Look Out Below!

Written by guest author, Aaron McGlone

When I was young, there was this kid that lived behind us that I liked to hang out with. He lived with his grandparents and had all these cool toys. One of those cool toys was an Atari game system with the game Pitfall. The goal of Pitfall was pretty simple in that you just had to get your character through the jungle and miss falling into these random pits or lakes. Whenever you came to a pit or a lake, you would jump onto a vine and swing over to the other side. As simple as the game was, I, for whatever reason, was really bad and always ended up falling into the pits.

A few years ago, as I was thinking about this game, I thought to myself how I tend to view life like I’m playing Pitfall. Like sometimes I’m just going along, minding my own business, and boom, there’s a pit and I fall into it. Then other times I feel like I’m more alert, and I see it coming, so I grab onto anything that looks like it might help, and I get to the other side. Truthfully, sometimes I just make it worse than it was when I started.

Now I’m sure some of you are thinking, “Wow, this feels super encouraging. Thanks, Aaron!” Well, I’m going to show us what God’s Word says about the pitfalls in our life and how they can actually be for our benefit. So, let’s look at the book of James and start with verse 2 of chapter 1: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.

Okay, so what I hear when I read this verse is when I get to a trial or pitfall, I should be happy about it and make sure to look Christian. Now that is called taking a verse out of context, which is the opposite of how you should approach God’s Word. But I have to be honest with you; I have more often than not done that very thing, and with this verse even.

Okay, with my confession out of the way, let’s move forward and see this in context with verses 3 and 4, so we can see the full truth. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

We see now, in full context, these trials or pitfalls that we all face, allow our faith to be tested, and that causes patience; or we could even say endurance as some translations put it. That endurance is what we all need to be able to walk through this life as believers. The reality is being a Christian isn’t easy and without a strong faith, we would never be able to finish well. That faith we have is simply our trust in God, who is all powerful and can do anything, and He is always allowing us the opportunity to learn to trust Him. The reality is that these opportunities, whether we like it or not, will graciously come in situations where we may feel pain. See only when we can see that God is our only refuge and strength will we then find that we have all that we need.

Now I’m not saying that God is going to overload your life with pain, but I’m also not saying it will ever be pain-free either. What I am saying is nothing is wasted in God’s Hands, and in nothing you go through will you walk alone. We have to learn to praise Him on the mountaintops and learn to trust Him in the valleys. He loves us and He will never leave us or forsake us and we will never walk alone and when we do fall, He will always be there to pick us up.

He is always allowing us the opportunity to learn to trust Him. The reality is that these opportunities, whether we like it or not, will graciously come in situations where we may feel pain. See only when we can see that God is our only refuge and strength will we then find that we have all that we need. – Aaron McGlone

“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still” – Corrie ten Boom

Written by Aaron McGlone   03/20/2026

For more devos by Aaron, check out the Guest Author page here.

It’s a privilege to offer a platform for aspiring writers who love the Lord, seek His glory above all, and have a message of Biblical hope and encouragement. Allow me to introduce to you my first guest author, my oldest son, C. Aaron McGlone.

Bio –

“My name is Aaron McGlone and I am living proof that God has, and still does use
donkeys for His plans. My wife Carlena and I have been blessed to be married for
25 years and we have 3 grown children and 2 grandsons. I enjoy reading,
listening to sermons and going for walks with my grandsons and I get to serve
each week at the Columbus Dream Center. I have been a Christian for 22 years and
through the ups and downs of my walk with Christ He has shown Himself to always
be faithful. My desire is to live my life in such a way that it brings God glory
whatever that looks like, because nothing left in Gods hands is ever wasted.“

– Aaron McGlone

Prison Doors and Prison Walls

Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name. –Psalm 142:7b NKJV

In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered and set me free. – Psalm 118:5 BSB

It’s a routine, yet bursting with meaning, procedure. Grasping the thick handle, we open the heavier-than-it-appears door, walk to the counter and exchange pleasantries as we slip our coats and belts into a plastic bin and slide it to the person behind the counter. Walking through the metal detector, we then hand- over our ID and sign under the “volunteer” column of the lined paper. After getting our hand stamped, we walk through another heavy door and wait as the group of us pause for someone to buzz us through yet another heavier-than-it-appears door. And so begins our evening of serving the Lord by serving those behind physical prison walls and prison doors.

As I have had the privilege of listening to and sharing with the ladies behind those hauntingly thick walls, barbed-wire fences, and heavy doors, I am reminded that prison walls come in all shapes and sizes. Physical walls that we can trace our hand across and feel the cold, sterile concrete, but there are also walls and doors that bind us emotionally, spiritually, relationally, and mentally.  The ravages of abuse, addictions, hurt and regret, to name just a few.

True freedom, soul-deep freedom, is possible, even if thick walls and heavy doors surround us.

Jesus Christ came to set the captive free, to proclaim liberty and announce freedom to those who are captive and bound. He says to us (those who admit that we are bound) “Come out into freedom, leave the darkness and walk in the light.” Whether we are bound by addiction, unforgiveness, anger, fear, or shame, He can set us free, even if/when physical walls surround us. True freedom is found in Christ alone. Not in a location. Not in ideal circumstances.

Freedom is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not lack of heavy doors and thick walls.

There are “free men” living as prisoners to their passions/addictions/bitterness or chained to the shame/pain of their past. And there are “incarcerated” folks living in soul-deep freedom.  Understanding their usefulness to the Lord isn’t dependent on circumstances or location or concrete walls.

We are limited only by our choice to surrender to Him or our pain, to Him or our bitterness, to Him or our anger. Surrendering to Him or our continued cycle of bad choices, blame and self-imposed bondage. Freedom is found in a personal relationship with Christ, not lack of heavy doors and thick walls. I have seen it first-hand as I’ve listened to the stories shared behind those prison walls. And though I’ve never been bound by physical walls, I was once a woman who walked in chains of bondage just as restraining as concrete and barbed wire. But He set me free, Oh, thank You Jesus, I am free!

Are you? He stands ready to pardon and redeem. Call out to Him now.

Father God, our Deliverer and Burden-bearer, please enable us to surrender completely to You and Your will. Help us walk in the genuine freedom that Your Son purchased for us with His Blood  on the Cross. Regardless of our circumstances. Thank You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Scripture references used:

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Isaiah 61:1b NKJV

The LORD sets the prisoners free, the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down. Psalm 146:b-8a BSB

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’ Jeremiah 6:16 BSB      

The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners. Luke 4:18b CEV

The LORD sets the prisoners free. Psalm 146:7a BSB

I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’ Psalm 149:9 NLT

Hebrew: Freedom: A sending away, a letting go, a release, pardon, complete forgiveness. From aphiemi; freedom; pardon.

Hebrew: Rest: Resting place  

Rock of Ages, Cleft for me

Recently, while praying over a friend and thinking deeply about all they’re walking through, this old devo came to mind. I pray it encourages you today. He is our Rock of Ages. – Becky

Listen to devo

I called on Your name, O Lord, Out of the lowest pit. You have heard my voice…

O Lord, You have seen my oppression.

Great is Thy faithfulness.

Who is among you who [reverently] fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor [in his heart]? Let him rely on, trust in, and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God.

Lamentations 3 selected verses NASB   Isaiah 50:10 AMP

Jeremiah, the prophet, begins this section of Scripture by “crying out from the lowest pit” and ends by boldly declaring, “Great is Your faithfulness.” He said this, when as yet, his circumstances remained lowest-pitish. If we step back further into this book of lamenting, we see that he came near to the brink of hopelessness – often. So how did Jeremiah go from despair, to declaring God’s faithfulness? Did he watch a master-class on living an overcoming life?  No, this real-life man, known as the weeping prophet had a relationship with the One True God and had learned to lean into that relationship, to trust the Lord God, in spite of all that was wrong and difficult and heavy in his life. His circumstances did not dictate his faith or view of God.

Let’s be real.  Sometimes circumstances don’t change. Sometimes our “lowest pit” remains. The truth is, there will be seasons of no “shining splendor” in our hearts, but instead, darkness and deep trouble. Even for those who “reverently fear the Lord and obey His voice.” Our “lowest pits” may be canyon-deep crises that threaten to send us over an emotional cliff, like an unfaithful spouse or a rebellious teenager, an unexpected illness or the death of someone we love. A pit may be the day-to-day challenges of life that come like a steady and sustained drip of difficulty, wrapped in the form of a dead-end job, disappointment with life or struggling to make ends meet. If you’re breathing, I know you have a lowest-pit of your own that’s coming to mind.

It’s one thing to trust God for a particular outcome, but another thing all together, when we learn to trust Him no matter the outcome. Period.

To simply trust Him.

You will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings.  

01/04 Streams in the Desert

The Lord has literally kneaded these truths into my heart, maybe He’s done the same for you. Through the death of two of my children. Through the, not-enough-money–for-the-month life as a teenage mom, to heart wrenching betrayal. And even the ache of regret from my own past mistakes.  I have found that though the difficulties were seldom removed, when I leaned into God, He provided the ability to stand. To walk through. And I came out with this truth on my lips – Great is His faithfulness. Lean hard into that truth dear one, He will not fail you.

Father, I.  Trust. You. it’s so much easier to say the words than to walk it out, Lord. Help me trust You in spite of the pain, and in the midst of all that appears wrong… with disappointments, with crises that overwhelm or monotony or the fear of what if… I choose to lean hard into You, Father. You are worthy of my trust. In Jesus’ name, Amen

 Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here to purchase a hard copy or download a *FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life. *(Along with other free products).

You may also purchase Stony Paths, learning to Trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life, by visiting Lulu Publishing or Amazon.

I’ve Got This… Not.

Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.  Psalm 54:4 NASB

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 2:9 BSB

My busy, rush-hour morning commute is usually heavy with red tail-lights and I-hope-someone-lets-me-in lane maneuvers, this particular morning was no exception. As I made my way through traffic, and as part of my normal routine, I talked with God about two particular sections of the freeway that always cause me to pray. “Lord, here it is, this section is so hard for me, please help me find a lane,” as I leaned my head forward and looked to my right for an opening to steer into.

But this morning as I prayed, a thought occurred to me for the first time; “Does that necessarily mean that I think I can handle the rest of “it” without God’s help?” Recoiling at the very idea, I literally spoke out loud, “Yeeesh, I can’t believe I thought that!  Lord, the breath in my body. The energy to get up in the morning. The cognitive skills to drive a car. You provide me with everything. But somehow, in my mind, I realize that think I only need you for “this hard part over here, I can take care of the rest.’”  Oh, the subconscious pride embedded within the human heart!

Then the question grew… How often do I do that with other areas of my life?  (How often do you?)

Of course, some of us go the opposite direction and only ask the omnipotent God for “manageable” requests. Nothing too big and certainly nothing we would deem impossible. Just simple things like a parking spot or His blessing over a meal. Let’s not bother God with what we can do ourselves. Ouch.

Listen closely. Bend down, cup your ear. It absolutely honors the Lord when we turn to Him for everything. Bringing every need, every challenge and even every joy to Him with a grateful heart of thanksgiving. Of course it’s important to pray about challenging traffic, crying toddlers, heavy workloads and the ache of loneliness. The point that the Holy Spirit was making to me this morning was that I need Him in all areas, at all times. Not just traffic or even weightier matters like heart surgery, a family member’s cancer diagnosis or prodigal children. We (I) need Him to supply our next breath until He’s ready to call us home.  He wants us to know; really know He is the Giver and Sustainer of life and honor Him as such.  And yes, thankfully, He even cares about what lane of traffic is open.  

“There is nothing that moves a loving father’s soul quite like his child’s cry.”– Joni Eareckson Tada

My Father, I need You for everything. Please show me where I’m trying to do things on my own without relying on You, Your power, Your wisdom, Your strength and Your grace. A traffic jam is such a silly example, but You took the time to use it to point out the unrecognized layer of pride of my heart and loved me enough to put Your finger where I needed it. Not to condemn me, but to grow me.  I love You Lord! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Free Downloads

Remember?

Your eyes have seen what the LORD did. Deuteronomy 4:3

“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children. Deuteronomy 4:9

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Deuteronomy 5:15

Be careful not to forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 6:12 Deuteronomy, chapters 4, 5 and 6 BSB

“Remember what your eyes have seen the Lord do.”  In reading through this Old Testament book, those words grabbed my attention. “Remember what your eyes have seen.” Reading further, I noticed that theme repeated several times. In context we’re reading about the ancient Israelites, but as always, we must apply His Word to our own lives as well. So, I asked myself; “What have my eyes seen the Lord do, what was my “land of Egypt” that required deliverance and am I remembering?” The question caused my thoughts to tumble back in time to a church service, some 45 years ago.

Pushing the yellow polka-dot stroller as I walked along High Street in the Short North area of Columbus, I arrived at the store-front church that was adorned with a large bygone-era lighted cross. The old country-style church embedded in an ultra-urban setting, was affectionately called, Old Time Religion Hall. Once inside, I pushed the stroller, and my now awake *infant son, down the narrow hardwood-floor aisle, lined on both sides with bare wooden pews. Also, from a bygone era. Adjusting the stroller to fit snuggly beside me, I slipped into the pew and exhaled even as I breathed in a still unfamiliar, but an amazing and soul-deep peace. His peace.

Rising to my feet with the rest of the small, mostly elderly congregation, we sang songs like Amazing Grace, Peace in the Valley, and Old Rugged Cross. Songs that were unfamiliar to me, but with words that clearly articulated what had happened in my life just a year earlier. So new to this “new” life, I was stunned that someone had penned the words of my own heart, not yet realizing that millions had gone before me as new creations in Christ.

I was also, utterly unconcerned at being the lone teenager in the gray-haired crowd, or who might hear my very off-key singing. Loudly and with great enthusiasm, I belted out the words, “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.”   Tears were a common occurrence as I took in the reality of the miraculous deliverance from a life of rebellion, heartache, and anything but peace. A gift that Jesus Christ had purchased for me with His Blood. So undeserved.

Remembering what my eyes have seen … not to necessarily remove my difficulties, but to walk me through them. And through them He has walked me! Not over, or around, but through.

What do you need to call to mind, what can you purposefully remember? What has the Lord done that your eyes have seen? Remember … thank Him, and then share it!

Precious Lord and Savior, though words can never adequately express our profound gratitude, we simply bow in worship and say, “Thank You.” We love You, Lord. Be gloried in and through our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus.

My Story

Guest Author

The Flames of Anxiety

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. Isaiah 43:2 NKJV

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.… Philippians 4:6-7 Berean Standard Bible

Faith refuses to judge God by circumstances.

The distressing phone call came at such an inconvenient time. (Is there ever a good time for a crisis?). In the middle of an already challenging workday, the unwelcome news added a heavy layer to her heart. Creating a tangible struggle to maintain peace in the midst of it all. Her mind raced as she felt the anxiety level growing, until the “waters” of anxious thoughts seemed to reach her very nostrils. As if from the old days of routinely-practiced elementary school fire drills, she knew exactly what to do. She’d been here before. She’d worked through the steps many times.  So, talking to the Lord, she reminded herself of His Word, and began quietly playing worship music and continued on with her work day.

To her frustration, the anxious feelings and racing heart didn’t budge so easily. Not this time. Instead, she had to walk through the fire of “what if,” as the flames licked her heals. She had to trust that God’s Word was, and is, true and that the flames of anxiety would not scorch her in the process.

Focusing her heart and mind on the Lord and His promises, in spite of her body’s physical reaction, felt a near impossibility. Eventually, taking pen to paper and quickly writing out her thoughts in the form of a prayer to the Lord, though the crisis remained, her mental and spiritual equilibrium returned. And with that, the hand-to-hand combat was over. For the moment. His Word, wielded through the sword of memorized scripture, had prevailed. Some enemies don’t fall easily do they? But fall they will as we learn to be persistent and stand on the Truth.

As the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, though we walk through the fire, we will not be burned, He will be with us in the floods and in the flames. It is enough to know He is with us and that He controls the heat. There will be times when we must simply take God’s hand and walk through things. Not over or around, but through. And make the choice to trust God in spite of all we see, in spite of the pain or uncertainty embedded in our trial.

God does not promise to deliver us from our circumstances, but to be with us in the midst of them.

– Anne Graham Lotz

It’s my prayer, that even as the flames (of whatever sort) lick your heals, you will trust that He is with you in the fire and is sovereign over the heat. Now, let’s pick up our swords and wield them by the power of His Holy Spirit who lives within us!

My Father, How grateful I am for Your presence, with me, in these flames of difficulty. I choose to rest in You and lean hard on the truth of Your Word, as I speak it out loud to my spirit, You have promised that when I submit to You, resist, the devil, he will flee. Amen! In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Products page

Unknowns of Life…

He knows what is in the darkness…

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.

Daniel 2:22b NASB   Psalm 142:3a  NASB

The unknown. We all fear it. We avoid situations that cause it. We try to prevent it. But it’s unavoidable isn’t it? We have no idea what the traffic will be on our way home from work let alone the weighty unknowns of life. The unknown factors at work in our world, our country, our health or our families. Will a spouse walk out? Will a pink slip be handed us? Will a terminal diagnosis be given? Try as we might, there is no adequate preparation for the pain and shock of such unknowns. For such times of darkness. Darkness that has the capacity to cause us to feel overwhelmed by the fear of the unknown.

As I pondered the idea of the unknowns of life, my eyes fell on this, circled and highlighted in orange, sentence in my Bible; “He knows what is in the darkness.” Though I don’t recall why I highlighted the verse – at this moment, it jumped off the page at me. His Spirit speaking directly to me. “Becky, I know.” My Father knows what the darkness conceals. He knows my path, He illumines my darkness. He knows. I found genuine comfort embedded in that reminder.

He knows what’s in your path as well. He sees around the corner of your dark alleyway. He illumines your darkness.

Whatever form of darkness you’re facing today, trust the One who sees into the dark unknown and follow His lead through the murkiness of your circumstance.

Becky White

The unknowns, the around-the-corner issues of life are like a darkness that conceals what we desperately want to know. What’s next on the agenda of life’s challenges? A toddler’s sniffles or a marriage in distress? A cancer diagnosis or a broken-down car? A career move or a sudden death? A child’s rebellion or an out-of-my-comfort-zone season? Whatever the “darkness”, He sees, He is aware.

Whatever form of darkness you’re facing today, trust the One who sees into the dark unknown and follow His lead through the murkiness of your circumstance.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night, “even the darkness is not dark to you the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Psalm 139:11-12 ESV

“Now, I know in my experience that Jesus’ light is stronger than the biggest darkness.”

Corrie ten Boom

My Father,

Try as I might, I can’t “prepare” for every potential difficulty that may occur (And You know I try!). Grant me the ability to rest in the knowledge that You see into the darkness of my challenges and have already made provision for all that will come my way. You are never caught off guard. Thank You Father!

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

https://devotionsfordifficultdays.wordpress.com/products/

White-Knuckle or Rest?

The thought of white-knuckling my way through life and it’s inevitable challenges came rushing back to my mind yesterday.  Though today’s challenges are much different than when this devo was originally written (the aftermath of open heart surgery), the truths are the same.

Whatever you’re walking through today, I pray He uses it to encourage and strengthen you. And to rely on His strength,  not your own.

In His service,

Becky White

He leads us beside quiet waters, He restores our soul. Psalm 23:2b, 3a

He who has compassion on them, will lead them and guide them to springs of water. Isaiah 49:10b

My sheep hear my voice and another they will not follow. John 10:27

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

Each morning, just before I pour coffee into my disposable paper coffee cup, I hold it up to read the note left by my husband. Every day he faithfully leaves a new note of encouragement/tender love/Bible verse. Okay – you may begin the collective awwwwwwws 😊 I know I am blessed.

Recently, the note read, “Good morning beautiful – REST in Jesus.”

Allow me to admit that my first thought was, “What do you mean? I’m resting in Jesus. Can’t you tell how at peace I am?? What are you trying to say??”

My husband could clearly see what I was oblivious to.  Rather than resting in Jesus through my present physical crisis, I was white-knuckling my way through. Later, I had a brief phone call from our oldest son, who unknowingly echoed his step-dads words. Once again, the Lord brought to mind the idea of white-knuckling rather than resting.

Feeling driven to do just a bit more rather than listening to the Lord’s still small voice calling me to rest. Rest in the midst of the emotional and physical pain. Rest in the midst of the disappointment (and dare I say, grief?) at the reality of my current challenge. Rest in the knowledge that He holds my life and my future in His hands. And what He does with the life I’ve given Him is His business.

My circumstances haven’t changed but the weight of it has shifted from my shoulders to the Lord’s as I purposefully cast the whole of my care and anxiety onto Him. I am purposefully listening for His voice to lead me and refusing to allow my thoughts to drive me.

Though a personal antidote, I pray the Lord will speak to you through my (embarrassing) honesty. Is there an area of your life that you’re white-knuckling your way through rather than resting in the One who died for you? Rather than allowing Him to lead you beside still waters, are you allowing your thoughts to drive you to emotional/mental/physical exhaustion? It could be a marriage (or lack of one) or a job situation or loneliness or a health crisis or children “in the far country.” Whatever the challenge, it’s His cue to take His yoke and drop our self-made yoke of oppression.

There comes a crisis hour to each of us – when we face either ruin or something higher than we ever dreamed. God knows how to lead us up to this crisis and He knows how to lead us through.

Streams in the Desert 08/20

Father God, Enable us to rest in You. To allow Your Holy Spirit to have His way…As we release the death-grip of our own efforts that drive us to exhaustion. Thank You for your patience Father. You are so good! We love You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

The Chaos of Life

For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel has said this, “In returning [to Me] and rest you shall be saved, In quietness and confident trust is your strength.” But you were not willing.

Be still before the LORD; wait patiently for Him and entrust yourself to Him; Do not fret.

Isaiah 30:15 AMP      Psalm 37:7a   AMP

We live in a world of chaos. Chaos of mind and sounds and images all around us screaming for our attention. At the tip of our fingers we’re made aware of devastating earthquakes in Thailand or political and cultural unrest seething across the globe. Not to mention the unrest that is often in our families and our own hearts. Add to this constant stream of information, the busyness of everyday life challenges, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by it all.

Today’s Scripture from Isaiah is brimming with deep truths, but I’d like to pull just one thread to help us with this information/trial overload. In returning to the Lord we will find rest, in quiet confident-trust in Him, we will find strength.

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself, “Wait a minute, I didn’t leave the Lord, why do I have to return?” But have we “left” Him by trying to do life in our own strength? Have we “left” Him by relying on our own wisdom? Have we “left” Him by seeking Oprah-esc advice rather than listening to the Holy Spirit? Return. To Him. And find authentic, soul-deep rest, in spite of the chaos.

“In quietness and confident trust (In the LORD God) is our strength.” Here’s where I fall down more often than I like to admit. My life and thoughts can be so noisy. And busy. Busy serving, busy with family, busy working or keeping up with current events … just busy. Before long, my thoughts and heart are anything but quiet. As the noise level rises, so does my lack of peace and felt strength. It’s the Holy One, the Lord God Himself who has promised that in quietness and trust in Him we find our strength…. So we must purposefully stop, regroup, catch our mental breath, and then be quiet in His presence. Resting in His sovereign care over our life and all the chaos that surrounds us.

No, this isn’t a magic formula to dispel the raw challenges of real life, but rather, His formula for facing each of them in His strength and with His peace. Strength and Peace in the midst of chaos, from God Himself.

God uses trouble to teach His children precious lessons.

Stream in the Desert

Father God, I choose to be quiet in Your presence and entrust my life into Your hands. Scary, yes, but You are entirely trustworthy. Leaving the chaos and noise behind me, regardless of my circumstances, I rest in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones Over Water With Sky by Peter Cade

As for you, you meant evil against me but God meant it for good to bring about this present result.

Genesis 50:20 NASB

As the story of Joseph’s life unfolds, we find a young man excited about the future God has for him. From the dreams given, and readily shared with his family, we can see God has a super-sized future in mind for him! But his big brothers weren’t so impressed with their kid brother and his dreams of valor. When their contempt began brimming over for this “little dreamer” as they called him, they hatched a plot to take his life. In the end, rather than kill him, they sold him to traveling merchants. Selling him into a life of slavery.

So much for a God-ordained, super-sized future. So much for dreams of God’s call on his life. He must have misunderstood. He must have heard God all wrong.

Not quite. God often uses the unlikely, the ordinary and the downright painful to bring about His purposes for our lives. Trace out the path God providentially wove – Joseph would have never become prime minister of Egypt if he had not been sold into slavery.

Read the entire story. (See Genesis 37-50) See how again and again, the pain filled and profoundly unfair events in Joseph’s life are nothing less than stepping-stones masterfully placed by God to fulfill one man’s destiny. To place him exactly where he’s needed, when he’s needed. Joseph understands this truth as he boldly declares on four occasions, “God sent me here. He sent me ahead of you.” God is in charge. Period. Pain and all.

Create my destiny and then guide me into it for Your name’s sake and for Your pleasure. I trust You to create my life’s story and to give me all I need to fully live out the path You have planned for me. 

Tony Evans

Beloved, who are the “older brothers” in your life? Have you been “sold into slavery” of some kind? Has something or someone caused you to believe that God’s promises are for everyone else but you? As if you, and your circumstances, are the one exception? Listen to me dear one, “they” may have meant it for evil but God meant it for good, to bring about His call on your life. Your pain may very well be God’s stepping-stones for the destiny He has planned.

Father, Grant us a stepping-stone mentality on the trials that swirl around us. It’s so easy to feel like we’re the one exception to all You’ve promised. We choose to take one step at a time into the future You have planned for us, knowing that You hold our right hand. Thank You for your great faithfulness!

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus