Safe in His Arms...

The days are getting shorter… Fall is drawing near! I love Fall… the trees changing colors, the cooler temps, sunny days with cool nights. Last year, the autumn season was a very tough time for me… turmoil & anxiety invaded my life… it was a horrible, struggling time for me. A time I do not want to revisit! Trying to prepare my heart against any of the discouraging darts of the enemy with this next season just around the corner.

Looking to Psalm 139, the whole chapter… it's an incredible “word picture”. Verse 10 is a verse of peace for me…“Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” This verse brings to mind the lyrics to this song by 33 Miles:

 

I know it seems like this could be

The darkest day you've known

But believe you me

The God of strength will never let you go

He will overcome, I know

Through many dangers, toils and snares
You have already come
His grace has brought you safe this far
His grace will lead you home

And the arms that hold the universe
Are holding you tonight
You can rest inside
It's gonna be alright

And the voice that calmed the raging sea
Is calling you His child
So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go

It is a great reminder that no matter what you may be going through our Heavenly Father is here to lead you and hold you.  As followers of Christ we are never left alone to deal with the turmoil of this world.  I can picture God holding me up with His right hand while pointing me to the path He has planned for me with His other.  Trusting and resting that He is in control… giving it all up to You, Lord.  What peace that puts deep down in my soul!!!

Could you use some peace today? Go ahead, read and meditate on Psalms 139 and see what Holy Spirit will show you to give you comfort in whatever circumstance you may be going through.

“Even though I walk into the middle of trouble, You guard my life against the anger of my enemies. You stretch out Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.” ~ Psalms 138:7

God’s hands will never fail you… not ever!

To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. ~ (Jude 24-25)

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin

Soak Up the Truth... Let Go of the Lie!

Grade school can be a good place to plant the seeds of insecurity & it only gets worse in Jr. High & High School.  But there were so many kids in my class in grade school that could read super fast.  I was always a slow, thorough reader… I liked to soak up every word, picture it in my mind & understand it.  I remember there use to be this reading program in school called SRA… not sure what that stood for.  You would have to read a little story & then answer questions about it.  There were different levels that were represented by different colors.  The “exceptional” readers would make it to the final color stages by the end of the school year.  I don’t remember how the color stages went, but I think I never made it past “brown” or “tan!” And then when I would have to read out loud in class, I would freak out because of being so shy. Do you know what I mean… I could hear my own voice & every word I would read I knew the other kids could hear the lack of confidence in my voice! 

Fast forward to adulthood… I always said I really don’t like to read.  But recently I was shown this statement was not true… it had to do with a lie I was still believing about myself.  I realized the reason for that statement was actually because I felt like an inadequate reader in school.

Here is the truth… I do like to read when it is an interesting book or a style of writing I enjoy.  The truth is I am a good reader… just because I am not a fast reader does not make me less than!  The truth is God made me this way to soak up words… He has placed this love of words in me & my heart’s desire for the words I am able to string together to be words He can use to touch someone’s heart!  I have always found it strange that I love to write when I don’t like to read, but this morning God showed me the truth… I do like to read, but the lie I believed about myself was keeping me from knowing that!

It is amazing how something that we might have been told about ourselves as a child can still be impacting us to this day!  In my mind those things are just silly things that don’t mean anything, but in my heart those “silly” things have done great damage.  Do you have any of those “silly” things that still are causing you to believe a lie about yourself?  You know when we believe things that are contrary to what God says about us… it is hurtful to God!?  He created each of us as a magnificent masterpiece!  Ask God to point out those areas in your heart so you do not have to live with those lies any longer.

Who does God say you are?  My Bible is full of little notes that are placed loosely through the pages… a couple years ago when I was going through a difficult time my hubby wrote me a note on a scrap piece of paper that says, “Carin is complete in Him… Papa makes her completely adequate for life, godliness and ALL He calls her to do!” These scriptures were written on the bottom: Colossians 2:9-10, 2 Peter 1:3, 2 Corinthians 9:8… check out those verses… we all need the reminder from time to time!

Take the time to read Psalms139… such a wonderful reminder of how our Heavenly Father watches, guides, & knows us completely!

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

Rejoicing in Truth!

In His Hands…

I was reading in Psalm 139 and verse 10, “Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”  made me think of the lyrics to this song by 33 Miles:

   I know it seems like this could be

The darkest day you've known

But believe you me

The God of strength will never let you go

He will overcome, I know

Through many dangers, toils and snares
You have already come
His grace has brought you safe this far
His grace will lead you home

And the arms that hold the universe
Are holding you tonight
You can rest inside
It's gonna be alright

And the voice that calmed the raging sea
Is calling you His child
So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go

It is a great reminder that no matter what you may be going through our Heavenly Father is here to lead you and hold you.  As followers of Christ we are never left alone to deal with the turmoil of this world.  I can picture God holding me up with His right hand (Psalms 138:7) while pointing me to the path He has planned for me with the other.  Trusting and resting that He is in control… giving it all up to You, Lord.  What peace that puts deep down in my soul!!!

Could you use some peace today? Go ahead, read and meditate on Psalms 139 and see what Holy Spirit will show you to give you comfort in whatever circumstance you may be going through.

God’s hands will never fail you… not ever!

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25)

Rejoicing in Truth!