God’s love – Page 2

Four Things That Are Saving My Life Right Now

A few weeks ago on her podcast, The Next Right Thing, Emily P. Freeman shared 10 things that are saving her life right now.

I loved the simple way she flipped the script. It’s easy to list the things that are driving us crazy, or the ways we are so crazy-busy. We tend to hold those things like they are a badge. It’s a little harder to look at our lives with the lens of what’s saving our life right now. But it’s encouraging and life-giving.

I began looking for those things in my current crazy season, and I want to share them with you.

The first thing that is saving my life right now is taking a few minutes after I take the kids to school to sit down with a cup of coffee and read one entry of Heart Aflame by John Calvin. These are daily readings from the writings of John Calvin on the Psalms. The book begins with January 1, but I’m being a little rebellious and started it in March. At the beginning. The devotions are less than a page long, and I write a little prayer in the space at the bottom of each page. It has been a great way to begin each day setting my mind on truth.

The second thing that is saving my life right now are green spaces. I don’t really know why but driving past green pastures and rolling hills makes me happy and peaceful.

The third thing is breaking my to do list into smaller, bite-sized pieces. I tend to get overwhelmed in the crazy-busy, and dividing tasks into smaller tasks keeps me from getting paralyzed and not getting anything done.

And the last thing that is saving my life right now is having one clean space in the house to sit in. I have piles of writing projects, end of the school year things, scrapbooks (any other Senior moms pulling out all the pictures, or is it just me?) Having one space clutter free gives me a place to start my morning (see number 1) and to have friends sit when they swing by.

Over the next few weeks this pace will morph into summer pace, which has a completely different feel. I want to keep up the practice of naming the things that are saving my life instead of focusing on the things that are keeping me busy. It helps me appreciate and savor moments of peace in the middle of the chaos.

What about you? What is saving your life right now?

Cultivating a Christmas in Everyday Life Mindset

Well, it’s January. Time to move on to the next thing, right?

Nope. Nope. Nope.

I’m going to throw out something really crazy: Just because December is over doesn’t mean Christmas is over.

We have decorations that we only put out at Christmas, food that we only eat at Christmas, and music we listen to only at Christmas. So it’s easy to see why we might feel like the Christmas story is only for Christmas.

We spend December celebrating THAT Jesus came. During our other days we walk in the WHY He came.

Why DID He come?

He came to be with us in our after-December-days, in our after-the-holidays-moments, in our this-is-so-messed-up struggles.

This is important to remember because if He is with us in these days, moments, and struggles, then we are not alone.

God knew that we could not navigate life in this world on our own without being crushed by the brokenness. We need God with us, we need His power living and working in us, we need His grace, His forgiveness, His redemption.

We need Him and He is with us, in every moment, in every situation. This is Christmas in Everyday life.

What does a Christmas in Everyday Life mindset look like?

Does it mean we wear Christmas sweaters year-round? Keep our decorations up? Do something really crazy and make peanut brittle or fruit cake in April?

We could, but that’s not really what it’s about.

A Christmas in Everyday Life mindset is one that believes that “God with us” is true in every moment, every situation.

It means praying prayers that are honest like, I don’t know what to do. I need Your help. I need wisdom.

Your Word says You are with me, but I’ve never felt more alone. Please teach me how to see you in my everyday life.

The manger is empty which tells us Jesus knows what it is like to walk through this broken world. He KNOWS.

The cross is empty because Jesus broke the hold sin and death have on us. He broke the brokenness of this world and began the process of making things right.

Because of this truth, we can walk through our days looking for the ways that God is with us. Looking for His fingerprints.

The definition of a fingerprint is “A unique pattern that presents distinctive evidence of a specific person.”

In mysteries, a fingerprint at a crime scene puts the person at the scene. In the same way, when we learn to look for God’s fingerprints we will see evidence that He is with us all the time.

It is something that we have to learn to do.

God often reaches out to us through the people in our lives.

My daughter has had a rough week. One of her friends called to check on her. And another came by with a hug and a gift. Those friends and the way they love my girl are God’s fingerprints in her life. They let her know she is not alone in her rough days.

He also speaks to us through His Word. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, reading God’s Word helps us get to know God and to see His hand in our life.

2 ways to Cultivate a Christmas in Everyday Mindset

Keep one Christmas decoration out that reminds you that God is with you. I chose a large ornament that has “O Come Let Us Adore Him” in beautiful script. It is hanging where I will see it every day.

Look for His fingerprints in your days and write it down. I created a place to list the ways you see His fingerprints in your everyday life. Writing down helps us remember. It also gives us a record to go back and look at on the days when we are discouraged or weighed down.

So, while the world marches on to the next thing, can we pause for a moment?

Can we ask God to help us see that He is with us?

Because if we begin to see His fingerprints in the moments of our days, we will begin to believe that we are not alone.

And when we believe that we are not alone, we will begin to live life differently – we will walk through our days with peace in our hearts and bold hope in our steps.

A Hope-filled Prayer for the Beginning of the School Year

Would you rather listen to this prayer and pray along with me?

Download a printable of this prayer.

Father,

We like things to be in order. We like schedules and things that can be measured. We like sending our children into a school year refreshed from a great summer, with new clothes, fresh supplies, filled with anticipation.

But these days, nothing seems orderly, nothing feels certain. We are sending our children into a school year with our words of worry ringing in their ears. With the burden of uncertainty on their shoulders. With hearts filled with anxiety. With little hope.

We confess that we have been looking in the wrong places for peace and hope.

The truth is as simple as the children’s song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and yet believing it isn’t easy at all.

The truth is that there is so much to be hopeful about. As we send our children into this new school year, with whatever it contains, help us to remember that they are in the palm of Your hand, and that You will use everything in their lives to highlight their deep need of You and Your strong, lavish love for them.

Help us to remember that you are working in the middle of this, and that you are up to something really good.

We confess that we’ve acted as if you’ve taken Your hand off of us throughout this Covid nightmare. Deep down we’ve believed that You’ve abandoned us and expect us to figure out this mess on our own.

The truth is that we have the “immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe.”

This power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is at work in us. Jesus is by Your side, governing the universe in ways that bring us good and bring You glory.

We don’t understand how a worldwide pandemic can be for our good and can bring you glory. But we trust you. We trust Your heart for our kids, and for us.

We pray that these uncertain times will draw our children’s hearts to the certainty of your love, your grace, and your goodness.

We pray that these uncertain times will help us to be bold in sharing your hope with others. That as we cling to You, the One who never changes, Your Spirit might work through us to encourage others and point them back to you.

We pray that we would experience the kind of hope that the world around us can’t give : a peaceful heart in the middle of uncertainty, footing when things around us crumble, security in the promise that we are not alone.

Help us, and our children, to rest on Your unchanging character and nature.

Help us to anchor our hearts to your truth.

Help us to stand firm, with Your Word wrapped tightly around us.

Help us to be bold, assured that you are with us every step of the way.

We pray this in the powerful, wonderful name of Jesus,

Amen

Joy to the World: The Plot Twist That Changed Everything

Aren’t the best stories the ones between good and evil, especially the ones where the fate of the world is on the line?

As I type these words, the Avengers movies come to mind.

Over the past few years, we’ve followed the adventures of the Avengers. As their saving the world storyline unfolded over 20 something movies, we also experienced the backstories of each Avenger. We got to know them and see the parts of their stories that revealed why they fought against evil.

And by the end of the last movie, The End Game, it became clear which Avenger would be the one to save the world.

I was not happy with the writers at the end of that movie. I didn’t want any of the good guys to die. I am a huge proponent of happily ever after.

But as I’ve rewatched the movies with the end in mind, I’ve spotted the clues, the trail of bread crumbs the writers sprinkled in one movie after another that revealed why the overall story had to end that way.

Are you ready for this?

It reminds me of the Christmas story, which is part of the ultimate battle between good and evil.

And in this storyline, Christmas was a definite plot twist.

It might seem foolish for God to step into history in the form of a newborn baby, the most vulnerable of all creatures, to go toe-to-toe with His enemy.

After all, the fate of the world, the fate of humanity, was at stake.

And yet, the clues are there, sprinkled like a trail of bread crumbs throughout the Old Testament.

The Christmas story is part of a larger story, a story that began before God said, “Let there be light.” A story that includes the Garden of Eden, the cross and resurrection. A story that is still unfolding.

The backdrop of the manger scene is the Garden of Eden. That is where our need for a Savior began.

God created this beautiful world and created man and woman in His image. As part of His image, He wove into our DNA a need for relationship, connection, belonging.

Satan did not bring an army in and confront God head-on. Instead, he slithered in and convinced Eve that the face-to-face relationship she had with God wasn’t enough. His words cast a shadow in her mind about the goodness, love, and intention of God.

Oh, how he must have celebrated as she and Adam bit into that fruit. The precious souls God created and loved had rejected Him. With that bite the beautiful world God spoke into being became enemy territory.*

And for a while it looked as though the enemy had won.

Then, at just the right time, God stepped into history.

It was the beginning of the fulfillment of his promise back in Genesis 3. It was the beginning of things being set right. The tiniest beginning of God bringing His world back to the way things are supposed to be.

The tiniest beginning that changed everything.

When we look at the first Christmas with the end in mind, we can clearly see why the Gospel is good news. Jesus came to be with us, to show us what God is like, and to do what was necessary to restore the broken relationship between God and man.

And the only response to that is JOY.

Download this free printable of Joy to the World by clicking here.

*Excerpt from In Unexpected Ways: Christmas in Everyday Life by Erin Ulerich

If you enjoyed this post, I know you will enjoy the devotions in my new book, In Unexpected Ways: Christmas in Everyday Life. Available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback. This is an affiliate link.

This post is also available in video form on my YouTube Channel.

It only took me 50 years to learn….

I had a birthday recently . A big one. To help me remember my big day, my youngest put “1/2 a century” in front of every noun – all day long. “Good morning 1/2 a century Mom. Are you enjoying your 1/2 a century breakfast?”

Wasn’t that super sweet of her?

But it got me thinking. Half a century IS a REALLY long time! In 1/2 a century I have discovered a few things that I believe will help make the next 50 a bit smoother. And I wanted to share these with you.

Mama was right. By the time I realized this important truth I had kids of my own who don’t believe this – yet. During these moments I call Mama, apologize, and listen to her laugh. With three teens in my house, there are a LOT of these moments. For a more detailed history on my childhood and the gray hairs I gave Mama, feel free to read “O Mama, I Get it Now!”
Taking care of yourself is worth the effort. Take that daily medication. Drink the water. Go on walks. Swim with your kids.
Life is FULL of doing things you don’t feel like doing. Do them anyway. It starts when we are little with picking up our toys and making our bed. Then doing things like asking for forgiveness, finishing things well, and definitely putting up our shopping carts at Walmart.
Trust your gut – don’t shush your gut. Pay attention when things don’t add up or when a situation doesn’t feel right. Those feelings are there for a reason.
If we run from the brokenness we will miss the beauty. There is not enough bubble wrap to protect us from the truth that we live in a broken world. God uses this brokenness to draw us closer to Himself. He works in the brokenness to reach parts of our heart that would otherwise remain unchanged. And He weaves beauty in the brokenness that brings peace, joy, and makes us whole. It is the biggest mystery to me, and it is something only God could do.
God is never surprised or caught off guard. When we feel like the rug has been yanked out from under us, we can rest in the truth that every single thing that happens to us is filtered through God’s loving hands. We can trust His plan for our life.
God will ask us to walk through difficult times, but He never asks us to walk through it alone. He is with us every step of the way.
Get the Breyer’s ice cream on a normal day. When I was a little girl, if Mama bought Breyer’s something special was coming up. Celebrate little things in big ways from time to time.
We are made for relationships. We are born into a web of relationships and every moment of our lives are anchored in relationships. For my birthday, my mom gave me a photo album filled with pictures of places, events, and the people involved. My first boyfriend, the ONE picture of my running career (one race), the ONE page of my pageant career (one pageant), and so many silly pictures with friends. The most important part of each picture wasn’t the location or what we were doing, it was the people in the pictures.
Nurture the friendships that refresh your soul.
If God puts someone on your mind, pick up the phone, write the letter, and reach out to them. You’ll be glad you did.
Surprise others with grace. There will be times when it is hard to love others. Those are the times when it is needed the most. There will be people who are difficult to love. Those are the people who need it the most. Showing grace when people don’t expect it gets their attention. After all, it is what God did for us. He loves us when we are at our worst, and draws us in with His kindness and grace.

I am thankful for the lessons learned and the years it took to learn them.

Now I’m going to go call Mama and hear her laugh.

We Never Wait Alone

Do you remember how much of childhood was spent waiting?

Waiting on Christmas, on your birthday, for the storm to pass so you could go swimming, waiting for your turn on the swing (Why did the person in front of us always take so long?)

Kids know about waiting.

I’m not saying kids are good at waiting. I’ve seen plenty of crossed arms, furrowed eyebrows, and impatiently tapping toes. And we can’t forget the glorious meltdowns.

When my kids were younger, I would tell them that waiting is a part of life. Even grownups have to wait. We wait for appointments, we wait in line at the grocery store, we wait for our kids to put on their shoes.

But waiting isn’t easy, is it? And not all waiting is equal.

A child waiting for Christmas knows that the day will eventually come. You will eventually reach the cashier at Walmart, no matter how many coupons the lady in front of you is holding.

But some waiting has no end in sight and no guarantee that the end will be what we want it to be. Our first response may be to nervously chew our fingernails, or eat all the chocolate, or stay really busy. But God offers us a different way. He offers two types of waiting that offer peace.

Waiting Expectantly: Psalm 27:14

The word used in this verse for wait has the idea of waiting expectantly, being alert. Don’t give up. Instead, give God time to act. It also has the idea of being twisted or stretched. This type of waiting means enduring.

This verse also tells us we don’t wait on our own and we don’t endure in our own strength. He shall strengthen your heart. He will cause you to be strong, alert, courageous, bold.

You aren’t waiting alone, and the waiting isn’t without purpose. God is working in you during the waiting to grow courage, purpose, and resolve in you.

He is with you. And in the waiting you will experience His faithfulness.

Restful Waiting: Psalm 62:5

Here the word used for wait is to grow silent, to be still.

It’s not a shut up and deal with it type of being silent. Instead, it means to cease moving, to quiet yourself, to find rest.

How can we do this? Because of where our hope is placed.

The next few verses tell us why it is safe to place our hope in God, the reasons we can rest as we wait. They describe God as a rock, a fortress, a refuge. Because of who He is we can confidently place our trust Him.

In this type of waiting we draw our strength from who God is. We lean toward Him during these times and in this quiet, resting place, He draws near to us.

You are with Him. And in the waiting you will experience His gentleness.

No matter the waiting, we never wait alone.

When Jesus Turns Things Upside Down

Jesus often said and did the unexpected.

He turned things upside down and left people perplexed.

When the rich young ruler approached Jesus, he was confident that he was in good standing with God. The prevailing thought of the day was that riches proved that God was pleased with you. Add that to his rule-keeping, and he was practically guaranteed to inherit eternal life, right?

This man was trusting in what his religious culture said about his wealth.

And then Jesus asked him to give away the very thing that his trust was wrapped up in to the poor- the very people that he was certain God was not pleased with.

In one simple conversation “Jesus exposed in that man the thing that he treasured more than he treasured God.”

Jesus turned things upside down.

Nicodemus wasn’t confident he was in good standing with God, but he knew he was on the right path. He was, after all, a respected Pharisee.

And yet something in Jesus’ teachings led him to go to Jesus in secret.

In one statement, Jesus rocked the world Nicodemus had carefully built during a lifetime of serving the Lord.

Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The despair in his response leaps off the page. How can a man be born when he is old?

Seeing the kingdom of God was the focus of Nicodemus’ entire life.

“What if Jesus had told Nicodemus,’You need to work harder and trust God more’? Nicodemus could have gone home and tried to do better. But Jesus was emptying Nicodemus of any hope he had of fixing himself.

One sentence emptied Nicodemus of all of his self-centered schemes for rightness with God.”

He spent his life seeking God, but his trust was in the seeking, not in God.

Jesus turned things upside down.

The Samaritan woman at the well knew she wasn’t favored by God. She definitely knew she didn’t have a chance of being right with God.

After all, she had messed up way too much, searching for a relationship that would make her feel loved. Everyone, including her, knew that for a fact.

And yet, when Jesus revealed that her hope in relationships would always leave her thirsty and pointed her toward Himself, she recognized her need for Him.

When Jesus turned things upside down for her, she saw that things were finally right.

Jesus turned things upside down for these three to reveal that what they were trusting in could never fully satisfy. He poked holes in their false hopes so they could see that their need of Him, the source of lasting Hope.

And He does the same for us.

Sometimes we are the young ruler trusting in social status or rule-keeping.

Other times we are Nicodemus, hoping that our service to God, our sacrifice, our theological knowledge will make us complete.

And, more often than not, we are the Samaritan woman, hoping to find love and a sense of worth through relationships.

Jesus loves us too much to let us keep searching for fulfillment in things and people. He turns things upside down so that we can see Him clearly, run to Him readily, and find what we are searching for in Him.

Words in italics are from the workbook Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically by John Snyder. Used with permission.

What Will Be Different About This Year?

How did you bring in the new year?

We brought it in very quietly, which was different.

A year ago, we joined a few other families for a celebration filled with games, food, laughter, and fireworks. We threw open the door for 2020 and welcomed it in. I chose #2020seeingclearly as my hashtag for the year and made a list of all the things I wanted to accomplish.

Then, like a snow globe in the hands of a toddler, the world, on a global and personal scale, was turned upside down and vigorously sloshed from side to side.

At first we were flustered about the intrusion, then frustrated. As it went on we became rattled, and eventually worn down. The more our world was shaken, the more we found that the things we cling to were shaken right along with us.

Trials and loss have a way of showing us what we are clinging to. If those things fail us, what are we left with?

What if we could cling to something that couldn’t be shaken, no matter how hard the snow globe is thrown?

My hashtag was more fitting than I imagined, though not for the reason I chose it. The days, months, and events of 2020 helped me see a few things very clearly.

I am not in control, but God is. Every plan can be cancelled, but the plans of the Lord never fail. His purposes stand. 2020 taught me to hold my plans loosely, and to look with eyes of faith for what God is doing.

Trusting God is the way to combat fear. Unlike things or people that we place our trust in, God will never leave or abandon us. His overall plan is to draw us closer to Himself, and He uses world events to do just that. Fear shouts in our ears, bringing chaos to a rising roar so that we cannot hear the calm, steady voice of the Lord saying I’ve got you. Trust me. Trusting God means that we stop listening to the voice of fear, and begin listening to truth.

The more I know God, the easier it is to trust Him. The way to get to know God is through His Word. The Bible is a gift from God to us where He shows us who He is and who we are in relation to Him.

He does this through story and through poetry. He lets us see people who failed Him and those who trusted Him. And we see how He responds to those people.

Through His Word we see His love for imperfect people just like us. We see how He works inside the bounds of circumstances, and how He works above the bounds of circumstances. He is not limited in any way.

As we get to know God, we see the depth of His love for us. His unfailing love for us helps us trust Him.

God’s love, trustworthiness, and character – these are the things that cannot be shaken by circumstances.

As we begin a new year, may we hold loosely to things and people, and tightly to the things that cannot be shaken. May we find solid footing as we spend time in God’s Word. May we cling to truth.

And may we give our time and energy to pouring these lasting things into the lives of those around us.

How to get started? A Prayer for 2021 is a great place to begin. It is a prayer asking God to do what only He can do and asking Him to use us as He does it. Click on the link for the printable PDF version of the image below.

What are your thoughts on 2020 and on the year ahead? What do you hope to do to make this year different?

Happy New Year, my friend!

Erin

Those Walking in Darkness Need the Light

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. (Isaiah 9:2)

Darkness pressed down like a heavy coat, swallowing everyone in the cave. For one minute we stood in complete darkness and silence. Even though my husband was standing right beside me, within seconds the first fearful thought popped into my head.

I am alone.

Of course, I wasn’t. I was surrounded on every side by members of our group as we toured Mammoth Cave.

But in the darkness, I felt alone. Trapped.

Within seconds scenes from every murder-mystery I’d ever seen or read came to mind. I thought about the others in the group. Who are these people? I don’t even know them. I tightened my grip on my backpack straps and distrust rose in my heart.

Thankfully the minute passed, our tour guides turned their lanterns back on, everyone laughed, breathed a sigh of relief, and we went on with the remainder of our 14-mile tour.

It took less than a minute for fear to surface when I was standing in literal darkness. And that makes me wonder:

Does fear surface in any type of darkness?

What about the people all around us who are walking in figurative darkness? Searching for fulfilment, purpose, peace, and happiness without any light. Surrounded by fear and distrust without hope of rescue. Or so they believe.

But we know that light shines in the darkness. And we know the Light of the World who came to rescue us, the One who came to be our hope.

Light broke through deepest darkness when God put on flesh and stepped into our world. He came as a tiny light, wrapped in the most vulnerable package.

He came in a way that we could receive Him.

If He had come like He did on Mount Sinai; we might have turned away in fear. In Exodus, the people were told to get ready, get clean, and not to touch the mountain or they would die. In contrast, Jesus came on a dark night, in a dirty stable, and only a few knew the Light had come.

Jesus came to show us what God is like, how deeply He loves us, and how we can follow Him.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. As the Word, He brought thoughts from the innermost recesses of people’s hearts out into the light. He was gentle with those who were struggling, patient with those who didn’t even know they needed Him until He spoke to them. He challenged those who thought they had Him all figured out.

Jesus saw people living in figurative darkness and it moved him. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)

Maybe they were tossed around by fear, suspicion, and distrust. Maybe they were seeking fulfilment, purpose, and peace in things that could never deliver. Maybe they felt trapped, like they would never be free from the darkness.

And He told them Whoever follows me will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

The light of life He offers shines brighter than a tour guide’s lantern and points us to the answer our hearts were made to search for – One who loves us beyond all measure. One who is always with us. One who shines light in the darkest places of our lives.

***********

We celebrate the coming of the Light of the world at Christmas, but we need this truth every day of the year. Discover the themes of Christmas in everyday life through my newly released book of short devotions In Unexpected Ways: Christmas in Everyday Life.

Better Than Wishes

Are you feeling Corona weary these days?

I asked that question during Mug to Mug a few weeks ago, and I was met with a resounding YES!!!

These days I can relate to the moment in The Lord of the Rings when Frodo admitted to Gandalf “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.”

We could fill in Frodo’s statement with many, many things from our own lives, couldn’t we?

“I wish _______ had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.”

J.R.R. Tolkien began writing The Lord of the Rings during World War I. I can imagine that this thought came to mind as he crouched in trenches, fought, and lost friends in battles.

In fairy tales wishes are made and granted all the time. Sometimes the wishes have strings attached, or the things wished for aren’t really what is best. Characters in fairy tales, and people in real life, make wishes based on comfort level, and on what is seen.

Thankfully, we have something far better than wishes. We have God’s promises. God’s promises are made with the very best for us in mind and they take into account future events that we have no way of knowing.

So what do we do when our wishes don’t match with His promises? When the working out of His promises in our life doesn’t look anything like we thought it would?

We place our trust in the unchanging nature and character of God.

We seek out comfort and avoid conflict, but God often calls us into situations and places that are uncomfortable and filled with conflict. He brings us into places where all we can do is trust Him. Maybe He knows that in trusting Him, we will know Him more deeply. And that, besides seeing us face to face, is His heart’s desire.

Take a moment to read this beautiful description of the intersection between our wishes and His precious promises.

My Wishes and His Promises
God has promised me His eternal life, but not a long life.
God has promised me perfect health on the new earth, but not on this earth.
God has promised me His comfort, but not a life without pain.
God has promised me His righteousness, but not righteous people.
God has promised me His home in heaven, but not a house on earth.
God has promised me His wedding feast, but not a spouse.
God has promised me His joy, but not a life without sorrow.
God has promised me His justice, but not human justice.
God has promised me His power, but not a life without weakness.
God has promised me His sufficiency, but not a life with no needs.
God has promised me His wisdom, but not a life without questions.
God has promised me His guidance, but not a life without confusion.
God has promised me His victory, but not a life without conflict.
God has promised me His presence, but not a life without loneliness.
God has promised me His vengeance, but not a life without forgiving.
God has promised me His grace, but not a life without repentance.
God has promised me His blessing, but not a life without obedience.
God has promised me His reward, but not a life without a race.
God has promised me His love, but not a life without rejection.
God has promised me His peace, but not a life without turmoil.
God has promised me His faithfulness, but not a life without faith.
Peter Reid, General Director of Torchbearers International (Jan.2020)

Let’s Talk! Where you are hanging on more tightly to your wishes than to His promises? Are those the areas in your life you have trouble trusting God with?

What are your thoughts on this quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer ? “God sent His Son not to fulfill my wishes, but His promises.”

If you would like an artsy copy of “My Wishes and His Promises” click here to get one designed by @themakingsofjoy. Then run over to Instagram and see what else she does. She’s one talented lady!