood, and yet, I know it well — I live within Your love. For it is in You that I live, move, and have my being.
The Path is Bright. The Path is Dark…But for Grace
Father, Your hand has held me, guiding me through my life — I love to sense Your grip on mine. Doors open. Doors close. The path is bright. The path is dark. And every step is covered by Your grace.
Oh, Lord, were it not for Your grace …
You are El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient God. Your sufficiency meets my insufficiency, and I am helped. Your grace rains upon me, and I am strengthened in the difficult place.
You Whispered My Name at the Cross, Jesus
Lord, I love You, and I am so thankful for my salvation. May I never take it for granted. When I consider the works of Your hands, when I think about You, the Lord of lords and the King of kings, knowing my name, I am overwhelmed with wonder.
How can it be? Before I was formed in my mother’s womb, You knew me. When You suffered and died on the Cross, I was on Your mind. I cannot fathom such love, yet I know Your love is true. I am embraced by the depth of Your love, transformed and renewed — Jesus, You restore my soul.
I Know I’m Not Worthy, Lord, but You Say I Am
Lord, Your love amazes me. Always has … always will. You look beyond my exterior and see straight into my heart — a heart that adores You, yet a heart that is not always pure, a heart that wrestles with the flesh and sometimes succumbs to the battle. I know I’m not worthy of Your love, but You say I am.
You have adopted me as Your child … You call me daughter. You tell me I am the apple of Your eye and that You take great pleasure in me, even though I fall short so often.
Soften My Heart, Lord. I Can Be So Stubborn!
Father, I have a growing restlessness within me, a searching, a thirst for more of You. But my stubborn heart keeps getting in the way. Many days, life gets in the way, and the temptation for complacency dangles in front of me. Lord, please forgive me … please soften my heart.
Father, I have a growing restlessness within me, a searching, a thirst for more of You. But my stubborn heart keeps getting in the way. Many days, life gets in the way, and the temptation for complacency dangles in front of me. Lord, please forgive me … please soften my heart.
Jesus, at the Mention of Your Name, Darkness Flees
Jesus, what a beautiful Name! Your Name is excellent, powerful, and the sweetest Name I know. Thank You for loving me … thank You for making Your Name available to me when I need to speak with authority.
At the Name of Jesus, darkness flees and demons tremble. Fear loses its grip on me. At the mention of Your Name, my chaos turns to peace, and my despair turns to hope.