Browsing Tag

Loss

Devotional

The Promise of God’s Presence

December 7, 2025

This past year has been a torrent of loss for my husband—from his mother, father, and brother to the recent passing of a dear childhood friend. Day by day, God’s peace and strength have sustained us as we’ve walked through this long valley of shadows with Him. We continue to trust that God brings beauty from the ashes we surrender to Him, even as we emerge from the wilderness of hardship.

I recently listened to a teaching on Joshua and how God uniquely positioned him to lead Israel north into Canaan after Moses’ death. The message emphasized that Joshua’s leadership didn’t happen overnight. While serving faithfully under Moses, he learned to trust God. He and Caleb had once spied out the Promised Land with confidence that God would give it to Israel, but the people’s fear delayed their entry for another 38 years. By the time Joshua finally faced the giants in the land and led Israel toward their inheritance, he was about 78 years old. Yet he remained faithful, and God preserved his strength throughout the wilderness years. Joshua ultimately fulfilled his calling as a bold, courageous, and steadfast leader.

The wilderness seasons of our lives bring with them the temptation to forfeit our trust in God’s truth, for a platter of lies. But we’ve learned to appraise lies against the truth of God’s word—which has been our only sustenance in a dry and thirsty land, where untainted spiritual food is scarce. Even so, we’ve been fed at a table set before us by our God—in the very presence of our enemies. He has not failed us, and He never will.  

We’re living in a time when confronting lies—in the form of spiritual giants in our culture and in our lives—has become a daily reality and a decision. Yet, those of us who have remained faithful—uncompromising and anchored in the word of God and the supernatural revelation of His Holy Spirit—carry a strength forged in the long, often difficult wilderness seasons of our lives. Those holy, hard, and hidden years of pruning, obedience, and trust—while God collected our tears in a bottle—have not been wasted. 

We don’t need a platform or a formal ministry to be godly leaders. We simply need to live as examples worth following. As a spouse, a parent, a child, a friend, a neighbor, or a coworker, we can lead. Leadership doesn’t have to be loud or public—it is a steady, humble walk of integrity that quietly draws the attention of those around us. It’s a call to follow the King of Kings with courage and a consistent commitment to God’s truth.

As we continue to walk intimately with Jesus, the Messiah, we become equipped to guide others through the spiritual battles and giants they face. Just as He has sustained us, shaped us, and strengthened us to stand firm, He will use our journey to help lead others toward freedom, healing, and the promises God has prepared for them. Our journey through the wilderness becomes a testimony, and our faith in the God who led us out becomes a sure pathway for others to follow into the promised land of God’s glorious presence for an eternity.  

May our faithful walk lead many to the feet of the Savior of the world!

Este último año ha sido un torrente de pérdidas para mi esposo: desde su madre, su padre y su hermano hasta el reciente fallecimiento de un querido amigo de la infancia. Día tras día, la paz y la fortaleza de Dios nos han sostenido mientras caminábamos por este largo valle de sombras con Él. Seguimos confiando en que Dios saca belleza de las cenizas que le entregamos, incluso mientras emergemos del desierto de las dificultades.

Recientemente escuché una enseñanza sobre Josué y cómo Dios lo posicionó de manera única para guiar a Israel hacia el norte, a Canaán, después de la muerte de Moisés. El mensaje enfatizaba que el liderazgo de Josué no surgió de la noche a la mañana. Mientras servía fielmente bajo Moisés, aprendió a confiar en Dios. Él y Caleb habían explorado la Tierra Prometida con la confianza de que Dios se la daría a Israel, pero el miedo del pueblo retrasó su entrada durante otros 38 años. Cuando Josué finalmente se enfrentó a los gigantes en la tierra y guió a Israel hacia su herencia, tenía alrededor de 78 años. Sin embargo, permaneció fiel, y Dios preservó su fuerza durante los años en el desierto. Josué finalmente cumplió su llamado como un líder audaz, valiente e inquebrantable.

Las temporadas de desierto en nuestras vidas traen consigo la tentación de renunciar a nuestra confianza en la verdad de Dios a cambio de un plato de mentiras. Pero hemos aprendido a discernir las mentiras a la luz de la verdad de la palabra de Dios, que ha sido nuestro único sustento en una tierra seca y sedienta, donde el alimento espiritual puro es escaso. Aun así, hemos sido alimentados en una mesa preparada por nuestro Dios, en la misma presencia de nuestros enemigos. Él no nos ha fallado, y nunca lo hará.

Vivimos en una época en la que confrontar las mentiras, en forma de gigantes espirituales en nuestra cultura y en nuestras vidas, se ha convertido en una realidad diaria y en una decisión. Sin embargo, aquellos de nosotros que hemos permanecido fieles, firmes e inquebrantables en la palabra de Dios y en la revelación sobrenatural de su Espíritu Santo, poseemos una fuerza forjada en las largas y a menudo difíciles temporadas de desierto de nuestras vidas. Esos años santos, difíciles y ocultos de poda, obediencia y confianza, mientras Dios recogía nuestras lágrimas en un frasco, no han sido en vano.

No necesitamos una plataforma ni un ministerio formal para ser líderes piadosos. Simplemente necesitamos vivir como ejemplos dignos de ser seguidos. Como cónyuges, padres, hijos, amigos, vecinos o compañeros de trabajo, podemos ejercer liderazgo. El liderazgo no tiene por qué ser ruidoso ni público; es un camino constante y humilde de integridad que atrae discretamente la atención de quienes nos rodean. Es un llamado a seguir al Rey de Reyes con valentía y un compromiso constante con la verdad de Dios.

A medida que continuamos caminando íntimamente con Jesús, el Mesías, nos capacitamos para guiar a otros a través de las batallas espirituales y los desafíos que enfrentan. Así como Él nos ha sostenido, transformado y fortalecido para permanecer firmes, usará nuestro camino para ayudar a otros a alcanzar la libertad, la sanación y las promesas que Dios ha preparado para ellos. Nuestro camino por el desierto se convierte en un testimonio, y nuestra fe en el Dios que nos guió se convierte en un camino seguro para que otros sigan hacia la tierra prometida de la gloriosa presencia de Dios por toda la eternidad.

¡Que nuestro caminar fiel guíe a muchos a los pies del Salvador del mundo!

Devotional

What You Gather, You Keep

August 16, 2025

When we do what pleases God, He is faithful to take care of us. And what pleases God’s heart is when we lay our desires down to care for another, even when it is hard. That person may depend on us for sustenance or comfort, and the duties of the day may repeat themselves, sometimes for years.

We’re exhausted and keep going, but can’t figure out where the energy is coming from, until we figure it out. It may take us a minute to see God at work behind the scenes, how that season will teach us the deepest lessons, and the reward for our faithfulness to Him.

When we’ve lost loved ones, feel like we have no resources, and the plans for our lives have been eaten by the moths of time, God reveals Himself as the One who loves us and has given us the strength to endure the hardest of the hard.

And we also see our redeemer’s life and sacrifice more clearly. Jesus’ mission was other-focused. He wasn’t after what was best for Him. Jesus did not spend His time on platforms; He went after people. His ears were attuned to hear the Father, and His eyes were set on His ways.

This reminds me of the biblical story of Ruth the Moabitess. Moab was a pagan nation with a historical animosity toward the Israelites. Ruth ended up marrying an Israelite from Bethlehem who had sojourned to Moab with his parents and brother, due to a famine in Israel. Before her marriage, her father-in-law died, leaving Naomi, her future mother-in-law, widowed. After the two sons died as well, all the women suffered shared losses.

But Ruth would not leave her mother-in-law’s side, even when she was telling her to go back to her people and to her gods. Ruth was determined not to leave Naomi and journeyed with her back to Bethlehem. She left behind a cruel and pagan nation whose priests served a host of idols, including the feared god Molech, whom they would offer child sacrifices to. Ruth decided to not only follow Naomi, but the God of Israel as well.

After they arrived in Bethlehem, Ruth asked Naomi to allow her to go to a field and glean among the ears of grain after the reapers. That is where she met Boaz, a man of great wealth. He said to her, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go from this one, but stay here with my maids.” 

Ruth only gleaned in the field of Boaz while she was living with Naomi through a hard season.

Is that not what Jesus says to us? Do not go to other fields for your bread, for … “I am the bread of life.” Glean from the field of God’s word, verse by verse, for His plans, promises, and provision. The scriptures are an endless treasury for our souls, earmarked for each of us for all of our days. They will provide us with living truth, hope, comfort, joy, and wisdom, amidst a world of derelict ideas that attempt to drag us away from walking with God.

Ruth asked Boaz why she had found favor in his eyes, and he replied that he was told of all that she had done for her mother-in-law and how she left her parents and the land of her birth for an unknown future. God is the redeemer of our losses and our time. Ruth was favored by Boaz; he was kind to her and comforted her, even though she was not like the other maidservants.

Although it was not her motive, Ruth was graciously blessed, and Boaz married her, after the first in line to buy Naomi’s property and marry Ruth, rejected the offer. We know that too well. Although we may be the world’s pickings, we are created, chosen, and cherished by the God who sacrificed His son, Jesus, that we may have an eternal home in the wealth of His presence, as sons and daughters and the glorious bride of the Messiah.

What became of Ruth after she married Boaz? She became the great-grandmother of King David and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. God has a plan for each of our lives, but they may not all look the same or go as we planned, but it will be a fulfilled life, if we live like Christ, who laid down His life, that others may live.   

Photo: “Gleaners at Sunset’ by French realist artist Leon-Augustin Lhermitte (1889)

BIBLE VERSES TO STUDY

Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. - Ruth 2:8, NLT

May the Lord reward your work, and may your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. - Ruth 2:12 NASB

And now, my daughter, do not fear, I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of worth. - Ruth 3:11 RSV

Cuando hacemos lo que agrada a Dios, Él es fiel en cuidarnos. Y lo que agrada a Dios es cuando entregamos nuestro deseo de cuidar a otra persona, incluso cuando es difícil. Esa persona puede depender de nosotros para su sustento o consuelo, y las tareas del día pueden repetirse, a veces durante años.

Estamos agotados y seguimos adelante, pero no podemos entender de dónde proviene la energía hasta que lo descubrimos. Puede que nos tome un minuto ver a Dios obrando tras bambalinas, cómo esa etapa nos enseñará las lecciones más profundas y la recompensa por nuestra fidelidad a Él.

Cuando hemos perdido a seres queridos, sentimos que no tenemos recursos y los planes para nuestras vidas se han devorado por el paso del tiempo, Dios se revela como Aquel que nos ama y nos ha dado la fuerza para soportar lo más difícil.

Y también vemos con mayor claridad la vida y el sacrificio de nuestro redentor. La misión de Jesús estaba centrada en los demás. No buscaba lo mejor para sí mismo. Jesús no pasaba su tiempo en plataformas; buscaba a la gente. Sus oídos estaban atentos al Padre y su mirada puesta en sus caminos.

Esto me recuerda la historia bíblica de Rut la moabita. Moab era una nación pagana con una animosidad histórica hacia los israelitas. Rut terminó casándose con un israelita de Belén que había emigrado a Moab con sus padres y su hermano debido a una hambruna en Israel. Antes de casarse, su suegro murió, dejando viuda a Noemí, su futura suegra. Tras la muerte de sus dos hijos, todas las mujeres sufrieron pérdidas compartidas.

Pero Rut no se separó de su suegra, ni siquiera cuando esta le decía que regresara con su pueblo y sus dioses. Rut estaba decidida a no dejar a Noemí y viajó con ella de regreso a Belén. Dejó atrás una nación cruel y pagana cuyos sacerdotes servían a una multitud de ídolos, incluyendo al temido dios Moloc, a quien ofrecían sacrificios de niños. Rut decidió no solo seguir a Noemí, sino también al Dios de Israel.

Después de llegar a Belén, Rut le pidió a Noemí que la dejara ir a un campo a espigar entre las espigas tras los segadores. Allí conoció a Booz, un hombre rico. Él le dijo: «Escucha atentamente, hija mía. No vayas a espigar a otro campo; ni te vayas de este, sino quédate aquí con mis criadas».

Rut solo espigó en el campo de Booz mientras vivía con Noemí una época difícil.

¿No es eso lo que nos dice Jesús? No vayan a otros campos en busca de su pan, porque… «Yo soy el pan de vida». Espiguen del campo de la palabra de Dios, versículo a versículo, para conocer sus planes, promesas y provisión. Las Escrituras son un tesoro inagotable para nuestras almas, destinadas a cada uno de nosotros para todos nuestros días. Nos brindarán verdad viva, esperanza, consuelo, alegría y sabiduría, en medio de un mundo de ideas abandonadas que intentan apartarnos de nuestro caminar con Dios.

Rut le preguntó a Booz por qué había hallado favor ante sus ojos, y él respondió que le habían contado todo lo que ella había hecho por su suegra y cómo dejó a sus padres y su tierra natal por un futuro incierto. Dios es el redentor de nuestras pérdidas y de nuestro tiempo. Rut fue favorecida por Booz; él fue bondadoso con ella y la consoló, aunque ella no era como las demás siervas.

Aunque no era su motivo, Rut fue bendecida generosamente, y Booz se casó con ella, después de que el primero en la fila para comprar la propiedad de Noemí y casarse con Rut rechazara la oferta. Lo sabemos muy bien. Aunque seamos la presa predilecta del mundo, somos creados, elegidos y amados por el Dios que sacrificó a su hijo, Jesús, para que tengamos un hogar eterno en la riqueza de su presencia, como hijos e hijas y la gloriosa novia del Mesías.

¿Qué fue de Rut después de casarse con Booz? Se convirtió en la bisabuela del rey David y antepasada de Jesucristo. Dios tiene un plan para cada una de nuestras vidas, aunque puede que no todas sean iguales ni transcurran como las planeamos, pero será una vida plena si vivimos como Cristo, quien dio su vida para que otros puedan vivir.

VERSÍCULOS DE LA BIBLIA PARA ESTUDIAR

Booz se acercó y le dijo a Rut: «Escucha, hija mía. Quédate aquí con nosotros cuando recojas el grano; no vayas a ningún otro campo. Quédate detrás de las jóvenes que trabajan en mi campo.» (Rut 2:8, NTV)

Que el Señor recompense tu trabajo, y que tu salario sea completo de parte del Señor, Dios de Israel, bajo cuyas alas has venido a refugiarte. - Rut 2:12 NVI

Y ahora, hija mía, no temas, yo haré por ti todo lo que me pidas, pues todos mis conciudadanos saben que eres una mujer valiosa. - Rut 3:11 RVR

Devotional

Wells of Salvation

June 10, 2025

When you lose loved ones, you tend to reflect more on life, death, and what may come after. My husband, Merl, lost his mother, father, and brother within a span of less than six months, which is why I paused my monthly newsletter for that time. We have been walking together through the valley of the shadow of death with God, who urges us not to fear because He is with us.

Despite the magnitude of our losses, we have witnessed God’s faithfulness and experienced a supernatural peace that surpasses our understanding. We prayed for healing, for peaceful transitions, and for salvation, and God answered each prayer—not in the way we might have scripted, but with His perfect love. He always does.

As we approach the warmer months of the year, we’re reminded that nothing satisfies a natural thirst more than a chug of fresh water. The same is true for spiritual thirst. The source of living water that quenches this kind of thirst is found in the wells of salvation, which never run dry.

Wells were essential for life, especially in arid regions like ancient Israel. Their depth made them difficult to draw water from, and they were often covered with stones to prevent them from being filled with dirt. Nearby, there would typically be a trough for animals.

You would often find women and travelers at wells. These locations were also the settings for several divine encounters, such as the timely meeting between Rebekah and Abraham’s servant, who was tasked with finding Isaac a wife from among his relatives. Another unforgettable story is that of the woman of Samaria who met Jesus the Messiah. She relied on the well that Jacob had dug centuries earlier, and in return, Jesus offered her “living water” to satisfy her spiritual thirst. (See John 4:1-42)

Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, dug many wells before him, and Abraham’s son, Isaac, had to dig them again after the Philistines spitefully filled them with earth, envious of his growing power and prosperity. Just like the Philistines, the enemies of our souls—both spiritual and earthly—will try to fill us with everything but God.

Wells hold water. We were created as jars of clay to hold spiritual water, which we are meant to share with others. This means we must remove the earthly clutter that occupies space in our lives, preventing us from being filled with the water of life. The scriptures teach us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, described as “rivers of living water” flowing through us.

What wells should we draw from? Where should we find our identity, faith, wisdom, and purpose? What are we allowing to flow through our souls? We often attempt to quench our thirst by drinking from broken cisterns (or systems)—temporary solutions from this world that frequently leave us disappointed. We seek comfort in material possessions and worldly pleasures, peace from self-help gurus, justice from unjust authorities, and wealth from earthly sources, when what we truly need is found in Jesus: God’s Word and Creator of all.

The wells of salvation are a spiritual and eternal reservoir filled with everything we genuinely need. All of God’s desires for us are fulfilled through His once-hidden, now masterfully revealed salvation plan for humanity through His Son. God tells us that knowing Him is eternal life. Knowing God satisfies all that is lacking within us, and His Spirit will flow through us to bring us back to life.

BIBLE VERSES TO STUDY

Therefore, with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. – Isaiah 12:3, NKJV

For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water. – Jeremiah 2:13, NKJV

The mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory. – Colossians 1:26-27, NASB

Cuando se pierde a un ser querido, se tiende a reflexionar más sobre la vida, la muerte y lo que pueda venir después. Mi esposo, Merl, perdió a su madre, padre y hermano en menos de seis meses, por lo que suspendí mi boletín mensual por ese tiempo. Hemos estado caminando juntos por el valle de sombra de muerte con Dios, quien nos insta a no temer porque Él está con nosotros.

A pesar de la magnitud de nuestras pérdidas, hemos sido testigos de la fidelidad de Dios y hemos experimentado una paz sobrenatural que sobrepasa nuestro entendimiento. Oramos por sanidad, por transiciones pacíficas y por salvación, y Dios respondió a cada oración, no de la manera que hubiéramos planeado, sino con su amor perfecto. Siempre lo hace.

Al acercarse los meses más cálidos del año, recordamos que nada satisface mejor la sed natural que un trago de agua fresca. Lo mismo ocurre con la sed espiritual. La fuente de agua viva que calma esta sed se encuentra en los pozos de salvación, que nunca se secan.

Los pozos eran esenciales para la vida, especialmente en regiones áridas como el antiguo Israel. Su profundidad dificultaba la extracción de agua, y a menudo se cubrían con piedras para evitar que se llenaran de tierra. Cerca, solía haber un abrevadero para animales.

A menudo se encontraban mujeres y viajeros junto a los pozos. Estos lugares también fueron escenario de varios encuentros divinos, como el oportuno encuentro entre Rebeca y el siervo de Abraham, quien recibió la tarea de encontrarle una esposa a Isaac entre sus parientes. Otra historia inolvidable es la de la mujer de Samaria que conoció a Jesús el Mesías. Ella confió en el pozo que Jacob había cavado siglos antes, y a cambio, Jesús le ofreció “agua viva” para saciar su sed espiritual. (Véase Juan 4:1-42)

El abuelo de Jacob, Abraham, cavó muchos pozos antes que él, y su hijo, Isaac, tuvo que cavarlos de nuevo después de que los filisteos, con rencor, los llenaran de tierra, envidiosos de su creciente poder y prosperidad. Al igual que los filisteos, los enemigos de nuestras almas, tanto espirituales como terrenales, intentarán llenarnos con todo menos con Dios.

Los pozos contienen agua. Fuimos creados como vasijas de barro para contener agua espiritual, la cual debemos compartir con los demás. Esto significa que debemos eliminar el desorden terrenal que ocupa espacio en nuestras vidas, impidiéndonos ser llenos del agua de la vida. Las Escrituras nos enseñan a ser llenos del Espíritu Santo, descrito como “ríos de agua viva” que fluyen a través de nosotros.

¿De qué pozos debemos beber? ¿Dónde debemos encontrar nuestra identidad, fe, sabiduría y propósito? ¿Qué permitimos que fluya a través de nuestras almas? A menudo intentamos saciar nuestra sed bebiendo de cisternas (o sistemas) rotas: soluciones temporales de este mundo que con frecuencia nos decepcionan. Buscamos consuelo en las posesiones materiales y los placeres mundanos, paz en los gurús de la autoayuda, justicia en las autoridades injustas y riqueza en fuentes terrenales, cuando lo que realmente necesitamos se encuentra en Jesús: la Palabra de Dios y Creador de todo.

Las fuentes de la salvación son un reservorio espiritual y eterno, lleno de todo lo que realmente necesitamos. Todos los deseos de Dios para nosotros se cumplen mediante su plan de salvación para la humanidad, antes oculto y ahora magistralmente revelado, a través de su Hijo. Dios nos dice que conocerlo es vida eterna. Conocer a Dios satisface todo lo que nos falta, y su Espíritu fluirá a través de nosotros para devolvernos la vida.

VERSÍCULOS DE LA BIBLIA PARA ESTUDIAR

Por tanto, con alegría sacarán agua de las fuentes de la salvación. – Isaías 12:3, NVI

Porque dos males ha cometido mi pueblo: me abandonaron a mí, fuente de agua viva, y cavaron para sí cisternas, cisternas rotas que no retienen agua. – Jeremías 2:13, NVI

El misterio que había estado oculto desde los siglos y generaciones pasadas, pero que ahora ha sido revelado a sus santos, a quienes Dios quiso dar a conocer la riqueza de la gloria de este misterio entre los gentiles: el misterio que es Cristo en ustedes, la esperanza de gloria. – Colosenses 1:26-27, NVI

Devotional

Anxiety to Trust: Becoming My Father’s Daughter

April 21, 2018

The adrenaline rush jolted me into an internal frenzy. My heart was palpitating. Suddenly I felt dizzy. I thought for sure I’d faint. I didn’t know if I was having a heart attack or what. As all of this was going through my head, my fingers were typing at the keyboard and I had a client in front of me. I couldn’t take it any longer. I needed to escape. I excused myself and walked as quickly as I could to the office right next to mine. I told my coworker what I was feeling. She said it sounded like I was having an anxiety attack, to sit down, take deep breaths, and that it would pass in a few minutes.

Those minutes were agonizing. And the next several days even more so. I went to the ER two days in a row convinced something was dreadfully wrong, only to be told I was physically fine. But I was far from fine. For the first week, I couldn’t sleep because my heart was pounding out of my chest. That coupled with all sorts of scary thoughts bombarding my mind were pure torment. I didn’t want to leave my home or be alone. I lost 15 pounds in those two weeks due to loss of appetite and digestive issues. I’ve been through some tough days and nights, but those two weeks were a dark night of the soul for me. The only thing I could do was cry out to God and desperately wait for relief.

This month marks the one-year anniversary of that anxiety attack. I had subsequent anxious days following but they were less intense, yet no less despairing and paralyzing. The anxiety attack was triggered at work but it was really uncovering years of fear, mental abuse, stuffed emotions, and the loss of major relationships. All the yuck from the past was taking too much space in my soul, affecting my body as well. I hadn’t fully offered all the pain from my past to God to move into freedom. I bottled it all up until it had no recourse but to find a way out. And that’s when anxiety reared its ugly head.

I came from a loving but enmeshed family. Fear was the silent dictator. It caused us to live isolated lives. All we had was each other and the unhealthy bond was hard to break. Our trust was in our family unit. It was as if we were one instead of four individuals. Much of my loyalty to my family stemmed from being raised by mami and papi, my maternal grandparents. They chose me, rescued me, and raised me. And I loved them for it. Since they were older parents, ailing health required around the clock care in their later years, which I did at home, with the help of my older sister until she became ill herself.

After losing mami, papi, and a healthy relationship with my sister, the sheltered life I was used to was no more. I stepped into an unfamiliar territory of making my own decisions. I walked out stripped of my identity as a caretaker for fifteen years but carrying burdens of loss and pain deep within me.

God was gracious to give me three years of much needed rest after that season of my life came to a close. So there I was—physically free from but still a captive to my painful past. And God knew it was time to face it. But in order for me to face it, I’d have to see its effects. And it wasn’t pretty.

When gold is put through the refining fire dross comes to the surface. That’s what happens to us when our faith is tested. Like, whoa! That was in there? 1 Peter 1:7 says, Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. (CEV)

This past year tested what I was made of. I thought I was doing well. But anxiety was the waste material produced and buried within and it was pointing to something deeper still. Trust issues. More specifically, my trust in God.

I had to face the hard question of who or what I have been putting my trust in. Some folks put their trust in relationships, others in money, in careers, in the government, in their carefully planned life, or in themselves. For so many years, the trinity I bowed down to was my family. My fear of displeasing or losing my family superseded my reverence of God.

 All of us want to put our faith in something trustworthy—with a good track record, right? And we can’t trust something we don’t know. Trust is usually built over time. I realized I wasn’t consistently cultivating my trust in God.

I was so close to my earthly father that it nearly replaced my relationship with God as my Father—which simply put, is idolatry. We may not even know that that’s what we’re doing! But I know that anything that attempts to supplant God enthroned in our heart is an idol. I’ve had to identify these idols and consciously admit their primacy before my trust in God. Our relationship with God should fuel our love for one another not our adoration of one another.

When we put all our hope in another, we also place burdensome expectations on them. And when they fail us, we become frustrated or heartbroken. And without an anchoring relationship with God, we can be tossed to and fro when relationship storms hit us. Some of these storms can be rejection, abandonment, loss or abuse.

God wants to reveal Himself as our Father—one that would never disappoint us or leave us. Many of us have had earthly mothers or fathers who didn’t choose us or keep us. But the beauty of our relationship with God is that He chose us!

3 Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts! 4 And he chose us to be his very own, joining us to himself even before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with an unstained innocence. 5–6 For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love that cascades over us would glorify his grace—for the same love he has for his Beloved One, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure!

(Ephesians 1:3-6, The Passion Translation)

 We were chosen by God, we’re a delight to Him, and He loves us the same as He loves Jesus! That’s quite a heart and mind blower. I want to trust His ‘tremendous love’ and fully experience what a relationship with Him as my Father looks like.

In choosing us, God the Father adopted us to become part of His family. The cost to adopt us wasn’t monetary as some adoptions entail, it was the offering of One life for many. God saw our need for a family. He looked at the earth full of spiritual orphans. God choosing us didn’t end there. Jesus redeems us and the Holy Spirit empowers us. Each member of the Godhead is involved in our life. They are now our family and we can’t lose them or be snatched from their embrace.

Anxiety is a captor that suffocates us with lies. It tells us that there’s no hope, that terrible things will happen, and that we’ll remain where we are. But Jesus’ death is the key that opens the door that takes us from that whirlwind of tormenting darkness into a relationship with God, the Father of lights. We are not alone or forgotten. God Himself offered the precious way to His heart, the truth that sets us free, and the life we desperately need.

This past year, God wasn’t necessarily showing me ways to overcome the anxiety. Methods and tools to overcome it are useful but temporary if the root issue isn’t addressed. God was teaching me to trust Him despite my circumstances. There was a shift of focus from the pain and effects of my past to His love and trustworthiness.

I also recently discovered that for a long time I was responding to God the way I had responded to those who hurt me. I lost trust, intimacy, and safety with them, which caused me to withdraw emotionally. I ran away from connecting with people for fear of pain. And that had carried into how I related to God. I kept Him at a distance as well, not enjoying the full potential of our relationship.

I’m learning to take walks with my Father, listen to His heart, talk things over, and to trust all the beautiful plans He has for our future. And when I look back on my past I want to focus on the marks of God’s presence not on the pain.

I hope you’ll decide to take walks with Him too.

Devotional

The Feminine Plural

February 27, 2017

Many women feel less than, as if they lack something that will give them value. They may be estranged from their family, single or divorced, abused, infertile, lonely, or voiceless. They compare themselves to other women or men around them and all they can see is what they don’t have. But what if God’s intention for women is abundance in all the expected areas of life – family, intimacy, fruitfulness, friendship, and purpose, but only if she was willing to receive it in an unexpected way.

EVERY woman is capable of being a feminine plural.

EVERY woman is called to be a daughter, a wife, a mother, and a sister.

God has purposely chosen women to be a representation of the fullness of God. Just as He named Eve, the mother of all living – abundance is inherent in the makeup of a woman. She was designed to carry seed and produce life and live purposefully. A woman’s God-given heritage is waiting to be re-claimed.

Women —your fulfillment is in being ALL that God has created you to be. And that fulfillment is found in the company of the Triune God and His love for you.

Not in having an earthly family, but in being accepted in the Beloved.

Not in marrying a man, but in setting yourself apart to be the bride of Christ.

Not in having babies, but in birthing the Word of God from your spiritual womb.

Not in being liked or followed, but in denying your self and uplifting others.

Not in being a worldly success, but in living out your Spirit-driven purpose.

Family, marriage, pregnancy, community, and worldly success are earthly shadows of kingdom principles that are not yet fully manifested in their glorious state. Not all women will experience these conventional or expected norms, but the mystery is that abundant life can still be grasped. Who can ignore the distant echo of Jesus’ words reverberating down generations, The kingdom of God is within you.

Every woman has the potential to be all that she was made to be in the here and now. And its varied forms can happen all at once or in different seasons of a woman’s life. There is no need for jealousy or envy. God has given every woman the capacity to overflow in abundance.

EVERY woman can be a daughter — I will be a father to you. {2 Corinthians 6:18}

Some women have been adopted as children or have been in the foster care system, abused, rejected, neglected, or abandoned by their parents, victims of divorce, orphaned by disease, death, war or drugs. Simply put, some women feel alone and cry out for acceptance.

And from the deepest reserve of His love, God’s voice whispers, You, my dear child, are my daughter. I have chosen you. I knew you before you were knit in the womb. You have always belonged to me. Father, Son and Spirit are your dependable family and refuge.

EVERY woman can be a wife —Thy maker is thy husband. {Isaiah 54:5}

Jesus is calling every woman to be His bride – to an intimate spiritual relationship. She will be cherished, honored, empowered, fruitful, and safe. Jesus will meet a woman’s every need and transform her if she gives her self wholly to Him.

And He says, Come, come sweet bride. Listen to the gentle whispers of my love for you. I will comfort your aching, longing heart, and prepare it to receive. The secret of the depth of our fellowship is time. Set aside time every day to talk with me and I will reveal my secrets to you.

EVERY woman can be a mother — For more are the children of the desolate woman than the married wife. {Isaiah 54:1}

Once a woman has decided to give her heart to Jesus, the result of their union is abundant life. She will become a fruitful garden. He will tend to her and cause the North Wind to blow out her fragrance into the lives of the people around her.

As the seeds of God’s word are planted in her spiritual womb, the voice of Jesus whispers, The excess of my love will spill out for others through you. And you will comfort and care for my wounded children and you will feed the hungry – these are fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers. I have bundles of joy for you.

EVERY woman can be a sister — She had a sister who sat at the Lord’s feet. {Luke 10:39}

Surrendered women have a dynamic, personal assistant in the Holy Spirit. He reveals the deepest mysteries of Jesus. In silence and stillness, make time each day to listen and focus on the words and work of God. In yielding yourself, the Holy Spirit will be your influencer, your mentor, your teacher, your revealer, and your reminder. Strengthened by the Spirit you bandage, you carry, and you love your wearied, broken sisters.

And the gentle whisper of Jesus says, Be that sister who sits at the Lord’s feet. Be the sister who has loads of love and encouragement, the sister who edifies, the sister who teaches her sisters to seek the Lord with all their heart.

EVERY woman can have a purpose ­– You have come to your position for such a time as this. {Esther 4:14}

God makes everything beautiful in its time. All our sufferings are used for good. Some women feel like they’re permanent residents of a wasteland of buried dreams but God has a plan for each woman – confronting her past with her future to bring forth a dynamic now. You may be in a season of suffering or a season of waiting or a season of intimacy. But these are all leading to the revelation of your unique purpose.

And Christ whispers, Come with me, walk with me. Let’s hold hands. My visible scars will remind you I understand your brokenness. I will wipe your tears away in the company of my faithful love for you. I have wonderful plans for you – for us. Set your eyes on eternity – on me, and do not look back. Do not be afraid of your future. I am there.

My prayer for you, dear sister, is that God will empty your heart of regret, pain, loss, the shadow of death, loneliness, barrenness, and dreams deferred to make room for the fullness of God.

Embrace your feminine plurality. Abundance is yours!