Tethered to Truth

This I know, that God is for me. – Psalm 56:9b ESV

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul. Hebrews 6:19a BSB

Though the years have now faded into decades, the tidal wave of emotional pain I experienced that day, remains embedded within my mind. The gut-punch, this-can’t-be-happening trial that began unfolding before me definitely didn’t line up with what I had been praying for or what I thought I understood about God. The beginnings of what would become a multi-year trial assaulted my mind with doubts about God’s goodness and even His existence. “How do I make sense of this?,” was my heart’s subconscious cry….

Probably more out of panic than faith, I began to recite what I definitely did know. Like desperately looking for a landmark, my heart and mind scanned the horizon for an anchor to tether myself to. A lighthouse to direct my way. I recognized that I needed to remind myself of the Truth before I fell off the cliff into despair. These words came spilling out of my heart and mouth:

“He gave the life of His Son for me.”

“I know I’m a new creation in Christ. I remember the me before Jesus, and I see the me after Him.”

“He’s promised to bring good out of all I face.”

“He promised, “Call to Me and I will answer you.””

“He said He will never leave me or forsake me.”

“He told me not to fear.”

“He said I should walk by faith and not sight.”

As I spoke the Truth to my own heart, the grip of doubt and despair began to lift. Not forever. But for that moment, His Word kept my heart and mind tethered to the Truth. I have had to repeat this scenario more times than I can count (still do on some days). Often, the best response to a gut-punch tragedy or a trial that rolls on into years is to start with what we know.

Start with what we know. He loves us and gave the life of His Son for us. He is good and faithful. His Word is true. Truer than our feelings or circumstances or momentary doubts. He can be trusted even when what we see doesn’t seem “fair” or just. He has not forgotten us and He will never leave us.  Trials don’t equal abandonment.

In a world filled with heartache, gut-wrenching disappointment, the raw reality of life or the ache of regret, it’s imperative that we stay tethered to the Truth. Truth found in His Word*. You can be sure that our own thoughts mingled with the enemy’s lies will seek to bring confusion and doubt, the answer to such an assault is to get back to foundation, to the very basics.  

I’ll wrap this up with a sports analogy (Thanks to my husband, I have many of these roaming the halls of my mind!). At the beginning of each season, Vince Lombardi, legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, would often hold up a football and say, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” He did this at the start of training camp to remind his players to focus on the fundamentals. He began using this illustration after a season that revealed a clear lack of basic fundamentals, though fancy moves or trick plays abounded, it was clear that the basics had taken a hit. While I’m admittedly not an expert on football (Or sports of any kind!), I think his words provide a great point for us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s get the basics down. Let’s start with what we know.

Hold up your copy of God’s Word, and remind yourself, “This … is The Truth.”

Father God, when the circumstances of life cause me to doubt Your goodness or my emotions scream that that I’m all alone, help me stay tethered to the Truth in Your Word. I love you so much, help me lean hard into You until these difficulties pass by. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

*Pull specific truths that you personally need reminded of.

Additional resource to read and an audio to listen to.

Some of the verses from today’s devo:

2 Corinthians 5:21, John 3:16, Romans 8:32, Psalm 100:5, Lamentations 3:23, Psalms 33:4, 119:160, John 17:17, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Habakkuk 2:4, 1 John 3:20, Psalm 145:13, Psalm 37:13, Isaiah 49:16, Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18, Psalm 57:1, Jeremiah 33:3

Peace

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you.

John 10:19 NASB   John 14:27 AMP

Has an everyday challenge morphed into a seemingly hopeless circumstance?  Has a crisis become an unexpected tragedy? Have your best laid plans fallen apart before you? Have your expectations been dashed by reality? Are you bent low in emotional pain even as the world sees you “standing” deceivingly tall?  Has something brought you to a room “with the doors locked for fear?” 

Political chaos

Loneliness

Isolation

Relational struggles

Emotional trauma

The unknown

Death

Despair

O precious one – The only Sovereign, the Omnipotent One, the Lord Jesus Christ, stands in your midst. In the midst of your tragedy, your crisis, your fear, your worse-case-scenario and speaks, “Peace be with you.” Receive that today.

I don’t know what you’re walking through or what crisis has caused you to “close and lock the door” in fear, but I encourage you to trust His *Word more than what you see around you. The enemy wants us cringing in fear as if our Lord had been caught by surprise…He has not. He is aware and has already made provision. Dear one, stand in His Peace as the storm swirls and then passes.

Peace be with you.

My soul finds rest in God alone.

Psalm 62:1

Father, Cause Your peace to overflow and overtake our soul.! I exhale in peaceful calm…. not because the storm has ended but because You are in it with us and are in complete control. I choose to walk in Your Peace. Thank You Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen

By Becky White for the Lord Jesus

#Peace

*If you’re not sure where to begin in the Bible, start with the Gospel of John or the New Testament book of Romans. If you’re looking for comfort and encouragement, start with the Old Testament Book of Psalms.

Offering God “Advice”

When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” …. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

Luke 23:35-39 NASB 1995  (Also see Luke 24)

Recently, a friend and I were discussing how God could easily craft the perfect ending to a particular tragedy engulfing a close family friend. If God would just do “A” and then, “B”, and maybe a little bit of “C,” I’m sure that “D” will be the outcome. Mentally rubbing our hands together in a job-accomplished finish, “See, God. All figured out. Let me know if You need any more suggestions.”

I can hear the laughter from here! However, I bet it’s a familiar mental conversation to some of you. Or maybe you’re too spiritual to have ever secretly thought God could use some advice. But many of us have secretly thought we knew more than God. Let’s admit it and then unpack the truth of the matter. Because the truth is that God declares the end from the beginning, He knows what He’s doing and He can be trusted – even when it looks like a hot, tragic mess. Just hold on.

While Scripture offers many examples of this, let’s take in the scene described in today’s Scripture. Jesus Christ, the Man who declared Himself to be the Son of God, the Man who raised the dead, healed lepers, fed thousands with sardines and crackers and gave sight to a blind man … His bloody and beaten-beyond- human-recognition body is hanging on a cross, nailed there by mere humans (Isaiah 53). Mingled with that sight, we hear words of mocking accusation, “If He really is the Son of God, let Him save Himself, then we’ll believe. He saved others. Let Him save Himself.” At this point, if this were an action movie, the star would rip his muscular arms free from the iron nails and leap from the splintery wooden cross as he lunges forward and drop kicks the sneering guards. But this is no Hollywood movie. And Jesus Christ is no mere man. He is God in the flesh. And He always has the long (eternal) view in mind.

He allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves and longs for. He did not save Himself, so that He could save us. Eternally.

He often allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves and longs for. He did not save Himself, so that He could save us. Eternally.

So too, in our own lives, He may allow what He hates to accomplish what He loves and longs for. A new level of no-matter-what-happens kind of trust, or the salvation of a family member or possibly a living example of what it looks like to walk through tragedy, even as God holds our trembling hand.

Just as in the scene at the cross, there is a lost, and watching world all around us. The onlookers are wondering, is our trust only as deep and wide as a full bank account or good health or sunny days? Will we trust, even when God does not take our advice, that He is still good and He is still faithful and that He has a plan? This truth is something that always needs refresher courses.

Whatever the challenge today, let’s remember the cross. He’s got this.

Father, I know it’s both hilarious and idiotic to think we know more than You. That somehow, I understand and see, what You do not. Forgive me Lord. Help me stand on the truth that You sit as King over all that floods my life and are at work in all I bring to You. Great is Your faithfulness to me, O God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.

“Save” in Greek σῶσον (sōson) To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.

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OG Devo – “No Life Lines Left”

Please forgive the “rerun” devo. As I have walked through a bruising trial over the past month,  this verse from Psalm 62 keeps running through my mind. “When my heart is overwhelmed,  lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” He is my Rock. I shall not be moved.

‐—————

I have decided to share a few of these OG devos from years past, in their original form for the most part. You may notice a few grammar issues or strange sentence structure. Please  try to look past that, and land on the lesson He was teaching me at the time, and maybe even use it to remind/or teach you as well.

For His glory and your encouragement.

Becky White

When my heart is overwhelmed and fainting,

lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2 NASB


One afternoon I found myself distraught over a very difficult situation in my home, feeling overwhelmed by the crisis I reached for the phone to call my *prayer partner. Knowing she would take time out of her day to listen and then pray with me. As the phone rang, I waited in great anticipation, wanting desperately to unload this burden or at least have her share it with me. But…she wasn’t home. In tears I hung up the phone and cried; “Why is this happening, God?!”

In the words of Regis Philbin I had “no life lines left”. Or in the words of Scripture, God had brought me to “a place of wits’ end” Psalm 107:27. I had no where to turn — but to God. After a brief pity-party I realized I hadn’t even talked to the Lord yet about the problem.

Sometimes our Heavenly Father has to take away all our life lines so we will be brought to the place of wits’ end. It’s there that we realize our total dependency on God — that we experience first hand His comfort and faithfulness. So often we turn to our friends or pastors or counselors before ever turning to God. Sadly, some never seek Him out. Though God has given us friends and others to lean on in times of distress, He never intended for us to turn to them at the expense of a relationship with Him.

Once I composed myself, I went to a quiet room and sat down with God. Pouring my heart out to Him and then reading a Psalm aloud. He comforted me as no human could ever do and I learned a valuable lesson. I still called my friend the next day and shared with her my situation, but now I also had the opportunity to share with her what the Lord had taught me and give glory to God for His provision.

When my spirit is overwhelmed and fainting (throwing all of its weight) upon me, You
knew my path.” Psalm 142:3a am

“You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.”

Corrie ten Boom

Father God, I have found by experience, that You truly are the God of all comfort. I would have never signed up for the classroom You used to teach me such lessons, but am so thankful for learning it. I love You, in Jesus’ name, amen.

*Jeanne Liston

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.

Prayer for trials of life

In quietness and trust shall be your confidence and strength. 

Isaiah 26:3-4

Father, the enemy temps me to doubt You, to question Your timing, Your goodness and even Your awareness of my circumstance. Words and phrases like, Frantic, Anxious, Striving, Worrying, Fearful, or “What if…?” and “Why?” attempt to pierce my soul like a poison dart. Forgive me for the times I’ve allowed them to penetrate, wreaking havoc within me. Cause me to be aware  and able to quickly discern the enemy’s lies, holding up my shield of faith as I wield the mighty sword of the Spirit of Your Word.

By the power of Your Holy Spirit I will be still before You and before the sea of my circumstances, in quietness and trust I shall be confident in You and Your faithfulness.  Exhaling the enemy’s fear inducing lies – I breath in deeply the truth that if You are for me who or what can be against me?  You hold my life in the palm of Your hand…is that not enough?

 I love You, Father. In the matchless name of my Lord Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus

Fact or Fiction?

Believe it or not, I’ve been writing devotions “for difficult days” for over twenty-five years. Some of those days and seasons of life have been profoundly painful and others, just a pebble-in-my-shoe irritation. But in each situation I have landed (eventually) on two bedrock truths: 1. God is good and entirely faithful, no matter the circumstance. 2. And the Bible is the God-breathed, inerrant and infallible word of Almighty God.  I assure you I did not come to these conclusions easily or while relaxing in my favorite chair, sipping a latte. The furnace of affliction has done a great work in my life (even if some of those afflictions were self-inflicted).

Below is a devo I wrote several years ago, but has recently come to my mind. I believe it captures some of the truths that have shaped my life. I pray it encourages you, while also challenging you to (if needed) re-access your view of God’s Word.

The Bible – Truth or Fiction?

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5 NASB

In all my writing I make the assumption that God’s Word is true. Not a hope-so phrase. Not, “Think warm thoughts” nonsense that has no real value or meaning. But Truth. It is the very foundation for the encouragement I offer. Yet, I realize not everyone accepts that truth. So, in this “devotional” I am going to tackle the topic of God’s Word and why it is the very bedrock of my life.

My devotions always begin with a Scripture. The foundation Stone. Not a man’s opinion but God’s Word. I make the assumption that the Bible, from Genesis’s “In the beginning God created … to Revelation’s “Behold, I come quickly” Is Truth. Building on that as I share from His Word and my life’s experiences.

Now for those who don’t hold this view, my writings and speaking might seem like syrupy Christian nonsense or emotional-crutch-reading for the broken and needy or gullible. I stake my eternity on the Bible’s validity. (In fact, everyone is gambling their eternity on one side of that coin or the other. There is no other option.)

Rather than opinion, I offer readers what God has to say on a matter. And the matter I usually speak on is what the Lord has taught/is teaching me the most about – adversity, trials and real-life difficulties. And most of all, how to walk through them honestly but with a focus on the One who holds my life in His hands. Wrestling out both the pain and His purpose.

Let me tell you how this absolute assurance in the Bible began, or at least how it was solidified in my life. I didn’t “grow up” in Church. In fact, though I was raised to believe in “god” generally, I learned everything from Roman Catholicism to reincarnation/New Age/New Thought spirituality to secularism.

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I came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and surrendered my life to Him after the death of my 3 day old baby girl, who I gave birth to at the ripe old age of barely 15. Many twists and turns have occurred in my life since that day 45 years ago. Including being blessed with 5 more children, two step-daughters as well as the tragedy of giving birth to a still-born son.

Somewhere in the midst of a very challenging trial…okay, a horrific 20 year difficulty … I began questioning God, prayer and even the goodness of God. Why, if God was really listening (and His Word says He is) was life not getting any easier? Either He wasn’t really listening or He didn’t care or He wasn’t even there, were just some of thoughts swirling in my heart as I wrestled this out…

Had I, out of desperation, somehow convinced myself that the Bible and all this Christian stuff was true? Had I talked myself into a reality that existed only in my mind as an emotional crutch? Memories of New Age thinking flooded my mind, causing doubts to increase within me.

I had to know the Truth. Wherever that led me. I began a search that first of all included asking God to reveal Himself to me… and included reading the book, The Case for Christ written by Lee Strobel, an award winning investigative journalist for the Chicago Tribune who was an atheist and skeptic turned Christian. I devoured teachings by famed apologist from Australia, Ken Ham, and read the writings of C.S. Lewis. Another skeptic turned Christian.

But in the end what convinced me of the Truth of God’s Word was the stand taken by a hero of mine, Billy Graham. Dr. Graham faced his own moment of crisis fresh out of seminary. A friend and seminary peer by the name of Charles Templeton told Billy that he just couldn’t believe the Bible anymore. That some parts were not trustworthy. This caused a crisis of faith for Graham that culminated in a mountain-top scene where Dr. Graham cried out to God for help. Finally, with an open Bible, he leaned upon a tree stump and made the declaration that though he didn’t have all the answers, from that day on he would take his stand for the Inerrant Truth of the Bible.

Years later, Dr. Graham was famous for lifting high his Bible and proclaiming with authority, “The Bible says…”

Back to my conviction of the Truth of the Bible. While secular historians from antiquity such as Josephus and Tacitus and modern Biblical scholars provided proof, in the end I made the choice to believe the Bible, the entire Bible, from the first word to the last, to be the infallible, inerrant Word of Almighty God. Period.

Now…now I have a foundation to lean into. To write about. To offer genuine comfort and encouragement to those facing real pain. Real adversity. Real tragedy. Heck…life happens to all of us doesn’t it? I have nothing of real value or substance to offer anyone other than the Words of God Himself. Leaning hard into His Truth that can be trusted in. Depended on. His Word, no warm-thought positive phrase can provide authentic hope and peace. Not, and let me shout this from the mountain-tops of my laptop… not a feel-good, hope so, mind over matter, fluffy nonsense of “just think happy thoughts.” Heck no.

What I offer through my writing. Through my speaking, is the Truth. Truth that can be leaned into and relied upon.

Now, with that sure foundation…Let me encourage you … “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth.”  Psalm 145:18 AMPC

He is near you. Near me. You are not alone. Seek Him and He will be found by you. Call upon Him. Sincerely. He will not fail you. Bank on it.

In service to The Master,

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Dark Valleys

Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me. Psalm 23:4 AMP

Even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with You. Psalm 139:12 ESV

The LORD my God illumines my darkness. Psalm 18:28 NASB 1995

“Come on Becky, this is no big deal.” I told myself, as I flipped off the light switch. “You just have to walk from the church kitchen, across the gymnasium, and you’ll reach the door on the other side of the room.” But with the lights now off, the windowless gym room carried with it a palatable darkness.  I seemed to lose depth perception, and even lose my sense of balance as I made my way to the other side of the room. Finally reaching the push-bar door handle, I pushed the door open. Instantly, light rays revealed that though I could not feel or sense progress, I had walked the length of the room. I knew my legs were moving. I knew I must be inching closer to my goal, but I had zero awareness of the reality of making any headway.  Such a strange sensation.

No big deal when we’re crossing a gymnasium. Huge deal when it’s a dark trial we’re walking through. Or sunless valley of the shadow of death, as God’s Word describes it. Has a dark trial ever taken away your capacity to sense any forward progress or blinded you to God’s nearness? Have you felt weary and faltering, nearly losing your balance as you attempt to walk in the darkness? In the blackness, did fear seem to speak louder than His promises? I’ve been there. A time or two or ten. Not just in my great gym crossing, but in the darkness of painful trials that eclipsed any semblance of progress or hope. Causing thoughts of  “what-if?” or  “will this ever end?” to shout louder than the promises I quoted.

Some trials feel unending in duration and offer no point of reference for how far we’ve come or how far we still need to go. At times we grope around feeling for anything to steady our balance as we grow weary from the sheer length of a painful journey. While, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, there are no trial-free passes handed out to followers of Jesus Christ. If there were, I would be first in line to ask for the family package. Yet He has assured us of His Presence in the blackness of our trials. Assured that His rod and staff will both protect and guide, as we navigate in the darkness.  It is enough to know that HE can see in the darkness of our trials and will bring us to His desired destination.

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Father, thank You that I don’t have to fear the darkness of my circumstances. You see what I cannot and are my Source of light even when all appears dark and hopeless. Please enable me to rest and trust in You we walk through this trial together. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.

Greek: Light: a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.

Got Anxiety?

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. / Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. / If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:28-30

Book Recommendation

Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace in the Character of God, by Jonny Ardavanis

I don’t usually recommend books (at least not on my blog, if you know me personally, you would cry foul at that statement!), but this book is a stand-out exception!

Truth be told, our *oldest son recommended it several months ago, but I waited for the free edition to be available in audio form on Hoopla (I am a bit frugal). Also, the cover seemed… I don’t know… uninviting? So, I guess I did judge a book by it’s cover. Don’t make the same mistake!

If you’re breathing, you have to one degree or another, struggled with some form of anxiety. Even as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are not immune to its clutches and downward spiral. The answers are found in God’s Word; and this author lays out a Biblical and uniquely woven description concerning dealing with anxiety. All derived from Scripture. I encourage you to check it out, read a sample online, etc.

“The peace of God does not fall into our laps as we sit and wait for it but rather is given by God to those who fix their minds on and fill their hearts with God’s matchless and unchanging character.” (Italics not added) – Jonny Ardavanis

Thank you, Aaron! I love you sweetheart!

https://a.co/d/eHanI5r Amazon link

Written for the Lord Jesus by Becky White

What’s Your Paper Trail Look Like?

For we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— 2 Corinthians 5:7 Amplified Bible

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Berean Standard Bible

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17

(Though this devo has a Christmas theme, the point was brought back to my mind recently so I thought I’d share it again) I pray it encourages you, no matter your paper-trail. Whether it’s stellar or grungy. He’ll use it all. IF we let Him.

Cracking eggs on the side of a large metal bowl, the young volunteer and I made small talk as we prepared breakfast for folks in need of a hot meal. Figuring we’d need about 18 dozen to feed everyone, our conversation carried on as we cracked, whipped and then cooked eggs, sausage and biscuits. In the midst of our serving, she mentioned how tired she was, so I asked, “Oh, do you have young children at home?” Assuming little ones were stealing away her night’s sleep.

Laughing out loud, she giggled, “No! I’m only 19!”

Now it was my turn to laugh, as I shared with her that by 19, I had already been married, divorced, had given birth to four children. I had also buried a daughter. That conversation opened the flood gates to share with her, how I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Often, when I share quick snippets of my story, I tell folks, “I don’t look good on paper.” By that I mean, if only the black and white facts of my life (paper) are known, it looks like a hot, depressing, , hopeless mess. But God.

But God used the tragedies thrust upon me, as well as those I thrust upon myself, to cause me to recognize my need for Him. And He continues to use the many trials of life to drive home the point that I am to walk by faith and not by sight. To live by faith in Him and His faithfulness, not my fickle emotions. That He is good, even when life hurts. And that the worst-case scenarios can happen simultaneously with Hope in Him flourishing.  In short, trust Him, no matter what things look like. Trust Him no matter the circumstance. Rely on the Truth of His Word rather than what we see with our eyes.

As we will soon prepare to celebrate the literal incarnation of God, through the physical birth of Jesus Christ, I am reminded that things are not always as they appear. Who would have ever thought, God would arrive on the scene in such a way? “On paper,” it appeared that He was born in an animal stable to a poor, unwed couple facing a crisis pregnancy. The world would say, a no body, born to no bodies, in the middle of nowhere. Yet, here we are today, over 2,000 years later, celebrating His birth. His birth that split history in two and sacrificial death that split the veil that separated a holy God from unholy, sinful folks like you and I. Today, He sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do you have a paper trail that includes challenges like addiction or abuse or prison or depression or regret?  I understand. Or maybe your paper trail is peppered with college degrees, ministry work, financial wealth or a “moral” life. While some of us are more spit-shined than others, we all stand in need of The Savior.

As I shared that day over a bowl of scrambled eggs – He saved me, and while life will always have challenges, He turned my mess into ministry, and now it’s my greatest honor to serve Him with my life, in whatever way He chooses. He has given me a new paper trail. If He can do it for me, He can do the same for you.

“In perplexities—when we cannot tell what to do, when we cannot understand what is going on around us, let us be calmed and steadied and made patient by the thought that what is hidden from us is not hidden from Him”

 — Frances Ridley Havergal

Father, Thank You for sending Your One and only Son, those 2,000 years ago. My Lord Jesus. Erasing what I had on paper and giving me Your sinless record instead. Astounding. I bow in awe of Your goodness and mercy! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.

Click here to purchase a hard copy or get a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths

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.

By the Hand

 I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt…

 I will bring you up out of the suffering and oppression of Egypt … to a land flowing with milk and honey…

Hebrews 8:9b AMPC    Exodus 3:17 AMP

I love to walk hand in hand with my husband, whether we’re power-walking trails at a nearby park or strolling through grocery store aisles. There’s something tender, personal and even “safe” about such a simple gesture. It also necessarily means that we are going away from, and then to, the same location, together.

In today’s Scripture reading we hear our Lord say this about His people, “I led them by the hand.” God, the Creator, Sustainer and Lord of all…”led them by the hand!” If that isn’t enough to blow our minds into face-to-the-floor worship, He goes on to say where He led them from, “Out of Egypt.” Let’s keep this simple. Egypt is B-A-D, full of emotional, physical and relational pain.

Though the ancient Israelites were in, and then led out of, a literal land of Egypt, you and I encounter our own versions of “Egypt” don’t we? The emotional ripping and tearing of abuse or addiction. The relational pain of pornography or divorce or loneliness. The physical challenges of our own illnesses or the searing pain of helplessly watching those we love suffer.

Beloved, He promises the same, for you and I.

Lord, enable me to find my security in You alone. Not in my spouse or children or career or bank account or service or ________, but in You alone. The utterly faithful One.

I will lead them.

By the hand.

Out of Egypt.

Our Sovereign God has not promised to whisk us away in a fairy-tale-esque escape plan. No. But He has promised to lead us out. To lead us through… step by challenging step. And miracle by miracle, if needed. Providing the manna of His Presence along the journey as He leads into our own land flowing with the milk and honey of joy in the midst of, peace in spite of. And blessing us with, “I’ve been where you are” compassion and empathy.  Handing us a testimony that shouts His great faithfulness that led us by the hand through the wilderness and out of our own Egypts, right into the promise land of fulfilling His purposes in us, and for us.

God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will, a will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.

Elisabeth Elliot

My Lord, Such tenderness and compassion You show through the promise to lead Your people (which includes me!!) by hand… out of my Egypt and into the promise land where I will testify of Your great faithfulness to restore and deliver. I love You beyond words. In Jesus’ name, Amen

 Written by Becky White for Jesus