EMBRACING HIM in the MIDST of HURT & HEARTACHE 3-4

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September

EMBRACED

... Knowing God is Holding Me (You) Close

2019

Part 3: 

EMBRACING

Him 

in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache

Devotions #49-75 

(#71 - 75  in this week's post)

71. "Wisdom and Humility" Proverbs 11:2

"A wisdom like none other can arise from those hard places that bring us low."

{Yes, Lysa, such wise words "Wisom is our Silver Lining"}

72. "I'm Really Afraid" Psalm 34:7

"Sometimes living in fear of what might be causes more stress and anxiety that actually facing what we fear."

73. "Holding on to Truth" John 8:32

"Our souls were formed to recognize and respond to the calm assurance of Jesus."

{how beautiful written, Lysa! this truth is.}

74. "Pressing through the Pain" James 4:8 NKJV

"If we avoid the hurt, the hurt creates a void in us."

75. "Devastated but not Destroyed"Psalm 46:10

"God loves us and He will not leave us."

{5 really great truths on page 235 that we must cling and hold to ...} Ones we know but constantly need to remind ourselves.
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So, so often, I have felt devastated and thought I was destroyed or my future will be, mostly because of my insecurities, maybe I was (am) really afraid, BUT God ... He helps me press on through the pain as I hold on to His Truth, trying desperately to not let the lies of destruction and the enemy of my soul destroy me, with God's wisdom as I learn humility and lean into Him ... so as you can see all of Lysa's devotion titles tell my story too, of hurt and heartache. 

Without being able to EMBRACE God in the midst of them, I don't know how I would fare, or pray through getting beyond these obstacles trying to hold me back or crush me with their weight (not sure how anyone that does not have a relationship with Jesus ever does face their hurts and heartaches, maybe they don't, maybe they just stuff and think they've dealt with it by never dealing with them or facing them, maybe they don't care if they ever heal ... or fester others by their wounds, because we've all heard "hurt people hurt people" but "healed people heal people"). I prefer to be the second kind. Yes, I'm guilty too of stuffing or trying to move on (run from them) and forget the pain, the problem, the storm ... but it doesn't work for me. It's sure to resurface until I face it and deal with it. God's Word is a soothing balm and guide for me, offering unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness, with much wisdom and His healing touch. As I invite Jesus into my pain, my hurts, my heartaches ... I find that He helps me through in His strength (not mine), with His comforting EMBRACE.

HE is 

more than

enough

HE really does know our pain and our heart

PSALM 91

(another YouVersion reading plan I'm doing)

is one of my favorites and Lysa's too.

In fact, on page 232, in devotion #74, Lysa shows us

how to prayerfully invite God into our pain

through this Psalm.

Lord, Draw me close. ... You are my everyday dwelling place,
my saving grace!

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Previous blog posts of Part 3:

EMBRACING Him 

in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache

Devotion #49

 3-1 Devotions #50-57

 3-2 Devotions #58-65

 3-3 Devotions #66-70

plus this one for

Devotions #71-75

EMBRACING HIM in the MIDST of HURT & HEARTACHE 3-3

[My plan was to finish this Part 3 in August, but I needed to take a pause and tried "EMBRACING JOY in His Presence" (another devotional book, but by Sarah Young, which You Version had 2 different reading plans that I sampled). There are 10 "Embraced..." devotions left in this part that I have divided into the next two weeks while I continue "EMBRACING Him (even) in the midst of hurt and heartache", because no matter what, "Embracing Him" is the best way, and for me, the only way I get through, move on and move forward with His Grace.]

EMBRACED

... Knowing God is Holding Me (You) Close

2019

Part 3: 

EMBRACING

Him 

in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache

Devotions #49-75 

(#66 - 70 in this week's post)

66. "Alone in a Crowded Room" John 13:34

"Proximity and activity don't always equal connectivity."

{that's for sure!!!}

67. "Three Things You Must Remember When Rejected"

Psalm 34:19

..."Satan knows what consumes us controls us."

68. "The Best Worst Thing"  Matthew 8:26

"We live in a broken world full of broken people But isn't it comforting to know God isn't ever broken?"..."He can take our worst and add His best."

69. "A Better Place to Park" Philippians 4:8

"To dwell on hard things keeps us in hard spots."

70. "Wisdom Together" James 3:13

"When we can rise up on the wisdom of others and get a new view of our situations, our next steps seem a little clearer."

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Lysa has such a gift of writing devotions applicable to her life, but there are times when I read them that I cannot relate to experiences in my own journey (other times, instantly they are triggered) however every devotion makes good points for the reader and the brief prayer prompts at the end of each one often speak my very heart leading me to a deeper reflection, like some of the chosen ones that follow (which even if the devotion did not seem applicable, the prayer somehow was, bringing it home for me, tying it into the scripture with her devotion - now that's the gift.) 

So I just had to share some from this Part 3 that helped me heal while "EMBRACING HIM in the midst of hurt & heartache":

{not just from this week}

Lord, I can't thank You enough for the promise that I can trust You at all times. Even though people may fail me, {or I may fail them} others may abandon me, You never will. I'm choosing to let that truth steady my heart today. ...

Father God, I don't understand this situation. But I do understand Your goodness to me. Help me replace the fears threatening to consume me with truth, I know You love me, You are for me, and I absolutely can trust You with all of my heart. ...

Dear Lord, thank You so much for the way You love me - with a love that can never be shaken, taken or tarnished. Help me look to You and You alone to fill and satisfy my heart. ...

Dear Lord, You know the hurts I have from the past that still drain me {or affect me}. Please show me a good place to park my mind when that pain stings me{or someone or something else reminds me}again. [Help me not to dwell and rehash on the hard things that keep me in hard spots because that only serves to deepen my feelings of emotional emptiness.] ...

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your mercies and patience in this journey of imperfect progress. Forgive me for allowing disappointment (etc.) to capture my heart so easily. Adjust my perspective and help me to see things You have brought to life in me. ...

Dear Lord, I choose to hand my situation over to You today. ...
EMBRACING YOU while healing
EMBRACING YOUR PROMISES in the midst of hurt & heartache
EMBRACING YOU also and always as I face each heartache and heal each hurt in Jesus' name
I will continue to
EMBRACE
Your Joy
Comfort
Peace
...

"FINDING PEACE and REST ... " ...

in the "DEVOTIONS from the GARDEN"

[credit image: faith gateway]
actually the title is

"Devotions from the Garden"

Finding Peace and Rest in Your Busy Life

By Miriam Drennan 

... who doesn't want to "find peace and rest" whether your life is busy or not; however the reason I found this to be the key part of this title that drew me into choosing this book IS because as you read the devotions, you can actually find this peace and rest. 
Miriam Drennan starts each 2 page devotion with a passage from Scripture, then a daily reading drawn from "gardening" with a spiritual application to our life, really wonderful analogies in so many of the devotions, ending with a simple personal prayer, filled with breath-taking, full color gorgeous photographs of garden scenes and nature. Just the cover itself invites one to "come to the garden alone and fill your soul with His Presence" as you sit awhile on this welcoming garden swing. Such a delight as you take in the imagery of the words and photographs as you read each beautifully written devotion of the 90 included, that can be read in a brief amount of time, or you can linger over them on a wonderful walk in the garden. It is there you encounter Him, and the peace and rest.
As I anxiously began reading the book, I thought I would sample just one a day to get the feel of using this as my daily devotional, but I found myself continuing from one to the next, and I could not put this easy reading book down. I was totally inspired and in awe of how close I really felt to God with an amazing sense of peace and desire to want to connect with more and more of the awesome insights that Miriam Drennan illustrates from the Master Gardener and our growth. I could certainly see that Miriam Drennan was more than just an author writing daily devotions, she actually knew her topic of the garden very well along with spiritual and biblical inspiration. Even though I am far from being any kind of a gardener with a green or otherwise thumb, she was able to help me understand and learn not just about a wide variety of gardening themes but also deepening my spiritual growth and understanding. This book would be a great gift for the avid gardener or anyone that appreciates the beauty of God's nature like me. The author's own garden knowledge and her explanations are extremely helpful, informative and her analogies from the garden to our own lives are inspirational, insightful and indicative of Miriam's expertise and my own need for growth.
Each devotion covers so many different gardening topics and spiritual themes that I would love to list them but there are 90 so ... let's just begin with some of my favorite ones which fit in so perfectly with my "Gardens of Grace":
 "God's Transforming Grace"  "Grace in the Garden" "The Riches of Remnants" "Blooms but No Fruit" "The Forgotten Crop" "Neglected Beds" "Grafted to Him"

Other gardening themes include: Perennials; Crop Rotation; Soils; Roots; Drought; Weeding; Pruning; Seasons; Fruit; Harvesting; Companion Planting; Seed Cleaning; Mustard Seed; Mulch; various kinds of Gardens - Butterfly, Herb, Rain, Straw bale; and Gardening - Pallet, Rock; and of course, the insects like Ladybugs, the Mantis, Honeybees, Earthworms; and so many more that enrich our lives and our gardens. Beautiful photos make her words spring to life. Miriam has such a way with words and connecting garden themes to our lives as she plants, nurtures and tends to our spiritual gardens. I have so many highlights throughout this devotional which seems to point out that my garden was in such a need for attention and that I have such thirst for so much more by the Master Gardener and Miriam Drennan's capacity to tend to our gardens, the areas in our lives that need tender gardening skills and care: from our soil and our roots to the blooming parts and harvest. I knew that there are many spiritual themes from or in a garden, I just didn't have the touch or knowledge of expertise only the love for the Master Gardener and His daily care. 
This is absolutely one of the most beautiful, inspirational and timely devotionals that I have had the pleasure to read, for whatever season you may find your personal life to be. It is one that I will go back to read often to soak in the beauty of God's design in the garden and us in His Grace! Miriam Drennan refreshes our souls, encourages our hearts and cleverly communicates God's peace as we find rest in the garden. Our relationship with God through these daily feedings breathes afresh in us as we deepen our quiet time with walks in the garden with Him.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Description~ from Book Look Bloggers "Come to the garden alone, and fill your soul with His presence. There's nothing on earth like the peace and loveliness of a magnificent garden. It's the place where Adam and Eve first fellow-shipped with God, and where you, too, can escape from this chaotic world into His loving arms of beauty and serenity. Devotions from the Garden takes you to that place where senses are restored as dewdrops settle and butterflies gather to witness the miracles of God's creation bloom and grow. These ninety devotions explore the parallels of life with the elements of the garden to help you see God, to sense His presence, to soothe your soul, and to rest in knowing He is with you throughout each day. Included are striking photographs with a fresh, contemporary design for timeless appeal. About the Author Miriam Drennan is the author of Devotions for the Beach and the Days You Wish You Were There and Soar Above the Madness: Surviving Office Politics Without Losing Your Mind, Your Job, or Your Lunch. She currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she enjoys gardening and playing with words.  Drop her a line at www.that-writer.com. " Published by Thomas Nelson

"THE ONE YEAR HEARING HIS VOICE DEVOTIONAL" by CHRIS TIEGREEN

"THE ONE YEAR HEARING HIS VOICE DEVOTIONAL" by CHRIS TIEGREEN, is his newest devotional just released in September of 2014. A dear friend of mine used another one of his devotionals, so since then I have been wanting to get one of his devotionals from an excellent choice of at least 8, and this is a perfect fit for the upcoming year. I can't wait to take my time each day to better hear and recognize the voice of God and what He is saying through the insightful and thought provoking devotions of one page, that start out with a Scripture verse or two (usually exploring the questions we have about hearing God's Voice and what He says and how we hear) followed by a 3-4 paragraphs of a brief devotion, ending with a prayer to lead the reader into communicating with God and listening for His Voice in response. Clearly, we need to take more time to listen for God to speak to us as we know throughout the Bible that God speaks to His people. "Throughout the pages of Scripture, time after time, He guides, instructs, corrects, inspires, encourages, and reveals. Inspired writers even call Him “the Word.” He has always been vocal, and He always will be."

"Chris Tiegreen will help you discover patterns and practices you can adopt to hear God better. Listening to God is a process, a journey, and an adventure. He promises that those who seek Him will be rewarded with His presence and His voice. And the words of the living God are powerful and life-changing."

From the very front cover of this devotional, with its beautiful scene of a lighthouse perched high above the waters on a sturdy Rock ... I was drawn into to each page of every month with that lighthouse at the top as a guiding source. This book is not a page by page, step by step program for hearing God's Voice, rather I found it will be an invaluable way to draw near to God in a more intimate relationship. There is no set pattern or approach to hear God's Voice but this devotional will help you position yourself to hear Him better. Simply turning your attention to hearing each day from God by using this devotional, will stir up God's Voice within you and in His Word, the Bible. As you proceed daily for a year, according to the author, you'll start knowing what God is saying intuitively, even if you don't know how you know. Those who hunger for Him, as I do, will be satisfied. (paraphrased by me of what the author himself says in his introduction and continues with the following description):

"There are 365 devotional readings in this book, and they cover many issues related to hearing God.  One devotion each week is based on a story or a post-biblical example, some from Christian history and some from Chris Tiegreen's own experience and acquaintances. Another is a "first person" devotional from the heart of God - things that Chris has heard Him say and he believes God wants to share with others who are listening."

I really enjoyed this variation and the balance, but I looked forward to my favorite style yet found the others helped my learning and understanding too.

My favorite devotionals were the ones from the heart of God, yet all are precious and I especially love that each devotion ends with these brief prayers, seeing that there is a point to them and not skipping them but using them to help you in asking God daily to hear Him better, an invaluable practice --- asking and persisting until God answers. The first "from the heart of God" was on January 7th ... and I truly needed to hear the Words from Isaiah 30:15 and God's sweet invitation to be still to hear Him as He trains my spirit to hear. In October, one devotion gives "a divine parallel" that gave me a glimpse into God's heart and helped me recognize His thoughts and feelings with hope for more and what I need to know as I go forward with hopes to hear His distinctive voice. 

"Listening to God is a process, a journey and an adventure. This can take time, but it's well worth the effort."

For me, starting out with John 1:1 for New Year's Day is the perfect verse to begin this journey, inviting the Living Word to speak. I am not only looking forward to reading this every day but eagerly pursuing to hear God's Voice better. I desire to be tuned in to One Voice only, in the depths of my spirit, I want to learn to recognize that voice and distinguish it from all others. I can't wait! With an expectant heart and ears to hear, I will hear and know the Voice of the Shepherd calling to me as one of His sheep. I recommend this for light reading but for much personal growth in your intimacy with God and hearing Him. I will look forward to reading other devotionals and books written by Chris Tiegreen, now that I have had such a great first taste with this book choice offered to me by Tyndale's Blog Network program.

CHRIS TIEGREEN BLOG post about this devotional excerpt and more from this book Chris Tiegreen also has a "Writer's Blog" with tips to become a better writer. Other links:

indeedmagazine.org/chris-tiegreen.com/twitter.com/catiegreenfacebook.com/pages/Chr...chris-tiegreen.com/tangle.com/view_video?...

Chris Tiegreen

Insightful and thought-provoking, Chris Tiegreen has inspired thousands of people through his popular One Year devotionals including The One Year Walk with God Devotional, The One Year At His Feet Devotional, and The One Year Experiencing God's Presence Devotional. He is also the author of Unburdened and several other books. His experiences as a missionary, pastor, journalist, and university instructor bring a unique perspective to his writing. He is currently an editor at Walk Thru the Bible.

- See more at: http://www.tyndaleblognetwork.com/1_title/author-bio.php?authorID=658#sthash.ZiefHrmg.dpuf

Disclosure of material connection: I received this book free from the publisher Tyndale through the book review blogger's program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

* I wanted to share this when it was released but since the book has to be sent to my USA address and then they, in kind, mail it to me, it took a while to get and read enough to review. Then I had to squeeze it in between these month long series. But I'm sure it's in time for choosing your devotional for next year, and I believe this is an excellent choice or actually any of his.