Trudy

God Is Still In Control and His Love Will Never Leave Us

Discombobulated. A word that has often bounced around in my head and invaded my life lately. It’s a fancy word for being disoriented or confused, not knowing which way is up or down. I think it’s how many people are feeling these days.

So much is happening in this world that we can’t understand. Honestly, I feel physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually burned out at times.

As I sat at my desk and looked out the window, I told God how burned out I feel and how I didn’t know if I can return to blogging. The words just weren’t there. Then a butterfly fluttered past the window and He whispered, “My child, I am with you.”

Yes, God is always with us, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Whether or not we have words to write. Even in the midst of all the chaos and confusion in this world. As He promises in Romans 8:38, NOTHING can separate us from HIS LOVE.

Over the past couple of weeks, God has been nudging me with some more truth reminders:

❤️ God’s Plan Is Always In Order and His Love Never Leaves Us

No matter how discombobulated we may feel and how out of control the world seems, God wants us to place our hearts and lives and anyone else’s life into His hands and trust He loves us and is still in control.

❤️ We Need Connection

There are so many people who feel the same way we do and need to feel less alone and more understood. So it doesn’t matter if our words sound discombobulated. We just need to speak from our hearts. He wants us to share our stories so others feel less alone and to encourage them to remember His love never fails, even in the midst of pain, heartache, and devastation in our own hearts or in all the chaos of this world.

❤️ God Wants Us to Go at Our Own Pace

We don’t need to keep pace with others. We don’t have to pressure ourselves to regularly write a post like other bloggers can or do. Sometimes other needs are begging for our attention, whether it’s those around us or our own bodies and minds. Sometimes we just don’t have the energy to do it all. And that’s okay. Yes, it’s good to write posts to encourage others, but God also wants us to encourage each person He has placed in our lives outside of blogging. God just wants us to “be”, not to be consumed with “doing” more.

❤️ God Wants Us to Pursue Beauty and Share It With Others

“Because while escaping reality may be tempting right now, that is not the life we are called to in Christ Jesus. Rather, we are are called to be Light in the darkness.

The very act of pursuing beauty ignites a spark.

Now, more than ever before in our lifetimes, is the time to fling beauty far and wide. To engage in the divine work! Whatever gifts He has given you, now is the time to use them. Plug your spiritual umbilical cord into the Holy Spirit and get down to business!”

Read More at Inspired by June

Prayer of a Prisoner In a Concentration Camp

“In me there is darkness,
But with You there is light;
I am lonely, but You do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with You there is help;
I am restless, but with You there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with You there is patience;
I do not understand Your ways,
But You know the way for me.”

“Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor
And in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am.
You know all man’s troubles;
You abide with me
When all men fail me;
You remember and seek me;
It is Your will that I should know You
And turn to You.
Lord, I hear Your call and follow;
Help me.” 

 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison

A SONG TO INSPIRE

🎶 LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE 🎶
by Danny Gokey

“…Gotta keep it real simple, keep it real simple
Bring everything right back to ground zero
‘Cause it all comes down to this
Love God and love people (People)
We’re living in a world that keeps breakin’
But if we want to find a way to change it
It all comes down to this
Love God and love people…”

36 comments

    • I’m so glad you were encouraged, Lisa. Yes, Bonhoeffer truly was a brave believer. My brother sent a quote by him about gratitude, something about how we receive so much more than we give. So I researched Bonhoeffer’s life and I was amazed how bravely he clung to the Truth in Christ Jesus, even when he was suffering the horrors of a concentration camp. I love this prayer. It’s so fitting for us today, too, isn’t it? May we be given the grace to be brave believers!

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  2. Thank you so much dear Trudy, for these encouraging words! Especially, the whole paragraph to move at our own pace, blessed me now. It fits so well with what the Lord is speaking to me now also, as I prepare to give my time more fully to my husband. I have been praying for you this summer and hoping your move has gone so well. Love and hugs to you dear friend.

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    • I’m so glad you were encouraged by that, Bettie. How is your husband? How are you doing with your new place? How are you faring? Thank you so much for praying for me. It was a tough summer, especially with almost losing my husband and both of us landing up in the hospital at the same time right before our move. But we are improving and are loving our new home. I have been praying for you, too! Love and hugs back to you, my friend! May God give you and your husband special strengthening grace through this difficult journey!

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  3. Trudy, I’m glad you found words to post today. It’s been “a year” for our family. This quote so resonates with me right now:

    “The very act of pursuing beauty ignites a spark.”

    On Monday, Hubs and I went on a hike, and oh, I couldn’t help but stop in wonder—many times—at the beauty God had placed where we hiked. Yes, I may have taken a couple hundred pics. Beauty does ignite a spark within us.

    Beautiful words and thoughts, my friend. Sending you love and hugs and blessings.

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    • I’m so glad that quote resonates with you, Jeanne. It resonates with me, too. That must have been a glorious hike! Your photos of God’s beautiful creation always ignites a spark in me. Sometimes I just want to climb into the scene and wonder with you. I’m so sorry for the tough year you’re going through. I pray God gives you special strengthening grace! Sending love, hugs, and blessings back to you, my friend! May we together keep pursuing beauty!

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  4. God loves us and never will leave us, that is an eternal fact, Trudy. I love how the butterfly brought you God’s message, and you took it to heart. When we stop to sit, ponder and wonder in silence, that is when I believe we are most likely to hear Him whispering encouragement to us that we might, in turn, be encouraging to others.
    So glad to see you back here in Blogland! I’ve missed you!

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    • Thank you, Martha. Yes, when we “stop to sit, ponder and wonder in silence”, we are most likely to hear God’s whispering encouragement. Butterflies always have a special meaning of hope for me, reminding me of God’s faithful presence. May we ever more deeply listen for God’s whispering encouragement!

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  6. “Plug your spiritual umbilical cord into the Holy Spirit and get down to business!” Yes, we do need to stay plugged in! I’m glad to see you here, Trudy, and hope you are settled in your new home? I’m reminded that beauty is not rushed. Instead beauty is an unfolding. May we hear God’s promptings, not rush to get things done on our time-tables, and let Him gracefully unfold our days.

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    • Thank you, Lynn. Yes, we’re settled in and loving it here. Love what you say here – “May we hear God’s promptings, not rush to get things done on our time-tables, and let Him gracefully unfold our days.” Amen! May we stay plugged in to the Spirit’s leadings!

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  7. Trudy, this was such a timely blessing to me. Thank you for being so open in your sharing.

    For me it’s not the blogging that has waned – that has in fact just poured out so easily because most posts are from years ago (produced in “invisible” moments alone with God with precious edits He’s brought). But for me it’s been letting go of other things because of my deteriorating health. Your post came on the heels of God’s encouragement to me to see His sweet boundaries as a gift and the good flowing from it. So, it was such precious affirmation. I loved the quote too.

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    • I am so glad this was a timely blessing for you, Anna. It’s a comfort that God knows what we need when we need it. Even though the journey can be difficult. I’m so sorry you’re still dealing with deteriorating health. Thank you for sharing God’s encouragement to you to see His sweet boundaries as a gift. I needed that reminder. I beat myself up too much when I can’t always do what my heart wants because of health limitations. May we both cling to our faithful God and trust His plan even when we can’t understand!

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  8. You’re so right, Trudy. We can blog when we feel led by the Lord. We don’t have to have anything profound to say, just simply offer our presence to others. We can take the pressure off ourselves and simply be available as the Lord leads, off line and on.

    Delight.

    Bliss.

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    • “We can take the pressure off ourselves and simply be available as the Lord leads, off line and on.” Yes. Thank you, Linda for understanding. You have often helped me to give myself more grace. May we rest in His love and may we bloom wherever He plants us!

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    • I’m glad you enjoyed this, Lauren. I find I need to remind myself often. In the midst of all the chaos and confusion, may we latch onto the truth that God’s love is unfailing and He is in control no matter what!

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  11. So much grace and wisdom here, Trudy. Of course, I always love to read whatever you post, but this is definitely a message many of us (maybe all) need to hear right now. I’ve felt that discombobulated feeling too in recent weeks, and it definitely affected my ability to put words on a screen. Also, I’m pretty sure I owe you an email, my friend … I will try to write soon. 🙂

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    • Thank you, Lois. I love to read whatever you post, too. It’s such a trying time these last couple of years, isn’t it? I love that you’re starting to remember things your mom has said. I also loved seeing the photos of you and your mom and you and your girls. I suppose they are both back in school by now. I’m not sure about you “owing” me an email, but I always love hearing from you, my friend. May we not wish our lives away and seek out the beauty in each day!

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  13. Yep, discombobulated is definitely a fitting word for my world too, Trudy. And yes, so grateful that God is always with us, even when we don’t feel like it. I’m so glad you’re back online, friend! I missed you!

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  15. I think a lot of us are feeling discombobulated right now! Thank you for this encouragement, Trudy. It is reassuring that we can go at our own pace, knowing we don’t need to compare ourselves to others, and certain that God never leaves us.

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