Hold Tight

The beauty of Spring blossoms in New Hampshire!

This past week has been quite windy in New Hampshire.  The parsonage is in a small valley between the mountains, so the winds whip through the little valley, howling and beating against the house with quite a bit of force at times.   One morning, the winds were raging.  As I peered out the window, I noticed a fragile, sweet little sparrow holding tightly for its dear life to the vine of a tiny tree, just outside our kitchen window.  The rain and winds just beat against this poor little sparrow as it held tightly to the tired little tree, blowing in the wind, knowing if it let go, it would surely be battered and beaten to the ground by the assailing winds and rain.

This little sparrow reminded me of US!  We MUST hold tightly to Christ in the midst of life, at all times, even when the storms and winds of trial and tribulation threaten to beat us to the ground.  We must draw near to Christ by fellowshipping with Him in prayer, reading His Word faithfully, and faithfully assembling together as believers to hear the preaching of His Word.  John 15:4 says, “Abide in me, and I in you . . .”.  This means we are to remain FIXED in Christ.  We must ABIDE in Christ.  As a child of God, however, HE is ALWAYS holding onto you.  HE NEVER LETS GO, even if you lose your grip.  Our grip sometimes fails in the storm because we are frail as dust; but HIS grip never fails to hold onto us.  I’m so thankful for the perfect and strong grip of my Heavenly Father in the midst of any storm.  

For Such A Time As This,

Jennifer

Fear Not . . .

The Flume Gorge is a STUNNING natural gorge at the base of Mt. Liberty in Lincoln, NH.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”  Isaiah 41:10.  The Lord brought this special verse to remembrance at a time when I needed to remember His presence, when I needed His strength, when I needed courage, and when I was afraid.  

God does that so many times . . . when my soul is so in need of Him.  As children of the living God, we do not have to walk through fearful situations alone.  This life presents so many fearful situations . . . situations that threaten to shake our world, our heart, and our perspective if we are not fixed on Christ, fixed on His promises, and fixed eternity.  Sometimes our heart may be frightened about a circumstance we are called to face with an unknown or potentially troublesome outcome.  But, we are not called to walk in fear, but to walk in the courage and strength of Almighty God.  GOD HAS IT UNDER CONTROL,  and I can trust my faithful Father, come what may.  My friend, there is peace in coming to this understanding in your heart and soul.

I was so grateful to the Lord, when He poured this verse into my heart, filling me with His peace and comfort, reminding me of His presence.  At times, He also comforts me with another verse from His Word, which I have given to many others who struggle with fear, who walk through difficult situations, or who face circumstances with an unknown outcome.  Psalm 56:3 says, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”  What a simple, yet powerful reminder from our loving Father in heaven!  WHAT TIME I AM AFRAID, I WILL TRUST IN THEE . . . do you trust in the LORD who saved your soul, no matter what circumstance you face right now, no matter how it may look on the surface?  It is a peaceful thing to commit our soul and our future to our Heavenly Father when facing any difficult situation.   

For Such A Time As This,

Jennifer

Contentment In Christ Alone

It's all about our perspective!  An interesting photo from one of our many drives along the 

Kancamagus Scenic Byway in the White Mountain National Forest in NH.

Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want:  for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”  Several friends and I had a wonderful conversation about the concept of “contentment” . . . one of the greatest challenges of this life.

It seems that contentment seeks to master us, versus us seeking to master contentment, through the power of Christ living in us.  In our flesh, we continually seek something different, duping ourselves into believing this life will be better “if just” or “if only” a particular situation or life circumstance changes.  How about it my friend?  Do you find yourself saying this, if not audibly, then in your heart . . . “IF ONLY” my finances, “IF ONLY” my health, “IF ONLY” my spouse, “IF ONLY” my church, “IF ONLY” my career, “IF ONLY” my education or grades, “IF ONLY” my relatives, parents, siblings, children; “IF ONLY” the size of my home or my vehicle, “IF ONLY” my geographic location.  This list is endless isn’t it? 

May I say this as sweetly as possible . . . if you are living to find contentment in your circumstances, you will never find it because your circumstances always change.  Just when you think you are content, your life circumstances will CHANGE again, only to realize you did not have TRUE internal peace that the Bible speaks of. 

We will ONLY find contentment in Jesus Christ ALONE.  Contentment is not found in things, people, locations, ourselves, or circumstances.  Christ is to be our ALL IN ALL, our EVERYTHING.  This is a hard lesson . . . a life-long lesson.  Friend, I am STILL learning this lesson, but it brings great peace to my heart, when everything changes about me, very quickly and often in difficult ways, to know that Jesus Christ never changes. Jesus Christ is my source of true contentment and peace.  Jesus never fails.  Jesus is my everything.  My HOPE IS BUILT on the Lord Jesus Christ and must remain fixed there. 


Whatever your circumstances, be content in Christ and seek to glorify Him in and through them.  I pray that your contentment is found in Jesus Christ.  It is a conscious, daily choice and decision.  Sometimes, I must remind myself, when I grow weary, that my eyes and heart are wrongly fixed on circumstances, versus Jesus Christ.   They need an adjustment! Then, and only then, is perfect peace and contentment found in this very broken world.   May you seek to find contentment in Jesus Christ alone.


For Such A Time As This,
Jennifer

I'll Never Leave You

Serenity in the mountains of Glacier National Park in Montana.

Joshua 1:5-6 says, “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:  as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee:  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  Be strong and of good courage . . .” When I woke up to the wonderful sunshine this morning, I had a song on my heart . . . a song penned by Mac Lynch, based on Joshua 1:5-6:

As Joseph sought the Lord his God with all his heart

God laid on him a burden he would bear, yet not alone.

The Lord was with this holy man to bring to pass His master plan.

Through foreign lands, God walked beside His own.

I’ll never leave you, never forsake you.

By waters still, in pastures green, I’ll often take you.

But when I break you, so that my name be glorified,

I’ll never leave you, never forsake you.

Though fires and floods would seem to hide His plan for you,

Though trials and afflictions seem to take away your song,

Though you may never understand, just trust in His upholding hand.

In time you’ll learn, He’s been there all along.

I’ll never leave you, never forsake you.

By waters still, in pastures green, I’ll often take you.

But when I break you, so that my name be glorified,

I’ll never leave you, never forsake you.

I love God’s promise to His children in Joshua 1:5-6.  It gives us hope, courage, and strength for whatever He sovereignly ordains into our lives.  Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of Heaven and earth will NEVER leave or forsake you, NEVER!!  HE will NEVER fail you . . . NEVER!  God is always good, always faithful, always with His children, upholding and guiding through the darkest night or the brightest sunshine.  Praise God for His faithful promises!

For Such A Time As This,

Jennifer

My Father Planned It All

A view from the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in New Hampsire.

“What tho’ the way be lonely, and dark the shadows fall; I know wher-e’er it leadeth, My Father planned it all.  I sing thro’ the shade and the sunshine; I’ll trust Him whatever befall.  I’ll sing for I cannot be silent.  My Father planned it all.” 

Friend, we must claim the last thought of this wonderful song and hold tightly to it . . . MY FATHER PLANNED IT ALL!   Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”  Whatever your shadows, whatever your path, as a child of the Heavenly Father, the Lord knows your way. 

Sing in the shadows, sing in the sunshine, sing in the rain, sing in the darkest storm so you bring glory to your Heavenly Father . . . trusting that HE has sovereignly allowed whatever it is you are walking through today and whatever you will walk through tomorrow.  Trust in the Lord, lean heavily upon Him, seek His face with all of your heart in prayer, and go to His Word . . . He will be found. 

I’m so thankful I can sing both in the sunshine and in the shadows of this life, knowing my Heavenly Father has planned each step of my path .  . . though sometimes very steep, painful, or rocky . . . He has ordained each step.  Will you trust the One who saved your soul?  My friend, keep singing, even if you don’t understand.  God does.

For Such A Time As This,

Jennifer