Tag: Trusting God

Take Heart As You Wait

Psalm 27:14 NLT, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”

I can remember a time when I never wanted to wait on the Lord. When I would pray, I wanted immediate answers and immediate comfort from whatever difficulty I was facing. I didn’t care much about God’s purposes. I didn’t take time to think about the fact that He had to work in my heart, and or the hearts of other people before the answers to certain prayers could come. When we pray, we should wait expectantly like the Psalmist did…

Psalm 5:3 NIV, “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

Although there are times answers come quickly, there are also times when we must wait. I’ve come to understand that part of being committed to Jesus Christ means that we will often have to wait. He freely gives us His love, strength, and peace so that we can stand firm while we wait.

Being willing to wait on Him, is a testimony of our faith and trust in Him. It shows that we honor Him, and realize that His understanding far outweighs our own. He is eternal, therefore He can see way beyond the surface of the issues we face.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to learn to wait patiently. Not because we have all the answers, but because we know our God is the Answer. He is perfect and He is just.

Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV, “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

Be It Unto Me

Luke 1:38 KJB, “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

I always admire this response from Mary when the angel visited her to let her know she would carry and deliver Jesus, the Savior of the world. It reminds me that when the Lord calls us to a task, we should be willing and ready to say, “be it unto me according to thy word”. We never know what type of impact our actions will have on the world. That’s why obedience to the Lord is vital.

Jesus truly impacted mankind by dying for the sins of the world, and Mary was a vessel God used to help bring His great plan to past. Her decision to be faithful to God was not without hardships, because she endured many. It’s the same for us. Making a decision to do God’s will, will often bring hardships and persecution, Jesus knew this firsthand. So He encouraged us in John 16:33 by telling us to have peace, because He has overcome the troubles of this world.

Whatever happens in this life, God knows the plans He has for us. He will fill our hearts with joy as we wait on and trust in Him. Every new day we face is in God’s hands. Like Mary, we can find peace in our Lord because we know He will always provide for us. We can safely place our hope in Him and say, “be it unto me according to thy word.”

Staying True To Commitments

1 Kings 8:61 NIV, “And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

Yesterday at church the pastor discussed the importance of being committed to Christ. We should be committed to obeying His Word by applying it to our daily lives. We should also represent Christ by staying true to the commitments we make to other people. We should make a habit of following through when we give our word that we will do something for someone. Being committed is a reflection of who we are in Christ.

A couple of years ago, I signed up at church to host a small six week bible study in my home. Although initially nine people signed up, there were about four who were committed to attending every week. I was grateful for those who followed through and faithfully showed up. I remember feeling disappointed about the ones who didn’t come.

About half way through the study, a tenth person signed up. However, she never showed up and never responded to my emails. On week six, the final week, only three people showed up. So I wasn’t able to say my final goodbyes or give them all the little gifts I had for them. I’ve always considered myself to be pretty committed, however this experience reinforced the importance of commitment in my heart.

Sometimes in life things happen beyond our control and we have to change our plans, and that’s understandable. But in general as Christians, we should be people that others can rely on to be honest and loyal, dependable and trustworthy.

I’m asking God to help me to be a woman of my word who follows through on her commitments, so that I will represent Jesus well. His light should shine through our actions, because people are watching us even when we don’t think they are.

The Barnabas Award – 2

Thank you Autumn @ Mischief and Mjolnir for nominating me for The Barnabas Award. 🥰 I’ve been enjoying your blog posts! 👏🏿👏🏿 Especially your Friday’s Favorite Character and your Sunday’s Scriptures! I’m thankful you are a part of our blogging community! ❤️🤗💚🤗💜

Check out Autumn’s Blog at:

Mischief and Mjolnir

The Barnabas Award is presented in recognition of the encouragement and inspiration a blogger brings to their readers. 

How This Award Works: 🥰

Thank the person who nominated you, and share their blog. Think of five bloggers that encourage and inspire you and nominate them. List five things about yourself and answer the questions. Lastly, ask your nominees five questions. Why five? Because it is the number that signifies grace.

Five Things About Me: 🥰

1. I like the color green.

2. My favorite part of flying is takeoff. I think it’s cool the way the plane picks up all that speed in such a short time, then lifts off the ground.

3. I want to visit San Francisco.

4. I have two sisters who are both older than me.

5. I’ve been to the top of the St. Louis Arch, but the ride up there was a little scary lol.

Autumn’s Questions To Me: 🥰

1. What’s the last thing you Googled?

I googled Mark Twain.

2. Last movie you watched that made you cry?

A movie called Lion

3. Your favorite ice cream flavor? 

Strawberry

4. If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?

Wonder Woman (I always loved this show growing up.)

5. If you could live anyplace, where would you live? (Including fictional universes and places.) 

I think I would move to Saturn. It’s such a beautiful planet.

My 5 nominees: 🥰

HCCounsels

Logos Speaks

Diane’s English Writing Journey

God’s Love

Happy Life

My 5 Questions to my nominees: 🥰

1. Who inspires you?

2. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

3. What is your favorite memory?

4. What is an important lesson you’ve learned in life?

5. What makes you happy?

Trusting God Through Changes

Psalm 32:8 NLT, “The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”

My daughter and I have been living in Florida for about four years now. She received a scholarship to attend a university here in Miami. So in 2015, we relocated from the Detroit area of Michigan, (where we lived for eleven years), so that she could attend the school. She lived on campus in the dorm all four years, but she’s been back home with me since May, which is when she graduated. Although we had to get used to living together again, it’s been nice having her home.

Earlier this year, she applied for a program to teach abroad in Spain and was accepted. So next month she’ll be leaving for her new adventure in Spain. I’m very excited for her, but of course I’ll miss her. Although her major is in Art History, she has a minor in Spanish Language and Culture. So living in a Spanish speaking country will enhance her Spanish speaking skills. Of course there are many Spanish speakers here in Miami, but living in a place like Spain, where the official language is Spanish, will be a great experience for her.

Well with my daughter leaving, I knew I would end up leaving to. We don’t have any family here in South Florida, and there is no reason for me to remain here. This past Monday, I turned in my resignation at my job. That was a big exciting step for me. I had been praying over it, so I had peace that it was what God was leading me to do. I won’t be leaving my job until October, but I wanted to give my employer plenty of notice.

Once I leave, I’ll be relocating back to Virginia, which is the state where I was born and raised. My mom and many of my other family members live there. It will be awesome to be with family again. I don’t have a job in Virginia yet, but I will trust God. He always provides for me when He takes me through these type of changes.

This season of my life in Florida has been filled with many lessons, and it has not always been easy. Being here has really challenged me in many ways, and caused me to grow in my relationship with Christ. I am so thankful that God kept my daughter and I safe throughout these four years. I’ve had to trust God every step of the way, and pray without ceasing. Prayer, worship, and God’s love letter to us, the Bible, have been my lifelines.

Our lives in Jesus Christ are lived by faith. We have to trust Him completely, even with the unknowns of life. I’ve learned that God usually reveals His will one step at a time. When we take one step of obedience by faith, then He’ll show us the next step.

I’m looking forward to sharing more with you about my time in Florida and my transition to Virginia in future writings. If you’re going through any changes of your own, keep trusting God to direct your paths. Everyday of your life is part of His loving plan for you. Even on the difficult days He works all things together for our good.

As always, thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

He’s Still God

James 4:10 NIV, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

Not too long ago I was talking to the Lord about some issues I was having, and I heard Him speak these words to my heart, “I’m still God.” When I heard God speak those words to me, I immediately felt peace. No matter what we may go through, He is still God. When our hearts are humbled before Him, it opens the door for Him to be God in our lives. He has promised to lift us up when we are intentional about remaining humble before Him.

Photo by: homethods.com

This picture reminds me of the absolute beauty that is found in having humility before God. The same God who commands the oceans to be still, is the same God who calms the storms in our lives. It’s not all about the words we speak to God, or the things we do for God, but instead it’s all about who He is. It’s about what He says and what He does.

Humility allows us to experience who God is, and the blessings He wants to give us. Remain humble before God, and remember that no matter what happens…

He’s Still God.

Hidden Safely With Christ

Colossians 3:2-3 NIV, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

I’ve been meditating on these verses over the last couple of days. They remind me that my priority should be on eternal things. Earthly things should not take precedence over the things that matter most to the Lord.

It can definitely be a challenge trying to stay focused on what matters most to the Lord. The responsibilities we have in our personal lives, along with the allure of the world, make it difficult to set our minds on things above. It’s like we’re in a constant game of tug of war. Although we want to do what is right, we sometimes choose what is easy instead. Following Jesus is not usually an easy path. Staying committed to Him takes perseverance.

Placing our focus on Jesus, will help us to have a better understanding of what it means to diligently seek God. We will see life and people from His perspective. There will be many impostors throughout our journey, but when our minds are set on Him, we won’t be fooled by a counterfeit.

Our lives are hidden with Christ in God. The covering that the Father has over us, will protect us. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. Don’t be discouraged. When things get tough, look up to Jesus! He is an ever present help in times of trouble.