"BUT, I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because He has treated me generously." Psalm 13:5-6 Why do these verses of praise start with a "but"? Before the Psalmist gets to the praise, some wrestling was going on. I get that. I … Continue reading The Wrestling Before the Praise
On the hard hills, it's a struggle to look up...in life and in running. I find myself not wanting to actually look at the hill...all I can manage to do is look down and see is one foot moving in front of the other. The hills are hard. Exhausting. Sometimes you want to sit...or quit...or turn around and go the other direction because it's easier. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. **Breathe.**
Sometimes...we're on this life-path...it's all safe and paved and predictable. Comfortable. All of a sudden, life halts our perfectly paved and planned-out journey and takes us for an unexpected turn down a rocky, rough, difficult, unpredictable path. We look at the path that we've been on...we look at the destination that we were headed for...and … Continue reading Unknown Paths
"She's too big for that," I would say to Guy, as he carried a 6 year old Grace up the stairs to bed every night. "You're setting the bar too high!! I'm not doing that!!" "I'll do it as long as I'm able to," he'd say with a grin. Her arms would be wrapped around … Continue reading The Last Time
It's a battle down here, Father. I'm feeling anxious. I feel like I'm always battling. Things seen, things unseen, it feels like a constant struggle just to exist. You say rest and trust. Why is it so hard sometimes? When I focus on Truth I see clearly that I can rest and stop striving when … Continue reading The Best Kind of Struggle
 "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable-if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise-dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8 I love how the Lord strings His truths together like lights on a wire. His Word is alive … Continue reading Grieving in the Lovely
I normally do really intense and in-depth studies of God's Word...if you've been in one of my small groups, you know this to be true. But lately, I keep sitting down at the table to where my Bible is flipped open in the Psalms and don't get any further. I've been rubbing the Psalms in … Continue reading The Rock
The negative thoughts take laps around my head... Each one racing to take first place... Consuming my brain space. Anxiety growing, Agitation growing. Round and round they go and go and go... Then, an intrusive, quiet whisper asks- "What is it that you are meditating on?" Thoughts stop mid-lap. I realize that I'm doing it … Continue reading Racing Thoughts, the Intrusive Whisper and Painful Obedience
God's peace is incomprehensible, and His peace is likened to a military guard that protects our hearts and minds from hostile invasion. His peace hems in and protects our hearts and minds that are so vulnerable.
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."
So...who am I imitating?
Nicole Dotson 