Tag: grace

January Hope Whispers

Trudy Den Hoed27 Comments

❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎
“And my God will supply all your needs
according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 NASB
❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎
 “He who did not spare His own Son,
but delivered Him over for us all,
how will He not also with Him
freely give us all things?”
Romans 8:32 NASB

What Is Empathy?

🦋 “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” – Harper Lee

🦋 “An exchange of empathy provides an entry point for a lot of people to see what healing feels like.” – Tarana Burke

🦋 “Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of ‘You’re not alone.’” – Brene Brown

Truly, no one can show perfect empathy like Jesus, but through Him we can empathize more with others. “The Gift of Presence” by Linda Stoll is a great example of empathy!
“No judgement. No opinions. No pontificating.
I felt validated. Heard. Safe to be myself, all kinds of messy, imperfect, and flawed.”

Nature Retreat

“All my life through,
the new sights of nature
made me rejoice like a child.“
~ Marie Curie ~

Thank you to my brother John
for views of unique species
and to our son Glen
for the beautiful sky views.
🙂 Please respect copyright laws. 🙂

Unique Species

Out of 750 butterfly species in North America, the Western Pygmy-Blue is the smallest. Only 3/8 to 3/4 of an inch!
The underside of the Western Pygmy-Blue
Can you believe this is actually a butterfly? A Western Giant Swallowtail can disguise itself as bird poop! (Correction: This is actually the Swallowtail still in its caterpillar stage. Still amazing though!)
Chalky Bird Dropping Moth

Spectacular Sky Views from the Dominican Republic

Pouring Out and Leaving Our Worries and Stress at the Feet of the Lord

Trudy Den Hoed20 Comments

“Grace” was my Word for the year in 2021. And truly, God’s grace was so generous and free and still is. When I went through dark valleys, I had a difficult time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but God still graciously brought me through. In hindsight, I can now envision Him holding my hand and leading me or carrying me, even when I had no strength to lift my eyes and focus on His love and grace.

Focusing on the depth of meaning in that word did help me to open my eyes more to grace moments I so easily overlook. However, this year I decided not to focus on a specific word but rather on a renewed thought process.

In the past months, when I start thinking I must get this or that done, when I get anxious and overwhelmed about all that’s going on in this world and my heart aches for those who are hurting, I hear God whispering, “Just rest, My child.” I feel He is calling me to put less pressure on myself. To take one day at a time, and even one step at a time, and to keep my focus on Jesus. To lay low and rest in Him and His unchangeable goodness and unfailing love. Just to take a deep breath, confide in Him, and do the next right thing. To stop stressing out if I post less here, am unable to keep up with other things in life, or cannot change situations out of my control. To just “be” who I am in Christ, give all my anxious thoughts over to Him, and to seek to be more like Him in my every thought, word, and action.

“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

“Pour out all your worries and stress
upon Him and leave them there,
for He always tenderly cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7 TPT

I have read about some chosen words for the year, and I am looking forward to hearing what lessons God has taught you. But whether you have chosen a word or not, my prayer for all of us is that God will anchor us more and more in His unfailing love and bottomless grace for us.

Still
by Hillary Scott

“I believe that You are God alone
But sometimes I still try to take control
Cause I get scared when I can’t see the end
And all You want from me is to let go

You’re parting waters
Making a way for me
You’re moving mountains that I don’t even see
You’ve answered my prayer before I even speak
All You need for me to be is still…”

2021 Reflections on the Grace God Still Gives Us

Trudy Den Hoed37 Comments

2021 has been a tough year, hasn’t it? Most likely, for all of us in one way or another. Physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing. Losses of different kinds. Deep hurts in so many hearts. Uncertainties and fears about the future.

But God… Yes. But God is still with us and is giving us grace to survive. Even when we feel forsaken. Even when we feel weary, troubled, and sorrowful. Even when events in our lives or in the world have crushed us. He is still holding us up with His faithful love and compassion that will never, ever leave us.

This year God is teaching me on a deeper level how crucial it is to:

🦋 Remind my fainting heart to keep my eyes fixed on God’s unchangeable character. All the heartaches and changes in our world may disorient us or depress us, but God will never change and His love will never abandon us.

🌈 “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10 NIV

🦋 Let go of my tight-fisted grip of “needing to fix” situations out of my control. This is so hard to do, isn’t it? But God longs for us to leave these anxieties in His Almighty hands and to believe in His power to heal, redeem, and bring justice in His time and way.

🌈 “This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15 NLT

🦋 Diligently seek, pay attention to, and thank God for the beauty and the blessings still surrounding me. There are so many blessings right in front of us that we take for granted each moment, right? The beauty in God’s creation, the strength we’re given with each breath and step we take (whether emotionally, physically, mentally, or spiritually), the kindness and love many people still do show. And on and on it goes. Even in the midst of chaos and heartaches, God still heaps on the invaluable gift of His grace so freely.

🌈 “And from the overflow of His fullness we received grace heaped upon more grace!” John 1:16 TPT

What has been the toughest trial to you personally this year? What special grace have you been given even in the midst of it, whether in the moment or in hindsight?