Even the Wind and the Sea Obey Him

“On that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?” He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?”
And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!””

— Mark 4:35-41

 Have you ever been in a storm? Has life ever felt impossibly hard?

I’ve had moments when life has felt so hard. I feel like I’ve failed on all fronts. My Maybury world has crashed down around me, and I feel lost. I feel alone. I wonder if God is even hearing me. Like the disciples, the Lord feels fast asleep, unencumbered, without worry, while I’m over here freaking out.

Or like Martha, Lazarus’ sister, I’m so busy doing all the things, keeping everything organized, making sure everyone has the best attention possible, and the Lord calls to me and tells me to just sit and rest. Be calm, stop fretting (see Luke 10:38-42).

This storm the disciples were in felt like the end of all things good.

I’ve had moments when parenting my kids where I’ve felt at a complete loss. I’ve felt like a failure. Like I’ve disappointed myself, my husband, my kdis. It feels like the world has come to an end. The boat has already been rocking for awhile, but now the water is crashing in. The storm is picking up steam.

And my Savior sleeps.

It feels like He must not care.

But He does.

It feels like He must not notice the distress I’m in. the worry, the fretting, the stewing, the business. The waves are only getting bigger.

My patience is wearing thin. I’m doing it all, and not seeing a difference.

I’m keeping all the boxes checked. I’m correcting my children when they’re disrespectful.

But still, they act out in public. Still they talk back. Still, they make wrong choices that influence those around them.

When my kids were tiny, our life only revolved around the home. Now that they’re entering those Preteen/Teen years, their choices have bigger ramifications.

And the storms never seem to stop.

They just change.

Sometimes the problems are little, other times they have long lasting ramifications. I wish I could protect my children from the world around them. I wish I could take away the things that pain them. I wish I could keep them completely happy, completely safe. But I can’t. They are growing and making their own decision.

Letting go and trusting God is a part of the process.

Be still my child.

But how Lord? How when the boat is rocking and we’re taking on water. Don’t you want me to grab a map, direct us out of this? Or buckets, do we need more buckets to do some bailing?

Be still.

Lord, I don’t know how to be still.

Rest

What is rest, Lord, I hardly know how? I show my love by staying busy, keeping organized, keeping our family on task.

Let go.

But how Lord?

Just let go.

And then I do. I don’t direct the boat. I lay the map and the buckets down.

And I feel such peace.

Has the boat stopped rocking? Sometimes, yes, other times, no. But my perspective changed.

You see, the Lord had control all along. He just wanted me to trust Him to move.

His timing was different than my own. What I saw as a tremendous storm was always in His control.

What I saw as a big issue, He saw as something to work through.

Maybe the issue isn’t completely solved, but the waves feel less hazardus. Maybe the boat is still rocking, but I feel His peace. He’s in control now. The rocking doesn’t scare me as much anymore. Our Lord could sleep because He was in control. I can rest, not because the storm is necessarily gone, but because I’ve given up control of this sittuation. I can rest, because my Lord is controling the boat. I can rest because my Lord has comand of the wind and seas as well.

We live in such a broken, painful world. Loneliness, anxiety, physical pain are always near. But we have a Lord who is truly in control.

It’s amazing to be reminded of just how powerful He is!

Grief in a Joyful Season

Recently, a friend prayed that I would feel the freedom to grieve. I had been sharing how tired I felt, how close I was to being physically and mentally spent, and she prayed that I would feel grief.

Does that sound weird to you? That she would pray for grief? Well, it strangly didn’t for me.

I am a perfectionist at heart. I like to be in control of all things. I like to try my hardest to keep things up to a certain standard. A standard that is, more often than not, of my own making. I like a plan. I like order. I like to check off all those boxes in my life.

Well, two times now, in the past few months, I’ve had to take a week off. A week to just be still. A week to let my body and my mind catch up.

Last week, I was hanging in there, but allergies were wrecking havock on my body. I was feel down, overwhelmed. I did make it out to a night of fellowship with some new friends. We ate salad together, talked about a Bible study we were starting soon, and shared the current state of our souls. And then, my new friends prayed that I would let myself grieve. Grieve for the things that were gone. Grieve over our recent move, that we really didn’t want to make. Grieve over the church and dear friendships we left behind. Griever over the new.

I didn’t know I had permission to grieve.

If anything, I’m hard on myself for not being strong enough. I’m hard on my self for feeling frustrated when I don’t have a new favorite grocery store, when we have yet to get into a good weekly routine. When life just feels overwhelmingly new and differently

I make a decided effort to see the new and exciting things in a move. I’m so incredibly thankful for all the needs God’s supplied for us. We truly love our new neighborhood, our new church, and we’re even settling in pretty comfortably to our new house. Life is so rich, so good. We’re loving the adventure of checking out new museums and restaurants each weekend.

And yet. Grief is a very natural, very human reaction.

Sometimes, I need the reminder that it’s ok to feel a little sad. It’s ok to miss the years we lived near the beach in Florida. It’s ok to miss the feel of the sand on my toes, when we would picnic each Sunday after church. It’s ok to miss the backroads of Alabama, the beautiful State Parks with amazing swimming holes. It’s ok if I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the City Life we’re experiencing now. As fun as it is, I miss small town life, splashing in the Creek, enrolling my kiddos in the local art program, lazy afternoons floating at the local pool. It’s ok to miss the things that became our routines overtime. It can feel frustrating to find a new dentist, chiropracter, workout gym. Some favorites aren’t easily replaced.

But they make up part of the framework to our story. They’re forever threads in our tapestry. Each chapter, changes colors and characters. But the memories, they’re sweet ones to carry close. My husband and I are now on our 7th address. It feels kind of crazy. I’m sure some military families can claim much more. But it’s still a lot in 13 years. And that, honestly, just makes us feel tired.

Life is full of beautiful, amazing things. This life we life, is a tremendous adventure. But it’s also ok to be a little sad. It’s ok to grieve the past joys that went by just a little too quickly. The precious favorites you leave behind. Perhaps your memories aren’t a place, but a season. A season of relationships, a season of children tromping through your house, upturning and cluttering each surface in sight, a church that you loved. a friendship you invested in. It’s ok to feel that pull. Maybe take a key from our Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He felt tremendous grief in that moment, and what did He do? He took some time away to pray. He took some time to just be quiet in the presence of the Lord. He was honest in how He was truly feeling in that moment. It was real pain, and He wasn’t afraid to express it. Is His experience different then mine? Absoultely.

But I believe that we serve a God who understands pain and suffering. He doesn’t discount even things we would consider not as major. And He sets an example of just giving yourself time to just be present in that grief. To just be honest about the transition of life taking place and what you’ve left behind.

I hope that you take the time to just be present. To just pray, and acknowledge the things your grieving from your past. It’s ok to admit that that’s where you are at the moment. It’s ok to grieve.

Grieve over things that didn’t pan out. Over a cross-country move that we didn’t want to make. Over a beloved job and church family that we had to leave behind.

And to be honest, it never occured to me that I could grieve over this. I was so caught up in being strong, that I didn’t know that I need some time to be weak.

To be transparent.

To admit that my body is under the weather this week, and a few days on the couch might be exactly what my soul needs.

Last night, my husband pointed out this scripture from Matthew 26. (We’re currently reading through the Bible in a Year via the She Speaks/He Speaks apps!). In this scripture, Jesus is sad and grieving. He recognizes the pain, and the need to pray in those moments. And so, He retreats to a quiet place. He takes the time to get away from the noise and prays.

“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with Me.’ Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

— Matthew 26:36-39, HCSB

In a world that celebrates business and hustle, Jesus shows us that it’s ok to grieve. It’s ok to step apart and just be. Just be in the moment. Just be honest with God about how hard things are in the moment.

Jesus is honest, but then holds the situation back up to God. “Not as I will, but as You will.”

Sometimes, I need to be reminded to grieve. I get so caught up in being strong, self-sufficient, forward thinking, that I don’t slow down and just rest. Rest in the Lord’s presence. Process things, big and small, in my life. Our sociey is always rushing and moving on. You’re given a moment to feel sad, and then expected to just move on and feel cheery once again. Grief is awkward. People don’t know what to say. Or you worry that it will just sound like complaining. For me, I compare my lot to others, and my disappoints don’t seem all that major.

Joy and Thankfulness, Not an Easy Combination

I’m excited to share that I’m recording my Podcast again! If you’d like to listen to some encouragement through your headphones, my Podcast is for you! My devotions are short and sweet, and meant to give you a quickly boost to get over that hump day in your week! Please be sure to give me a follow! You can find me on major Podcast Platforms! Here’s a link to the Podcast! Your follow will help others find my devotional. I’m I little fish in a big world, so I appreciate your support!

Here’s a written version of today’s Podcast:

“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever”

— Psalm 106:1

Hi Friends. For 2022 my word of the year is “Joy.” Joy is an amazing word. It’s short, it’s sweet, it’s easy to write. But it’s also hard to practice. It’s April, four months in, and I’m already seeking what a challenge it can be to practice joy each day. But here’s a few things I’m keeping in mind:

Finding joy often looks like Thankfulness. Even when life is overwhelming and stressful, I can find things to be joyful about. This Spring, we picked up our family and did another cross-country move. That, in and of itself, was a sad thing. I didn't’ feel joyful about leaving our old church family and friends behind. But I felt deep thankfulness. Thankfulness for their relationships, thankfulness for the ways in which the Lord had provided for us, throughout our three years living there. We had some amazing experiences. God blessed us with some great friendships. And so, I found joy in remembering the times God showed up.

Secondly, in moving to a new neighborhood, I’ve found joy in the new relationships being formed. Making new friendships can feel forced and awkward. Let’s be honesty, small talk will never be my favorite, but it’s necessary. I’m so thankful for how easy friendships have come in this new place. Unpacking and organizing our house can feel stressful, but thankfulness for the tiny things, like a sunshiny afternoon where my kids play outside for hours at a time, can give great joy!

Third, when I seek out thankfulness, I’m making room for the Joy of the Lord in my heart. Seeking out thankfulness gets me outside of myself. It’s easy for me to get bogged down. Bogged down by lists, responsibilities, expectations. Moving is not for the faint of heart, moving, while homeschooling, and then have your husband work from home as well, means that our house is always noisy, always busy, always full of activity. 

Pausing for moments of thankfulness, doesn’t take away the business, but it can reframe it. Choosing to be thankful in a season of so many “news and unknowns” can drastically change my attitude.

In the midst of a busy, sometimes overwhelming life, what can you chose to be Thankful for today? 

Joy in Nature: Wintertime

“I will praise the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the LORD; the humble will hear and be glad. Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.”

— Psalm 34:1-5, HCSB

When we seek Him, we experience radiant joy. So how do you seek Him? One powerful outlet, for me, is nature. I love that our new place is near a nature trail. There’s fewer excuses to not escape to the great outdoors.

I heard someone say that walking and writing go hand in hand. It’s not uncommon for writers to enjoy being out in nature. Nature actually fuels their creative space. Nature gives them things to write about. In nature, I can seek God. I love those quiet moments of Him and me, searching for beauty, even during the winter. I image what this landscape will look like when spring comes around. I’m sure I’m allergies wont like it, ha! But still, I’m excited to find those first flowers of spring. I used to think winter walks were depressing, but they carry their own, raw beauty. There’s colors, even then. I watch for foot prints left behind from creatures, winter berries blooming on trees, different shades of winter grasses. I listen, for the sound of birds calling to each other up above.

Now, sometimes, I don’t go on these nature walks alone. With homeschooling, i often have two kiddos in tow. But even then there’s beauty. Even then, the Lord can speak to my heart and fill me with joy. Worries and fears feel a little less intense when I physically get that energy out. Sunshine, can give me some healthy Vitamin-D and a true new perspective on life. Time with my kids on a nature trail, can be stressful, but can also be beautiful, as they encourage me to slow down and see things I might have missed before.

In a life that can be far to busy, I’m so thankful for moments in nature when I experience Him at work, even during a season of winter.

Psalm 34 says that when we seek Him, we’re filled with radiant joy. Isn’t that a marvelous image? In the KJV verse 5 says:

“They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.”

We are filled, we are lightened when we look to the Lord. We’ll never feel filled by social media or material items. But when we pause and seek in, through music, through His word, through nature, that’s when we’ll be “lightened". That’s when we’ll be filled up once again.

What do you enjoy stepping away and doing? What “lightens” your soul? Is it nature? Music? Times of Bible Study? I would love to hear where you go. May you experience the Lord’s radiant joy today. You are so beloved.

“Yahweh your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring you quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.”

— Zephaniah 3:17, HCSB

Joy in Winter

Doesn’t it feel like it should be Spring? Back in the South, it would be. My poor plants don’t really know what to think. They came from a warmer climate, only to be meant with ice and snow in February and March. We had a reprieve of warm weather, so my plants thought it was safe to come out but were quickly ushered back into their soil caves. I really hope they’re ok in there. I hope they’re doing their little version of hibernation, that that, eventually they’ll come out!

But for right now, at least, it’s winter.

“Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You at a time that You may be found. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.”

— Psalm 32:6-7

Winter, with its snow and ice. Winter, with its deceptively warm days between storms. Just what you think you’re past it all, it returns, freezing and thawing, and freezing again. Maybe it’s gone now? March can be such an unpredictable month, so it’s hard to say.

Isn’t that how it is with our emotions sometimes? We have good days, bad days, and then good again. Sometimes those bad days throw us for a loop. We aren’t expecting the sad days to hit. We aren’t expecting the stressful days to be quite so stressful.

With our cross-country move, I thought I had it all figured out. I thought it was all planned, everything was in order. Yet, even though we’re seasoned pros, even though we’ve done this many times, it was still hard. There were still days that ripped at my heart. Still nights when I dreamed of everything that could possibly go wrong. It was still a sad winter, beautiful and brittle, breathtaking and yet so, so cold and hard. Moving is like that. You hate what you’re leaving behind, but so amazed at what lies ahead.

Each time we move, I’m amazed at the Lord’s provision. He never fails to put us in the community of believers that He wants us to be in. They may not be the types of friends we’re expecting, but they feed and encourage us in so many ways.

This time around, I’ve been amazed by our neighborhood. Our welcome has been so incredibly warm. Our kids made so many instant friends. This community is unlike any I’ve experienced before. In three weeks, we’ve already attended two birthday parties, our kids have spent countless hours playing outside, and we’ve enjoyed chatting in driveways with our neighbors. They’ve check-in on me, and honestly cared about my mental stress and well-being.

In away, it’s the Lord’s rejoicing over me. I’ve had days and times where I’ve worried and stressed over the things we don’t have figured out. At the things that haven’t come easy. For one, homeschooling during a move can be hard! At the same time, I have a Savior shouting with Joy over me each day. Protecting and delivering me.

Psalm 32 says that the Lord protects us from trouble and surrounds us with joyful shouts of deliverance.

Shouts. Not whispers.

Sometimes we’re in moments when we need that still, small voice to guide us. Other times, we’re overwhelmed, overtasked, overcommitted and we need those “Shouts.” Those proclamations. Those overt reminders that we are holey and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12). Those reminders that He’s got this, even when we don’t.

And then, the snow starts to thaw. Maybe the flowers haven’t quite peeped out of the ground just yet. Winter may still be wavering, but we’re reminded of the Lord’s great provision once again.

Our sustainer. Our protector. Our provider. May the Lord joyfully shout His love over you today. May He thaw out the places that need thawing, and remind you of His love. May you experience His joy today!

Joy on the Move

Here we are, in a brand-new city, starting over again. We’re currently in the middle of unpacking boxes, we’re 2 of 3 shipments in. A lot of our furniture is starting to appear again, and we’re trying to figure out just how all our furniture will fit in this new space.

I ran out to buy some furniture, and then stopped by a little coffee shop for a bit.

This coffee shop and roastery is filled with plants. They have a bring a cutting, take a cutting style.

The number of plants makes my heart so happy’ Pausing and just being is good for my soul.

Where does joy come in, when you’re in the midst of new?

Life in this year of 2022 has been crazy. Packing, saying goodbyes, and now saying hellos.

There have definitely been moments when I wondered just what we were doing. Did we make the right decision when it comes to housing? Will we find friends and a good church family in this place?

But joy comes in when I pause and consider the moments of thankfulness.

I’m thankful for the warm welcome on our street. Neighbors often stop to chat with us, the kids have all sort of new friends to play with. It’s wonderful to feel welcomed. Yes, being welcomed is different than being known, but it’s a start.

Joy comes in being thankful for all the things that have gone smoothly. Moving is chaotic, and the littlest things can feel quite overwhelming at times. But I am thankful.

I’m thankful that 2/3 of our stuff has arrived.

I’m thankful for new friends.

I’m thankful for Christian Radio stations that broadcast the same music here as they did back in our previous town.

Thats enough of a start for now.

Sometimes that’s all that’s needed.

Just a little bit of thankfulness, and my heart resounds with joy.

What can you thank God for today, while on the move?

Joy and the Comparison Game

The comparison game, I never get very far when I start playing it. I look at a friend’s beautiful family pictures, I compare my business struggles to the, seemingly, overnight success of others, I wish for a life close to family instead of these military moves ever 2-3 years. Comparison turns into jealously, which turns into discontentment. Some of what I’m comparing may hold a grain of truth, but the surface layer of things is only the surface. We all have our deep inner battles. We all, at times, wish for things to be different.

But we have been given a tremendous gift in Jesus! Listen to this!

“You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound.”

— Psalm 4:7, HCSB

There are pleasures in this world that others may be fortunate to experience. Perhaps we wish for just a small amount of those things. But the joy of the Lord? It’s so much more! When such joy fills our heart, there’s little room left for jealously and comparison. We’re filled to the brim with joy and thanksgiving. When joy enters in, we realize that we already have all we need. Choosing joy over comparison isn’t always easy. But making that choice, day by day, can be rewarding. The Psalmist continues in the next verse with:

“I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, Lord, make me live in safely.”

— Psalm 4:8, HCSB

At first, I wasn’t going to add this verse. It didn’t seem to really be on the “Joy” topic anymore. But then I started thinking… What exactly do we feel like when we’re filled with jealously and comparison? Does it, affect our sleep? When our heart is full of comparisons, we’re not really focusing on Jesus. Our focus on others, on the world around us and how our own life doesn’t measure up. Just as verse 7 reminds us of the incredibly abundant gift of joy that the Lord offers to us, verse 8 continues with a reminder of the only one we really need in this world. Jesus. When we’re discontent, we’re anxious, stressed, losing sleep. When we’re filled with Joy, we can rest easily, knowing that our hope is in Jesus Christ alone. He is our provider and sustainer. With His joy, we have all we need.

He is our safety. Our safety doesn’t come from buying the newest gadget, obtaining that dream job, or living in the perfect house, He is our provider and sustainer.

Rest easy, friends, and find true joy and peace in Him!

Where have you experienced the joy of the Lord this week?

In what area do you struggle with the comparison game? How could you change this mindset?

Word of the Year 2022

For a few weeks now I’ve been pondering my word of the year. Usually, it changes each year. Sometimes it doesn’t. For me, these are words to live by, lessons God wants to teach me. Sometimes, they’re more portions of scripture, or thoughts to ponder. This past Advent, my husband and I studies Light. I was astounded by all the places that Light was used throughout scripture. I loved diving into this world. It really spoke to me. And so, I wondered if Light would be my word for 2022. Light, as Jesus is the Light of the world. Light, as we are a light unto the world, sharing the good news.

But Joy entered in as well. Sometimes Joy comes quietly, deep inside. Sometimes, Joy is a choice. I’m entering a season where the next month or so lends itself to being really stressful. So, choosing Joy is so important. Choosing Joy is a physically reminder to be thankful.

Light. Joy. Thankfulness.

Joy reminds me to focus on just how much God has done for our family, and just how much He will continue to do. This is a year with so much promise. Yes, it will have stress. Yes, it will have sorrow and heartbreak. But Joy will enter in as well.

Joy has been a choice in these first few weeks of a New Year. A daily choice. A moment-by-moment choice. Joy seems to be reminding myself to be thankful. Joy has also meant taking mental health breaks. Just today I took a walk around downtown, after dropping my kiddos off at an Art Class. That was Joy for me. Joy means realigning my day, and my heart.

I’m curious if you’ve landed on a word for the year? What has God been speaking to your heart? What might He be asking you to focus on in the coming year?

I will say this, be careful, and guard your heart after choosing that word. As soon as I picked “Joy”, I felt tremendously attacked. This past week has had moments that have left me feeling so defeated, so sad, so overwhelmed. Choosing Joy, meant I was immediately set face to face with things that weren’t joyful. Guard your heart. Stay deep in scripture. Give yourself moments with the Lord, to be redirected and brought back into focus.

Finding a word or intention for the year can be so rewarding, but so hard as well. This word Joy has already started testing me.

So why choose a word? It gives me a focus. Something to write about here on the internet, and something to search for throughout scripture in my personal study. I’ve always loved journaling, and am trying harder to make it a part of my early morning practice.

What are your thoughts on a word for the year? I’d love to hear.

Like A Tree...Strong through the Storm

Hi friend, have you listened in on my Podcast yet? The text below is the written version of my Like A Tree Summer Podcast Series. I’d love for you to give me a listen here.

The trees around our house have two different choices in a storm. The big oak trees, reinforced from years of solid growth, remain strong, even when heavy winds beat against them. The spindly pines are more apt to snap. They just don’t have the same strength inside. Our one dead tree on our side property is even worse off. It stands there with no new summer growth, and I often wonder just what storm will send it sailing down. It’s the first place I look when the storm subsides. I already know that it’s weak. It’s dead. It has no growth within. It’s slowly deteriorating, until, someday, it will fall completely over, and start to decompose into the earth around it.

We really should have it cut down.

But still, we haven’t addressed the known issue. Still we let it stand there. 

But we know it’s coming.

Psalm 1 gives us a contrast between the righteous and wicked. It tells us just how God will look over both. 

“The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.”

— Psalm 1:4-6

The way of the wicked will lead to ruin. Their roots are no longer sunk deep. They don’t have the Lord living within them, strengthening them and producing good fruit. They won’t last.

But there’s no use pointing fingers. We all have areas of our lives that we know need pruned out. We see the warning signs, just like when I hear the rumble of thunder up above my house, the rain begins to fall, and I once again look at at that tree by the side of our house. I know it’s dead. I know it’s inside is no more. I know it’s a lost cause.

We see the warning signs in our own lives. 

We know the things that need to change. 

And we have the promise that God will change those things in our lives. We are never past the grace of God. He’s always there, ready to change, and revive what was seemingly dead.

There’s no chance for that tree, but there’s a beautiful chance for revival in those around us.  They can be made new again. Why would we not share such a precious message with them?

Consider the Israelites. 

The Israelites had prospered in their new land, but refused to acknowledge God’s hand in it all. They denied His provision again and again. And so, He sent them into captivity. Through this process, He had many prophets, who reminded the Israelites time and again of how the Lord was always ready and willing to take them back. Consider Hosea 14:

“Israel, return to Yahweh your God, for you have stumbled in your sin. Take words of repentance with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him: ‘Forgive all our sin and accept what is good, so that we may repay You with praise from our lips.’”

— Hosea 14:1-2

But listen to this promise that follows. I think it’s a beautiful one to read at the end of a devotional series on Trees. We serve a God that wants to prune us, wants to take care of the dead so that new life can grow. We serve a God who truly wants to see our roots sink deep in all that is right and true. 

“I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. His new branches will spread, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance, like the forest of Lebanon. The people will return and live beneath his shade. They will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim, why should I have anything more to do with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing pine tree; your fruit comes from Me. Let whoever is wise understand these things, and whoever is insightful recognize them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.”

— Hosea 14:5-9

He has such great things in store for us! He wants us to flourish in this life. I think that’s my favorite take away from these verses. The LORD wants so much good for our lives. Let’s sink our roots deep, lean into Him, and flourish in exactly the place the Lord has placed us today. He has good fruit, that He’s ready and willing to grow in our lives. We’re in that place for a reason, be it easy or hard. Let’s give Him all the praise!

The ways of the Lord are right ,and glorious and true. 

Grow in Him. Like A Tree.

Like A Tree... Pruning Growth

Hi friend! I’m so glad you found your way to my blog! Below you’ll find the text from my “Like A Tree” Summer Podcast Series.  Have you had a listen yet? I’ve been having so much fun learning about Podcasting! You can find my Podcast here. We’ve been looking at Psalm 1 lately, and considering what it means when we compare our Christian life to that of a tree. Today we’re going to consider the process of pruning.

Early each Spring my roses start to bloom. They’re fragrant and wonderful, until they’re not. And then, I carefully prune off the dead flowers. I make room for more vibrant flowers to come. The same is true with trees. Sometimes our tree in the front yard will send out an awkward new branch, one that’s way too close to the ground for my husband to mow around. And so he prunes that tree, a lot. He prunes it, so that there’s energy for other future branches to grow. He prunes it for the fruit to come. 

Growing can be a painful process, but we have to clear the dead things away so that new growth can form. 

As we grow closer to God, we see the painful reality of how much we don’t measure up. Sins that God may have not pointed out when we were a new Christian, now come to light. But it’s so important that we have a teachable spirit. While it is painful to ask, to draw closer to God we have to go through the painful process of pruning, getting rid of the old habits to make room for the new. It’s hard to admit when we have areas that need work. (Even more so for a perfectionist like me!). The Holy Spirit’s influence on our lives prods and pushes us to bring things out in the open and truly get rid of those yucky things, so that we can draw closer to God.

The dead things have to be cleared away, so that the lasting fruit can begin to grow in its place.

When we prune, fruit from the Lord can grow in our lives.

What is this fruit?

For one, consider the Fruits of the Spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit”

— Galatians 5:22-25

Just remember, we’ve never past His renewal. We’re never past the ability for God to work and change our lives around. We always have something that needs pruned. In this broken world, we’re slowly going through the process of being renewed, day by day.

What might need to be pruned in your own life? Where have you seen some fruits of the Lord? Perhaps fruits of the spirit that didn’t used come as easily to you in the past? What fruit of the spirit might you need to work on today?

Like A Tree... Who Prospers

This is the Written version of my NEW PODCAST! You can have a listen here! Or go ahead and read below.

Welcome back to the “Like A Tree” Summer Devotional Series. 

We’ve been considering the different phrases in Psalm 1:3. Today we’re going to look at the final part:

““He is like a tree planted beside streams of water[d]

that bears its fruit in season[e]

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers””

Whatever he does prospers.

The Hebrew word used here is “ṣālēaḥ”. This word is used 65 times in scripture. It means “to advance, prosper, make progress, succeed, be profitable.” 

This word is often used in a monetary sense, physical prosperity. But it can also be translated as “success.” To succeed in something. To accomplish what God (or we) set out to do. When we are a tree rooted securely in His word, bearing fruit for His kingdom, His plan will work out successfully in our lives. He will accomplish what He set out to accomplish in the beginning. 

We live in a broken world, so we aren’t promised a life free of suffering. We aren’t even promised monetary success. We will face our share of trials in this world. 

But we can still experience success, maybe just not in the way we’d originally imagined. We can still do good work for His kingdom. We can still see the fruits of a good life lived for the Lord. Our families, our jobs, our church, they can become great sucess stories in our lives! 

Our prosperity will probably look far different than the world around me.

When I left graduate school to get married, I was told by a well meaning professor that I was making the biggest mistake of my life. I wasn’t continuing my education. I was missing out on all the great opportunities up around me. In this professor’s eyes, I was turning my back on a successful career.

And I understand where she was coming from. I agree, that that missed out, on not immediately going on to get my doctorate. I once had dreams of going that direction. And maybe you did that, which is so amazing. But for me, I felt the Lord leading me in a different direction. I chose marriage, and a family. My prosperity doesn’t come from my amazing income these days, but from the small humans I’ve been raising for the last decade. 

Yes, I missed out on some success, but I see other precious success that the Lord has brought into my life. We are promised success, as followers of Jesus. But this success can be different, in some beautiful ways. 

At the end of our lives, what kind of prosperity to we hope that we have? I hope that I’ve grown in my CHristian life. That people see the fruits of a life well lived.  THat they know just how much I loved and cared for them. That I reached out to those in need. That I shared God’s love everywhere I went.

The success, the prosperity we have in Christ might not be how we expect. Just as the gifts we have, might be used in unique ways. 

Will will succeed in the things we do, with the Lord by our side. 

 What does success and prosperity mean to you? How has the Lord changed the way you view success. I’ll leave you with this wonderful selection of Scripture, that reminds us just how different the Lord sees things then we do! It’s a great reminder that He does have great prosperity in store for us, just maybe not in ways we have considered before. Sink your roots into Him, and trust that He will accomplish what He’s set out to do! 

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.’”

— Isaiah 55: 8--11, HCSB

Like A Tree... With Non-Withering Leaves

Welcome back to our Like A Tree Devotional Series. I’m Meg Chaney. For the Podcast version listen here! I would love the support! Or, read the written version below. (This was originally taken from an older blog post here on the site. It was updated for this week’s Podcast Devotion).

This week, we’ll continue looking at Psalm 1:3: 

“He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

Let’s be realistic here: leaves wither. It’s part of the natural process. The changing of seasons. One of my favorite times of year is Spring, watching new life begin, watching the beautiful trees bloom out in frothy witness, watching bright new green leaves being formed. But those leaves are only formed because the leaves of the last season withered up and died. That process is beautiful. The transformation each year is beautiful. I’ve heard sermons comparing the changes of life to the changing seasons. But Psalm 1 is striking a different note. In this case, as believers, we will never wither. We’ll never fade away. We will remain vibrant and strong, not of our own accord, but because God is the one reinforcing our roots, nourishing us, sustaining us through good times and bad. 

In Hebrew, the word wither is nāḇēl. (You can here the word if you follow this link here. Nāḇēl means to sink or drop down, to wither and fall, to droop, to fade. 

There are certainly times in this life, whole seasons, that feel like we’re withering away. Seasons where we wonder about joy, about peace.

But my friends, can I whisper to your heart, and mine, today?

This verse has nothing to do with outward peace, outward happiness. This world, the things of this world, the people of this world, will never fulfill us. There will always be things that come up short, sadness, hurt, grief, loneliness will always find us. No, this verse doesn’t have anything to do with the outer-world, and everything to do with our hearts. 

Because here, in this verse, God has promised to keep us.

He’s promised to hold our hearts close to Him.

He’s promised to be our refuge in all things.

He’s promised that, even though this outer world may get messy, our hearts will always be sustained by Him.

No, this verse doesn’t promise that we won’t ever come head to head with the messiness of life.

This verse promises that He will keep our hearts.

Psalm 90:14-15 has been on my heart a lot lately. I’ve been longing to be satisfied by Him alone. To seek out joy that only comes from Him, even when the rest of life swirls in chaos around me. I’ve been wondering what that looks like. What that feels like to live in His joy and peace. That my leaves won’t wither. That true satisfaction and joy can only be found in Him. This is, truly, a beautiful prayer to repeat as you start each morning: 

“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil”

— Psalm 90:14, ESV

Satisfy us, dear Lord, Sustain us. Remind us that we are nothing without you. Because of you, we have the promise that our leaves won’t wither. Because of you, we have eternity. 

I’ll leave you all with one more portion of scripture today. It’s a good reminder that this world, and everything in it, is truly withering away. It’s our inner self that’s eternal: 

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

— 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, ESV

Like A Tree.. Bearing Fruit in It's Season

Welcome back to the Like A Tree Devotional Series. Find the Podcast Version here , or enjoy the written version below!

Let’s start with review of the verse we’ve been reading together from Psalm 1:

“He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers”

— Psalm 1:3

This tree, bears fruit in his time, or season. But not before.

There have been things in my life that I loved doing. I felt that they were good, and even served the Lord, only to be meant by a road block, sometimes a loud “No” and other times, a “Not Yet.” This is good, but not for this season. This is part of the plan, but not right now. 

Have you ever been faced with similar things? You’re going along, doing what you think is best, only to be faced with resistance. My husband and I have tried to seek out training for Foster Care more than once. It’s something we’ve long been interested in. We would send the emails, try to sign up for the trainings, make some phone calls.

Not yet.

It’s a good thing. It’s a noble thing. But we’ve been faced with this “No” several times.

Has something like this ever happened to you? It seems like the perfect job, a great way to serve, a new opportunity for your family, big or small, but you feel the LORD giving a giant “No”, or “Not Yet.”

It will bear fruit in it’s time.

Sometimes the not yet, feels like, there’s still work to be done, this story isn’t over. 

Maybe there’s still some unknown lessons to be learned. Maybe the LORD knows that while this would be good, it wouldn’t be good for your family, in this moment. Maybe you have a trial to face first. Some growth to be had.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that  “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end”.

Maybe the flowers are only starting to bud on your tree. Or maybe some pruning in other areas of your life needs to happen first.

For years, I had to set some great dreams aside, to focus more on my tiny children. I saw a caution sign go up and paid attention, for me, some of my writing dreams were a
“No” while others were “Not Yet” or “I’ve got something completely different in mind.”

That fruit might still be growing but It might take some time. It might take some learning. It might take some work. 

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart’.”

— Jeremiah 29:11-12

 It’s an oft quoted portion of scripture, one you may be familiar with, but I think it’s worth reminding. The Lord has plans in store for us. There is fruit that will grow in our lives. It may just take some time to get there. 

 What areas of your Christian Life have you seen fruit? What might be growing at this moment? Have you ever received a mighty “Not Yet”?

Like A Tree...By Streams of Water

Welcome back to our Like A Tree Summer Devotional Series. Find the Podcast version here, or read the written version below.

Let’s start by reading our scripture for the day:

“He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers”

— Psalm 1:3

Last week we considered what it means to be a tree, rooted deeply by our faith in God. Today, we’re looking at the next part of this verse. This tree is planted beside streams of water. It’s getting the nourishment it needs to survive. 

 What do you think of when you hear the word water? If you’re my kids, you’d probably think of hot summer days, and a nice, refreshing ump in a swimming pool. Or maybe a fun water balloon fight. Something that takes the heat off on a hot, humid Southern Summer Day.

 We all know just how essential water is to our survival. Most doctors and nutritionist state that the average person can live about 4 to 6 weeks without food, but a week is a miracle without water.

 It’s no surprise then, that the image of water is used so often in the Bible. 

 Think of the water that covered the earth in the days of Noah, the miracle of God dividing the Red Sea & the Jordan River, so that the Israelites could pass through, or what about when Moses, in the wilderness, tapped a rock, and God provided water for His people to drink. 

In the New Testament, Jesus offers us all living water. Consider the story of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman in John 4. Jesus is traveling through Samaria, which in itself was amazing. As a rule, Jews avoided Samaria, even if it meant adding extra miles to their journey. Jesus isn’t avoiding it at all. And then, He asks for a drink of water from a Samaritan Woman, which makes the story even more interesting. Not only that, but He offers her Living Water in return

“Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water. “Sir,” said the woman, “You don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do You get this ‘living water’? You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are You? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.” Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.”

— John 4:11-14

 Physical Water is refreshing, and is actually needed for life, but what Jesus is offering here is so much more! He’s offering Living Water to all of us. Water that will nourish our very souls. We just have to receive it.

When we think about our Christian Lives as a Tree, we can start to see that Living Water flowing through and nourishing us, day in and day out.  In John 7:38 Jesus says,“ The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” What an image! We are being nourished by Living Water each day. When we accept Him, His presence resides inside of us. The Holy Spirit lives within us, directing us, nourishing us, encouraging us, and strengthens us!

What an amazing thing!

 What images of water from scripture do you love? What do they remind you about the powerful nature of God? I’d love to hear what Living Water means to you!

Like a Tree... Planted with Deep Roots

Welcome back to the Like A Tree Summer Devotional Series!  If you’d like to listen to today’s Podcast, follow the link here. Or enjoy the written version below.

Let’s start by reading Psalm 1:3 together. 

“He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers”

Today we’ll be looking at the very first part of this verse, “He is like a tree planted”. What does it mean, when we compare our Christian walk to a tree? What kind of roots are we planting in our own lives? 

As a military spouse, I know what it’s like to uproot, and plant myself at a new location. In the past 12 years, we’ve lived at six different addresses. Maybe you can relate? Military or not, many of us have experienced addresses changes. Either from jobs or other life circumstances, moving so often can leave you feeling a little unsettled, uprooted, without footing. When you move often, you change churches often. Jobs, friendships, favorite Saturday traditions, they all change with your location. Maybe you’ve been fortunate enough to never change your address. My husband lived in the same house his entire childhood! His mom still lived their until just recently. But still, life changes, career changes, friends moving away, changes in churches, can leave you feeling so unsettled.

This image of the tree, reminds us to consider where our roots are truly planted. If my roots were just planted at my physical addresses, they would be in sorry shape by now! Instead, my spiritual roots have to be grounded in a much deeper place. In the Lord.

The LORD is the one with whom I am grounded. 

In my early morning devotions, I’ve been reading through Angie Smith’s new book, Woven. In it, she encourages you to think about the Bible as one story, connected by threads from the beginning to end. I was reading, in particular, about King Saul and King David. King Saul was the first King of Israel. He was handsome, tall, mighty in battle. He was a gallant king. He played lips-service to the Lord, but it only ran skin deep. At the root level, He wasn’t right with God.

 And so God found the next king of Israel, a young man named David. David would make his share of massive mistakes as well, but was still called a man after God’s own heart. His faith in God, His repentance when He made mistakes, both big and small, was real, he was truly rooted in the Lord. 

The Bible is filled with such examples of imperfect people who make big mistakes, but the real question comes down to the root level. Who did they truly serve? Whose side were they really on? 

I love what the Lord said to the prophet Samuel, when He was searching for the next king of Israel after Saul:  

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”

— 1 Samuel 16:7

Think about it. The Lord cares about so much more than physical appearance. He sees our true faith at a root level. He see us at a level no one else can. I find that so precious, don’t you? 

So let’s consider this tree, planted by a stream of water. It may be beautiful in appearance, it may have blooms in the Spring, but how is it planted? Are it’s roots deep? If it’s all show, but doesn’t have roots, it really won’t last long. 

This week, let’s think about our faith, on a deep level. What might we need to work on to strengthen our roots? How can we nourish our souls, through moments of quiet, prayer, and scripture reading? How can we encourage each other through the process?

The Lord sees you, friends. He knows who you are at the root level! Be encouraged. 

Like A Tree...Delighting in God's Word

This summer I’m trying something new, and it’s been a lot of fun so far! I’ve been creating a podcast series to share with my church for the months of June and July. Each Monday I’ll be hopping on here to share a written version of the podcast as well.

Here’s a link to the Podcast. Like A Tree… Planted with Deep Roots.

First, let’s read the following scripture together:

“How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. ”

— Psalm 1:1-2

We have a choice each day, don’t we? Just what will our focus be on today? Where will most of our time be spent? I know for me, social media will always have it’s pull. Spare moments are often spent scrolling, seeing what my online friends have been up to. But what is the priority of God in all of this? What role does scripture play? 

I don’t pretend to have this all figured out. I do make a habit of getting up each morning, pouring a cup of coffee, and reading scripture to start my day. But then my busy day moves on, and I hardly take a breath until 8:00 PM, when the kids are put to bed. What happens between 8:00 and 8:00? How could I be meditating on scripture, in the midst of a busy life? I wonder if you can relate? I want prayer and scripture to take a larger role in my life, but life really does get in the way. I’m sure each of us easily fills up our day with jobs and responsibilities. But I also know we need to be prepared. Verse 1 tells us that “happy is the man.” or I’ve read other versions that say “blessed” is the man, who doesn’t follow the advice of sinners or join a group of mockers. 

If I read scripture first thing, but then move on with my busy day and never consider the ways of the LORD again, how will I combat criticism? How will I confront personal and spiritual attacks? How will I face the every day challenges, big and small, that come at me between the hours of 8 and 8? Because, let’s be honest, the easiest part of my day are those early morning hours, with coffee and scripture, before my family wakes up! Then the real challenges begin. 

It’s not enough to just read scripture, the words have to actually sink into my life, I can look at the words with my eyes, but I have to start actually living them to make a difference! 

Praying throughout the day, scripture cards that I can quickly see, placed around the house, and, one of my favorites, Christian music blasting on the radio, can really help to redirect my thoughts! I’ve also become more careful about the kind of content I consume online. Who am I following? What kinds of things do I watch and listen to? Do they encourage me to live out scripture? Do they remind me of what I believe? Or do these things encourage negative attitudes and outlooks? Remember, the scripture says “happy is the man,” and I want happiness to be an intrinsic part of my life. What about you? How do you meditate on scripture, day and night? 

Let’s decide, this week, to make scripture a central part of our lives, not a passing glance at the beginning or end of the day. 

Let it be a delight to you, and to me!

 For more encouragement, be sure to follow me over on Instagram as well! @megchaneywrites

The Names of God: Jehovah M'Kaddesh/ Jehovah Sanctifies

“Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you”

— Leviticus 20:2, ESV

The Hebrew word for sanctified, qāḏaš, means “to consecrate, sanctify, be holy, be separate.” With the Fall in the Garden of Eden, sin entered this world. God cannot stand the presence of sin, so something had to be set in place to cover/sanctify the sins of His people. And so, a long list of rules and regulations were set into place. Take a glance at Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, and you’ll start to see just how extensive this list was! The Israelites were given these rules to set them apart from the pagan cultures surrounding them. They were set apart to worship God, to not get trapped in the false religions of neighboring nations. Yes, these rules were extensive, but they also laid out a path of forgiveness for the people. They would bring animal sacrifices to the Tabernacle (and later the Temple) and offer them up as an atonement. These sacrifices would cover their sins. But they had to come back again, and again, and again. Their sins were being covered, but still, the sinning, and a need for atonement, continued on. Ultimately Jesus Christ would come into this world as the Lamb of Atonement and would cover all of our sins, once and for all. He would sanctify us through His blood. Jesus would be the one, who would ultimately make us holy. He would give us the ability to stand in the presence of God.

When we say “Jehovah Sanctifies.” We’re reminding our selves of this wonderful promise of God. He’s the one who sanctifies. The one who covers. The one who makes us whole. He sanctifies us everyday. This continual process is at work in each of us. Without it, we would still need to be bringing sacrifices to the alter. Instead, His once and forever sacrifice sanctifies and renews us each and every day.

Philippians 2:12-13 tells us to “work out our salvation.” This isn’t by anything we do ourselves, but is the daily act of sanctification, of being renewed time and again. Of becoming more like Christ.

Isn’t that amazing? Each and every day, you are being sanctified. Your sins are being covered, and you are becoming more and more like Christ! It’s a fascinating process, and something that’s hard to wrap our earthly brains around. But it’s something I’m forever thankful for! We are sanctified. We are able to live, with the presence of God working within us. We are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s no longer a building, but each and every one of us!

He sanctifies us. He makes us holy. For that, I’m forever thankful.

The Names of God: El Roi

“The Angel of the Lord found [Hagar] by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. He said, ‘Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’ She replied, ‘I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.’ Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, ‘You must go back to your mistress and submit to her mistreatment.’ The Angel of the Lord also said to her, ‘I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.’ Then the Angel of the Lord said to her: You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction. So she called the Lord who spoke to her: The God Who Sees, for she said, ‘In this place, have I actually seen the One who sees me?’ .”

— Genesis 16: 7-11,13, HCSB

I have always loved this story. For some reason, it’s always resonated with me. Maybe that seems odd to you, but stay with me for a bit. First, let’s look at Hagar. Hagar was a slave. But not just anyone’s slave, Sarai’s. Do you recall the story of Abram (later Abraham) and Sarai (later Sarah)? They were promised that their descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky. But they were really getting up there in age, and Sarai still hadn’t had a son. So Sarai gave her slave Hagar (see, there she is!) to Abram as a second wife (can you imagine?). Hagar did become pregnant, but this is where her relationship with Sarai becomes messy. She lords her position over the still child-less Sarai, and Sarai, in turn, is pretty cruel to Hagar.

And so Hagar runs away from home.

Hagar was caught in the middle of Abram and Sarai trying to rush God’s plan. Her child wasn’t the one God had promised. But God still saw her pain. And so, God sends an angel to Hagar in the wilderness. He talks to her there, and promises that her son will have his own, great nation. Just the same, she has to go back and submit to her mistress for a season. He saw her mistreatment, and yet doesn’t immediately deliver her from it.

Hagar calls the place were the angel spoke to God “El Roi, the God Who Sees.” And then, she goes back. She’s given an amazing promise, but not immediate deliverance.

How interesting.

But isn’t it so true in our own lives? We are given these deep promises. We have deep soul truths in our lives, but that doesn’t mean that we’ll immediately see all those things come to past. Often, we go through long seasons of waiting. Long seasons of draught. Long seasons of just having to trust that the Lord is our Provider and Sustainer. Sometimes, He asks us to just keep moving. To just keep trusting. And so it’s so comforting to be reminded that He sees us, He meets us exactly where we are, in the middle of it all.

He sees you, exactly where you are today, dear one. How can I pray for you today?

The Names of God: Jehovah Raah

Jehovah Raah: The Lord is my SHEPHERD

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.”

— Psalm 23:1-6, HCSB

When I read these verses a few months back, it was the image of the shepherd that really struck me. He leads His flock of sheep, and truly knows them individually. He calls them each by name.

I know if I was looking at a field of sheep, they would honestly all look the same. But this isn’t true for a good shepherd. A good shepherd sees each one individually.

These verses say that “there is nothing I lack” and that “only goodness and faithful love will pursue me.”

Yet there are many days in which I feel like I lack a whole lot. There are many days when the world seems out to get me, when the odds are great, when life seems anything but good and filled with love. This world can be a hard place to live. Sickness, fighting, anger, death, they’re not pretty things to go through.

And yet our Shepherd pursues us, even then. And yet, He calls us by name. At times, He picks us up like a lamb, drapes us around His shoulders, and carries us. We’re not promised that goodness will always be our lot in life, we’re promised, in these verses above, that “goodness and faithful love” will pursue us. There’s a difference there. This life is a hard place. We’re not promised it will always be happy and rosy. But we are promised a Shepherd who will lead us through the valleys. A Shepherd who isn’t afraid to reach out with His rod and lead us back in the right direction.

Know, dear friends, that He sees you, even in the hardest of days. He pursues you. He cherishes you and knows you by name.

Lord, We thank You that You are our SHEPHERD. We pray for Your direction, that You would lead us wherever You want us to go. We thank You that, like a shepherd, You search for every lost sheep. You know every one of us by our name.

The Names of God: Jehovah Shalom

“When Gideon realized that He was the Angel of the Lord, he said, ‘Oh no, Lord God! I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face!’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Peace to you. Don’t be afraid, for you will not die.’ So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it Jehovah Shalom”

— Judges 6:22-24a, HCSB

In Judges chapter 6, the Israelite nation has been oppressed by the Midianite people. A man named Gideon is busy in his field, trying to thresh wheat and hide it away from their oppressors. An Angel comes to him saying,

“The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”

This is a funny greeting for Gideon, who feels nothing like a great warrior. In fact, he is pretty quick to say that his family is of the smallest and weakest of the Israelite nations. He doesn’t look or feel like a mighty warrior. He’s at a point where he’s wondering where the LORD has even been during all their suffering. He’s feeling forgotten, weak, and alone. Yet, he brings meat and bread and offers them to the Lord. The Angel reaches out his staff and fire consumes the meat and bread.

And then, Gideon realizes what has taken place, that He had just been face to face with an angel of the Lord. And so he calls that place “Jehovah Shalom” The God of Peace.

Isn’t that interesting? In the midst of persecution, in the middle of a place where Gideon wonder where God’s deliverance even is, God shows up bringing His peace.

It seems so opposite, but at the same time, so completely needed. So relevant.

That’s the kind of God we serve.

A God who is peace in the midst of trials, Peace in the midst of suffering, Peace, in His ability to call us out to new, giant, seemingly impossible things. He is the God of a type of peace that passes all understanding.

He sees us in the midst of our trials. In the midst of our days. We may feel incredibly small and insignificant. We may even feel like our “trials” for the day, really aren’t that big in comparison to the vast problems of the world around us. We feel small, rather worthless. But God sees so much more. He sees promise. He offers peace, the very thing we didn’t even realize we needed.

“ Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 4:6-8

If I was Gideon, I would be tempted to stay in that field, threshing wheat. It was a small, predictable life. It didn’t involve big things. But God was offering Him Peace, and so much more. God was calling Him to new, scary things. And He was offering peace to guard His heart and mind along the way. My small, relatively comfortable life? It may be easy, but something God starts to call me to more. And that starts my hands shaking. It makes me nervous. Do I want to accept such peace? Do I want to accept all that God’s offering, with the acknowledgement that with that will come brand new battles to undertake.

Yes, in fact I do.

So I’m so thankful that His peace surrounds me every new step of the way. I’m so thankful it guards my heart and my mind. My heart, because new things are scary, my mind, because it will try to feed me all kinds of lies about how small and insignificant I am. My mind will question. And that’s why I need His protection, His peace, before I even begin the first step.

Peace, peace that guards my heart and mind through each new, exciting, brilliant, hard thing up ahead.

I pray you all can experience such peace this week. Peace that guards your heart and minds. Peace that shows up, wherever you may be.

Lord, we thank you that your Peace covers us, each and every day. You have such amazing, new things up ahead for us. We pray that our minds would focus on what is right and true, and that our hearts would be filled with your peace and love.