Our Something

I started the devotional “Loved to Life” by Ann Voskamp.
I have been loving it!!! 💜
I wanted to share two things from the book that has been so sweet and special to me. I hope you find it is the same for you.

“Rest in His arms because only Christ’s love can disarm everything coming against you.”
~ Ann Voskamp

Each of us has something - a situation, a relationship, a work thing, a school thing, a diagnosis, a battle we are fighting for ourselves or for someone else. I feel like there is ALWAYS something!

I miss my mom’s hugs the most in these times. There is just something special about being enveloped in the arms of someone who you know is safe and will fight the world for you.
(If your mom or dad was not that safe person in your life, I am so very sorry. They should have been. You needed them to be. I also know that your Father - your Abba is that! He loves you and has fought the world for you. And Oh, Yeah, He won! I also pray that if you do not have that in a person, that you will start asking God for one and be open to who comes your way.)

“The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemy before you,
saying, ‘Destroy him!’”
Deuteronomy 33:27

He is our refuge - forever! We can go to Him a million times a day and He will always be there.

The same arms that reached for Mary when he fell and skinned His knee as a child are the same arms that reached out on the Cross to rescue us from a life of sin and hopelessness. They are the same arms that are holding you right now. His everlasting arms that protect you, comfort you, and let you know you are not alone.

He will fight for you! We can find comfort in His arms and let the anxiousness melt away as we settle in and listen to His heartbeat. Striving stops. Struggling stops. Worrying stops. Fear stops. Our Dad is bigger and badder than anything we face.

“Only the Lamb of God has a back equal to whatever burden we bear.”
~ Ann Voskamp

When you are brokenhearted or drooping under the weight of our sin or somethings, where do you look? What grabs your attention? How do you deal with the burden and be able to function in life?

“O, our God, will you not judge them?
For we have no power to face this vast army
that is attacking us. We do not know what to do,
BUT
our eyes are upon you.”
2 Chronicles 20:12

Do we look to God? Are our eyes looking into His eyes and see the love there? Do we know that He is looking at us - waiting?

There have been times when that “mom” look from across the room told my kids to settle down. There have been times when a “you’ve got this” look gave me encouragement to step out and do something scary. There have been times when “this hurts” look from my kids or grandkids broke me. There have been times when the look of pure love came running at me on little legs bringing peace and joy to my heart.

So why do we think that our Dad is different? Why do we think He doesn’t want to see all the emotions we have in each and every something we are walking through?!

As I am thinking about Easter and what that meant for Jesus to walk through, may I suggest that He rested in the Arms of His Father in the struggle of “Not my will, but Yours.”

Jesus DID NOTHING without God. He ONLY did and said what He heard God say. He often went to be alone to fix His gaze to His Father to get strengthened for the something He was going to walk through that day.

Why? Why do we think we need to do anything less?

My need to know that God is bigger and can handle what is coming at me is crucial for my faith and trust in Him.
My need to look into His eyes in those moments of distress and see love and confidence is crucial for my peace and foritude.
My need for a refuge, a place of safety and calm, in the midst of turmoil is crucial for anxiety and worry.

I have a withness in God.
I am not alone.
You are not alone.

“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 45:1 (ESV)

No matter what your something is that you are facing, I hope you remind yourself that God is with you and He can carry you no matter how fierce the storm, how heavy the burdens are that you carry or how brokenhearted you are.

He is with you and is faithful - I know this to be true!

Have a wonderful day, Loved of God!
All My Love ~
Jodi

The only way to make sure you never miss a blog is to sign up for our emails below. xo