He Will Stand and Defend You


I wish there was a way to describe how incredibly good God is to me.  He cares so much for me. He provides for me in absolutely remarkable ways.  He comforts me with His presence.  He surrounds me with the support of His community of believers.  He even speaks to me through His Word.

But despite His goodness and despite His love, I have in myself a constant battle to trust His goodness and His love.  I have to ask myself, "Why can't you just learn this?  Why can't you just let it go to Him?  He's never failed you.  He's never messed up."

I'm left dumbfounded looking for an answer because, quite honestly, there is no answer.  I have no logical reason why I can't trust God with everything in me.

This past week, my devotions found me starting the book of Job.  I've read the book several times and I've heard the story on even more occasions, but if you haven't read this book, I'd encourage you to do so.

Job was a man tested by the devil.  God allowed him to be tested.  All of his procession were stolen.  All of his sons and daughters were killed in a natural disaster.  Job's own body become inflicted with boils.  Job's friends condemned Job believing that he must have sinned.  But Job knew his heart.  He knew his actions.  He knew that his heart had never strayed for God.

Job's own wife displaced the value of his human life.  She told him to curse God and die.  His life, to her, had lost all value.

He was a man that felt completely deserted by every living person around him.  The Bible says in Job 19 that he honestly believed everything was against him.

But despite all the adversity in his life, Job said this, "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth" (Job 19:25).

Here a man who had every "right" to have a lack of faith in God, His creator, still looked to heaven and with faith, hope, and promise in his heart believed that his Redeemer still loved him. That He still cared.  He believed that God still saw him.

It's so easy to look at the situations happening around us and to be overwhelmed.  Life can be overwhelming and consuming.
      The bills always keep coming.
      There always has to be gas in the vehicles and food on the table.
      Sometimes the dog has to go to the vet.
      It's flu season!
      There are difficult people in the world and sometimes we live with them.  

It just never stops.

Those hardships that put pressure on us have a way of making us better people.  Hardships grind us down to nothing, but they fuel or dependence on God.  Somewhere in the midst of these overwhelming, all encompassing problems we recognize in our own strength and in our own wisdom we can do nothing.

Where is the good news in all this?  There has to be some kind of hope that helps us hang on to life.

"[We] can do all things through Christ who gives us strength" (Philippians 4:13).

Today, be encouraged.  God sees you.  He is your creator.  He is your Redeemer and His plan is always to restore.  Take courage because you are not alone and you are not forgotten.

When you feel like giving up remember this.  Your Redeemer lives and He will stand and defend you.

Linking Up With
Heart + Home
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Titus 2 Tuesday
Doing You Well
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Beautiful Irresistible Zucchini Bread

As the garden slows down, there is one vegetable that seems to kick into high gear...or at least that's what has happened in our garden.  Needless to say, I have an over abundance of huge zucchinis.  As our foods start to transition away from light, cool, crisp dishes to warm, hearty, thick dishes it becomes necessary to find new uses for these creamy vegetables.  I do hate to see them go to waste.



Zucchini bread has all of the sights and smells of fall making it the perfect transition bakery item.




Here's what you'll need: 
2 cups shredded zucchini (drained)
3 eggs
1 3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 cups nuts (I used pecans)

Combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Pour into 2 loaf pans and bake off at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.  Check the back to make sure it has set.  Allow the bread to come to room temperature before removing from the loaf pan.

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Fall Comes Softly {a playlist}

I can't help but notice the extreme number of posts, tweets, and status updates about the coming of fall.  Despite the relatively mild summer for the green country of Oklahoma, fall is {always} a welcomed retreat.

There's something about fall that signifies a slow down of life...a cool down of the schedule...the coming of family and friends...the holidays.  Yes, the holidays.

I welcome their return.

Enjoy!

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