“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men” John 1:1-4).

As a believer, I can confidently walk through life knowing that I don’t walk alone. It is comforting to know that God, my Creator, Father, and Friend walks with me.

It brings peace to my soul to know He holds the future. It brings confidence and calms my heart to know He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. These three beautiful words convey that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and present everywhere, at all times.

It brings joy in knowing He is just and in understanding that He promises to work all things together for my good, just as His Word says. I am so very grateful I don’t have to bear the weight of heavy burdens, as He promises to carry the load if I simply let go and let Him. Matthew 11:28 clearly conveys this: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

I am so very thankful He promises to guide me, help me, protect me, and provide for me. I am so very thankful I don’t have to go through life without Him. Why would I want to? He created me. He knows me better than anyone. He knows me even better than I know myself. Jeremiah 1:4-5 makes it clear. It says, “Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee.”

Luke 12:7 shows how He cares about every little thing when He states, “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Ecclesiastes 3:14 goes on to convey His power and authority. “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”

Psalm 127:1 makes it clear that His ways, not man’s, will prevail: “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

And Isaiah 55:8-9 makes it crystal clear that He is beyond worthy of awe and reverence: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

AMAZING!

He created the entire world. He knows the beginning from the end and everything in between. He is in full control. He is just, loving, all-powerful, all good. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I truly can’t imagine living in this overwhelming, complex, sin-filled world with all its injustices and intricacies without Him. I truly can’t imagine life without His guidance, His Word, His protection, and the encouraging support of fellow sisters and brothers in Christ.

I am so thankful that He rescued and saved me for all time and that He, not me, is in complete control of my life.

I have so many reasons to praise Him… so many reasons to be thankful.

I am thankful that when I don’t know what’s ahead, He already does.

I am thankful that when I suffer injustices, I can put my trust in knowing He sees and will bring justice.

I am thankful that when a door closes, I can have peace knowing that He was protecting me.

I am thankful that He looks out for me and has my best interest at heart.

I am thankful that He loves me and calls me His child.

I am thankful that He rescued me and stepped in to pay a debt I could never pay.

I am thankful for all of His promises, including the promise that He’s coming again to take me and all who have put their trust and faith in Him to our eternal home… a perfect place where we will forever be with Him.

If you are a believer, you can be thankful for all these truths too! You can have peace knowing that He walks beside you. You can have confidence knowing that He promises calm no matter the world’s chaos. Because of Him, you can walk in the light even when the world grows darker around you. You can rest with joy, realizing that He is working for your good and that you, too, will spend a beautiful eternity in His ever-loving presence one day.

I feel so much better having the knowledge that He is in control. I am so grateful there’s nothing that escapes His attention… there’s nothing He doesn’t see or know. He is above all. He is perfect, and His ways are perfect. He perfectly takes care of every aspect of my life… of your life. Our job as His children is simply to rest in His promises, give Him full control, serve Him, and actively trust Him.

Psalm 96:4 proclaims, ” For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.” Psalm 145:3 goes on to say, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.”

Revelation 1:8 makes it very clear who He is. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

INCREDIBLE!

We serve a mighty God! We serve a beautiful Savior!

His ways are higher than ours. His plans are better than ours. His love knows no limits, and His promises are forever.

As His child, may you have continual peace in knowing that in all things, God’s Got This!

spate.holly@gmail.com

Some days I wish I could go back… back to the time I was a little girl in East Texas, singing songs in Sunday school in a world that was very different from the one we live in today. Times were more wholesome back then… people more moral… and God was more respected… more revered.

Back then, the majority of people appreciated our country and all it afforded them, and they didn’t take things for granted. Children and teenagers respected parents, teachers, and those in authority. The law was followed. Politicians were not as slimy and self-centered in their dealings. Good was rewarded and recognized as good, and evil was justly dealt with and recognized as evil.

People, in general, cared about each other and lived a more selfless existence.

Employers were loyal; and hard-working, decent people could stay at one place and retire comfortably. Employees were appreciated, valued, and seen as people, not numbers.

Modesty was more mainstream, and certain topics were too taboo for open discussion.

People were more private, as they should be. There was no shameless airing of dirty laundry and no paparazzi lurking around every corner.

Life was more respected and considered more valuable… more sacred.

Schools were more inclined to focus on actual school work like reading, writing, and mathematics as opposed to teaching social justice, wokeism, critical race theory, and which correct pronoun to use for girls and boys.

Yes, times were definitely different back then.

Having been born in the early 70s, I find it amazing just how much has changed in my short lifetime.

We went from the rotary, on-the-wall phones with cords that could only reach so far to flip phones to little phones that conveniently fit neatly inside one’s pocket.

We transitioned from slow-cooking stoves to fast-cooking microwaves, from floppy discs and bulky computers to no discs and streamlined laptops.

From in-person, face-to-face conversations to sitting behind a screen, chatting with no eye contact.

From shows and movies to scripted “reality” TV and social media channels of all varieties.

From artificial intelligence as simply being a rough concept to streamlined, savvy A.I. so smart that it can easily pass a law bar exam or deep-fake a person’s existence.

We went from some choices to an explosion of choices (many unhealthy), whether it be food, drinks, products, technology, entertainment, etc.

And the list goes on.

Although much has changed and I can’t go back, I do find myself missing those days. Nevertheless, I have many things to be thankful for. Something I’m most thankful for is the reality that although things have changed over time and will continue to do so, there is one constant that has never and will never change…. God has always been and will always be God. That very truth… that very thought brings me great comfort, and I praise Him for that!

How nice it is… how very reassuring to know that God is still the same. He was the same back then and is the same now. He will forever be the same.

Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the Lord, I change not.” And Hebrews 13:8 states, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Amen!

Although I can’t go back to that more innocent time I found myself in – in that small Sunday school class in that little white country church in East Texas – I am thankful for the experience.

More than anything, however, I am most thankful that God promises to one day come get us from this world, a place that was never our true home, and take us home to forever be with Him. To that day, I await with childlike anticipation.

spate.holly@gmail.com