Hope for the Journey

All Things for Good

2011-01-10T22:22:00.006-06:00

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:28

Perhaps one of my favorite verses in Scripture. Today as I sat down with my Bible study, this verse was the focus of the lesson. What an encouragement it was to me, and I desire to encourage you, as well.

"All things." (Some translations of the Bible say "everything.") Everything? The loss of a job, the death of a child, the pain of an illness, the hurt in a divorce, the sorrow in loneliness...how can God work good through these circumstances? Tired hearts question every day what good could come out of such painful situations in the forefront of their lives. Maybe you are one of those hearts today. Can I share some hope with you?

Let's read on to verse 29. Here is what it says:

"For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to b

ecome like his Son, so that his Son would be the first-born among many brothers and sisters."

So really, dear one, God knew you before you were born. He planned each day, each circumstance, each trial before you even took your first breath. Psalm 139:16 says, "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed..." And why would God choose to bring difficult circumstances in our lives? But for the goal of molding us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus. Because you see, dear one, as we endure day by day, we are becoming more like Jesus. We can rest in knowing that each and every circumstance has been ordained by the Father in order to accomplish His perfect will. He is molding us, shaping us, and leading us each and every day. As God's dear children, we can put our hope in Him knowing that every circumstance will work for our good. What hope!

What encouragement this brought to me tonight. As I began to think of the way that God has led me in this past year of 2010, I could not help but see the way the Lord used many circumstances in my life, some difficult but some joyous, to draw me closer to Him and His will for my life. Brokenness was surrendered...and hope was given. Direction was sought...and prayers were answered. I would like to share a specific hope that God gave me just recently. It is dear to my heart, and I share this with joy tonight. Rejoicing that God is indeed faithful to His promises. He indeed works every circumstance in our lives....for good.

Tonight I write to you for the first time as Mrs. Thorn. On November 20, 2010, I had the privilege of saying "I do" to God's precious gift to my life. Never did I imagine that I would stand in front of my precious family and friends this year and have the honor of becoming a wife. And my sweet husband, the one that I have prayed for many years, chose to take me as his wife. He is not only one who I call my husband, but one who I call my Godly source of encouragement....leading me closer to my Father. The prayers for a Godly husband were abundantly answered by my Lord Jesus. And as we knelt at the altar during our wedding ceremony, we thanked our Almighty Father for what He had done. What a promise of hope fulfilled.

As I have shared before, I had a special box of letters. As a young girl, I began to write letters to the man that I would one day call my husband. On our wedding day, I had the honor of giving my husband these special letters. But as the wedding day was approaching, I began to assemble these letters into a scrapbook for him. I decided to read the last letter that I had written to him. As I read the letter...tears rolled down my cheek. For in this letter, I poured out my heart to him....not even really knowing who he was. I told him of my desperate longing to know what God wanted to do with my life. I told him of my fear of an unknown future and how God was shaping me through some difficult circumstances. I sat with the letter in my lap.....weeping because I could remember exactly where I was at the moment in my life. Ashamed as I am to say this...I was almost void of hope. I had no idea what God was doing in my life. I felt lonely, frustrated, and broken with "the plans." My eyes drifted to the top corner at the date. With tears streaming down my cheeks, my eyes read July 30, 2009. What is so significant about this date? My sweet husband and I were engaged exactly one year from this day on July 30, 2010.

What hope! God used this example in my life to show me that even in difficult circumstances, He is shaping my life to follow His perfect plan. For if I had not gone through that difficult time in my life, I may have never of had the chance to meet my husband. Looking back on all that God did in my life in one year brings such hope to this heart. God knew on July 30, 2009 exactly where I would be on July 30, 2010. Nothing was a surprise to Him.

Even in the pain, loneliness, sorrow....God is working. He is perfecting us...perfecting us into the image of His Son. Psalm 139:17 says: "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God..." You are precious to Him. Everything that He allows to come into your life is meant for your God. Never despair. Live in that hope.

Praise Upon Praise

"O Father

Through the years

You have permitted

Hurt upon hurt

In my God-planned life.

This early morning

Even before I greet the dawn

I offer You

Praise upon praise

For you are transforming every hurt

Into a holy hallmark--

A genuine guarantee

Of my permanent indentification

With You."

---Ruth Harms Calkin

Praying for you, dear child of God. May you find hope in Him.

Hannah Grace

"In Everything, Lord, May I Give Thanks"

2010-06-30T21:14:00.006-05:00

"Be encouraged--God is in control.

ALL IS WELL.

You will look back one day and see

how it all fit together for your own good. (I Thess. 5:18)

I love you,

Dad"

These sweet words are what awaited me inside of my car one morning last summer. That particular time in my life, I was struggling with fear/anxiety about an unknown future. My precious dad knew of this discouragement and never failed to remind me that he was praying for me and that he loved me.

Looking back on that difficult but beautiful time in my life, I see the handiwork of my Maker. For my heart was "scared to death" of an unknown future, possibly a future of being alone. And since that time, God has answered, provided, and guided my very steps. Today even marks a special day of that answered prayer. For during that time, I was praying for the one whom I would spend my life with. Five months ago today, he was brought into my life. The time spent in the waiting was all in God's plan. Oh, how my Father perfectly orchestrated my every step and answered my prayers far greater than I could have imagined. All praise to Him.

Tonight, almost a year ago to the day, God ordained that I would receive the same encouragement. What a God!

I recently graduated in May. With this awaited graduation, the hopes of a job were on the forefront. I was eager, willing, ready to serve others through my career. And here I am, June 30, without a job. It seems almost as if these past few weeks of job-searching have been a roller coaster. I've sought God, pleading for His direction and the opening of doors. As ashamed as I am to admit it, I would cry out to God...almost as if I felt that I deserved a job. "But, God, I am seeking you and honoring you with my life. I've surrendered to do whatever You lead me to do. I've pledged my life to You. Why aren't You answering me?"

I have a specific place in my room where I have special prayer times with the Lord. Many times, I have found myself in this place kneeling, praising, weeping before my God. And tonight...I found myself there. And as I kneeled there, these lyrics poured out of my stereo speakers:

"Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust

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 You are God"

Oh, how I long to know His power...in quietness and in perfect trust. To truly be still and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10) As I was crying out to God, I looked up. And from where I was kneeling, the top shelf of one of my bookcases was in plain view. There I saw my diploma. But what caught my eye was not the diploma, but what was sitting right next to it. For what was right next to the diploma was a small plaque. And on it read: "In Everything Give Thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18" I then finished the verse out loud:

"In everything give thanks;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

"Thank you, Lord." I prayed. For I was reminded that the verse did not simply say: Give thanks. It said: "In everything give thanks..." Not give thanks when things are going well, or give thanks when things are going as planned, or even give thanks when a job is offered...in everything we are to be thankful. But even more than that, we can be thankful because God is in this. We can be thankful, because this is His perfect will for our lives. Psalm 18:30 reminds us:

"As for God, his way is perfect;

the word of the LORD is flawless.

He is a shield

for all who take refuge in him."

What a precious and beautiful source of encouragement I was given tonight. A year ago by my earthly father, this time by my Heavenly Father.

I received a sweet reminder last Sunday. We as believers do not love God just because of what He can give to us or what blessing we can receive. We love God, because He first loved us and gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sinfulness. (1 John 4:10) What a timely reminder this was to me. For I serve God Almighty, not because of what He can give me, not because of the blessings that come from His hand, not because of life that I want....I serve Him, because I love Him. He is my All. He is my Rock. He is the foundation that I desire to build my life upon.

I desired to be very honest with you tonight and share from the depths of my heart. Tonight, I have come from a heart of imperfection, made perfect by God Almighty. I have come from a heart tainted with discouragement, encouraged by the Great Comforter. I have come from a heart threatened by anxiety and fear, made to rest by the Great Calmer. And tonight, I have no more answers about the future than I did this morning, but I rest under the shadow of the Almighty. I choose to be still in His presence and trust that His will is perfect.

Where are you at tonight, sweet one of God? What area in your life are seeking direction from the Lord? May you rest tonight the mighty and perfect will of your Lord Jesus. May you truly be able to give thanks...in every circumstance. He has a plan. He knew your very steps, even before the day that you took your first breath. He has your tomorrow's planned and nothing is a surprise to Him. May you surrender tonight. Let's do it together. May we surrender tonight...surrender our hopes, dreams, desires, plans....surrender them with thanksgiving into the hands of Almighty God. I'd like to pray for both you and I. Praying that this night leaves you filled with hope and a perfect peace.

Father God,

I praise You tonight for your faithfulness. I praise You tonight, for You are good. All Your ways are good. Every circumstance, every situation, every moment, even as difficult as some may be, are meant for our good. I pray tonight that we can truly rejoice and be thankful. Thank You, Father, for leading us in very specific ways, opening and closing doors in Your perfect timing. I thank You, Father, for the protection that You grant us through closed doors. And even when periods of silence and uncertainty are all around us, I thank You that You remain in control. You are with us...even in the waiting. I pray for the ones who will read this tonight. I pray that You will fill their hearts with hope. I pray that they may truly trust in You and rest in Your peace. May they know tonight that they are loved. May they truly serve You, not for the blessings to be received, but out of deep love for You. May I do the same, Lord. For my sole purpose here on this earth is to bring honor and glory to You. Thank You for Your love, Father. Surround us tonight...that we may find rest in You.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving:

"Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!

Worship the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing with joy.

Acknowledge that the Lord is God!

He made us, and we are his.

We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;

go into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good.

His unfailing love continues forever,

and his faithfulness continues to each generation."

Psalm 100

Praying for you tonight, dear one of God. Rejoice and give thanks. For our Father, He is good. Amen?

Hannah Grace

Hope from the God of the Impossible

2010-03-16T20:03:00.007-05:00

A calling given. Needs provided. Protection granted. Promises fulfilled. What hope!

Over the past month, God has been doing such wonderful things. Such wonderful and unfathomable things that I could have never even dreamed of. And as I stand back and watch my wonderful Maker work, I think: "Why should I be suprised?" A verse that has been very near to my heart over the past year very often rings within my ears:

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth

by your great power and outstretched arm.

Nothing is too hard for you."

Jeremiah 32: 17

Did you catch that word at the beginning of the last sentence? Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. Do we sometimes look at our desperate situations, our difficult circumstances, our seemingless hopeless "deserts" in life with despair and defeat saying, "How could God do anything with this?" Perhaps you are even there today. Well, dear one, today I affirm hope in your life.

This morning before the day began, I was reminded of God's miraculous and limitless power. My devotion this morning entitled "God's Possibilities" reflected upon the verse in Mark 10:27:

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible,

but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Did you catch that very, very important phrase? All things, all things, all things, all things. Precious one of God, through Him ALL things are possible. Can you say amen to that hope tonight? We serve a God of the seemingly impossible. Nothing is too hard for Him.

My boyfriend and I are currently doing a daily devotional together entitled "At His Feet." One specific day focused upon the God of the impossible. The author Chris Teigreen writes these encouraging words: "Our Bible is full of impossible situations. A nation camped at the edge of a sea with a hostile army behind them. An inexperienced band of fighters faced an impenetrable, walled city. A shepherd boy stood before an armed and angry giant. A worshiper faced a lion's den. 'Dry bones' rotted in a valley. And our only hope of salvation lay in a sealed tomb."

What seemingly "impossible" situation are facing today? What discouragement, hurt, hopelessness may be crowding your view? Well, sweet one, today I have news of hope. We serve a God of the impossible. In light of the Easter celebration that has just passed, may we continue to meditate on the miraculous resurrection of our Lord Jesus. I imagine myself in the disciples shoes, so to speak. The three days that Jesus spent in the grave may have evoked hopelessness, disappointment, despair...you name it. How could any good come of this? Death feels final...that's it? And three days later...a miracle. Jesus rose!

Perhaps your life is a series of "three days." Precious one of God, praise Him today for the work that He is doing and for the work that He will do! May you find strength, comfort, and hope in Him alone.

"Have you never heard?

Have you never understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary.

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to the weak

and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40: 28-31

Blessings to you as you trust in Him!

Hannah Grace

"He, the God of all Grace, Speaks"

2010-01-23T20:48:00.005-06:00

Should we be surprised when we pray for God's direction...and He shows up? Should we be surprised when we seek His guidance day after day...and He provides the answer? The question tonight is...why are we surprised? He is a faithful God, faithful to all that He has promised. For hear this, child of God. These words are what He has promised:

“Thus says the LORD who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’"

Jeremiah 33:3

I believe that I may have mentioned this before, but over the past month I have been doing a study entitled "Discerning the Voice of God" by Priscilla Shirer. What a wonderful privilege it is to dig into the Scripture and study more about my Father God. Over these past few weeks, I have experienced God moving in mighty and beautiful ways. And often, I stand back and say: "Did that really just happen? I prayed for a specific answer...and He responded?" It is almost as if I can hardly fathom that God would choose to answer the requests of this heart of mine. But, He does. Not always in the timing that I think He should or even the answer that I really feel as if I desire...but He always answers.

On the top of my tall, oak dresser sits a special box. On the front it reads: "HOPE Scripture Verse Cards." I simply call it "My Hope Box." More days than not, a card gets drawn

from that box...sometimes more than one a day. And I find myself kneeling on my floor praying whatever verse I have just picked from the box. I can recall countless times where God has specifically allowed a verse to "pop out at me," for lack of better words.

Earlier today, I picked a card and knelt down by my bookcase. I prayed, and then my eyes fell upon these words:

"You, the God of all grace, who called me to Your eternal glory in Christ, after I have suffered a little while, will Yourself restore me and make me strong, firm, and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)"

I rose to my feet. Encouraged.

Tonight, I reached beside my bed and pulled out my devotional book entitled "Hope." And then I prayed these words before opening to the page: "Lord, please give me a word of hope tonight. Amen." Turned to this day's devotion and read these beautiful words....again.

"In His kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation." 1 Peter 5:10

When I read those words, I looked up and thought: "God, You've done it again. Thank you." I thought to myself, "Why should I be surprised?"

He promises to speak to us when we call to Him. And even when we think that He has forgotten...surely He must have forgotten us in our suffering...and even when we are sure that a God like Him could not let one of His own endure a situation like this...He speaks to us a message of hope.

"And I will give you treasures

hidden in the darkness--secret riches.

I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,

the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name."

Isaiah 45:3

These words from Nancy Guthrie spoke to my heart tonight, and I pray that they will speak to yours, as well. She writes:

"I don't know what scars or wounds following Jesus will leave on your body, on your emotions, or on your soul. But the glory to come will be worth the wounds. Your scars will be cause for celebration. We'll be glad we followed the way of the Cross. One day we'll experience in reality what we now embrace by faith--that suffering is the pathway to glory."

For whatever you may be enduring today, be encouraged to know that He is able "To do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory.." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Obey His voice (1 John 5:2-3), have faith in His promise (Numbers 23:19), put your hope in His Word (Ps. 119:114).

Prayed for you, tonight. To Him be all glory.

Hannah Grace

"I Clear the Path"

2010-01-06T08:36:00.003-06:00

This morning I flipped in my mom's book/journal entitled "God Calling" to start this new day with some encouragement. It opened to this page, and I could not help but share this with you. Exactly what I needed to read. Perhaps it is what you need to hear, also.

"Wait on the Lord." Psalm 27:14

"I am thy shield. Have no fear. You must know that 'All is well.' I will never let anyone do to you both, other than My Will for you.

I can see the future. I can read men's hearts. I know better than you what you need. Trust Me absolutely. You are not at the mercy of Fate, or buffeted about by others. You are being led in a very definite way, and others, who do not serve your purpose, are being moved out of your Path by Me.

Never fear, whatever may happen. You are both being led. Do not try to plan. I have planned. You are the builder, not the Architect.

Go very quietly, very gently. All is for the very best for you.

Trust Me for all. Your very extremity will ensure My activity for you. And having your foundation on the Rock--Christ, Faith in Him, and 'being rooted and grounded in Him,' and having belief in My Divinity as your Corner Stone, it is yours to build, knowing all is well.

Literally, you have to depend on Me for everything--everything. It was out of the depths that David cried unto Me, and I heard his voice. All is well."

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." Psalm 37:23

Amen? Wow. What a God!

Clear the path, Lord. I will follow.

Hannah Grace

Exchanging My Plans for His

2009-12-28T11:47:00.014-06:00

Good afternoon, sweet friends of mine. Hope this gift of another day finds you doing well and living in the joy of our Father. Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule. It would be an honor to share with you some thoughts from this heart of mine.

Plan. What a tiny word with such vast meanings and implications. I researched the different definitions of the word plan. This was perhaps my favorite. Freedictionary.com defines plan as: "A systematic arrangement of elements or important parts; a configuration or outline: a seating plan; the plan of a story." The words systematic and outline are the two words that really stood out to me.

When viewing this small word from a technical aspect, I realized how silly I have been in viewing my life plans. This time last year, my life plan was as follows:

1. May 2010: Graduate from nursing school.

2. Summer 2010: Get married

3. Move wherever my husband and I both acquire jobs.

4. Begin my role as a Godly wife and a RN.

And when these failed to work out...my heart begin to collapse.

Here I sit today in this quaint little coffee shop: 21 years old, single, not sure where God is calling me after May 2010...is there something wrong with this picture? Absolutely not. It is right where He has called me to be..."for such a time as this." Do I always have this positive attitude? Hmm...that would be a negative. In fact, over the past week, my faithful Father has been dealing with me on this issue. Such a growing time of: seeking His divine direction, anticipating His timely answer, and resting in His sovereign will.

I have recently begun a new Bible study by Priscilla Shirer entitled: "Discerning the Voice of God." Could this study have come in my life at a better time? Oh my. Another neat tidbit about this book is that I had debated between two different studies written by Shirer before coming to the decision that this was the one I would complete first. Wow. Again, I come to the conclusion that God brought this study into my life "for such a time as this." What a God of the details!

This study focuses upon the somewhat unfamiliar book of Habakkuk. Read Habakkuk 1:2-4 if you have your Bible nearby. Perhaps you can sense this man's frustration as he desperately desires to hear from God concerning the sinfulness in Judah. Consider some difficult circumstances within your own life. Have you ever felt like Habakkuk? Have you ever asked God: "Why are you allowing this to go on? Why do you remain silent? Do you not hear me?" Strikes a cord with me.

But then, my friends, we see God in His divine time answer this distraught soul with a promise of hope in 1:5:

"Look among the nations! Observe!

Be astonished! Wonder!

Because I am doing something in your days--

You would not believe if you were told."

What a comfort! Even in God's apparent silence, He was working "behind the scenes." Shirer writes: "With these words, God gave Habakkuk spiritual vision. The prophet received encouragement to look around and observe. While Habakkuk waited on God to answer, God was already answering...Even though the prophet wasn't seeing God respond in the way and timing he expected, God was speaking and moving. He always is--even in His silence."

God is always speaking and moving...even in His silence. What an encouragement to this "planner" heart of mine.

Let's skip over to the next chapter. In Habakkuk 2:1, we see this prophet's next action. Wait for the Lord's direction, anticipating His answer.

"I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart.

And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me."

Habakkuk 2:1

This required a willing and open heart, plus a major dose of patience. And then, our faithful Father did it again. He spoke. Yet another promise of hope in 2:3:

"The vision is yet for the appointed time...Though it tarries, wait for it;

For it will certainly come, it will not delay."

Shirer focuses on this principle: "The process of waiting for a message from God is just as important as the message itself." For in that season of waiting, God is able to grow our weary and needy hearts into those molded to fulfill His perfect PLANS for our lives. Shirer brought about the principle of the guard post. She states: "The watchtower was positioned well above the group to provide a broad view for miles around. It gave the guard in the tower a different view circumstances. Habakkuk purposed to remove himself from the depression and anxiety of his ground-level circumstances and get above them. He took his eyes off his circumstances and watched only for God."

Will you purpose today to get those searching eyes off your "ground-level" circumstance. Go and climb that guard post. Listen for Almighty God's voice. How? Through prayer, meditation on His Word, and worship.

"Wait for the Lord;

Be strong, and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for the Lord."

Psalm 27:14

The answer may not come when you think it should, but He will never fail to provide His direction.

"The Lord is not slow about His promise..."

2 Peter 3:9

And even in times of discouragement, God does care about the details. And for a "detail-oriented" person like myself, it's even more of an encouragement to truly believe that. I leave you today with one last bit of encouragement.

A few days ago, I walked into Barnes and Noble. I got my coffee and decided to head to the nursing section of the store. The nearing decisions regarding my future were heavy on my heart, and I was hoping to find some books on different types of nursing and possible hospitals to consider. Deep inside I wanted to avoid the thought of making such important and difficult decisions. Yet, I knew the time had come. As I walked in front of the tall, white bookcase, a blue book caught my eye. I read the title, looked up...and smiled. For in front of me was not a nursing book but a inspirational journal that someone had "randomly" placed upon the shelf. The title read, "Dear God, I need to talk to you." Inside...page after page...I read one encouraging verse after another. All words pointed me towards a faithful God who cared about my future. Coincidence some may say. But in my heart, I did not consider it a random literary misplacement. I considered it a divine appointment with my Almighty God, Who is concerned with the details. He truly cares. He will give us divine direction in each and every area of our lives.

Don't run because of difficult circumstances, sweet one of God. Don't collapse in your weary search for direction. Don't become discouraged in what appears to be silence from the Father. Get up on the watchtower. Listen for that still, small voice. Spend time with the One Who loves you far more than you could ever comprehend. Be still and listen. He's moving and speaking...even now.

"Call to Me, and I will answer you,

and I will tell you great and mighty things,

which you do not know."

Jeremiah 33:3

Amen? Talk with Him. Be encouraged, follower of God. Blessings to you.

Hannah Grace

"O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus"

2009-12-17T22:40:00.008-06:00

The deep, deep love of Jesus. What an incredible gift. Tonight I lie awake...this hymn on my heart. ""O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus." Will you join with me in reflecting upon the measureless love of our Savior?

Recently I have been doing a study by Beth Moore entitled, "Measureless Love." An incredible study, based upon the Apostle Paul's words in Ephesians 3: 14-19:

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Within the first session, Beth Moore focuses on what makes God's label of an immeasurable love so impressive? We see in Scripture, God's continued use of detailed measurements: the tabernacle, the promised land, the ark, new Jerusalem, each one's very days on this earth (Job 14:5). We also read in Scripture of a divine Creator, Who fashioned the earth by His mighty hand...detailed measurements. Beth Moore brought out this concept as she explained that the earth is just far enough away from the sun and the moon...and tilted at just right angle. Can you consider how incredible it is that a God of detailed measurements puts none whatsoever on His great love.

The reminder of God's great love came at a special time of the year. It seems as if the older I become, Christmas is less about the gifts, the holiday festivities, and the Christmas "feeling" in the air. More this year than ever, I have been reminded of God's love and provision for me. The birth of a baby boy over two thousand years ago was God's provision for my life, a life that had yet to even begin. The cross that Jesus would bear thirty-three years later was out of His great love for you and me. He was already preparing a way for you and me. It brings tears to my eyes and a overwhelming peace to my heart.

"Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus

Spread His praise from shore to shore

How He came to pay our ransom

Through the saving cross He bore

How He watches o’er His loved ones

Those He died to make His own

How for them He’s interceding

Pleading now before the throne"

And even when life just doesn't make sense, and even when plans just do not seem to pan out, and even when we're at what feels like the end of our strength...here we have it: the immeasurable, vast, unfailing, deep, deep love of Jesus. He watches over the ones He died to ransom. He prays for us, He guides us, He pleads to the Father on our behalf...all because of His great and measureless love for you. What more do you need, dear one? What more.

I recently heard this beautiful version of the inspirational hymn by Samuel Trevor Francis. Sovereign Grace Music surely did a beautiful job. They added this chorus to their version:

"Oh the deep, deep love, all I need and trust

Is the deep, deep love of Jesus "

Do you believe that tonight? I am with you. Life can be hard. Life's decisions can be often be overwhelming, relationships can sometimes feel as if they're falling apart, at times our life plans feel as if they have been put on hold...but what remains? The deep, deep love of our Savior. All that we need is found in Him and Him alone. We can trust Him. Will you trust Him? How thankful I am. May you be reminded this Christmas season of His great love for you.

"For his unfailing love toward those who fear him

is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us

as the east is from the west.

The Lord is like a father to his children,

tender and compassionate to those who fear him."

Psalm 103: 11-13

Hannah Grace

So as I was with Moses, So I will be with You

2009-12-03T21:25:00.003-06:00

Do you ever feel as if you have an abundance of things to pray about? Perhaps so many things you need direction on that it is difficult to even to know where to begin. You come humbly before the throne of God and feel that you have so many situations, so many circumstances, and so many important decisions to talk to Him about. Speaking for myself, I've been there in the past…currently there today.

I was reminded recently of a miraculous story in the book of Joshua…a miracle from Almighty God. There is so much in the book of Joshua. I encourage you to read it! But, tonight I want to focus on one event. Let me begin by giving some background information. At the beginning of Joshua 1, the Israelites' leader Moses had just passed away. The Lord appointed to Joshua lead the people across the Jordan River into the land that He had promised. Imagine with me…how Joshua must have felt. Here not only had a dear brother and friend passed away, but their leader was now gone. What a great responsibility had fallen upon the shoulders of Joshua. Yet we read in Joshua 1:5-6, a beautiful promise to Joshua from God:

"No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.

For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you

or abandon you."

Amen. I imagine a holy fire igniting within the heart of Joshua as he heard those words. What a promise…what a faithful God.

There stood many obstacles between the Israelites and the Promised Land. Perhaps one of the largest and most intimidating of them all was the Jordan River. But our Almighty God provided for this obstacle…He provided a miracle. Then, He provided direction. God commanded that the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant walking in front of the people, leading them across the river. "Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you." (3:4) The Bible tells us that as soon as the priest's feet touched the water, the waters "stood still," (3:16) resulting in a dry riverbed. The entire nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan River…on dry land. (3:17)

Wow…can you imagine that day, that moment of God's miraculous power? I imagine the priests standing in the middle of what had been a mighty river, standing in awe of God's provision. I imagine the young children, somewhat frightened by the sight but taking step by step holding each other's hands. What an amazing display of God's faithfulness…faithful to His people, faithful to His promise.

The reminder of the story touched my heart so deeply. I imagine myself, just as the Israelites once did, standing at the banks of a great sea…a sea filled with endless decisions and an unknown future. Sometimes an excitement overwhelms me...other times fear seems to creep in. Stepping forward from a past of being rescued and provided for by the Lord and now awaiting the promise of a future filled with hope…here I stand. From the depths of my heart, I pray: "Oh, Lord. How do I get across? Which way do I go? What is Your plan? Take me wherever You desire. I will follow."

I imagine Him coming beside His dear child and taking my hand in His. "Do not be afraid, Hannah. So I was with Moses, so I was with Joshua, so I will be with you." I imagine Him taking a few steps into the "water"…providing a pathway of dry land. And just as He promised Joshua, His promise resonates in my ears as well:

"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

Today, do I have all the answers? No. Do I know exactly what He has planned for me? Well, no. But I have the promise of God's direction, of His protection, of His provision. As I trust in Him, He can perform His perfect will for my life. What an excitement and joy that brews from the depths of my soul when I truly put my whole trust in Him.

And for you, precious child of God, you have that promise, as well. Some reading this today may have lost hope in God's promise. The way seems too long, the mountain seems too big, the water seems too deep. May your heart be filled with hope. Just as He was with Moses, just as He was with Joshua, so our God is with you. What a comfort. What a blessing. What a hope. Thank you, Jesus.

Join with me in a prayerful daily walk of faith. It is a comfort to know that He holds each and every day is it not? Let Him show you the way, child of God. Do not be afraid. He is with you…wherever you go. Do you trust Him?

Hannah Grace

"Even Before I Knew"

2009-11-26T13:31:00.004-06:00

Okay, friends. I wrote this song about a month ago, and I wanted to share it with you. The sound is not great, so I posted the lyrics below. Sorry about that.

Wrote this to be a wedding song. It's so neat to me to listen to married couples tell the story of how God brought them together. I'm sure they would agree that God works "behind the scenes," orchestrating His perfect plan...down to even the very last detail. I've been praying for that future husband of mine since I was a little girl...praying for God's blessing over him in the waiting. This song was birthed out of the thankfulness in my heart that God is orchestrating His perfect will...in every area of my life.

And even outside of the concept of marriage, are you thankful today that God is in control of all things? He has control of each and every minute of each and every day...even though we do not know what is to come. What a blessing it is to truly consider that. For whatever may come, we can rest assure that He is the Divine Director of all things...even before we knew.

"Even Before I Knew"

Even before I knew
A little heart was praying
Even before I knew
Your love I was waiting
With a box full of letters
And a heart full of dreams
Waiting for the day
When your face I’d see

But the waiting seemed long
Thought I’d lose my song
But God heard every cry
And this was His reply

Ask and shall be given
Seek and ye will find
Knock and the door will be opened
But only in My time
And my hope was renewed
Each time I prayed for you
Strength given daily, peace in the waiting
Even before I knew

Even before you knew
What God was preparing
Even before you knew
Your prayers He was answ’ring
For He knew in His time
Me you would find
Shaped by God’s own Hand
Our love story, part of the Master’s plan

Bridge:
Here we are
Seeing face to face
A love so true
Given by God’s grace
He’ll make us one
From Him our love comes from.

Ending:
Strength given daily
For you I was praying
Even before I knew

Written by: Hannah Grace Weaver

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you."

Psalm 37:4-5

Hannah Grace

Twelve Little Kiddos, One Patient Coach, and a Football

2009-11-10T19:19:00.007-06:00

Twelve bright-eyed little boys, one very patient and passionate coach, and a football. And even though I have an extremely limited knowledge of this great game of football, God used these three images to teach me a very important lesson last night.

One of my favorite things to do after a long day is to take a walk or jog on the track. Worship music going through my ears, praises to God soaring from my heart...it's a beautiful and precious time with my Father. Just me and Him.

The track at our local YMCA is set just above the gymnasium. Most of the time the gym floor remains fairly empty. But on this particular night, a group of young boys were gathered to partake in probably the most anticipated highlight of their week: football practice. I watched as a very brave coach rounded up these excited kiddos, of whom just one of those boys probably had more energy on a Monday night than three of me put together. They all gathered for a common goal: outsmart and defeat the enemy. I watched as the coach began to teach them different strategic movements. He would model the "play" first, then allow them to try it. "Alright, boys. Run it!" He would yell. And with all the strength that was within them, they would run. Often at times they would mess up. But even in their failed attempts at the play, the coach would compassionately stop them and show them the correct way. Many times I would watch as he would pat one of the little guys on the back and say: "Good job, buddy. Way to go."

But perhaps what caught my attention more than anything that night was the beautiful concept of teamwork reflected in these young children. At one point during the practice, one small player was knocked to the ground. I watched as another boy reached down his hand to help the fallen teammate. I couldn't help the smile from coming across my face. I watched as the each young boy took his position on the "field" and worked for one common goal...of victory...victory over the enemy.

I began to think..."Wow, what a neat picture of the body of Christ in this great kingdom of God!" God is very much indeed our Coach in life. He has given us His Word, a play-by-play showing us exactly how His children should live in order to overcome the enemy. He has even sent us a living, breathing example of how to walk as believer through the life of His Son, our Lord Jesus.

"The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living." (Ps. 19:18)

And though sometimes we "run the play" wrong or we might even stumble and "drop the ball," He gently shows us the way...giving us clear direction and lovingly forgiving us in what may seem like our deepest failures.

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

Psalm 37:23-24

What God impressed heavily upon my heart that night was the importance of encouraging fellow believers. The beautiful sight of that young boy reaching his hand down to help his teammate...is exactly what I desire to do in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ. What an amazing blessing and opportunity we have to bless others and encourage each other in our faith. Through His Son, God gives us power to unite as believers for a common goal: defeat the enemy. Are you taking time to build up others and encourage them is this "play" of life?

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

And as I walked the track that night, I began to pray for those who would walk those same steps on the track long after my time there had ended. I prayed that they would come to know God and that they would experience the joy that I had in my heart because of what He has done for me. I prayed that perhaps even I could share with them about this great love one day.

Does it bless you tonight that God does indeed direct your every step? He has shown the way, step by step, play-by-play. Even more, He has gone before us and promises that He will never leave our side.

"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head... You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."

Psalm 138: 5, 16

I imagine Him whispering in my ear: "Let's go, Hannah. I'm here by your side. I won't leave you. Run it! "

So, I sit here tonight. A burden on my heart for you, child of God. May you know tonight that He is the Director of your steps, the Healer of your heart, your God Almighty. May you be encouraged tonight in this "game of life." You are not alone. He's beside you all the way. Run it, precious one of God. Run it.

"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety."

Psalm 16:8-9

Hannah Grace

Hope From Your Redeemer

2009-10-22T17:47:00.003-05:00

"But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
'Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...
because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.
From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.'
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel...”
Isaiah 43:1-2, 4, 13, 14

Joy Everlasting

2009-10-15T18:41:00.011-05:00

Joy. What a concise little word with such a vast meaning. A beautiful word, reflecting the very essence of what God has called our lives to be basked within. He has especially made this very clear in my life over the course of this past week.

This week has been a struggle, a struggle to maintain a sense of joy. My attitude, my heart, my life...did not start out "joyfully" this week. How about you? Perhaps these statements will sound familiar to you. How can I have joy, Lord, when that mountain in front of me seems so large. How can I have joy, Lord, with those dreams seem so far out of reach? And how can I have joy, Lord, when I feel as if there is nothing to be joyful about?

Have you ever thought any of those statements within your mind? Or maybe you've prayed those cried those pleas many times to God. At one time or another, we have all experienced times in our lives where joy seems to be almost buried beneath the cares of this life. But what has the Lord asked us to do? Be joyful? Yes, dear child, be overcome with joy.

As I have mentioned many times previous to this entry, I am currently reading "Hope" by Nancy Guthrie. At the beginning of this week, it was almost as if God had laid this book right before me and flipped through the pages to page 181. He sovereignly planned that I begin this week by reading a devotion entitled: "No One Can Rob You of this Joy." In John 16, Jesus was helping His disciples understand what was to come. They did not understand completely that He Jesus would be dying. Confusion consumed their hearts. How discouraging to hear that your Leader, the one that you have followed with your whole heart, would soon be gone. But then the beautiful words of our Lord Jesus followed, saying: "You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see Me again. You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy." (John 16:20,22)

Beautiful. How beautiful. Does that encourage your heart? Oh, how it does mine. Everlasting joy is the promise for those who follow Him. Jesus has given a promise of everlasting joy. "The resurrection of Jesus means that not only will He live forever as the Source of our joy, but we also will live forever if He is our Source of joy." (Guthrie)

Throughout the week, stressful times did, in fact, make their unwelcomed appearances. They did surely attempt to rob my joy. I remember one day I just stopped during the middle of stressful time and said aloud: "You are my joy, Lord." My attitude became that of joy, but only by His help.

About a month ago, I sat down with my planner and wrote down a verse for each week of the semester. I randomly selected these verses. As I was writing my "To-do" lists, the verse for this week caught my attention. Would it surprise you if I told you that it had something to do with joy? Well...our God is a detailed and "on-time" God. Of course it did.

"You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever."

Psalm 16:11

This would be the first of many verses of joy that God would bring unto my attention.

"You love Him even though you have never seen Him.

Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him;

and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy."

1 Peter 1:8

"The Lord is my strength and shield.

I trust in Him with all my heart.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.

I burst in songs of thanksgiving"

Psalm 28:7

What precious promises! God does not promise that difficult circumstances and seemingly overwhelming situations will never come. However, He promises that nothing can rob the joy that comes from a life lived in Jesus Christ. May we spend time in God's Word and spend time in prayer, child of God. May we bring our cares, concerns, worries...to the throne. May we leave them there, resting in God's sovereign provision. May we make a conscious choice to live with an attitude of joy...a joy that comes from loving our Lord Jesus. For no discouragement that you may face, no disease that may strike your body, no failure that may thwart your plans, no enemy that may desire your harm, no brokenness that attempts to steal your hope...nothing, precious servant of God, nothing can rob your Joy. For He is your Joy.

This is my prayer for you tonight:

"I pray that God, the source of hope,

will fill you completely with joy and peace

because you trust in him.

Then you will overflow with confident hope

through the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

No one and no thing can rob you of the joy that comes from our Lord Jesus. Praise God!

Hannah Grace

Even though...yet I will praise Him.

2009-10-10T22:26:00.034-05:00

The sound of rain. To some, it's soothing. To others, it's refreshing. But to some, it's a sound that brings unwelcomed feelings of fear and despair. Well...that is if you are a farmer.

Over the past few weeks, the farmers of the community have been on my heart. Rain...something that is so desperately prayed for in the droughts of the summer suddenly came like a flood...literally. The precious seed that was carefully planted a few months ago and grown into a beautiful crop is now being seemingly suffocated by the rain. And yet...God knows. Even more than that...He planned this. It may be a struggle to believe it, but He is in control.

Last week, as I was listening to one of my favorite worship CDs, a song came across the speakers. It is a song that I have heard possibly twenty times, but that day it seemed as if God was speaking these lyrics with His very voice right into my own ears. A certain part stood out to me that day. And as Hillsong sang these words, I listened...captivated by God's sovereignty.

"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 you are God."

Yes, Lord. You are King over the flood. What a blessing it was to be able to sing those words. After weeks of almost continuous rain that seemed to never have an end...what hope lies ahead. For whatever the "flood" may be within our lives...divorce, financial troubles, sickness, fear, abandonment...He is King. Praise God that our circumstance do not determine His faithfulness. He is asking us to be still. To be still, dear ones, and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10) Are you doing that today? I can from the depths of my heart be honest today and tell you that I have not been lately. I have allowed fear and doubt to consume me instead of being still before my Father. Oh, that we may truly recognize His sovereign hand over every event in our lives. For He has promised good...not evil. For He gives love...not hatred. For He works all for His glory that His name be exalted. For He always provides...at just the right time.

In Matthew 8, we read the story of Jesus' mighty hand calming a storm. His disciples were terrified...stricken with fear, doubt, and hopelessness. Yet all that our Lord did was "rebuke" the wind and waves...and all was calm.

I imagine Jesus in the middle of the "storms" in life...holding out His hand, calling us by name...asking for us to rest in Him. "Be still, Hannah. I am Your Saviour. I am in control. I alone will calm the storm...in My time. You need only be still."

"Then when you call, the Lord will answer.

'Yes, I am here'; He will quickly reply." (Is. 58:9)

Today if you have time, listen to the song posted at the bottom of this entry. Whatever the storm may be within your life, will you trust Him today? Will you trust that He is in control? And even as Habukkuk prayed these words in the midst of an unknown future, may you have the courage and faith to pray the same. Even though...yet I will praise Him.

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,

and there are no grapes on the vines;

even though the olive crop fails,

and the fields lie empty and barren;

even though the flocks die in the fields,

and the cattle barns are empty,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

The Sovereign Lord is my strength!"

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Lift up your heads, O farmers of faith. No matter what "storm" you may be facing. Praise God there is hope...even though.

"The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
The Lord reigns as king forever.
The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace."
Psalm 29:10-11

Hannah Grace

From Imitation to Authentic

2009-09-05T20:28:00.006-05:00

Imagine if someone walked up to you one day and said: "Do you trust Jesus...in every part of your life?" What would your answer be? Perhaps you would emphatically and quickly blurt out: "Yes, of course I do. I trust Him fully!" Perhaps for most of us, that would be our answer in so many words. But think about this with me. Do we, in our hearts, really trust in the Lord as emphatically as we proclaim with our mouths?

In one of my nursing classes, we are studying the different developmental theories that have been presented over the years. One of the most well-known theories was developed by a man named Erik Erikson. He presented a series of stages, with each stage having certain developmental tasks. In order to progress normally in development, each task must be fulfilled before moving to the next stage. I have heard about this theory for quite some time now, but today as I was studying, something stood out to me. In the first stage of development, an infant must accomplish the task of...you guessed it...trust. I sat in awe today as I read these words of Mary Townsend in my textbook: "The major task to develop is basic trust in the mothering figure...Achievement of the task results in self-confidence, optimism, faith in the gratification of needs and desires, and hope for the future." Wow, wow, wow. It hit me. Just as a baby learns to trust that its needs will be met by its mother, so we can trust that our needs will be met by our Heavenly Father. He is a God that can be trusted, our Father Who has never once failed His children. How amazing is that? And what comes from that step of trust in His provision? Faith and hope for this journey of life that He walk with us. Amen!

A few weeks ago, I sat in my church and was blessed by one of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard. This anointed pastor concluded his sermon based on John 15:5 with a beautiful story. I would love to share it with you today, for it changed my perspective on truly trusting God with every fiber of my being, in every area of my life.

There once was a young girl, who purchased a very special set of imitation pearls with her hard-earned allowance. She loved these pearls. Everywhere that she went, the pearls were to be found. Everyone that knew this little girl, knew her fondness of this precious necklace. Every night, her Daddy would come and tuck her in before she drifted off to sleep...with these precious pearls in her hand. On one particular night, her Daddy said:

"Darling, do you love me?"

She replied quickly: "Oh Daddy, you know I love you!"

"Then give me your pearls," he said.

Clutching the necklace tightly, she wimpered: "Oh Daddy, I can't do that. Please don't take my pearls."

"It's okay, honey. I love you. Goodnight." The next night, her Daddy came to tuck her in. Once again, he asked: "Precious daughter, do you love me?"

"Yes, Daddy, you know I love you!"

"Then give me your pearls."

"Daddy, please, you can have anything in this whole room. I'll even give you my favorite stuffed animal. But please, please don't take my pearls."

"It's alright, sweetheart. I won't take the pearls. I love you so much. Goodnight." The next night, the young girl's father came into her room as he always had done and found her lying in bed holding the pearls close to her heart. She had been thinking all day about these pearls and how much they meant to her. For she just knew that perhaps she could never live without them. But, tonight...would change her life. Before he could say any word at all, she looked at those prized pearls and gently handed them to him saying:

"Here Daddy. I love you, and I want you to have these. I'm giving them to you." And her father, with tears in his eyes, took those imitation pearls and said: "I love you, too. More than you know. I want the best for you." And after saying those words, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a delicate velvet box, and handed it to her. And inside the box was a beautiful, genuine pearl necklace, more beautiful than she could have ever dreamed.

For only when the young girl was able to give her most precious possession to her father was he able to bless her with something far better than she could have ever imagined. He replaced her imitation pearls with beautiful, genuine pearls. She had to trust in her father, knowing that he knew what was best for her, even though it required that she give up a precious and prized part of her life. Only then was he able to bless her.

What a beautiful picture of trust and surrender. What are you holding on to? What have you not completely surrendered to the Lord? Is there an area of your life that you are having trouble trusting Him in? Oh, ones of God, He can be trusted. He is a faithful God. Perhaps it is when we are willing to surrender even the most precious pieces of our lives to Him...perhaps the things in our lives of which we are certain that we could never live without. Oh may we never hold anything back from the Lord. May we be able to hold every desire, every blessing, every gift in the palm of our hands and pray: "Lord, I give it You. I trust that Your ways are best, and I trust that You love me. You desire the best for my life. I fully give every area of my life to you." Only then, dear one, can the Lord fully bless His children. Only then can we experience the abundance of what He has planned for us.

Out of trust comes a gift far better than even our minds can imagine. For we serve a God Who can be trusted. We serve an Almighty God Who promises that He will take care of His children. And we serve a God Who loves us far more than we can comprehend. Yes, surrendering every dream, every gift, and every plan can prove to be very difficult. But out of that obedient trust in our Savior's provision comes the opportunity to live a life of blessing, a life of peace, and a life of hope. Out of that trust comes faith for a new day, joy in even the worst of circumstances, blessings far beyond our comprehension, and hope for a glorious future ahead.

"But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!”

My future is in your hands."

Psalm 31:14-15

"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
for I give myself to you."

Psalm 143:8

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord.

'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'"

Jeremiah 29:11

Hannah Grace

All His Promises are True

2009-08-25T13:43:00.011-05:00

Today I come to you not with a long post or even a funny story. Today I come to you just with a honest heart, burdened with a very real but sometimes forgotten truth. For over the past few weeks, the Lord through various ways...whether it be through His Word, the radio, other believers, sermons at church...He has been impressing upon me that all of His promises are indeed true.

At times when I feel lonely, He reminds me that He is my Jehovah-Shammah: He is there. When fear creeps into my heart at the thought of an unknown future ahead, He reminds me that He has ordained every step that I take and will be faithful throughout my lifetime. Nothing is out of His control. And even the times that I lose sight and wonder if He has too, He lovingly holds me in His arms and comforts me with the message that all of His promises reign true, no matter what the circumstances may be. In one of my devotional books entitled, "My Utmost for His Highest," I read these God-ordained words last week:

"Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God's will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him."

This morning I woke up feeling an urgency to write this blog. For I wonder if today there may be many men and women of God who are feeling burdened with the cares of life, instead of hopeful in the promises of God. I wonder if there are many who are suffering some very unfortunate circumstances at this time in their life. Perhaps they have lost sight of Who is ultimately in control. But whatever the situation may be today, will you join together with me in believing that we serve a God Who is in control. He is our Jehovah-Jirah, the One Who has already provided for our needs even before we are aware of them. (Matt.6:8) He is our Elohim, our magnificant Creator. (Ps. 139) He is Jehovah-Rophi. Oh, how He provides healing for our weary hearts. (Ps. 103:1-3) He is our Jehovah-shalom. Jesus is our peace...a peace beyond our understanding. (Phil. 4:6-7)

I wanted to end this post with a song of encouragement. As you listen, may you once again be reminded of His faithfulness. Will you begin this day or end the day...whatever the case may be...truly trusting in the mighty hand of our Father? His promises never fail. He is a faithful God, providing for our needs today and giving us lasting hope for the beautiful future to come. Let's worship Him together.

"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful to all his promises

and loving toward all he has made."

Psalm 145:13

Hannah Grace

My Rock and My Fortress

2009-08-07T11:48:00.018-05:00

This past week I had the privilege of visiting one of my dearest friends who now lives in her new "home" of Colorado. What a blessing it was to see her again and catch up on the things of life. Another amazing part of it all was that she lives in the mountains...one of my favorite parts of God's magnificent creation. At different times within the week, the Lord used the picture of mountains to speak a magnificent truth within my life: He is my Rock, no matter what.

There is something about the beauty of majestic mountains. Perhaps it is the vast unfamiliarity of the sight of them...considering the relatively flatness of my home state. Or perhaps it is that when I look at these massive pieces of creation, it reminds me of my all-powerful, loving Father God. Whatever the reason...they are truly a breathtaking sight. As I was sitting in my coveted window seat on my flight out of Denver destined for one of the smallest airports I have ever been to, I was able to look out the window and see glorious mountaintops...as far as the eye could see. Beautiful! I could have sat there all day. Until...we hit a series of turbulents, and I was almost sure that the safety instructions we received at the beginning of the flight were about to become a reality. As I continued to look out the window, I saw a lightening bolt flash way too close to my window. A sweet woman in the seat beside me assured me that these "bumps" were completely normal. I forced a smile and replied with: "Oh okay. That's good to know." Inwardly, I was thinking: "Please just let me get on the ground in one piece!" As I was periodically being jolted out of my seat, the song "The Solid Rock" began to play on my ipod. How fitting! It got me to thinking...Christ is the solid Rock on which I stand. My hope cannot be built on anything else. And even as the plane was completely unsteady in the winds of the storm, so the "winds" of life will shake anything in which I put my hope in besides Jesus Christ. How thankful I was that Christ is my anchor in the "storms" of life. He is my Rock...no matter what. What a timely and beautiful reminder. Thank you, Lord.

And yet another time during the trip did God bring this truth to light. Nestled in the valley of the some of the most beautiful moutains that I have ever laid eyes upon lies the camp at which my friend is employed. While she was busy at work one morning, I decided to find a quiet place where I could spend some time in God's Word. While walking around camp, I found a picnic table with a gorgeous, breathtaking view. As I sat in awe of God's handiwork, I began to search the scripture for verses that refer to the mountains and of our Almighty God as the Rock. It was truly such an encouragement to read over and over again that my Heavenly Father is indeed the solid Rock on which I stand.

"The Lord is my rock , and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection." 2 Samuel 22:2-3

"I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. "

Psalm 18:1-2

"God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?"

Psalm 18:30-31

"Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord."

Psalm 36:5-6

At one point during the visit, I had the opportunity to go on a day hike to Handies peak. It was quite steep for this amateur mountaineer and quite a hike...but extremely worth it once we made it to the top. At certain portions during the trip, the way was rocky and the trail was unsure. It was difficult to know where to step in order to avoid slipping on the small pieces of rock. It was definitely...unsteady, unknown, and at some points downright unnerving. Yet, climbing this mountain brought so many verses to life. Traveling on that unsteady ground reminded me of God's promise that He is my anchor and rock. He has promised to hold me by the hand, so that I will not fall. As I cautiously walked along the trail, portions of these verses were running through my mind:

"God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights."

Psalm 18:31-32

"The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights."

Habakkuk 3:19

After spending the week with Jess, my visit came to an end. She dropped me off at once again the smallest airport known to mankind. After an extremely long flight delay, making my connection in Denver by literally five minutes, I made it home again...so blessed by what the Lord had taught me over the week. Little did I know, He was not finished teaching me yet. While shopping at Costco before heading home, I greeted an employee as she was folding some clothing on display. Somehow we began talking about the weather of all things, and I brought up that I had just returned from Colorado. She began telling me of how great she thought it was that I was able to travel and told me I should do as much as I could before I was married with children. I expressed my desire for a husband and children, but told her that I knew that God had not ordained that yet in my life. I expressed my desire to wait patiently on Him and for His perfect will. It was at that point that she gave me a huge hug, and we discovered that we were both, in fact, believers. She began to share her testimony of God's faithfulness in her life. She was going through a very difficult time in her life, and she said a phrase that blessed my heart so greatly. She told me something to this effect: "Even in this storm of my life, the Lord is my rock and my fortress. He is my anchor." What a blessing! She encouraged my heart so much. She reminded me to wait on God's perfect timing and trust that His ways are indeed perfect. Another neat reminder that God is my Rock.

So after these numerous encounters...I feel as if I have a song in my heart. God is my Rock. I never have to fear an unknown road in my life, for He has gone before me and prepared the way. He makes me to be surefooted and keeps me from falling. Even in the "winds" of life, I can rest assured that He is the solid Rock on which I have built my hope. And even when the road seems unsteady and I feel as if any moment I will come crashing down on the path before me, He holds my hand and keeps me from stumbling. For both you and I.

Life can be hard, difficult, painful, and unsure. But we can rest in the hands of our Father. His promises are true, faithful, and enduring. Beautiful, isn't it? No matter what we face: He is our Rock and our Hope. He never changes, grows weary, or proves unfaithful. Praise Him. We can be sure that He has prepared the way for us...even in what feels like a unknown future. Such a much-needed lesson for me in this time of my life. Are you thankful for these promises?

Praise Jesus today that He is the faithful Guider of your steps, the sovereign Provider for your way, the mighty Holder of your hand, the solid Rock on which you stand, and the unfailing Hope for each day to come.

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand...Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadly along his path..."

Psalm 37:23-24, 34a

Hannah Grace

In the Hands of My Great Potter

2009-07-27T22:21:00.028-05:00

The unknown. Am I the only one that sometimes finds this phrase absolutely frightening? Oh, how patient the Lord is with this heart of mine. At moments it seems as if trust flows freely inside my being. Other times it feels as if I'm drowning in anxiety and fear of that unknown future.
I sit here today ashamed at myself and my heart attitude. Over the past week, it seems as if I am constantly struggling to fully lay my future on the altar. It is truly difficult to surrender those "life plans" of which I have made for myself. It is a daily committment...a daily "letting go." Today I was given a special reminder by my Lord Jesus, a reminder that even though my heart attitude wavers, He never loses control.

This morning I flipped in my Bible to the book of Jeremiah. In chapter 18, I read these anointed words, a message from the Lord given to Jeremiah:

"The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 'Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.' So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: 'O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.'"

Jeremiah 18:1-6

First off, I love Jeremiah's obedience. I wonder if he was puzzled about the place of which God desired to speak to him. A potter's shop? Wouldn't a mountaintop or even a quiet stream be a more appropriate setting for such a conversation? But no, Jeremiah obeyed with no question. I am blessed by the picture God spoke to him...that of a potter and his clay. I love the image of God forming us into exactly what He desires. I am also encouraged by this portion of this scripture which claims the Father's ownership over the lives of His own: "You are in my hand." (v. 6)

Within the margins next to these powerful verses, another "potter and clay" portion of scripture in Isaiah was referenced.

"What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’

How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father,‘Why was I born?’ or if it said to its mother, ‘Why did you make me this way?’
This is what the Lord says—the Holy One of Israel and your Creator:

Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?"

Isaiah 45:9-11

Goodness...this passage really "stepped on my toes." And even though it was not warmly welcomed, the reality of my human nature came to light. For who am I to question my Creator? For, in essence, my lack of trust in Him is almost as if I am saying: "Do You really know what You are doing? Maybe I should help because things sure seem to be out of control." It was after I read these verses that my heart was broken. "Oh God," I prayed, "That's not how I want it to be. I'm so sorry. I want to truly trust You."

Perhaps it is that we feel as if time is running out. The plans we have made for ourselves should be panning out. Yet, for some reason, God has called us to wait. And as I lay those plans on the altar and truly choose to live by faith in my Savior, the great Potter shapes this 'ol lump of clay into something beautiful. He shapes me into exactly what He desires that I be, for He knows what is best. Who am I to question His workings?

Waiting+the unknown= panic, fear, anxiety, discouragement----> Waiting+the unknown+daily trust in our Potter=peace, contentment, rest, and joy.

Today as I sat down at the piano, my eyes fell upon a hymn of which I had never heard before. And even though I had absolutely no idea of the tune, I sang these words to my Potter.

"Have Faith in God" by BB McKinney

Have faith in God when you pathway is lonely

He sees and knows all the way you have trod

Never alone are the least of His children

Have faith in God, have faith in God

Chorus: Have faith in God, Hes on His throne

Have faith in God, He watches oer his own

He cannont fail, He must prevail

Have faith in God, have faith in God

Have faith in God when you pray'rs are unanswered

Your earnest plea He will never forget

Wait on the Lord, trust His Word and be patient

Have faith in God, He'll answer yet

Have faith in God in your pain and your sorrow

His heart is touched with your grief and despair

Cast all your cares and your burdens upon Him

And leave them there, oh, leave them there

Have faith in God tho' all else fail about you

Have faith in God He provides for His own

He cannot fail tho' all kingdoms shall perish

He rules He reigns upon His throne

Surrender to the Potter, you precious lump of clay. Be obedient, just as Jeremiah was. For in His great timing, Almighty God will make something beautiful out of your surrender. For who are we to question our Creator? He is forever in control.

"For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!"

Isaiah 64:4

"I have cared for you since you were born.Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you."

Isaiah 46:3b-4

Hannah Grace

Nothing Can Separate Us From His Love

2009-07-25T15:34:00.009-05:00

It seems as if there has suddenly been a whirlwind of death. Several families that I know of, including my own, have recently suffered the loss of loved ones. Such a difficult thing. And while we rejoice with those who believed and are now in the presence of Jesus, how hard it is to imagine life without them.

After losing both of my great grandmothers, almost exactly a month apart, the reality of death has brushed my heart. But as sat during both of these funerals, I began to think of what hope we have...even in something portrayed as hopeless such as a death. As I saw the casket, the flowers, the tombstone, the evidence of such utter loss...somehow peace was displayed. Somehow....hope shone through. For in each of these deaths, God was glorified.

As I said goodbye to both of these Godly women, their lifeless bodies and their countenance of peace gave me hope. For what can separate me from God's love? No, nothing. Not even death. Because of the precious price that Jesus paid on the cross, we can have life....even in death. This scripture was constantly going through my head at each funeral:

“'Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is your victory

O death, where is your sting?' For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:54b-57

Praise God that we have hope in the face of death! It was such a beautiful reminder to me that we as believers can rest in the fact that nothing separates us from the Lord. We have victory in Christ Jesus. Another passage that is a comfort is found in Romans 8:35-39:

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, 'For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Amen. It is sometimes a tendency in my life to fret over the future that lies ahead. For many times I fear the unknown road ahead. The great reminder that God has given me over the course of this month is that no matter what lies ahead...nothing will separate me from His great love. As I am given days on this earth, may I truly live in the hope that He so freely offers. May I rest in the fact that neither illness, nor darkness, nor failure, nor pain, nor loneliness, nor discouragement, no nothing......can remove me from the all-surpassing, ever-present, awesome power of my Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.

A few weeks ago, I was in Lifeway and purchased a worship cd by Travis Cottrell. Almost every time that I hear this song, I get chills. I've posted a link to this song at the end of the entry. I hope these words encourage you today. For nothing can separate me/you/us from the love of our Father. And each day that we are given breath, may we truly trust that He is in control. He has conquered the grave, given us victory over death, offered life everlasting, and has already provided hope for each day to come. Be blessed in His promises, my friend.

My Rhapsody Playlist

Hannah Grace

Nothing Is Lost

2009-07-19T16:05:00.006-05:00

I have started this blog numerous times....but each time I only ended up right back at a blank slate. I had desired to share with you the events of mission camp. Each time I began to write I felt as if God was leading me to write something else.....something that He taught my yearning heart one quiet night last week.

Each morning last week, I had the privilege of helping with a Kid's Camp at my church, Cornerstone. It was such a neat time of seeing young hearts with a desire to learn more about the Lord. What was even more encouraging is that as I poured out love to them, they in turn loved me back. It was a special reminder that my life is an example to a younger generation. Humbling thought.......generating a great calling to live in purity.

By the time evening came each day, most of those staying out at camp were completely exhausted. Before I headed to bed one night, I decided to spend some time alone with God down by the lake. As I walked to the cozy little swing positioned right near the edge of the water, the beautiful night sky caught my attention. Every few seconds the sky would light up....something like an electrical storm, I guess. As I watched this phenomena, the verse that kept going through my head was: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1

"Wow, I thought. The Maker of all this really loves me and is interested in my life. Oh Lord," I prayed, "Thank You for being in control."

Even though I knew that the Lord indeed was in control...my heart was still heavy. It was difficult for me to understand how God was working through some difficult circumstances that had arose in my life that week. Although I am not proud of my attitude that night, the prayer of my heart was: "God, I feel trapped and hindered by these circumstances. How can I bring You glory out of this? What is the purpose? I thought I was here to be used by You."

Do you ever feel that way? Have you ever wondered how could God possibly do any good out of a specific situation, physical state, difficult relationship, or....you fill in the blank. Have you ever assumed that God could use you much more efficiently if only He would change certain circumstances?

And as I sat on that swing, God began to impress upon my heart an important lesson. I felt as if He were sitting right next to me, whispering in my ear: "Hannah, look up at the lightening. It seems to have no purpose. It makes no noise, accomplishes no great thing, it comes out of nowhere and then disappears. What is its purpose? It really seems to have none whatsoever. But tonight, precious daughter, it has drawn you nearer to Me. It has reminded you that I am in control. Therefore, nothing is lost."

Tears came into my eyes. Just as the lightening seemed to have no purpose at all, so was it with the difficult circumstances I was facing that week. It was these very circumstances that were drawing me closer to the Father. Therefore, nothing was lost. Can you grab hold of that with me? Nothing, nothing, nothing is lost when the Father is in control. Nothing is lost in pain, death, trouble, loneliness, sickness, rejection, hurt.......all things work together for good in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:28)

In the past few days following that encouraging night, I have been recapping the times in which life was just......hard. I think back to my first semester in college, a time in which I felt as if I had "missed God's direction." Yet, it was during that time that I experienced a drawing near into my Father's warm embrace. It was a time that I experienced a divine rescue by my Lord Jesus. And just as He rescued me then, He has never failed to provide that same rescue in the uncertain times that have followed.

Tonight, I must be honest.....it's been difficult to put these thoughts down. I feel as if I have so much I want to share with you, but no words to write. I feel like I really want to pray for you. Is that okay? I have no idea who will be reading this entry, but I desire that you know Who is control no matter what circumstance you may be facing. So, this is the prayer of my heart for you today.

Lord Jesus, I thank You and praise You with all that is within me. What a comfort to know that You are truly in control. I am thankful that no hardship, no sickness, no worry, no difficult circumstance of any kind can separate Your precious love from those who are children of God. I pray for the precious heart reading this prayer tonight. I pray for Your divine healing touch over their heart today. I pray that in whatever circumstances present, Lord, that You will bring about a peace within their heart. For You, O Lord, have a purpose in ALL things. Therefore, nothing is lost. May you encourage even the depths of their being today with the promise that "all things work together for good." May you provide Godly encouragement for them this week. Lord God, I pray that you will draw them nearer to Your throne, nearer to Your presence. Help them to know today that You are for them, You love them with an everlasting love, and You will never abandon them. May they find hope in You alone, Father. Thank You for Your love and thank You for hearing us when we pray. I love you, Lord. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:37-39

Hannah Grace

Words from our Lord Jesus

2009-07-11T14:17:00.008-05:00

Yesterday as I was able to spend some time with the Lord at my church, my devotional for the day led me to these precious words prayed to the Father by our Lord Jesus. Can I ask you a question? How would it feel for the Lord Jesus to pray a prayer over your life today? How would it feel to know that He was speaking on your behalf to the Father? Well, dear one.......He did.

Many of you are familiar with this passage in John 17, but if you are like me, I always thought that Jesus was praying for His twelve disciples. But, there is a powerful statement that Jesus makes within this prayer in verse 20: "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me because of their testimony."

As I read this, my eyes got big. "Wow...Jesus prayed this beautiful prayer for not only His disciples, but for me. Thank you, Jesus." Tears flooded my eyes. Even before I was able to breathe my first breath, the Lord was already praying protection over me.

Nancy Guthrie had an inspiring view on this portion of Scripture. She states: "Jesus has prayed for you, asking His Father to protect you from the evil one. Satan may win a battle or two in your life, but he will never win the war against your soul. Jesus has prayed for you, and you are protected."

Read these words spoken by our Lord Jesus. I hope that it encourages your spirit today. As you read how your Lord has prayed these words over your life, even before the day you were born, may it provide you with a peace that passes all we may fear. May the words of our Great Protector provide you with healing of a broken spirit, joy in the midst of sorrow, and hope for your journey with Him.

"After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.

For you have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one You have given Him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth. I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.

Now, Father, bring Me into the glory we shared before the world began.
I have revealed You to the ones You gave me from this world. They were always Yours. You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from You, for I have passed on to them the message You gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from You, and they believe You sent Me.

My prayer is not for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You. All who are mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as we are. During My time here, I protected them by the power of the name You gave Me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.

Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them Your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. Just as you sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.
I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one—as You are in me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent me.

I have given them the glory You gave me, so they may be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent me and that You love them as much as You love me. Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they can see all the glory You gave Me because You loved Me even before the world began!
O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know You, but I do; and these disciples know You sent Me. I have revealed You to them, and I will continue to do so. Then Your love for Me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

John 17

Amen, amen, amen.

Hannah Grace

Before the Day

2009-07-08T05:30:00.001-05:00

I found a CD last night that I had been searching for. I really thought that I had lost it, so I was pretty thankful to have discovered it. It is entitled "Rescue" by Newsong.

One particular song on this CD specifically ministered to me about four years ago. It was during my Mom's cancer journey that I heard this song for the first time. I remember sitting in the waiting room as she was receiving one of her chemo treatments. I remember the sight and feeling of that cold and not-so-inviting room. I also remember the fear that was in my heart that day, seeing her walking through the unpleasant door of chemotherapy. But even greater than that fear, I remember feeling God's peace overtaking my heart and mind as I listened to this song. I played it over and over and over again that day. Last night as I heard it again and as I had the privilege of my mom sitting beside me listening as well, I was able to recap the faithfulness of God during that time and since that day. What a blessing...truly a miracle.

This is what I desire to be my prayer each morning that God gives me breath. "Now another day is waiting/For me to make it through/And there's no way that I could face it without You........I'll just be still and know that You are God."

Worship Him with me this morning. For He is faithful to care for us in whatever situation we may face each morning...both now and each day to come.

Trust in the Lord

2009-07-06T21:13:00.007-05:00

Today as I was searching for a card at Lifeway for a friend, I came across this beautiful card. I loved it so much that I decided to buy it and save it for someone one day. Who knew that a even just a small card could bring such an encouragement to my heart....almost as if the Lord had spoken the words right into my ears. I wanted to share what I found when I opened it.

Trusting in the Lord

Abraham followed

God's leading without knowing

where it would take him.

Hannah waited

for God's perfect timing

without knowing when.

Mary expected

a miracle

without knowing how.

Joseph trusted

God's purpose

without knowing why

circumstances happened

the way they did.

The Purpose Driven Life

Can you say "Amen" to that? Praise Jesus.

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

He's the one who will keep you on track."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Hannah Grace

Hope In Your Rescue

2009-07-04T20:32:00.010-05:00

During a busy and somewhat long week, what a blessing it is to feast on the promises that God so freely gives. One of my favorite radio stations of all time is KLOVE. I listen to this station just about every time I get into my car. One morning on my way to work, one of the daily devotionals that come across the air each morning specifically caught my attention. I would love for you to be encouraged with this truth, as well.

This devotional was centered upon the story of Jonah. Having grown up in Christian family my whole life, I am very much familiar with this story.....perhaps so familiar that when I hear it, I fail to really dig deep into the meaning. Perhaps it is the same with you. However, this devotional shed a whole new light on the account of Jonah's "situation."
Jonah, a man called by God for a specific purpose, a man running from what he had been instructed to do, and a man desperately in need of God's forgiveness mercy......endured a seemingly hopeless situation. From this hopeless situation came: a rescue.
A great storm came at sea....Jonah knew it was because of his disobedience. Jonah told the crew to toss him into the water. I imagine that Jonah realized this act would inevitably be his death sentence. How was he to survive? And as his body crashed into the cold, dark water, I wonder what was resounding through his mind? Perhaps he felt hopeless.....abandoned......fearful. Then, what did our God out of His great mercy and unfailing love do out of this situation? Jonah 1:17 tells us: "But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah..." For me, that wonderful word "provided" shed a whole new light on this scene. God did not "happen" to command a random fish swimming by to take a mouth-full of human...He did not just decide at that moment on how He would handle Jonah's situation. God in His sovereign plan and divinely sequenced events provided that fish at just the right moment. But, was this the rescue that Jonah may have prayed for? Hmmm...surely not.

Can you imagine....I mean really imagine what it must have been like to be inside the belly of a fish? What must Jonah have thought? I'm sure he was thinking that he would surely never make it out alive...literally. I'm sure it was at this moment that feelings of hopelessness, fear, anxiety and doubt surrounded Jonah. He must have wondered why God would allow such a horrific thing to happen. Perhaps he even felt like God had given up on Him....abandoned him to die. How could God possibly use this situation for his benefit? I don't know about you but in my eyes being swallowed alive by a fish would not feel like a providential, ordained event meant for my own good. But here is the foundational truth that touched my heart in this well-known Biblical account: without this tragic event in Jonah's life, he would have surely drowned.

Isn't that so neat to think about? What seemed like a horrible, hopeless, and desperate situation was a providential, all-powerful, God-ordained rescue. What situation in your life do you feel as if no good could possibly result? Perhaps it is the loss of a loved one, the failing of a marriage, the loss of a job, the pangs of loneliness, the pain of illness and disease, the fear that paralyzes in the night, rejection from those dear to our hearts, the death of a dream, the failing of life plans......why are these instances sometimes allowed within our lives. Have you ever thought that God has used this unpleasant, undesirable situation in our lives to bring about a magnificant and holy rescue? We, as believers, have the promise which is found in Romans 8:28: "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." I know that I am truly thankful for that promise.

This caused me to think of other accounts in Scripture where out of hopeless situations came a divine rescue by God. I thought of the story of Moses. Moses' mother carried this precious little boy in her womb for nine months, only to find out after he was born that he would be sentenced to death by the Egyptians. What a hopeless situation. In her attempts to save her son, she in essence abandoned this precious little one. She secured him within a basket and sent him down the river, a task that would literally break a mother's heart. Little did she know that her attempts to rescue her son would eventually result in God providing for her own rescue through her son....as well as a rescue of her people. Praise Jesus.

I desire that you and I truly be encouraged tonight. Will we always understand the reason for great trials and suffering? Absolutely not. Can we trust God with each situation that comes our way both now and in the future, knowing that it exists and persists for our own good? Praise God, yes we can! Oh, how our Father is forever faithful. We can truly trust Him. How thankful we should be that He indeed rescues His children. How thankful we should be that He has divinely orchestrated each moment of our lives and that He has already provided for our rescue. That blesses my heart so much. I must admit that I do struggle with the fear of an unknown future. I struggle with the act of trusting God with these things of which I cannot see. It is a daily surrender and choice to walk by faith and fall into the arms of my Father, trusting His perfect and holy will.

Tonight I leave you with two portions of God's holy Word. May you cease from viewing the difficult situations in life as dreaded, painful, and fear-stricken moments. As you walk in the will of God, may you see each moment as divinely sequenced by your Creator. For He is the only One Who knows exactly what you need. And just as He divinely "provided" for Jonah's rescue, so He will provide for yours, as well. May these words of God provide you with hope for today....hope for your journey.

"The LORD Almighty has sworn this oath:'It will all happen

as I have planned. It will come about according to my purposes. I have

a plan for the whole earth, for My mighty power reaches throughout the world.

The Lord Almighty has spoken--who can change His plans?

When His hand moves, who can stop Him?'"

Isaiah 14:24, 26-27

"Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches

and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand

His decisions and His methods!
For who can know what the Lord is thinking?

Who knows enough to be His counselor?

For everything comes from Him; everything exists

by His power and is intended for His glory. To him be glory evermore. Amen."

Romans 11: 33-34, 36

Hannah Grace

I Surrender All

2009-06-21T21:55:00.003-05:00

Sweet surrender. What I long to do each day. A sweet surrendering of hopes, cares, worries, and dreams, a throwing off of the tendency to fear and become anxious about an unknown and somewhat scary future. For I know that in the midst of that surrender, God can and will lead and guide me into the hope of a future, one that is better than one I have even yet to imagine.

As I have mentioned earlier, I am currently reading a book entitled, "Lady in Waiting" by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones. What an encouraging book! I encourage any single woman to read it. The entire book is mainly focused upon the story of Ruth and her journey to a God-ordained marriage to a Godly man named Boaz. One concept that stood out to me this week was that of being a "Lady of Conviction." In the ever-changing culture that we live in, Godly men and women of conviction are at times difficult to come by. Yet, how important it is to live by the truth's written in God's Word.....not letting our guard down no matter what we might face within this chaotic world. One of my favorite verses, Romans 12:2: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Such a vital part of a believer's life: living set apart, refusing to back down on the standards God has set for His own.

I admire this quality in Ruth's life. Instead of returning to her homeland after the death of her husband, she chose to continue to care for her mother-in-law. More importantly, she chose to continue to serve the one true God, the Most High. She chose to live a Godly life, refusing to turn her back on a "set-apart" life. What was the result? As she lived in faithfulness to God, He blessed her not only with a Godly husband, but also with a child who would be a part of the lineage of Christ Jesus.

A quote in this book really hit home: "Do we lower our standards because we seem out of step with our peers?" How many can relate to this statement? Is it always easy living a life set apart from the world? Most definitely not. Do we sometimes become discouraged and lonely? Absolutely.....at least I can personally say that. Psalm 112:1: "Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in His commands."

PRAISE GOD! What may seem like a lonely place is actually something quite beautiful. The Lord Jesus has placed upon you a calling. A high calling, one that few choose to follow. But dear ones, we have the hope, the promise, the gift of serving Him. What we find in His Word is great joy and blessing for those who follow in His way. But should this be the reason we serve Him? Do we only serve Him in order to receive blessings? Of course not. Even if not one blessing resulted out of living a life set apart for Him, would you do it? Would you trust Him even if every plan fell through, even if each day you felt the pangs of suffering, even if you stood alone for the rest of your life? Trust Him. Aren't you thankful that He has promised the gift of peace...that even if every plan fell through and even if you felt the pain loneliness brings...He would provide the grace and peace to sustain you through every last minute of it? Man...a comfort wells up in my soul at that very thought. One of my favorite Scripture passages comes to mind:

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."

Psalm 1: 1-3

Beautiful passage. Powerful truth. The highest calling one can ever imagine: a life consumed with living for Christ.

I encourage you tonight...to truly life a life set apart for Him. Refuse to let doubt creep in and cause you to wonder if it is really worth it. Continue to remember that God's faithfulness does not depend on the "good things" He allows to enter into your life. Choose to believe that no matter what may come in the future, He has a plan, and He will remain faithful. Living a life sold out to Him is what He desires for each of His own. I am encouraging myself, as well. Even when discouragement threatens to take that peace and even when you wonder if it's really worth all the struggle to live a Godly life......hold on, dear friend. He sees you. Even if the plans you may have made for yourself have evaporated...come undone....unravelled before you eyes, may your heart truly know tonight that He is a faithful God. He has given you a calling.......walk in obedience to Him. In His will and in His timing, the plans He has made for you will unfold. Yes, truly walk in obedience to Him.

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act."

Psalm 37:4-7a

Hannah Grace

He's Not Finished With Me Yet

2009-06-14T22:03:00.006-05:00

It is in times like these where I find myself captured and awestruck at the way Father God speaks truth into my life. It is in times like these where I am able to experience first-hand the faithfulness of God shining out of discouraging circumstances. What a humbling thought that the Lord desires to speak to my heart as I seek Him.

This past week God through various ways and over the course of many days has been teaching me a well-known but sometimes difficult to live truth. How is it that at one moment my heart can feel so encouraged as I wait for God's perfect will? Then, the next day anxiety seems to set in…threatening to steal that perfect peace and joy given so freely by the Father. Praise God that His faithfulness does not depend upon my emotions.

Just last Sunday after the evening service, I decided to take a jog/walk outside. Put on the tennis shoes, grabbed my ipod, and headed out behind our house. The sun would soon be setting, and I was soaking up God's beautiful creation around me. My heart was heavy…..mainly feelings of disappointment and guilt consumed me because of the unbelief in my heart. "Why is it so hard for me to just lay it all down and truly trust You, Father?" was the cry of my heart that evening. My ipod had been turned onto shuffle mode, and with each song that played a commonality was heard. Song after song spoke of God's majestic creation. "All Creation Worships You", "Wonderful Maker", "God of Wonders" all spoke of God's handiwork. That morning in church, part of the message was taken from Matthew 6 about how God cares for even the birds of the air. And as the sun was setting, the birds were flying in the air, I felt the presence of God speak a truth into my heart once again: "Hannah, look around you. Look at all I have made. Is there anything too difficult for Me?" Verses came into my head, and I just began to recite them one by one. "Be anxious for nothing but by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6) "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." (Isaiah 40:31) "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7) Such a precious time with the Lord. I could look around at the common things like birds...and the sunset....and really feel God's love and presence radiating down upon me.

Throughout the week, I clung to that promise of God. He will take care of me. What a blessing! On the way to work one morning, a song came across the radio. "There is hope for me yet/ because God won't forget/All the plans He's made for me/I'll have to wait and see /He's not finished with me yet.." (Brandon Heath) It was God-ordained morning to hear this song. As I have mentioned before, the hospital I work at has a morning devotional at 8:00 each day. As I listened to the pastor over the loudspeaker, his words sounded very familiar. He spoke of trusting God even in difficult circumstances/situations. His exact words were: "He's not finished with you yet." His words reminded of this verse: "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)

This morning at church, a man in our congregation led a devotional about trusting in God's perfect will for our lives....even when our own plans do not always work out. He referenced Isaiah 40, and I wanted to leave you with this passage tonight. It was in this passage that I noticed some encouraging thoughts on God's sovereignty over His creation. Just as He formed each star in the heavens, just as He causes the sun to rise and set, and just as He has fashioned each mountain and valley....He forms each moment of our days. How wonderful is that? May you be encouraged tonight from the words taken from Isaiah 40. May God's peace dwell in your very being, giving you the strength to wait for His perfect will. It is perfect.....it is good.....it is worth the wait.

“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars?

He brings them out like an army, one after another,

calling each by its name.

Because of his great power and incomparable strength,

not a single one is missing.

O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?

O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?

Have you never heard? Have you never understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary.

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40: 25-31

Two Hallways but One Hope

2009-06-06T15:37:00.007-05:00

Life. It is a beautiful concept. Working on a Mother/Baby unit at a local hospital allows me to experience this blessing often. As I sit within the nurse's station on the unit, I have a clear view straight through a large glass window into the well-baby nursery. It is such a joy to see throughout the day newborn after newborn be carried into the nursery right after their birth. I watch as these precious little ones take their first breaths of life....adjusting to this new place called the world. I watch as families stand outside the glass window, anxiously awaiting to meet their precious gift from the Lord. My heart is blessed as I watch this beautiful scene. Life from the Father.

On this Mother/Baby unit we have two hallways. One hallway is filled with new mothers who have just birthed a little one into the world. Life fills the hallway. An abundance of excitement, laughter, and tears of joy can be found in almost every room. Hearts are filled with hope, as a long-awaited gift has finally arrived.

The other hallway is altogether different. This hallway is not filled with new mothers, nor is it filled with the birthing of new life. For many on this hallway, joy can be difficult to even find. Whether it be the result of surgical procedures or complications during pregnancy, many on this hallway have been forced to relinquish the dream of bringing a new life into the world. Disappointment lingers, hearts ache, and for some it would seem as if it they are experiencing the death of a dream.

Two hallways.....two totally different perspectives. Beginnings of life--> death of dreams. But what common theme occurs in both life and death? Hope. Yes, hope is found down each hallway. Circumstances do not determine whether or not hope exists. Isn't it the same in the life of a believer? We have hope in life, and we have hope in death. Not only do we have hope in the physical death, but also in the death of plans and the midst of hurt. We have hope in the birth of plans and desires.....and we have hope in disappointments, heartaches, and the death of dreams. Praise God that our circumstances do not define the lives by which we live.

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve His needs—for He has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need. His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him—though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist."

Acts 17: 24-25, 27-28a

What a blessing. He gives "life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need." Even in the midst of pain, He gives life. He takes care of His children. He provides a hope and comfort, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Wow.....that blesses me. Does it you? While we may experience hurt and disappointment, we are not left without the promise of hope. "He is not far from any one of us."

What hallway do you feel as if you are living on right now? Perhaps some of you even feel as if God has forgotten you way down at the end of the hallway. You long for that feeling of life, and you long for direction. To you, sweet brother and sister in Christ, I would say: "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." (Hebrews 10:25) Regardless of what you may endure, we serve a loving God. He is faithful to provide every step of the way. He gives life. My dad reminded of this scripture a couple weeks ago by writing these words on sticky note and placing it in my car: "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thess. 5:16-18 Are you living in that thankfulness? Are you thankful that your joy and hope is not dependent upon those not-so-great circumstances in life? I say "Amen" to that!

By no coincidence have my devotions for the past two weeks been speaking of "Life" one week, and "Death" the next week. As I begin a new week in the devotional book, it focuses upon the love of God. The love of God exists in life and in death.

Day after day, I am reminded of the many people in this world who are hurting. Deep pain that accompanies heartache, disappointment, loneliness, and rejection threatens to steal the abundant joy that God has so freely offered.

Precious one of God, I desire that you know today the life that God has offered. Whether you feel that joy in heart or not.....He is faithful. He has His hand over your life, and He is forever in control. The Author of your life story, the Overcomer of death in this world, the Protector of your heart, the Keeper of each one of your desires, the Giver of life, the divine Lover of your soul.....He is near to you. He loves you, and He will never leave you. Do you believe that?

Praise Him for that hope that exists in the midst of life and death. This is my prayer for you today:

"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, Who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."

Ephesians 3:17-21

Amen. Thank you, Jesus. May we be be encouraged in Your love.

Hannah Grace

The Freedom in Surrender

2009-05-31T21:09:00.013-05:00

"If you cling to your life, you will lose it; But if you give it up for Me, you will find it." Matthew 10:39

What a powerful portion of God's Word. Losing your life....but finding it in Him. The many times that I have read and heard this verse, it has made me think of persecution or the actual losing of my life for Christ's name. When doing my Bible study this week, Nancy Guthrie shed a whole new light on this well-known verse. It blessed my heart.

There are specific dreams, aspirations, hopes, and desires that we each carry within this life. We make plans, we dream dreams, and we eagerly wait with anticipation those things for which we long. And then sometimes the waiting gets long.......disappointment sets in....discouragment follows. Sound familiar?

For most people, it is perhaps very familiar. Waiting is hard. Surrendering those ambitions is difficult.

Guthrie writes: "Jesus calls us to abandon our own agendas, what we have deemed will please and fulfill us, so that we can embrace the kind and quality of life that only He gives. This is about making Jesus our life. This is about putting our plans for our lives to death so that the abundant life He offers has room to take root and grow."

When I read that.....wow. "Amen." I prayed. I had never before thought of it in that way. By putting those plans and desires to death, I would be able to live the abundant life that God has planned for me. Giving up those plans and dreams that I have made for myself does not necessarily mean that I will never receive them. Giving them fully to the Lord means that He can instill within me the life that He has planned for me and, therefore, shape me into the woman of God that He has created me to be.

"Those who are sailing through a comfortable life at this point have not yet been forced to carefully consider their lives and surrender their dreams. But because you have been shaken to the core, you see clearly that if you cling to your own plans and desires, you will never discover the freedom and joy found in losing your life for Jesus." Nancy Guthrie

Do you feel as if you have been "shaken to the core"? Have you come to the place of surrendering those desires at Jesus' feet...knowing that He will do what is best in His perfect plan and in His perfect timing?

I feel that in order to sincerely do what Guthrie speaks about, we must have "eyes of faith." I am currently reading a book called "Lady in Waiting." One of my college roommates suggested that I read it, and my goodness is it ever encouraging! Inspired from the book of Ruth, this book speaks of certain qualities that a woman should seek in order to be a Godly wife for her future husband. One of these qualities is faith. The love story of Ruth and Boaz was referenced within the chapter. Many of you may be familiar with this story. One of my favorite concepts in this story is the faith that Ruth displayed. In man's eyes, it only seemed logical for Ruth to move back to her homeland after her husband's death. In man's eyes, that would be the only way that she would ever be given the gift of marriage. Yet, Ruth chose to live with the "eyes of faith" and stay with Naomi , serving the one true God. This act, in essence, was almost as if Ruth was possibly giving up the desire to ever be married again. She surrendered it. Her decision was not based on circumstances...but the Sovereign God Who was in control of cirumstances. As we know from God's Word, this act of faith would eventually result in the gift of a Godly husband. God rewarded her faith by giving her a husband, Boaz.

"Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them." Elizabeth Elliot

Isn't that true? It is difficult, I speak for myself, to lay those precious desires down at my Lord's feet. It can be difficult to "lose that life," for it is sometimes easier to cling to it. We feel more in control. Yet, it is when we fully surrender, that Jesus promises a joy and peace that follow. We can experience freedom, knowing that His way is perfect. He has provided direction. He has a plan. Are you thankful for that, dear one? He has a plan. He is in control. May you be encouraged that He is faithful.

"God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield
for all who look to Him for protection.
For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid Rock?
God arms me with strength, and He makes my way perfect."
Psalm 18:30

We sang the song, "Jesus, All for Jesus" in church this morning. A portion of this song reads: "All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these into Your hands. For it's only in Your will that I am free." Yes, it is only in His will that I am free. And what line comes before? I "surrender these into Your hands." With surrender.....comes freedom. Lose your life....you will find it in Christ. Surrender your dreams....you will find freedom in Christ. Precious ones of God, may you find hope today in the promises of God. He has not forgotten you. He has not forgotten your circumstances. May you walk with "eyes of faith," knowing that He is sovereign, and He is in control.

"But I am trusting You, O Lord, saying:
'You are my God!
My future is in Your hands."
Psalm 31: 14-15

Hannah Grace

Where is Your Mission Field?

2009-05-26T15:32:00.004-05:00

When you hear the phrase "mission field" what do you think of? China, India, Mexico.......a different country besides the USA maybe? I have been guilty of the same thinking. At the beginning of this year, I started praying about what direction God was leading me this summer. I desired that He use me somehow within the ministry. I wanted to be poured out this summer for His honor and glory. What suprised me was that God did not lead me where I thought He would have. I am not going to another country to serve in Jesus' name, I am not on a summer camp staff....I'm actually doing an ordinary job. Even though it was not where I thought I would be, God clearly directed me to: a hospital. A hospital? "But God," I prayed, "I'm going to have many opportunities to work in a hospital after I graduate. Shouldn't I be involved in a ministry this summer? I have such a heart for missions and serving others." I was more or less disappointed. I am ashamed to say it, but this was my thinking a few weeks ago. Don't get me wrong. I was excited about the opportunity to work as a student nurse. Yet, I felt as if I was missing out on being used by God this summer. I wanted to be on the mission field. I wanted to be poured out for His honor and glory. I wanted to make a difference this summer. And what has God taught me? Something amazing.

I am privileged to be employed at a hospital where it is still acceptable to pray and share about the Lord. Each morning at 8:00, the chaplain brings a devotion which is heard all over the hospital. My coworkers will even stop what they are doing and agree in prayer with the chaplain. It's amazing to see. Above each bathroom door in each room of the hospital, a specific verse is found. That is perhaps my favorite thing to do when I enter into a patient's room. I love to see what portion of Scripture is on their wall. I feel that it is by no mistake what room they are placed within.

One morning, I followed one of the doctors as he made his morning rounds. We went from one room to the next until we came to the last room on his list. This particular patient was not one of my assigned patients, so I did not know her story. I was shocked to hear the doctor's words as he proceeded to present her with the diagnosis of cancer. My heart ached for her. Once the words "cancer" and "malignant" came out of his mouth, I looked above her door to see what verse was posted. And the beautiful words of Romans 15:13 fell upon my eyes.

Romans 15:13:"I pray that God, the Source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident
hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

"Oh yes, Lord," I prayed to myself. "We are never left without hope. Thank you, Jesus. May you fill them hope."

As the doctor continued speaking with her, I desperately wanted to wrap my arms around her. I wanted to pray for her and pray that she might have hope...even in a cancer diagnosis. I wanted to encourage her precious family members who were at her bedside. I wanted them to know that Jesus was still in control no matter what. I do not know if they were believers, and I was never able to find out. But, I did not forget to pray for them. I prayed that they might come to know the Lord if they did not already. I also prayed that they might look upon the wall and see those words from our Almighty God.

It was after that experience that I felt...no, I knew....I'm on the mission field. God has placed me in this hospital, "for such a time as this." Even though I was not able to directly minister to that specific family, I am praying for opportunities in the weeks to come.

Wherever we are: school, work, church, grocery shopping, carpooling, caught in traffic jams, cleaning.....we are tools for the ministry. Isn't that humbling? God desires to use us...even in everyday living. Yes, going to a another country on the mission field is such a blessing. That is not to be lessened. What God has been impressing upon me is that instead of wishing I was "on the mission field," I should start living "on the mission field."

On Sunday night, I had the opportunity of hearing some members of the youth group speak about their mission trip to Mexico this past March. My cousin, Christian, gave a wonderful testimony of God's faithfulness and some challenges that he gave to the others while on their trip. He quoted the verse 13 out of Matthew 5, which states: "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot." Verse 16 states: "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

Is it not humbling that God can, will, and chooses to use His children no matter where they may be? Not only is it humbling, but it is challenging. Do my actions reflect Christ? Am I willing to be used by Him? While traveling the road to my house, there is small church which always has quotes on its sign. Right now it reads, "Do they see Jesus in me?" Hmmm....can others tell there is something different in my life?

Whether you may be in China, South Africa, or a little 'ol town in Mississippi.......God can work through you. Will you allow Him to? We are living "on the mission field."

"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.'"

Mark 16: 15

In the Hands of an AWESOME God

2009-05-25T10:13:00.007-05:00

Be encouraged, precious ones of God. He delights in you. Even to the smallest detail....you are precious in His eyes. He knows what is going on within your life. In our Lord, ALL things are held together! He is never out of control. Praise God for that. May you be blessed in hearing this truth.

"He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17

Louie Giglio: "How Great is Our God"

"Baby Weaver"

2009-05-17T22:32:00.002-05:00

It was the evening of Mother's Day. My family had gathered for lunch earlier that day and honored all the mothers/grandmothers of our family. We specifically honored the "grandma's" of the group. It was so neat to hear each one around the table expressing their love and thankfulness for Grandma Good and my "adopted grandma," Ms. Joan. Their lives proved an inspiration to each one in the family. How precious that time was!

That evening, I found a special treasure. Inside my "treasure box," I found a letter that my Grandma Good wrote to me even before I was born. Priceless words written in black ink filled three yellow pages. I could just picture in my mind, my precious grandma kneeling on the floor praying these words over my life on earth....which had yet to even begin. What a prayer warrior she was...and still is. For not only her grandchildren...but for many others, as well.

As she writes in the letter, the Lord awakened her early the morning of December 17, 1987. He quickened the passage of Matthew 6:9-13 to pray for me. She began to pray specific truths over my life.

Inspired from Matthew 6, she wrote specific challenges for my life that was to begin in a few months.

To have and know God

To have a personal relationship with Him

To recognize that He is Lord of your life

Adoring Him and giving Him praise

Anticipation of all that He is doing and going to do in your life

Consecrating yourself to God on a daily basis

To know that God is universal and in control of all

Being conformed to God and not the world

Letting your supplications, desires, and prayers always be Christ-centered

Being definite of your commitment to Him

Standing true for Him

The necessity of coming to God on a daily basis as much of need as daily eating

Pentitence-always have sorrow over sin and doing wrong

Obligation- to forgive others as we have been forgiven

To walk in a spirit of forgiveness

Love and mercy towards God and others

What a tremendous blessing.....what a humbling thought. That someone took time to pray for me, even before I was given my first breath of life. It made me even more aware that the Lord has His hand upon my life. Reading this precious letter revived a thankfulness in my heart for being raised in a Godly family.

Each time I read this letter, a new sense of hope is revived within my spirit. It makes me think of Psalm 139. That God created me for a specific purpose. Psalm 139: 16: "You saw me before I was born. Every day was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!" Oh, thank you, Jesus. You have ordered each step of the way.

As I sit here tonight....I'm not claiming to have everything together. In fact, the past few days have at times been somewhat difficult. Perhaps even sometimes it is easier for me to write down God's promises and truths than it is to actually dwell on and live in them during those difficult times. Some things have entered my way that have fought to steal my joy. There are many things that I just simply do not understand. But tonight, by the grace of God and the strength that only He can bring, I rest in the fact that He has divinely planned each day of my life. Nothing..no nothing...is a suprise to Him.

My uncle preached such an anointed sermon today. It spoke to my heart. One thing that he said really stood out to me. "Contentment and thankfulness go hand in hand." He referenced 1 Thessalonians 5:16-8: "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." Oh that you and I would truly be thankful in those "not so great" circumstances in life. May your discouragement, disappointment, brokenness, tired heart....be drawn more and more into the Lord's loving arms. That is my prayer tonight. For myself and for you. We've got a loving Lord on our side. Rejoice tonight that He knows your name, you are precious in His eyes, and He is, has been, and always will be in control.

And even as He knew "Baby Weaver" before she took her first breath on March 17, He knew you as well. Your life is no mistake. He has ordered each one of your steps. He has a specific purpose and plan for your life. Nothing is a suprise to Him. He is taking care of you. Are you thankful for that? I am.

Be encouraged, precious one of God. Rejoice. You have hope.

Hannah Grace

He Hears and He's Working

2009-05-13T09:22:00.004-05:00

Had an extremely interesting scenario last night. I was so encouraged from my devotions last night, but at times when I was reading I kept hearing things moving in my room. As I'm hearing these creepy noises, I'm thinking: "Hmm...." I didn't think it was really something. As I knelt on my bed praying before I closed my eyes to sleep, I heard something again. I thought: "Okay, what in the world?" I finished praying, crawled into my bed, and tried to sleep. What followed was the sound of something plopping down on my bedroom floor.....literally. My thinking now, you may ask? "Alright, that's it!" I stood on my bed, flipped on the light, and there beside my bed...almost about to pounce on my bed might I add...was the most hideous, slimiest, grossest tree frog. (Those words are not even grammatically correct, but they were all I could think of.) If you know me, you know that tree frogs are just about more than I can handle. Needless to say, thanks to the hero I have in my dad, he's gone. I have no idea how he got there, but I can assure you that I will be checking to make sure he never returns. :) I must have laid in my bed laughing for five minutes afterwards at the ridiculous scene.

Well, anyway, now I want to share with you some things that I learned last night. Let me ask you something? Do you ever feel as if the things you pray for are just forgotten by the Lord? Do you ever feel as if He has overlooked your plea for help?

The Israelites sure felt this way. Within their burden of slavery, I'm sure these people wondered if they would ever taste freedom again. Exodus 2:26-25 states:

"Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them."

Within the devotional book entitled "Hope," Nancy Guthrie made a powerful statement about this passage. She writes:

"There was no way for them [the Israelites] to comprehend that God's plan for deliverance was already in motion when Pharaoh's daughter pulled baby Moses out of the river. They couldn't see the burning bush hundreds of miles away as God called and began to prepare Moses to lead them out of Egypt."

How neat is that perspective? Even though they felt forgotten within their current suffering, God had long been preparing for their deliverance. Man....that gives me chills.

I flipped over to Nehemiah 9:9-31. If you have a chance, read it. This passage of the Bible gives an account of the numerous ways that God provided for the Israelites. Even in the midst of their cries, suffereing, rebellion and disobedience, He did not abandon them. He had compassion on them and provided for their needs. Verse 19 stood out to me.

"But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. "

AMEN! I was thinking over the ways that God has provided for me. Sometimes I was not even able to see the ways He was providing for me. Think over your life. What are some ways that He has been providing for your "deliverance." This thought caused me to dwell on the faithfulness of God and His goodness towards me. I may not understand the ways in which He works, but I know that all is intended for my good. Even as I sit here today, I did not imagine being where I am at this present time. My plans were different. Yet, I am thankful because I know that God has led me every step I have taken. He has been providing, He is providing, and He will continue to provide for me and for you.

Maybe you are in the midst of suffering at this very moment. Maybe it is hard for you to dwell on His goodness because you feel forgotten. Perhaps you feel as if your prayers and pleas for help fail to reach Him. Oh dear one, you are not forgotten. You are not abandoned. You are loved, you are cherished, you are redeemed. He has called you by your name. All His promises are true. He walks the way with you, guiding your every step. Isn't that a wonderful promise? I encourage you to keep seeking Him in His Word and daily in prayer. He does hear you. Cry out to Him.

Psalm 40: 1-5a: "I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. Oh, the joys of those who trust in the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal...."

Lord, we praise you for what you do in our lives. May we never forget the ways you have provided for us in the past. And may we look forward, trusting that You will indeed provide for our every need, giving us hope for the future.

Hannah Grace

Letters from a Fourteen-Year Old Heart

2009-05-11T19:29:00.010-05:00

I am so excited to share something with you tonight. As most of you know, the reason I created this blog was to bring about a message of hope. God has been impressing upon my heart the theme of hope within these last few months. What I discovered last night was that this theme began not a few months ago, but years ago.

Tucked away in my "treasure box" are letters, letters to someone very special. I had not forgotten about these letters, but it has been a couple years since I've read them.

When I was fourteen-years old, I began to pray for a special someone, someone who I would one day spend my life with, someone who I would grow in the knowledge of the Lord with, someone who I would walk beside "till death do us part".....my future husband. As I began to read these precious words written by a young, exuberant heart, an excitement grew within me. I have prayed for this person for many, many years. I have prayed that he would have such a deep love for the Lord and that he would walk uprightly in all that he does. And that in our time of waiting until the day we would meet, we would trust in God's plan and know that it is perfect.

Letter after letter, an all-too familiar theme presented itself: hope. In a few of the letters I referenced Romans 8:25: "For if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." In another letter, I pledged purity to not only my future husband but also my future children. I prayed that in this time of waiting, that God would guard my heart, as well. In one of the letters, I referenced verses that "brought me hope." Psalm 84:11: "For the Lord is a sun and shield. The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from the who walk uprightly." Yet, one letter stood out......above all the rest.

Written on January 12, 2003, I wrote:

God has allowed people to come into my life that give me hope for the future. I have been awed. These people have changed my perspective. I realize that I do not want to settle for less than God's best. I'm afraid that I would have settled for less. I'm thankful to God for this experience.

Tears flooded my eyes as I read those words. Even back in the year 2003, the Lord was using others to fill me with the message of hope. I had a realization that I wanted nothing less than God's perfect will for my life. What is so significant about this paragraph is that this principle is exactly what I am being encouraged with at this present time. The Lord has raised up precious people in my life. They encourage me with the message of hope. This message gives me encouragement to wait, yes wait, for His perfect will....in His perfect timing.

I felt as if God were sitting on my bed right next to me saying: "See, dear child. I am in control. I have given you desires, hopes, dreams. I have had My Hand over your life, even since the day you were born. I am in control. Do you trust in Me?"

"Yes, Lord.....I do trust in you."

What I am encouraging you to do is pray, dear ones. Pray about...everything continuously. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Nothing is too small, too insignificant, too vague, or even to vast to bring before the Father's throne. He delights in every detail of our lives. Praise God for that!

Psalm 37: 23: "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."

Little did I know the events that would follow the writing of those letters. Little did I know the plans that He had in store for me. Little do you know the wonderful plans that God has in store for you, dear one. But, we serve a God Who is the "Blessed Controller of all things." Trust Him. Devote time in prayer to Him. Surrender to His plan. Accept that you are not in control. Walk in the hope that He so freely gives.

"There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy..... I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!" Psalm 4a, 5b

Hannah Grace

What Will They Say of Me?

2009-05-09T14:43:00.008-05:00

Saturday mornings are the time to run errands. I look forward to it every week. Special time with my mom and a relaxing morning. It is something that I will definitely miss one day.

This morning we passed by a small church, who was obviously trying to pack in more vehicles than it had room for. I mean....cars everywhere. At first, my thought was: "Only in Mississippi." My second thought: "Oh fun. Someone must be getting married today." Then, I proceeded to see a hearse, followed by a very long procession. And as I sat there waiting on the cars to file in, wondering where on earth they were going to fit everyone, I began to think....wow, this is sad. Young and old came out to mourn the death of a loved one. Death....it can be viewed as such a painful and sorrowful idea. I watched the crowd as they walked into the church. Some had solemn dispositions, but then I saw a woman smiling. She had such a peaceful and joyous countenance. Then I thought...this is such a beautiful sight. I had no idea what kind of life this person lived. As believers, death brings such a hope and the promise of eternal life. Not that we have to go around constantly smiling at loved one's funeral. It is okay to mourn. But, the hope that we have following a believer's death. Jesus overcame the power of death, so that we might have eternal life!

That life picture made me think of the passage in the Bible which says: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?'” 1 Corinthians 15:54b-55. And then in verse 57: "But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ." (NLT) The death of a believer is really a celebration. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we have hope...even in midst of such sorrow and pain that death can bring. Praise God! Isn't that a comfort to know there's hope? Oh, how I wish all believed.

So this got me to thinking: "What are people going to remember about me when it's my funeral?" I know that I want it to a big celebration! I want the things that I did in my life to make a difference. I want my life to be a testimony.

Mom, Heidi, and I are singing on Sunday night for Mother's Day. When we were listening to the CD with our song on it, another song caught my attention. Such wonderful words and exactly what life is all about. Thought I would post the song for you to be encouraged.

When It's All Been Said and Done: Don Moen

When it's all been said and done

There is just one thing that matters

Did I do my best to live for truth?

Did I live my life for you?

When it's all been said and done

All my treasures will mean nothing

Only what I have done

For love's rewards

Will stand the test of time

Lord, your mercy is so great

That you look beyond our weakness

That you found purest gold in miry clay

Turning sinners into saints

I will always sing your praise

Here on earth and in heaven after

For you've joined me at my true home

When it's all been said and done

You're my life when life is gone.

"You're my life when life is gone." I love that! Praise God that through His love, He overcame the power of death. We have hope, lasting hope, and a peace amidst the sorrow of death. Live in that hope, knowing that though this life will end.....there awaits and even glorious one.

Hannah Grace

He's Been There

2009-05-05T21:44:00.003-05:00

"While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could deliver him out of death. And God heard his prayers because of his reverence to God. So even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from things he suffered." Hebrews 5:7-8

At first when I read the title for this week, I was kind of caught off-guard. When I think of Jesus, I do not think of sorrow or pain. I think of my Savior, Who provides hope and wipes my tears and pain away. I think of perfect peace, and I think of overwhelming love. Yet, this week brought to light such a wonderful and ordained time of Jesus' life here on earth. When my heart is breaking in what feels like the deepest sorrow I've ever endured....Jesus understands. He's been there.

If you were to ask most Christians what the shortest verse in the Bible was, most would probably know the answer within a minute: "Of course, it's John 11:35- 'Jesus wept.'" Have you ever really stopped and thought about that verse? Sure, in elementary school, my class always begged for it to be the memory verse of the week. But, really soak that thought in....my Jesus, He wept. He knows what pain is like. His dear friend, Lazarus, had died. Jesus saw the brokenness in Lazarus' two sisters: Mary and Martha. Scripture does not record exactly why Jesus wept. Guthrie suggested a few theories for His grieving. She summoned that perhaps Jesus grieved because he saw what kind of discouragement death brought upon the people He loved.

She writes: "Perhaps he could see in her weeping and hear in their wailing the unbelief that robbed them of being able to grieve with hope and left them with only despair."

Whatever the reason may have been, Jesus was brokenhearted.

Another place in Scripture we see the Lord Jesus once again in great sorrow. In Matthew 26:38, the Lord says: "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death." Jesus said this statement the night that He took two disciples, James and John, into the Garden of Gethsemane. The time of His crucifixion was soon approaching, and Jesus was spending His last moments on earth in prayer to His Father. What we see in this portion of Matthew 26 is the picture of our Lord experiencing the feeling of deep sorrow and brokenness. I have heard this story many many times but never has the thought of Jesus grieving touched my heart so greatly. Wow. Guthrie writes a powerful statement in this chapter.

"I feel a sense of kinship with Jesus' pain and a sense of relief that he understands what mine feels like. I can't receive instruction on living with pain from someone who has never hurt. I can't receive encouragement to hold on to hope for the future from someone who has never wrangled with death. But I can listen to and receive from this Jesus who knows what it feels like to be filled with anguish and deep distress."

Not only did this passage in Matthew depict the grief that our Lord felt, but it also spoke of a time of loneliness that Jesus must have felt. As He and His disciples entered the garden, Jesus asked the two disciples to "stay here and watch with me." One would think that James and John would have been right by Jesus' side and providing Him with support and encouragement. Surely they understood what was about to take place. Yet, what we see within this chapter is that Jesus came back not one, not two, but three times to his disciples only to find them deep in slumber. How Jesus must have felt. Here He was about to lay His life down for the sins of the entire world, here He was about to suffer agonizing physical pain for which He did not deserve, and here He was about to experience being cut off from His Father God for the first time....and His disciples sleep?

Have you ever felt alone in your time of grief? Maybe those friends just are not there for you like they promised they would. Or maybe you are surrounded by friends and family members, yet feel alone in your grief? Maybe those closest to you are "sleeping" during your time of pain and hardship. Maybe you feel alone.....Now, before we get on a pity trip for ourselves, I invite you to consider a beautiful thought. There is One Who never "sleeps" in your life. God in His Word gives us that promise: Psalm 121:2-3"My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber."
Wow.....really grab a hold of that.

Now, I do not discredit the encouragement and support that believers can provide to one's life. In fact, I hold that in such high importance. The body of Christ is such a beautiful thing. Romans 12 speaks of the body of Christ and how vital each member is to the whole. Verse 15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." I am thankful and praise God for those that He has placed within my life as encouragers. Yet, I am asking you to consider: Do we put more effort, more time, more fulfillment into being uplifted by others? What would make us value that from the Lord just as much? Maybe if we could audibly hear His voice? Maybe if we could just sit down at a table, with a cup of coffee and Hershey's chocolate, look Him straight within the eyes, and really see and hear Him speaking into our hearts. Would that make it easier?

But what the Lord invites us to is even better than that tall peppermint mocha frappuccino with whipped cream. He has given us an invitation to come before His throne. Hebrews 4:16: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." What an invitation! No, He has not forgotton that heart. No, dear one, He has not forgotten the loneliness hidden inside. No, precious one, He hurts when you hurt, He knows your hurt, He heals your hurt. Why? Because He's felt your hurt. What we find when we come to His throne is not One who sleeps but One who heals. What we find is not One Who forgets, but One Who wipes away those tears. What we find is One who dissolves those fears, renews that strength, and mends that broken heart. Amen, dear child, you can have hope again!

I encourage you to fall on your knees before the God of Israel, before the Lord of your life. No, He does not sleep.....He gives hope. Hope for your journey.

Hannah Grace

Made by the Master

2009-05-01T22:29:00.006-05:00

Why is it that God can clearly speak to your heart about a specific burden....then, you in return receive that truth, only a few days later to worry and become discouraged about the very thing you laid down at His feet? Tonight, I went back and read some notes that I had written in the past. One in particular touched my heart tonight. As I was studying for a final today, I was reviewing my notes on fetal development. Isn't it comforting that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." He holds every plan, every year, every month, every minute, every detail of our lives? He knows what He is doing. Yes, He knows what lies ahead. He is faithful. He blesses me with hope. May I share this with you tonight? Perhaps it will encourage you, as it did me.

Tonight.....I can't sleep. Partly because today has been a very challenging and hard day. And, partly because God has reminded me of something, and I'd like to share it with you. Maybe you need to hear it too. Whatever the reason, I'm up past 10:00, and that is a feat in itself! :)

In my nursing class, we are studying about fertility and pregnancy. On Wednesday, we began talking about the sequence of fetal development. And as my professor was lecturing...I sat there and thought, "Wow....only God could do this. Wow....what an amazing God I serve!"

Did you know that out of those two cells that unite come one cell, equipped the very DNA of a human being. Everything it needs to grow and be nourished is provided....out of that one little cell. And did you know that at just 4 weeks, the tissues of the heart began to beat for the first time? And inside that womb, this precious little baby is able to grow and be adequately nourished until the time of delivery. Wow....only God. Only God could intricately design this process, detail by detail. The words of Psalm 139 echoed in my mind while listening to the lecture. All I could think as I was sitting there in class is how thankful I am that I know the truth. We are not by chance...no scientific reasoning can explain how we are made or how we came to be here. They try...but praise God that He has given us the truth! We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Even at the point of conception....we have life!

Opened my Ladies' Bible study book tonight, and do you want to know what it was about? On the very first few pages, it was talking about a young woman who had just found out she was pregant. She was telling her own mother the news. The "grandma to be" began praying a prayer for her soon-to-be granddchild. And then I proceeded to read the beautiful words of "Psalm 139," just exactly what God had reminded me of just yesterday.

The rest of the lesson focused on how God has ordained each of our days. He has assigned us "our portion and our cup." He is God, and He is faithful. Nothing is a suprise to Him. He knit our very being in our mother's womb. He caused our heart to beat at week 8. He caused our fingernails to form at week 9. He caused us to take our very first breath the day of our birth. Do you think anything is too big for Him to handle? Sometimes I need to remind myself of that. God has ordained every minute of my life. Why is it so hard for me to trust in His ways?

He has a plan for my life, and He has a plan for yours as well. May you know tonight that God is sovereign and has complete control over your life. You are "fearfullly and wonderfully made." For there is nothing you will go through that God does not have control over. Are you thankful for that? I am.

Psalm 139
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Amen. Be encouraged tonight, precious ones of God. He loves you. He knows you inside and out. He holds your every moment. He has a perfect plan. He is in control. He is hope.

Hannah Grace

"His Eyes are on You"

2009-04-27T19:06:00.007-05:00

Made it through Monday of an extremely busy week! With the burden of a pretty major test lifted this morning, I could now turn my focus to the other three looming over my head. After being in the classroom this morning, I was blessed to be able to eat lunch with a few girls from my nursing class. I had hopes of accomplishing much studying this afternoon. So after lunch, I packed up my stuff and headed to a local coffee shop. With a strawberry smoothie in one hand and a never-ending pile of notes in the other…..the study session began. After the first hour, my mind just would not retain any more information. Concentration level….zero. In all honesty, the last place I wanted to be was in a coffee shop studying about trans-cultural nursing. I sat there for about another hour, soaked up what I could, and decided to take a break. I packed up and headed to one of my favorite places in all of Mississippi: my church. It's not a huge building, modest-looking on the outside, out in the country, set on top of a hill. A place that has been dear to my heart for twenty-one years, a place where I've shared special moments with my Lord and today…..I was blessed with another special time with Him.

I arrived at church, grabbed my Bible, and sat down at the piano. I began singing my heart to the Lord. Sunlight strown in the window as my fingers played the keys. The warmth of it reminded me of God's love and hand over my life. These are perhaps some of my favorite times with God. I feel so near to Him. I imagine Him sitting right next to me, listening to my every word, moving every stroke of my fingers.

One song that came into my mind was that of the hymn, "His Eye is on the Sparrow." I found the words in one of our hymnbooks and began to sing them from my heart. I had heard this song before but had never really soaked in the words.

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,I sing because I’m free,For His eye is on the sparrow,And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I love that! "Why should I be discouraged?" Jesus is my portion! I also loved the last verse when it says "I lose my doubts and fears; though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;" Praise God that He leads every step I take. Even if I cannot see exactly what He is doing.

It was then that I was reminded of another song. I'd been thinking and singing this song "As the Deer" for a few days now. I had filled in for my mom during Sunday worship last week by playing the piano. Dad and I had considered leading this song, but we decided not to. It "just so happened" that the words were still lying on the piano. And, as I began singing this song that I had grown up singing my whole life, God began to speak to my heart. Even though I knew the words by heart, I had never really taken time to process them. At that piano, I sang: "I want you more than gold or silver, only You can satisfy. You alone are real joy Giver and the apple of my eye."

Wow...thoughts began flooding my mind of the things that I place in my life or desire in my life to "satisfy" and be that giver of joy. But, what I sang this afternoon was that Jesus is the ONLY true joy-Giver and the ONLY One Who can truly satisfy. Singing these words brought tears to my eyes. I began praying, "God what am I putting in place of You to try and satisfy those deep longings within my life? What am I looking to in order to find contentment and joy?"

Let me ask you a question. What is it that you are putting your satisfaction and joy into? What is it that you think you cannot live without and truly be satisfied? I do not know about you, but many things came to my mind. And, as I knelt down at the altar this afternoon, I called out those things that I put so much hope and anticipation and satisfaction in. It was hard to confess those things and lay them down....but, oh the freedom that came. And just as that beautiful hymn said: "I sing because I’m happy,I sing because I’m free; for His eye is on the sparrow; and I know He watches me."

Friends, nothing will satisfy like the Lord Jesus. Yes, He chooses to sometimes give those blessings for which we desire. But, NOTHING….do you hear? NOTHING will satisfy and provide us with true joy except our Savior God. Not that perfect job, beautiful house, fancy car, close friendships, money....not even those children, not a husband, not a wife, not a fiancé, not a boyfriend/girlfriend, not a diploma, not a degree, not a perfect figure….you name it. But here's the exciting news! Get excited, because you have a God that can feel every deep longing of that precious heart of yours. In fact, He knows your heart so well, because He created you and He loves you. Praise Him for filling your heart with all-surpassing, everlasting joy!

After singing that song, I got up from the piano and knelt at the altar. I flipped to Psalm 42, which speaks of desiring God's Word as a deer that desires to quench his thirst. And the words I read….were beautiful. Verse 1: "As the deer pants for water brooks, so pants my soul for God, for the living God." On to verse 5: "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, for the help of His countenance." My heart cried, "AMEN!" I was humbled. Do you see an interesting parallel? The two songs that God burdened within my heart were both patterned after the words of Psalm 42. All I could pray was: "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for speaking to my heart." Do we serve a personal God or what? He would choose to reveal Himself to someone like me. I am humbled and honored before Him.

Dear friends, we can have hope because of the God we serve. We can experience true joy and perfect satisfaction from the Giver and Sustainer of our lives: Jesus Christ our Lord. Doesn't that excite you? May you know today that He Who calls you by name, He Who loves you, Who considers you precious is alive and working. He longs that your life be filled with joy, true joy! And those precious things that your heart so desperately desires: know that in His timing and in His will, He will surely fulfill all that He has promised….all that He has planned.

May you rest assured in Him and live in hope both today and the days to come. May your heart be filled with the joy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank Him for that joy. Thank Him for satisfying even your deepest longings. Thank Him for hope.

Hannah Grace

Contentment with God's Plan

2009-04-19T15:51:00.003-05:00

Perhaps I should have waited to begin this blog until after nursing school was over for the semester. :) I'm finding it so hard to concentrate and study these days. All I want to do is dig deeper into God's Word and learn more from Him. He has renewed that hunger in my life. I remember a few months ago feeling discouraged and at times stagnant spiritually, and I remember praying for a revival in my spirit. God answered that prayer. An excitement floods my spirit when I read His Word. Over the past few weeks, I have witnessed the workings of what could only be from the Lord. I desire to keep learning more and more about Him. I know that I cannot ever spend too much time in God's Word.

Today was such a refreshing day at church. I wanted to share some things that God has been teaching me. Over the past few months, I have had the blessing of being a part of the Ladies Sunday school class. We have been studying the book Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillows. This book has touched my heart many times, especially during this season of my life. Since we are a bit ahead of the men's Sunday school class, we reviewed the first six chapters this morning. The first five chapters were mainly about being content in life: content with circumstances, content to be the person God made you to be, content with your present role, and content with relationships. Such a difficult thing, especially for women, to be content sometimes. A few points really stood out to me within these chapters.

* Content with my role: Sometimes I feel as if I'm not fulfilling the role that I feel God is calling me to. There are desires in my life that I truly feel as if God placed within my heart. Yet, I'm not able to fulfill or act in those desired roles at this time. For instance, anyone that has known me knows that my heart's desire is to one day be a wife and mother. I know it is clique to say: "I've dreamed of being a wife and mother ever since I was a little girl." But, I really have!! It is such a God-given passion of mine. Yet, right now, God in His sovereignty has endowed the gift of singleness and has led me not to be a wife/mother at this time but to be in nursing school. My heart's desire is not be a careerwoman. Yet, God has opened the door for nursing. I know that I must be obedient and follow the calling. My heart says, "Why have You given me this desire, yet I remain single?" In my spirit and through His Word, I feel God saying, "Your joy and fulfillment should not be dependent upon marriage or children. I fulfill Your life. Your contentment should be found in Me." God may one day fulfill that desire in my life, but until then, I am choosing to say: "Amen, Lord. Let it be so."

Another desire and passion that I have is for missions and involvement in the ministry. If you do not know, nursing school demands most every part of your being. There is a lack of time for outside activities. I do enjoy nursing school but also have a heart's desire to involved in the ministry. It appeared that God was opening the door for this desire, as I would be working at a local summer camp as a counselor this summer. Yet, the day before I accepted the position, an acceptance letter to an externship at a local hospital arrived in my mailbox. Due to the fact that it was unlikely that I would be accepted into this externship program, I had sought other opportunities for the summer. I had prayed that if I was supposed to be at the hospital this summer, God would move and allow me to find favor. So, that letter was a definite answer. Thankfulness for the opportunity flooded my heart but disappointment also crept within. I so wanted to be used by God this summer. Then I thought, "Why can't He use me in the hospital....just as He could have used me at camp?"

The crucial concept that I needed to learn was that God has plan. Yes, He does give desires to us. In His time, He brings those desires that He has given to pass. What do we do in the waiting time? We trust. One of the highlights of my week is taking a break from the busy schedule of life and going to my church. I play the piano, sing praises to God, and pray about many things.

A couple of weeks ago, I knelt down at the altar and pleaded with God for a peace, one that "passes all understanding." I prayed for His guidance and His grace for this difficult season of life. I layed all the desires of my heart on that altar before Him. I prayed that even if I never graduated from school, and even if I never had the privilege of having a husband, and even if I never had those precious children, and even if I was called to stand alone for righteousness for the rest of my life, and even if, etc....it would not change the reason that I was called upon this earth. It would not change my love for Him. I would always serve Him and praise His name. For, I am not here to reap the benefits and blessings in life. I am here to serve God. I am here to walk by His commands. I am here to tell others about His saving grace. It was difficult laying those things for which I so desperately desired down before Him. Surrendering that control was difficult, but necessary. It is a daily choice to trust Him and know that His ways are best.

A sweet friend sent me a message last week with Psalm 84 referenced. It was reminder of how much the Lord cares for me and desires good within my life. It also reminded me of the presence of God and how being in His presence is what I desire. And as I continue to trust in Him and live within His presence, He will, if it His part of His plan, provide those blessings, those desires, those "good" things....IN HIS PLAN. IN HIS TIME. Psalm 84:11: "For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O, Lord of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you."

What I have been experiencing in these days after I chose to lay those things at His feet is wonderful, all-surpassing joy! Now, I will not discredit that it can sometimes be difficult to always feel that joy. It is, as I said earlier, a daily choice. Just ask some members of my family, and they would tell you that sometimes it is a struggle for me to not worry about how some things will work out. But, what a freedom comes when we let go of those things which burden our hearts and choose to say, "God, I give that to You. You may have that for me in my future, but You may not. And, I know that You will provide the grace for whatever circumstances may come. Whatever Your plan is, I know that it is best for me. I trust in You, dear Father." Easy to pray? Sometimes yes. Hard to live? Many times, yes. Necessary in order to live in that peace and joy that God has called us to? Absolutely, yes!

*Another concept that influenced me within this text was that of God being the "Blessed Controller of all things." I love that! As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I know that what God has planned for me is only meant for my good. Will it always be easy? No. But, I can rest assured that He cares for me. Psalm 37:23: "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." Beautiful words, aren't they? Every year.....every minute....every detail....every moment....He delights in these. What a humbling thought. What a love!

Today was such a blessing. Foundational truths from God's Word, encouraging testimonies from other women of God, sweet fellowship with my precious church family, and the blessing of living another day in the hope of my Lord Jesus!

Hannah Grace

"I Know Your Name"

2009-04-16T13:30:00.008-05:00

Today, I finished my last clinical rotation at a local nursing home. For those of you who know me, you know that my passion in the nursing field is with the babies and mostly with the "beginnings of life." I've never really felt the calling to geriatrics. And, while I still do not feel called to work in the nursing home even after this rotation, I knew that God must have placed me there for a reason.

At times, the atmosphere at the nursing home is a depressing one. Room after room is filled with men and women who have experienced many things in life, some of which I cannot even fathom. Many feel lost and long to be in their own homes again. And, many of these precious people cannot even remember a few minutes ago, much less the important events of their lives. Many lie within their beds, unable to communicate and understand what is going on around them. Many times during this rotation I thought to myself, "God, why do they have to be like this? What is Your purpose for keeping them on this earth? It doesn't seem fair." Today, God chose to use a precious woman to show me one of His marvelous attributes and to express His love for me. He allowed me to be a part of a beautiful scene, one that speaks of the kind of God we serve.

As my partner and I began our care for the residents today, we came into the room of an elderly woman. We had been told that she did not like to be bathed, and that it would be a difficult task. As soon as the washcloth touched her skin, she looked at me with terror in her eyes and began to panic. Many would think it silly for someone to be afraid of a bath or even water, but I had no clue what she was feeling inside. I did not know what she was able to understand. All I knew was that her fear was real. When I saw this fear within her eyes, I felt such compassion for her. I know what fear is like. I may have never feared water before, but I have felt the grip of fear at times in my own walk of life. I held her hand, called her by her name, looked directly into her eyes, and said: "It's going to be okay. We are here to help you." She held tightly to my hand and nodded her head up and down. As long as I held her hand tightly and spoke softly to her, she was calm. She needed to feel loved. She needed to know that we cared for her and would not hurt her.

When I arrived home today, I began thinking about this beautiful scene. Isn't it like our own lives? Fear can be such a real thing. It can be paralyzing.....causing us to exchange peace for anxiety. Sometimes, I look back at the things that I used to fear and think how silly it was of me to even give the enemy such a foothold in my life. But, at that point in time, the fear was real. Before walking into the nursing home this morning, my devotions led me to the passage of Isaiah 44. The end of verse 1 states: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine." Verse 4 goes on to say: "Since you were precious in My sight,You have been honored, and I have loved you;" How neat it was that the verses I read this morning correlated with the truth I learned today. Just as I held the hand of a terrified woman this morning, so the mighty Hand of our Father holds our hand in the midst of paralyzing fear and pain. When the grip of fear overtakes you, when it feels more than you are able to bear, when hopelessness looms around you, do you choose to put your hand in His? The sovereign God of universe calls us by our name and takes our hand. I imagine Him by my side in those times of panic, whispering truth within my ears, overshadowing the lies from the enemy. Inspired by the words of Isaiah 44, I imagine God saying: "Fear not, My child. I love you. I am for you. I have called you by your name. I am here to help you. You are precious to me. It's going to be okay." That gives me chills. Oh, the mighty power of our God! That He would desire to comfort me, to love me, and to make His presence known in the midst of that grip of fear. As long as He is the Holder of my hand, fear cannot reign in my life. A calmness follows when I choose to focus on Him, rather than the worries and cares of life.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your promises to never forsake Your children. Thank You that You know us, and You call us by our name. We praise You for never-failing love. We praise You that even in the midst of hard times, we can overcome fear by putting our hand within Yours. It is then that You give the promise of peace, love, and hope for the journey. Amen!

Hannah Grace

WEEK ONE: Brokenhearted

2009-04-13T20:25:00.012-05:00

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those who are crushed in spirit."
Psalm 34:18

This week was such an encouragement to me. The week began with the chapter "Telling Yourself the Truth."

Guthrie writes: "Painful thoughts go through our heads when the hurt is deep. I will never be able to be happy again. My life is over. I will be alone forever. God must not love me. God must be punishing me. I'm such a failure."

When we experience hurt within our lives, it can be so easy to allow the enemy to fill our minds with untruth. He wants us to focus on what we did wrong or what we could have done better. This is a time when the truth of God must overshadow the lies of the enemy. In order to allow that truth to reign, we must spend time in God's Word.

She goes on to say: "Truth soothes our fears, changes our feelings, and shapes our thoughts."

Ahhh, I love that! God's Word gives us a source by which we can draw near to God and learn more about Him. It is through this Word, that our God....the God of the universe, the Lord of our lives, the King of all....chooses to reveal His love and guidance to us. What an honor! Do you consider that an honor?

One statement that stood out to me was: "God does not discount or dismiss your tears. They are precious to Him because you are precious to Him." Isaiah 25:8 says: "The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears." Is that not a precious verse or what? My God, the Lord of the universe, will wipe away my tears. He doesn't "discount" them or ignore the hurt I might be facing. He considers my life precious and is interested in every detail. Is that not humbling? Psalm 56:8 states: "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book." Many times it may feel as if we are alone in our sorrow. But, God "keeps track" of those tears. He considers them precious, because YOU are precious. Psalm 30:5: "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning." Friends, that joy cannot be determined by circumstances. That joy is lasting, something that can only originate from the Lord, Himself.

Has someone ever said this statement to you: "Don't worry about that stuff. It won't help or change a thing!" Yeah..well....I believe that. I really do. But, it is easier to say, "Oh, I will not worry," than actually not worrying at all. I am at many times worried about worrying. Honestly, now what is that going to do? I must take a step back from the situation and refuse to worry!

Guthrie states: "Peace is a gift from God, but we prepare ourselves to receive this gift as we pray about everything, cultivate gratitude, and refuse to surrender to worry."

A beautiful statement! Did you catch that? "REFUSE to surrender to worry." With the recent changes in my life, I must admit that I struggle with worry....worry about my future. Will I ever get married? Will I ever get that family I dream of? Will I ever be used by God? Will I be a good nurse? Will I ever quit worrying about things? :) Philippians 4:6-7: "Be anxious for nothing but by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Amen, amen, amen. What else is there left to say?

With the broken heart, with the disappointment, with the hurt..bitterness can sometimes follow. Many times and in many lives it is the root of bitterness that destroys. Bitterness takes the focus off of the blessed plans that God has in store and focuses on the past ways we feel like we've been jilted. I mean, isn't that really what bitterness is? But, I know that's easy to say. Sometimes, we really do feel like we've been wronged. It hurts, and we do not understand how a loving God would allow such pain. This chapter led me to the book of Lamentations. Not the most familiar book, but a book containing some powerful words of Truth. Lamentations 3:23 states: "The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly..."

To me, that "wait quietly," means waiting on the Lord even when things do not make sense. He has promised that He has been, is, and will be faithful. Waiting on the Lord means not allowing that root of bitterness to spring forth. Waiting means trusting that God knows what is best, and He sees the future. This chapter also left me with a truth, one that spoke directly to my heart. Lamentations 3:31: "For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever." Thank you, Jesus.

He is the Collector of my tears, my Source of Truth, the Mender of my heart, and a forever faithful God!

May your heart be encouraged today. There is HOPE for your journey.

Hannah Grace

2009-04-11T10:01:00.005-05:00

In the midst of broken hearts, lost dreams, disappointmnts, and unanswered questions, God in His sovereignty chooses to give a gift: His hope. My precious grandma gave me a special gift one week ago: a devotional book entitled, Hope by Nancy Guthrie. I wanted to share this journey of hope with you. In the past few weeks, God has provided hope in the midst of a great loss.
For whatever you may be experiencing, when we are born-again in Christ we can experience hope. Not the kind of hope the world seems to give, but a hope that can only be ordained by our Lord. No matter status, age, rank, intelligence, we all experience loss and disappointments. But, with those losses come a invitation to a deeper walk with God, one that will draw us near to His saving will and grace. It is my desire that as you read this blog, you will join me in digging in God's Word for His promises of hope.

God is still God, He is still in control, His Word never fails, He is faithful and true, and He promises to give hope for the journey. :)