A Safe Place
I do not know who she is.
Maybe she is the young mom waiting in the parent pick up line.
Maybe she is the woman folding clothes at the laundromat.
Maybe she is the woman who appears confident on the outside, but is broken deep within.
Maybe she is you.
I know that she has been, and still is, me.
A woman in need of encouragement and hope.
A woman who worries about those she loves.
A woman who is weary and in need of rest.
A woman who is unsure if she truly has anything to offer this world.
Sisters, we all need a safe place to share our hearts.
A place to let go of our worries and rest our heads for a while.
A place where we are reminded that we were uniquely created to add something to this world that only we can give.
That place is found in the presence of the Savior.
The One who left the comfort and perfection of heaven to walk among us so that He might fully understand our experiences and challenges.
In His Word, He invites us to come to Him with the things that lay heavy on our hearts.
“ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done.” Phillippians 4:6
In His Word, He reminds us that there is hope and that we can rest securely in Him.
“And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.
And you will feel secure, because there is hope;
you will look around and take your rest in security.
You will lie down, and none will make you afraid;
many will court your favor.” Job 11: 17-19
In His Word, He reminds us that we are all given gifts to offer this world. Gifts that He gives each of us to use wholeheartedly and without fear.
“ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” Romans 12: 6-8
Sisters, I do not know what you are in need of today.
Peace.
Rest.
Security.
Hope.
Encouragement.
Anything and everything that you need, our God can provide.
He is our safe place and our refuge.
Still, there are so many who do not know the great love our Father has for us.
Friends, we are part of His provision.
Remember that we may be the only expression of God’s love that someone sees.
“Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.” 1 John 4:11-12
Share His love today.
It is too great not to share.
Amen.
Giving
Different But the Same
Gifts
Delight
Love
New Heights
An uneasiness shifted through my mind, body and spirit.
My stomach was in knots.
I could not focus.
Everytime I tried, my thoughts would jump back to the dialogue that took place.
Sleep and peace eluded me.
It was as if I could jump out of my skin at any given moment.
The ground beneath me no longer felt solid.
The details of the situation are not important, because there have been many details and many situations over the years.
But the feelings are always the same.
Have you ever agonized over a situation out of your control?
The kind that you replay in your mind over and over again?
Maybe you have felt this mind swirling, jump out of your skin feeling surging through your body.
Maybe the ground beneath you no longer feels solid.
We all long for a sense of security, one that would allow us to soar without fear of failing or falling.
I have always been in awe of how birds build their nests high above the ground,
on the most delicate of branches.
Flying in and out of their homes, these creatures appear light and carefree.
Secure.
But true security comes from building our lives on the solid foundation of Christ.
“Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who builds his house on the rock, and the rain descended, and the floods came, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” Matthew 7: 24-25
Even if we fail, He will never let us fall.
So often we stay fixated on our circumstances, instead of fixing our eyes on Him.
We all want to feel the ground beneath us for security, but it is in the letting go Christ takes us to new and unimaginable heights.
Sometimes that means letting go of the tape we replay over and over in our heads.
Sometimes that means letting go of past hurts that hold us back from experiencing present and future joys.
Sometimes that means letting go of people who are pulling us down instead of lifting us up.
Always it means shifting our focus on the One who is our Rock, our foundation.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.
Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever.
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26: 3-4
Friends, let HIm be your security and your strength.
Let go….He will take you to new and unimaginable heights.
Show Love
New Heights
Joy