His Strength Sustains Me

Psalm 144:1-2

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples under me.

In sorrow, grief, battles in life—God offers hope.

As I write this, I'm thinking about the people of the Ukraine who are truly in battle for their country, their homes, and their lives. Their horrific situation weighs on me. I have friends with family serving as missionaries there, and we pray for them and seek God's protection on their behalf.

Life for the last few years has been more than difficult, we've found our world turned upside down. My family has lost three loved ones in three months. With sorrow in our hearts, we mourn. Yet while we mourn, we know God has his hands wrapped around our hearts with His comfort and peace.

This week as I drove to my sister's home a song came on the radio. This is How I Fight my Battles by Chris Tomlin took me to a place I needed. The words reminded me that I'm surrounded by the God who loves me more than I understand. At that moment God's hope filled me, and his strength sustained me.

Romans 8:28 reminds me of the hope I have as a believer in Jesus. "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." No matter what happens, God's love stays the same. He knows the outcome and sees what's next. Faith in God sees me through the heartache and brings me hope.

Pray with me for the people of the Ukraine and the folks who are hurting.

Trusting a Swing

Psalm 9:9-10

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

God has called me on an adventure of faith and trust.

When Hannah worked at Camp Lookup, I spent a week with her exploring the beautiful setting and experiencing an adventure. I hiked around the lake, met a little snake while I relaxed in the gazebo, and took photos of all the beautiful azaleas. Then the adventure happened. The camp has this huge swing that holds two people. Hannah and I climbed on the double seat and latched our harnesses (that's enough to scare a person.) A camp worker grabbed the rope and launched us into the sky. And yes, I screamed like a baby. But I had fun and trusted the swing to hold in place. As we sailed through the air, I believed I would be safely pulled back to the ground.

In Hebrews 11:1 the writer tells us, "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hannah had assured me the swing was safe or they couldn't use it for campers. Made sense. If I could trust something so simple as a swing, how could I not trust the God of the universe. 

The "hall of faith" in Chapter 11 lists many Old Testament warriors who had faith in God, even as they lived in uncertainty.

We are living in chaotic times. Anger, hate, and judgment mixed with opinions, sickness, and financial burdens cause faith to slip. Trust rings hollow. Yet, God remains the same. He's still there for me to depend on. He's still there for me to run to. I'm confident in the hope I have in Jesus. I trust him to see me through the hard times and celebrate with me in the great times. God hasn't gone anywhere. He's still my refuge.

Have faith in the one who loves you more than you know.

Pour out your Heart