Four Things To Remember to Change Your Life…
Peace about my husband’s heart condition surrounded me like a warm blanket for days before, during, and after our retreat this weekend.
But this morning, I felt the familiar flame of fear’s sharp tongue licking around the edges of my spirit.
Instead of starting my day with Him, life interrupted, discussion ensued, and I found myself lost and afraid.
But…
He is faithful.
Eyes wet, when I finally had a chance to sit, a full hour and a half after becoming conscious, I tried to make out the blurred lines of the Word.
And Clarity chased fear and won.
His presence filled me.
His Truth comforted me.
And then He told me to share it.
Because in the middle of the now I am in, I have moments where I forget His great love for us, and I’m guessing you do too.
And His Word, His Truth, His mark upon our lives and our glory stories are not ours to hold tightly, but are meant for sharing.
Sharing BIG, as in, “I have a bucket of popcorn, who wants some?” at-the-theater-style.
So I have no idea who this is meant for other than me today – maybe it is you – but here’s what He wants us to remember:
- Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
- Romans 8:28 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
- Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
I also ran across this quote from Vincent McNabb – “Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them.”
And I remembered that putting my hope in Him is the thing that changes my life. It will change yours, too.
So today, I am moment-to-moment-style choosing to be brave, to put my hope in Him, like the women of old. I’m feeling like the woman our Greater Impact team refers to as “road girl,” facing the future with a bit of hope, caught in a little darkness, maybe with a semi-truck bearing down on her, but the future is bright, if I’ll just get up and do the next thing.
And in writing this to you today…
I did.
And I’m ever so glad you are on this journey with me.
What about you? How do those verses speak to you today? Dare you to join in, and continue the conversation by commenting and subscribing to the blog! 🙂
Love to you,
thank you for this site, prayers to you and your husband, take care
I’m reminded of one of Mandisa’s songs, Back To You: “It’s not about what I do for You, it’s what You’ve done for me”.
And His Word, His Truth, His mark upon our lives and our glory stories are not ours to hold tightly, but are meant for sharing.
I love that!!!!!!
He is good, all the time, isn’t He? SO glad you are here! 🙂
Love to you,
~Nina
I love placing my Hope in Him. When I remember to do it, my fear washes away. The worlds is tough and it keeps nipping at my heals with the fear, but I try to keep my eyes fixed on My Lord.
Seems like the key is to remember, isn’t it? 🙂 Hang in there, baby! 🙂
Glad you are here.
Love to you,
~Nina
Ah yes, God is good, He loves us, and His plan is good…always…seal this Truth our hearts, Father. Please don’t ever let us escape from your presence. May our lives be for your glory.
Nina, thank you for using the gift God gave you and writing Respect to Dare. God bless you, sister!
He IS good, Melanie. You are right. Thank you for this. 🙂 I was running this morning, praying that I’d constantly be in His presence. As in never-leave-style.
🙂
I know you know.
Love to you,
~Nina
This morning I woke up feeling out of sorts. I really wanted my quiet time this morning to be unrushed. I don’t work today, but my husband had made an appointment to get my car looked at 08:00. I was disappointed. My husband asked what was wrong. I told him “I woke up crabby”. He wanted to know why. I really don’t know why I’m feeling that way. Then I remembered that while I have the propensity to be crabby today, that I can choose to not let my emotions control me. So today I’m choosing to not be crabby. 🙂
(Yesterday, not so much. 🙁 )
YAY! 🙂 Awesome, Sandi. Nice that you realized it sooner versus later. And His mercies are new every morning. 🙂
I wake up crabby and in pain daily. 🙂 It IS important to choose rightly – and so easy to not. More of Him, less of us all, right?
Love you, girl!
~Nina
We don’t have to know God’s plans for us, we just get to trust Him and follow Him knowing that He has our best interest at the very core of those plans. Thanks for this reminder. It really is a relief to know that I am NOT the one in charge.
🙂 I know, right? I’m glad I’m not in charge. I don’t know what I’m doing. 🙂 Just the next thing, right? 🙂
Love to you,
~Nina
I love the definition of the word “hope”. It is “confident expectation”, not some wishy washy feeling. We are studying the book of Titus is our Bible study and Paul mentions “hope” three times in three chapters. He frames it in terms of what Jesus Christ has done for us, is doing for us, and will do for us in the future.
SONNA. “confident expectation” Perfect. YES. And 1 Peter 3:1-6 has a lot about Who we are to put our hope in. Jesus. 🙂
Thank you for this!
Love to you,
~Nina