Let’s be honest, life’s “waves” of trials, difficulties, despair… you name it… often crash and we are left “storm weary”. Where do you find hope that thrives? Where do you find hope that anchors you despite circumstances? Personally, I find my hope in God’s unchanging character. Our emotions and circumstances are like the wind, always changing but God’s steadfast faithfulness is an unwavering fact. We can trust God. He has proven Himself throughout the Bible and in my own life, to be a firm foundation that anchors me.
A healthy change in perspective is so helpful. We must learn to take our focus off the present trials and instead focus on the God of Hope, who is trustworthy and so faithful. He has a “bird eye view” while we just have “tunnel vision”. What I mean is, He sees the BIG picture of our life, while we just see a little bit of it.
There is much wisdom in looking beyond our circumstances and trusting God with the future. What would it take to look through the “lens” of eternity, rather than the here and now? Romans 8:18 says, “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” (NLT) To live with eternity in view is to live with hope.
Let’s face it, often times life just doesn’t make sense. We need to see our trials from a positive point of view. Trials refine us and help us to grow. They have a tendency to smooth out the rough patches in our character so that we are more Christ – like.
We all can occasionally get worked up about our trials and situations. I sure do get a chuckle out of Ecclesiastes 1:2 that says ““Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless! (NLT) If I look at life in hindsight I’d agree. Like the grass of the fields, we are here today and gone tomorrow. Our momentary trials are but a vapor, here for a little while then they vanish. We see this in James 1:14 which says, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (NKJV)
Choosing to live with hope is not ignoring the present painful situations, but rather choosing to look beyond the trials to see what’s coming. Just like the sun that rises every morning, sometimes there are clouds and fog hiding the sun, but it’s still there, just temporarily out of view. Look beyond the trials (clouds) to see God’s promises. Lamentations 3;21-23 is so encouraging to me. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV)
In true Shannon fashion, a worship song comes to mind. Still by Hillsong Worship (2003) would illustrate this blog well. I will try to find the music video to attach below. Part of the song says, “when the oceans rise and thunders roar, I will soar with You above the storm. Father you are King over the flood. I will be still and know that You are God”. That is what I call hope: being still and trusting God is with us. The eternal God is walking with us through our temporary trials. Let’s trust Him. He is our anchor of Hope. He is faithful. Be blessed.
Since this is my birthday week, here are 57 nuggets of truth I’ve learned in 57 years.
1 ~ Live in the present. It’s a gift. 2 ~ Laugh at your shortcomings. 3 ~ Never stop learning. 4 ~ God is good always, despite the hard things. 5 ~ Don’t go to bed angry. Work it out before you go to sleep. 6 ~ problem solving is an essential life skill. It might be tough but it’s worth the effort. 7 ~ Invest time in your family. They are a treasure. 8 ~ Bloom where you’re planted. 9~ Any beach is my favorite. Just give me sand, waves, and the ocean breeze and I’m a happy girl. 10~ Nothing compares to a Mother’s heart for her children. 11~ Don’t take things for granted. They won’t last forever. 12~ Girls, start a skin care routine early in life. It makes a huge difference (You’ll see.) 13 ~ Forgive freely because God forgives us when we ask. 14 ~ It never hurts to ask, as long as it’s done nicely. 15 ~ The Heavens declare the glory of the Lord! 16 ~ It’s ok to cry. Tears cleanse you of built up emotions. 17~ First impressions last. Make it count. 18~ Words build up or tear down. Choose them carefully. 19 ~ Don’t take life too seriously. It’s a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. 20 ~ You’re never too old to swing. 21 ~ Smile! It brightens a room! 22 ~ Music is delightful! 23 ~ Kind people make the world more beautiful! 24 ~ Ladies, don’t be afraid of gray hair. Going natural is liberating. 25 ~ A relationship with Jesus is the most important thing. 26 ~ Helping others helps take the focus off yourself. 27 ~ Friends come and friends go. Be thankful for them. 28 ~ Learning to control your tongue is vital. 29 ~ Drop your pride and apologize. 30 ~ Don’t hold a grudge. 31 ~ The Bible is our roadmap for life. Read and mediate on it. 32 ~ Make time for fun, the chores will still be there tomorrow. 33~ Motion is lotion. (I read that line in an awesome book Theo of Golden) So true! 34 ~ It’s more blessed to give than to receive. 35 ~ Marriage is worth fighting for. Roll up your sleeves and work out the hard things. So worth it. 36 ~ Never be afraid to ask for help. 37 ~ Starting your day in prayer and reading the Bible sets the course for a better day. 38 ~ Money does not make people happy. 39 ~ There is much joy found in watching things grow. 40 ~ Your child is always your child no matter what age they are. 41 ~ self examination is important. What do I need to improve? 42 ~ The past is over. Leave it there. Learn from it and move forward. 43 ~ God is the BEST artist. Just look at all He created. It’s a Marvel!!! 44 ~ You are never too old to start a new hobby. 45 ~ Don’t worry about what people think. Trust me, it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of life. 46 ~ You are one of a kind. Embrace your uniqueness. 47 ~ Common sense is wonderful! Use it! 48 ~ You have to take care of Yourself before you can take care of others. 49 ~ Humility is a beautiful thing. 50 ~ A listening ear is a rare find. 51 ~ “Labels” might be a diagnostic tool but don’t let them define you. 52 ~ You can do hard things. 53 ~ Something may be hard but TRY ANYWAY. You might just surprise yourself. 54 ~ Always be prepared. Backup plans are wise. 55 ~ Don’t sweat the small things. 56 ~ This too shall pass. 57 ~ Let it roll! Sometimes people are just having a bad day. Let it go. No reason to ruffle your feathers.
Let’s face it, we’re all flesh and blood. We can and do fall short,simply because we have fleshly responses. We say one thing yet we do another. In this world so much is said yet never carried out. I suppose it’s a human flaw. As I’ve been thinking on this recently, the disciple Peter came to mind. Although many biblical people can fall into this category, I think Peter has been on my mind simply because we just celebrated Easter, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
Peter had much human weakness in need of divine grace. When Jesus told the disciples about His coming death Peter boldly protested. Let’s see the series of events. In Mark 14:29-31 we see, “Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” “No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the others vowed the same.” (NLT) Whew! Such courage until things start happening. Following Jesus arrest, while warming himself in the courtyard of the High Priest, Peter does indeed deny Jesus three times in one night. So much for the bold words. Let’s see what Mark 14:72 says: “And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept.” (NLT) Can you imagine the anguish Peter must have felt? He did love Jesus very much but in those fleshly moments of fear, he caved in and denied His Lord.
Last Sunday we went to Life Pointe church for Easter. The Pastor there touched on the following scripture. Mark 16;6-7, “And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”” (ESV) Pastor underlined that and in his notes. (I’m thankful they shared the notes with me since I can’t hear him very well. ). I had never noticed the “And Peter” either. Why do you think the Angel singled Peter out? I mean, Peter was one of the disciples. Why not just say, “Go and tell Jesus disciples?” The more I think about it the more I realize that Peter may have been “beating himself up” over his fleshly denial of the Lord. Perhaps he thought, “Yes, Jesus is alive but would he want to have anything to do with me, especially after I deserted him?” It’s a valid assumption. However, Jesus is FULL of divine grace and John 21 tells us that Jesus restored Peter to ministry.
How many of us fall short? Come on, you know we all do. Romans 3;23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (NLT) We mess up sometimes and need to humble ourselves, seek Jesus face and ask for forgiveness. Jesus will meet you where you are in your situations if you surrender to Him. He met Peter at the Sea of Galilee. Where do you need Him to meet you? Let Him restore you and get you back on track to living the life He created you to live for His glory. He often meets me on my back porch in the mornings when I pour out my heart to Him. You see, this hearing/visually impaired life is no joke. It takes tremendous patience with all I encounter. Sometimes I just don’t feel up to being merciful and respond to frustration in ways the Lord probably doesn’t approve of. Just being real. That’s one thing I’m real good at, being real. But quite often I pray, “Lord help me die to the flesh and live according to Your Spirit. Help me respond in ways that please You.” And you know what, He sure does! I’m so thankful His divine grace meets me in my human weakness.
May I challenge you to examine your heart before the Lord? Ask Him to take a look at your heart and clean up what He sees that needs to be cleansed for His glory. The song Worth com to mind (by Anthony Born 2015) It goes like this: You thought I was worth saving, so You came and changed my life, You thought I was worth keeping, So You cleaned me up inside. You thought I was to die for, so You sacrificed Your life. So I could be free, I could be whole, I could tell everyone I know. I’m going to find the lyrics video and add it below. It’s Wednesday. We’re right smack in the middle of this week. Get your praise on and let God meet you where you are with a heart surrendered for His glory. Be blessed
Right now I’m sitting on our back porch for my quiet time with the Lord. I had thought about not blogging this week, taking a break but this dropped in my heart. I aim to be obedient when the Holy Spirit drops something in my heart. My thoughts are a swirl of Spring, regrowth, rising up “yet again” , resilience and persevering for the glory of God.
The worship song Goodness of God (I don’t see how to underline that) was just playing in my head. I decided to find it on my iPad. As I started to sign the song in ASL (American Sign Language) our silly gran-pup thought my hands were a moving target game for him and He was trying to nibble my fingers. Nothing like the joy of a dog. That was off topic but a fun little addition so you can envision me blogging.
Now back to the topic —— In every season of life, we have to start somewhere. It’s a very rare moment when it’s not a small beginning. Just like seeds that are planted, we go through those small insignificant moments of isolated darkness as we grow up for the glory of God. For me, I just try to be obedient in whatever situation I’m in. Quite often it feels insignificant and unseen, but God sees me. That’s all that’s important.
So many things can seem like a “planting”. Sort of like a new start, a replant or even transplant. Last week I had to have a new “mapping” for my cochlear implant processor. That is sort of like reprogramming the processor that attaches magnetically to my head to the internal implanted device. For some reason that we don’t understand.some of the electrodes (there are 15) that are implanted in my brain were giving me some issues. Sounds were more “sharp” and bothered me like “fingernails going down a chalk board” kind of effect. My audiologist is amazing. She made adjustments so once again I’m having to transition and it makes me very tired. My husband Ron is really the only one that sees how this affects me. It can take a couple of months for my brain to adjust but I’m working on it and trying to balance out social life so I don’t get too drained. It’s a “replant” of sorts. My audiologist makes the changes (kind of like a replant) and I try in vain to bloom with it. 😂 (an emoji is suitable here)
Last night I was drained again. As I studied my notes for tonight’s devotion, I prayed, “Lord will I always be invisible?” My problems are unseen. My low vision can be somewhat hidden, mostly because of stubbornness to push through. My hearing impairment can also be hidden. My speech is pretty good so it doesn’t “give away” the hint of hearing loss. Combined the two issues together and it can really be a doozy, especially with a new cochlear implant processor”Map”.
Yesterday my 83 year old Mom and I went to hear my brother speak at the Novant Cancer Center. He is five and a half years post bone marrow transplant. Praise God he is doing so well. He spoke on his journey, his amazing wife’s strength, God’s provision and healing through the wonders of medicine. He spoke over the staff there, telling them they were like God’s angels as they cared for the patients. It was a beautiful thing. Mom signed a little bit of it so I could basically follow. The thing was, we had to find my brother and hie wife before it started. My Mom was driving (I can’t see well enough to drive) and she put the address in her gps then decided to go another way. So the entire time the gps was telling us to go in a different direction. 🤪 (another suitable occasion for an emoji) We get to the parking deck and didn’t know where to go. Seeing a flight of stairs we went that way. Up several flights, I turned to Mom and said, “Wait here, I’m going to see what’s up there”. So glad I did because it just led to the upper parking deck. Now the thing is, I detest flights of concrete stairs Low vision and flights of stairs don’t go hand in hand. I can’t tell you how many times I have missed a stair while going down. Going up in fine, down, not so much. But I was not going to let my elderly Mom go up all those stairs. We walked across the parking deck towards the “light” (outside). I’m like, “Lord help me not to fall in this parking deck”. We made it (I never mentioned any of this to Mom) went in and supported my brother. When I got home I was so tired. I made dinner, studied for tonight and went to bed. Moral of the story, everyone you see might be struggling with an “unseen” issue. Be mindful of that. Always be open to hearing others situations and needs in a loving way. Always bloom in whatever situation you are in. It’s not about us as individuals but about giving God glory in whatever situation we find ourselves in. In order to bloom we have to watch our attitudes, face expressions, cover whatever it is in prayer and step forward in faith that God is with us every step of the way.
One last thing: last night as I was checking e mails and also the junk email file I saw an intriguing email from a professor. He had found my book Rooted by the water by looking for stories of resilience. Interesting thing is he wanted to know what I have done for exposure for my book. He said it has a 4.6 rating on Goodreads but only 11 reviews. I’m not on Goodreads so I have no clue. I haven’t responded to his e mail. If you knew how many scam emails come through weekly regarding my book, it would blow your mind. That was what I was actually doing last night, deleting potential scammers. This morning a trusted family friend (actually my aunts sister) told me to try a certain app, saying that perhaps it would help with exposure. She said my words needed to be exposed. I’ll take her word for it. I just write what God gives me and “hit publish”. The small beginning started with social media posts, then my autobiography Rooted by the Water , then on to blogging. The audience has been interesting with blogging. It evidently trickles around the world with a few views here and there world wide. It is very interesting to see the map and the country names. So often as I look at it you could hear me say, “This is so weird”. Just being honest. I’m just a hearing and visually impaired woman speaking life into others, advocating for those who might need it and spreading God’s truth. It’s a small beginning but the rewards come in Heaven. If you have read my book, please consider writing a review. It could be on Amazon or Goodreads. (I wasn’t’ aware I was on that.) I would love to somehow get into the library system but have no clue how to go about doing that. I personally read ebooks off Hoopla library app because it’s a way I can see them, zooming the font on my iPad. If you know how to go about entering a recommended book, please reach out.
Wherever you are, whatever the situation don’t despise the small beginnings. God sees you! That’s all that matters. Pray for one another. Be mindful of others issues. Speak LIFE! I say it again… speak LIFE over people and others situations. God bless you all! Now let’s spring into this Spring day. I’ve got to study some more for tonight’s devotion. This teaching never gets easy. Lord take the wheel!! Stepping forward in Faith, knowing God is with us all! Be blessed.
For some reason the word “Trail Blazer” popped in my head this afternoon. I can just hear a friend of mine saying, “Girl, you’re thinking too deeply”. Maybe so, but sometimes deep thinking is needed. A trail blazer is a pioneer who sets the way to guide others, possibly in uncharted territory. I’m not talking about physical land, rather I’m talking about being a light for others experiencing darkness. Whether that darkness is social barriers, communication barriers or spiritual barriers. We need people willing to go the “extra mile” to serve others. People who are willing to get out of their comfort zone to help others around them. I do this on Wednesday nights when I share a devotion with people from the homeless shelter. Is it comfortable for me? No but I know God works in our weaknesses if we will surrender. I’ll tell you the truth, it’s a very rewarding experience and it’s never easy doing it.
I heard recently that only 2% of deaf people know Jesus. That is astounding!!! Of all the churches I know of only one has a program for the hearing impaired where they provide sign language interpreters. That same church also provides translations into other languages. It is truly amazing. I’d say, they are Trail Blazers in sharing the Gospel among various languages. It would be nice to see other churches do the same. I have a friend whose family has been attending a church in South Carolina for years. There are no services for her at her church. She has to see it on social media closed captioned in order to receive the message. Church is not only for worship and teaching of the Word of God. It is also for fellowship. Social media is not fellowship. If you are a Pastor or in church leadership and you have someone in your congregation needing special help, go the “extra mile” to provide what is needed for them to participate in the worship service. Some might say, “it’s never been done”. Perhaps so, but perhaps the need is something that is new. Many people won’t speak up and advocate for their needs. It is completely fine to say, “Hey is there anything you can do to help?” Sometimes you have to push a bit but remember only 2% of deaf people are Christians. That is a HUGE population that can be and needs to be reached for the Glory of God!!!
Now on to a different need. There are many people in our communities that need encouragement, prayer, a helping hand etc. It could be the elderly, widows, single mom’s struggling to raise their kids, the homeless. So many people could benefit from someone going out of their way, getting out of their own comfort zone to be a blessing. There is an amazing organization that helps us on Wednesday nights. I’m not sure of the exact name but it’s young men and their moms that show up to help serve the food at the homeless shelter. They are such a blessing. I’m not sure where all they serve but it could be in many places.
In our present culture people are so “sucked in” to their phones, tablets and computers. We need to encourage each other to put those devices aside and interact with people around us. Many young people need mentors that help them to learn social skills. Our children are a valuable blessing to us and they should be protected from worldly ideologies and mentored to serve others and solve problems.
We need people who actually want to get involved and not just sit on the “side lines” as a spectator of the Gospel. The mission field is huge and just needs people who are willing to be the “hands and feet of Jesus”.
Do you see why “Trail Blazers” popped in my head today? There are so many areas of need. Sometimes we need to speak up in a nice respectful way, to “plant some ideas” of things that would be worth the hassle of doing them. It never hurts to ask nicely. It never hurts to try something new that’s maybe never been done in your organization, that would benefit others. It never hurts to serve , as a matter of fact it will bless you beyond your imagination. So… what will you do with this? I know this blog is read in countries around the world. This applies to anyone, anywhere. What will you do with this? Who will you serve? Who will you help? Who will you share the Gospel with? I think you get the idea. Now go and be a blessing and I guarantee you will be so blessed in return.
As I was preparing for this weeks devotion for Wednesday, I felt prompted to share about the Apostle Paul’s shipwreck recorded in Acts 27. Last week I spoke about another storm and immediately thought of this storm. Why in the world am I on the “storm” theme? My inquiring mind wants to know. I’ll share the conclusion at the end of this post.
As I was researching on this particular account in Acts 27, I came across an interesting article with 5 things we can learn from Paul’s experience. You can find the article here. https://share.google/dXAPC835qW5JRCmfT. This had great insight and it applies to us today.
Paul, a prisoner because of the Gospel, on board a ship, under the guard of a Roman Centurion. Paul was on his way to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. The Centurion was kind to Paul on the journey. There were also 276 others on board. The journey consisted of several stops at different ports along the way.
Acts 27:10-11 says, ““Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul.” (NLT) Not too long after Paul said this a HUGE storm came up and the ship was battered. The crew wrapped ropes around the hull of the ship to strength it. Cargo and ship gear were thrown overboard, and the storm raged on. Check out Acts 27:21-26. “No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.””Acts 27:21-26 (NLT) The ship did go down. Some jumped over board and swam for shore. Others clung to pieces of the shipwreck and floated in. Either way, they all reached shore without a single person dying.
If you look at the link I shared a few paragraphs up you will see the article with the 5 things we can learn from this shipwreck. I’m going to put it in my own words. Number 1: Paul “saw” trouble coming before it even happened. Born again believes have the Holy Spirit to direct us and show us things others might not see. Another important point to note, Paul was not a sailor. He was a teacher of the law, writer and Bible scholar, however he was NOT a sailor. Yet he boldly spoke to the ships captain and Centurion, (although this didn’t listen to him. ). God loves to use people who are dependent on Him, rather than their own knowledge and talents. The third point the article made is: Who are you listening to? Whoa! That is so true! One of the most costly mistakes we can make is to listen to the wrong source of information. If the Captain and Centurion had listened to Paul the ship would have not gone down and the cargo would have been spared. In present times, think about the misinformation we are fed daily on the news and by the press. (Depending on which news source you listen to.) Yep! It’s costly to listen to the wrong source! The Word of God needs to be the deciding factor in our life, not what people say.
Another point the article mentioned is that discouragement is a choice. If anyone onboard that ship had a right to be discouraged, it was Paul, but he chose to encourage the others. They has not eaten in days, had not seen the sun or stars and yet the storm raged on. The people onboard lost hope of being saved yet Paul encouraged them to eat to regain strength. Storms do come up in life and we get battered sometimes, however we must keep the faith and trust God. We are going to make it to our “destination”. We might be “holding on to pieces of shipwreck” but we’re going to make it. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT) God did cause everything to workout for the good after Paul’s shipwreck. Paul and all 276 people made it safely to shore and God used Paul in miraculous ways to heal those on the island. The last point the article made was: Every time you call (pray) God is near to you. Paul called on the Living God and the fear was replaced by faith. When we pray, God hears and He answers.
After I prepared my notes to teach from tomorrow I still wondered why do I feel so strongly the need to share this? The answer settled in my spirit….. We are on a journey in life. Our destination is Heaven. (If you know Jesus and have surrendered to Him) We are “battered” by the storms of life. It can be so many things: losing a loved one, have a health crisis, being taken advantage of or someone taking things from you they have no right to take. It could be a divorce, loss of a job or your home. The list is endless and as unique as each individual. YET and I emphasize that for a reason! YET we can “wrap” our situations in prayer for strength just like the crew wrapped the hull of the ship with ropes. Wrap your situation in prayer and keep your faith. Don’t fall into dispair but hold on just a little longer. You’re going to make it to your destination even if you’re clinging to something for support. You WILL make it with God’s help!! Do not give up!!! Years ago one of my Pastors preached on a topic I can’t quite remember but I remember the visual he used. It was a stretch of a person with a towel wiping sweat from their face. If I remember correctly, his illustration was someone “throwing in the towel” (like… I’ve had enough of this!) and God throws the towel back and says, “Wipe your face! It’s almost over!” That’s us folks! The storm batters us and we’ve had enough and God says “Hold on! It’s almost over! Keep your eyes on ME! I’ve got you!’
Okay, I’ve done what I’ve been prompted to share here and I’ll share it tomorrow as well. These lessons are for me as well. Funny how God will impress it deeply upon me so I can share with a bold conviction. God is all we need!! Keep the faith!!! Have a great rest of the week and pray for our world! It is a mess right now but God is working! He’s always working! Much love and prayers!
This past Sunday afternoon I told my husband Ron that I had no clue what God wanted me to teach on this Wednesday. Sunday afternoons are usually the day I work on the devotion to share but I was drawing a blank. I prayed and for some reason a ship came to me. At first, I thought perhaps it was the account of one of Paul’s ship wrecks. Monday morning I woke with the word “courage” in my heart. I felt prompted to study Mathew 14:22-33. In this passage Jesus walks on water and Peter did too briefly.
Prior to the account of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14, He had just performed an incredible miracle of feeding the 5,000 with just five loaves of bread and two fish. There were 12 baskets of leftovers too. It was evening and Jesus directed His disciples to get back in the boat and cross the lake while he dismissed the crowd to their homes. (They were in a remote place.). Jesus then goes alone into the hills to pray. Later that night the disciples were caught in a terrible storm far from land. The strong winds and heavy waves were terrifying.
Matthews 14:25-32 says, “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.”(NLT)
There is a parallel here to our lives today. Often times “storms” and uncertainties arise and we feel overwhelmed. Just like Jesus said to His disciples “Take courage, I am here!’ Jesus still says the same to us today. Jesus wants us to trust Him with our concerns. Anything that concerns us, concerns our Savior. He wants us to “come” to Him just like He told Peter to “come”. And, just like Peter, we often times take steps of faith towards Jesus, then see the “raging winds and waves” and begin to sink. I’m so thankful that when we cry out, “Lord help me!” Indeed He does.
From the first book of the Bible to the last book,God is inviting us to trust Him! I found quite a few scriptures on courage in the face of fear. Joshua 1:9 is one of my favorites. It says, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”” Joshua 1:9 (NLT) For some reason the word “IS” stood out to me. God IS with us wherever we go! Just like in Matthew 14:27 Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! Take courage. I am here”. HE IS HERE with us in our storms. We don’t need to be discouraged. God is with us. He will up hold us and bring us victory. His kind of victory, for His glory. I’ll never understand it but I will cling to His truth!
There are two more scriptures that stood out to me. In Psalms 31:22 David says, ““In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.” (NLT) Do you ever feel “cut off” from the Lord? Unreachable? Like you’ve fallen so far you just can’t find your way back? I’ve come across people like that before. Let this scripture encourage you. When we cry out to the Lord, He hears us in His mercy and compassion. He answers when we call for help!
Another scripture I found is Isaiah 41:10: it says, “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.” (NLT) Let these scriptures build you up with courage to stand in the strength God gives you. We all face “storm” and uncertainties in life. Life happens and I encourage you to invite Jesus to calm your fears, calm the mental and emotional storms. He is able to do far more than we ask or imagine. Will you trust Him? If you have never given your heart to Jesus and asked Him to be your Savior, He is waiting with open arms. Call out His name and He will answer you. That reminds me of a song we sing at church. I’m not the best with lyrics because I can’t hear well and sign language and English don’t always go “hand in hand”. (One sign can mean multiple words.) I think it goes like this, “whisper His name Jesus, whisper His name Jesus, whisper His name and He will answer you.” You can look up “Whisper His name/The name of the Lord” lyrics by William McDowell. It’s beautiful. Another song just came to mind that I used to play on the piano. “It is well”. I will attach the music video at the end of this post. The waves and wind still know His name. Let Jesus bring His peace, calm and strength into your life so you too can say “it is well with my soul”. Be blessed!!
How many of you have radical faith? Does the word “radical” make you raise your eyebrows? Be honest! If you’re not sure what I mean by the term “radical faith”, it means; a deep trust that goes beyond belief, taking bold action in seemingly impossible circumstances. It’s being rooted and defined as total reliance upon God, despite your doubts and fears. That is the kind of faith I aim for on a daily basis. Often it is unseen to the outside world but in the face of uncertain situations, you’ll see it play out for any observer to see. That was me recently. With the recent winter ice storm I felt a little uneasy with the weather forecast of sleet, freezing rains and high winds. We have four tall oak trees in our yard. I told my husband Ron I was going outside to pray over them and our house. So I did just that. I went outside and walked by each tree, touching it and praying that no limbs would fall and that our power would not go out. I did that in the front,back and side yard. As I was coming in, my husband was explaining to our 27 year old son what I was doing. He didn’t quite know what to think. He was like, “Mom, nothing’s going to happen.” I simply replied, “ One day you’re going to make the connection between my prayers and real life.” The storm is past us now and as I looked out at the yard today, not one single limb fell to the ground. We never lost power and I am so thankful.
This is the way I deal with life and situations. I don’t care what people think. I know God is God over everything. If it concerns me, it concerns my Heavenly Father. Living out my faith is a testament of my strong convictions that nothing is impossible with God. Nothing!
God hears every single prayer offered in faith. Sometimes answers come immediately, sometimes they are answered over a period of time. If you feel the Holy Spirit prompt you to pray or do something, then do it! Don’t be afraid or ashamed. It matters not what people think. A few months ago I felt the Lord prompt me to speak of salvation to the people at the homeless ministry we volunteer with. I was so nervous, but I was obedient. Now that is something I mention pretty much weekly when I speak. Only God knows the difference our obedience makes. Just do what you are prompted to do.
For years I have prayed for a group of young people. Sometimes loss and tragedy draws people to God and sometimes it makes them run away due to the numbness the pain causes. Yet, God can reach anyone. Never give up on praying. One of those young people’s life has been so incredibly transformed by the Holy Spirit and it is beautiful. I actually just started singing…. Makes me want to shout, Hallelujah, Thank you Jesus, Lord your worthy or all the glory and all the honor and all the praise….. Sorry, I just had to share that little chorus as I was singing it out loud.
Don’t just be a “Sunday morning” Christian but live out your faith. Welcome God into every moment of every day. That’s relationship! Faith takes action. It’s not passive. I remember years ago when a friend’s daughter had her first baby. There was possibly something wrong with his spine. We had a baby shower for her and as I held her sweet baby boy, I placed my hand on his back as I prayed , for everything to align with God’s will. That little baby boy got a good report and is one healthy strong boy today. If you feel a prompting to pray, then PRAY! If you feel a prompting to give, then GIVE! If you feel a prompting to speak, then SPEAK! Do it all for the glory of God. I love James 1:25 that says, “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (ESV)
I hope everyone has a good week. Be intentional in living out your faith. We never know the impact our prayers, speaking life and encouragement have on those around us. Let’s choose to be a blessing to all we encounter.
It’s the first Wednesday of 2026 and I have been praying about stepping down from a “role” that I’ve been given for the last 7 months. In this “role” half of me wants to continue and half of me wants to stop. The reasons behind the desire to stop stem from feelings of inadequacy and wondering if it’s making any difference at all. So I’ve been praying.
This past Sunday I started participating in a 21 day fast to align myself with God’s Will for my life. This “role” has been one of my prayer points and it is amazing that in four days I have already discerned four prompts to continue. The first prompt came as I was reading a devotion. I sensed God saying to me, ””“speak”. Ummm…. Okay Lord! The second prompt came when a friend directed me to a post on Facebook. Right now I am really limiting my time on social media but it was a story on Beethoven who was hearing impaired. The story shared how Beethoven had limited social skills but was brilliant on a piano. One of his friends lost their son and when he went to comfort his friend, he just sat down at the piano and poured out his grief through piano music. This gift touched his friend deeply. What I got from this story was that I too feel socially awkward at times with the way I hear and see but I can bring the “skills” I have and let them bless others.
The third prompt came through a devotion from Free Chapel Church. They have a daily devotion during their 21 days of prayer and fasting. On day 2 the devotion was on Elisha helping the poor widow, with scripture from 2 King 4:1-2; “One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.” “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.” (NLT). When Elisha asks the widow what she had, it took the focus off her lack and onto what God could use. The miracle happened through her obedience to what was asked of her. The widow obeyed Elisha’s instructions and the limited amount of oil she had flowed until there were no more empty vessels. Wow!! This hit me right where I needed it. When I stand up to do the devotions at the homeless outreach I feel so limited by what I myself bring to that podium. I have no clue if anyone is really “getting” what I’m sharing. I don’t “see” the responses. But, from reading this devotion God prompted me to not focus on what I can’t do but to bring what I have and let Him multiply it until every vessel is filled. (Every person is reached for His glory). It’s a reminder that it’s not me, but Him who does the reaching. It doesn’t matter if I can see their responses or hear what they say. What matters is to obey what God prompts me to do. I’ll tell you this is one of the more challenging things I’ve ever done. I don’t think I will ever be “comfortable” in this “role” but I need to be obedient to what God calls me to do. This third prompt came from the e mailed devotion from Free Chapel 2026 Day 2 Devotion, which was such a nudge from the Holy Spirit. (I’m not sure how to reference the devotion that came through e mail but if you google Free Chapel church I’m sure the website has information about their 2026 fast that is going on now. The daily e mailed devotions are “spot on”!!!)
Tonight I received a fourth prompt. Tonight during the devotion, I talked about how our perspective on things and situations spills over into our outlook on life. I used four scriptures to talk about this point and used the demonstration of a glass of water that was half full. I asked them what they saw: a half full of half empty glass of water. Two key verses I used were Philippians 4:8 and Romans 12:2. After the ministry time was over, my husband Ron and I were leaving. One of the men stopped to talk with us. I look forward to seeing him every week. I remember a few months ago after teaching on the “great’s of faith” in Hebrews, he accepted one of the Bible’s we have available for anyone. Tonight he told us he has been praying for us and reading his Bible. WOW!! Glory to God!!! It seems God is clearly deciding this “dilemma” for me. I am listening and will obey.
Moral of the story: listen because God speaks through many things. It might be a spoken word, a facebook post, an emailed devotion or a man at a homeless shelter. We just need to “be still”, listen and obey. Don’t be afraid to do things you feel led to do even if you yourself don’t have all it takes to do it. When God asks you to do something, He will equip you, just obey and do what He asks.
Closing out 2025 tonight and am glad to see this year to an end. 2025 pretty much started with a bust, on ice 1-10-25, resulting in a compression fracture to my lower back. First time in my life to experience that, and God willing it was the last. That was followed by some “sputters” and a whole lot of “stretching me”. In hindsight, it was a year of personal and spiritual growth. Growth is uncomfortable at times but ultimately it’s a good thing. In truth, we should aim to grow throughout our lives, always being open for God to do new things in us and through us.
I would have never thought I’d be doing a weekly Wednesday night short devotion for the homeless and low income ministry we serve with. I told my husband Ron on our way home tonight that I feel so inadequate in this role. He said, “That’s why God has you doing it.” In the six months I have been doing this, it’s not gotten any easier. I’m always depending fully on the Lord for guidance in this role. I can’t on my own, but He can and does. I’m humbled and so thankful. God is steadily guiding us towards peace and purpose even when our circumstances seem overwhelming. He is faithful and we can trust Him. He proves that again and again. Reading in front of people is always uncomfortable for me with my low vision. Perhaps it is endearing to show my weakness to others. It’s definitely not the most comfortable situation but if it helps others to “try despite the odds” then maybe it’s worth it. I will keep on until God closes this door.
I believe for 2026, the Lord wants me to “Be still and know that He is God!” While I know this is my heart, sometimes I need to remind myself of this truth. Life can be very stressful and overwhelming at times dealing with hearing and visual limitations. I push myself to do all I can do. Sometimes, I might push myself too hard. I just “dive in” to things and do it, but that can really “test” my limits and wear me out trying. Just being honest. I pray God will give me discernment in the new year to be sensitive to His voice and obedient to all He calls me to do.
Lord, help us to rest in Your peace in the upcoming year as we keep our minds steadily onYou. Help us to be “Still” as You help us chart the path You have for us in 2026. Gives us strength to see ourselves the way You see us, as Your children that You love and fully equip for Your purpose. May we shine for You like never before, in this dark world that needs Your love and hope. We praise and glorify You in advance for all You are and will accomplish this year!!! I am so excited for the journey!!! Lead the way Lord! In Jesus name I pray Amen!!!
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