Tag: trusting God

LET GO & LET GOD

I love words which makes sense given the fact I write a blog so when I spotted customizable letter peg boards at Hobby Lobby I knew I’d purchase one eventually—but a couple of years ago when we hosted a foreign exchange student she bought one for me as a Christmas gift unknowingly (to her) that it was a piece I’d been admiring previously.

I remember the first time I was deciding which words I would clip to the board. I wanted something that was simple, truthful, and that spoke boldly to me.

I chose “LET GO & LET GOD.”

For me those words sum up how every concern, fear, worry, or negative that crosses my thoughts should be handled. But I must admit, often times it’s easier to read them than to put them to action.

After that phrase was displayed on the letter board for a few months my always curious exchange student asked me one day if I was ever going to change it to something different.

“Honestly I’m not sure I can come up with something more fitting,” I responded.

…And to this day those same words cling to that little gray letter board.

As my husband and I have been currently remodeling our home I’ve rearranged wall decor also and that particular piece has now been transferred from the dining area to a wall in our kitchen.

As I was in the process of moving it, I held the board in my hands and realized that phrase had simply become nothing more than the plaque it stuck to—just another home accessory like the rest of my wall decor. The meaning of those words had lost their luster in the same way most collectables do.

The thought left me with the sting of guilt and I paused on those words…

LET GO & LET GOD

I considered how fragile my heart and feelings have been recently, how stressed I’ve felt lately, and how I’ve been doing anything but “letting go and letting God.”

And I realized when we truly consider those words, applying them to an unsettled heart can make a huge difference.

When concern hits, “let go & let God.”

When fear threatens, “let go & let God.”

When worry consumes, “let go & let God.”

What other choice do we have?

As Christians, if we are going to claim faith in Jesus then trusting Him with every area of our lives is something we should be doing also—along with placing control in His perfect plans.

I love Proverbs 3:5-6 for this reminder—

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”

That verse is the beauty behind the deep meaning of, “LET GO & LET GOD.”

I don’t want those words to hang from my wall without grabbing my attention each time I see them. I want them to fall fresh on my heart every time. I want my thoughts to anchor to the value they hold and turn to the God they point to.

There’s not a one of us who doesn’t struggle at some period or another, but it’s when we take a wavering mindset heavenward that we see a quicker path of healing. When we turn to God with a “let go & let God” attitude we are met with beautiful mercy and grace.

This is something that is very much in my own need of practice just as much as it might be yours. I pray that as we face difficulties or control-freak antics it would be without hesitation that we would counteract by letting go and letting God.

Sweet Labor Day weekend blessings to you all! I’m headed to the mountains for a much needed getaway with my family and some amazing friends of ours.

Until next time!❤️

Lessons from Grandpa Fred’s ‘Early’ Turn Signal

Every once in a while I reminisce back to the days of my early teen years. Often times that’s a mess of shame but there’s one memory that makes me smile or laugh out loud every time…

My best friend’s grandpa used to take her and I and another one of our friends to youth group a few towns away from where we grew up. I think her grandpa must’ve went to a Bible study group during that same time so it worked out pretty well.

The funny part about it is that he’d put his turn signal on in his classy white Lincoln Town car blocks before we’d ever get to the turn that lead to the church. I’d like to think it was because he was proudly but humbly letting people know where we were headed. Realistically that probably wasn’t the case — but either way (between sips of fruit flavored soda pop that he had treated us to) we’d quietly crack up because of his very early turn signal. I don’t think he ever caught on to our snickering…if so he never let us know.

I wish I could say I remember more about my time spent once we actually got to the church but unfortunately I was too self absorbed at that point of my life and probably present for the socializing more than anything.

Lately I’ve been substitute teaching over in that same little town where I used to hit up youth group and as I pull into town I can’t help but think about Grandpa Fred’s drastic turn signal antics.

It’s amusing to me that this memory comes to mind of all things and so I challenged myself to reflect and dig in a bit.

When driving, a turn signal serves as a warning for good purpose — for safety and protection.

The interesting thing is, that flashing signal before the turn is similar to the way God works. When we read His word, all throughout we see warnings and directions for our benefit, in effort to guide our lives before we step into trouble.

I praise God for that; it helps me navigate on the straight but narrow path.

There are times though when God’s warning signal is flashing and I choose to ignore or reject it. I fail to resort in putting His good word before life obstacles. When I deviate away I’m lost in twists, turns, and dead-ends.

In Psalm 25 verses 8-11 we read, ‘Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.’

Those words above remind me that scripture is the place to find instruction and guidance for my life, recognizing that I’m a sinner in need of His direction.

And then let’s check out Romans 15:4

‘For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.’

I love the inspiration packed into every one of those words.

When we consider the way the turn signal serves as a blessing for not only ourselves but others as well it pairs up with what we find as we read on in Romans 15…

Verses 5 & 6 have this to say: ‘May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’

Notice how Paul’s words here are portraying the idea that when we are obedient to the Lord’s ways it should show in our behavior towards others. Obedience for ourselves and looking out for others is a way to glorify God, sort of this positive domino effect objective.

The same is true with using a turn signal. The advantage in its use is that it’s causing us to be other’s-focused whether we’ve thought about it or not. It does ourselves well when used, but the benefit it serves to others is just as huge. There’s two-way gratuity in it. Likewise God’s word guides and protects us and then we have the opportunity to share that blessing with others.

Looking back at Grandpa Fred’s early turn signal habit does my heart good.

The whole point in that half an hour drive was to deliver a few wild (and for the most part clueless girls) over to youth group — and himself to Bible study.

At the time we may have been giddy with excitement about a turn signal getting clicked on blocks before the turn but in hindsight Grandpa’s focus wasn’t caught up in a turn signal at all. Instead he knew that the real destination was all about ‘driving our faith.’

…Just as though God’s word guides us with ‘signal warnings’ throughout — the real effort is to navigate us closer and nearer to Jesus and His likeness, with our final destination Heaven-bound.

Relying On God More Than Ever

For years I’ve been such a control-freak and I’ve written about it openly in past blog posts. If our world has shown me anything lately it’s that I’m learning I have little control over much.

Sure I can control my choices, my attitude and my response, but apart from that I have no say.

But God.

He is fully prepared. All-knowing. Powerful. The perfecter of control.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, ‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’

The real truth is that ultimately God has and is in control over every single little detail and part of life, and I’m actually finding such peace in seeing that I have control over very few things. Trying to take control of “things” or areas of life is exhausting. The sobering part of this is that in realizing I have minimal control, it’s forcing me to rely heavily on Jesus — knowing, trusting and believing that He has got absolutely everything in His hands, and in His care and His perfect control.

I’ve had a lot of people tell me lately that they’re living in fear, and I (myself) just haven’t been. But I think it’s because I’ve been drawing my strength from the Lord by reading His word and through prayer and reading devotions. I’m certainly frustrated by the circumstances of our world but it’s not causing me fear or anxiety.

It may seem like God is dragging His feet during these times but scripture shows that God’s not worried about time. His “concern” is that we surrender and become obedient. It’s not our right to groan about His timing. He’s been faithful throughout Bible history, He has in the years since and will continue to.

When we become impatient regarding God’s timing we can hold onto these scriptures:

Psalm 90:4 ‘For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.’

Hebrews 13:8 ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.’

Romans 8:28 ‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.’

If there is change happening, it’s within us — God is simply unchanging and He is faithful.

For a recovering control-freak all of these scripture-truths are good news as I lean into my faith — trusting in God’s flawless plans more than ever.

May any changing happening be for the better, drawing us nearer to Him.

Let Go and Let God…my husband says so

IMG_7656Cuddled up on the couch with my two youngest children on each side of me, and a blanket draped across our laps, we finally finished a novel we had slowly been reading through.

Empty containers once filled with popcorn and half drank cups of hot chocolate with shrunken marshmallows sat on the worn wooden table before us, alongside the thick-paged children’s novel.

Moments before my boy and girl urged me, “read on mommy, keep going.” …And now here we were another book done, the last words fresh in our minds, but discontent spread across each of their young faces.

They both agreed they didn’t like how the story had ended. They didn’t think it was fair that over the many times this book had excitedly left them in suspense as we’d finish a chapter and wait a day or two to start the next—the ending had now done the same, but this time left them unsettled instead of satisfied.

I understood their feelings all too well. I thought about the many times a certain situation has come my way and the ending details have left me uneasy, with hollow emotions… Continue reading “Let Go and Let God…my husband says so”

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