To See Beyond

Right now we are going through a unique time. There are many challenges that we are facing as a result of of the Coronavirus. I've shed some tears in the last few weeks over some of the temporary losses and struggles.

But friends our God is so good. He invites us to fix our eyes on a time beyond this present moment. A time when we will stand before Him whole and complete. A time when He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. A time when pain will be a distant memory not a present reality. A time when we will be truly free. 

Right now we ache because of what's going on. We want things to be different and we seek relief from the pain. Know that God walks with us in this time. He aches with us. Oh but friend, He also longs for us to look beyond our present to see the glory that awaits us. So let us see the beauty of Christ. Let us fix our eyes on the One who is all glorious. Let us turn our eyes to the our Great and Powerful King.

He alone will heal and restore us. He alone is worthy of praise. He alone will work wonders we could never imagine. 

Today let us look beyond our present ache to see His glory. He walks with us through this and will guide us through to a better tomorrow filled with His love and presence. Let us hold onto Him and keep walking. We are safe and loved in His hands. Our future is secure. Let us keep walking. 

Feeling Shelved?

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Dear friend,

If you are feeling lonely and left out, this is for you. 

If you feel like you've been shelved and forgotten, I have something to tell you. 

Take a moment. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

God is here. 

Look at some of the beauty around you. 

God is here. 

Remember the blessings you do have. 

God is still here. 

He hasn't forgotten you. 

He holds you. 

He cares about the little things. 

His plan for you is still on track. 

Let Him love you in this moment. 

Its always hard to feel forgotten and alone. 

Don't do it alone. 

Reach out to a friend. 

Let them encourage you.

Take time to remember God's goodness and love together. 

Do something fun together. 

Next be on the lookout for God. 

He sees you in those moments and He will answer your prayers. 

He will remind you that He is here.

We all have times we feel lonely and forgotten, but the truth is that inside of Christ we are never alone.

We are always wanted. 

We are always loved. 

We always have a friend. 

Our lives have a purpose that can never be taken away. 

Rest in His care my friend. 

You are not shelved and forgotten. 

You are loved. 

In Him, Rose 

Tell Me

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I had a conversation recently that I've had a lot over the past few years. People hear that I'm still single and they tell me some version of this, "You know Rose, just when you think you are never going to get a guy, one appears. I mean I have a friend that she stopped wanting to be married and that's when God brought a dream boat of a guy into her life." I listen. I know they want encourage me. They hope is that this desire would be satisfied soon. For that my heart warms. It's actually kinda sweet how many people out there want me to be in a relationship. 

But honestly there are a few things that I want even more than being in a relationship. I want to know that single or married, God will satisfy my soul. I want to know that God will be around every corner not just another prospect. I want to know that God will fill me on every lonely night if I come to Him. I want to know that through God's power I can reach out in love and kindness to those around me whether I'm backed by a guy or not. I want to know that I can live fully alive and happy now. 

Even more than wanting a guy, I want to Christ. I want to be immersed in Him. I want His Spirit to fill me. I want to be sold out to Him. I want to love Him even more. 

In the past I put my hope in a guy. But that hope was sadly misplaced. It led to nowhere good. Now as I look towards the future, I want my hope to be placed solely in Christ. I want to follow and trust Him no matter what. 

Does that mean that I don't talk to guys or that I don't notice cute ones? No, I am still human and I still have longings. But it means I want my focus to be on God. I want to be seeking His Kingdom and the righteousness that comes from Him. Whatever else He chooses to give me is His gift. He owes me nothing, yet chooses to give me much. I want to live in grateful service to Him anticipating Him to fill me. Will there be hang-ups and downs along the way? Yes. I'm still human and will need help. Yet God has never disappointed me. Hope in Him has never been in vain. Nothing that I have done in love comes back fruitless.

Personally I would rather be anticipating God than anything else. 

Let God Redeem Your Story

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I was going through some notes and found one that simply said you can't redeem your story. Only God can do that. It was dated the fall of 2017. I was dealing with the fallout from the  breakup. I was struggling with so many emotions and mind games. One of the battles I had fought was trying to fix my story. Sitting in the wreckage the temptation was to try and get out of the pain on my own. Fix the problem. Find my own salve for the pain. Write a better ending.

The thing is, only God can write a redemption story. I can't bring about my own healing or restoration. I can't heal myself. But God through the blood of the Son I can be cleansed the sins of my past. The resurrection insures that there is new life. There is healing and redemption, no matter how dark the night. 

I can try to (in my limited understanding and weak capacity) fix my story, but it would never work right. It is only when I hand the pin over that my story can start to be redeemed. For me it didn't happen overnight, but God did it. He has redeemed my story for His glory. My life tells a story of His love, grace, and healing. He has done so much. He has been good to me. He redeemed the story. 

Whatever the wreckage in your life, surrender the pin into the hands of the Master. Let Him redeem your story. He will redeem your story. The joy will be greater than your pain. The redemption will be greater than the wreckage. This is the God we serve. He is able to do far more than we can ask or imagine. So let Him work. Surrender the pin, step back, and see the wonders He unfolds. 

Lord, Lead Me

Lord, 

Lead me. 

Show me the way you want me to go.

Light the way with Your truth. 

Give me eyes to see it. 

Let me not be held back by my fears or disappointments. 

Once I see it Lord, let me start walking. 

Give me strength for the way. 

Let me look to You. 

Let me love, serve and give.  

Your way is perfect and leads to life. 

Now and always, let me be found following You.
Amen