My Savior Walks Me Through

“Lord, please make it stop. I’m so scared. Please, please- just make it go away.” My guess is that at some point in your life you’ve probably felt that way (and maybe uttered those words) about something happening in your life. We have all felt pursued by something that absolutely terrifies us and puts fear in our heart- a trial, a relationship falling apart, a job or business failure, a financial crisis, a health scare. When we face one of those awful events- most of us typically become totally focused on that problem and usually on ourselves. We spend tons of time focusing on OUR abilities and resources, trying to deal with the situation at hand and fix it on our own. When that doesn’t work (and it usually doesn’t work), we get depressed and angry and feel hopeless. Thankfully it doesn’t have to be this way!

Psalm 57:1-3 says:

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me- God sends forth his love and his faithfulness. NIV

Psalm 57 was written by David while he was fleeing King Saul- who hated him and wanted to kill him. While running from Saul he fled into a cave and in that cave David wrote this Psalm (while believing that although he was temporarily safe, he was facing imminent death). I love that David begins this Psalm begging for mercy. But he doesn’t beg for mercy from Saul (who is chasing him and wants to kill him)- he begs for mercy from God. That’s because David recognized and acknowledged that God is who is in charge- not the person who was chasing him! Terrified, alone, on his face, hiding in a cave with nowhere to run- he recognized and acknowledged the power of his Savior. No doubt David would have been happy to not be hiding from Saul in a dark, scary cave. But it’s in that cave that he experienced God. Many times God does not remove the difficulty in our lives BUT He is present to protect us and help us walk through it. And it’s through those difficulties and hardships that we grow to know Him in ways that walking a peaceful path could never allow. (Seriously- every trial I've walked has brought me closer to Him and for that I am so thankful for each of them!)

My prayer today is that no matter what you are facing- storms, floods, fires- you are reminded that you can ALWAYS run to Jesus. HE is your refuge. Not your spouse, your best friend, your bank account, your reputation, your house. No matter the battle, no matter the outcome, your Savior WILL walk you through.

Memory Verse: Week 48

I believe that Satan doesn’t want us in God’s word and will use any and every means possible to keep us from the truth and therefore we must be prepared and have a PLAN!

To work on hiding God's word in our hearts, 

this year I'm going to be posting a memory verse for each week
 along with a printable to print out and hang up. 

Here's the verse for week 48:

     

You can print out the verses in English and Spanish and the complete list in a folder  HERE. 

Memory Verse: Week 47

I believe that Satan doesn’t want us in God’s word and will use any and every means possible to keep us from the truth and therefore we must be prepared and have a PLAN!

To work on hiding God's word in our hearts, 

this year I'm going to be posting a memory verse for each week
 along with a printable to print out and hang up. 

Here's the verse for week 47:

     

You can print out the verses in English and Spanish and the complete list in a folder  HERE. 

MORE Chemo Treat Printables {& How to Start Your Own Chemo Fairy Group}

I started a group last year in my town called the Chemo Fairies. 

Each week we gather a little treat (usually something to eat) with a note 

that is tailored specifically for those going through chemo and
drop them off for cancer patients at our local cancer clinic. 

Each one is just a fun little something to remind them someone 

cares and is thinking of them.

Honestly the treat isn't the main thing, it's the fact that 

someone is thinking of, praying for, and rooting them on in this battle!

I created the first set of tags and placed them in my ETSY store HERE. 

Since then I added a second set HERE. 

Today I've added a third set  HERE. 

Treat tags included in Set #3: 

• You are better than any treasure found at the end of a RAINBOW: Skittles
• Roll on over that nasty told chemo: Fruit Roll Up
• Thank you for RAISIN the bar on being amazing: Raisins
• Chemo is SOUR and you are SWEET: Sour Patch Kids
• Cancer is a big old fat JERK: Beef jerky
• Cancer is absolutely, positively NUTS: Nuts
• You are worth more than a 100 GRAND: 100 Grand candy bar
• You're sure to be JOLLY when this yucky nasty chemo is over: Jolly Rancher
• Please Take 5 and enjoy this little treat: Take 5 Bar
• Fighting cancer has put you in a big, old CRUNCH: Crunch bar
• Chemo is definitely something that will make you a little NUTTY: Nutty bar
• You are the best, BAR NONE: Granola bar

I can't tell you what a blessing it has been to hear from friends 

and family of chemo patients 

who have received the treat and what a blessing they have been to them. 

It's truly an easy way to support someone who is going through an awful time.

How about getting a group together of your own Chemo Fairies

to bless those in your community going through chemo? 

To get started just....

• Contact your local cancer center to ask permission & find out how many patients go through chemo each week
• Purchase or create tags for each treat (tags are available for purchase in my ETSY store HERE)
• Create a Google spreadsheet that lists the weeks, which treat will be given each week and a link to the tag to print (be sure to share the spreadsheet to anyone with the link so that folks can sign up on it). I also included details and delivery directions on my spreadsheet.
• Share the spreadsheet with friends and have them sign up

I will...... (a study of Psalms)

I realized recently that I often spend most of my time searching God's word for reassurance about HIM and His love, care, mercy, and grace for me. But His word is not only full of those things, it's also full of the things I should be doing. So this week I started reading through Psalms and writing down every single time it says "I will..." in terms of something I should be doing. And y'all there are tons! I've only three days into this practice but already have three pages full of verses.

Here are just a small few of the ones I've found so far....

Psalm 7:17: I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness. I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord most high. 

Psalm 16:8: I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 

Psalm 30:1: I will exalt you Lord for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 

Psalm 34:2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 

When I finish I will not only have read all the way through Psalms but will have a fabulous list of what I am commanded to do written out. I love that this practice is shifting me from thinking solely about what God promises me to include what I need to commit to doing for Him!

He Sees You

If you’ve ever played hide and seek with a toddler, you know that it is a hoot because they are absolutely TERRIBLE at the game. They hide in plain sight where you can’t help but see them. Their tiny little feet stick out under the curtains, they hide behind something way smaller than they are, they lay as a big lump under a blanket on the floor. They think that if they can’t see YOU, then they are completely invisible and will avoid your detection.

I think God probably looks at us just like we look at a toddler playing hide and seek. We so often try to hide from him (and everyone else) when we are struggling and yet the good news is... He sees us. Genesis 16 tells the story of Hagar who was a young servant girl that was facing some serious, big challenges. When faced with these difficulties Hagar didn’t stay and confront them- she ran quickly away (which I don’t know about you- but is often my first instinct too!). And when Hagar found herself seemingly completely alone in the wilderness- feeling unloved and rejected and hurt and totally hopeless, guess who showed up? God- because He always does. She was stunned that He did and she responded to Him by giving him a new name.….El Roi- The One Who Sees Me. Genesis 16:13 says….“You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”


𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗚𝗼𝗱.
I am seen by God.
He sees us.
He pursues us.
He is with us.
We can be 100% certain that no matter where we go, no matter what we do, He is there and He sees us. We are never alone. We are never forgotten. We are never beyond hope. We are never invisible to Him. He knows when we are in the wilderness and will pursue us there- even when we try to hide from Him like a toddler playing hide and seek. It’s impossible to hide from Him.

My prayer today is that you are reminded that no matter how alone or sad you feel- God sees you. No matter what mountain you are facing, no matter what illness you are battling, no matter how brokenhearted you are, no matter how rejected you feel, no matter what- you are under God’s care and HE SEES YOU. He wrote your story and He is in that story with you. 𝗛𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱, 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵.

Memory Verse: Week 46

I believe that Satan doesn’t want us in God’s word and will use any and every means possible to keep us from the truth and therefore we must be prepared and have a PLAN!

To work on hiding God's word in our hearts, 

this year I'm going to be posting a memory verse for each week
 along with a printable to print out and hang up. 

Here's the verse for week 46:

     

You can print out the verses in English and Spanish and the complete list in a folder  HERE. 

His Love is Irrevocable

When I was little I had a dog stuff animal. He was a big white dog with a red shirt that said “Puppy Love”. I loved that stuffed dog so dearly and took him absolutely everywhere. I loved him so much that he grew dirty from being carried around everywhere I went and being slept & played with year after year. He eventually lost an eye and part of his nose- but my love for him did not wane, I loved him still.. After years of being loved hard, he was no longer beautiful to anyone. His fur was grayish, his shirt faded and his features scraggly. If you saw him (he is actually in my attic!), you definitely wouldn’t think of him as beautiful- you’d probably only see his flaws. However, if I looked at him, I’d tell you he was beautiful and wonderful. Not because he is actually outwardly beautiful today. Not because he does anything to deserve that love. I love him because I see him as he was created. In my eyes, he is perfect because I love him so.


Thankfully that’s how God loves us. He doesn’t love us because we necessarily are beautiful- inside or out. He loves us when we are good and when we are not so good. He loves us when we make mistakes and screw up (no matter how big those mistakes may be). His love is what makes us beautiful. He loves us despite all of our inadequacies and flaws. He loves us- flaws and all- simply because we are His children.

Think about how a grandma loves a grandchild. In her eyes, they are the very absolute best of the best. She has their pictures plastered all over her house, on her refrigerator, and carries around photos of them to show to anyone and everyone willing to look at them- friend, neighbor, pastor, postman, check out guy at the grocery store- literally anyone! She brags about that grandchild, sharing their accomplishments (no matter how small or insignificant) and overlooking their flaws because of her great love for them. She lavishes love and gifts and kisses and hugs on that child every single chance she gets. That’s how God feels about us- a grandma’s love multiplied by millions and millions. He set his love on us- not because we earned it, but because He delights in us.

Ephesians 3: 17b-19 says…

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. NIV

Did you notice those verses didn’t have a single stipulation on His love. It doesn’t say…..”and deep is the love of Christ IF you do ____ or act _____”. His love is. It’s a fact and there is nothing- not a single thing you can do to change or erase it. NOTHING. When you feel ugly or less than or unloved, God says: You are beautiful because you are mine and I love you.

My prayer today is that you are reminded how deep and wide and precious His love is for you. No matter what you have done or said, no matter what flaws you have, no matter how big your mistakes- He loves you still. His love is the single thing that you can count on. 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, He will always love you.

Scripture Bags

A few months ago I went to a fundraiser for our local maternity home. I drove home that night thinking that I wanted to start doing something for the sweet mamas staying at the home each month. I decided that surrounding them with scripture to remind them of God’s great love for them would be my goal and that each month I’d give them a bag full of scripture. As I finished the bags for this month and prayed for these sweet mamas this morning, I thought I’d share what I put in each bag in case you have someone that needs to be reminded how loved they are. It only takes a few minutes and can cost almost nothing!

In the bags this month I included:

A “ Who I am in Christ” image that I laminated. This was written by my precious friend Terri’s mama and I love it so. You can print a copy here: https://goo.gl/hCidkJ .

The Comparison & Envy Scripture Writing Plan for this month. Last month in their bags I gave them the plan and a notebook. This month’s plan I put in a page protector. You can print a copy here: https://goo.gl/eoX1Lw.

A bookmark I created and had printed. You can make your own or purchase one.

This super cute magnet I found at Hobby Lobby. It was $2.99 and found in the check-out area.

A printable of 2 Chronicles 20:15 (which is one of my all-time favorites) and an army man. I love this reminder that the battle is His, not ours.  You can print a copy here: https://goo.gl/Bn8jzT .

Micah 5:5 verse printable that I created and printed at Walgreens and placed in a $1 frame from Michael’s (that was on sale for 50 cents). You can print a copy here: https://goo.gl/rLojGL .

Everything in the bag I already had except the magnets and the bags themselves. Total it cost me about $20 for 6 bags. It doesn’t have to be expensive at all- you can truly use what you have! 

Pray for God to show you someone who needs a little encouragement and a reminder that they are loved and create your own Scripture Bag surprise for them today!

Memory Verse: Week 45

I believe that Satan doesn’t want us in God’s word and will use any and every means possible to keep us from the truth and therefore we must be prepared and have a PLAN!

To work on hiding God's word in our hearts, 

this year I'm going to be posting a memory verse for each week
 along with a printable to print out and hang up. 

Here's the verse for week 45:

     

     

You can print out the verses in English and Spanish and the complete list in a folder  HERE.