Fear He Who Quiets the Storm

By Jill Briscoe

“Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.”  ~ Mark 4:36

There was another storm on Galilee.  Jesus and the disciples were in a boat together.  According to Mark, “other little boats” went along.  We do not know who was in those other vessels; all we know is that they wanted to be near Jesus.

“And a great wind storm arose, and the waves beat the boat, so that it was already filling” (v. 37).  This time, even Peter was afraid of the storm.  If the big boat was in trouble, can you imagine what was happening to the little boats?

Jesus, meanwhile, was asleep in the stern (see v. 38).  His frightened men woke Him up and accused Him of not caring for them properly.  “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (v. 38) they asked Him.  Jesus didn’t answer that question, but He stilled the storm, and He told them He cared about their lack of trust!  “Why are you so fearful?” He asked them.  “How is it that you have no faith?” (v. 40).  The Bible says the disciples “feared exceedingly” (v. 41).

It always makes more sense to fear the power of the One who can still the storm rather than to fear the power of the storm itself!  The other little boats were helped when Jesus stopped the wind and hushed the sea to sleep.  Our faith, or lack of it, always affects the little boats that sail by our side.  We mother should remember that!

Images via here, devo via here

Blog Crush: Annabelle Fleur of VIVALUXURY

Isn't she a doll? There's plenty more where this came from. Visit her blog VIVALUXURY here!

xx,

Erin

*all images via here

Settle Yourself In God's Plan

Sometimes we become so accustomed to our everyday blessings, that we begin to build our lives around our earthly possessions. Earthly possessions do not bring contentment, faith in Christ does.  Below is a great devotional on the matter {found here}.

2 Thessalonians 5:16

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

Stuart and I were halfway through a two-month tour of ministry in Africa. Every four days or so we set off for the next conference, traveling by small plane, car, truck, or even bush taxi; arriving at new compounds; and having every meal with a new family. We slept in different beds, met different bugs, ate different food, and drank different water. All of this did not make for a particularly settled feeling!

The “listening” was hard. Being an outside ear meant we were there to do a lot of loving listening. The new missionaries were struggling with culture shock, relational problems, the absence of mail for eight weeks at a time, or the unsafe feeling of living miles away from a hospital (one country didn’t even have an ambulance!). They needed someone to talk to.

There were desperate needs on every hand—lepers, crippled children, ignorance, and apathy. Add to this the militant march of Islam and you get the picture. This was certainly not the sort of environment to make anyone feel secure.

But watching and listening to those missionaries, I learned home isn’t a little box in a safe subdivision. Being settled isn’t a car in the garage, membership in a club, or even model children making model grades. Being fulfilled does not consist of a husband’s climb up the corporate ladder or paid vacations to Hawaii!

Home is the will of God, and if you are settled into His will, you will be settled into whatever way-out situation you find yourself. The God of Peace will see to that!

By Jill Briscoe

Images via here

Outfit Post: Killer Leopard

Dress and Sunnies - Masons // Shoes - Zara

Meredith Mashburn Photography

xx,

Erin

God Knows.

Whenever I get down, or anxious, I can usually see where I've been spending my time and determine the cause. What shows am I watching? What music am I listening to? What am I filling my head with? Do any of these answers remotely involve glorifying God? No wonder I'm confused and anxious, I am taking direction from the world, not my Creator. 

It is sometimes (strike that, most of the time) hard for me to put my life into God's hands. I find I'm constantly trying to live my life on my own and figure out my future, when really that is Gods job. I just need to trust in him with all of my might and know that whatever comes, I can brave the storm, because he has a plan specifically tailored for me.

All Knowing God - God has no uncertainty and He is there for you every step into the future.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.”

Revelation 1:11

You know – He knows something we don’t know. How good of God to shield the future from us!  How could we live well or sleep easily if we knew the death we’d die, the child who would go wrong, the house that would burn to the ground, or the poverty we might be brought to?  Our language is full of words like maybe, perhaps, and someday.  But He knows something we don’t know; His language consists of “shall be” and “will be” because He knows ahead, while we but “know behind.”

To know Him who knows the “something we don’t know” is comfort indeed. Knowing all, He waits ahead for us, surprising us with steady provisions of His love. I am so glad that when I married I did not know my husband would travel so much, my daughter would have a bad accident, and I would have a serious car crash. If I had known, I would have worried for months before my husband began his itinerant ministry, would have been an overprotective mother, and would never have bothered to get my driver’s license! It is enough that God knows. He does not send me into my future alone, but waits for me to meet Him there.

I praise Him for the things He has been at the first and for the things He will be at the last, and I will try to remember—He knows something I don’t know.

By Jill Briscoe

devo via here, images via here