Tag Archives: encouragement

God Hasn’t Forgotten You

Getting Back to the Basics

Have you ever felt like life was spiraling out of control? Everything feels like it’s too much–your emotions, your workload, your family, your finances. You’ve kept all the plates spinning, but now they’re crashing to the floor one after another. You feel like maybe God has forgotten you

It’s a scary place to be. It’s hard to see what’s right side up and what’s down. Everything is out of control. When times like this come, it is crucial that we go back to the basics. The more everything spins out of control, the more we have to find our grounding in God and in His Word.

If you find yourself in a time like this, there are a few fundamental truths to come back to to help realign ourselves with God and be able to get a handle on life again.

God Sees Me

No matter what you are going through, remember this: God sees you. He sees exactly what you are going through. We see an example of this in the Old Testament. Hagar runs away from Sarah and Abraham into the desert with just her son and the clothes on her back. She’s isolated, afraid, and alone. And yet, God comes to her. After this encounter with God, she calls him by another name. She calls Him “the God Who sees me.”

Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

Genesis 16:13,14 NLT

When it feels like life is spiraling out of control, remember this first truth. God sees you.

God Hasn’t Forgotten Me

The next truth to remember to find our grounding again is that God hasn’t forgotten you. In the midst of the chaos, the heartbreak, the confusion, it is so crucial to find our grounding in the fact that God hasn’t forgotten you or left you alone to deal with these problems on your own. Even now, He walks beside you; and He wants to carry your load for you.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

I Peter 5L7 NLT

All the burdens you’re carrying, surrender them to God. You can’t do anything to change your circumstances anyway. God is so much better at carrying our burdens then we are, so give them to Him and stop worrying about them.

God loves Me

It’s such a simple truth. God loves me. How would your life change today if you remember that God loves you. He loves you just the way you are–not for what you can do for Him, not because of your accomplishments. He loves you simply because you are His child. I love this verse from Psalms.

I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.

Psalm 31:7

We don’t love our kids any more or less based on their performance or how well they succeed in life. We love them because they are ours. How much greater is God’s love for us than our love for our children. If we would live with this truth in mind, we would be able to get rid of the shame that dogs us daily.

Time for a Reset

Sometimes, we just need a hard reset. If life is out of control, and you can’t handle the stress, take time to reset and remember these three truths. God sees you. He hasn’t forgotten you. He loves you.

Let those thoughts ease the anxiety and pressure in your chest, so you can take a full breath. If we get ahold of these truths, we will be able to sleep in peace at night.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, You Weren’t Meant to Carry Heavy Burdens Alone. A great book to read is Untangle Your Emotions by Jennie Allen.

Breaking the Summer Slump With Books That Inspire

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Summer has the reputation of being a slump. There’s the summer slump that kids get where they forget everything they’ve learned in school over the summer. Then there’s the spiritual slump, where people get too busy in the summer to go to church and read their Bibles. Then there’s the slump of not being on a schedule, sleeping in too long, and more.

But summer doesn’t have to be a slump for anything. In fact, summer can be a great time to spend extra time doing things you don’t normally get to do. One of those things just might be reading. There’s nothing more encouraging than picking up a book that really inspires, motivates, or encourages you. I made a list of several books that I’ve read within the last year or so that really encouraged me.

Here’s a list of ten books along with a short synopsis and a quote I loved from each book.

Mostly What God Does by Savannah Guthrie

This book has short chapters; it’s a collection of essays on different topics. But the basis of the book is this…Mostly what God does is love you. It’s really an encouraging and inspirational read.

“How do we summon and maintain that feeling of being loved? It’s pretty simple. We don’t. Because it’s not a feeling; it’s a fact. To ‘remain in God’s love’ is a frame of mind. We use our brains to remind our hearts. We may not be able to sustain the emotion of being loved by God, but we can remain in the knowledge of being loved by God.”

Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

This is one those books that you can’t rush through. You may only read a page or two at a time, but it’s really good at the soul level.

“No literature is more realistic and honest in facing the harsh facts of life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that the life of faith exempts us from difficulties.”

“Discipleship is a decision to live by what I know about God, not what I feel about him or myself or my neighbors.”

Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd

I really enjoyed this book. It’s all about creating, even in the midst of mothering and raising little ones. It’s also really pretty. The artist is a photographer and uses full-color photos in this book, adding to its artistry. it’s a mix between encouragement to be a good mom and encouragement to be a creative.

“We can take heart in a God who is capable of using every ounce of our mothering, and every ounce of our art, for sacred work that can never be measured in numbers.”

“Our role is to simply make the art, open our hands, and then wait and see what God does with it.”

A Simplified Life by Emily Ley

Emily Ley is a successful businesswoman that loves structure and to-do lists and planners but also is a mom of little ones. Her books are always practical and helpful and full of inspiration to tidy up your life.

“Clearing clutter unlocks the power our homes have to be places of refuge, rest, and relaxation.”

“The goal of simplifying isn’t to embrace bare or sparse or extreme; it’s to eliminate distractions so you can focus on what really matters, treasure the possessions you do have, and live life a little easier.”

Sister Roar by Kay Robertson and Lisa Robertson

This book is full of inspiration and encouragement in Duck Commander style. I really enjoyed getting glimpses behind the scenes of the men and women in the popular show.

“It’s time to be the strong, unique woman God create you to be–the peace-filled, loving, happy, full-of-potential woman he sees when he looks at you.”

Cultivate by Lara Casey

This book is another one that you can’t really rush through, but I enjoyed it. It’s all about going under the surface of your work, relationships, and home, and seeing where things are really at.

“I’m learning that there is magic in the middle ground. There’s good stuff for us in the tension of the in-between. Growth happens in the wait.”

“Imperfection is a gift because it opens a door for us to see His ever-present grace. Right where were are, in every season, His grace abounds.”

Simply Tuesday by Emily Freeman

I loved this book. It’s all about embracing and finding joy in the Tuesdays of life–the mundane, ordinary days.

“But Tuesday teaches me that part of living well in ordinary time is letting this day be good. Letting this day be a gift. Letting this day be filled with plenty.”

“Here’s to giving ourselves permission to bring our gifts Ito the presence of God, knowing he will bring them out of us in his own timing and in his own way.”

The Time-Saving Mom by Crystal Paine

Crystal is an author and really popular blogger. This book is full of practice advice–schedules, habits, planning, systems, etc.

“This system allows me to get a lot done each day while also having breathing room and time for enjoying life, resting, creating, and investing in relationships.”

Resilient by Rebekah Lyons

This was another really good read. It’s a reminder that the life of faith takes resilience and getting back up again and again. It’s about how to handle adversity and trials and Rebekah’s personal story.

“Some mental health professionals believe we are in one of the angriest and most anxious, depressed, and isolated eras of human history.”

“He held us when we couldn’t feel him, whispered when we couldn’t hear him, and stayed by our side when we couldn’t see Him. He led me into deeper resilience, first individually, then with my family, then with my community. And he’d done it all through adversity.”

The Powerful Purpose of Introverts by Holly Gerth

This book was so eye-opening and gave me permission to embrace the introvert side of me without being afraid of it. I’m really glad I read it. I learned so much from this book!

“Our introvert brains release feel-good chemicals when we turn inward, focus on ideas, have meaningful conversations, and do work that matters to us.”

“As introverts, we need solitude to recalibrate our brains and nervous systems, process our thoughts, make decisions, figure out priorities, refuel for socializing, and reconnect with our true selves.”

Bonus: Untangle Your Emotions

I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s next on my TBR list. I love Jenni Allen’s other books, though, and know I’ll enjoy this one as well.

Pick one of these ten books to read to help you break out of that summer slump! I promise you won’t regret it.

Happy reading!

5 Passages of Scripture to Read When You Need Encouragement

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All of us go through hard times. You may be going through one right now, or you may have just come out of one. It’s so important to have passages of Scripture to read during those times to find encouragement and hope. But sometimes, in the midst of a difficult time, it’s hard to remember or even think about what to read.

So I compiled a list of five passages that can comfort our hearts during a difficult time. Write them down somewhere, so you have them the next time you need them.

1. Habakkuk 3:17-19

Habakkuk is one of those hidden gems in the Bible. The book is only three chapters long and is a dialogue between Habakkuk and God. God tells Habakkuk of the coming fall of Jerusalem, of God’s judgment on his people who have chosen to turn their backs on him. It’s a dark time in Israel’s history, and it’s about to get worse. And yet, chapter three ends in these verses, some of my favorite verses in the Bible. Though everything seems to fall apart, we can still trust in God’s goodness and rejoice.

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!
    He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    able to tread upon the heights.

2. Lamentations 3:20-23

Lamentations, most likely written by the prophet Jeremiah, is a book of lament or sorrow, written after the destruction of Jerusalem. Babylon came in and destroyed Jerusalem and carried off the people into captivity in a foreign country. This is the same captivity that Daniel and his friends were taken in. It’s interesting to note that Daniel, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk were all contemporaries.

During this book of lament, we find these amazing verses that have stayed with us thousands of years later. Songs have been written with these words; books, art, home decor, and more all quote these famous verses.

I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.

3. I Peter 1:4-7

These words found in I Peter give us comfort regarding trials. Sometimes we get lost in the midst of our trials. We can’t see any way out; we feel like God has forgotten us. These words, written by a man who saw his own share of trials and ended up dying for his faith, remind us that there is joy ahead…after the trial.

And we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.^.And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

4. Psalms 23, 91, 18

When making a list of the most comforting/encouraging passages in the Bible, it’s impossible not to include the Psalms. There are so many amazing Psalms, so many favorites of mine. I picked just a few of my favorites.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

91:1-4

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

18:29-33

In your strength I can crush an army;
    with my God I can scale any wall. 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.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

5. Job 42:1-5

These verses come at the end of the book of Job. Job has been through incredible testing. He lost all of his children, his wealth, his health, and everything he valued. He’s spend the entire almost forty chapters before this asking God what is going on and trying to understand. When God finally talks, he doesn’t explain anything. Instead, he starts a series of questions, effectively reminding Job of who he is and of his sovereignty. The verses below are Job’s response. Job had heard about God before this, but after his trial, he says that he has now seen God. Sometimes it’s only through the hard times that we actually begin to “see” God for who He is.

Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
    It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
    things far too wonderful for me.
You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
    I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.’
I had only heard about you before,
    but now I have seen you with my own eyes.

The next time you feel yourself feeling discouraged, down, worried, or depressed, choose one of these passages to read. Then add some of your own to the list as well.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, The God Who Sees Me. A great book to read is A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23.

How Nature Helps Me Combat Discouragement

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One of the things I have found over the years that helps me combat discouragement is getting outside in nature. Because we homeschool, one of the things we try to do is to take nature walks. The kids look for as many things as they can find while we’re out and then write it down in their notebooks. Sometimes we draw or paint, sometimes we listen to a podcast about nature, sometimes we read a book, and sometimes we simply just write down everything we saw.

Our Walk Yesterday

white flowers on our nature walk — some of the flowers from our nature walk

Yesterday, we took a nature walk. We were so happy just to be outside. The sun was out, and it was finally warm after a long, dreary winter. One of the first things we saw was a furry and rather large ground hog wiggling his way across the grass. After that, the kids were off. We saw tadpoles, bees, fish, flowers, a spider, ducks, water, and more. We took pictures of some of the things we saw. I love flowers, especially bright spring ones. So we took pictures of those.

By the time we were finished, everybody was worn out and hungry, but refreshed and heartened after being out in nature.

When I find myself getting depressed or discouraged, sometimes a simple walk outside can make all the difference in the world. I’m not saying go crazy and pack a backpack and hike a mountain. I’m simply talking about grabbing a water bottle and a granola bar and a phone for pictures. Pick a place that has some beauty to enjoy and just get outside for a little while.

Here are a few ideas for getting out in nature.

10 Ideas for Getting Out into Nature

Pack a lunch and eat by a creek or pond or lake.
Go for a nature walk and write down or take pictures of as many “nature-y” things as you can see.
Go for a walk and listen to good music or preaching.
Listen to a nature podcast as you walk. We love the No Sweat Nature Study Podcast with Miss Cindy. She’s the best; my kids love her podcast.
Sign up for a nature study or hike with your local library or a local park.
Explore a new trail.
Take a picnic lunch and eat in a field with nature all around you.
Plan a visit to a garden or an arboretum. We score free passes for these things from our library.
Find something beautiful on your walk or at a park and sketch it or paint it.
Find a beautiful setting and write—journal your thoughts, write some poetry, write down a prayer to God.

There are so many ways to enjoy nature that don’t have to be crazy or a lot of work. It just takes a few minutes of planning.

The next time you are feeling discouraged, try one of the ideas above and see if that helps to encourage your heart!

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, 10 Things You Can do to Combat Burnout.

Easter Can be a Time for Healing

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New Beginnings

Easter is our reminder of hope and new beginnings. It comes at such the perfect time of year for me. Where we live, Easter comes when Spring has just started to descend. The sun has just started to come out again. New buds begin to form on trees and early plants begin to shoot up. It feels fresh and alive and so good after a long, dreary winter.

Jesus’ resurrection had to have felt the same way all those years ago. The disciples and Jesus’ followers had been through so much before Jesus even died. Then their beloved leader dies a gruesome death. They feel such sorrow and loss of hope. Those three days were the longest days they’d ever experienced.

So imagine their surprise and even disbelief when they hear Jesus is no longer in the tomb. John and Peter run to the tomb and find it empty. Then Jesus begins appearing to some and then all of them. It was amazing and exciting all at the same time.

Fresh Hope

Easter is our reminder that fresh hope is still available. Maybe you’ve been in a season of grief or sickness. Maybe financial stress has crippled you, or maybe somebody has done something to cause you incredible grief.

This weekend is a chance to celebrate new life, new beginnings and to let the past go. I don’t know if you need this, but I do. Sometimes, I just need to be able to set the reset button. I need to be able to let go of some things and put some things behind me. I am giving myself permission to do that this Easter, and I’m giving you permission to do the same.

A Sunday of Healing

When you celebrate Easter this Sunday, let your heart open up and really feel God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, and renewal. When you sing the worship songs, release the frustrations and worry and fear. When you hear the message, open your heart to God’s message of new life and new beginnings. When you fellowship, love on other people and feel their love in return as the body of Christ is meant to be. Let this Easter Sunday minister to your heart and heal you; then let it propel you towards what God has for you.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out Matt’s book, 6 Days to Sunday: Turn Setbacks into Comebacks or check out my post, When Everything Changed for Mary.

3 Ways to Turn Discouragement into Hope

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We all go through times of discouragement. It can happen any time, but one of the times people get most discouraged is in the months of January and February. The sun isn’t out as much; it’s generally colder, depending on where you live. Especially for those of us in the North, it’s sort of a depressing time of year.

What do you do to combat that discouragement? How do you find hope? What do you when you feel defeated? Matt and I were having a discussion about this topic this week. The next few days in my morning time, God brought these verses and thoughts to mind that can help turn our discouragement into hope.

1. Believe.

My word for this year is believe. It sounds cliche or simple, but there is nothing cliche about believing, about taking God at his word. When life feels like it’s falling apart, and you don’t know what to do, turn to God. Choose once again to believe, to have faith that he can make good come from the bad and the ugly. Trust him to bring you through this time. Understand that he’s still at work.

You can read my full post about my word for the year, about believing, HERE.

2. Be Still.

One of the most well-known verses in the Bible is from Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God!” There’s something about that verse, about those words. It brings a sense of peace and calm to our hearts, even in the midst of chaos and confusion.

When the Israelites stood on the opposite side of the Red Sea after crossing all night on dry ground, they turned back to see the Egyptian army coming after them in full force. Chariots riding hard, generals shouting commands, soldiers in gleaming armor, piercing weapons…it made quite a picture, a terrifying one. Yet, Moses tells the people to stand and watch.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would have been able to stand and watch. I would have turned and ran in fear. But Moses tells them to stand still; see his words from Exodus 14.

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.”
Exodus 14:13

Those were powerful words coming from their leader. The Israelites obey; they stand still and watch. They watch as God releases the hold on the walls of water on either side of the Egyptian army, and those waters crash down, drowning the entire army. I can’t imagine the shock and silence that followed in those first few moments before they erupted in cheers and praise to God for saving them.

It seems so counterintuitive when you’re in danger, in a trial, in trouble, to be still. Yet, that’s what God wants from us sometimes. Sometimes, when we’ve done all we can do, we have to be silent and wait and watch God work.

3. Be Thankful.

The third thing to do is to find something to be thankful for. Sometimes, we have to just look at our day and find something to be thankful for. Then find something else. Maybe it’s simply to look at the sunrise and be thankful for another day. Maybe it’s to look at those closest to you and be thankful that you don’t have to go through life alone. Whether it’s one thing, or ten, choose to find something to be thankful for.

Jon Gordon says this, “It’s actually physiologically impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time.”

The Psalmist wrote this in Psalm 50:

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
Psalm 50:14

But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
Psalm 50:23

There’s something that happens when we choose to be thankful. Our minds are changed when we choose to be thankful, choose to find something to be grateful for. Why? Because at least for that little bit, our mind focuses on something that brings us joy. We focus on something that makes us content, and that draws our attention away from our problems. Gratitude has a way of lightening our load. It often helps us to remember that we don’t really have it that bad; there are others who have it so much worse.

If you find yourself struggling with discouragement today, with being hurt, feeling like God’s not pleased with you, then try one or all three of these things this week and see if it doesn’t turn your discouragement into hope.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out my book, The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life or check out my post, The Key to Unlocking Hope.

The One Guarantee if You Quit

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Wanting to Quit

Have you ever wanted to quit on something, but you didn’t? You pushed through and were rewarded when you did?

We were walking this week as a family on some trails. We’re past the peak of fall, and there’s not much color left. We’d been walking down this one path for a while and just not seeing anything worth seeing. Honestly, I was about ready to tell the kids to head back when all of a sudden, we turned a corner and this beautiful scene opened up before our eyes. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. We almost missed it. If we hadn’t kept going, we would have missed it completely.

One Thing’s For Sure

What do you have in your life right now that you want to give up on? What’s just not working? What are you ready to say enough to? You’ve tried and tried, and it’s just not working. You’re exhausted from trying so hard. You’re ready to be done. You feel overlooked, underappreciated, undervalued. Everybody else is making it work, but you just can’t! What are you so close to giving up on?

Here’s the next question: What will happen if you quit? One of my favorite quotes about not giving up comes from Steve Harvey.

“Everybody has a turn-back moment. You have a moment where you can go forward or you can give up. … [But] if you give up, the guarantee is it will never happen. … The only way the possibility remains that it can happen is if you never give up, no matter what.”
Steve Harvey

If you quit now, you can know for sure that you will never know what would have happened if you hung in there, if you waited it out.

So I’m coming alongside you today saying, “Don’t quit. Not yet. Hold on just a little bit longer. Keep at it just a little longer.” What might be on the other side if you just don’t quit?

Exercise to Try

Here’s a great exercise to try. Write down what could happen if you don’t quit.
Now write down what will for sure happen if you do decide to walk away? Now compare the two lists. Which one could you live with? Which one could change your life? Why?

The writer of the book of Hebrews understood a little something about wanting to give up, about growing weary and losing heart.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:3

The writer tells us to consider Jesus. Why? So that you won’t grow weary and lose heart. How does that work?

When we stop and consider or think about Jesus and all that he went through for us, it helps us to remember what’s really important.

Turning our Focus to Jesus

Why does that work? Why does focusing on Jesus help us to keep going? That’s because focusing on Jesus does four things for us.

Focusing on Jesus…

Gets the focus off of ourselves.
Makes our problems not seem as big.
Reminds us what’s important and what’s at stake.
Reminds us that Jesus knows and understands.

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
Hebrews 4:15

So if you’re feeling tired today, if you feel like you just want to quit, like you can’t do this anymore…turn your focus to Jesus. Consider what he did for you. He gave everything for you, so that you could in turn live for him. Remember his amazing gift of love and let that challenge and encourage you to serve him today and not give up.

He knows what you’re going through, and he will get you through. Only God knows what’s on the other side if you don’t quit! But you’ll never know if you choose to give it all up.

More encouragement

For more encouragement, check out Matt’s book Breakthrough or check out my post It’s Too Soon to Quit.

Peace in the Midst of Life’s Hard

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Finding Peace

Sometimes, peace seems so elusive, especially when you’re going through a difficult time. David, the expressive Psalmist, teaches us how we can have peace even during hard moments in life.

Like an Olive Tree

I read a verse this week during my morning time routine about an olive tree that made me do some further Bible study and discover some great truths.

Why would David compare himself to an olive tree?

But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.
Psalm 52:8 NLT

About the Olive Tree

Why an olive tree? What is it about an olive tree makes David compare himself to it? I know almost nothing about olive trees, so I did some study.

Olive trees are pretty low maintenance. They don’t need a lot of water; they just need direct sunlight. They flourish in dry, hot summers; which is why they do well in the Middle East. They’re obviously very valuable because of the oil they produce.

So what makes them special? Olive trees are first mentioned in the account of Noah and the flood. The dove brings back an olive branch, indicating to Noah that it was safe to leave the ark. An olive branch often represents peace because of this first instance of an olive branch.

Olive trees grow slow but are fruitful and sturdy trees. In the Bible, they’re represent beauty and abundance. People recognize olive trees today for their beauty and for what they represent—oil. Olive trees are beautiful, resilient, fruitful, and represent peace. Sounds like something pretty great to compare ourselves.

Peace in the Midst of Hard Times

What’s more interesting to note, is that David penned these words right after he was outed by Doeg to Saul. So now Saul knows where David is, and David has to run for his life. So when David says, “I am like an olive tree, thriving in God’s house; I always trust in God’s unfailing love,” we can understand what he’s saying. David is saying, “I am at peace, even in the midst of bad circumstances, because I trust in God’s love.”

David is one of the most expressive writers of the Bible; he gives us so much emotion throughout the Psalms. In this verse, David gives us a picture of how he saw himself, how we can see ourselves, when we trust in God’s unfailing love and believe in his goodness even in the midst of life’s hard.

Peace for Today

I don’t know what you’re going through today, but God does. He sees you. He hasn’t forgotten you. He loves you, and He will get you through today. His unfailing love surrounds you today, so live in that knowledge. Find your peace in that today and thrive.

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post Finding Peace in Non-peaceful Times. A great read is The Hardest Peace by Kara Tippetts.

Sunrise at the Beach in Ocean City

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Sunrise at the Beach

Last week, we spent a few days at the beach. Of course, we woke up early every day to catch the sunrise. That’s our favorite thing to do! Pretty much every morning we’re at the beach, we are out the door before sunrise so we can see the sun come up over the water. It’s the most amazing thing in the world to watch, especially if you can get there when it’s still dark and get to watch the entire progression.

There’s a spot on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey that is the most popular spot to watch the sunrise. It always surprises me how many people gather in that spot each morning to watch the sun come up. Every single day, the sun rises. It’s not an uncommon occurrence. Yet, every day, people gather at that spot and stop whatever it was they were doing. For just a few moments of time, we all stop and stare in silence in the direction of the sun.

That Magical Moment Right before Sunrise

There’s this magical moment right before the sun rises. Everybody gathers around and stares into the horizon, waiting and hoping to be the first to catch a glimpse of the sun as it rises. It’s a moment of breathless anticipation. A stillness fills the air, and everybody waits in silence.

As we watch, the sun crests along the horizon. It begins its rise, magnificent in its ascension. The whole thing only lasts a few minutes; if you’re not paying close attention, you will miss it altogether. Then after the sun has risen, people begin to dissipate. Some people begin pedaling on their bikes once again; others turn to their walking partner and begin a conversation as they walk on the boardwalk once again. Others leave the boardwalk altogether, having accomplished what they came to accomplish.

The Consistency of Sunrise

It always amazes me how the sunrise can be so incredibly different each and every morning. I never grow tired of seeing the sunrise. If I lived by the ocean, I think I would wake up every morning and make my way over to the beach every single morning. Every time I see a sunrise, it reminds me of God’s faithfulness. The sunrise is so consistent; we literally set our clocks by it. So it is with God’s faithfulness; it is something we can count on every single day, no matter the circumstances.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

Sunrises are More Uncommon than Sunsets

Andy Andrews, in his book, The Bottom of the Pool, says that sunrises are more uncommon than sunsets. At first that doesn’t really make sense; sunsets and sunrises both take place every single day. It doesn’t make sense until you continue reading and he explains that even though sunrises and sunsets happen daily, most people won’t catch the sunrise. Most people have a better chance of seeing the sunset than the sunrise. That’s because most people are busy in the morning. Either they’re still sleeping, or they’re getting ready for work or for school.

Sunrises are for the few that brave getting up early, so they don’t miss out on the spectacular. That moment right before the sun rises is a special moment that most people miss out on. I think it’s the same way with God working in our lives. Some people just miss out on what God was trying to do in their lives. They’re so busy rushing through life that they never stop and look up and wait and watch and try to figure out what God is doing in their life.

Don’t Forget to Pause and Look Up

Watching the sunrise each morning last week reminded me that I don’t want that to be the story of my life. I don’t want to miss what God is doing in my life and in the lives around me simply because I was too busy to stop and ponder what he was doing.

So this is my reminder to you and to myself. Spend some time in this month of October before we go careening into the holiday season to simply stop and spend time with God. Look up. Spend some extra time reading your Bible and journaling. See what he’s trying to do in your life and in the lives of those around you. Don’t miss out on the beauty that he is creating in your life every single day.

My morning time with my Faithfully Stepping Journal

The fact of the matter is God sees you; he knows what you are going through today. He has you right where he wants you. Don’t miss out on what he has in store.

sunrise and verse — Sunrise at Ocean City, NJ

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post Getting Stuck in the Dark and Waiting for Dawn to Break, and a book recommendation is Sandra Stanley’s Devotional, Breathing Room.

You Are Not Alone, New Devotional

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You Are Not Alone Devotional

Today is the release day for You Are Not Alone: Promises from Psalms, our newest 30-Day Devotional. As we started the new year, Matt and I made a plan for the projects we wanted to roll out this year. On our list were several devotionals, so we got to work on those. We actually didn’t have this one on the schedule for the year. We had a few others planned instead.

As we sat together on our date day one morning and talked about everything going on around us, we decided we needed a devotional that would comfort people’s hearts. So many people are hurting; our world is so charged right now. We wanted something that could minister to people who needed to be reminded that God was for them and they weren’t alone in their struggle.

Enter the You Are Not Alone Devotional. We really enjoyed creating this devotional. It’s our most favorite yet! We love it in that it can encourage anybody! It also makes a great gift to give to people when you don’t know what to say to help them. Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say to someone when they’re in the hospital, or when they’ve lost a loved one or heard bad news from the doctor. This devotional is the perfect thing to fill in the gaps when you don’t know what to say.

About This Devotional

Matt wrote this for the back of the book:

For the one who feels so lonely, abandoned even, God is ever and always near. For the one whose heart breaks and feels hopeless, find hope in God’s presence and promises. God is ever and always by your side. You are not alone.

In this 30-day devotional, you will discover some of the greatest promises in all of the Bible in the collection of songs called Psalms. Learn about the six times in life we can know we are not alone. From the seasons of stess to family struggles, you will learn the promises for times of uncertainty even the promises for facing your final days on this earth.

Live Training

We did a live training recently where we discussed how to use this new devotional. You can watch that training on our YouTube page for Manney Resources here. As a part of that training, Matt created a free guide. You can download that guide here if you are interested. One of the pages Matt created was this page of where to find hope in the book of Psalms. I think it’s a great resource and wanted to share it with you.

Sometimes we want to encourage ourselves or encourage a friend, but we’re not sure which Psalm would be best to do that. This little cheat sheet helps with that.

Understanding the Psalms

The Psalms are such a rich book because they were written as songs. There are many times that just speaking doesn’t articulate what we’re trying to say or think. Yet, a song can do just that. How many times has a song caught your attention and hit home for you? Maybe it made you cry, or maybe it made you smile and remember something special. That’s the power of a song. That’s why when you read the Psalms, they just bring so much comfort and peace to our hearts.

My life verse comes from Psalms.

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
Psalm 18:30 KJV

Something to Look Forward To

We will be doing an online Bible study this summer using this devotional and the accompanying study guide, which will release this summer. We’d love for you to join us! So stay tuned! If you’re not signed up to be on my email list, be sure to sign up here so you don’t miss the announcement or anything else from Faithfully Stepping.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out my post 10 Things to Try When Today is Too Hard to Face. A great book to read is A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23.