Archive for the Category »Isaiah «

16
Dec
One is the loneliest number
meg

Moving across the country with the military is rough, but it’s harder still when our husbands have to leave us behind in an unknown city. Far away from friends and family, it can be the loneliest place in the world to be. That cold pillow beside you at night can bring you to tears. The food that takes a week to eat, instead of a night, slowly goes bad in the fridge. The quietness of the house is almost beyond what you can bear, so what do you do?

In Isaiah 41:10 God says these precious words:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (NIV).

It can be fearful living on your own, especially if you’ve never experienced it before. I know that I can be slightly paranoid in a dark house, double checking windows and doors, and locking myself in my room before I go to sleep. There’s a certain safety that goes away when my husband isn’t home. It’s easy for me to get caught up in the loneliness and fear. Just the same, Isaiah 41 reminds us that God is there, ready and willing to help us through the loneliest times of our lives. He promises to hold us up when we can hardly stand on our own, and to help us make it through another day. He will always be beside us in this life, even when our husbands cannot. He is the only one who will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). And so, it’s oh so important, dear sisters, that we trust in Him.
Dear Lord, thank you that you are by my side, even on the loneliest of days.

Category: Deuteronomy, Isaiah  Tags:  Leave a Comment
10
Nov
You Are My Strength When I Am Weak
meg

I was sick, really sick, like you don’t want the details gross kind of sick. At first, my husband was a wonderful helper, getting me ginger ale from the store, retrieving ice packs from the freezer and putting different DVDs in for me to watch. It was wonderful having him there to take care of me. And then, the inevitable happened, he got sick too.
Now I don’t handle sickness on a good day. Just imagine how I felt now that we were both on our backs on the couch, neither of us feeling like we could help the other at all. It wasn’t fun. Just the same, I knew what I needed to do. I needed to be there for my husband. I needed to get him wet rags and cups of ginger ale and the throw blanket from over in the corner . I need to love with a sacrificial kind of love, the kind of love that would take care of my husband even when I myself was feeling pretty sick. This was the first time loving my husband was truly a sacrifice for me. For the most part loving him is pretty enjoyable. This wasn’t, so I definitely need some help from God.
And so I prayed to God to help us through this day. I prayed to God to help me find the strength to care for my husband and to love him with a truly sacrificial love.
And amazingly I did it. I still wasn’t completely well, but God gave me the strength to do the menial tasks that needed to be accomplished. I cleaned up after us, kept our glasses filled with ginger ale, and with the help of God made it through the rest of our day of sickness.
I don’t think that God made us sick on Sunday. But I do think he had something very important to teach me on that day. He wanted me to truly see what sacrificial love feels like, and what it’s like to depend on Him to get from one moment to the next. This isn’t a lesson I’ll forget very soon.

Here are some verses that were on my heart today. I hope they bless you too:
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isaiah 40:29 NIV)
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35 NIV).
“Love is patient, love is kind…. it is not self-seeking…. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13: 4-5,7-8 NIV)

Category: 1 Corinthians, Isaiah, Mark  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
18
Aug
The Joy-Giver
admin

My first year of married life was a topsy-turvy one. I lost my job right before our wedding, which was a tough slam on my self-esteem. Because of that, I decided to try my lot at being a homemaker and freelance writer. I had mixed feelings about my new calling. I loved having the ability to write whenever and wherever I wanted, but the solitary days were tough. Moving across the country with the military even tougher.
I was lonely, depressed, and feeling as if I wasn’t “doing” enough with my life. I felt as if I was settling for less by staying at home.
I was wrong.

It took the news of this impending deployment to shake me out of my rut. It was then that I really, truly reached out to God and asked Him to help. It was then that I realized that a career, a husband, or the thought of future children could only bring a limited amount of happiness. Only God could give me the joy I truly needed.

I find it amazing that, even with the impending deployment, I have more joy and peace than I’ve had in the past year. I finally see some of my purpose, in encouraging all of you. I look forward to the times when I can sit down in a coffee shop and tap away on my laptop, writing about God and how he is my refuge and strength. Because it’s so entirely true. He sustains me each and every day.

With my husband leaving soon I should be a clingy basket case, but I’m not. I should be worrying about all the empty months before me, but I’m not. I should be staying up every night, thinking about the deployment, but I’m not. Yes, I still have my moments, but like never before, I have peace. The joy he’s given me, even now, is indescribable. I pray that each of you can experience this joy.
I’ve found that I can’t depend on other humans to make me happy in this life. Yes, I am happy in this life I’m building with my new husband. He does make me happy in the way he cares for me. But my true, sustaining happiness comes from God up above. He is the one who will sustain my joy so that I can be the encourager my husband needs me to be. He is the one who will see me through this season of deployment. He truly is my joy, my strength, and my everlasting song.

Today I find myself sporadically singing as I go about my day. It’s been awhile since I’ve done that. And it feels so good.

If you’re in need of some joy from our Father today, take hold of one of the verses below. Make it your own. Say it continuously. And claim the promise our Joy-Giver offers us.
•    “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy” (Job 8:21).
•    “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (Psalm 5:11).
•    “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).
•    “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song” (Psalm 28:7).
•    “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever” (Psalm 30:11-12).
•    “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:12).
•    “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” (Psalm 94:19).
•    “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12).

Category: Isaiah, Job, Psalm  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
17
Aug
That Thing Called Fear
admin

Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Right now I’m sitting on my porch, looking at my beautiful flowers, and enjoying this fine August afternoon. This past month has been a crazy one, but for once, I’m at peace with what lies ahead. Things are starting to come together. My husband’s “deployment check-list” is almost completed. Before I know it I will be saying goodbye. That day will be hard, I know. I’m sure some tears will follow, accompanied by a big bowl of feeling-sorry-for-myself ice cream and a lonely night in a big house. But for today I’m no longer fearful about what lies ahead.

What about you? Are you scared about anything? Or have you given that area of your life back to God. For me, giving fear back to God is something I do on a daily basis. Satan knows how to push buttons in my life. And one of those areas consists of fear.

What do I do then, what I start to become fearful?

I turn to God’s word.

Consider these versus. I hope one of them speaks to you personally today.

• “When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Psalm 56:3).

• “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

• “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
•    ”I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:4-7).
•    “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

If you’re fearful, remember that God is with you. He is ready and waiting to comfort you and help you through this rough time. But you have to reach out to him: “For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:8).

Category: 1 Peter, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Luke, Matthew, Psalm  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
04
Aug
Lord, give me some peace please?
admin

When I heard my husband was going to be deployed, one of the things I struggled with the most was finding peace about the situation. I was worried about my husband’s safety while he was over seas. I was worried about living in a house by myself. I was worried about taking care of the household finances. I was worried about traveling to visit family on my own. I was worried about going to the store, at night without my personal bodyguard (aka husband) by my side. I was anxious about all of these things. Any sense of peace was far from me. In essence, I was a mess. I really needed to ask the Lord for help.
Luke 11:10 says,
“For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (NIV).
God was ready and waiting to give me peace, when I asked for it.
That peace made such a difference in how I looked at the impending deployment. Yes, I still had times when I worried, but beneath it all, I felt God’s comfort through it all.
Here are a few verses on peace that I hold close to my heart. Hopefully they’ll be a blessing to you as well:
•    “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace” (Psalm 29:11 NIV).
•    You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV).
•    “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 NIV).

Category: Isaiah, Luke, Philippians, Psalm  Tags:  Leave a Comment