Hard

It has been another hard week, Lord.  Struggles to keep persevering in the storm.  Struggles to continue to wait upon You, Your perfect ways and Your perfect timing.  And yet.....

“Cast your cares on the Lord and HE will sustain you; He will NEVER let the righteous fall.”  Psalm 55:22

“Thought I walk in the midst of trouble, YOU preserve my life; YOU stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes, with YOUR right hand YOU save me.”  Psalm 138:7

“even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.”  Psalm 139:12

“I was young and now I am old, yet I have NEVER seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.”  Psalm 37:25

“As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”  James 5:11

“ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but NOT ABANDONED; struck down, but not destroyed.”  2 Corinthians 4:8

So, as I press on, Lord, following You on this journey, I remember again...

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven”  Ecclesiastes 3:1

“... God has said, NEVER will I leave you; NEVER will I forsake you.  So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my Helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?’”  Hebrews 13:5b-6

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness....’”  2 Corinthians 12:9a

“Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but 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

“I can everything through HIM Who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13

You always make a way, Lord.  You always make a way to go through the storm.  How humbled I am every time You do.  Praise You from Whom all blessings flow.  

His Strength

“It is God Who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.”  Psalm 18:32

“I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13

You know, Lord, sometimes You do things “in neon” in my life in such ways that I know that I know that I know that it is YOU.  These days You shower me with Your strength, thus receiving all the praise, honor and glory for all that I do.  As I have ramped up the efforts to update and more deeply clean our home so that it will be more appealing to potential buyers, it is far beyond evident to me that YOU and You alone Who are giving me all the strength that I need to do these things.  Re-decorating a bedroom, doing touch-up painting throughout the house, painting the posts on our front porch and various other things inside the house are simply things that I cannot do in my own strength.  My health is far too fragile.  I stand in awe of Who You are and what You are doing in the midst of this storm.  You truly amaze me.  More and more I discover how BIG You are, even bigger than I knew before.  Thank You for Your strength, this revelation and Your everlasting love and care.  

“... Amen!  Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.  Amen!”  Revelation 7:12

Renewed.... Again

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  Psalm 23:4

“He restores my soul...”  Psalm 23:3a

This is what Your comfort, renewal, restoration and encouragement has looked like lately, Lord......

Spending time with my Daddy and my family celebrating Daddy’s 98th birthday 

Daddy’s 98th birthday party with family and friends 

Spending precious time listening to my Daddy reminiscing about his adventures in life and soaking it all in

My sweetheart and I recovering from a nasty stomach/intestinal “bug” just in time to travel home from seeing my Daddy

Visiting with a couple who are also struggling with the husband’s neurological issues; so wonderful to talk with someone who understands 

The showing of our house while we were gone

Safety in our travels

Taking communion this morning 

And above all, Lord, hearing from You in Your Word this morning as You lifted my soul above my circumstances to remember that You are leading and guiding this walk with You moment by moment.  Just the encouragement that I needed to get out of the pit where I seemed to be languishing.  Now... on to the next step of our journey together, Lord.  Where do we go from here?  With You as my Leader and my Rear Guard I will be more than a conqueror.  

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”  James 1:12