Tag: packing

God Knows

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

Just in case you think that you can have secrets from God, let me clue you in to some truth. You can’t! Try reading Psalm 139 aloud and let it speak to you about where God is and how intimately He is involved in your life. This psalm was in both of my devotional books this morning, so if I didn’t get the message the first time, God repeated it.

When I got up this morning, my first thoughts after saying my thanksgiving prayer were all that I have to do today to get ready to go to the beach to meet our daughter and her family. No, I didn’t procrastinate. Well, maybe a little. We have known since April that we would be meeting our daughter at Myrtle Beach and I waited until today to organize and pack. It’s not that I don’t want to see everyone. I do, I really do! I just am not a big fan of traveling or packing or unpacking. I get anxious that I will forget something vital (like meds), so I make lists. Then I check things off, highlight them, circle them, carry the list with me from room to room. You get the idea, right? We were away from home for three weeks in June to July. Then, mid-July, I visited my sister in NC for a week. Two weeks at home and back on the road again for another week now. We will be traveling again later in August and one final trip in September. So, all of this traveling and packing has me a little fidgety. But God surprised me with a verse this morning that jumped off the page at me and immediately calmed me down.

Wow! Just wow! I always pray for traveling mercies and know that God goes with me wherever I go, But for Him to affirm that He is seeing me as I travel…this blows my mind. I know it shouldn’t because of course, God sees me everywhere, doing everything that I do routinely. I am blessed that He is aware that I am traveling again, that my heart wants to go but my mind is reluctant, and that I have tons to do to get ready to head to SC. For now, I will focus on God’s great love for me and His attention to details. I have no doubt that He will help me to remember all that I have to pack and do to get ready for the trip. But mostly, I pray that He will continue to bring this verse to my mind so that the anxiety that I usually suffer when traveling will flee.

All That I Need

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

Often in today’s world of plenty, we think that we need more than we really do. This is especially true for me when I am packing for a trip. I pack a lot of things that are “just in case” items. I was packing yesterday to go visit my sister again and counting up how many tops, pj’s, and other things I would need for almost a two week stay. Then I started counting my pills, making sure that I had enough to last me while I am there. I spent hours making sure that I have packed all that I will need. Then, a light went off in my head. What if I forget something? Will the world as we know it come to a screeching halt? No, of course not. I would just have to figure out a way to obtain the missing item from one of the hundreds of stores around there. So, problem solved and stress abated.

This morning I read my devotional and a verse just jumped off the page at me and made me chuckle at my mad hat attempt to pack yesterday and to think of everything that I might possibly ever use in the next two weeks.

Sometimes I find myself rushing around trying to solve my own problems and setting up what if scenarios to plan in advance. Meanwhile, God is in Heaven, probably amused by my frantic attempts and waiting for me to realize that He is the good shepherd and He will make sure that I have all that I need. That reassurance is calming to my spirit and like an ointment on my frantically beating heart that wants to plan everything in advance, including planning for all contingencies. God spoke to my heart this morning and told me clearly to just calm down; He will make sure that I have all that I need. As I go into spiritual battle in a household without God, I am taking Him with me, and He will make certain that I don’t lack anything, not the words I need to speak or the attitude that I need to show. He has prepared me for this trip, just as He has gotten me ready for everything else I face in life, and He wants me to know that He loves me so much that I can just let go and let Him take over. Mostly, what I need to pack is a heart full of grace and love, mercy, peace and acceptance. Now, I’m ready to go…I’m taking God’s suitcase of promises with me and I’m ready!

No matter what today brings, remember that in Christ, you lack nothing. Have a blessed day filled with the Lord and the knowledge of His great love for you.