Laced With Grace

My heart started beating so hard I could have bet money it was about to beat right out of my chest. My hands were shaking so hard it was difficult to find the correct keys on my keyboard.

I was terrified, yet I knew it was right.

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?
Psalm 56:3-4 NKJV

For almost two years I had tried to contact her just to let her know her daughter is okay. She’s more than okay. She’s an amazing little kid who can make you laugh and fume in a ten minute span. She’s smart. She’s a thinker. She’s an instigator. More importantly, she’s happy. She’s healthy. She’s amazing.

I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.
Psalm 139:14 WEB

But her mother doesn’t know this. Her mother only knows she had a heart problem. She had issues with her tear ducts. And she was told there was a chance she would be institutionalized.

But her heart has healed, her ducts function fine and she will NEVER be put in an institution. These are things her mother should know. And now she does.

Today I spoke to my oldest daughter’s birth mother for the first time. I found her by the hand of God. He lead me to her. He wanted it to be so and now it is.

She has a strong faith in God. He has answered her prayers, through me. Today was “the best day” she’s had since she had to say goodbye to her daughter.

After awhile, my heart stopped pounding and my hands stopped shaking. We talked about the little girl we both love and cherish. The little girl we both call our daughter.

God works in amazing ways. He never fails to astound and amaze me at each and every turn.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fil me with joy in yoru presence, with eternal pleaure at your right hand.
Psalm 16:11 NIV

Lord,

Thank you for the blessings, peace and joy your brought into the hearts of two women who share one of your precious angels. Thank you for leading us towards one another and guiding us on paths that eventually intersected. Thank you for reminding me that your power is so great, nothing can stand in it’s way. Thank you for blessing me on this joyous day!

Amen!

When was the last time you felt God’s hand in your life?

Please click here to read more about this amazing and blessed event on my blog.

I’m far from perfect.

I’m far from being what God expects me to be.

I don’t know where I am going, I only know where I have been.

I read the words the Lord sends down for me and I try to find the meaning in each and every one. I make an attempt at applying it to my life. I strive to be the person God wants me to be, yet I often fail. I often falter. I often feel as if I am far from good enough.

You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalm 16:11 NASB

Where is my path? Am I on it? Am I going in the right direction? Is my internal chaos preventing me from seeing God’s signs and knowing what they mean? Where is the meaning?

So much chaos. So much activity. So many thoughts. So little time.

I need to sit and be still. I need to reflect on God’s gifts around me and find comfort in their presence. I need to relax and reclaim my sense of stability and satiety where my faith is concerned. I have to take it back and put it where it belongs: at the top of my list of priorities.

Sometimes life gets busy. Sometimes we forget to take the time to focus on what we need the most in our lives. It’s easier to push it aside and make it wait until later, but sometimes later takes too long and we have to push things to NOW, not later.

I need to be refilled. I need to be reclaimed.

He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3 NIV

I know I may stumble. I know I may fall.

I know there is a way back. I know there is somewhere to go. I know there is somewhere to turn. Praise be to God for giving me that.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all yoru ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Lord,

Help those of us who have lost our way to come back to You. Help us find our way and bring us understanding towards our imperfections. Give hope to the hopeless, give peace to the chaos. Give love to the lonely.

This we ask in Jesus’ name.

What scripture brings you peace in times of chaos?

There is pain across the world for the tragedy that transpired on this past Monday. The number of lives affected by the shooting at Virginia Tech are uncountable.

At times, such as these, we ask God “why?” Why this tragedy? Why were such young and promising lives taken from us without warning or reason? And yet, the answer may come in how we come together and persevere through this tragedy.

The school has come together to heal and bond. The world has cried along and will heal along with them.

“I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Psalm 16:8

The Lord brings us together to help one another through this time. Whether you are personally touched through this tragedy, or whether you experience it through the media, it is a reminder to speak kinder, to reach out more and to remember that we all carry our own personally crosses.

This is not the time to point fingers or shout for the re-writing of laws and legislations, this is the time to heal. The family of the perpetrator hurts, just as the other families hurt, maybe even more so.

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

There are no words or reasons for this great loss in our world. The only reasonable answer is to reach out to God to find comfort for ourselves and for others.

Jesus says it best,

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked,when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Proverbs 3: 25-26

Lord,

Please bring healing to those who have lost a loved one in the midst of this horrible tragedy. Help those who were affected to move on with their lives, find the meaning behind it and use it to reach further, strive harder and love more meaningfully.

Let us all find peace in the midst of this chaos and remind us of Your loving guidance in our lives.

Give us strength.

This we ask in Jesus’ name.

How has this tragedy affected you? What bible verse do you turn to in times such as these?