Devotionals for the Heart: Faithfulness

Faithfulness in the Wilderness
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
~Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

Have you ever had to search for something you desperately needed or wanted? In the book of Exodus, after the Israelites were rescued from Egypt they searched for the Promised Land for forty years because they failed to obey God. Forty years of searching for what they wanted, what God had promised them. Forty years spent wandering in the wilderness. That’s practically my whole life.

I’m so thankful I haven’t been wandering in the wilderness my whole life. I’ve experienced wilderness moments though, so I can kind of relate to the Israelites, who I imagine had a tough time while wandering, waiting, and questioning. Jesus also had a wilderness moment for forty days, a lot longer than anyone living now would prefer, and he was alone.

God never promised we wouldn’t have wilderness moments. He did promise to show us a way through them guided by His love and compassion. In my late twenties, I became jobless. Left to wander, wait, and question what God was doing. Like the Israelites, I was looking for the Promised Land – a place to live, work, thrive, and provide. After waiting several months for God to lead me, I got frustrated in the process. I questioned why God wasn’t lighting my path and how I was going to cover my mounting expenses.

Like the Israelites, I needed a distraction in my waiting period, so I journeyed with my church’s singles group to the Outer Banks for some quality fellowship time at the beach. After a few days, I couldn’t fully embrace the gift of social time because I was so consumed by my own worries in the wilderness. While surfing internet job sites, I felt the need to stop searching and take a walk on the beach. I figured a walk would also allow me some time alone to pray (i.e., ask God what was going on for the millionth time).

As I meandered through the tide swept sand with the cool breeze tingling my face, I asked God to show me something, anything, to give me a sense of what I was supposed to do next. 

"Dig." The immediate response prompted me to kneel right where I was and dig up the moist grains with both hands. After a few minutes, I had a large pile of sand next to me and a hole before me that yielded nothing. “What’s the deal, God?” I whined like a punished child.

I felt God respond, “I just wanted to see if you would dig.”

Want to know the difference between God’s relationship with us and the Israelites? 

Obedience. It’s a choice we get to make every day, even in the wilderness. Because of God’s great love, He has promised the trials of life: the loss of a job, a home, land, or loved-one, will not consume us. His love can’t fail us.

God’s mercies are new every day because He is faithful to complete what He has begun in us. He meets us in the process, not only to guide us on the crooked path to all He has promised but to teach us that when we listen and obey, the journey of forty years or forty days could be but a day in love with Him.

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia. She teaches television production at C.D. Hylton Senior High School.

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is a member of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), ACFW Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

Mirachelle is passionate about awakening creativity and the gifts of God in everyone. She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII, inspired by her time studying theatre education in London, England.

In her spare time, she also writes and directs Christmas and Easter passion plays at Christ Chapel Assembly of God in Woodbridge, VA.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mirachelle77/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Peace

Perfect Peace

A devotional by Susan Lindstrom 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 (NIV)

I stand at the back window staring at my current trouble; a large pond that spans not only the width of our yard but the neighbors on each side of us as well. And it’s growing by the minute. At least the ducks swimming in it look happy.

This is a rare occurrence and only happens when we get a consistent rain over three inches. So, when it does happen we jokingly name it ‘Lake Lindstrom’ and think we are pretty clever to have skirted the high taxes that come with real lake front living. The jokes on us though as the rain continues to pound the roof and the water drainage next to our home overflows seeping into our septic system, which backs up into our pipes so if we do anything that requires using water, there is nowhere for it to go, because it’s full. Right up to the brim.

And there’s not a thing we can do about right now. We just have to wait until the water recedes and the drainage can flow freely again. We’re told it was an error in judgement when the house was built 45 years ago and will require a lot of money to fix it. A lot, as in more than we have. I wonder why it slipped the previous owners mind to not mention this little detail.

Whatever, it’s our problem now.

It’s an odd feeling knowing you can’t use the water inside your home. Kind of like tent camping in a permanent structure. I tried pretending it was a hundred years ago, you know, before indoor plumbing, but I can’t ignore the fact that I’m already spoiled with modern conveniences and there is no outhouse to run to.

This isn’t the first time, it’s actually been a few springs now so we have learned the fine art of being frugal with our water usage. We also have learned who our real friends are, the ones that let us come over to shower and rack up their water bill. It may be the best kind of friendship, or maybe it’s pity.

But today is day three and there is more rain on the way. It’s getting harder to ‘take heart’.

I know that eventually this problem will get resolved and I’ve lived long enough to know there’ll soon be another to take its place. A saying comes to mind, "We are either coming into a problem, in the middle of one or coming out of one." 

And even though it would be awfully nice to have a trouble-free life, it’s unrealistic. Jesus actually tells us to expect it and to deal with it. But He doesn’t leave us hanging with the how-to, He wants us to do life together. He wants us to have peace in the midst of trouble, His Peace. It is, after all, one of the amazing gifts from the Holy Spirit. It shows us God’s character and is an attribute that calls us to be like Him. The peace He so lovingly gives us is a state of tranquility or quietness of spirit, the total opposite of stress and worry.

Yes, those two troublemakers that slip in when I’m not paying attention, causing knots in my shoulders not to mention the ache in my heart.

I know I can’t control the water situation but I can control my thoughts. And coming to Him in prayer I choose to rest in His Peace and to trust in His Power and Wisdom to make all things work together for our good.

Thank you, Lord.

I pray that whatever trouble is going on in your life that you choose to turn it over to El Shaddai, The All Sufficient One, the One that is bigger than your troubles. 

Accept God's gift and take heart in His Perfect Peace.

Now, I wonder if the ducks would mind if I joined them?

~*~
Author Bio: 

Susan Lindstrom is not an award-winning writer yet unless you count that ‘best story’ award in third grade but stay tuned to see what God has planned!

Writing has always been a passion but raising a family, running her sewing and design business, involvement in women’s ministry and teaching Sunday School has kept her plenty busy.

Now retired and an empty-nester she trusts in God’s amazing timing and has jumped in to embrace this new adventure of writing.

Her first book is for children and will soon be released. It's the first in a series of real-life adventures focusing on the fruit of the Spirit.

She grew up on both the East and West coasts and now calls the beautiful state of Wisconsin home. She’s a wife, mom, and grandma to 10 children.

Susan listens to a wide variety of music, loves live performances and believes that laughter is the best medicine.

When she is not indoors writing, reading or pretending to clean the house, she’s outdoors enjoying the beauty of God’s Creation.

She’s a proud member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

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