Tag Archives: Trust in God

All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided

Can we really count on God to meet all of our needs?

YES.

Really? How can we know this?

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.

Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.

Thomas Chisholm wrote these words, and sang them with confidence because he made a habit of remembering. He chose over and over again to recall all the times that God had provided for him.

When doubts creep in, make a habit of remembering. Choose–and then continue to choose– to bring to mind God’s past faithfulness in your life, and in the lives of others. And then choose to thank God for His consistent loving care.

The longer we follow God, the louder we sing

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. Psalm 37:25

Related Posts: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Recent Series: NOMB Part I, NOMB Part II, NOMB Part III

Spring In The North Woods

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by Lydia Floren

Spring is different in the North Woods, more than any other place I have lived. It is greatly anticipated by all who live here (especially a southerner like me) but still arrives unexpectedly.

One day it is winter.

The next day, spring.

Overnight—or so it seems–tulips bravely push past the cold. Green grass peaks through melting snow.

The woods blush with leaf-buds.

And then apple trees blossom.

And lilacs.

Wisconsin spring is beautiful. And brief. Almost in the blink of an eye the flowers fade, the woods unfurl a startling array of greens.

Summer.

Wisconsin summers take my breath away. The days are warm, but not scorching. The grass is a lush carpet, caressing my bare feet. The cool evenings stretch until 9:30 or 10, inviting me to linger on the back porch to watch the dusk settle, feel the breeze, listen to the fading echoes of children at play.

I am ashamed to say that even in summer, I can become inured, and then immune to the season’s magnificence. But the change of seasons in the North woods stops me in my tracks. Every year. Every season. The shifts–winter to spring to summer to fall–shout God’s greatness, His creativeness, His startling sense of beauty.

I can’t help but wonder. And awe. And give thanks, not only for the beauty surrounding me, but for the God who made all of this—who made each of us, His pinnacle creations.

I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.

Happy summer!

Big Decisions, No Regrets

Four Practical Steps to Overcoming Problems – Overcoming Series, Pt. III

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by Lydia Floren

In the Overcoming blog series, we have been talking about—well—overcoming problems. In this process, it helps to:

Remember who Jesus is, and what God can do.
Accept the truth that problems are a part of life.
Jesus has overcome the world. He has conquered the ordered system of evil we live in.

But how do we apply this to our everyday lives?

Four practical steps to overcoming problems:

1. Face your problem

Face the problem honestly. Don’t avoid it, blame someone else, or pretend it isn’t really a problem. In intense emotional reaction to a situation, especially if it seems out of proportion to the facts, may be a clue to you that you have an unidentified issue; examine it with courage.
Identify YOUR problem. Ask questions. For example, if you have a problem with a coworker, ask yourself, “What is happening? What is my reaction? What reasons might I be reacting this way? Am I making false assumptions? Generalizing? Why?” Asking questions helps you get to the real problem, which may be that this co-worker triggers something from your past and brings up old pain.
Don’t let problems become your identity; keep the problem the problem. For example, say “I experience anger in certain situations” not “I am an angry person.” And don’t generalize about someone else, as in, “They are a no-good-very-bad person because they make me angry.”
Be willing to change in your reaction to the problem. Problems are opportunities and avenues for change. Be flexible and teachable. Own your own emotions. Be willing to change.

2. Focus on God by giving thanks.
Giving thanks is a powerful way to return our attention to God, and put our problems in perspective. Give thanks for the following:

The situation, and that you are learning from it.
Who God is, and his faithfulness to you.
What God is showing you about the dilemma you are facing, and what His perspective might be.
What God offers you: strength, direction, His presence, and–most important–his promise to work everything to a good end.

3. Follow God’s Leading: ACT

ACT: Step forward in the direction you sense God is leading.
If you really don’t know what to do, wait for clarity, if possible. If a decision is pressing, align your choice with previous ways He has led. Use your best judgment, after reviewing as much information as possible.
Sometimes you will misunderstand what He is telling you, and head off course. That’s OK. It happens a lot, actually. It is part of the process of learning to listen and follow. Think of it like this: it is much easier to steer a moving ship than one that is dead in the water. As you go, God will adjust your path and redirect you as needed.

4. Repeat

When you face difficulties, it is great to have a solid habit in place for dealing with challenges. Repetition creates habit. As you choose over and over to face, focus, and follow, you will build a pattern of strength and wisdom to address the next problem. Which, after all, is only two weeks away!

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10 NASB

Share with us! What practical tips do you use to overcome problems in your life?

Learning to Fish on the Right Side of the Boat – Overcoming Series: Part I

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Painting by Alexei Birvukoff

by Lydia Floren

There is a great story in the Bible where Jesus was at the shore of a huge lake, looking out over the water. He was watching a boat approaching: His disciple Peter was returning home from a fruitless night of fishing. Peter must have been discouraged. Who wouldn’t be after working their tail off and seeing no results? As he stowed away his gear, he glanced up and noticed someone standing on the beach: Jesus.

“Hey Peter, throw your nets out on the other side of the boat”. Jesus hollered out to him.

That’s nuts, Peter thinks. He just doesn’t understand. We’ve been at this for hours and hours.

“I’ve been fishing all night,” Peter hollered back, “we haven’t caught a thing.”

Silence. I can just hear Peter talking to himself:

OK, Peter, that was kind of stupid. Jesus knows everything. I’m sure He is aware that it’s not been a good night of fishing. Yet still…he said to put my nets back down, this time on the other side of the boat. Maybe he knows something I don’t know about where the fish are. I’ve seen him do some pretty amazing stuff. Like the whole feeding the 5000 thing. [sigh] If Jesus says to do this, it is probably worth a shot to haul up the nets and throw them out one more time, wherever He says to throw them.

“OK guys let’s do this,” Peter ordered. “Grab the nets, and cast them on the far side of the boat.”

His crew might have just stood there, incredulous. They were as bone-weary as Peter was, and were savvy enough fishermen to know when to pack it in. Maybe they muttered a few choice comments to each other, waiting for Peter to come to his senses.

Peter didn’t care. He knew Jesus. They didn’t.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” He shouted. “Get moving.”

The sailors suddenly scrambled into action. They gathered the nets, and then cast them once more, this time in a most unpromising place. Or was it? Their skepticism shifted to awe as their nets immediately started filling with a catch so huge that they started to break.

Peter just shook his head, bemused. He’d seen Jesus do this kind of thing before. Yet even with all Peter’s experiences–after having witnessed miracle after miracle–it was still so easy for Peter to forget who Jesus was, and what God could do.

2000 years later, nothing has changed.

It is so easy for us to forget who Jesus is, and what God can do.

In our lives today, it is so easy to forget who Jesus is, and what God can do. We have seen God do amazing things in our lives–and the lives of others–yet when we face difficulties, we tend to focus on the problem instead of keeping our eyes fixed on The Solution. We worry about what we see, instead of looking beyond to what God is doing. When we fixate on the problem, we might get to work trying to find a solution on our own. The busier we get “solving problems,” the more distracted we can become, and it gets harder and harder to remember what—and Who—is important.

In overcoming problems in our lives, we must stay focus on God, and do our best to follow His lead.

Next week: our problems are not the problem.

How do you stay focused on God when you have problems?

Recent posts: Circling Back, Sharing a Sunset, Enjoying God’s Presence.

The Blessings of Giving Thanks

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by Lydia Floren

What one habit has most transformed your life? For me the answer would be the practice of thanks-giving.. Here are a few of the blessings of giving thanks that I have experienced:

Attitude. I see even a little blessing in life as a bonus, not a right, when I appreciate that my life—and everything in it—is a gift from God.

Contentment. I am free to enjoy each day–even if things are difficult–when I give thanks that God is working all things to good.

Trust. It is easier to trust God’s direction, especially when the future seems uncertain, as I give thanks for God’s love and goodness.

Fearless following. I can boldly follow God’s lead–the best i know it–as I give thanks for God’s commitment to safely guide me. I know that He will make any mid-course corrections if I misunderstand or just wander away for awhile.

Self-concept. I am at peace with who I am when I give thanks for my life–the unique blend of attributes that makes me “me”. It settles me. I have nothing to prove. I am valuable, and valued by the most amazing being in the universe, the person that made me.

Encouragement. I am en-couraged—given courage to be myself, when I appreciate my identity and value. And I can then en-courage others.

Hope. I have hope to see beyond a hardship when I am giving thanks in the middle of it. I can also more readily see benefits of those challenging situations.

Perspective. Giving thanks for eternity reframes my perspective, and reminds me what is really important.

Focus. Giving thanks for others takes my focus off myself.

Tolerance. When I give thanks for the unique gifts of others, I more inclined to celebrate differences, instead of being annoyed by them. I can appreciate that each person’s individuality makes life rich, just like one spice combined with another creates a wonderful flavor.

Freedom. Giving thanks for Christ’s sacrifice allows me to leave the past behind, and to quit beating myself for being “imperfect.” God completes me. In Him I am perfect.

Calling. There is nothing like the deep soul-satisfying joy of God working through me to love another person in my own unique way. Giving thanks to God for calling me to be loved, and then to love–Him, myself, and those I encounter–brings me joy.

Presence of God. Giving thanks in all things brings me into the very presence of God.

The practice of giving thanks in all things has changed–and continues to change–my life.

How has giving thanks blessed you? We’d love to hear from you!

Live Grace — Invite God In

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live grace, invite god in square by Lydia Floren

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelations 3:20 NASB

At some point in your life, God knocks on your door, and you recognize that knock. You realize that He is real, and that He loves you, and that you need Him.

You have two choices:

1. Keep Him out. You can choose to keep the door to your heart shut tight. He will respect that choice. He is a gentleman. He won’t force Himself on you, no matter how self-destructive your decision might be.
2. Let Him in. You can choose to open the door to your heart. Maybe the reality of your need–and of God’s presence—has eclipsed your hesitation, and you decide to open your life to Him. Here is a way to do that:

Open the door by praying GRACE:

Invite God in. GRACE: Give thanks, Release, Accept, Continue, and Enjoy.

Give thanks:
Thank You, God, that You are real, and good, and powerful, and loving,
Thank You for giving me life, and the ability to make my own choices.
Thank You that You are committed to loving me, and every other person You have created, whether I choose to accept or reject that love.
Thank You for helping me see that I need You. That I can never make myself perfect. Thank You for showing me my sins, not so that I can beat myself up about them, but so that You can free me of them.
Thank You providing a way to make things right with You, by sending Your son Jesus, and allowing Him to die so that we could be free of shame.

Father thank You that You are real, and that You love me.
I choose to invite You into my life right now.

Release:
Thank You for releasing me from guilt.
Thank You that You know every wrong thing I have thought or said or done, and that You have loved me through it all.
Thank You that You have made provision for those wrongs through Jesus’ blood sacrifice.
Thank You that Your forgiveness is complete: You wipe everything away.

I choose to release my sins to You.

Accept
Thank You for accepting me just like I am–right where I am–and loving me.
Thank You for accepting me as Your child, and protecting me and caring for me.
Thank You for accepting the reality that, as much as I would like to think otherwise, there will be times in the future when I will wander away from You, and will need a fresh dose of Your grace.

I choose to accept Your love and forgiveness, which frees me from guilt and shame.

Continue
Thank You for Your continued presence, with me and within me, throughout the rest of my life.
Thank You for Your calling– to love You with all my heart, and to love myself, and to love my neighbor as myself.
Thank You that You will continue to guide me in fulfilling that calling, and redirect me if I head down the wrong path.

Father, I choose to continue, to follow You every day.

Enjoy
Thank You for enjoying me.
Thank You that You value my company.
Thank You that You love to give me good gifts, and that You scatter them throughout my day and life.
Thank You for inventing laughter, joy, love and relationships.
Thank You for the gift of hope: that I can welcome the day with anticipation, knowing You are working all things to good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.
Thank You that with You I need never be afraid.

Father, I choose to enjoy each day with a grateful heart.

Just so you understand: praying GRACE is not something you just do just once. It is something you do over and over again. And every time you pray GRACE, God refreshes your faith and restores your soul.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3

Living Grace

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by Lydia Floren

Do you ever feel bogged down? Not by anything external, but by what goes on inside your head? I know I do. Regrets and hurts sap my strength. Worries and frustrations drain away my joy.

Lately I’ve been figuring out a cool way to get back on track every day, so that I can go forward refreshed and energized: I’ve been learning to pray GRACE.

Pray GRACE:

Give thanks

Release

Continue

Enjoy

For example, in the morning I might pray something like this:

Give thanks

Thank You Father, for life that is in me and in the world around me. Thank You for air to breathe, a beating heart, five senses and four limbs. Thank You for the past, present, and future. Thank You for You: Your goodness, Your commitment to be with me and within me, Your love and care. Thank You for the particular situations that are on my mind, that You work all things to good, that You understand and will lead me in the right way to look at things, and how best to proceed.

Release

Father, I know I have been carrying around all kinds of baggage, and right now I just want to leave everything right here at Your feet. I release

My self-reliance: when I go my own way instead of Your way
Regret for what I have done that may have hurt myself or others, and
Any hurt that I am experiencing as a consequence of someone’s else’s actions
My habit of beating myself up over stuff. Thank you that you do not want me to live under condemnation, a slave of shame or guilt. That is precisely what you gave your life for.
Grudges I am holding against others: resentment and/or unforgiveness
Things dragging me down that I’m not consciously aware of: You know even more than I do what those things might be.

Accept

Thank you for my life

Where I am in time and space,
My unique gifts and talents, my incredible value, and belonging to you and the family of God
The privilege of joining with You to love those around me, and that you use me just as I am, “imperfect” by my own false standards.

Thank You for You

You being with me and within me, and never leaving me.
That You are committed to me: You have my back.
That you are Truth, and You have freed me.

Thank you for the freedom

Of your forgiveness
From hanging on to hurt, condemnation, and the expectations of others.
From fear, as I leave my worries with you.

Thank you that everyday is a new day, that I can embrace with anticipation.

Continue

Help me to continue moving forward in the direction You’ve already led me.

According to the plans carefully – and prayerfully – formulated.
Utilizing the habit(s) you have led me to establish
Keeping the commitments you have asked me to keep.

Thank you that You fill in the blanks of my imperfect efforts with Your perfect sufficiency.

And as I go, thank you that You will show me what changes you might want to make in those plans, habits and commitments.

Enjoy today

Thank you for the constants in my day: your love, your presence, your commitment to provide and protect and lead me, your working in this world.

Thank You for the unexpected:

The gifts You give me throughout the day: a beautiful sky, a smile, a connection, a new friend.
The surprising ways You work sometimes. ways I don’t anticipate or understand.
Opportunities to love and bless those around me.
Unique ways You communicate with me through your still small voice, your word, circumstances, your creation, and other people

Praying GRACE – it’s a great way to live!

p.s. I am really excited about this GRACE model! I am finding all kinds of applications for it. Expect to hear more about Living Grace in the near future! Below is a tool that can be printed on a 4×6 card so you can try Praying Grace, filling in your own blanks. (You can also find this on our Pinterest page)

Take a moment and share with us: How are you living GRACE in your days?

A Note in Your Lunchbox: Giving Thanks in All Things

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By Lydia Floren

For years I packed lunches for my husband and kids. Because food is NOT my thing, I tried lots of different ways to streamline this, including making 20+ PB&J sandwiches at a time, and freezing them for the week. That way, all I had to do in the morning rush, was grab one from the freezer and throw it in a box with a few other prepared items. Most days, I tucked a card in each lunch with a Bible verse written on it – a little spiritual refreshment for midday, to go along with the physical nourishment.

Typically, I wrote out these verse cards in the early morning, when the house was still quiet. As I prayed and meditated, preparing for the day, I would ask God to focus me on one particular verse to share, and if there was anything additional He was leading me to share. Then I would pull out my stack of blank cards and start writing. Five cards each day. Twenty-five handwritten cards per week.

Did those verse cards have an impact on my family? Yes, I know they did for 2 reasons: -The kids have told me so. (They still have some of those cards.) -God’s word is powerful. It always has an impact.

Sure, there were some days those notes didn’t get read. But other days, they were read over and over again, and even shared with friends at the lunch table. Samuel says he used to pass them around, so everyone could take a shot at deciphering my handwriting. (Who knew that my doctor-handwriting would have a positive benefit?)

The Power of Habit

Those cards impacted my family, but what I didn’t realize until years later, was how much they influenced me. The practice of writing out 25 verse cards a week enabled God’s truths to penetrate deep into my heart. They pop into my head at unexpected – and timely – moments, blessing me with their God-inspired wisdom.

The Habit of Giving Thanks in All Things

I think there are lots of habits – repetitive choices – that bless our lives, and then keep on blessing us. They start with small decisions in a moment or day, but their cumulative effect is powerful. There are several other such habits that have blessed me like this over the years, but one rises to the top: giving thanks in all things.

Thanksgiving Restores My Joy.

Choosing – repeatedly – to give thanks in all things, changes my perspective. It shifts my focus, from my problems and weakness, to His sufficiency and grace. Thanksgiving also changes my attitude. It refreshes my hope in the future, and strengthens my faith in God’s goodness. Most important, thanksgiving restores my joy. In the practice of thanksgiving, I remember that God is at work, and He does love me and everyone else in the world.

Things to give thanks for:

The last 24 hrs. People and events. God works all things to good.
God, my loving Father
- His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
- His working in my life and in this world, even when I don’t see it.
- His commitment to me personally, to always be with me – within me, to restore my soul every day, to lead me in the way I need to go.
Myself
- The gift of life, and of this day.
- My unique identity, value, belonging, and calling.
- My limitations, and God’s limitlessness.
Others
- Those I know (especially those that are dear to me), and those I don’t know
- Those I will cross paths with
My concerns
- That God knows my concerns before I do, and he will take care of them, and lead me in the next step.
- Perspective: Problems are just opportunities for God’s work to shine.
The next 24 hrs.
- The people and circumstances I will encounter in this day.
- God’s faithfulness to lead me in the way I need to go.
- God will work all things to good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Giving thanks in all things,the habit of thanksgiving, is like writing a note for your lunchbox: a message of hope that seeps into your heart and soul bringing refreshment when you least expect it, and may most need it.

Please share with us: what are you thankful for?

The Difficulty of Blessings

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wheat photo

by Lydia Floren

Blessings can be much harder to handle than hardship. When God blesses us, if we do not immediately (and often) acknowledge that it is Him at work, we can quickly come to believe one of Satan’s whispered lies:

“You know, God had nothing to do with this. You did this yourself. You deserve this.”

We abandon God’s leading and return to our old way of thinking: God is not good, He does not care. We reject our growing connection with Him—our focus on following Him– and resort to self-dependence.

“I must do what I think will make me happy, and will make me feel good about myself.”

So, in good times as well as hard times, it is helpful to remember:

What we think will make us happy—pleasure, power and pride—only makes us more miserable. The momentary rush from these things is replaced by long term emptiness and gnawing discontent.
When our lives are spent trying to impress or please others–or ourselves–we are enslaved in the worst kind of way.
The only way to joy, contentment, peace, purpose, and long-lasting blessing is to follow the Father who loves you more than He loved His own son’s life. And to do so with an attitude of anticipation and trust.
That means accepting “no” and “not now” exactly in the same way we accept “yes”: with gratitude, knowing that God IS good, and DOES have your best in mind, and fervently wants you to overflow with joy and contentment and the passion of a high calling.
God loves, loves, loves to give good gifts to His precious children. And He knows what is truly good.

God loves you. He really does.

What do you do to remind yourself that God truly has your best interest at heart?