Praying and Waiting

I write a lot about praying. I believe in the power of prayer. But I am often challenged by people who say, “God helps those who help themselves.” The power of prayer is not found in the people who pray but in the God who answers. And sometimes, those answers take time and require patience.

I’ve had prayers that were answered almost before I finished saying, “Amen!” But there are other prayers that tested my patience and my faith; prayers for which I’m still waiting for a definite answer; prayers that were answered with a final and unexplained, “NO!”

But some of the most amazing moments in my life have been the ones where God “showed up” at just the right (and seemingly last) moment. The time that we needed a certain amount of money to pay bills– and it showed up almost to the penny! Or that time I prayed about the teaching position. I lost out to another, more experienced candidate and spent much of the year doing substitute teaching in another county. And then, without warning, the school called to ask if I would consider coming back on probation for the same position I had lost out on– the teacher they had hired had developed significant health issues, and they needed a permanent sub for the end of the year. I was able to prove my worth, restoring order and bringing the classes back on track– I stayed for seven more years!

Waiting is not easy or pleasant. When I was almost five, I had a chance to go to kindergarten– My birthday is in November, and the school would allow “young fives”– students who would turn five before December 1st could interview for a chance to be accepted in the current year’s kindergarten. My parents considered it. I desperately wanted to go to school. But I had some lingering health issues from early childhood, and my parents worried that I would be susceptible to viruses and injuries. So, they held me back. I can still remember the ache of watching the school bus pass by my house– the humiliation of having adults ask if I was in school and having to answer, “not yet. I got held back.” It was like a badge of failure in my mind. “Not ready. Not healthy enough. Not good enough.” Years later, I can say that my parents made the best choice they knew how, and it worked out just fine for me. I loved school. I loved my classmates and teachers. And I had more time to be with my baby sister before I spent every day at school. I was older when I made decisions about college and career. I was more mature.

I waited a long time for a husband. I prayed for decades about marriage. And always, the answer seemed to be, “Not yet!” No explanation. No insight into whether I ever would be married. But in the waiting, I grew as a teacher and librarian. I found out that I could not have children of my own. I learned to manage on my own, and also how to reach out for help when needed. And I developed habits of Bible Study and Prayer that have become precious to me. My marriage is a fulfillment of patient waiting and listening to God’s voice, instead of making impatient and rash choices and shutting out the lessons along the way. Oh, and those children I could never have? I never had them. But I ended up with stepchildren and grandchildren who bless my life with love, laughter, and excitement.

God’s best is worth waiting for! I can testify to this on many levels. God doesn’t help “those who help themselves.” They literally “help themselves!” But God blesses those who wait patiently for Him. He doesn’t just show up at the last minute. He stays beside us in the waiting, He encourages us along the way, and He rejoices with us when we see the end from the beginning.

For more, see the following verses (and their context!):
Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:25, Micah 7:7, Psalm 130:5, Romans 8:25, Psalm 40:1, Isaiah 49:23, 2 Peter 3:9, Psalm 27:13…

August 14, 2026 0

The Danger of Anger

Anger can be a difficult topic among those who are following Christ. The Bible has a lot to say about anger, and most of us concentrate on the negative. But we are created in God’s image, and God himself experiences anger. Anger itself is not a sin, but what we do with it can be dangerous, even deadly.

I don’t know anyone who has completely mastered the art of being angry without sinning, but here are a few things to consider, both negative and positive: In our anger we can–

Act–act out immediately, rashly, full of adrenaline and heat, but without thought.
Narrow our focus–concentrate on our anger and what caused it, without seeing anything else.
Gripe–we can sound like a broken record, rehearsing the same complaints from yesterday, two weeks ago, or even years ago, but never taking any steps to resolve or try to move past the issue.
Exaggerate– as we narrow our focus, our hurt and indignation grows larger and more powerful.
Refuse–we refuse to see reason, to accept wisdom or help, or to acknowledge that our own actions and attitudes are adding to the hurt and chaos.

In contrast, the Bible gives us some godly principles for anger:

Acknowledge– Don’t suppress and deny anger, but don’t give in to it, to act immediately, either. God is “slow to anger and abounding in mercy” We should learn from his example. The Apostle Paul says

Ephesians 4:26 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV)

²⁶Scripture says, “When you are angry, do not sin.” (Psalm 4:4) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

Anger unchecked causes us to use all of our energy in emotion and action. Anger, controlled by the Holy Spirit, will cause us to use our energy to seek after answers, justice, resolution, and help

Navigate– our anger will drive us. Let it drive us to prayer and positive action, rather than despair, rage, and revenge.

Psalm 37:8-9 New International Version (NIV)

⁸Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Give–Let go of anger, and trust that God:
- sees your situation. If there is injustice, it has NOT escaped God’s notice.
- loves you unconditionally– whatever is causing you anger cannot cause Him to stop loving you, nor has it come about because God didn’t care.
- is sovereign. No matter how unfair or grim the situation, God CAN make something good come from it. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to feel pain and anger, but wallowing in them may keep you from seeing the rest of the good things God has in store for you.

Check out these great verses about Trust!

Evaluate– Instead of narrowing your focus and resisting advice, channel your anger into positive thought and action. Listen, learn, ask proactive questions–is there more to your anger than anger? (Grief, guilt, betrayal, hurt, shock, etc.) What can you do (if anything) to make the situation better, instead of waiting for someone else to act, or getting caught in a cycle of blame?

Here are 33 verses to help with Anger Management

Resolve– Anger should be a red light, not a red flag. It should cause us to stop, assess, and only proceed when the way ahead is clear. If your anger is sparked by a conflict, resolve to do whatever you can to “resolve” the conflict. If that is not possible, or if your anger stems from a different source, be resolute in taking the emotion, energy, and drive that comes with anger and channel it into a better direction. Resolve to be quick to pray, and slow to burn!

August 7, 2026 0

My Next Breath

Wildfires have been raging in Ontario, our neighbor to the north. Hundreds of thousands of acres of forest, land, homes, and towns have been destroyed. And the smoke from those fires is also causing damage hundreds of miles away. My husband and I woke up last week to bits of ash on our flowers and thick, smoky air causing visibility to shrink drastically, and breathing to become difficult– especially for those with lung damage or asthma, like my husband.

I was reminded of the time, in 1980, when Mount Saint Helens erupted in Washington State. Even though it is hundreds of miles away, some of the ash from the eruption made it to Michigan and coated our cars and plants. The smoke and ash caused many breathing problems and killed plants across the nation. Smoke doesn’t just “get in your eyes” as the old song claims. It gets into your lungs, it chokes out fresh air and light, hijacks rainwater, and settles in a coating on vulnerable plants, cloths, animals’ coats, standing water, and much more.

I normally don’t spend much time thinking about my next breath. I take it for granted that I will fill my lungs with fresh air and breathe out again. The carbon dioxide I produce will be absorbed by plants and fresh oxygen will be replenished into the air. I don’t have to “decide” to breathe– it happens automatically unless I choose to “hold my breath” and NOT breathe. But I also don’t think about WHAT I am breathing in. I take for granted that the air contains the appropriate amount oxygen to keep my body energized and working properly, and that it doesn’t contain noxious gases, carbon monoxide, tar, ash, etc.

I read somewhere once that God’s name (Yahweh) actually mimics the breathing process. Yahweh is two syllables– the first requires you to inhale in order to produce the right sound. The second allows you to exhale for the exact same reason. You cannot say “Yah-weh” without breathing! (Actually, you can, but you have to make a conscious effort to do so– breathing comes naturally in the two syllables otherwise.) The Bible never actually suggests this, and some religions and sects have misused this idea to suggest that God is somehow IN our breath or in the way we breathe. But I think there is something else to be pondered here.

My next breath depends absolutely on God’s sovereignty. I assume that the air I breathe is pure, healthful, and life-giving. And even when it isn’t– like the past week or so– I assume that air filters, breathing masks, or other mitigations will make the air “safe” to breathe. My husband is a little more aware of his breathing, because he has suffered from asthma attacks, apnea, bronchitis, and lung damage from COVID. Still, he doesn’t spend most of his waking hours in fear of his next breath. And even if we both spent time thinking about it, we have no way to control Earth’s atmosphere, no way to create our next clean breath and guarantee that it will be pure and good. We can buy tanks of oxygen, but even that requires that we trust what is in the tank. Our lives, and every function that sustains it– breathing, blood circulating, brainwaves, digestion, nerves, etc., are in God’s hands. And that’s an amazing and comforting thing, indeed!

Imagine a world where God was NOT in control; where the very air around us might quietly morph into noxious fumes with no warning– no smoke or clouds, no smell–just instantly shutting down our lungs, brains, heart, and life. Such things have been known to happen, in isolated incidents or in the deadly gas chambers of World War 2. We know that we could not breathe the air on other planets, such as Venus or Jupiter. But our Earth was created and is sustained by an abundant life-giving God, who cares about every aspect of our life, including our next breath.

“Father, I am so grateful for your Sovereignty and your compassion. I will fill my lungs with your gift of breath today, and I will use it to pour out praise to You!”

August 5, 2026 0

Prayers, Puzzles, and Poirot

I love puzzles and mysteries. I love word games and jigsaws, number puzzles, logic puzzles, whodunnits and scavenger hunts. I love finding solutions and seeing justice triumph. But solutions are not always available in real life. I know families who have waited decades without ever finding out who killed their loved one– or why. I know brilliant people who struggle with illnesses for which there is no cure. I watch the news, and I can’t find any logic or justice in many of the reports. And I am haunted by the constant refrain of critics and cynics who dismiss prayer– “Keep your ‘thoughts and prayers’, I don’t want them!” “What good is prayer at a time like this?” “Where was God…?” “Shouldn’t you be DOING something, instead of praying?”

Prayer may seem, in our modern society, counter-intuitive and unproductive. We are used to having answers and solutions at our fingertips. We have seen many diseases ‘conquered’ by scientific advances– vaccines and surgeries and hygienic practices. We have seen modern miracles of technology and communications. Prayer seems old-fashioned, clunky, rooted in the metaphysical, rather than rational activity. Prayer doesn’t promise that all the questions will be answered and all the mysteries solved in 180 pages. It doesn’t come with an ‘answer’ page at the end. Prayer depends on our acknowledgement that we DON’T have all the answers– that we may not even have the right questions– and that the answers may never come, or make sense to us, in this lifetime. In fact, one of the secrets of pursuing prayer is recognizing that life’s greatest mysteries are not ‘solved’ so much as ‘unfolded’ by a wise and all-knowing God.

So it is with disappointment and dismay that I find most mystery fiction dismisses, omits, or even outright mocks prayer. Many of the famous detectives of fiction are either non-religious or religious skeptics– Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Morse, Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Nero Wolfe, Alex Cross, Kurt Wallander, Temperence “Bones” Brennan, the Hardy Boys, Amelia Peabody, and a host of others. While many are simply non-religious, others express either ambivalence or contempt for religion– especially organized Christianity– and many of its practices, including prayer, adhering to Scripture, and depending on God rather than relying on rationality and science.

This is not universally true. Many fictional detectives and amateur sleuths ARE quite religious– Father Brown, Brother Cadfael, Sister Frevisse, and one of my all-time favorites, Hercule Poirot. Poirot is not a priest, but he is devoutly Catholic and is often described as spending time with his rosary in earnest prayer. He has a Biblical sense of morality and is often frustrated and even angry with the evil he sees around him. In spite of his arrogant boasts about his ‘little gray cells’ and his amazing success in solving mysteries, he still possesses a great curiosity and a reverence for the divine and mysterious nature of life, love, and faith. As much as he hates evil, and wants justice, Hercule Poirot avoids becoming angry and cynical about people.

How do I respond to evil? Do I spend quality time in earnest prayer? Do I use the gifts God has given to make the world a little better, or do I waste my time in anger, bitterness, and finger-pointing? Am I overly proud of my own ‘little gray cells’ when I solve a puzzle, or am I grateful for God’s gifting? Have I actually learned to ‘hate the sin, but love the sinner?’ Am I able to walk in faith, knowing that there are some mysteries I will never solve, and some prayers that God will answer in HIS time, not mine?

Puzzles and mysteries are fun to solve and challenging in ways that help develop our logic and skills. But they can become an idol and a distraction from the reverence that belongs to God alone. Mysteries remind us that God’s purposes are not to keep us in the dark, but to lead us one step at a time toward Him. And each step should include prayer.

July 10, 2026 0

In God We Trust

It appears on our money in the United States. It is our official national motto, “In God We Trust.” See article here But is it true?

In recent years, many people and groups have tried to challenge this simple four-word phrase. Some claim that it violates the “separation of church and state”. However, the phrase is not specific to any one religion– most of the major world religions (and most of those practiced in America) agree that there is (at least) one God, who can and should be trusted.

I actually worry a little less about those who are challenging the phrase than about those who simply ignore it or give it lip service. And I pray that I don’t fall into the latter group, but in certain moments, I can’t honestly say that I am trusting fully in God. Instead, I tend to trust in various “God-like” things:

I trust my own intuition or my own reason
I trust “experts”
I trust “the science”
I trust “the numbers”
I trust in the money that bears the motto
I trust in my own strengths and abilities
I trust in my husband
I trust my church
I trust my family
I trust what I read on Wikipedia or what I look up on Google
I trust what my friends send me on Facebook or through my e-mail
I trust what “they” say on TV
I trust what I read on a cereal box or food label
I trust headlines
I trust photos and videos I see on the news
I trust what I hear on the radio
I trust celebrity endorsements
I trust public opinion
I trust my feelings…

Of course, some of the things listed above are obviously suspect; others seem reliable and true. It’s hard to argue against some of the things on the list– it’s hard to doubt what I see, what can be measured, or what has proved true in the past. And yet, I have been hurt and betrayed by many of these things– my feelings are unreliable; my friends or family give me advice with good intentions, but bad results; images and even eyewitness accounts don’t always tell the whole story, and, increasingly, honesty and integrity are being crushed out by compromise and expediency. “If it bleeds, it leads…” “The truth is evolving..” “We all have our own ‘truth’..”

God’s truths are eternal and righteous; that doesn’t make them easy or comfortable. Sometimes it seems as though God takes a stand on both sides of an important issue– or that He takes no side at all– leaving us confused and wanting quick and well-defined answers. I have friends who agonize about being on the “wrong side of history” with many current issues. Let’s face it– no one wants to be on the “wrong side” of anything. We draw lines and pick sides– both sides can’t be “right”, can they? So how can we know if we’re trusting God if God is silent or ambiguous?

In the end, there are a few guidelines that have helped me be more confident and have acted as anchors for my faith:

Reading the Bible: not a verse here, or a chapter there to support a particular action or position–consistent reading THROUGH the Bible– from beginning to end, or at least through an entire book at a time.
Asking tough questions: I would love to assume that I already know the answers or have the “right” opinions, but if I can’t handle being challenged; if I never have any questions or can’t ask the ones I keep pushing down, that should be a sign. Sometimes the more questions I ask, the more I have! But, as uncomfortable as it is in the beginning, it is better to ask, and chase after an uncomfortable answer than to ignore the question or pretend to have all the answers.
LISTENING— really listening, whether to friends who seem to know all the answers (see above) , or those with really good questions. It also means listening to those with whom I am tempted to disagree, and to those with whom I passionately disagree. Listening is not the same as accepting or agreeing, but it is important for at least two reasons:
- Every person is made in the image of God– how I treat them is a reflection of my love for God. I will fall short; I will still hurt people’s feelings, whether or not that is my intention, but if I’m doing it through pride, hatred, or disdain, I am dishonoring God.
- Second, I cannot say I understand a person if I’m cutting them off, talking over them, and finishing their sentences for them. Often, while we may disagree on semantics or details, it turns out we agree on more than we assume we know about “the other side.”
Praying for wisdom and discernment. It sounds odd to those who trust in their own understanding, but God WILL open your eyes, ears, and mind to truth, even if it’s being twisted, covered up, hidden, or falsified. God promises, again and again, to give wisdom freely to those who ask. He doesn’t want us to be confused and frustrated– but He does want us to seek out His truth instead of wallowing in the bog of “little white lies” and obfuscation around us.
Waiting and listening for the Holy Spirit to prompt my conscience. This is much like asking for wisdom, but more subtle, and in some ways more dramatic. The Holy Spirit is our guide and counselor (think Jiminy Cricket, but much more spiritual and always right). Even if I’m not aware enough to know what to ask or what to question, the Holy Spirit will often prompt me. Have you ever been reading along, or listening to someone’s story, and suddenly you just get the sense that something is “wrong”– you’re not getting the whole truth; or there is a detail that stands out and doesn’t make sense, and it keeps niggling at your conscience? Yeah– that. Pay attention to that– even amidst the graphic images and angry voices surrounding you.
Keeping track of God’s faithfulness– I don’t maintain this blog because I “wish” that God was faithful, or because someone managed to convince me that this is what I “should” believe. God has proven faithful through all my questions. I know I can trust Him because I have trusted Him through good times and difficult times; times when it didn’t make sense, when it wasn’t popular, and when circumstances pointed in other directions. I have seen God’s hand at work in history and prophecy and personal testimony in ways that defy expectation and explanation.

And whether of not it’s printed on my money; whether or not it’s popular or “patriotic” or punishable by law, I will continue to trust in God. He is trustworthy and true; faithful in mercy and love; sovereign and altogether righteous. In God I have trusted; In God I trust; and In God I will continue to trust!

June 8, 2026 0

Risky Prayers

When I was a teenager, I read about Solomon and how he prayed for wisdom. God granted his request, and made Solomon the wisest ruler in Israel’s history. He also blessed Solomon with riches and fame, peace, and power. (see 1 Kings, chapter 3) I thought about what I should pray for in my own life– what attribute would I need as I became an adult, a wife, a parent, etc. I prayed for patience.

When I said that I wanted to pray for patience, several wise and respected adults cautioned me NOT to pray such a prayer! “You know what will happen…God won’t “give” you patience…He’ll bring all kinds of things into you life to “teach” you patience. You never pray for such things. It’s like asking for trouble. Be careful what you pray for.”

Looking back over 40 years later, I would have to say that God answered my prayer. And, as I was warned, He allowed things to come into my life to try my patience and develop my patience. I remained unmarried until I was 46. I never had children of my own. Perhaps some people would wag their finger and say, “See, I told you so.” But I would not change my prayer or change my life’s circumstances. God’s answers were not what I expected, but His ways were better than my expectations. I wanted patience so that I could better handle life’s little ups and downs– so I could be the kind of wife and mother who was always composed; always at peace. Instead, I worked with teenagers and toddlers– many of whom knew very little peace at home. I wasn’t perfectly composed. Sometimes, I yelled at my class or lost my temper with colleagues. Sometimes, I had to deal with crises–students who died in tragic accidents or by suicide; toddlers at story time whose parents were going through divorce or facing cancer. And all the while, I waited for the husband and family of my hopes and expectations.

I had prayed for patience– and I found it ONLY when I depended on God. All those years I was single and working with “other people’s” children, I learned to lean on God’s timing and wisdom. Even through the pain and tears, and wondering why God seemed silent and my dreams seemed to be out of reach, God was there, listening to my cries, giving me strength to keep going. And He is still doing the same for me now. My circumstances and expectations didn’t change who God was. But they helped shape who I was becoming, and who I am today.

During this time, I also watched peers who seemed to “have it all.” They had beautiful families, beautiful houses, handsome husbands, and fast-track jobs. But underneath, many were lonely and unfulfilled. Many of them ended up divorced, disillusioned, or burned-out. Some of them have turned (or returned) to God; others still struggle, trying to do everything their own way, and trying to juggle too much alone.

God doesn’t demand that we pray “risky” prayers. But when we choose to follow Him, we will have to take some risky steps. We may have to let go of our expectations; we may have to go through rejection and hardship. But what God has in store for us is worth the risk.

I’m not wealthy or famous. I wouldn’t recommend that everyone pray for patience, or wisdom, or some other virtue, thinking that God will make life easier or richer. (I think that’s what worried some of the people who “warned me off” praying this way.) But if you want to know God in a richer, deeper way, it will require a leap of faith.

What “risky prayer” have you been putting off? Today is a perfect day to take that next step. I promise, you won’t regret it.

May 25, 2026 0

Praying for Time

I have a very bad habit of procrastinating. I wait until the last minute to tidy up, make that important phone call, or write my latest blog entry…living alone for so many years, it went mostly unnoticed by others and unchecked by me. My husband is very patient about certain aspects of this habit, but he has taught me much about the value of getting on top of tasks, instead of always playing catch up.

One of the lies I have told myself is that “I just don’t have enough time..” to do certain things. But God has given every one of us the same 24 hours in a day. Some of us have more unstructured time, but no one has more actual time than anyone else. And I will always find time for the things I choose to do first–whether they are more important, more urgent, or just more fun.

Time is a gift. How we spend it shows how much we value it. I can waste time, invest time, spend time, hoard time, share time, or lose time, but I can’t buy, sell, or trade for more of it. I can pray for it– there is a precedent in the Bible. Hezekiah was the king of Judah. God told him that he would die soon, and Hezekiah prayed and wept. God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell the king that he would grant him another 15 years of life, as well as deliverance from his enemy, the king of Assyria ( see II Kings 19 and 20). Hezekiah was generally a good king, but in the extra 15 years that God granted him, he was foolish, and put his nation at risk. Having more time didn’t make Hezekiah a better king, nor did it bring his nation peace and security…all it did was prolong his life and defer Judah’s destruction for a few short years.

What makes time precious is that we don’t know how much of it we have here. Our lives pass in a flash– what we do today in haste or wasted pleasure can’t be recovered. But it can be redeemed. I can learn to use time more wisely. I can pray for good counsel in the stressful days as well as the times of leisure. Rather than ask for more time, I’ve started to ask for more wisdom to USE the time I’ve been given. I’ve been amazed at how much more I can accomplish when I seek God’s counsel about time, rather than worry and work at making “more” of it. And some of the other things that took up so much of my time? I still have time for some of them, too– after the important things get done.

May 20, 2026 0

What Does Prayer Look Like?

What does prayer look like?
Do I bow my head,
Or lift my face toward heaven?
Should I fold my hands,
Or lift them up like an offering?
Do I kneel?
Should I fall prostrate on the ground?
Should I sit in my favorite easy chair?
Or stand in the corner of my closet?

What does prayer sound like?
Is it sung in joyful cadence?
Or murmured? Or chanted?
Or recited?
Is it poured out in an unknown tongue?
Does it sound like groaning?
Or humming? Or sobbing?
Or laughter?
Is it shouted on the street?
Or mouthed in reverent silence?

What does prayer feel like?
A weight lifted?
A breath of pure majesty?
A ray of cleansing light?
A mist of living water falling on dry ground?
Energy and motivation?
Peace?
Complete trust?
Being held?
Being overwhelmed?
Being lifted?

Prayer cannot be defined or comprehended–
Not because we cannot find ways to speak about it,
But because it involves a God who is beyond our
Comprehension.
Our closest friend
Is robed in impenetrable glory.
Our Loving Father
Is the King Above All Kings.
We cannot be too bold or too quiet.
We cannot surprise Him with our
Emotional outbursts, or
Our halting, awkward noises,
Or our sophisticated verbiage.

He IS.
And we are
Aware
Of His Presence!

AMEN!

May 18, 2026 0

He’s Already There (and Here, and Everywhere!)

Sometimes, when I pray for a particular person, I say, “God, please BE with …..” But I’ve had to rethink that wording. Because God is already with ….. Instead, what I really mean to pray is that God’s presence will be felt and acknowledged by the other person; that God will move and act in such a way that the focus will shift to HIS almighty power and provision in a certain situation.

God is omnipresent. There is no place in Heaven or on Earth where God is NOT. In fact, the only place where we could be removed from God’s presence is in Hell. In fact, the most horrifying aspect of Hell is that it is the complete absence of God’s presence. The misery, torture, and fear of Hell is a direct consequence of God’s absence.

There are many situations in our lives when it may seem that God is absent, or that God has turned His back on us. Sometimes, this is really because WE have chosen to turn our backs on God. He is right there, but we are deliberately looking the other way. Other times, God is there, but He chooses not to remove an obstacle or circumstance that is causing us pain or grief. We don’t always know why He seems silent or inactive. But He is there, inviting us to trust His timing and wisdom in every situation. He delights with us, and He grieves with us. He may not give an instant answer to our questions or doubts, but he sits with us, ready to hold our hand and wrap us in His loving care. He doesn’t give up and leave us when the going gets rough. He is closer than a whisper, and He sees and hears everything. No matter what darkness we face, His light can guide us through.

The Psalmist, King David spoke of this with wonder:

⁷I can never be lost to your Spirit! I can never get away from my God! ⁸If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. ⁹If I ride the morning winds to the farthest oceans, ¹⁰even there your hand will guide me, your strength will support me. ¹¹If I try to hide in the darkness, the night becomes light around me. ¹²For even darkness cannot hide from God; to you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 The Living Bible)

The Apostle Paul also spoke of God’s abiding presence, through Jesus Christ:

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

Jesus Himself promised His eternal presence as well:

Matthew 28:20–“…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Hebrews 13:5 (quoting Jesus)…’for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”’
John 14:18– “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

No matter where you are today, God’s already there! No matter what difficult road you have to travel; no matter how long it takes you; no matter what other obstacles you will face, God’s already there! Whether you are resting in green pastures or walking through the valley of the shadow of death (see Psalm 23), God is with you– He’s already there!

And as we pray, God is already there– He already sees the future. He’s already redeemed the past. He has already seen the end from the beginning, and yet He patiently sits with us in the present, offering comfort and hope.

May 8, 2026 0

Love Lifted Me

¹I love you, Lord, my strength.
²The 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.
³I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and I have been saved from my enemies.
⁴The cords of death entangled me;
    the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death confronted me.
⁶In my distress I called to the Lord;
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came before him, into his ears.
⁷The earth trembled and quaked,
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;
    they trembled because he was angry.
⁸Smoke rose from his nostrils;
    consuming fire came from his mouth,
    burning coals blazed out of it.
⁹He parted the heavens and came down;
    dark clouds were under his feet.
¹⁰He mounted the cherubim and flew;
    he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹²Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
    with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.
¹⁴He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
¹⁵The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
¹⁶He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹He brought me out into a spacious place;
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Psalm 18:1-19 NIV (taken from biblegateway.com)

I grew up hearing hymns– lots of them. My mother and grandmother and aunt all played the piano or organ for church and often practiced during the week. My father led the congregational singing sometimes, and my grandfather taught himself to play many musical instruments, and used hymns to become familiar with the chords, notes, and fingerings of the instrument du jour. The congregation at our small church sang with more gusto than musical talent, but we sang during the Sunday morning service, the Sunday evening service, the Wednesday evening service, and at any special occasion.

Two things happened as a result of this: one not-so-good, and one very good thing. The not-so-good thing was that I became somewhat inured to the songs and lyrics– I knew what the songs said, but I didn’t really understand or internalize the truths they contained. However, the very good thing was that the hymns stuck in my memory– years later they came back like the best of friends to comfort me, challenge me, and remind me of sacred realities in the midst of mundane frustrations and worldly confusions.

This old hymn, neglected, out-dated, and seldom sung in our current services, was my lullaby growing up. My mother would sing it over and over as she rocked me to sleep, often running out of verses and words and just humming or filling in with “la, la la, la,” until she reached the chorus.
“Love lifted me. Love lifted me. When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.”

As a young child, I experienced the loving arms of my dear mother lifting me to her lap and rocking me for what seemed like hours until I drifted off to sleep. As a teen, I scoffed at the lyrics a bit–what need had I to be lifted and helped, when I was invincible and young and ready to conquer the world? As an adult, this old hymn came back with power and comfort when my own efforts and life’s stormy circumstances left me with little hope and lots of confusion, doubt, and regret. It reminds me that help and hope can be found even in the raging storms of grief, depression, oppression, and pain. “When nothing else could help…” God could and did! He can and will!

“Love lifted me”–such a simple phrase, and by itself not a solid foundation for hope and victory. In fact, there are many popular songs that speak of love lifting a person up, making one feel buoyant and hopeful, joyful or young. But this song speaks of a different and everlasting, all-powerful love– the Love of Christ. And it doesn’t just lift us up from one pleasant place to another. It reaches down into the depths of sin, despair, and even death to lift us up beyond all hope, beyond any strength or effort we could generate or receive from any other source. And this great Love reaches down to lift me–even me! It does not belong only to the elite, the wealthy, the beautiful people, the gifted or the powerful. In fact, this love is especially close and available to those who have done nothing to deserve it; those who have been bypassed and ignored and left to drown in their own shame and sorrow.

Love. Lifted. Me! My prayer is that this same Love will surround you today, lifting you up, and helping you, just as it helps me and brings me life and hope, to the Glory of Christ our Savior.

May 4, 2026 1

Tag: trust