Tag: Peace

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Prayer, Worship

Known and Loved

Yesterday morning, I was serenaded by a little songbird called a tree swallow. Blue is my favorite color and the male’s blue coloring was particularly pretty. The female is more of a greyish brown. She joined him on my deck after he had been singing for a few minutes.

I thought it was sweet to watch as I was eating my breakfast. Soon, however, I started to discern something else might be going on. I’m no bird expert, but it seemed like I was watching a turf war!

A third bird kept landing on my deck, which prompted all the birds to ‘hiss’ at each other and scatter. I don’t know if the males were fighting over the female or if there was a nest nearby.

I would have loved to stay and watch this scene on repeat through my binoculars… but I had to go to work. Still, it reminded me that we are also in a daily battle that often is difficult to discern.

There is a battle for our souls. Our enemy will use any means necessary to distract us, get us off course, and make us doubt God’s love. We have to be aware of these methods or we will start to lose ground.

Case in point: Yesterday afternoon, I was fighting a bad attitude because I perceived something unfair. I was a little upset about things I can’t control. Left unchecked, I then let even minor inconveniences affect me and become major annoyances!

For example, when I walked to the bus to pick up Lydia, the wind kept blowing my hair into my face. Grrr… Yes, I could have driven around the block, but didn’t. I could have grabbed a hat, but then I would have had hat hair… oh, the injustice! 😉

Thankfully, I soon confessed what was bothering me to the Lord. I also apologized for being annoyed about the wind. It wasn’t a quick turnaround, but slowly, I switched gears. Walking against the wind on our way home from the bus also helped!

Lydia happened to be in a really funny mood, which also helped mine. After listening to her chat about her day, I turned on the radio to help me get out of my funk. Lydia had plenty to say about the songs, and the lyrics spoke precisely to my heart.

I was glad to draw near to God and worship. Each song felt like it was hand-picked by Him—I felt He understood just what I needed. More of Him.

As Lydia and I made dinner together, I prayerfully poured out my heart to the Lord. Later, I explained the basics of how I was feeling to Lydia and thanked her for helping me cheer up. She hadn’t even noticed!

I didn’t tell her all the details, of course, but she was supportive and gave me lots of hugs. We talked about our various emotions and how we can bring them all to God—good or bad. We don’t have to live in fear, doubt, or defeat.

I could have stayed in my bad mood, but I’m glad I asked the Lord for help. God knows each of our needs even before we come and ask. We can trust Him to take good care of us because He loves us so much. His love never fails!

God provides for all the birds and knows each one. But we are far more valuable to Him. He knows us fully and sees all our selfishness, yet He loves us anyway. Wow.

With Jesus, we have all that we need….and He already won the war. We don’t have to fight it out on our own. We just have to stand firm and not give up any territory. Victory!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for Your forgiveness and grace. You take such good care of me and provide for all of my needs. Help me trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: When you are in a foul mood, how to do you get out of it? What do you do to renew your mind with God’s love and truth?

Tasks: Let your emotions lead you to Jesus. Listen to the song, “Known,” by Tauren Wells.

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Worship

Scars

I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful for the scars
So forever I am thankful for the scars

–From the song, “Scars,” by I AM THEY

Well, here we are in the middle of May! Today marks 6 years since Dave died. I am reflective, and a little sad, but I know it will pass. Today also marks six years of being a widow and single mom. Lydia and I are doing well, and talk about Dave often. 

Thankfully, we have found a good rhythm. God has us on a good path, and I’m grateful for the peace and rest He brings. Over the years, grief always felt like a ‘big’ factor. Now, it comes and goes with less frequency.

On this anniversary, we always celebrate Dave’s life by doing something special. I give Lydia a small gift, tell her “Dave stories,” and point out qualities of his that she also has.

When I asked Lydia for her ideas on how to celebrate, she suggested we eat frozen yogurt, play a game, or take a bike ride after we get home from work and school.

I’m amazed that she takes it all in stride. She has proven quite resilient! She seems fairly mature for her age, handling herself and her emotions well.

In fact, over the last few months, Lydia has started to ask for more details about Dave and cancer. She now identifies when she is sad, and we are able to talk about it. It helps that we can build on all our previous conversations.

Last week, Lydia decided on a whim to wear her CAT sweatshirt from when she was a toddler. It made me smile because the shirt is still so special to her. She didn’t think anything of the fact that is too small. The sleeves are super short, so maybe I’ll get her a new one for the fall!

Today, I’m also celebrating God’s grace and faithfulness. He has helped me to persevere and keep moving forward. Overall, I’ve made slow and steady progress, but it still counts!

We can’t get through life without pain and suffering. It’s just not possible to be alive and problem-free at the same time. We will all go through trials, which will likely yield some physical and/or emotional wounds. But, that doesn’t mean we have no control. We can certainly choose to have a good attitude and bring our pain to Jesus for healing. Professional therapy may also be helpful!

We should be wise with how we view our scars and stories. We don’t have to walk around showing off our scars to everyone we meet. Despite what happens, we are not victims. Besides, some people won’t understand our pain or be able to handle it appropriately.

But when we have the opportunity, we can use our scars to tell a story of grace, victory, and God’s goodness. Scars show how much we’ve been through, yes, but they also show how much we’ve been healed. Praise God!

Our trials, wounds, and scars can either distract us from Jesus or redirect us back to Him. I’m grateful I’ve chosen to draw near to the Lord. He has rebuilt me from the inside out, and His joy has been my strength. He is always with me and for me. He has never let me down!

Over the last six years, I’ve been constantly reminded life is so short. We can’t take anything for granted, but we can always be grateful. When we let God lead us, He takes such good care of us. He loves us so very much. Thank You, Jesus!

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God, thanks for bringing us this far. We could not have made it without You. Please continue to lead and guide us. Thank You for using my pain and scars and for giving me a new purpose. I give You glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Question: How do you like to celebrate the lives of your loved ones who have died?

Tasks: Listen to the song, “Scars,” by I AM THEY. Also, reach out to a widow, single mom, or someone else who may need some encouragement today! Small acts of kindness can go a long way!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #166

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week I saw God’s grace all around me. Work went well but was not very busy. But that gave me the opportunity to catch up on other tasks besides patient care. I’m grateful for God’s provision and my job, despite getting a couple of ‘warning tickets’ for parking in the wrong spot! Thankfully, that means I’ll get a parking pass after two years of asking for one. I’m choosing to be happy about the privilege of ‘getting’ to walk a lot further. 😉

I was able to hang out with and help several friends this week. I watched some neighbor kids, gave a friend a ride after her car broke down, and let another friend come over to do laundry. I also hosted my ladies Bible study and had such a sweet, funny time of sharing. It is refreshing to use the resources God has given me to serve others!

Today, Lydia and I stayed home and did several activities together. We played Connect Four and Hello Kitty Bingo. We had a tickle fest, read books, listened to the rain, and watched a couple of shows. I even supervised Lydia taking a shower on her own for the first time. She was so pleased and had fun. I am proud of the little lady she is becoming!

I received several answers to prayers this week for myself and others. I’m grateful for God’s perfect timing. He always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship

Breakthrough!

I previously mentioned how much I enjoy documentaries. Lately, I have been watching a show called ‘Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World’ on PBS.

A few weeks ago, I watched an episode on the telescope, showing all the scientific advances and even some ‘chance’ occurrences over the centuries. The show began with people following the night sky to discern the seasons. It then covered advances in blowing glass… to the development of the spyglass… to Galileo’s telescope which he focused upward…and later, to Edwin Hubble and space exploration. It is fascinating how people came up with creative solutions to perceived problems.

Then, last week, I watched the episode on the history of airplanes and flight.

Apparently, Leonardo Da Vinci dissected birds and studied their movements trying to understand how they stay in the air. Interestingly, despite his magnificent in-depth drawings, his creations never seemed to get off the ground. There was still much to learn.

The intrigue around flight persisted and several people tried oversized flying toys, gliders, and even fake wings. I enjoyed seeing how each person built on the work and knowledge of the people before them.

Eventually, the Wright brothers decided changing the wing shape would yield better control. Then, various engines were trialed until someone created what we now know as the jet engine.

The first flight from New York to Los Angeles took 48 hours, several planes, and made quite a few stops for fuel. I’m grateful flights don’t take that long today!!

As much as I liked watching these documentaries, they show how much we still don’t know. Yes, we have come so far, but there are still problems to be solved!

For me, these documentaries are also a revelation of God’s wisdom. It has taken us centuries to accomplish as much as we have collectively. No one person can really take credit for any specific achievement…

Yet God spoke creation into existence with just His word… instantly from nothing. And, He already knows how telescopes work because He created light from darkness!

Da Vinci, as smart and advanced as he was, could never quite figure out flight. Similarly, we ‘only’ made it to the moon a mere fifty years ago.

But God understands what we can barely fathom. He created hundreds of different types of birds—and our brains so we could explore all of these wonderful concepts.

Scientists recently captured an awesome picture of a black hole! We still don’t have all the answers about how black holes work, but the picture is certainly an amazing feat.

However, God knows all about black holes because they were His idea. He who made the stars set our world in motion, too. He created the universe, but we still aren’t even sure just how BIG it is.

All of our technology, skills, and knowledge will never match God’s infinite wisdom. Even so, we are not just a science project to Him. He loves us beyond measure… so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to die for us.

No matter what you are facing today, God knows all about it. The one who created the stars knows the number of hairs on your head. He is ready, willing, and able to help you solve your problems.

Only God can bring the breakthrough you need. His promises are sure and His word is true. Your breakthrough will come if you don’t give up. Trust Him!

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Heavenly Father, I’m amazed by You. No one compares with You, God. Give me wisdom and understanding, Lord. Help me see my problems through your eternal perspective. Give me the grace to trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Questions: What are your favorite documentaries? Are you trusting God for a breakthrough in your life?

Tasks: God has something to say about your problems. His word speaks directly about all sorts of topics, including fear, gossip, promotion, finances, marriage, loneliness, love, joy, peace, patience, and more. The Secret Power of God’s Word, by Joyce Meyer, can help you find a Bible verse which applies to your situation and pray about it!

Posted on in Being Gracious, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Personality, Prayer, Wisdom

Insult and Injury

Have you ever felt like just when something got good, it all went bad?

Have you ever felt like just when God started moving, Satan came to steal it all away?

Our enemy wants nothing more to do than to get us off God’s path. He stirs up trouble using fear and uncertainty to make us second-guess what is going on. He lies to us and does anything he can to derail us. In the chaos, he steals, kills, and destroys. 

But don’t throw away what is good, all you have worked for and what remains. There is so much at stake, far beyond what we can see. If we don’t seek God’s Truth and perspective, we risk losing it all. Yet nothing is impossible with God. There is always hope!

He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6).

Just about everything in life has the potential to turn sour. A job, a relationship, a home, a vehicle, your health, your plans, or your finances… It’s even worse when these things are all connected. It can feel like the enemy is winning.

Clearly, having healthy boundaries and making wise decisions is important. We have to take responsibility for our choices. We have ‘free will’ to make decisions, but we are not free from the consequences. Occasionally, the circumstances are out of our hands.

For many of us, the temptation is to live by our emotions—to worry about what went wrong or to blame someone else. We want the pain to go away, so we tend to either run away or retaliate. Don’t give in.

In some cases, we choose to move on and hope something better comes along. Yet avoidance can be confusing and depressing if we don’t deal with the problem in healthy ways. It can fester and often becomes worse.

When someone doesn’t meet our expectations, we take offense and want to get even. When we don’t get what we wanted or thought we needed or deserved, we understandably grow mad. Yet, we can choose to offer the grace of forgiveness.

Dear Friend, I don’t know what happened, but I know it hurts. Whatever went wrong, I wish I could take away your pain. I know it may feel unfair, but please don’t give up. Forgiveness is just as important for you as it is for the other person (or people). You can never grow past this if you do not release it and learn from it.

Life is full of challenges. When we get passed over for a promotion, we focus on our failures. When we take a financial hit, we try to figure out how to make ends meet. When our health is affected, we wish things were different. The more we think about the injustices, the more power they have over us. Still, we can choose to think differently.

Many times, we did everything right. What happened as a result is not our fault. But even if we do have legitimate reasons to be upset, we weren’t meant to live under the duress of insult and injury. We were made for freedom!

Our emotions are volatile. There are days when our feelings can change every five minutes! Take some space if needed, but don’t rush a decision. Wait it out.

Imagine what could happen if you stay still and don’t overreact. Your situation might be different than expected, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be turned around for good. Especially if God is in it.

Perhaps you’re going through something that is testing everything you thought was sure. The pain and sorrow are more than you can bear. It’s going to take a lot of patience and effort, but you are not in this alone—bring it to Jesus and let Him handle it. He sees the big picture; our victory is in Him alone!

By faith, do what you can to make things right and leave the rest with Jesus. He knows all about unfairness and can help you work through it. He provides for you, loves you dearly, and always has your best in mind. Forever faithful, He will make a way where there seems to be no way. Trust Him!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for Your constant love and grace. Help us to make wise decisions in the midst of trials. Give us peace and help us trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What if all you’ve been going through will be used to strengthen you and even help someone else? Would that change your perspective and help you endure it? Would that change how you are dealing with it?

Tasks: When trials come, we want to take matters in our own hands, but don’t do anything you’ll regret. Life is short; don’t spend your days in anger or bitterness. Find a trusted friend and/or seek wise counsel. Take it to Jesus and let Him fight for you. God’s got this!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Prayer, Worship

Finding Grace #163

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a full week and I saw God’s grace all around me! It was great to talk with family members in three states this week. I’m grateful for our conversations, funny stories, and support through prayer despite the distance between us. I got to support Lydia by attending her spring music program too. 

I participated in a couple of short online Bible studies with people this week. We all used the YouVersion Bible app and covered topics like having victory over fear and understanding the importance of Easter. It was so fun to connect spiritually with God’s people from a variety of locations and walks of life.

It was awful to watch Notre-Dame Cathedral burn in Paris. My sister and I had a wonderful time visiting France on a school trip in 1997. The destruction is hard to fathom, especially in the midst of ‘holy week’ leading up to Easter. However, it has been encouraging to see the collective response of grief from around the world. I enjoyed this picture of the aftermath, and I believe God spared many parts of the building.

This week, I received updates on several prayers this week. I have been praying for peoples’ jobs, health requests, relationships, and more. No request is too small to pray about. It is great to see God at work and to join Him!

We had beautiful weather this week. A couple days of scattered rain followed by the warm sun! Lydia spent a lot of time outside playing with friends. A neighbor helped me with my mower, as I was getting it ready for summer. The blade fell off last summer and I needed a little help putting it back on properly.

This week has been a wonderful reminder of Jesus’ love and sacrifice. Lydia and I have been using the Easter Story Egg each day. On Good Friday, we enjoyed a day at home followed by a wonderful church service. Thank You, Jesus!

I always want to keep the focus on Jesus for Easter. Sometimes, the candy and the fun can distract from Him. In our rush to “do all the things,” we can forget what matters most. So this morning, I let Lydia do our Easter egg hunt early so we are not rushed tomorrow.

About half of the Easter eggs contained a small amount of chocolate candy or my spare change (about $1.28). The remaining half had little pieces of paper with various instructions. Lydia had to do different exercises, give me a hug, tell me a joke, and list 5 things she was thankful for. We both enjoyed it and it didn’t take away from Jesus.

I’m grateful for how God always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Fruit, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Perfectionism, Wisdom, Worship

Peace Be Still

John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

He said this after he had already healed the lame, blind and sick; fed the 5,000 people (not including women and children); calmed the storm; and raised the dead. He had a pretty good record, but as I wrote last week, His disciples still did not believe.

I’m grateful for the peace Jesus gives. For me, it often means a sense of quiet and calm. Externally, peace can include having growing, healthy relationships and no schedule conflicts. Peace can mean “free” time and flexibility without rushing. For me, living in peace often comes at a slower pace. But that may look different for you!

Internally, I find peace means freedom from fear, anxiety, or worry. I can reject the idea that I have to make quick decisions or be someone I am not. I don’t have to please or impress anyone. Thank God, Jesus set me free!

When everything in my little world is tranquil, though, it can become unsettling if I fail to see it from God’s perspective. Sometimes, I take pride in what I have achieved…and other times, I am waiting for the next storm or catastrophe. But with Jesus’ peace, I can expect good things because He is good and He is with me and for me.

We weren’t meant to live in turmoil. Even in the midst of chaos, holy peace is the sense that everything will be okay because Jesus will make all things right someday.

This begs the question—how does the world give peace?

The world cannot give peace, because real peace comes from Jesus alone. Only Jesus can be our refuge and defense. To refocus on Him, sometimes it can be helpful to pause and unplug from the news, social media, or even extra activities.

As amazing as this world can be, all we see is only temporary. We were meant for more!

Without Jesus, whatever we seem to gain is at risk. If we put all our hope in what the world offers, we will only end up with empty promises. Any sense of peace we do have won’t last. Yet everything we have in Jesus is safe and secure.

Jesus’ peace comes with His presence. In fact, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, in the verse preceding this one. He never leaves us on the path alone. Sometimes, He clears a peaceful path and sometimes, He enables us to walk it as it comes.

Growing in the fruit of peace is a sign of God moving in our lives.

Jesus’ peace brings new purpose, despite any pain or hardships we may endure. He brings real progress, but never expects perfection. Our fulfillment comes from Him alone.

In addition to His peace, Jesus also protects us and provides for us. His promises are sure and His love is strong. As such, we can rest in His mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

I’m grateful we don’t have to perform or earn this free gift of peace. The world often expects something in return and leaves us disappointed. But only Jesus gives to us freely… Praise God!

Don’t go another minute without true peace. Trust Jesus and rest in His love!

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God, thanks for the free gift of salvation which brings us peace. Thanks for righting our wrongs and forgiving us. Help us extend grace and peace to others as we point them to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: What does God’s peace mean to you?

Task: Prayerfully listen to this song, “Peace Be Still.”

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #161

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a really fun week! I enjoyed meeting with friends and talking with family. On Sunday, we attended a birthday party for my mother’s friend. She is from Ghana and we were honored to be invited. We ate all sorts of food… it was quite a feast!

This beginning of the week was full of work, school, and deadlines. I felt productive early on and was able to relax later in the week. I even got a massage on Friday!

On Thursday, I was invited to meet with some ladies from church. We got to know each other better, and I met a new friend. I shared my story with her and encouraged her in her walk with the Lord. We all prayed together and then enjoyed some food and coffee afterward.

The spring flood is happening now. Yesterday, I took Lydia to see some areas where the Red River is almost up to the bridges crossing into Minnesota. Elsewhere, other roads were blocked so sandbags and other barriers could be installed. We are safe from the water, but it is unreal how much water can spread. I’m praying people are safe and homes stay dry.

I’m glad spring is finally here. I’ve seen more geese and robins; it is good to hear birds chirping again! The snow is slowly melting, and I also saw some grass turning green!

Today was a full day, too! We are taking care of our neighbor’s lovebird. He’s quite cute! We visited some friends, one of which had surgery this week. Then, we went roller skating with another family from church. It was Lydia’s first time, but she had fun!

I’m grateful for how God always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Miscellaneous, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship

Don’t Stop Believing!

This week, I have been scribing John 14! Writing down the verses word-for-word helps me understand more of the story. I can almost imagine I was there in the scene, which helps me feel the intent and emotions behind the words.

You can read the whole chapter here for context, but the thing that stood out to me, is John 14:8-9, which says, “Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus answered: Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (my emphasis added)

When I read these verses, I detect a little bit of sadness. Jesus seemed hurt His disciples were struggling to believe in Him. They quickly tossed aside His message and miracles and started questioning His character. They second-guessed His intentions.

Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand His purpose. Nor did they realize the depth of His love that would soon send Him to the cross. I wonder if Jesus ever grew tired of always having to explain and prove Himself.

I find it a little heartbreaking in the next two verses, when Jesus says,
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” (my emphasis added)

It is easy to have faith when life is going well. We may even have ‘proof’ things are going our way. We say God is good—and indeed He is.

But, there is a danger if we only say, “God is good,” in the good times. God never changes (Hebrews 13:8), so even when our circumstances change for the worse, He is still good.

Of course, challenges are a part of life. Quite often, when troubles come, our doubts and fears are exposed. Our true motivations are rooted out and then chipped away from our remaining character.

Doubts and trials can certainly be uncomfortable, but it is normal to have questions about what we are going through. As long as we keep seeking Him, we will find Jesus.

He will give us the answers we need, and/or the grace to move forward when it doesn’t make sense. In fact, He can use this process to strengthen us, refine us, and redirect us. He turns trials around in our favor, too (Romans 8:28)!

In the past, cancer and grief threatened my entire view of God. At times, my doubts made me question God’s character and love. I thought, “How could God ‘allow’ Dave to get sick?” I knew cancer wasn’t from God, and in those 364 days, I learned He was not mad at me or punishing me.

Instead, He graciously showed me that I was seeing Him through my own faulty traits. There was a difference between who I thought God was and who He actually is.

God will not be limited to our human interpretations of who He is or what He does. He does not owe us an explanation. But He does ask us to believe in Him.

The next time you are faced with fears and doubts, come directly to Jesus. He is not turned off by your questions. He wants to show you the Truth about Himself and your situation.

Read His word and set your eyes on Him, not the problem. Remind yourself of His character and love. Remember all the ways He has been faithful.

Don’t let your doubts keep you from Jesus. Believe He is who He says He is. He is your defender and your righteousness. Let Him be your refuge. He loves you dearly!

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Heavenly Father, You are so good and faithful. I’m sorry when I doubt You. Help me remember Your faithfulness. You always keep Your promises! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Can you hear Jesus calling to you with grace and love? What is He saying to you right now? Will you draw near to Him?

Tasks: Listen to the song, “Your Love Defends Me,” by Matt Maher.

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Prayer

Finding Grace #160

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was awesome! I felt God moving some big ‘mountains’ on my behalf. I also had many productive moments of my own. In fact, I was so focused, I readjusted my schedule to maintain my flow. I love when God blesses the work of my hands, but I am also aware of just how much I need His help.

I really appreciated talking with my parents this week. My mom called me to catch up and pray for me, which meant so much. Later, we were able to video chat with them, which makes the distance seem a little better. They sent Lydia a care package with some lovely spring clothes. Lydia enjoyed them so much!

We had warmer weather again this week! The wind was fairly mild, too. Praise God! I enjoyed chipping away at some ice and snow to ‘help’ it melt faster. I do what I can! 😉

I’m grateful for how God always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!