A Firm Foundation

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

I was in the Navy. I went through a divorce. I survived cancer. And now I am under a stay-at-home order for the whole state due to a pandemic.

In every case, my normal, comfortable routine was turned upside down. All of a sudden daily rhythms once taken for granted were replaced by unknowns. New, different and unfamiliar ruled the day. It was scary. Upsetting. Until...

I settled in for my morning coffee and prayer time. Every morning. A habit I sometimes didn't feel like doing. But did some form of it anyway. Coffee. Bible. Prayer journal. Do it enough and the Lord leads you to a place of peace every time. After years of practice, its quite natural for me to start my day in prayer. It is the one thing that none of those above mentioned life-altering events could take away. 

In good days and in bad, I can bow down in prayer. I can rest in peace because God gives me peace when I pray.

We're living in a state of great change and upheaval right now. Every facet of life has been affected by the social distancing required. Gatherings. Meetings. Shopping. Finances. Mental and physical health.

But not my prayer time. Not my time of receiving strength, wisdom, patience and love from God. I have a firm foundation like the one talked about in Matthew 7:24 - 25.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

And you can too. It's never too late to start building a prayer-faith life that will sustain you - when the rains come down, the streams rise, and the winds blow and beat... you don't have to fall (panic, feel helpless). A firm foundation can be started anytime. A confidence-in-God peace can be attained and held on to during troubling times.

Begin. Now. Today.
And pray every day.
It will most assuredly make a difference to your good and bad days.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

Where are You, God?

Keep your head up, your eyes straight ahead, and your focus fixed on what is in front of you. (Proverbs 4:25)

I sure did not expect all this dreary, gray sky and unfruitful branches out my window today. It's supposed to be spring! Where's the blue sky and green buds? I can't see any of that. Just black and gray tangles. 

Not only is my view filled with clutter, but my mind as well. Thoughts - so many thoughts (and dreary thoughts) running off here and there in different directions, just like those branches.

And yet I know the peace of Christ is here somewhere. I've had it before. Even amidst cluttered thoughts, drama and trauma all around me. Still... still I KNOW - if I seek Him I can find Him if I seek Him with all my heart. (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Yep. Just focus. Zero in. Push all the other choking thoughts off to the side. And you will see Christ. Know He is seeing you too. He also is intent and focused - on carrying you through. Peace, my friends. Peace the world cannot give.

Where is Jesus? Right here where's He's always and forever been.
Closer than your next breath.


If you will focus your intentions in His direction and open your hands and reach for Him... (Job 11:13)

One thing...
One thing.

One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.
For in the day of trouble
He will keep me safe in His dwelling;
He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
(Psalms 27:4-5)

There doesn't appear to be enough

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

The story is familiar to many. Jesus (somehow) feds the five thousand.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do. (John 6:5)

Now I don't know about you, but the thing that catches my eye is this: He already had in mind what He was going to do. THANK YOU, JESUS! YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!

Even though there doesn't appear to be enough. Not near enough.

"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" (John 6:9)

How far indeed. This is one crazy situation. Involving thousands of people.

Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." (v. 10)

Stop everything. Sit down. I, the Lord, will take care of everything.

Do any of you have college memories of eating ramen noodles for a week? How about driving on gas fumes to the gas station? Or the hosting of a large gathering only to question if there is enough food as people begin pouring through the doors... 

And there was enough. You did survive. It came to pass. And is but a memory now. Hopefully a lesson learned by now.

Jesus helped them in ways unimaginable to the human eye. 2,000 years ago.
Jesus helped us during our times of trouble in the past.
Jesus is presently helping as well. The Lord and Ruler over all that is seen and unseen.

2 Corinthians 4:18 (various translations)

There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. (MSG)

So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes. All of that is fleeting; it will eventually fade away. Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on. (VOICE)

What can we possibly focus on that will last - forever?
Jesus' helping hand.
Jesus.

Safe and Secure

Lord, I know and trust and believe in Your holy presence and divine power over all the universe, seen and unseen. I believe You are greater than anything we could hope for or imagine. You know we are but dust and like grass under the pressure of the wind. Prone to worry. Prone to wander, even from the steadfast security and love found in You. You are patient, understanding and forgiving of us beyond all reason. It boggles the mind how infinitely loving, gracious, merciful and kind to us You are. If we would give a mere tenth of that back to You - a mere tenth of Your overflowing portion to us - to our neighbor... what a wonderful world it would be. Surely a peace that passes understanding would fall upon us.

Even in these times, as in times past, You beckon me to lay my head upon Your chest, You smooth my hair down and pat my back with Your right hand, You hum a soothing tune. Even now, in my soul, You recreate the rhythmic, steady assurance of being rocked by my momma in the stillness of early morning.

Creak... creak... creak...

You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
(Job 11:18)