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. Romans 8:28
God is sovereign.
Over all things.
The definition of sovereign includes these words: supreme permanent authority.
Well, that about covers it, doesn’t it?
God has supreme (total) authority (power) and it’s never going away (permanent, here forever).
He holds the world in His hands.
Now you can breathe.
Deeply.
Focus on this: God is never leaving.
He’s constant.
He holds the universe.
Yet He longs to help you.
Everyday.
With everything.
He wants you to give Him all of your burdens, big and small.
Examples?
Well, my large burdens include the children and where I should teach.
Too much to carry on my own.
Small burdens include transportation for kids going everywhere, holiday planning, and the sudden intense need for milk (who forgot to tell me we were low?).
Small burdens can easily morph into boulders if you’re not careful to give them immediately to God.
You’ll simply crumble under the weight!
So if God is sovereign, He’ll fix our burdens, right?
Well, yes and no.
When you give those troubles to God, He’ll take over and increase your dependence on Him.
He will give you just the right amount of strength, wisdom and peace, because youknow He is sovereign and taking care of business.
Will He immediately solve your problems?
Probably not.
He might because He can, but He also might use this time in your life to refine your heart.
To make you holy.
Because God is sovereign, He knows best what do with your burdens.
That knowledge should give you peace beyond measure.
God has your back.
He knows the beginning from the end.
Trust Him to finish what He has started.
And enjoy the journey as best as you can, resting in the knowledge of God’s love and concern for you.
(This guest post is my sweet daughter Linnea’s senior legacy paper)
When thinking about how to sum up what I’ve learned in high school, I struggle to find the words. There’s so much I’ve learned. Really, there are like ten different things I could talk about. But when thinking about what to say, it kind of hit me. My experiences – everything I’ve gone through in high school – it doesn’t really matter. It’s not the point.
Everyone has their stories. I have mine. I could go on and on about how my depression, self-harm, and parent’s divorce affected me and what God has taught me through all of it; but honestly – that’s not the point. God has brought me through so much. He’s slowly shaping me to be the person He created me to be. He’s preparing me for the next life. In the end, everything that we’ve done on earth isn’t going to matter. There will be a day where the only thing that matters is whether or not you know and accept Jesus Christ. High school drama will be completely forgotten.
High school is a very instrumental time in a person’s life because it is then people start discovering themselves. It’s the perfect opportunity for God to wreck your life for Him – and that’s what He did to me. I went from being terrified of anything remotely spiritual, to constantly having my heart broken for those who don’t know Christ. God put this burning desire in my heart to know Him more and share His love with others. It was almost as if I had been blind and now I could see.
But it’s not always that easy. Truly trying to follow God is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. But it’s so worth it. Satan will do everything he can to distract you. He’ll try to re-open wounds and taunt you with temptations. But don’t be discouraged! John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
One thing I’ve learned is that so many people get stuck at the cross. I know that sounds funny, but let me explain. God wants us to lay ourselves and our burdens down at the cross and receive His grace. But we aren’t supposed to stay there. We are supposed to go forth and spread His news once we’ve been forgiven. Sometimes you’ll have to go back to the cross and lay more burdens down, but you aren’t supposed to live there. Sadly, it seems as if that’s where most Christians are today. They are all about giving their problems to God and being forgiven, but they don’t actually doanything with it.
I believe God has so much more in store for us than just wiping away our sin. He wants us to experience the fullness of His love and be rooted richly in His spiritual blessings. He wants us to go out and share His love with urgency. Going into high school, I had the Great Commission on my mind because I had just gone through confirmation and that’s what I had picked for my verse. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” I wasn’t really sure why I picked that verse, but I knew it felt right. Now I can see that God has been changing my heart and how it is a perfect verse for my life – because it describes the desire He has put inside my being.
If I had to leave one piece of advice, I’d say that no matter what, trust in God with all of your heart. He created you and knows you better than you know yourself. Life is full of unexpected things and you will never be able to go through it all and come out stronger without leaning on God. There’s no time to put God on hold. If you were to die tomorrow, would you be ready?
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, BLESSING and CURSE. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life and length of days. Deuteronomy30:19-20
Are you ever amazed at the ugliness inside?
At the emotions that pour out of your heart from nowhere?
Where on earth did that come from?
Is that me?
Am I really that selfish?
Am I really that insecure?
Jealous?
Nothing like real life to keep you humble!
We’re so not perfect.
Far from it.
But with Jesus, we can choose life.
Whenever ugly emotions rise up, you can choose to fling them off.
To step onto the other side, grinning from ear to ear.
The devil wants you to be grumpy.
He wants you to dwell in the past or whatever bothers you.
He wants to keep you there.
Stuck.
Why?
Because then you’re useless.
And you’ll sink others down along with you.
But when you choose life, Jesus lifts you up.
Those ugly emotions evaporate.
I see it in others, and yes, in myself too.
Part of living for God is allowing Him to work through you.
To change you.
To be a witness.
And to give you fullness of life.
Allow Him to pour His living water over you, changing you from the inside out.
I love The Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live. Psalm 116:1-2
God hears our voice. Our cries for mercy when things become difficult.
He wants to hear you. He wants to help.
Because He is always ready to listen, we should call on Him as long as we have breath.
God has and always will be present for you, walking with you each and every moment.
Stop and remember. Remind yourself of His goodness to you. Here are His words from Him to you:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
How does God see you?
As His beloved.
His miracle.
His greatest creation.
As someone worth dying for.
Your thoughts are precious to Him.
Your tears are held in His hands.
Your joys bring Him smiles.
And your praise gives Him delight.
He is constantly watching You, waiting to take Your hand and walk with you with every step you take.
Hand in hand.
Your burdens are His.
Your sorrows are His.
Your joys are His.
He loves you immeasurably more than you can possibly imagine.
After all, you are His beloved.
God says, Believe Me. You are loved. Valuable. Unequaled. Perfectly formed. Made in My image. Believe Me. I am here for you. Always and continually by your side. You are never forsaken by Me. Ever. Believe Me. I have ordained your steps. Your life is safe with me. I know your every move: you’re going out and you’re coming in. Nothing is hidden from Me. Believe in Me. Because I believe in you. Love, God.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
Does God ever confuse you?
Leave you baffled?
Speechless?
Or do you make sense of everything He allows?
I don’t.
I can’t possibly make sense of some things.
So I’m left in a confused state.
Left until I decide to trust in God once again.
God surprised us with a gift.
A baby.
The promise of new life.
I was anxious then thrilled once the idea settled into my mind.
But two months later – poof.
Everything changed and I found myself in a puddle of tears.
Longing for the baby I was beginning to know and love.
Why, God?
Simply why?
Sometimes God allows things and we cannot possibly figure out all the answers.
And when we question, that’s ok.
As long as we look back and are reminded of His faithfulness.
His goodness.
I have learned a few things though.
He showed me unconditional love.
He showered me with love from my family, friends, and precious husband (who has the patience of Job).
He reminded me how He is ultimately in control.
And He reminded me not to worry, because He’s got this.
He’s got everything.
He knows the beginning of my story to the end.
My entire life is in His hands.
And He’s got yours too.
Your life is precious to Him.
And He loves you more than you could possibly imagine.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. Jeremiah 17:7-8
Smiling eyes
A helping hand
An opened door from a stranger
A handsome lunch date
Money for groceries
A giant beautiful Christmas tree
My warm cozy house
Baking cookies from my grandmother’s handwritten recipes
You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me cup again. Psalm 71:20
Ever see God work?
Witness His marvelous plan unfold?
Take a breath and look around.
He’s working in your children’s hearts.
He’s organizing your thoughts.
He’s ordering your steps.
He’s revealing nuggets of wisdom just when you need them.
He’s providing a way through life.
He’s solving your mini issues which can overwhelm any person.
Your precious life is in His hands and He’s actively showing you the way.
You knew He would.
Come through.
Deep down, you knew.
Yet you still allow stress to step into your mind, completely distracting you.
Did you catch that?
We allow stress to literally step inside our mind and take over.
Completely distracting.
Hmmmmm…….
Oswald Chambers is one of my favorite authors.
Been reading his devotional for years.
His words are steeped with truth:
Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless in the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret. and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God.
I want my family to be stamped with the presence of God.
Imagine if we all submitted to God and asked Him to work through us each and every day.
How blessed we and our families would be.
Not to mention everyone else God places in your path.
Your way way was through the sea, Your path through the great waters;Yet your footprints were unseen.You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Psalm 77:19-20
God guides us by His hand using His plan.
His plan isn’t always what we think He should do, yet He is with us every step of the way.
He guides us and is not seen – but His miracles are.
He works through us to redeem ugly situations.
He guides us through the most unlikely places and leads us safely to the other side.
Imagine the Red Sea and the Israelites standing there, trapped.
Impossible situation in the world’s eyes.
But God is all about doing the impossible.
Step into their shoes and imagine the panic – the fear that would have gripped them,
doubting that God really knew what He was doing when He brought them out of Egypt.
Then, at the last minute, God delivered a miracle we still talk about today.
Life is like that.
Our situation may seem completely impossible – no options, doors all tightly closed.
But God comes through in a mighty way.
We simply must trust He is here with us, going before us.
That’s what trust is – believing in the unseen. The unknown.
God’s fingerprints are on your life. His footprints are next to you.
And He has your back as you trust in His unfailing love for you.
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:12
It’s easy to thank God when times are good.
When life is smooth, it’s easy to raise our hands to heaven, thanking the One who created all things.
How ’bout when life turns ugly?
When your life hits a speed bump and you are thrown to the ground, what then?
Are we still required to give thanks during those winter months?
Yep.
Seriously?
Uh-huh.
When God places a boulder in your path, thank Him for giving you directions around it.
When God moves you firmly out of one job into another, thank Him for rescuing you.
When God lifts you up and places you down in an entirely different life, thank Him for His protection.
You have no idea what God is protecting you from when He changes your course….your direction.
Thank Him.
He knows all things and is more aware than you realize.
Change your perspective. Begin thanking Him for the storms in your life.
Storms are when God shows up in powerful ways.
Sure, He’s there in times of sunshine as well, it’s just harder to see Him work.
When life is smooth sailing, you don’t need God as much.
When life is hunky dory, dependence on yourself increases. You become less thankful of the good things, because they surround you.
During storms, little pops of glory are obvious, filling our thankful hearts with hope.
Cultivate a heart of thankfulness. Regularly communicate your gratitude during your constant conversation with the One who created all things. The One who orchestrates the music of the universe.
I guarantee your attitude will shift and peace will return to your soul.
God has a plan. And He will reveal it to you in due time.
In the meantime, thank Him. Because we owe Him everything.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:26
In the quiet of my heart, God gently reminds me of how His fingerprints are all over my life.
I look around and see Him.
From when I was a little girl dreaming of my future, I wanted the life I have now.
I wanted to have a pile of kids, a home….create a haven for my family in this crazy world.
Show them how God’s love covers them from head to toe.
Guide them down the path of life and kiss them with grace when they fall.
Read stories snuggled on the couch and bake loads of yummy cookies.
I wanted to make them cozy quilts, dance with them to loud music, and laugh till we cry.
I am so thankful God has given me the very desires of my heart as a mother.
Is life easy? No way.
Has God always been there?
Every step of the way.
Every single step.
I know I’m far from perfect.
We moms are the first to admit we don’t have it all figured out.
But our hearts are here. We wear them on our sleeve.
We love, we nurture, we try our best to make our homes the safest place in the world.
And when we look back at being a mother, we don’t remember how we failed to wash every dish or wipe every tear.
We grin instead at all the memories.
Instead of measuring your mom success against the impossible worldly standards…instead of looking at others and comparing your faults to their successes, sit down in the quiet of your soul.
Know your very best is enough.
God chose you to mother your children. You.
And He doesn’t make mistakes, remember?
God’s precious details.
Your children.
Your home.
Your beloved.
When you choose to find them, when you open your eyes and really look around, you will see God’s blessings shouting forth.
Notice them.
God notices you.
He sees your struggles, your tears in the corner of your eye, your uncertainty as a mom.
That’s right where He wants you.
Depending on Him.
Just as your children depend upon you for their very existence, depend on God for wisdom and strength.
His supply is never ending and He is here to take care of you.
He holds mothers up with His strong hands.
Let Him help you.
Give Him the million rocks you carry and rest knowing He’s got you.
For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things. Psalm 107:9
You’re still holding the reins. Your life. You still want control.
I do?
Yes.
How do you know?
Easy. Every time you don’t see your life headed in the direction you want, you worry.
When an issue pops up on the horizon, you turn to worry instead of trust.
No – what… I do?
Yes.
Your car needs new tires and new brakes. Instead of calmly carving out a bit of time to buy some, you let that issue build into a problem larger than it ever needed to be.
And I solved your problem, didn’t I?
I sent you help.
I worked out the details.
Your job. I’m moving you to exactly where I want you.
Flinging wide the doors and slamming the other one shut.
Your life is changing into the life I have in mind for you.
Relax. I know the beginning from the end.
And I am with you every step of the way.
Your kids, your future…everything. I’ve got it all covered.
When your mind begins to focus on the unknown, stop.
Look back.
Haven’t I solved things for you so far?
I haven’t brought you this far to leave you high and dry on the side of the lonely road.
You are loved and taken care of.
I created you for My glory and to be a blessing to others.
You can’t possibly reflect My love to others if you are dressed in fear.
Fling off that ugly wardrobe and walk with Me.
Trust Me.
I will light your steps and help your face shine with wonder.
Many good things are in store.
So, you didn’t need to worry your little head at all.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments. Psalm 103:17-18
Since God has our back and He knows our every thought…
our every need…
our every heart’s desire…
Did you ever think about the fact that His help is already on its way?
Before we even think of our need.
Before we bow our knees in prayer.
His answer is on its way.
Coming at His perfect timing.
Not our timing.
But His.
Unexpectedly wonderful things.
Redeeming us.
Bringing us blessings in all the right places.
He sets things in motion before our first prayer is uttered.
He knows the beginning from the end.
If your heart truly rests with the heart of God, you can be assured help is on the way.
It’s been coming ever since God thought of it.
Which was a long time ago.
He knows all things.
He knows what is best.
And He loves you like crazy.
As you pray and trust God’s provision, be looking for that help to come.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. Psalm 62:5
Why is it that little things can send us crashing to the floor in utter despair?
If we are so dependent on God, little issues shouldn’t even phase us.
Frankly, we shouldn’t notice them.
But we do.
Life is absolutely full of disappointments and we must take each one with a grain of salt.
Expectations are a double edged sword.
On the one hand, we are full of happy anticipation. Yet at the same time, we can crumble in an absolute instant when what we thought would happen never even materializes.
How can we be happy one minute and sad the next?
How is it that our emotions are that ridiculously unstable?
Relying on human strength. Forgetting that God is in control and the author of all things.
How can we possibly forget that?
It’s unfortunately too easy.
Following Jesus, surrendering to His perfect will is a constant process.
Dying to ourselves is constant. Never ending.
Here’s the good news: if we remember God is in control and He has our back, then we can take disappointments in stride.
What does it matter if things don’t go our way?
What is our way? Is it God’s way?
God is not at all surprised by life. He’s seen it all and knows the beginning from the end.
Relax and take each disappointment in stride. Recognize life will be full of times that don’t go our way.
Pray about your day before your feet hit the floor.
Remember how much God loves you and wants to help your every move.
Next time you begin to swallow disappointment….the next time your eyes are tempted to well up with tears, beg God to intervene and replace your fear with hope.
That’s what disappointment really is at the core – fear. We fear (fill in the blank) will never improve or will always rear it’s ugly head.
Notice the words never and always. Kinda inflammatory, isn’t it?
But that’s how we think.
Look at things from the prism of everlasting life.
From the balcony of heaven, will it matter?
No, it won’t.
All disappointment is significant to us.
But truly, in the grander scheme of life, does it matter?
The next time you are faced with a moment of disappointment, turn it into a smile of expectation.
God is saying no to something so He can say yes later.
And if He has our back, if He wants the very best for us, and if He has a plan, then why not dare to smile.
And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long. Psalm 71:24
God wants all of you.
He wants desperately to be your all in all.
How do you begin to know His heart? Or know what He wants from you?
Constant conversation. A never ending conversation with God.
You’re kidding, right?
God wants to know about the missing socks, the broken garage door, or the mouse trap?
Yep.
He knows you inside and out and wants you to know Him the same way.
We have the most incredible opportunity in the world to seek God’s face.
We can become His companion.
His actual companion!
My conversations with God are never ending.
Inside my heart, I chat with Him about everything.
In the mornings, I thank Him for hot showers and delicious coffee (priorities!).
I thank Him for blessing me: all the people I love, job, church, and the plethora of material possessions just to scratch the surface.
I thank Him for looking out for me and giving me my heart’s desire.
I ask Him to plan my day and be with me each moment.
I ask Him to intervene in different situations, to lead me down the path He has for me, and give me an abundance of love to share with others.
During the day, I pop in with different things: a thank you for that unexpected surprise on my desk or help when I begin waving that white flag yet again.
Sometimes it’s just a plea for wisdom when those mini moments erupt with 4 children!
The only way I can explain it is constant conversation. A never ending chat with my best friend.
He knows my every thought. He is as close as the wind on my face.
And again, I will put my trust in Him. Hebrews 2:13
Submitting to God and giving Him every drop of worry will happen again and again.
Over and over.
What? Why?
Because we’re human and we forget, am I right?
Our minds are trained to worry when our future is unclear.
When life is as clear as mud, we worry.
When we don’t know what is going to happen, we automatically turn to worry.
Almost every time.
I personally like to plan to the nth degree. Yep. I’m a details girl.
Plan the summer vacation in early winter, shop ahead for Christmas and birthday gifts, and meals.
Yes, I once was one of THOSE women who grocery shopped/cooked for an entire month all at once. Even fruit? Well no, and I never went as far as freezing milk either, but that’s another blog post entirely.
The point is this: far into the future, I like to know what I will be doing.
I like to be ready. Prepared for anything.
And yes, I was a Girl Scout.
I’m not huge on spur of the moment adventures, so the detour my life took was very uncomfortable.
Extremely uncomfortable.
Why? Because it was not on my radar screen.
And so the pattern begins.
Crisis.
Crying out to God, asking Him to take it away, to solve your every problem.
He is faithful and provides strength and peace.
Not necessarily solving the problem, just providing peace in the storm.
Worry creeps back. Fear enslaves you. Back to panic mode.
You remember God and ask Him again to help you.
He does and peace floods your precious soul.
Daily give your worries to God, again and again. It cannot be any other way.
Why?
Because I can guarantee you worry will creep back into your mind through vulnerable moments that uncover your hidden fears.
When that happens, and believe me, it will, purpose to fix your eyes on Jesus.
Thank Him for your incredible blessings which are proof of His faithfulness to you.
Thank Him for your lessons and how far you’ve grown.
When we go through the fires of life, we don’t come out unscathed.
We have scars. Battle scars.
But those make us more beautiful. More real. More personable and relatable to others.
Even those of us with strong faith have days or moments when our hearts break for the smallest disappointment.
Our minds respond with human distress instead of godly wisdom or peace.
That’s ok.
Allow yourself that liberty not to be perfect.
But in those times, you must recognize that ungodly influence which wants to pull you back down into the pit.
Stand strong and whisper the precious name of Jesus.
Ask Him to relieve you of your burdens and worries.
God will reward you with peace. Sweet peace that passes all understanding.
In return, you must not allow your mind to keep returning to that dark prison of worry and fear.
Don’t entertain thoughts of doubt. Thoughts of worry.
You must choose life.
Trust. Again and again.
Ask God to help you plan your year, your day, each minute.
Ask Him what you should do with your time.
Every time a worry pops into your tired brain, pop it back into the arms of Jesus.
Amy Linnea 
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