The Safe and Cozy
Blanket of Jesus’ Love
When any person or community is more concerned for the protection of the abusers than of the victims, it hurts. Big-time. When victims are ignored, not believed, or treated as the one who did the wrong, it hurts. Big-time. When Christians tell us we don’t have faith if we can’t forgive and forget and move on, it hurts. Big-time.
Love cares about the grief and suffering of victims who are hurting. Love cries with them. Love sits in the pain pit with them. Love protects and defends them. Like Jesus does.
Jesus understands suffering more than anyone does. He bends low with us in our suffering and whispers, “I’m so very sorry.” His tears mingle with ours. He never dodges or minimizes our pain. He doesn’t treat mental and emotional pain as less important than physical illness. He doesn’t tell us we aren’t trusting Him if we need therapy or medicine. He blesses these means to help us through. He gives us grace and strength to work through the gut-wrenching grief of being robbed of the very essence of who we are. His never-failing compassion wraps us in the safe and cozy blanket of His love where it’s ok to voice our emotions. His caring support gives hope that we can be restored to who we are in Him. Through His grace, we can become survivors and finally victory dancers as His healing works in us.
Excerpt from previous post – “What About the Victims?“
Holding Onto Hope
“Sometimes I fall
to my knees and pray
Come Jesus come
Let today be the day
Sometimes I feel like I’m gonna break
But I’m holding on
To a hope that won’t fade
Come Jesus come
We’ve been waiting so long
For the day You return
To heal every hurt
And right every wrong
We need You right now
Come and turn this around
Deep down I know
This world isn’t home
Come Jesus come
There’ll be no war
And there’ll be no chains
When Jesus comes
Let today be the day
He’ll come for the weak
And the strong just the same
And all will believe
In the power of His name…”
Nature Retreat
“Always be on the lookout
for the presence of wonder.”
~ E.B.White
🙂 The first 6 photos are courtesy of my brother John. 🙂
I was able to take some new photos at Falls Park. I love the melodious, continuous flow of life and energy that always refreshes my soul and reminds me what a powerful God we have who has all things under His control even when troubles surge over us and around us.
“Oh, Lord God!
You Yourself made the heavens and earth
by Your great power and with Your outstretched arm.
Nothing is too difficult for You!”
Jeremiah 32:17 HCSB
Freed to Fly 
Oh, what words and pictures of God’s grace and comfort, Trudy! Thanks, as always, my dear friend, for these monthly reflections that give us such peace, calm and hope in God and His constant presence in our lives. May your June be blessed!
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Thank you, Martha. 🙂 May your June be blessed, too! Thank you for your kind words also. I’m so glad you feel God’s grace and comfort here! We certainly need it in this world of chaos, don’t we? May we lean into and cling to our Hope and Refuge!
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Thank you dear Trudy for these precious, encouraging words and photos. This especially touched me:
His never-failing compassion wraps us in the safe and cozy blanket of His love where it’s ok to voice our emotions.
oh Praise God for His never-failing love for us! I pray you have a beautiful summer dear sister. Love & hugs! 💕
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Yes, “praise God for His never-failing love for us!” I’m so grateful you were encouraged, Bettie. I pray you have a beautiful summer, too. Love and hugs back to you! 💕 May we feel the warmth of the safe and cozy blanket of His love!
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There is wonder everywhere! I love your picture of Falls Park, Trudy. Even with the buildings in the background, the falls seem to belong there. God makes no mistakes! We belong in His loving embrace no matter where we are, or what has happened to us.
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Yes, there is wonder everywhere and God makes no mistakes! Thank you, Lynn, for this encouragement. May we stop and pay attention to God’s wonders!
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Trudy, love your whispers of hope. And It’s comforting to think about Jesus’ love as a big cozy and safe blanket. I pray to stay snuggled there when life’s storms shake up my world.
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I’m with you, Karen, in praying to stay snuggled in Jesus’ love when life’s storms shake up our world. Thank you for these thoughts, and I’m glad you were comforted. May God fill our hearts with His hope and His unfailing love and compassion!
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Thank you for sharing your beautiful post about victims. What a blessing that we are loved by a beautiful God always and forever.
Love your photos and heart for sharing God’s beauty. Many blessings on the rest of your week.
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I’m so with you on being grateful that we are loved by our beautiful God always and forever, Mary. He is our Best Friend who will never hurt or betray us! May we pour out our hearts to Him who understands and cares so much! Many blessings to you, too!
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Trudy, thank you for this post on victims. I am currently grappling with past trauma, and these words brought deep comfort to me.
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I’m so, so sorry for the past trauma you’re grappling with, Donna. I know it’s not easy. Feel free to email me if you need more validation or support. I’m so grateful these words brought deep comfort to you. May Jesus wrap you and hold you gently in the safe, cozy blanket of His faithful love! 💕
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Your photos are beautiful! The Lord enters into the suffering and pain of people. He truly looks to strengthen and comfort the grieving and hurting. What a wonderful Savior.
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Thank you, Joanne. Yes, what a wonderful Savior we have! May we lean into Him for strength and comfort!
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Aw, Trudy … your words are so kind and empathetic. I know you understand what you are writing about. CeCe’s rendition of that song is so beautiful, and I LOVE your photos of the falls! Hope June is off to a good start for you, dear friend. Love and hugs to you.
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Thank you for your kind words, Lois. The falls are so inspiring and soul-refreshing. 🙂 I hope June is off to a good start for you, too. And love and hugs back to you, dear friend. Have fun baking and cooking with your daughters this summer! 🙂 May we keep holding onto the HOPE that will never fade!
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Beautiful pictures but favorite thing you posted was the song, Come, Jesus, Come. I listen to it almost everyday is how much I like it. I keep telling our piano player learn this so we can all sing it, it such an uplifting song. Glad I stopped by
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Thank you, Betty. That truly is a comforting song, isn’t it? Come, Jesus, come! We are longing for you!
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I have a friend currently going through some fresh trauma because of the words of her pastor. She is leaving that church to find a safer place to worship, but in the meantime she is being bullied by the leadership at her old church. It is SO sad and so unlike Jesus. My heart goes out to the victims everywhere. Thank you for your compassionate heart, Trudy.
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I am so sorry for what your friend is going through, Lisa. Thank you for sharing this. There are so many who are suffering. Yes, it is “SO sad and so unlike Jesus.” I’m so glad she has a friend like you! I pray she will find comfort in the safe arms of Jesus! May we all grow in the grace of Jesus!
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This was such an encouraging post to me this morning. I appreciate all you said. I am so thankful that Jesus does not treat us like other people do. “Christians” can inflict the deepest hurts. As Ghandi once said, and I am paraphrasing a bit, “The thing about you Christians is you are so unlike your Christ.” God help us not to inflict that kind of pain on others.
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I’m so grateful you were encouraged, Cheryl. I so agree that “Christians” can inflict the deepest hurts. What Ghandi said is a sad truth. May we grow in the grace of our Savior and treat others as He treats us with tender love and compassion!
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Hello dear friend! Hope you’re staying cool in the heat wave, finding lovely, calming tasks to do, maybe a good book to read.
ox
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Hi dear Linda! XO to you, too! The heat is really settling in today, but it’s great to see the sunshine. We have had so much rain here in SE SD and in NW IA these last days that there is lots of flooding. We are grateful we have our home, unlike so many who lost their homes. 😢 Thank you for your kind wishes. We need those calming tasks, don’t we? And reading a good book can be so relaxing, right? May God give us grace to cast all our cares on Him for He so faithfully cares for us!
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Great photos!
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Thank you, Gail. God’s creation is soul-refreshing, isn’t it? 🙂 May we be in awe of His power and grace!
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