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I first heard about life verses in my early 30s. During my prayer time, I began asking the Lord for a personal life verse. I can’t remember in what context I discovered Jeremiah 33:3. Perhaps it was during a Bible study or when I was looking something up. I do know there didn’t seem to be anything unusual or supernatural about the way I found it, but when I read it, something in me connected with it and I knew that was my life verse. “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not yet know“ (Jeremiah 33:3).
Each of us makes our own music for the Lord. It may look different because our instrument isn’t necessarily an actual musical instrument. Your voice is an instrument based on the words you speak both over yourself and others. A pen and paper are instruments to encourage, lift and motivate. Your hands are instruments as you tend to your family, pay your bills, and show up for work. Your arms are instruments as you lift your elderly parent/neighbor or give a hug. Engaging in life, relationship and responsibility can be considered a form of worship. Where we focus the eyes of your heart determines whether our unique sound comes from a heart of obedience, gratitude and love or the opposite. It is a form of worship, service to God.
One of the most loving things you can do for the people around you is to set and hold boundaries. The only boundaries that are truly effective are those made with love. Loving boundaries keep relationships healthy. People are held responsible for their own stuff, and others don’t have to carry burdens never intended for them. Love is truth, and truth is love. And both are rooted in the steadfast love of God.
The world pulls, tugs and tears at us every day. It feeds us various belief and value systems based on ever-changing standards and this can leave your heart tattered and torn. In the majority of cases, it’s not that the people who have imprinted your heart are horrible people, they handed you what had been handed to them so it’s important that we remember adaptive not faulty. This is good news because it says we can learn skills that are productive and satisfying.
Many of the fairy tales we grew up reading began with the familiar phrase, “Once upon a time….” and from that opening, a story about people and their lives spun out. Although fairy tales are fiction, they often mirror real life. Our world’s “Once upon a time….” story began in Genesis 1:1, with the words: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Right away we meet the great Author of our story — God.
Self-care day! Let’s recline in the Lord together. Find a comfortable place, preferably quiet. Take a couple of deep breaths and turn your affections toward the Lord. Everything starts and ends with Christ.
When I look back over our difficult marriage, I see many times when God made a way when it seemed like there was no way forward. When I felt I was up against a brick wall of discouragement, anger, frustration or hurt. When it felt like I had done all I knew to change, but my husband was unwilling to budge.
Have you ever struggled with making sense of pain and suffering and the good God we profess? Maybe you’ve been in a place where you asked God, “Where are You? Do You even care? Why me?
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