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
One Solitary Evergreen Shouts Life in Winter Bleak
High atop the mountain ridge stands a lone evergreen surrounded by the stark, barren trunks and branches of a full forest of deciduous trees. Oak and locust, elm and maple packed in like a crowded marketplace speak clearly of the dead of winter.
But one solitary evergreen stands alone and shouts life.
Lord, You are Precious to Me. Please Hold Me Close
Lord, what would I do without You? Where would I be? You are precious to me in all Your ways. Hold me close and wrap me in Your love.
When I think of You, peace descends and washes over my broken places. When I sit still, cease striving, and remember You are God, You steady my heart and capture my restless thoughts.
In the Beauty of His Holiness, He Longs for Us
I opened the well-worn devotional seeking to garner strength for the day. The reflection was on the necessity of spending time in God’s presence, relishing the beauty of His holiness, and soaking in His grace.
But it was the last sentence that penetrated my heart:
“He walks in glory on the hills and longs for men [and women] to join Him there.”
I Am Weak, Lord. Please Strengthen Me by Your Grace
Lord, You promise me strength for each day of my life. When I am weak, You promise to be strong. I hold fast to this gift of Yours — I believe it and I rely on it. Some days I am just plain worn out, but then I remember Your promise and it causes me to look up and I smile because of Your grace.
Because of You, the weak say, “I am strong,” the poor say, “I am rich.”
Crimson on Branches Bare…Reminders of God’s Love
Picking up my coffee cup, I turned my head to look out the window toward the lower end of our property. There’s an old chestnut tree there, haggard from decades of mountain weather, barely standing, its branches stark against a winter sky. Even though I’m thankful for God’s love, I could relate to those stark branches reaching toward heaven.
From a distance, I could see bright pops of crimson on the bare branches.
As the Deer Pants for the Water, So I Need You, Lord
Lord, You are the joy of my heart, my refuge, and my strength. Oh, how I need You, Lord. As the deer pants for the water, so I thirst for You, the Living God, in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.
Only You can satisfy the longing soul. You created a God-shaped space in the heart of Your people that only You can fill. Fill me to overflowing, Lord!
Pondering Dappled Light and My Walk of Faith
The cold wind swirled around me, sudden gusts pushing me along the gravel road. Dry meadow grass swayed and bowed at the wind’s command. Dappled light flickered beneath the forest’s canopy up ahead.
I had been walking a while, thinking perhaps too much, questioning the ways of the Lord — not with accusations, but with a heartfelt desire to understand.
I Am Your Child, Lord. Fear Has Lost Its Grip on Me
Lord, how amazing to know I am Your child — You call me daughter. You search my heart and know all my anxious thoughts. You know ME and You love me still.
Bless You, Lord. I rejoice in the knowledge of Your love.
You are my shield, my defender, the glory, and the lifter up of my head. You surround me with songs of deliverance and rescue me from my enemies. Their names are fear, anxiety, and overwhelm …
Blank Space in Transition is Not Empty. God is There
Six hundred thousand men, plus women and children tramped across the desert sands in the dead of night. Their sojourn, their captivity, in Egypt had ended after 430 years. Pharaoh sent them out in haste following the 10th plague: Death of the Firstborn. Transition came at them fast.
A familiar story, right?
But have you ever noticed verse forty-one in this passage of Scripture found in Exodus twelve? “God kept watch all night, watching over the Israelites as He brought them out of Egypt.”