Lord, there’s a whole lot of shaping and molding going on in my life right now. I know this has purpose, but it sure is uncomfortable! I’m thankful You have taught me to recognize the pressure from Your hands — the hands of my Potter.
For You are the Potter and I am but clay.
I want to be pliable in Your hands.
Read More
Lord, it is such a privilege to know You — a miracle, really. May we never take it for granted. You are Almighty God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, and You are our friend.
You have promised that we will know Your voice, so why is it so hard? Why do we make it so hard? You pursue us with Your love. You delight in making Yourself known to us. You have trained us up as a child teaching us spiritual discernment, imparting to us Your wisdom — You have been a good Father.
And You have taught us to recognize Your voice. Help us to trust that voice, Lord.
Read More
Lord, when I am weary, You are my strength. When I am overwhelmed and anxious, You are my peace. You are mighty,
Lord!
You are compassionate and kind, faithful and true. You are my Beloved, and in that I find my heart’s desire.
Sometimes the busyness, the responsibilities, the struggles, and the broken places of life wear us down. We become parched — weary and disillusioned.
Read More
Lord, You shine as the noonday sun lighting my darkness. You are the Morning Star, the Waymaker, the Faithful God who tenderly watches over me.
I praise You for these truths, Lord. I praise You for Your goodness, for being my Sure Place to hold onto when the earth trembles beneath me.
Sometimes, I feel like my feet are encased in concrete — heavy-laden, unable to move forward.
Read More
Lord, what a Mighty God You are! You are faithful and true, merciful and kind. You work miracles in our midst, even when we aren’t aware of it.
You, Lord, are worthy of praise.
Remind us of this, Lord.
Remind us that, even when life is hard, we can — and should — rejoice in You. Always.
Read More
Lord, You are the Song in my night, the light in my darkness. You are the hope in my brokenness and my quiet in the chaos.
Teach me to seek after the quiet — to understand the treasures of solitude.
Solitude feels elusive, Lord, unattainable in this busy, noisy season of Christmas.
Read More
Lord, in Your infinite mercy You draw us to Yourself — You pursue us with Your love. Bless You, Lord! Thank You for Your faithfulness and Your mercies that are new every morning.
You are a great God.
We desire to know You more.
We desire to experience the fullness of who You are.
But it’s so crazy busy right now for everyone! We desire to be with You, but the demands are louder. The very One whose birth we celebrate becomes second place, pushed to a shelf or to the bottom of the to-do list.
Read More
Just took a brisk walk with Blue up to the meadow and back. It’s bitter cold outside today. Wind howling. Millions of tiny snowflakes swirling.
Discouragement tried to take over my thoughts the past few days. It showed in my hunched-over shoulders as I pressed into the wind.
A loved one is very sick. Finances, in the natural, will never be able to stretch enough to cover Christmas, a Christmas wedding, and medical expenses. (Even though I know that I know God has never failed us, sometimes the flesh kicks in with worry.)
And my daughter’s healing from knee surgery seems to be going backwards for some reason …
Read More
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten …” ~ Joel...
Read More
I’m learning a lot about thanksgiving — maintaining a thankful heart in spite of very difficult circumstances, understanding the importance of a thankful heart, recognizing how a thankful heart is a gift and tool from the Lord to lift us above the difficult places.
This type of thanksgiving runs deep through our veins bringing life to our weary bones.
It swaddles me at night when I close my eyes for much needed sleep and say, “Thank You, Lord. It is well with my soul.”
And mean it.
Read More
Lord, I’m restless and worn — weary from the journey. But, You O Lord, are faithful. You are with me and in me. You are for me.
I am not alone.
Quiet me with Your love.
Read More
The aged apple tree stretched toward the heavens with its thin, finger-like branches. It grew on the forest’s edge surrounded by pine, oak and hemlocks.
It grew in spite of its conditions, quite obviously a happenstance, a surprise to its forest shadows.
[Tweet “The aged apple tree stretched toward the heavens with its thin, finger-like branches. @NanJonesAuthor #amwriting #FindingGodsPresence”]
I watched this tree throughout the seasons — its burst of fresh green in the spring, blossoms like delicate voile against the rough and aged bark. Summer delivered apples red embellishing the forest’s edge with ornamental color and fed the deer grazing below.
And now, as autumn has its last hoorah before winter’s chill, my eye saw something new …
Read More
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference
Learn to be fully aware of the Lord's presence in your life with my new resource,