Comfort in the Storm

A few nights ago, I had to comfort our cat, Raven, during a thunderstorm. She's not usually affected by the weather, but something had her scared. So I held her and talked to her. I made a blanket tent for her to sleep under and sat with her until she felt brave enough to burrow under the blankets.

Once she was calmer and safely tucked under her tent, I went to bed. But before I fell asleep, I thought about her need for comfort and how we're not much different in this respect.

Aren't there times we all need to feel safe and to be reminded that we're going to be okay?

Maybe it's not a thunderstorm, but a situation that makes life feel out of control.

The diagnosis.

A relationship that's falling apart.

Sadness and grief.

Financial struggles.

Or so many other possibilities.

Sometimes God will change what's going on around us, but often He will provide comfort for what's going on inside of us instead. {Tweet this}

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

Because He comforts us first, we are able to comfort others. 

We may not be able to change someone's circumstances, but we can be there just to sit and let her know she's not alone. {Tweet this}

I couldn't stop the thunderstorm, but I could comfort Raven when she was afraid.

I couldn't stop my mom's cancer last year, but I could sit with her in her pain so she didn't feel alone. 

So many things we can't control, but we can be there.

Even when we can't understand the situation or the pain, just being present can often be enough. It validates another person's emotions. It says, "You don't have to walk through this alone."

And perhaps, as God works through us, it even shines some light into the dark places in our lives.

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, #TellHisStory, InstaEncouragements, #RechargeWednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, Worth Beyond Rubies, #TuneInThursday, #HeartEncouragement, #FaithonFire, Faith ‘n Friends, Grace & Truth, Spiritual Sundays

Collected Tears

“I know He’s there, I know He hears us, and He’s collecting our tears…and sometimes that has to be enough.”

I wrote this in an email to a friend a couple of weeks ago, after a particularly difficult evening. Although I didn’t look through Scripture at the time, I specifically remembered a verse that says God collects our tears.

Since that evening, I’ve been thinking about it and rereading the verse.

You keep track of all my sorrows.

You have collected all my tears in your bottle.

You have recorded each one in your book.

Psalm 56:8 NLT

If I’m honest, part of me kept thinking, So? What good does that do? But, as I’ve been pondering the verse, I realize now that there’s a deeper, richer meaning.

I started thinking of a friend who listens to another’s heartache. Without interrupting or trying to fix it, she just listens and validates the feelings being expressed.

She lets her friend cry without judgement or condemnation. There’s no shaming for how she feels because emotions are real, even if someone else can’t fully understand them.

This friend provides comfort and compassion. She offers strength and encouragement. She prays with her, and for her. She encourages her friend to keep moving forward, despite everything threatening to hold her back.

This is an amazing friend…but God is so much more.

God listens to our heartache. He gives us His full attention and is not distracted by multiple things going on, or other things on His to-do list. {Tweet this}

He lets us cry and fall asleep from fatigue, then encourages us to get back up and keep trying.

Although He can fix it, He often doesn’t because He knows that what we have to walk through will lead us to places we never imagined we could go.

He doesn’t judge or condemn, even when He shows us where we need to change our actions or way of thinking.

He keeps track of our sorrows with love and compassion, but He does not keep record of our sins—also out of love and compassion.

There is no shaming for how we feel, because He knows our emotions are real. He created us to feel, and knows some of His children feel deeper than others. He collects our tears, knowing and understanding what caused them. {Tweet this}

God stays close with comfort and support, while giving strength and encouragement. He knows when it’s time to rest, when it’s time to persevere, and when it’s time to move forward.

He sees everything threatening to hold us back, but knows the future He has planned for us…and knows that one day, all tears will be dried.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

Revelation 21:4 NLT

In Christ,

Laura

Linking up with: Five Minute Friday, #DreamTogether, Moments of Hope, Purposeful Faith, #glimpsesofHisbeauty, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Recharge Wednesday, Writer Wednesday, Chasing Community, Porch Stories, Faith on Fire, Grace Moments, Faith 'n Friends, #FreshMarketFriday, Grace & Truth

Called to Persevere

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2 NLT

I’ve read this verse so many times, each time soaking in the comfort it provides. Yet, when I read it again recently, there was more.

There was still the comfort and reassurance I was seeking, but there was also the reminder to persevere. {Tweet this}

As much as I’d like God to remove the obstacles and difficulties I’m facing, that doesn’t always happen. He does promise, though, to be there with me.

As I persevere through the deep waters of disappointment and discouragement, He walks through the waves with me.

As I persevere through life’s storms and the rivers of difficulty, He keeps me from drowning.

As I persevere through the flames of oppression, hardship, and suffering, He keeps me from burning.

As I persevere through daily difficulties and life’s hardest days, God is there, walking with me—making sure it doesn’t consume me.

His promise to you, and to me—

He will be with us every step of the way.

Guiding, guarding, and protecting.

Offering strength, comfort, and reassurance.

Today and all of our tomorrows.

We only have to look to Him, trust Him, and rely upon Him.

He will be by your side, and mine, as we persevere one day at a time. {Tweet this}

When you face stormy seas I will be there with you with endurance and calm; you will not be engulfed in raging rivers.
    If it seems like you’re walking through fire with flames licking at your limbs, keep going; you won’t be burned.

Isaiah 43:2 VOICE

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Moments of Hope, #DreamTogether, #glimpsesofHisbeauty, PurposefulFaith, #TellHisStory, From Messes to Messages, Coffee for Your Heart, Recharge Wednesday, Writer Wednesday, Porch Stories, Grace Moments, #ChasingCommunity, Faith on Fire, Grace & Truth, Faith ‘n Friends, #FreshMarketFriday, Jami Amerine

God’s Healing Through a Song

When I opened the envelope, I thought I knew what it would say. In fact, I was so sure, I was already mentally planning my next steps. But, what I expected was not what was printed in that letter. I was stunned and stuck in the place I was standing.

What I read was good news, but it was also news that would disrupt our world for a while.

It was news that sent my emotions, and my daughter’s, into a freefall. I was instantly overwhelmed with the letter’s implications—the details that would have to be quickly taken care of, the financial risk, and how it would affect every member of our family, including our fur baby.

And did I mention the emotions?

Pouring out what I didn’t feel I had in me, I helped my daughter process through what she was thinking and feeling. Between the two of us, the fear, what ifs, and unknowns were too numerous to count. So were the tears.

I spent the next day making phone calls and confirming details, some I knew and some I’d just been made aware of. I sat at my kitchen table and cried when one piece of news was better than I had anticipated. I knew God had gone before us and was working out the details. And yet, I was still scared.

How could I see God’s hand and all that He was working in our favor and still be afraid? Because I’m human. {Tweet this}

I can be thankful for God’s provision and still feel vulnerable. 

I can trust Him and still be unsure of what my next step is. 

I can praise Him and still cry because I feel so broken. 

And, I can know God is with me and still feel afraid of what I can’t see ahead.

The week before, I’d fallen in love with the song “O My Soul” by Casting Crowns. I turned up the volume every time I heard it on the car radio and decided it was my new favorite song. That same week, I found the CD at the library and checked it out. Little did I know that my new favorite song would get me through my overwhelming week.

“O My Soul” was on constant replay in the car and at work. When I couldn’t listen to it, I heard the song in my head and thought about the meaning of the lyrics. I cried and I prayed. I was overtired and worn out. I wondered if I should stop listening to the song because I couldn’t listen to it and not cry, especially on my way to work. But I couldn’t stop playing it—I knew that one song was holding me together.

And that’s when I realized—God had given me something audible to cling to that only He knew I would desperately need in the days to come. His love and promises spoken to me in the way of music.

When I felt exhausted, I knew He was holding me. 

When I felt empty, He was filling me up. 

And when I was unsure what to do next, He turned me in the right direction.

God was healing me in ways I wasn’t aware I needed. {Tweet this}

It wasn’t immediate, but after a week or so, I could listen to the song without shedding more tears. I felt calmer and stronger. Still tired, but less worried.

There are still many unknowns, what ifs, and how will we? questions. But we’re taking them one at a time and looking for where God has already sorted out the details.

And I’m praising Him and thanking Him every step of the way.

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: Pixabay.com]

Linking up with: #DreamTogether, #glimpsesofHisbeauty, Purposeful Faith, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Writer Wednesday, Grace Moments, #ChasingCommunity, #HeartEncouragement, Rich Faith Rising, Porch Stories, Faith 'n Friends, #FaithOnFire, #FreshMarketFriday, Grace & Truth

He is Here

I’m joining the Five Minute Friday community with Kate Motaung…5 minutes, no rewriting, and a one-word prompt…

Help

I have called you back from the ends of the earth,
    saying, ‘You are my servant.’
For I have chosen you
    and will not throw you away.
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:9-10 NLT

I love these verses from the book of Isaiah.

They remind me that even when I don’t feel God close to me, He is here. We are chosen by Him, and we will not be forgotten. {Tweet this}

When He calls me to something I feel unqualified for, He is here to lead me. We are chosen and called, and He does not expect us to work alone.

When I feel afraid and alone, He is here to comfort and strengthen me. We are chosen by Him and He walks with us.

When I feel discouraged, He is here to encourage me. He has chosen us, not to be dismayed and disappointed, but to be built up by His strength.

When I feel weak and powerless, He is here to help me. We are His chosen people, and He does not leave us in a helpless position.

He is here. He is with us. God strengthens us and helps us—even holding us up with His victorious right hand.

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: FreeImages.com]

Linking up with: Five Minute Friday

Why We Need to Know and Believe God’s Promises

I’m in a season I’m not enjoying. It’s a season of difficulty and looking for answers. But receiving none.

I’m full of questions.

Why God?!?

When God?!?

How God?!?

But I’m not hearing much from God lately.

I know He’s with me because He promises to never leave me, but so many times, I wish He’d be a little more obvious about His presence.

I’ve realized again why it’s so important to be in God’s Word and to know His promises—before a season of waiting on my part and silence on His part.

We must know and believe God’s promises to us before we’re in the desert. The desert ground isn’t fertile for much, but it’s the perfect environment for doubt and disobedience.

The Israelites learned that the hard way. When they refused to enter the Promised Land with God’s blessing the first time (after 40 days), their time in the desert became 40 years. (Numbers 14:34)

Not much grows in the desert, except doubt—it flourishes.

So, before I start doubting God’s presence, I must know and believe the promises He’s made to me. And to you.

Before fear takes hold, God tells us…

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

Before discouragement sets in, God says…

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV

Before we decide we can’t do what God asks, He reminds us…

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

When the situations seems impossible, Jesus assured us…

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NIV

Before hopelessness can grow, God’s Word blesses us…

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV

And when we think we just can’t do it anymore, we are promised…

I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.] Philippians 4:13 AMP

There are so many more promises God has made to us. These are just a few I’ve been praying and reminding myself of.

Oh, and this –

God keeps His promises. Always.

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. Psalm 145:13-14 NLT

What promises from God do you know and rely on? Would you share them here with us?

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: K. Rath ©2016]

Linking up with: Faith 'n Friends, Grace & Truth, Coffee for Your Heart, Faith Filled Friday, #RaRaLinkup

For the Caregivers

Many days you wonder. You wonder if anyone sees all you do in caring for someone else.

The days that seem endless. The tasks that feel monotonous.

Let me remind you...God sees. He sees it all. What you do for someone else, you do for Him.

That someone else sees it too. It may not be acknowledged. It may seem unappreciated. But it is felt.

And that matters.

Some days you feel the blessing. Other days you feel exhausted. It is okay to care for yourself too. No, it's more than okay—it's necessary. Feeling drained leaves little to offer to others.

You may never hear a thank you—but how wonderful it is when you do. To know your work matters inspires you to keep giving.

But know this...caring for another is some of the most important work there is.

You are making a difference in someone else's life.

An impact that won't be forgotten.

A lasting impression that will have a ripple effect.

The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 NIV

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: Freeimages.com]

Linking up with: Give Me Grace, #RaRaLinkup, Sharing His Beauty, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Faith Filled Friday, Faith 'n Friends

Let Go – A Conversation with God

Me: That's it God. I give up.

God: Good, I've been waiting.

Me: You're going to have to help me.

God: I've been trying to.

Me: What do You mean? I feel like I've been doing it all myself.

God: You have...I've been waiting for you to let go so I could help you. But you have a very strong grip on this.

Me: If I don't take control of it, no one else will.

God: I will.

Me: No, I mean other people.

God: You don't need other people for this. You need Me.

Me: I can't do it all myself.

God: You don't have to. You can give it to me.

Me: Can't You just take it?

God: Not if you won’t let go of it.

Me: It's hard.

God: I know. Trust Me.

Me: I'm scared.

God: I know. I'm here.

Me: Will You stay with me?

God: I will. Are you ready to let go?

Me: (deep breath) I'm ready.

God: (silence)

Me: God?!? Are you still here?

God: I AM.

Whatever you might be struggling with today, God is waiting to help you with it...if you're ready to let go.

In Christ,

Laura

Photo credit: Stock photo: Alone by lake

Linking up with #TellHisStory, Sharing His Beauty, Give Me Grace, Playdates with God, #SmallWonder, Coffee for Your Heart, Grace & Truth, Thought Provoking Thursday, Everyday Jesus, Faith Filled Friday, Blessing Counters, The Weekend Brew, Faith 'N Friends

Clinging to Scripture

"What Scripture verse are you clinging to?"

Years ago, a friend asked me this. At the time, I was dealing with some issues, and in a rare moment of vulnerability, I shared with her what I was struggling with.

"What verse is getting you through this?" she asked.

Although I'd never thought of it this way before, I knew immediately which verse I'd been clinging to for dear life.

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 NLT

In it, I'd found the comfort and strength I desperately needed.

Over the years, I've gone back to that same question—often reminding myself and sometimes asking others...

To continue reading, please join me at 5 Minutes for Faith...

Where in God's Word are you finding what you need to get through your current struggle?

In Christ,

Laura 

Photo credit: K. Rath 2015

Linking up with Everyday Jesus, Thought Provoking Thursday, Coffee for Your Heart, Blessing Counters, Faith Filled Friday

Do Not Be Overwhelmed

I couldn't sleep the other night. I tried moving to a different room and reading for a while, but, it didn't work.

Although I was tired, every time my head touched the pillow, my mind went into overdrive, which then, of course, led to worry.

I fought back with any parts of Scripture I could think of...Do not be afraid...Do not be discouraged...and finally fell asleep for a few hours before having to get up again.

By that next afternoon, I was feeling overwhelmed. Everywhere I turned, something else was coming at me, resulting in another phone call to make, e-mail to respond to, more forms to fill out, errands to run, and red tape to cut though. It all added to my middle-of-the-night concerns.

Do not be afraid...

Do not be discouraged...

I needed to find where Scripture says Do not be overwhelmed. I mean, it has to, right? God knows how easily I can get overthrown and pulled under.

So, I started searching His Word for wisdom and comfort. And here's what I found...

Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. Psalm 55:1-2 NLT

A reminder that I’m not the first to cry out for help when I’m totally overwhelmed…and I won’t be the last.

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3a ESV

And there it was. The comfort and strength I was looking for. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Not only did I find His promises, but I found a distraction.

Once I turned to Scripture, I was no longer focused on how I was feeling. I was completely absorbed in finding what I knew God would provide in His Word.

When I looked for Him, He was there—just as He said He would be.

This time, I remembered to seek God right away and not wait, thinking I could handle it. How about you—is He where you go first, or as a last resort?

In Christ,

Laura  

Linking up with Blessing Counters, Everyday Jesus, Thought Provoking Thursday, The Weekend Brew, Faith Filled Friday, Faith 'N Friends, Coffee for Your Heart, Recommendation Saturday, Sunday Stillness, Give Me Grace, Grace & Truth, Sharing His Beauty, #SmallWonder, Playdates with God, #TellHisStory

My One Word 2015

This is my fourth year of choosing a One Word for the year. Or I should say, God choosing a word for me.

My first year was Trust and I readily accepted it. Next was Praise. I pushed back on praise because I didn't really get it. (Which is why I suppose God gave it to me, right?) But by the end of the year, I got it.

Last year was harder. He whispered Let Go...and it scared me. A lot. I asked Him to reconsider. Maybe I heard wrong. But no, 2014 was a year of letting go of so much of what was normal.

My One Word for this year?

Renew.

The word kept coming to mind around Christmas, and even though I had been asking God what my word would be, I didn't make the connection until He whispered it to me during worship one evening.

Renew. I was reminded that God can renew anything. And it felt comforting…especially after a year of letting go.

Maybe you could use the reminder too. God can renew anything—so much more than what we can even think to ask for.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 The Message

What do you need God to renew in your life?

Your faith? He will.

Your health? He can.

Your marriage or family? He is able.

Renew...to bring back to life...to make new again.

In His time and in His way. Nothing is impossible for Him, no matter how impossible it looks to us.

Will you join me in waiting on God and watching for all the ways He will bring about renewal?

If you’ve chosen a One Word for 2015, consider sharing it with us in the comments. If you’re looking for more information on the One Word movement, go to #OneWord365.

In Christ,
Laura

Linking up with The Weekend Brew, Recommendation Saturday, Blessing Counters, Sunday Stillness, Spiritual Sundays, Give Me Grace, Sharing His Beauty, Unforced Rhythms, Playdates with God, Soli Deo Gloria, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Everyday Jesus

When You Don’t Want to Admit You’re a Little Jealous

It happened again. I read about something new. Something really cool. Something that would’ve been fun to participate in. But I wasn’t asked.

It wasn’t a slight against me—there is absolutely no reason I should have been asked. And to be honest, being a part wasn’t even my first thought. It was just something I was perusing…and then I saw her picture.

Ouch. I don’t like to admit that, even to myself, but the feeling was there. Thankfully, so was logic. I asked myself why I felt like that—I don’t have time for another commitment. My focus has been pulled elsewhere this year, and I’ve accepted that because I know that’s where God has moved me.

But that feeling…that niggling bit of why-not-me that gets into my heart and then my stomach. I know it has to be stopped before it grows into the monster jealously becomes.

So, I took it to God.

God, I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but…why not me?

That’s not what I planned for you.

(Deep breath.)

You have planned other things for me…places where I’m needed right now, things to do today, and something for later which I don’t even know about yet.

That’s right.

(Another deep breath.)

Okay, thanks. I think I’m good now.

Admit it.

Um, I just did—to You. So…can You take away the icky feeling now?

Yes, but you need to admit it again so you can let it go.

(Sigh.) I know.

There really is something about shedding light to the dark little parts I’d rather not tell you about.

Jealously is meant to be kept in the dark because there it grows—fast and without being noticed. It’s harder to stop after it’s grown vines around your heart and clouded your thinking. It overshadows common sense and distorts perception.

Jealously changes who we are—who God made us to be. (<== Click to tweet.)

It makes us think less of what God has purposed us for because we’re focused on what someone else has.

Jealously causes us to lose what God has placed in front of us—we miss out on His plan for us.

And the thing is, if it’s what God Himself designed, then it’s better than what we see somewhere else—because His plans for you were not meant for me, and His plans for me were not for you.

That’s the perfectness of God’s plans—they are specific for each of us. God’s plans are personal—creatively thought out and set up individually—for you and for me.

In Christ,

Laura

Linking up with Coffee For Your Heart, #TellHisStory, Give Me Grace, Unforced Rhythms, Sharing His Beauty, Winsome Wednesday, Everyday Jesus

When Our Best Efforts Are Not Good Enough

As a wife and mother, I really don’t like the times I have to admit that my best isn’t good enough. In fact, I wonder how often I really do admit it because as I think about it, it seems like I keep trying an awful lot. That’s our reality though, isn’t it? Don’t quit. Keep trying. Work harder.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not for giving up after one half-hearted attempt. I believe that we can’t succeed if we don’t bother to try. And we definitely learn a lot from the mistakes we make.

But sometimes…our best efforts are simply not good enough.

We can live in guilt and regret over this fact, or we can accept it. I accept it for others without smothering them with a guilt trip. I suspect you do to. We extend grace.

But grace for ourselves seems to be so much harder. So, we keep trying. We work harder. We keep beating ourselves up.

And yet, our best efforts still will not be good enough.

It sounds depressing, but it’s not—it’s freeing.

Because God extends to us His grace—His free and unearned favor proffered to us.

Where we are not enough, He is more than enough. Always. (<==Click to tweet.)

Our determination, strength, energy, and hard work will never be enough to restore our relationship with God—and we don’t have to—because God already has.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT

God offered the sacrifice we could never offer. He did the work we cannot possibly do.

He gives us grace.

And through God’s grace, we are able to extend grace to others—and ourselves.

Grace is freedom.

Freedom to no longer live in guilt and shame.

Freedom to accept that while our efforts are not enough, God’s grace is more than enough.

Freedom to stop trying to do—and live in what’s already been done.

Freedom to breathe a sigh of thankful relief and live in His grace.

In Christ,

Laura

[This post also be read in its entirety at Gloria Dei / Photo credit: Stock photo: Alone by lake]

Linking up with The Weekend Brew, Give Me Grace, Everyday Jesus, #TellHisStory, Winsome Wednesday, Thought Provoking Thursday, Coffee for Your Heart