Tag Archive for: Isaiah 41:10

Counting on God a Latte

,

Isaiah 41:10 – Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

It was just spilled coffee.

Just a brown splash stain on a dress that wasn’t new and wasn’t even my favorite. But there I stood, blinking fast, tears mixing with the moisture from my coffee cup that’s now staining the fabric.

It wasn’t the coffee that got to me. It was that this was “one more thing.”

These days, I’ve turned into a clumsy, uncoordinated mess. I trip over nothing. I drop phones, books, and water bottles. Cups seem to leap from my hands before I even know I’ve lost my grip.

I read once that older folks become more prone to this. Something about damaged nerve endings that don’t send the right messages to the brain.

The balance and coordination that once happened without thinking now require effort.

I used to be steady. Steady as she goes. I could tie my shoes without leaning against anything. I could walk across the room without wondering if the floor would feel different under my feet.

My feet have always been my foundation. Without a good foundation, nothing else works the way it should.

And yet… the coffee in my lap reminded me of my only real foundation. My only steady thing. Jesus.

I wish aging didn’t come with so many humbling reminders of what I can’t do anymore. But maybe those reminders aren’t the worst thing. Maybe they’re the reason I keep leaning harder on Him.

I know someday I’ll walk without effort again. One day I’ll get a new body in Heaven, one with the balance of an Olympic gymnast. My steps will be sure, and my hands will hold things without slipping.

Until then, I’ll keep sipping my coffee and holding on to the One who never lets me down. And I invite you to, too.

/by

When Trust Feels Scary

,

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

There is something wonderfully chaotic about a hotel pool on a family vacation. The scent of chlorine and sunscreen mixes with the sound of kids laughing, adults chatting, and someone always yelling, “No running!”

That was our scene one afternoon at the beach. The sun was hot, the water was cool, and all of us—siblings, spouses, nephews, and grandparents—were soaking up that kind of joy you can’t plan. Just being together.

My nephews were at the shallow end, full of energy and daring. They would stand on the steps, and then swim out to whichever adult happened to be closest.

Except for the youngest.

He just started swimming lessons, and you could tell he was still learning what he could do. But when his dad got in the water, suddenly the water didn’t seem so scary.

That little boy launched himself off the step like it was the Olympics. His arms flailed, his legs kicked, and water splashed everywhere, but he knew exactly where he was going. More importantly, he trusted whose arms would always catch him if something went wrong.

Watching him, I realized how much I want to live like that.

There are moments when God asks us to step forward—into something new, unknown, maybe even intimidating. And our instinct is to hesitate, calculate the risks, stay safe on the steps. But if we really knew His character… if we really believed He would catch us… we would swim.

So what would it look like to trust God like a five-year-old? To believe, without hesitation, that He is there—and that He knows exactly how to catch you?

The water may feel deep, but trust me, He will not let you sink.

/by