Don't Lose Heart

In the voyage of life we feel tossed about by the wind and the waves. Sometimes we feel like we aren't even able to stay afloat. that we might even drown.

📖 Save me, O God,

 for the waters have come up to my neck.

I sink in the miry depths,

    where there is no foothold.

I have come into the deep waters;
    the floods engulf me.

I am worn out calling for help;
    my throat is parched.

My eyes fail,
    looking for my God. Psalm 69:1-3

But I was reminded, as I worked on next years Vacation Bible school stories 

HE CONTROLS THE WIND AND THE WAVES.

We are not to lose heart! 

📖  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.......

......Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12,16-18

If we feel pressed, perplexed, persecuted....we have to remember Who is in control of the waves and the mountains.

📖 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”  Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”  They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41

📖 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. Job 9:5-10

We have to know, and my prayer for you, is that you know this truth in the depths of your heart...

🙏🏼

📖 When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,

 you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.  

For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush and Seba in your stead.

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west.

Isaiah 43:2-5

❤️

🎵 Don't Lose Heart Steven Curtis Chapman

Covered Again...Covered Still

Some of these scriptures have been coming to mind this week....and I found this post that was

first published February 21, 2024 (forgive me for repeating)

Exodus 33 was used at church this past Sunday.  And one line in particular stood out to me.

📖 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.  When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”  Exodus 33:18-23

I love the imagery of being covered by God's hand. 

And then another verse came to mind

📖 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings Psalm 17:8

Beautiful imagery... in God's Word, penned by David of how God, as mighty as He is, tenderly holds us, protects us.

📖He will cover you with his feathers,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4

We are gathered like chicks to a mother bird's breast, safe under the cover of her wing, or at least we can be IF we choose to listen and be willing to follow Christ!

📖  “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.  Look, your house is left to you desolate.  For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”  Matthew 23:37-39

If we listen and follow we will remain in His hand, under His protection.

 📖 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.” John 10:25-30

We have the image that, with God as our protector, nothing bad will happen to us. I believe He does protect us from many things we may be unaware of.

BUT we will be buffeted by storms and waves in life, we will suffer trials.

 📖 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

but He also is our Refuge and Healer

📖The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

We will have hurt and we may sustain injury.

📖 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:15-16

When we are His we are under and in His hand. He covers us, engraves us, encompasses us with His mighty, merciful and compassionate, righteous hand and nothing can move His hand!

📖 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:39

🙏 My prayer for you is Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from? I  pray your help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. ♥️

🎵 He Hideth My Soul Guy Penrod

Nothing To Do But Wait

Haven't we all heard the message "wait on the Lord"

📖 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

🤚 🤚How many people wait well? 

No hands?!....mine isn't raised either!

Waiting by a bedside as someone recovers is not an easy task.  But a good reminder;

God is in control and we must wait and do what is put before us. 

Go get ice chips.

Wait quietly.

Adjust the pillows please.

Wait patiently.

Fix the blankets..

But while the waiting is going on so is the healing, the work. God is still moving and working even if we can't.  

📖 But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

There seems to be nothing for us to do. 

Wait.... and pray

Wait....and trust

Wait....and smile, be kind and appreciative of those who come and go. 

📖The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26

No matter if we have lots to do or it is our period of "wait", we trust God in it.

Whether waiting for someone who is recovering or recovering ourselves, or waiting on an answer or waiting on a change or just a time of "wait", we can still show the love of Jesus. 

Sometimes our bodies may be busy, but our spirit has to wait.

In any time we find ourselves in we can rest and be prepared for when we have a task to do. 

📖He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations, Psalm 46:10

It is in the still times we can quiet our souls and minds to focus on God and His goodness. To know that He IS God.  He will show us when and where to move and serve. 

And for us, especially now as we wait, we know He is fighting for us. We know it is our time to prepare for bigger things, our time to point to Him.

📖 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14

🙏🏼 Lord, be with all of us in the waiting. You have a purpose for us in it as well. Help us to see it and to understand how important the waiting is. ♥️

As I sit and as I wait. 

It seems doctors hold his fate

But we know a different way

We know Who holds the day.

We wait and worry not about tomorrow 

Because we know He holds us and the sparrow 

I seek His strength and peace 

I know He will meet all our needs

For this moment and the next 

Only He knows what outcome is the best

So the time of rest and quietness I take

As I sit and as I wait

Tracey Thompson  ©️ 2025

The Imperfect Thing

This blog may not seem to make sense or seem relevant but stay with me and let's see where we end up.

I had a ring that came from my sister. Nothing fancy, silver with a cross.  I placed it on my middle finger left hand shortly after she passed, and that is where it has stayed.  I didn't have it cleaned when I had the other jewelry cleaned and inspected...it was just an ordinary piece of inexpensive jewelry. BUT it was my sister's, it was special to me. 

Wel, somewhere along the way, it got misshapen on my finger. I would try and "squeeze" it back into the circle it once was and should be. But..nope.

So just a couple weeks ago, we went to get rings inspected and cleaned, and I mentioned to my daughter while we waited; "I should see if they can straighten my ring"

I had almost forgotten, but my daughter reminded me as we reached the door. So I turned around...and sure enough the gentleman was able to make it round again!

That was on Monday, Thursday I showed it in it's perfect round form to my other daughter while we were working. Friday while driving, I noticed it was missing! WHAT!?!?

So what came to my mind? That it's imperfection is what helped it stay close, stay on my finger.  

Our imperfections can be a reason we stay close to God.   

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

God uses our imperfections for His purpose, His glory!

📖 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

God chose a man slow of speech to become His spokesperson person to His people. Moses

God chose a young boy to defeat a massive giant. 

David 

He used an old  man to be the father of all generations. 

Abraham. 

Those things, when we look in the mirror, that we don't like. Those things we say, "if only this was different about me."   These imperfections, they can remind us our need for God and His strength.

📖  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13

Paul aslo knew what it meant to live with imperfection and flaws.

📖 Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

They help keep us humble and closer to our God.

📖 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

I know all this might be a stretch,  but a reminder to me that God can use my imperfections to keep me humble and closer to Him.  So, I should be grateful for those imperfections. 

📖 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.  The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,  knows that I am not lying.  

2 Corinthians 11:30-31

🙏🏼Our Great God, use me, every part of me, imperfections and all, to bring You honor and glory! Amen!❤️

The Name

I was given a name at birth, Tracey Jean.

I began wondering if I had been named something else like, Sunday perhaps, would I still be who I am today?  By the way Sunday is not randomly chosen, my father apparently wanted that name, inspired by a song by the Monkeys or Connie Francis?

Names were very meaningful, important and representational in biblical times. Naomi said

 📖“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” Ruth 1:20-21

Jesus means; God saves  The Lord is salvation

📖 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

But God knew me in my mother's womb, He knit me together....before my parents named me.

📖For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13

We had different names chosen for our oldest and youngest up until right before they were born. Our middle ...we took a long time to come to her name.

Would they be different people if they were Carrisa Jean or Bartholemew John?  (Someone might not like us very much!)

Our names are our identifiers as we go through life. but we sometimes get called by the wrong name, or a nickname.

There has been horrible times in history when humans have been reduced to just a number, their names stripped away, but God knew every single one of them. 

I began thinking on Sunday, it doesn't really matter what my name is, or even what I am called. One of my favorites right now is GiGi!

The Bible does say names will be written in the Book of Life.....

📖  I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.  The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.  Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:22-27

 📖 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Philippians 4:2-3

And God said we are written in the palm of His hand

📖 and we are written in the palm of His hand.

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.  Isaiah 49:16

BUT what name? The name we were born with? The name we acquired when we married? The name we legally changed it to? The name our mother calls us when we are in trouble, or our siblings call us?

What does the Word say our name is???

Chosen

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:16

Redeemed

📖 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 

• Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine".  Isaiah 43:1
• 📖 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.  Ephesians 1:7

Child of God

 📖 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— John1:12

Heirs with Christ

📖 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17

Ambassador

📖  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20

Servant

  📖 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness.  Philippians 2:5-7

 📖 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13

Friend

 📖 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

📖 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

I don't believe we can even comprehend the "name" etched on God's palm for us. It is a special, unique moniker that is known to Him. It encompasses all that we are to Him, and when we hear it will know our Shepherd's voice. 

📖 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

When He was hung on the cross for the sins of the world I believe that me, my sins, my individual person crossed His mind. After all He was/is God, so it IS possible, He knew all of us BEFORE we were formed....He knew us, knew our sins and chose to die for them. 

📖But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

The song Hello My Name Is by Matthew West got me thinking all this.

🎵 Hello My Name Is Matthew West

🙏🏼 Lord, I pray that I understand and believe that the most important name I am called is who YOU say I am.❤️

🎵 Who You Say I Am

Anticipation

 The other day I kept looking up the road waiting for a certain vehicle to pull up the drive, fully expecting it would. At that moment I thought about how it might please God when we anticipate His answer to a prayer.

We are expecting it to be done. 

📖 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

I believe it brings God pleasure and joy when we anticipate, in full confidence, that car will pull in, that phone call will come, that envelope will arrive, that message will come through....

Anticipation is the expectant, eager waiting for something you know is going to happen. 

KNOW is going to happen. Confident our God has heard and will answer.

📖 I remain confident of this:

    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14

I keep thinking about the Heinz ketchup commercial when I was a kid. The bottle tipped, the song playing ..."anticipation, anticip-a-ation is making me wait. It's keeping me w-a-a-aiting."

📖 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,

    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear me.  Micah 7:7

The Lord says we call out to Him and He will hear us and answer. 

📖 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’  Jeremiah 33:2-3

📖 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

The vehicle didn't pull up the drive, the prayer wasn't answered in that moment. What then? Do I lose heart and become discouraged.  NO!

It does not mean God did not hear and it does not mean He isn't going to answer. His answer did not come for that moment, but I still eagerly anticipate His answer. It may look different than I expect. Come at a different time than I think it should be, but we still wait with anticipation.

📖 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:27-28

📖 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24

🙏🏼Lord, may I trust with all confidence that You have heard my prayers.  I anticipate the coming answers. Knowing all things will be answered in Your time. ❤️

🎵Just Haven't Seen It Yet. Danny Gokey