Trust In & Cry Out To The One Who Saves

While studying this morning, I found an old, dried flower tucked safely within the pages of my mom's Strong's Concordance. The petals, delicate and yellowed from age, secretly hold the story of a special moment in time. I wonder, "How long has it been here?" And "Who was the thoughtful giver of this once, vibrant flower?"

I smile as I consider the possibilities.

Perhaps my own daughter, who will soon be twenty-one, once held this flower in her tiny hands. I can see her gently picking this fragile gift and then hiding it behind her back as she runs mischievously toward her Maw-Maw.

Or maybe it was taken as a token of remembrance during the celebration of the life of my grandfather?

No matter its origin or previous owner, this flower, has been picked for me today. It is a special gift and I leave it in its place in hopes that the next recipient of this time-worn concordance might find it there.

As I peer into the scriptures, the old flower and gift of remembering are not my only blessings.

Every time I open the Word of God and choose to meditate, reflect on, and study the words found here, my heart is overwhelmed at the goodness of God. Tucked within its chapters are nuggets of wisdom waiting to be discovered and promises ready to be received and lived out.

Our Memory Verse for Week 8 of our Online Bible Study is Psalm 22:4-5. It says, "In You our Fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed."

All week I've been meditating on these verses and I've focused on:

• Trusting and putting my confidence in God, and
• God's ability to save and deliver.

But today my eyes were drawn to the word "cried."

"They cried to You and were saved."

I tried to picture "our Fathers" crying. Is it a sob? A boo-hoo? An overwhelming stream of tears running down their faces? Because I cry. I know what this crying thing is like.

And what is their motivation? Sometimes I cry because I'm sad. Sometimes I cry because I'm mad. And other times I cry because I don't know what else to do.

To give me a clearer picture of what exactly is going on I dive deeper into the chapter and start from verse one.

As the psalmist petitions God and questions His absence during troubling times, He reminds God that when our Fathers of long ago put their trust in Him and cried out He saved and delivered them. In other words, "Why are you not saving ME like you saved THEM?"

He continues to beg and plead his case for the next several verses but something changes in verse 22.

I believe he receives a revelation. He shifts from words focused inward to now words of declaration and praise of the only One who has the power to save him. 

"I will declare Your name! ...Praise Him...Revere Him....!"

I believe the revelation he receives is that our Fathers' crying out was not a confession or reminder to God of how terrible things were going for them (God always knows what's going on). It was a public declaring of God's sovereignty, a declaration of His power to deliver and save them no matter their circumstances. They gathered corporately and announced publicly that their trust and confidence was in God and God alone.

According to my Strong's Concordance, the Hebrew word for cried in this verse is zaaq and means to shriek (from anguish or danger). And when I read further it says it is also "to announce or convene publicly:- assemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed."

Now, as I look back at our Memory Verses for the week (Ps. 22:4-5) I have a clearer picture and I know the place of desperation and surrender our Fathers called out to God. I understand it was not in self-pity or the "poor-me-syndrome" that brought their deliverance. It was not in questioning "Why" and "Where" and "How" that they were saved.

It was a gathering together and declaring publicly their cry of surrender to God. It was in the realization that nothing or no one else had the power to save them but God.

That, my friends, is our place of deliverance.

Whatever you are going through today, remember the psalmist in Psalm 22. Turn, as he did, to words of praise and declaration of our great heavenly Father who is the only One with the power to save. Let your thoughts rest on His sovereignty and the promises found on the pages of our Bible.

His Word is true. 

His Word is powerful.

And His Word is relevant to whatever you are facing right now.

Let us cry out to our Father. Let us put our hope, our trust, our confidence in Him and Him alone. And let us proclaim together publicly that He is Lord! 

He is still a God who saves!

Father, we come to you in surrender today. We declare that You are God! We praise you now and proclaim that there is no other like You! We know that no matter what we are facing or what we are going through at this very moment, YOU never change. We cry out to You in desperation knowing that You hear us. We choose to put our hope, our trust, and our confidence in You and You alone. Thank you that peace and joy are ours. We choose to receive them today. We trust that Your plans are so much greater than we can imagine. Our hope is in You. Thank you for the amazing and unconditional love You have for us, Your children. We love You! Your will be done in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

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Joining with Melissa Taylor and a community of women as we seek God and His word together in our current Online Bible Study: Stressed-Less Living by Tracie Miles. Click here to read more blogs in our blog hop.

Blessings in Strange Places

I'm finding blessings in the strangest of places. With my eyes focused on my Savior, what could burden instead fills my heart with gratitude. I'm learning that "in quietness and trust is my strength." And my safe place is called surrender.

In trust, I can be thankful for His plans even when mine don't succeed.

In quietness, I can hear Him whisper truth to my soul.

And in surrender and rest, I find peace within... no matter the circumstances that surround me.

Today I am thankful:

• He loves me anyway. In my moments of doubt, fear, mistrust, and wandering, He loves me still. He doesn't give up on me in my weakness, but reassures me and woos me back with His unconditional, extravagant, indescribable love.
• He allows the hard places. It's in these places I dig deeper and discover more of Him. It's here my heart grows and my soul embraces. It's here, in this place of deepest need I catch a glimpse of my Father's heart and find refuge.
• His peace is real. I can know peace while laying on a doctor's table waiting on a biopsy. I can know peace even when I don't have all the answers. I can know peace when the world is chaotic. Though our hearts ache, the peace He promises is real. It doesn't make sense and I can't touch it with my fingers but my faith confirms its existence.
• His Word is true. The lies of the enemy that pound my ears daily threaten to leave me hopeless, afraid, and insecure, but when I turn my eyes to Jesus I find truth and freedom.
• He gives and He takes away. The end of one season is often hard and we don't always understand our leaving or His taking but waiting on the other side is another part of our story. And just as we have left one thing, another finds us.

So I ponder these places I wouldn't normally call blessings, and I find Him there. I feel His refining and I know His provision. I marvel at His love and am humbled in His presence. I breathe deeply in surrender, laying it all at His feet, and rest, peace, and strength are mine.

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Joining with Melissa Taylor and a community of women as we seek God and His word in our current Online Bible Study: Stressed - Less Living by Tracie Miles.

And He Saved Them

My heart is heavy for so many families tonight. All week tragedy has filled my news feed and blasted from my television. I lay down in surrender, trusting that whatever happens around me, Jesus remains the same. In tragedy and loss, in heartache and sadness, in brokenness and grief, He offers comfort and peace the world cannot give.

When circumstances threaten to squeeze and strangle and take the very breath that fills our lungs, Jesus breathes life and gifts grace to trust Him even still.

"Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble (anxiety, bad news, danger, difficulty, concern, dilemma, grief, heartache, pain, sorrow, stress), and he saved (defended, freed, guarded, healed, protected, released, rescued, safeguarded) them from their distress (ache, affliction, anguish, anxiety, concern, disappointment, sadness, sorrow, suffering, worry)." Psalm 107:19

Though our hearts ache, the peace He promises is real. It doesn't make sense and I can't touch it with my fingers but my faith confirms its existence. As uncertainty abounds in this unstable, ever-changing world we live in we must remind ourselves our hope is not found here. Eternity rests in the very depths of our souls and we know this world is not our final destination.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

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Joining with Melissa Taylor and a community of women as we seek God and His word in our current Online Bible Study: Stressed - Less Living by Tracie Miles.

Because He Said So

"Why, mom?!"

"Because I said so!" I replied. "I don't have to give you a reason. The answer is just NO."

As I walked away the words echoeing in my ear sounded strangely familiar.

Suddenly transported back to a time of curfews and acid washed denim I remembered how often I had asked the same question and was met with the same answer. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so," my mother would respond, "and you'll just have to trust me. One day you will understand."

One day, this day, I understood.

Sometimes there are no words of explanation, 

just a call to obedience.

My heart was pricked and I knew God was speaking to me.

Like a child, I often stomp my feet and demand an answer or reason when God simply whispers, "No."

"But God...it's a good thing!"

"But God...I've waited so long..."

"But God...why?"

I now understand His silence.

Because He said so. That's all. No explanation necessary.

Trust and obey...I wish I could say this is always my natural response - instant obedience and unconditional trust - but you already have a picture of me stomping my feet so I won't even try.

I don't always make the right decisions, but my God is big enough to pick me up and put me back on the path He has chosen for me.

I am not perfect, but I'm growing closer to the One who is.

And to continue my journey sucessfully, I have to trust that He can see the flashing lights ahead, the  bridge that's broken and uncrossable, or the storm that can be avoided by taking a different route.

And I have to obey.

Even if I don't understand why.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. ~Proverbs 3:5-6

Top Five Consequences of Over-planning

Courtney Dirks (flickr creative commons)

My last post, "Top Five Consequences of Poor Planning," has inevitably led me to this one.

On the flip side to poor planning lies over-planning.

Some of you know this side quite well, as noted in the comments on my previous post (not naming any names but hers starts with J).

And yes, even I, the sometimes poor planner, can work myself right into over-planning. Actually, I'm quite good at it. So good at, in fact, the title of my book I am currently working on is Over-planned & Unfulfilled. It has guided much of my life, right up there with busy-ness (again, not naming any names but someone else knows about this one, too).

I know this is a little odd, that I am affected by not just one but both of these. Call it split personality or what you may, God certainly has His hands full with the likes of me.

The Bible clearly recognizes this problem of over-planning so I'm certain I'm not alone.

• Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

• And Proverbs 19:21 again exposes the issue, "There are many plans in a man’s heart," but reminds us that God is in control, "Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand."

God's call to surrender often requires that we let go of pre-made plans and ideas or solutions and remedies of our own making. If we hold on too tightly to those plans, trusting in our own ability and wisdom rather than relying fully on Him, we are certain to face some consequences.

• We have more stress and anxiety. When we rely on our own efforts to handle a problem or issue, we create undue stress and anxiety. Trust that no matter how big the problem is, God is in control, "...we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." 2 Chronicles 20:12.
• Our lives cannot declare His good works. How can we declare His works when we are trying to do all the work in our own strength? Psalms 73:28 says, "...it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works."
• Our strength, hope, and faith become small. We can wear ourselves out physically, mentally, and emotionally trying to do it all, have it all, and fix it all. Sometimes we need to let go and trust. "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint," Isaiah 40:31.
• We miss important instructions. God has given us wisdom and trusts us to make good decisions, but what if He wants to move in a different direction? What if He suddenly changes things up, opens a door, or interrupts your schedule? Can you lay down your plans for His? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.
• Our problems and circumstances appear bigger than God. Without complete surrender, we are sending the message that our problems are too big for God. When we choose to surrender and recognize His authority and strength He is able to move.

JosephPete (flickr creative commons)

There are a hundred other points I could list. Our inability to let go of our plans and embrace His truly affect every area of our lives (and not in a good way). We must remain flexible, willing to move, and surrendered.

Even when we don't want to.

Even when we don't understand.

Even when our idea is brilliant.

Even when His doesn't make sense.

Even when it hurts.

Even when _________________.

I am praying today you (and I) have the courage to kneel and the power to surrender. His plans are so much greater than ours, friends. love, Shelly

"Lead me in Your truth and teach me,


For You are the God of my salvation;


On You I wait all the day,"

Psalms 25:5.

When I Don't Want to Pray Anymore

Setting this post up like our church service: Announcements first. :)

• I normally write for the Beauty & Fashion column for Blissfully Domestic, but this month I had the privilege of also writing for the Faith column. Would looooove for you to visit me there. :)
• There are only 2 DAYS LEFT to sign up for the Ornament Exchange! I'm so excited...it's going to be fun, fun, fun! Have you signed up yet? Click here for all the itty bitty teeny weeny details.
• I am giddy about Christmas, as usual. It is my very favorite holiday. In the spirit thereof, I have been doodling on everything in my sight with green & red acrylic paints - old ornaments, Styrofoam cups, empty paper towel rolls (yes, really), and even my paint palette (aka...Styrofoam plate).

(These are cell phone pics so not great quality, but you can see now that I was telling the truth. I am a writer & a doodler.)

Now on to more serious things (not that I don't take my doodling serious).

What do you do when God is silent on a matter? When prayers go unanswered and mountains don't budge? When you say all the right things and pray all the right prayers and it doesn't seem to make a difference?

How do you keep praying and believing and standing and Keep. On. Keeping. On?

How do I?

With thundering voices shouting in opposition and hard circumstances contradicting your prayers and challenging your faith and demanding that you just give up, how then?

When strength is gone and you're tired and you don't want to pray anymore?

And what happens if I never receive the answer I want? Do I trust Him enough to allow Him to determine the outcome?

Do you think God has previous knowledge of the probability of our getting tired some on this journey of ours?

Of course He does.

He knows that our strength in itself isn't enough.

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" Galatians 6:9.

So in times when I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall without breakthrough and tempted to throw in the towel, I remind myself that even when I am depleted He is more than enough.

"He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me..." Psalm 50:23.

And I give thanks. Because gratitude and thanksgiving take the focus off me and recognizes that God is here.

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not grow weary, They shall walk and not faint" Isaiah 40:30-31.

And I trust that in my waiting, He is renewing my strength.

Keep on keeping on, sister. Remain in a place of gratitude and allow Your Father to renew your strength today. In your waiting, find assurance in His promises by meditating on scriptures that build your faith and remind you of His goodness. Soak in His presence and fill up once again so that you can continue pouring out into the lives of those around you.

He is more than enough.

Linking up today for the first time with three new communities: Good Morning Girls for Women in the Word Wednesdays, Tracy for Winsome Wednesday,  and Internet Cafe Devotions for Word Filled Wednesday (I realize my post is publishing on Thursday so I'm technically a day behind...story of my life Lol).

Unexpected

Like an unwelcome visitor, an uninvited stranger barging in, interrupting life, dragging bags of disappointment and unloading boxes of hard to swallow news.

Family members die, friends divorce, leaders abuse, children rebel, houses are lost, jobs end, cancer invades.

And still He whispers, "Trust Me."

No matter how much we pray or cry or wish or scream, sometimes things are not ok.

When plans fail and dreams fade and life. was. not. supposed. to. be. like. this.

"Trust Me."

The unexpected strips away all that is not anchored.

Like a punch in the stomach, the unexpected can leave us struggling to breathe.

But it can center. It can strengthen. It can remind.

Like Peter, if we take our eyes off of Jesus, we begin to sink.

But when we fix our gaze, though the storms may be violent and the unexpected may take us by surprise, our feet can stand firm and secure.

And when I want to pull the covers over my head and the water is swirling around my ankles...

I have to listen.

"Trust Me."

And fix my gaze...

Sometimes It's Easier to Pretend It Doesn't Hurt

If my bedroom or closet is messy (and they usually are) I have a bad habit of walking through with tunnel vision pretending like I don't see it. Life is messy, too. Marriage and church and family and death and teenagers are messy. Sometimes it's easier to avoid the messes.

If I run into writer's block or only get 300 words in a day, I have a bad habit of closing my eyes and putting down my paper (or keyboard) out of frustration or disappointment. Sometimes it's easier to not push through and deal with the hard things.

If someone hurts me I have a bad habit of closing off, putting up a wall, and neglecting the relationship completely. Sometimes it's easier to pretend it doesn't hurt.

But sometimes, we must deal with the messes.

Sometimes, life is hard and we have to push through.

And sometimes we hurt.

God takes our messes (not my messy closet) and makes something beautiful. ...to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).

He takes the hard things...His yoke is easy and His burden light (Matthew 11:30)...and His grace is sufficient for me, for His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 11:9).

And He cares about my hurts. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).

The God Who created me...knows me and loves me.

The God Who created YOU...knows YOU and loves YOU.

Trust Him.

Even when it's messy.

Even when it's hard.

Even when it hurts.

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Linking with Emily for imperfect prose on thursdays.

Finding REST in a Narrow Place

Joining today with Gypsy Mama and a community of others to offer a spill about REST.

Losing our football game last night prompted me to consider times of loss, adversity, disappointments, etc. Although defeat comes with a sting, it is temporary and can be a vehicle to victory. It is easy for me to jump on the encouragement train and speak words of wisdom to my fifteen year old, but what happens when I face similar circumstances or trials in my own life? We leave the football uniform hanging in the dressing room but the struggle to keep faith and stay strong catches a ride home with us.

Psalm 31:7 says "I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, and have not shut me up into the hand of my enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place."

God knows each stop we make on our journey and the things we face there. He knows us, even in adversity and remains unchanging. It is our faith that wavers and our belief that sways.

In Ecclesiastes 7:14 we are advised to consider that God has appointed times prosperity as well as times of adversity. "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other..."

We often do not know even our own heart, the stability of our faith, the depth of our beliefs or strength of our character until we are squeezed, tried and put to a test.

The end of Ps. 31:7 says He sets our feet in a wide place. I believe as we go through these adverse times, these times that feel narrow and constricted, we are being formed, molded and refined. At the end of this uncomfortable place opens wide the enlarged territory for which God is now preparing us.

It has been a struggle not to resist this part of my journey. The last several years have felt like a long, narrow hallway, but I am catching a glimpse of an opening ahead. I am resting in His truth and trusting that He knows me, He loves me and He never changes.

In this resting, I have found a quiet place. A place of restoring. A place of refreshing. A place of hearing. A place of knowing. A place of communing. A place of growing and becoming and being.

I pray that you find this place of rest today, this quiet place, this place created that you might know Him more. And I pray that you realize the fullness of His joy, feel the breath of His Spirit and accept His love that never fails.

Can I pray for you today?

Please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email (contact info).

*Although I took longer than the normal 5 minutes to write, I pray that this 5 minute read refreshes your soul.

Finding Something in a Time of Loss

I close my eyes and I can see his face.  I can hear his laugh and the shuffle of his old, tired feet in his worn out cowboy boots.

Today, I said good-bye to my grandpa.  Even though I know our good-bye is only for a season, this dull aching deep inside will not rest.  I know time will heal and the pain will lessen, but tonight my heart hurts.  He lived a long 92 years and it seems selfish for me to want him back.  He is no longer in pain, no longer without....but complete, fulfilled and perfect in the presence of our sweet, sweet, Jesus (and my grandma who was the love of his life). 

In times of brokenness, our heart is exposed and we spill out....messy and imperfect.  God picks up our pieces and gently reminds us that He is the Potter.  As life unfolds and the reality of pain, disappointment and loss are known, we can be molded as clay in the Potter's hands.  In our healing we can find that every pain has a purpose, every heartache can make us love better, and every hurt and disappointment can be used to reveal and expose and bring us closer to the One who loves us most.

Today, I am keenly aware of my frailty...my temporary and limited life on this earth.

My selfish ambitions and motives are being exposed, my heart is being enlarged, and my broken pieces are being molded into a vessel to illuminate His goodness, mercy, grace...His love, forgiveness, and healing poured out...if only I will yield and allow the Master to finish the work that He has started.

In times of desperation, when our world has been shaken, when we cry out with all that is within us, when we find ourselves grasping, reaching...needing something to hold on to...He is our resting place and our shelter.

I do not understand why we have to go through the things we do and feel the things we feel.  But my faith and my trust are in the One who promises to be with me even then.

Tonight, I quiet my soul....and listen.

Tonight, I hear Him speaking, and choose to yield.

Thou will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee. ~Isaiah 26:3

Don't Hang on to Your Baby Teeth

(yet another lesson from mothering....)

With kindergarten comes many "firsts."


My little man has his first loose tooth. :)

 We were in church last night when he made the discovey.

He was terrified.


With some apprehension, he confessed that his tooth was loose and fearfully exclaimed,

"I DON'T WANT TO PULL IT!.... IT'S GOING TO HURT!"


I assured him that it was normal and that he would be fine. 


I then explained that the reason the baby tooth was falling out was because there was a much larger tooth ready to take it's place.

Then I googled.  (Don't ya just LOVE to google?!)

Some information I found on the internet about baby teeth:

• otherwise known as temporary teeth

• the first set of teeth in the growth development of humans

• usually lost and replaced by permanent teeth, but in the absence of permanent replacements, they can remain functional for many years

• considered essential in the development of the oral cavity

• the roots of the temporary teeth provide an opening for the permanent teeth to erupt

And if the baby teeth don't come out, guess what?  The permanent teeth can come in crooked and you will most likely experience some painful tension in your jaw.


After reading this information, I was reminded of how we often get fearful when exiting a season or letting go of something old to make room for the new.


Sometimes, we tend to hang on just a little too long. 


Ever had tension (stress) when you know you are supposed to let go or move on but you just can't find the courage?


When I refer back to my internet findings above, I find many parallels:

• Like baby teeth, we go through seasons in our lives that are temporary. 

• In these varying seasons, we grow, develop and prepare for our next season.

• Although we can remain somewhat functional in our old season for a while, the anointing on our life wanes, new revelation is minimal, and our ability to hear God decreases because of disobedience and lack of faith. 

**Matthew 9:17 says, "Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins." If we try to bring in part of the new that God is wanting to do while clinging to some of the old, it just won't work. When you pour new wine into old wineskins, "the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined." **

• Many times we question why we are in a particular season or what is its purpose.  Just as baby teeth are "essential in the development of the oral cavity," certain seasons we go through are also essential to the development of our character, faith, strength, patience and many other requirements for a successful and effective next season.

**  In Acts 1:7, Jesus said, "..It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority."  God sets timetables for the different seasons/times in our lives.  When we wait for His timing, we go in the power of the Holy Spirit instead of our own strength and ability. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" (v. 8). **

• Our past or current season will help guide us into the new and provide an opening for God's plans and purposes to erupt or burst forth in His perfect timing.

"There is a time for everthing, and a season for every activity under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Seasons can refer to our job, church, city, or simply our way of thinking or method of doing things, such as programs, schedules, curriculum, the way we worship or any other change that takes place corporately or personally.

Don't rush out of your current season, even if you don't know why you're there.   Know that God has a purpose.

But, also, don't stay too long when your season is up.  You know what happens when you keep things past their expiration date....

Trust that His timing is perfect.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

xoxo

Shelly

Chapter Six: Trust

After this chapter, we are halfway through our book study!  Although it has gone a little differently than planned, it has been a really good book!  I think I may post the remaining chapters 2 at a time....7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12.  That way we finish up and can switch gears a little, with summertime upon us (and kids out of school!).  :)

So, this chapter was no different than the others.....good stuff!  This book is not going to disappoint.

A few of my favorite quotes from the book:

Paula states..."A major turning point in my life came when I realized that being able to trust God is grounded in staking the whole of my being on the reality that He loves me."

On page 75, she says "Trust lies in the willingness to accept the particulars of how and when and where God chooses to intervene."  This, in my opinion, is the key.  So often we say we trust God, but then try to dictate timing, circumstances, and outcome.  Trusting is just that.......trust.  Period.  No matter what happens.  And that can be really, really hard sometimes.

You know I can't go another post without using a definition.  I mean, it's been a few posts!  Dictionary.com and I have become great friends, and I paid him a visit tonight. :)

One of the (many) definitions for trust fit perfectly into our chapter. 

TRUST:  to permit to remain or go somewhere or to do something without fear of consequences

I think that about sums it up, don't you?

Rinehart explains that the ability to trust rests in the absolute knowing that God loves us.  And allowing Him to do so.  She says on page 78 that "letting ourselves be loved by God is the place where we stumble upon trust."

"We think some grand achievement or someone's approval will finally baptize us with the sense of being loved.  (Did someone send her copies of my journals?  Was it you??)  But the need to trust is our invitation, over and over, to the place where we look into His face - and no one else's - and let ourselves be loved by Him.  We let ourselves be loved by God. Our hands release their grip on the reins of our lives and we stop trying so hard to be women with all the answers."

Ya.  I know.

"When you taste a measure of being able to love and enjoy the people in your life, without having to have any particular response from them, you are tasting bliss.  You can move out in life and don't have to have your parking ticket stamped by human approval to do it."

Seriously.  Is anyone else hearing this?  Or did she write this book for me? :)

Freedom.

Again, so much in this chapter....I could make several posts out of each one.  Read it if you have it, or just read my post, and let me know your thoughts!  A few more quotes that I just couldn't leave out...

From page 81: "Indeed, any serious grappling with trust will lead us to the heart of mystery, of all that God chooses not to tell us.........But accepting the mystery of what we cannot know will lead us to the heart of God where we trade our craving for explanation for a simple willingness to trust."

On page 83 she quotes Brennan Manning, "The scandal of God's silence on the most heartbreaking hours of our journey is perceived in retrospect as veiled tender Presence and a passage into pure trust that is not at the mercy of the response it receives."

And finally on page 85, "Your trust and willingness to take your sticky fingers off the steering wheel of your life rest on the risk that, in face, the goodness of God will catch you when you let go."

This is going to be one of those books that I keep and read again and again.  And if you borrow it from me, it may be a little worn out.

I pray that we can learn together to allow ourselves to be loved by God.  Really loved.  And in that place, we stumble upon trusting Him.  Pure trust.  No matter what.  No matter when.  No matter where. No matter how. 

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. 1 John 3:1

As you know, I started this book study because of Angie and Jessica over at The Bloom Book Club.  They have had some delays (including the birth of Angie's beautiful baby!), but will be finishing the book soon as well.  So click here or on the button on my sidebar to visit their blog!

I'm posting this without proofing so have mercy! :)  Although I probably won't be able to sleep tonight wondering how many mistakes I made.......I'll probably come back and change it! :)

My daughter's Graduation in 23 hours!!  Woohoo!! Get the kleenex ready!

XO

Shelly