Friday, May 8, 2015

My hope is found in Him



In many ways it’s a beautiful season for me. I see His goodness bursting forth in all things. I adore this time of being more intentional in my relationships with my husband, children and friends.  The days seem to move at a slower pace, a delightful pace of cherishing each and every moment.

This season isn't absent of sorrow. My heart mourns the loss of someone I love deeply. I have learned that a loss can come in many different forms; it does not only come with death. I pray daily for the person I love to choose differently. I pray daily for God to teach me to extend love, even if it goes unseen, no matter how this part of our story unfolds.

God takes us through different seasons. I believe in every season He seeks to reveal truth about Himself, give us new wisdom for our spiritual journey and leave us with a promise for more of Him.

I see it in His letters to the seven churches in the province of Asia (Revelations 1:4) as I read the Book of Revelation. Each one begins with a picture of Him, then gives a warning and ends with a promise.

It begins and ends with Him.

It’s all about Him.

I find myself wrestling with God at times over this season of less writing He has brought me to. The wrestle comes in the form of jealousy and comparison as my Facebook news-feed fills with beautiful posts written by others whom I adore. Jealousy and comparison is an ugly thing. It absolutely steals your joy. But He came to give us life to the fullest (John 10:10).

So God doesn't leave me in the wrestle.

He reminds me of who He is and who I am in Him.
He extends gentle warnings through His Word.
He promises more of Him if I choose to trust and obey Him.

I trust in you, Lord. 
You are good.
You are faithful.

I was asked recently to describe what made me fall in love with Jesus and what makes me follow Him. My response came with ease but it also came with wet eyes. Love stories are usually told with wet eyes.

It's for two words: redemption and transformation. I witnessed how He redeems and makes all things new. You can read our story here. And His work of redemption and transformation never ends. There's always more: more ways we need to surrender to Him and more ways He wants to transform us.

He is my hope . . . the hope for better. A life without Him would be a life without hope. A life without Him is one I will not choose.

Maybe what I love most about this season is how I have fallen in love with Him all over again. As He becomes greater in my life (John 3:30), through devoted time with Him and In His Word, He performs new miracles. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). I come before Him with my fears, doubts and thoughts of unworthiness, and He says, "I'm not finished with you yet, Beth. Look, I am doing a new thing" (Isaiah 43:19).

I have come to a place of knowing this season He has me in is the very place I need to be. I can see so clearly His love and goodness, even in the midst of sorrow. He will not waste this. There will be beauty on the other side. There will be a transformation. I know this with every fiber of my being because I have come to know Him.

This is the hope I profess: He is faithful. He is good always. His love is never-ending. His arms are far reaching—nothing is too far off for Him to redeem and transform.

It’s the hope which keeps my eyes and heart set on Him always. When He comes to my door He does not need to knock because the door to my heart remains wide open (Revelation 3:20).


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27 comments :

  1. Hi Beth! There is something so exciting, however quiet, about knowing that you are in just the right place. That what you think is a neutral gear is really moving forward...just in a different way.
    How exciting that someone thought enough of you to ask how you came to Jesus. That's proof that God is using you to speak for Him. And you do that here, and in your everyday. How He loves that!
    Keep on walking Beth. You are doing it very well.
    Blessings and Happy Mother's Day :)
    Ceil

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    1. Thank you, Ceil. Your comments are always a blessing to me. Happy Mother's Day! xoxo

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  2. "So God doesn't leave me in the wrestle. He reminds me of who He is and who I am in Him. He extends gentle warnings through His Word. He promises more of Him if I choose to trust and obey Him." Your heart before Him is beautiful. I understand the struggle of not writing and the jealousy and envy that goes along with it. I'm in that struggle. I believe God meant for me to read this post first thing this morning as He's speaking to my heart. Love you friend.

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    1. Keeping you in my prayers, Barbie. Love you. xoxo

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  3. Isn't it odd that the less we write, the more powerful or meaningful when we do?

    I hear you about the jealousy, and I bet there's not a social media user out there who doesn't experience this at some level. They'd be lying if they said otherwise.

    ;-}

    Don't let the enemy steal your joy, your spiritual growth, your peace, even midst the struggles.

    Weekend blessings, dear friend ... and hugs, too!

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    1. Thank you for your encouragement, Linda. Sunday blessings to you and Happy Mother's Day! xoxo

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  4. Dear Beth,
    I wish I could hug you right now and tell you what a beautiful soul you are and how pleased God must be as you hope in Him and trust in His goodness during this time of waiting...this time of quiet hidden growth...yes, let us not let the enemy steal our joy in Him....((Hugs))

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    1. I'd so love that hug, Dolly. You are so sweet and it's a blessing to know you in this online world. Much love. xoxo

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  5. ". . . a promise of more of Him." Yes, my friend, yes. Thank you for reminding me of my #oneword365 "new". That is needs to begin and end with Him. He is a Redeemer of many things. You're in my prayers, always. Have a blessed weekend, friend.

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    1. Your visit here is always a blessing to me, friend. Love you much. xoxo

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  6. Thank you so much for the sweet encouragement. It is really something to know you are in the right place with God even if it is hard. Blessings. Visiting from the Weekend Brew.

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    1. Thank you for your visit, Rebecca. Blessings.

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  7. I'm so glad you are blessed with a season filled with people and relationships with loved ones. I'm sorry for the difficult circumstance you are in. Loving people can be incredibly rewarding in some circumstances, yet overwhelmingly hard in others. Thank you for your always beautiful encouragement. I too can get so jealous seeing friends publish meaningful posts consistently throughout each week. I struggle to post once a week. I'm not really even doing that these days. Much love to you and your people, Beth :)!

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    1. Thank you, Candace, for sharing. I know the jealousy is a struggle for most of us. But through it I pray God grows us and rids us of what can hold us back in our spiritual walk with Him. Much love to you and yours. xoxo

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  8. Beth, this is so beautiful and such a blessing for me to read, to sense your love of the Lord, and to know that each season, no matter what it is about, is really all about Him. Oh, that I would know that in my heart when I am in those "hard seasons" because He makes all...ALL...things beautiful in His time.
    I am so thankful to have come to see you today. I want to give you a hug so this will have to do {{HUGS}}.
    You are loved.
    ~ linda

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    1. Linda, I adore you so much and so appreciate when you stop by to share. You bless me every single time. He does make ALL things beautiful in His time. <3
      Happy Mother's Day to you.
      xoxo

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  9. This is key to our hope, " Each one begins with a picture of Him, then gives a warning and ends with a promise. It begins and ends with Him."

    Thank you so much, Beth, for the reminder that while it is so easy for us to focus on our lives and circumstances, everything is ultimately about Him. I needed that today.

    May He continue to fill your cup to overflowing!

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    1. So glad you found encouragement you needed to hear, Heather. My cup IS overflowing.
      Many blessings to you. xoxo

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  10. wow what honesty and inspiration for hope in whatever season we are in. You made me wonder if at times we are in several different types of seasons, for example one of assurance and growth and another of grief. May account for our confusion and uncertainty at time. Never had considered that before. Thanks for that insight, Beth. Praying for you.

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    1. A good perspective, Jean. Thank you so much for sharing. Many blessings to you. xoxo

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  11. Beth,
    Beautiful words from a beautiful person! I love how you share the joy of your heart...that all your hope is found in Him. So fun to watch the journey He has been taking you on. Sharing in the pain...and the joy of the journey with you!
    Love and ((hugs)),
    Bev

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  12. God doesn't leave me in the wrestle...man, I loved that. ♥ Thank you so much for writing your heart as always.

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  13. Beth, as always, well-said words that deeply touched my heart. I know that there are heartaches during this current *season* in your life, but I love that you continue to let God work in your heart through it all. There are things, special things, that He teaches us when we feel broken.

    This line was my favorite: "So God doesn't leave me in the wrestle."

    So true. I feel like Jacob sometimes, wrestling and struggling with everything. But, like Jacob, I will not let go of God. And in the end, though I might be wrenched out of joint a bit, He leaves me with blessing after blessing!

    GOD BLESS!

    (Hope that you had a wonderful Mother's Day!!)

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  14. Your beautiful heart always shines through in your writing and your words bless me. I feel peace when I read your words because you are honoring God in your journey and letting Him take the lead. I always tell you that I love seeing this unfold in your life. Being intentional with your time is so important and you teach me how to do this gracefully and with love. Thank you for being you!

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  15. Oh, Yes! There will be a transformation! Standing with you in prayer for this heart you are interceding for. God is not surprised - He's got the plan - all while holding you and yours in the deep palm of his hand!

    BTW - I think we are both learning how to live a new "normal" - and in this learning, we are intentionally immersing ourselves into the newness of what goes into these 24 hours in the day - so much is a different new that it takes time to process:) Keeping you in my prayers!!!!~Maryleigh

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