Notes on Hope Devotional

Simple Prayers

Isaiah 33:2 NIV
O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

I have a vivid childhood memory of saying my bedtime prayers with at least seven dolls next to me in bed. “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord, my soul to keep.” Being alone in a dark room, those words gave me a sense of God’s nearness.

As I grew older, I found prayer to be a reality of talking to God. Along the way, I found tools, like ACTS: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. When my brain was scrambled, these gave structure to how I prayed. Then, there are times I skip the formalities entirely and go into “panic prayers,” simply saying, “God, help me and please hurry.”

Reading today’s verse, it appears Isaiah is calling on God in the midst of difficult circumstances. His words are direct with no fluff.

In the verse immediately before this prayer, Isaiah is talking about distress and betrayal. Asking the Lord to “be gracious to us, we long for you,” is the cry in the midst of pain, bewilderment, and confusion.  There’s nothing like pain to wedge us in and cause us to identify our deepest desire.

Amidst the bewilderment, Isaiah asks God to “Be our strength every morning.” There is an acknowledgment of a daily dependence and reliance on God as the source. When we are without, God has what we need. Every day, all the time, God is consistently faithful.

The last phrase, “our salvation in time of distress,” solidifies God’s character and the relationship Isaiah has with Him. Hope is embedded in calling on God for strength. In times of distress, God is present. In times of worry, God is near. In times of sorrow, God is with us.

Let our prayers come from the deepest place, where we long for God, in His graciousness, to be our strength and salvation.

 Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being faithful and gracious. We deeply desire more of You. Thank You for being our strength and salvation. We need You every hour of every day. Help us radically rely on You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

 A Different View

Psalm 61:1-3 NIV
Hear my cry, O God;
    listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;
    lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the foe.

Earlier this month, I bought a new Bible. It was time. Having a large-print Bible makes it easier to read, but my old Bible has my highlights, dates, and markings next to verses where I’ve journeyed with God. The most-used pages of my old Bible were found in the Psalms, where I’ve parked for the last 8 years. The Psalms have my heart. It’s where I’ve found words when I’ve had none. Throughout the 150 chapters, there is poetry, prayers, and heartfelt descriptions of pleas, praises, promises, and petitions.

Today’s verses in Psalm 61 allow us to identify with David in his desperation.

First, he tells God to listen; “Hear my cry, O God. Listen to my prayer.” He’s telling God to pay attention.

Second, David describes where he is: “From the ends of the earth, I call. I call as my heart grows faint.” Even in a state of desperation and distance, he is not holding back but is honest and vulnerable. 

Thirdly, David desires a different view and perspective; “lead me to a higher rock.” He has past experience with God and knows the safety of dwelling with God, as his refuge. He remembers how God has been faithful in the past and will be again.

God is listening to you; when you don’t have words, but only tears and groans. God is our refuge, a place where we can find safety, security, and solace in His arms.

 Dear Heavenly Father,
Here we are, weak, weary, and without strength. Thank You for hearing and listening, seeing and knowing our plight. Lead us to the rock that is higher than where we are, finding rest and refuge in being held securely.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Notes on Hope Devotional

When, Not If

Psalm 94:18, 19
When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
    your consolation brought me joy.

Time is measured in dimensions such as years, months, weeks, and minutes. Then there are events that define specific times, like birthdays, graduations, weddings, and retirements. And then there is language describing time in moments of when: when I grow up, when I move, when I finish my degree, and when I hear back if I got the job. 

When offers us a sense of being in the moment of an event that is going to happen or has happened. There’s no “if” involved. When is definitive and certain.

Today’s verse describes two scenarios the psalmist finds himself in. “When I said, my foot is slipping,” and “when anxiety was great within me.” Both places are rooted in fear. Fear roars and rumbles in each of us with radar looking for relief. Both places are positions to seek help. The responses to these “whens” are offerings to us of how God is ready to give us hope in our fear, faith in our despair, and comfort in our pain.

“Your unfailing love, Lord, supported me,” comes immediately after the fear is described. No pause between the two sentences, but a declaration of “your faithful love is with me.” It’s like when I hear the Pilates instructor say, “I got you,” when I am standing on the reformer trying to balance and not fall. God has got us.

When we are experiencing overwhelming anxiety, hearing the words, “your consolation brought me joy,” is like a slathering of aloe vera on a sunburn; a sense of relief and comfort.

Life has no shortage of experiences that cause fear. So, when we are in the “whens,” may we stand on the promise of God’s faithful love and sustaining comfort.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the promises that overcome our fear. Help us declare, like the psalmist, “Your unfailing love supported me” and “your consolation brings me joy.” Let us be open to experience the reality of love and comfort You give us.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Notes on Hope Devotional

It’s a Promise

Isaiah 46:4
Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

There’s a Post-it note on my desk that contains a list of 8 friends who celebrated a birthday in January or will celebrate in February. Dollar Tree has been the source where I love to pick out just the right birthday card for each friend. Some of the cards use humor in describing the aging process and getting old. Other cards remind us of the gift of the years we are given.

Today’s verse offers a promise of God’s faithfulness as we move into the last chapter of life.

In a culture that idolizes youth and beauty, old age and gray hair are dismissed and resisted. I’m reminded each morning of my aching body parts, telling me I’m aging. But in this verse, aging and gray hair are gifts. As we move ahead in time, turning the calendar, God is still God and will carry us. From the first words, “Even to” amplifies a sense of not withholding or staying distant, as well as continuing to see how God is forever faithful.

Each phrase in this verse encapsulates an all-encompassing sense of God’s presence.

• God is our Creator, who made us and knows us from the womb.

• God carries us close from childhood, parenthood, widowhood, from beginning to the end.

• God will sustain us, strengthen us, support us, and secure us to Himself through every season.

• God will rescue, ransom, reclaim, redeem us, and renew us.

• God's promises come from His unfailing kindness, never-ending faithfulness, and everlasting love for us.

As we see the years go by and find another gray hair, we can know God sustaining us, His Spirit guiding us, and His love surrounding us. He promised.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the promise of Your presence as we grow older. Remind us, when we face the reality of aging, on days when our bodies are weary, that You are sustaining and carrying us. Thank You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Notes on Hope Devotional

Enduring Hope

I Thessalonians 1:3
“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I’m intrigued by hope…It’s mentioned over 100 times in the Bible, depending on the version. In I Corinthians 13, Paul mentions faith, hope, and love. Today’s verse brings the three words back together, faith, love, and hope, in a different order. In this verse, hope is the inspiration that forms endurance.

Two days before Christmas, my dear friend, Brenda, took her last breath on earth and first breath in heaven. We were friends for 44 years. Our lives paralleled as we shared pregnancies, birthdays, and anniversaries. Last week, I spoke at her celebration of life and shared this verse.

Brenda was diagnosed with acute leukemia in 2021 and endured multiple rounds of chemo, infusions, a bone marrow transplant, and numerous medications. She was a patient at City of Hope in Duarte, California. Brenda was an ambassador of hope while she was there. 

Her life was evidence of “endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

What does that look like? As I watched Brenda navigate her diagnosis, she found her faith to be the rock-solid place where she persevered and clung to hope. She radiated hope to other patients, staff, and strangers. She told me a story when she was shopping at Tractor Supply (who knew they sold shoes) and struck up a conversation with a woman, also named Brenda. They chatted, and Brenda shared her faith and hope with her.

Endurance is not a sprint, or a mile, or a marathon. Endurance is the long road taken, where we keep going, amidst the challenges, setbacks, and hard days. Endurance is hanging on to Jesus with everything we’ve got, as we let Him hold us. We can endure with hope, as Brenda did, and tightly cling to Jesus. He won’t let us go.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Immanuel, God with us

Matthew 1:23 NIV
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Today’s verse is the basis for our Christian faith. A miracle birth, humanly impossible: God putting on flesh to come to be with us. Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived, breathed, ate, slept, walked, and wept. He came to be like us and be with us.

At Christmas, we are invited to reorient our hearts, minds, and spirits to the birth of Jesus.

In the midst of all the chaos, calamities, the unseen, the unknown, our fragility, and our frailty of being human, God came to be with us.

My daughter has an Advent wreath on her dining room table that she designed a few years ago. Last week, she lit the candle of hope for the first week of Advent. Hope came to us in a manger.

It wasn’t what we expected. It didn’t look like how we thought it should. Hope comes in a different package, without a bow.

Hope forms in us as we keep trusting, believing, and connecting to the One they called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, and Immanuel.

God is with us now. 

In the mess we find ourselves, in the grief we sense, in the health scares we experience, in the unanswered questions we ask, in the unknown future we face. God is with us.

Let us find our rest and peace in Immanuel, God with us.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for coming to us in flesh and blood.
Thank You for knowing what it’s like to be human and not leaving us on our own.
Help us fully embrace the reality that You are, indeed, with us, Immanuel.
In Your Mighty Name,
Amen  

Notes on Hope Devotional

Angels on Guard

 Psalm 91:11 NIV
 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways

This past weekend, my son and daughter brought down the red and green tubs in the garage filled with Christmas decorations.  I was instructed to “get to it” and do some decorating. Amidst the boxes, I found the collection of angels I’ve acquired over the years.

In the Christmas story, I have an affinity for the angels. They had the premier privilege of coming to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, announcing the news of the coming Savior.

Today’s verse gives a slightly different job description of angels.

They are considered bodyguards, protecting and on the lookout for us. It appears they are recipients of instructions, commanded by God, “concerning you.” Like soldiers receiving orders from their commanding officer, angels have duties to protect us.

As I read this verse and ponder, I sense a tenderness and security of being looked after, taken care of, and kept safe.

A few years ago, after taking off my wedding ring, I started wearing my husband’s Fitbit. On a trip to Costco, I went in wearing it, and came home without it. Thinking I lost it on the way, I looked in the car, in my purse, in the driveway, and in the box of items I bought at Costco. Frustrated, I decided to call Costco and ask if they had found a Fitbit. The person on the phone went to check. As I waited on the phone, I prayed, “Please, Lord.” The words I heard said, “Is it green?” I said, “Yes!” Something I loved because it belonged to my husband was found. I felt taken care of in a special way, seen in my circumstances, and surrounded by a force of protection.

What are you facing today that creates fear? What areas have you seen God order His angels to guard and protect you? Let’s be on the lookout for the ways God “commands his angels concerning” us. 

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for sending angels to guard us in all our ways. Give us eyes to see You protecting us from, guarding us in, and taking care of us throughout the day. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Give Thanks

Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.

A few years ago, I was part of a writing group where we named one thing we were grateful for each day of the month. That practice has stayed with me, albeit not in a formal, writing-it-down way, but in a spiritual practice. Psalm 100 is the song of thanksgiving, inviting us to “give thanks.” 

Whether you're in a season of peace and quiet or in a storm of chaos, change, and upheaval, we can still give thanks. 

Dr. Curt Thompson, psychiatrist and author of “Anatomy of the Soul” and “The Deepest Place,” wrote in a recent email about gratitude and thanksgiving:

Scripture has long understood this. For God’s people, thanksgiving was never transactional; it was relational. Gratitude emerged as a response to a God who draws near, who knows and loves His people. When we give thanks, we participate in that same movement. Every “thank you” becomes a small turning:
•         toward God
•         toward others
•         and toward a deeper awareness that we live in a story held together by grace.

As you gather to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, may you see it as a holy practice that draws you into a deeper sense of gratitude toward God.

Dear Heavenly Father,
We give you thanks for the blessings You have given us. All we have is from You. Thank You for life, breath, and the gifts of family and friends. Above all, thank You for Your Son, Who gives us life here and life beyond this world. In Your Precious Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

911 Prayers

Psalm 71:12 (CSB)
God, do not be far from me;
my God, hurry to help me.

This past month, I’ve had plumbing issues and made friends with Andy, the plumber. On Sunday, before I went to church, the toilet overflowed. As I stood watching the water rise and spill onto the floor, I cried, “Lord, help me!” In the next moments, I ran to get towels and added another prayer, “Please stop it, Lord!” I call these prayers my “911 prayers,” short and in need of immediate attention.

Whether we are watching a toilet overflow, or sitting in a doctor’s office, or receiving an unwanted phone call, we all can identify with the words, “my God, hurry to help me.”

A dear friend, Sue Fulmore, writes beautifully the following blessing reflecting the space where I found myself. I pray it brings you hope where you are today.

May you run to the Father
and let yourself
be enveloped
in a love with no limits.

To know your regrets
covered and buried.
Your shame
forever silenced.

To know the friend
who never leaves,
and the peace available
in the middle of every storm.

(You can follow Sue on Substack.) Here’s the link: https://suefulmore.substack.com/

Notes on Hope Devotional

Checking Our Filter

 Psalm 19:14 (CSB)

 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

This past Sunday at church, the worship leader read this verse aloud as a part of our worship. I have heard this verse hundreds of times, but for some reason, it made me pause.

These words from Psalms invite us to consider the spoken and unspoken; what’s heard and not heard, what’s visible and what’s secret. When I think about it, it’s a prayer to be exposed, to see what’s beneath the surface. Does what I say accurately reflect what is in my heart and mind? What’s the process that creates the connection?

Since my college days, I’ve been a coffee drinker. My habit has been to prepare the coffee the night before, so when I wake up, I walk into the kitchen, smelling the inviting aroma, and pour myself my cup of java. I use an automatic coffee maker that requires a filter. The filter is where the grounded beans wait to be turned into the smooth, dark, delicious drink I enjoy. The filter matters. It’s where the connection from inside makes its way outside.

In the same way, what I am meditating, thinking, and rehearsing in my mind will result in what comes out of my mouth. The common phrase, “think before you speak,” comes to mind. If my thoughts are negative, critical, and not true, I will find myself saying those things.

However, if I set up a “filter prayer,” like this verse, I will consider if what I am thinking is lining up with Philippians 4:8, “whatsoever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” May we consider the filter we are using and ask God to help us.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your transforming power as we ask that our words we speak and the thoughts we think “may be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, Our Rock and Redeemer.”
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Blessed

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him,
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

While some trees are changing colors, the three orange trees and the lemon tree in my backyard are full of green fruit. Underneath the trees, a drip irrigation system provides water. Last week, the sprinkler system wasn’t working, so the trees didn't receive water for over a week. The trees looked droopy, tired, and dry. With a hose nearby, I turned on the water full blast and soaked the roots.

These verses today give such a beautiful picture of trees that are flourishing and fruitful.

This image is what Jeremiah uses to declare “blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”

What captures my attention is the statement in verse 8, “it does not fear and it has no worries.”
Stop the bus! What is he saying? No fear and no worries? I want some of that!

Life is filled with numerous challenges that grip us in fear and worry. Our finances, our health, our families, our futures are just some of the areas we can choose to fear. But what does Jeremiah say when he calls us blessed? “The one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” Trust and confidence in exchange for fear and worry.

Choosing to intentionally trust when we are programmed to fear is an act of our mind and will. My practice lately has been to say, out loud for my brain to hear, “I choose to trust You, Lord.”

A recent song on my playlist by Elevation Worship is “Blessed Assurance”…These lyrics give voice to my heart: “I trust in God, my Savior, the One who will never fail, No He will never fail.”

We can be like a thriving, flourishing tree when we trust and put our confidence in the Lord.   

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being faithful and trustworthy. Help us trust You with everyone and everything, to fully experience the call of being “blessed.” Thank You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

 ALL not Some

Psalm 145:13-14
The Lord is faithful in all his words
  and kind in all his works.
The Lord upholds all who are falling
     and raises up all who are bowed down.

At first glance, these verses seem to be describing some of the many attributes of God: His faithfulness, kindness, and power. But in the middle of each sentence contains a word that gives these verses a stick of dynamite: All.

All isn’t a little, but over-the-top a lot. All isn’t some, or a few, but beyond much. All isn’t a dose or a dollop, but the entire amount.

“The Lord is faithful in ALL his words.” The promises of God are completely, entirely, absolutely, utterly, and totally reliable and true.

God is faithful to His Word, period.

“And kind in ALL his works,” invites us to consider the completeness and entirety of His kindness and goodness in all He does. It’s easy to see the problem or circumstance we are facing. Knowing and remembering His kindness in the midst of our mess is a remedy for our minds.

“The Lord upholds ALL who are falling,” describes us, everyone, with no exceptions. God’s help and strength are available to us in our weakness and powerlessness.

“And raises up ALL who are bowed down,” gives us hope in our discouragement, disappointment, and depression.

Trials and challenges are a reality. Trusting and choosing to believe God is in the ALL of it is a lifeline. Where do you need to know that God is upholding you and raising you up right now?

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being a God who is faithful and kind all the time, even when we don’t see it or feel it. Help us trust, cling, and commit to Your promises, that You are sustaining us and lifting us up in Your arms.
In Your Mighty Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

 Ever Present Help

Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Time passes, but we all remember where we were on 9/11 in 2001. The images we saw in New York City and in Washington, DC, are etched in our minds. As a nation, we experienced “the earth giving way and the mountains falling into the heart of the sea.” We entered an abyss of disbelief, unbelievable tragedy, and unimaginable grief. In my Bible, I have these verses in Psalms underlined and dated, 9/11/2001.

“God is our refuge and strength and ever-present help in trouble.” The fact of God being a refuge and strength takes precedence as a promise of who God is. We give so much attention to the crisis, the circumstances, and the chaos, it’s easy to forget who God is.

The word “therefore” leads us to the place where we can find confidence and not live in fear, knowing who God is, our refuge and strength. We can walk through the “though” as we face storms, trials, knowns, and unknowns. These verses state that, even though, nonetheless, nevertheless, and despite what we are facing, we do not have to fear. God is our safe place, refuge, and strength in the midst of the storm. It’s a promise and a fact.

The second promise of who God is, his “ever-present help in time of trouble.” When we are in a crisis, we need help now, in the moment.   God’s timing in our hour of need is impeccable. God is faithful, unfailing, with us in the midst of our trouble, pain, chaos, and storms. We can trust Him completely because He is absolutely faithful. 

 Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your promises that You are my refuge and ever-present help in trouble. Help me believe, trust, and rest in Your promise that I don’t have to fear, but completely trust You. Thank You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Endurance

(Taken from my devotional, Walking the Way, a 21-Day Devotional for walking the Camino de Santiago.)

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

My daughter completed her first half-marathon this week. I’ve watched, for the past three months, as she trained, conditioned, and stretched her sore muscles. Slowly, she built up her endurance from running 2 miles, then 4, then 6, and then finally 10 miles a week before the race. After her 10-mile run, she came into the house exhausted, sweating, and drained. She was building endurance so she could run the race.

Endurance comes at a cost. It’s only evident if there is an opportunity to see it develop under the necessary circumstances of a challenge. Endurance only shows up when we do something hard.

Back in the day, before cell phones, we had something called a Polaroid camera. You would take a picture, and immediately after, a squared paper popped out of the camera. Your picture would develop right before your eyes, slowly: black, then gray at first, then the shadows would appear, and then the entire frame of your photo would appear.

Endurance comes the same way. It slowly develops as we continue to walk, grow, and live out our faith in difficult circumstances. Is it possible that where you are today is building endurance in your life? Are you faced with a hard situation and can’t see beyond it? Little by little, your endurance will increase as you continue to trust, wait, hope, and depend on the Lord. Others are cheering us on to keep going and not give up. Stay the course, and God will faithfully help you endure.

 Dear Lord,
Thank You for your strength, grace, and power to help us endure. You endured the cross, bearing our sin and pain. Help us not forget what You endured for us. Let us run the race of life with endurance, not to give up, but keep going, fixing our eyes on You, Jesus. Thank you.
In Your Mighty, Magnificent Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Better Together

Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 (NIV)
Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor: 
If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Ecclesiastes is full of wisdom and principles for living. These two verses speak to our need for people and not doing life alone. We are created for connection.

Over the past few years, two things have impacted our lives in ways we never imagined: technology and Covid. Screens replaced the in-person presence of being together. The research has shown how isolation has affected us. Our brains and bodies have neurons that need to fire off to function well. Face-to-face contact sets that in motion.

A favorite author who recently passed away, Dr. Larry Crabb, said,

“I have come to believe that the root of all of our personal and emotional difficulties is a lack of togetherness, a failure to connect that keeps us from receiving life and prevents the life in us from spilling over onto others.”

(Larry Crabb, author of Connecting, page 32, Word Publishing 1997)

My own experience over the past seven years of living alone has positioned me to make intentional plans to avoid isolation. However, reaching out can be filled with some obstacles. When I’m tired, I tend to tell myself, “Oh, they wouldn’t want to.” Or, my own fear of rejection sets me up to not reach out. When I push past the lies in my head, I find a sense of satisfaction that verifies the verse, “one can help the other up.”

Definitely, “there is good return for their labor” when we do life with others. We are better together. 

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for creating us to be together. Thank You for the people in our lives that reflect You and Your love. Help us step out of fear to be together. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

You’re a Daughter First

My dear daughter,

Before you were a mother, you were a daughter first
I formed you and knit you together in your mother’s womb
I was there when you took your first step and spoke your first word
I saw you at your birthday parties and at Christmas
Opening presents and singing songs.

Before you were a mother, you were a daughter first
I saw the cruel words other kids spoke to you
The mean girls who ignored you and didn’t pick you for the team,
I saw your tears and recorded each one as you felt all the emotions.

Before you were a mother, you were a daughter first
I rejoiced with you as you walked down the aisle to say “I do”
I was there when you had your first fight, and wondered what you had done
I was there in the delivery room when you gave birth and cried with joy
I was also in the room when they slowly said, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

You are and always will be a daughter first, my daughter,
Who I love, delight in, sing over, pray over, and shower goodness
I see you, hear you, and know you, every hair on your head 
I sing over you and smile each time I look at you.

You are loved and delighted in dear daughter
Let me love you lavishly
As you walk in my love, I will sustain you
Carry you and comfort you
I will hold you by my right hand.

You are my beloved daughter, my daughter, first and foremost.

I love you

Your Heavenly Father

Notes on Hope Devotional

An Equation for Trust 

Psalm 28:7 (NIV)
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
    and with my song I praise him.

This verse appears in Psalms as a statement of David’s faith and trust in God. It’s personal, using the word “my” 5 times. Another word that appears 3 times is the word “and.” Why the repeated use of these two little words?

Here are my thoughts:

David’s attachment to the Lord was part of who he was. He knew God with such depth and fervency that he used the pronoun depicting possession. Like my hand belongs to my body, the connection creates ownership. Calling the Lord “my strength and my shield” reflects a close belonging to, not a distant level of being an acquaintance. The strength David was mentioning wasn’t human but God’s power. The shield was God’s protection, not a mere covering of armor. David had a history with the Lord that reflected this kind of depth of knowing. This knowing was a reality.

When we know God to be “ours” and add the attributes of God’s strength and protection, we are safe and secure.

In this close bond, David brings his heart, a heart that trusts God.  The “and” connects his trust with receiving help from God.

When we trust, there is an “and” coming, whether we see it right away or not. Trust puts us in the perfect posture of receiving. 

In the final line comes a response. Out of a sense of our identity, our hearts can trust and experience help and hope. We can then rejoice and praise God.

Dear Lord,
Thank You are a personal reality we can encounter. You are “our strength and our shield.” Help us trust you deeper, without an agenda or fear, so we can rejoice and praise You.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Flourishing

 Psalm 92:12-14 (NIV)
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
            They will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
Planted in the house of the Lord,
            They will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
            They will stay fresh and green.

Out my front window, across the street, I can see two 10-foot-tall palm trees towering above houses and other trees. They look regal as they reach toward the sky, flourishing as the wind blows the branches. These verses give a vivid image of how we can “flourish like a palm tree, and then flourish in the courts of our God.”

Location for any plant or tree is important in determining whether it will thrive and grow. Our placement and position will affect our spiritual growth, as well. These verses refer to the “house of the Lord” and “courts of our God” as locations. More than suggesting a house of worship, where can we flourish in our relationship with God?

Is it in a special place where you meet with God in the morning to be in the Word?
Is your car a place where you worship and praise Him?
Do you take a walk and make it a time for prayer?
Do you give yourself a space for silence to listen to the Lord?

In the context of these verses, in our flourishing, there will be fruit. I love that it says, “still bear fruit in old age.” No matter our age, even those of us over 50, God still wants to use us, grow us, bear fruit in us, so we can pass it on to the next generation. And the promise is, “they will stay fresh and green.” We don’t have to wilt and dry up as we get older. We can flourish and bear fruit.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for these verses that give us hope. Help us age well and flourish so we can bear fruit. Thank You for sustaining us and strengthening us.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Imagine

by JoDee Luna

Revelation 19:14 states: “The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.”

The historical significance of this scripture is compelling. In ancient Rome, victorious generals would celebrate their triumphs with a grand procession, leading their armies on horseback through the city. The white horse symbolized victory, power, and divine favor. Unlike the captives who followed in chains, the victorious warriors rode freely, honoring their leader.

This verse reminds us that as believers, we are not captives but participants in the victory of Christ. Women, too, are part of this procession—riding with strength, dignity, and purpose. Imagine captures this victorious journey, inviting women to embrace their divine calling rather than wait for external validation.

The Visual Story of Imagine

In this painting, a resolute woman sits astride a powerful white horse, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Clad in flowing garments reminiscent of pure white linen, she rides with strength and grace, embodying a spirit of unwavering faith. The ethereal background suggests a heavenly expanse, evoking the triumph of those who trust in their divine purpose. Through the interplay of light and texture, the painting captures the essence of resilience and divine empowerment. Imagine is an oil on canvas dedicated to women who are not waiting for a Prince Charming to rescue them.  Women whose faith and courage make them bold and beautiful. Women who believe and pursue their God-given calling.

Notes on Hope Devotional

Quiet and Calm 

Psalm 131:1, 2 (NIV)
My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.

But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

This short Psalm is one of the Psalms of Ascents written by David.
These verses create vivid images of how we can realign ourselves to experience a sense of peace and security in our relationship with God that supersedes anything else.

“My heart is not proud, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.” David defines his status as humble and free of pride. He knows his limitations. He simply accepts his state as a humble servant, depending on God.

The second verse offers the result of this act of humility: “But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.”

The act of humbling ourselves opens the door to making a decision to trust.  In that space between humility and contentment, we are invited to experience a sense of security, of peace, and comfort, like a baby being held in the safety of his mother.

This past week, I was with family friends and watched as their 5-month-old son nestled, rested, and lay contentedly in the arms of his mother. It was the exact image of the quiet and calm we can experience in the arms of our Abba Father, knowing He meets all our needs, holds us securely, as we trust, know, rest, and find true contentment.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Help us as we humble ourselves, recognize our imitations and see our need for You. Thank You for the contentment You offer us as we rest and trust You.  In Your Name, Amen.