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
That Moment When You First See Jesus
I tucked my legs beneath me and curled up on the couch sipping a warm cup of coffee. Opening the pages of My Utmost for His Highest, I read Oswald Chambers’ wise words:
“Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same thing. Many are partakers of God’s grace who have never seen Jesus. When once you have seen Jesus, you can never be the same, other things do not appeal as they used to do.”
I pondered these words for quite some time seeking understanding.
A Prayer to Glorify God in the Fires of Affliction, Even When It’s Hard
O Lord, You are the Most High God, Maker of heaven and earth. You are my God and I praise You.
I worship You.
I adore You, even when I can’t understand — even when the fires of affliction burn hot and seek to destroy me.
Even then.
Consider the Ant and the Giant
He was so tiny. All six legs moved in synch as his jaws struggled to carry the beetle delicacy across the porch, down the steps, through the dense foliage of an uncut lawn, and into his ant hill where family and friends awaited
.n ant. A tiny, red ant.
I wonder if he realized how outsized he was by the ugly black beetle — a mere little soldier ant versus what must have seemed to be a gargantuan bug. Big. Ugly. And complete with those prickly legs.
Honestly, the ant didn’t seem fazed.
A Prayer When You Step Out of the Boat and the Waves Begin to Swell
Lord, I clearly heard You say, “Come! Step out of the boat.” And I did. I stepped out because I know that I know I can trust You. You, Lord, are faithful and true.
You are my Abba, Father — my Daddy God — who would never cause me harm. You pursue me with Your love. Your goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life.
Lord, I know these things to be true, and by faith I walk in this knowledge.
So when I heard You call me to come, I did.
When Crushing Burdens Meet the Hem of His Garment
Crushing heartbreak seared through my thoughts, impacting my spirit, bending me over with despair. Tears streamed with reckless abandon saturating the open pages of my Bible as I cried out to the One who loves me.
He loves me through thick and thin with more love than I can possibly imagine in my wildest dreams.
Or yours.
He loves us.
A Prayer When You Need Some Answers From God
Lord, You have called us Your sons and daughters. You have allowed us to call You Abba, Father — our Daddy God — when You adopted us into Your family. That in itself carries us across the abyss between earth and Your heavenly places.
That, in itself, allows us a personal audience of one with the Maker of heaven and earth.
That, in itself, is amazing, and I thank You for making a way for us to know You — not just about You, but know You intimately.
What a miracle, Lord!
The God of the Mountain is Still God of the Valley
I tossed and turned as dreaded feelings of captivity washed over me. I pulled the covers tighter as the nightmare consumed me — the imaginary chains yanking on my ankles, keeping me bound in dark and painful circumstances.
My circumstances were hard to understand.
Confusing.
They seemed to have no end.
Under the cover of sleep I asked the Lord to lift me above the fray. I imagined His strong arm stretching forth from heaven and taking hold of my hand that groped desperately for Him.
And then the sweetest thing happened.
Remembering the Essence of Grace
The quiet hush of the dawn distanced itself from the harsh winds of the storm. Sunlight filtered through the leaves — morning light sparkling like diamonds midst a setting of emeralds on the old juniper.
The storm had passed.
Peace had resumed.
God’s grace, beauty, and faithfulness surrounded me. Even though my spirit grew weary — I knew His love remained.