Hope Victorious

Grace      Is strength infusing me in places of weakness, enabling me to do what I knew I could not Grace      Is divine wisdom, like a light leading the way through the dark and tangled web Grace      Is asking, waiting and believing that my plea for help is heard and lovingly answered by a good and           faithful Father Grace      Is lavish, better than I dream of or can ask for, surely far exceeding what I deserve, even on my best           of days Grace      Comes towards me. It does not rise up from within, for the origin of grace is God I may mine the depths of my courage, my resolve I may rely on my understanding, pull on all I have learned and gained But grace?      Grace exceeds all I have within me      All that is offered in support by others Grace is super-natural      Raw power unleashed in love The grace I receive does not start with me But Grace is MINE I have received it!           Strength           Wisdom           Love and help It is not merely an idea, something

  Refreshing - Reviving Water carries Life Sprinkling Rain – Pounding Rain A Rushing River – The Calm Lake Surface Carving a Canyon – Flooding a Valley One tiny drop upon my face The ocean I wade into Water – Force of Life The clouds are heavy – My arms are open Rain down on Me Refresh the dry and cracking places Fill the void   - cause me to overflow again Rain down on Me Rain is pretty amazing when you stop to think of it. The collection of tiny water droplets collecting and getting heavy in the clouds until they begin to fall. I remember as a kid realizing that the sound of rain was actually the sound of rain drops hitting something… the sound of rain in my house sounded different than the sound of rain at my grandparent’s house, because the roof was different. My grandparents house also had an attic, and that space muffled the sound I could hear in my bedroom. The sound of the rain while in the attic was loud, but not nearly as loud as the pounding rain hitting the metal roof of

Socrates wrote “wonder is the beginning of wisdom” . Rene Descartes once said “wonder is the first of all the passions.”      I have noticed that the word “wonder” is said much more often by children than by anyone else.   “I wonder why….” is a phrase common to children.   “I wonder if …..” is another.      Wonder is a quality of excited, amazed admiration or rapt attention to something astonishing or admirable. Wonder can also be a feeling of doubt or uncertainty; an expression of curiosity and intrigue. To wonder or ponder about something is to leave it open-ended, to consider many options and not be determined to settle on one as “correct”.      I appreciate this quote very much:  “To wonder about life in not something we learn; it is something we forget.”   Jostein Gaarder       Sadly, I find this is often true. Wonder, curiosity and amazement comes more naturally to children and yet seems to decrease rather than increase with age. As we mature, I think we are taught and conditione

  As I remember it, the story was told like this:   My family was camping in a remote wilderness area a couple hours from the small town in Northern California where I grew up. My dad left before sunrise to hunt for deer. My mom, brother and I left camp after breakfast to meet up with my dad, bring him some food and a fresh thermos of coffee. After a short time together, we continued on: my dad hunting and us hiking.   Instead of retracing our steps to the campground, my mom led us in a different direction to a waterfall that she had heard about from a ranger a few days previous. We ate lunch there and then looped around to the other side of the campground by afternoon. My dad wasn’t there when we arrived, which was concerning to my mom. Later, when he finally showed up, we were surprised to hear him giving my brother and I credit for leading him to camp. After tracking and following a deer, but not being able to harvest it, my dad began to hike back to camp. Returning proved more ch

  We have become accustomed to process.  Healing, growth, change; these things take time.  Progress is made step-by-step. We are taught to celebrate progress, not wait for completion or perfection. When we are overwhelmed by how much remains to be accomplished or changed, we are encouraged by looking aback on how far we have come. Transformation, restoration, redemption; all of these are processes, they take time. Scripture is full of promise and encouragement for process. But process is not the only way changes are realized.  There are “suddenlies” in scripture too! There are times when God brought about dramatic change in a moment of time, when Jesus healed or delivered in an instant. This is one of the many places where there is tension in scripture. There are ideas, values and truths that seem to be in contradiction. Consider the tension between these verses: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 

I stir up the flames of my faith Burn bright and hot again      All things are possible with you      Your power is enough      Unmatched and endless I invite the wind of truth to blow Ignite the embers – bring back the flames of fire           You are faithful           Your goodness shines           Your kindness knows no end On this fire of my faith I heap my sorrow and disappointments           I believed that you would heal her - But instead you called her home           The addict is still bound in chains           Childless couples long for babies born           The tumor stubbornly remains           Chronic pain that won’t back down I believed that you would intervene – change the outcome by your name      Depression – Anxiety – Cancer & Pain Fire of Faith Winds of Truth           Burn up my questions           Overwhelm my disappointment           Consume my anger Let these be fuel on the fire of my faith      For I want to grow stronger, burn brighter Oh that my anguish w

You are gaining ground. Your choices are paying off and you are gaining momentum. The borders of your victory are increasing on all sides. You are gaining ground! Truth is a light shining in the darkness. Unintimidated and pushing back the border of darkness, light is ever-increasing. Darkness is extinguished, the landscape is changed. Light defines the darkness, not the other way around. Light expands, fills the dark places, causing the shadows to flee. Light conquers, no trace of darkness remaining. Hope is a similar force. You access hope in the midst of despair and transformation begins. Hope is hungry, expanding its borders as it overwhelms the sorrow, questions, and fears. Hope brings the color and light of possibility and promise. Hope is changing the landscape of your life and you are gaining ground. Faith too is like a fire, lit in an open field. It grows, expands, consuming the doubt and uncertainty that has grown wild. The intensity of faith increases as it burns. Bein

When mistakes and weaknesses are hidden, they attract shame. Over time this shame creeps into our identity and we begin know ourselves by our weaknesses and failings. When questions or doubts remain hidden, they increase and erode our faith because we strive for understanding and answers, looking to ourself and our own abilities. Finding ourselves lacking, our inadequacy often propels us to withdraw and hide even more.   Shame increases, as does striving – a cycle that takes us further and further away from Jesus as our source. Is it any wonder that we feel alone, unequipped and overwhelmed.   Accused by shame of our own guilt and helplessness, we are desperate to gain approval through performance. All the while Jesus is there, His hand extended, an offer of help.   All things are possible, all resources available and willingly offered. He has already said yes, we are pre-approved, our acceptance was guaranteed in advance. It takes turning toward Him, not away   -   Looking at Hi

  UNBURDENED I am not weighed down by my shortcomings, mistakes or regrets I am forgiven, accepted and free to be myself UNHINDERED I am not underserving or disqualified from the best possibilities; not by others or even by myself. My potential is great, the promises over my life shine with hope. UNTETHERED I am not defined, limited or restricted to my past, my present abilities, circumstances or the expectations of others. I am free to dream, to soar free. I allow myself to wonder, to be curious, to grow and become. UNMEASURED I am not held to a scale determining my worth or potential. There is no room for fear of rejection or inadequacy. I am accepted, approved and loved. My worth has been determined and I live free of constant evaluation. Love has set me free. Love is a force within me. My choice to accept myself, to set myself free from the weight of failings, and fears meets the force of acceptance and love I receive.   I am freed to live an

  Love is meant to cover, to be a canopy that shelters and shields the places of lack and shortcoming. Love is not ignorant of pain, weakness or betrayal. Love is not perfect and does not ignore or pretend. But love is a decision made in advance of how to respond to those failings, those places of pain.   In the midst of instruction for living honorably and in light of the coming of Christ, Peter gives a series of instructions and admonishments of how we are to relate to one another.  After several sections of wisdom, we have this instruction:  “ Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 NASB  I love how it is captured in the Passion Translation:  “Above all, constantly echo God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins.”   1 Peter 4:8  TPT  Sin literally means “missing the mark” as in an arrow missing its intended target.   Places of sin are where our behavior or words fall

  Love has formed me – it has also deformed me I was made in love – yet love was nearly my undoing I have been dearly loved   and I have loved dearly Love has given life and song to the deepest places in me My unspoken dreams have birthed my greatest joys because of love   Love has set me free But I bear the scars of love as well Why is it that those who love you most can also hurt you the most deeply? Love is a risk; with cost and reward The risk of pain, betrayal and loss I have paid dearly for loving and being loved   Even those payments have had their return I have been one to take the risk To love and love again To forgive and trust again To believe that love is worth the risk I have tasted richly of the reward of loving and being loved

  I will give you the time to say all you need to say To speak your pain – give voice to the agony of soul – empty yourself I will be near I will see you and I will stay here with you When all you’ve held in – comes pouring out of you I will listen I will stand with you and see it I am not afraid of the space that is created I will not try to fill it I can hold my words – this is no time for advice or empty words I cannot be your rescue But I can stand with you Unashamed – Unafraid – I will lend my strength to you For you are Not Alone   You will feel seen but not compared Known but not judged Understood but not assumed of You will be vulnerable but not embarrassed You are loved and we both know that pain is part of love We will not run away or turn aside Not hiding or trying to escape   And when you are ready I will remind you: You are stronger than you think You are well worth your own best effort You are not easily broken and you know how to heal Facing the pain is no small thing Yo