One of my favorite parts of history has always been the pioneer era. I was the child gallivanting around my neighborhood in braids and mismatched sunbonnets, wondering why we couldn’t just all live in log cabins and play fiddle music. (I admit that my romanticized notions of such life have been largely influenced by Little House on the Prairie.) One thing I read that pioneers often did was “pan for gold.” Of course, I eagerly tried that too - rather unsuccessfully, I might add.

Well, gone are the days of plaid aprons, but I realized tonight that I still do “pan for gold” – in a different way. Rather than sifting through rocks on a creek bed, I find myself sorting out more “grownup” thoughts through pen and paper. Yeah… journaling.

I don’t know about you, but my journals usually consist of just the “raw data” – the unpolished flow of emotions that just spill out onto the page, without much rhyme, reason, or readability (hence the reason I marvel at such people like Jim Elliot whose private journals are incredibly profound.) Somehow, thankfully, God always seems to sift through my jumbled thoughts by showing me some shining nugget of truth from His Word.

I found myself doing some pretty intense “panning for gold” tonight and wanted to share with you an incredibly precious truth that God brought to the surface in my life.

Why? Because sometimes we just need the simple truth. Forget the flowery words, creative introductions, detailed outlines, or sophisticated profundity. When life gets confusing, there is one solution for peace… and that is a mind that is resting on Christ’s truth alone (Isaiah 26:3). The rest of the silt will just fade away.

So, here is a little treasure for you to take hold of right now. Perhaps it will be a shining light of hope in whatever situation you are going through, as it has been in mine tonight.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

(Isaiah 41:10)

This is saying to me…

My precious child, do not be afraid… of being lonely, rejected, ashamed or unloved. Remember that I am with you. I’m not just ‘within call’ – but I am right here beside you. Don’t be dismayed – don’t be gazing around you with anxiety. Remember I am your Eloheim, your Creator, Preserver, Transcendent God, Mighty, and Strong. I have three promises for you. Are you weak? I will strengthen you – cause you to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, and hard. Are you in want? I will be your help, your support, your aid. Are you ready to fall? I will uphold you – you are in the palm of my hand – grasped, supported, held fast. I’m hanging on to you with my right hand – the one that is full of righteousness, dealing forth both rewards and punishments. I am the Lord God, and I am faithful to my promises.

Trusting God along with you,

Beth

Last night, we had a beautiful sunset.

Grabbing my jacket, I seated myself on my front porch with my laptop, hoping to draw from the depths of inspiration that displayed itself so richly before my eyes. The sky was painted in elaborate hues of coral pink and dusky purple, as the last golden rays feathered lightly over the clouds and gently faded into the pastel display.

Several minutes passed, and my fingers didn’t move a muscle from the keyboard. Eventually, I just closed my laptop.


One of the most frustrating things to a writer is when we discover that words just aren’t enough. This is the hardest part when it comes to writing about God. What can I do to make these feeble words describe His power? His sovereignty? His majesty? His glory?


Nothing. Zilch. Nada.


It’s something that I can’t even fully grasp in my mind, much less write about.


How can I put into words the feelings of awe that come when I look out over majestic mountain ranges, feel the mist of a mighty ocean on my face, or watch a thunderstorm roll in? How can I do justice to His sovereignty, as I look back and see how He has written every single chapter of life so perfectly? What human words can express a Father’s love for his child, the wisdom of His ways, or the depths of His thoughts?


Although I continue to write, it is with the knowledge that the words that are penned here will never be enough to fully and adequately give Him the glory that He deserves.

Good morning, friends.

I ran across this quote this morning and it directly spoke to me and this topic that I wrote about in my last post. Enjoy and be blessed as you live for Him today.

~ Beth

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"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not..., but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." - Luke 10: 19,20

Jesus Christ says, in effect, Don't rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to Me. The snare in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service, to rejoice in the fact that God has used you. You never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ. Keep your relationship right with Him, then whatever circumstances you are in, and whoever you meet day by day, He is pouring out rivers of living water through you, and it is of His mercy that He does not let you know it. When once you are rightly related to God by salvation and sanctification, remember that wherever you are, you are put there by God; and by the reaction of your life on the circumstances around you, you will fulfill God's purpose, as long as your keep in the light as God is in the light.

The tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make usefulness their ground of appeal. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure that ever lived. The lodestar of the saint is God Himself, not estimated usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that Our Lord heeds in a man's life is the relationship of worth to His Father...

~ Oswald Chambers

HT: Janille Myers