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
Capture My Restless Thoughts, Lord. Renew My Mind
Father, You have taught me to fix my eyes on You, and not my circumstances. You’ve taught me to renew my mind by thinking on those things that are lovely and pure, those things worthy of praise instead of filling my mind with the world’s influence. I know what to do to escape sin’s temptation, but goodness gracious — some days are hard.
If I don’t hold my emotions by the reins, my thoughts easily run wild.
Facing the Storm With Abandon, Strengthened by Trust
I thought about the eagle this morning, how she faces the storm with abandon, not afraid of its threat, strengthened by trust.
She rises to her highest perch when the storm winds begin to blow. She rises to wait. Prepare. And watch from her loftiest of places. As the storm gets closer, the eagle locks her wings in place, ready to catch the turbulence of the wind as it roars past.
Life is Hard God, but You Are So, So Good
Father, You are the essence of goodness. I don’t think I truly understand the depth of Your goodness, but surely it correlates to the depths of Your love which far exceeds my imagination. You are good in the widest sense, the furthest extreme … even when life is hard.
I’ve learned that Your goodness remains regardless of my circumstances — You cannot not be good.
Weary Pilgrims Receive Strength by a Portrait of Hope
An occasional red leaf tinged in yellow shows off in the midst of green leaves clinging to summer, painting a portrait of hope for weary pilgrims. Chilly mountain mornings belie the humid, hot afternoons, and watermelons vie for attention in the noise of pumpkin this and pumpkin that.
Seasons change. Transitions come.
And the Word of the Lord never fails. Not ever.
Open My Ears to Hear Your Songs of Deliverance, Lord
Father, You are my refuge and my strength, my God in whom I trust. You preserve me in trouble as a shield protects the soldier, as a father protects his child. You surround me with songs of deliverance — the praise of Your angel army thwarts the enemy.
I like to imagine Your angel army, the one Elisha saw as his gaze scoured the mountain ridge above Dothan. Chariots of fire encircled the chariots of the Syrian King as they hunted down the man of God.
When Jesus Called Me to Come Just As I Am
With my Bible in hand, and coffee cup close by, I clicked on a YouTube playlist of worship songs to begin my morning. Jesus was calling me to come just as I am. Worship songs with powerful melodies soared, and thought-provoking lyrics rang true in my heart. I lifted my hands in praise and focused on Jesus.
Then it happened.
Out of the blue.
I Walk by Faith, God, But Seeing Still Gets to Me
Father, I’m so thankful You are the Ruler over all the earth. And I’m thankful You are good, You are merciful, and You are kind. That knowledge helps me walk by faith. I try not to walk by sight but seeing still gets to me.
Sometimes it is hard to reconcile what I’m seeing with what I know about You. I question how such evil could be taking over our nation and world. I question how an all-powerful God could allow such things to happen.
Finding a Peaceful Rhythm in the Flames of Adversity
The porch swing rocked in a peaceful rhythm. My spirit stirred as I looked up from my Bible, raising it to my chest and grasping the wonder it held. I looked toward the ridge where the sun began its evening descent.
Magenta began rising above the trees. Lavender and apricot clouds tossed their petals across the wide expanse as the North Star made its appearance. Soon multitudes of stars — glistening diamonds — would make their presence known against an indigo sky.
You Are Sovereign, God. Nothing is Too Hard for You
Father, I am so thankful for Your authority over all the earth. You are the Sovereign God, nothing takes You by surprise and I’m so thankful nothing is too hard for You.
I can rest in that knowledge because I know it to be true.