My Anchor Holds

I remember, way back in 1998, when I placed my newborn daughter in her great-grandmother's arms she looked at her and said "I wonder what her life will bring". It was a somber moment from a woman who had seen what life does bring. At that time, it caused a brief sense of panic. I wanted to take my children and run. I didn't know where, but there had to be safety somewhere. Safety from the times of grief, and chaos, and consequences coming. Safety from all that life wishes to take from them including their very breath.

God reminds me daily that this is no place to live. That the fear of "what might happen" should not overshadow the "what is". He reaches out and wants to take all of these burdens I choose to carry, but some days I cling to them like anchors.

Whatever the past year has brought, whatever the next year will bring, God is there. Is. Not was, not will be. Is. He is behind us and before us fighting battles for us we haven't yet seen. He is present in this very second as you cry out, and He is present in the heartache coming in your future. He's already there.

Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid..."

Psalm 139

"God before us, God behind us,
God above us, God beneath us.
We on your path, O God.
You, O God on our way.
In the twistings of the road,
in the winding of the path,
be with us by day, be with us by night,
be with us by day and by night."
~John Philip Newell

The Weight of The Water

Islands full of trees in the middle of the flooded river always amaze me. The water comes up, and the water goes down, and the trees still stand up and wave to me on the bank. They must have really deep roots. Roots that reach their fingers way down and grab hold of rock. There are some baby trees out there, too. They look a little mangled after the water rises, but they survive with the help of the big guys around them.

Sometimes the flood waters rush right over you in this life. You're spitting water, and clinging with all your might to anything you can hold on to. Any minute it feels like you're going to be swept downstream. You're not alone. You look around thinking everybody else is "stronger than me". They aren't stronger, they have simply been where you are before. Dig in (to the Word), lean in (to others), and hang on (to the Rock). :D

Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”