Thank You, Lord, for glimpses in the midst.

*A glimpse of beauty in the midst of rain. A glimpse of peace in the midst of chaos. A glimpse of faithfulness in the midst of betrayal. A glimpse of joy in the midst of despair.

*And on this Memorial Day…Glimpses of honor in grief. Glimpses of heroism in tragedy. Glimpses of remembrance in freedom.

*I haven’t felt well today and wrestle with feeling unproductive as I rest. Yet, God gives me a glimpse of what He’s doing in my children’s hearts as they serve me and work around the house. My heart receives a bit of rest.

What glimpse do you have in the midst of your current situation?

A battle from my week

Anxiety. It was only a dental cleaning. But my enemy took the opportunity to attack my mind. Lies. All lies. I know the truth, but sometimes it takes time for the truth to set me free.

My strategy to cling to Jesus

Worship. Turn up the music and sing along. Command my heart to cling to the truth my mind knows. Then listen for the still, small voice saying, “When you pass through the waters, walk through the fire, I will be with you.” (Isaiah 43:2, my paraphrase) Not a promise of quick relief, but a promise of God’s presence. I will not retreat.

My victorious rest

An astonishingly enjoyable experience. A God-ordained conversation with my hygienist. An opportunity to encourage. A new friend.

A battle from my week

The laundry pile. But the real battle lurks underneath in my heart. It’s the accusation that I am behind in tasks. It’s the lie that says productivity should be my main goal.

My strategy to cling to Jesus

Replace those lies with truth. What does God really require of me? I hear the whisper: “To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God” (Micah 6:8) Consider how that truth applies in context of laundry.

My victorious rest

Take one step. Wash a load. Fold a pile. Love my family by serving them and by leading our team in household chores. Walk in freedom from the accusations and lies. See the laundry as a humble opportunity to walk with my Jesus.

Unity in our homes. Fellowship between hearts. Community among neighbors.

There’s definitely an attack against us. If believers can live in the unity we desire, the world will know that Jesus is truth. So His enemy comes against us and our hope of unity.

Squabbles between siblings? Division in marriage? Bickering over neighborhood fences? There’s always a greater battle behind the scenes.

Jesus prayed, “I have given My people God’s glory so that they may be one just as We, the Trinity, are one. God in Jesus, Jesus in His Church, perfected in unity. So that the world will know God’s love, the perfect love of the Father.” (John 17:22-23, my paraphrase)

Pursue unity. Pray Jesus’ prayer. Proclaim His truth by not giving up the hope of unity or giving in to the battle of division.

Battle from my week

Emotions. Lurking below the surface. Spewing suddenly like a geyser with unexpected situations of life. Yet somewhat predictable, like Old Faithful, when driven by hormones.

My strategy for rest

“Place a guard, O Lord, over my mouth.”

A prayer of submission. A plea for supernatural power. Whether the geyser begins in myself or in another, I must be slow to speak. That might require the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Power that already lives in me. So I pray Psalm 141:3 each morning and set my guard for duty.

My victorious rest

Not every time. But increasing in frequency. My emotions bubble up; my child’s emotions spew forth; and I remain calm. A deep breath, a whispered prayer, a pause before responding. I rest in faith that His power really does reside in me. (No comparisons to a social media post. This sounds good. But I often don’t respond this well ?)

Taken from my Instagram, May and June 2018.