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
The Lord Has His Way in the Storm. Really?
I sat on the front porch, Bible in hand, enjoying my quiet time with the Lord as I poured out my heart to Him. I noticed a storm cloud coming over the ridge. Dark. Ominous. The wind kicked up bringing refreshing cool air with its breeze.
I went back to reading. Praying. Crying out to the Lord.
From the corner of my eye a bright light flashed. Immediately the earth trembled with roaring thunder.
A Prayer When You Need to Stand Firm and Not be Shaken
Stand firm in your faith. God has you covered. "Surely, he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings [bad news]; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; He will not be...
With Spirit Parched, God’s Grace Rains Down
We awoke to cool mountain air this morning. Rain peppered down on earth parched by two weeks of an unbearable July heatwave. The air felt fresh. Birds sang. Hummingbirds darted around their sugar water in a feeding frenzy.
It was delightful.
My goodness, what a difference a day makes.
What a difference God’s grace makes!
A Prayer to be Set Apart for God When Life Feels Like a Mess
O Lord, You are my God. You are my Redeemer, my Counselor, my Prince of Peace. You are my Savior and my Lord. I yearn to be set apart for Your glory — to be a light in the darkness, the sweet aroma of Christ for those I encounter along the way.
These are the desires of my heart.
But my life feels like a mess.
I Didn’t Want To But God, in His Goodness, Knew It
Have you ever had one of those days? But God …
Shadows laced together like interlocking fingers carpeting the trail beneath my feet. Blue chicory mingled with fuchsia-painted sweet pea among the boulders heralding my hike.
A cool breeze rubbed against my neck stiff with tension and whispered for me to look up to the sky wrought with glory.
But I didn’t want to.
A Prayer to Find Jesus in These Ridiculous Circumstances
Lord, I know You are with me. Always! Regardless of my circumstances, You promised to never leave me nor forsake me. Even King David said “Where can I flee from Your Spirit?”
I know You are faithful to fulfill Your Word. I trust You.
But right now, in the middle of this chaos, this crazy detour, this very difficult place, I cannot sense Your Presence. Although I know You’re here I need to feel the touch of Your hand.
A Chosen Dwelling Place Beneath the Eaves
The birdhouse hangs in the corner of my porch beneath the eaves, its teal blue paint bringing the color of heavenly places a little closer. Twigs jut out from the circular opening, evidence of a home for momma bird’s little ones.
In the ancient juniper next to the house, daddy bird sings his heart out. Day in and day out, rain or shine, blustery or calm, I hear him in the branches — his song fills the air with praise and perhaps love for his beloved nestled in the twigs.
My heart smiles.
A Prayer to Cease Striving and Rest in God
Lord, You are my Father — my good, good Father. I do not question that Your plans for me are good. I don’t even question Your ways — I’ve learned to trust in Your sovereignty.
But I still catch myself striving.
Like a gerbil on the wheel, some days I feel like I’m racing to accomplish all that is before me and not lose my footing, but it feels like I’m just madly going around in circles.
Learn to Cast Your Cares With Confidence and Delight
The fly fisherman leaned back, ripples of river swirling around his knees. A glint of sunlight skipped across the water at the awakening of the dawn. Raising his fishing rod strategically upward, sideways, and a little bit backwards, he snapped his wrist and released the reel.
The whirling sound of fishing-line-set-free filled the air. It soared over the river, arching in the gentle breeze. The lure hit the water’s surface, carried by a specialized weighted line, sinking into the depths seeking its target.
I wonder if this is what it means to”cast your cares” on the Lord? Maybe what it looks like from a heart’s perspective?