Were you devastated from heartaches or losses of one kind or another as you closed out 2022? Has it continued into 2023? I’m so sorry. No matter what you’re suffering, I pray God strengthens you with His measureless grace and pours His peace into Your hurting heart.
🦋 “God has a heart. And it hurts.
Not with just a few drops of ache,
not just with a slow drip of sadness —
His whole massive heart fills, swells,
burns with this raw, relentless pain.”
~ Ann Voskamp
God’s Grace Is Immeasurable
❤️❤️❤️
“So here’s what I’ve learned through it all:
Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord,
and measureless grace will strengthen you.”
Psalm 55:22 TPT
As I look back to 2022, God truly has been generous with His boundless love and His all-sufficient grace. Does that mean it was free sailing without any struggles? Not at all.
There will always be trials on this earth, but God has promised His measureless grace to get through them. I am such a worrier and feel so helpless to “fix” things, but God is infinitely patient with me. I continue this life-long learning process of more deeply trusting God and leaving all worries and troubles in His Hands. To repeatedly surrender my heart and past, present, and future life and that of others to Him and His faithful love and infinite and powerful grace. To remember to relinquish the things I can’t change and to believe they are better off in God’s hands than mine. But also to seek His wisdom, guidance, and strength to have courage to make a difference wherever He places me.
❤️❤️❤️
“The Lord Himself goes before you
and will be with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.“
Deuteronomy 31:8
Nature Retreat
I’m so grateful to receive photos from warmer climates during these cold and snowy winter months! The first 6 photos are of Arizona birds from my brother. 🙂 The rest of the photos are ones my niece took recently on her trip to Hawaii to visit her daughter who lives on the Big Island and studies and rescues sea turtles. 🙂
Freed to Fly 
Thank you for your encouraging post Trudy! It comforted my heart as I am a worrier too and have been trying to leave my troubles with God. I have quite a few things entering this year I wish I could fix but are out of my hands. Thankful for you Trudy! Sending a hug
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I’m so glad your heart was comforted, Susie. Sending you a hug back! From a fellow worrier, I understand how difficult it is that we can’t fix things out of our hands. May we together learn more and more to surrender those things into God’s hands!
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Your encouraging words and the lovely photographs did wonders for my spirit, Trudy. May your new year be filled with blessings as you lay your troubles at the feet of Jesus.
Blessings!
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I’m so glad your spirit was encouraged and strengthened, Martha. Thank you for the New Year blessings! I pray the same for you! May we together be mindful of God’s boundless love and immeasurable grace no matter what we face this year!
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Thank you so much for all of your encouraging words and photos, Trudy. This thought especially touched me: “To remember to relinquish the things I can’t change and to believe they are better off in God’s hands than mine.” This reminded me again of your precious post on ” hands” so many years ago. God truly knows what we need to remember at just the right moment. I’m so grateful for His sufficient grace too. May He continue to bless you and hold you in His hands this year, my friend.
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I’m so glad this touched your heart with encouragement, Bettie. I’m assuming you mean this post – https://freedtofly.me/2018/12/04/the-saviors-hands-forever-reach-out-to-us-with-love/ , right? Yes, God truly knows what we need at just the right moment! May God continue to bless and hold you in His hands as well!
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It was actually a few years before that one! Here it is:
https://freedtofly.me/2016/11/01/gods-got-us/
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Oh Bettie, thank you so much for reminding me of that post and those special memories! God has perfect timing for me to remember His mercies. 🙂 Love and hugs to you, my friend!
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You are welcome too! That old post of yours was used by God to encourage me before my husband’s hand surgeries, and I even linked your post in the post I wrote then!
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❤️🙏🏼🌈
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Aw, Trudy … this was exactly what I needed to read this afternoon. I’ve been trying to help a daughter with a task that is important to her education. There are a lot of unknowns, and it’s been a bit frustrating for us both as we try to work together. It’s not an earthshattering problem or anything like that, but I am comforted by your encouragement to place things in God’s hands and trust that He will accomplish what needs to be done. In me and her. Love and hugs, dear friend. And happy new year too!!
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I’m so glad you were comforted, Lois. Those tasks can be frustrating. But I’m so grateful that God cares about and is big enough for ANY problem we may have! Yes He WILL accomplish what needs to be done in you and in her. 🙂 Love and hugs to you, too, dear friend. May we learn more and more to place things in God’s hands!
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Trudy, your posts are always so encouraging and peaceful! Thank you for the reminder that we are not alone, and God is our strength! Your photography is stunning, I so love all of the bird pictures!
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It’s such a comfort to know God will never leave us alone, isn’t it? I’m glad these truths gave you encouragement and peace, Donna. Yes, my brothers photography is stunning. I love the unique poses he catches. 🙂 May we rest in and cling to God’s never-failing faithfulness!
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Your words speak to my heart. I find myself surrendering to Jesus daily because I forget that He is the answer to all I need. I know it is my humanness that causes this. Thank you Lord that you are always there. I really enjoyed reading the Passion Translation of Psalm 55:22. I need His measureless grace.
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Oh Mary, I so easily forget that He is the answer to all I need, too. Yes, thank You Lord that You are always with us! May we daily surrender to God and His plan and rest in His measureless grace!
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Oh, my goodness! Those photos are downright amazing! Your brother’s work should be in magazines or books. They sure are a blessing to see here on your blog. I am always encouraged when I come here. God bless you in the new year.
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Yes, my brother’s work is amazing. 🙂 But he always photographs for the love of it and nature and not money or recognition. I’m glad you are blessed by them. 🙂 God bless you also in the new year, Cheryl! May we cling to God and His measureless grace that we cannot live without!
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Such a great selection again, Trudy! I love that song and the verse from Deuteronomy is one of my favourites. The photos are stunning, and like you, I am a life-long worrier, so I need to be reminded time and time again to hand my worries over to God and to trust him.
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We’ll have to help each other remember, right, Lesley? May He fill us with His measureless grace to keep handing our worries over to Him and to trust His plan no matter what happens!
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“But also to seek His wisdom, guidance, and strength to have courage to make a difference wherever He places me.” Gosh, I love that, Trudy. I’d like to make it my mission! No matter what, He has made us in His image of love that He wants us be and share. I love those burrowing owls in the desert! All the photos are lovely! I haven’t been in a place to shoot photos, but I know I will be again, and I hope to share to expand others views of the world. And that is what you are doing to mine. Thank you!
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“No matter what, He has made us in His image of love that He wants us be and share.” Amen! So beautifully written, Lynn! We had a snow storm last week with 17 inches of snow, so these photos I received from my brother and niece were truly refreshing. 🙂 But even the snow is so beautiful and I love seeing the sculptures in the snow as the drifts form. As long as I can watch it from inside our warm home. 🙂 I always look forward to seeing your awesome photos. May we portray God’s image of love no matter what and no matter where we’re placed in this world!
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Thank you for your prayers.
God bless.
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God bless you, too, Victor. May He guide us with His grace this year and always!
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You always share such encouraging things here in your space, Trudy. Thank you for that. I so appreciate being reminded of this truth: “There will always be trials on this earth, but God has promised His measureless grace to get through them.” Amen.
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I’m so grateful you were encouraged, Lisa. I know you are going through difficult trials. May God fill us with His promised measureless grace to get us through the tough stuff!
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Trudy, there’s so much beauty in this post! The verse from Deuteronomy really spoke to me. And those photos! I loved them. Seeing those turtles brought an “Awww!” from my lips. 🙂 So thankful for the ways you instill hope into this online world, my friend.
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I’m so glad that verse spoke to you, Jeanne. It’s such a comforting promise, isn’t it? I know things have been difficult for you. May we cling to God’s promises and trust He will be with us no matter what!
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Trudy, hi! Your theme immediately reminded me of Romans 5:5 – “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Thank you for spreading hope and joy wherever you go. You are a blessing to us all.
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Aww, thank you, Linda. It truly is my desire to spread hope. I love that verse. May God keep pouring His love into our hearts!
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