Author: Barbara

My passion is to encourage women wherever they are on their life journey. In everything I write and in every opportunity to speak, my goal is to offer hope. May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV

Stand… Still

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Stand, #3

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today…
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14

With a river blocking the way before them and an army advancing behind them, the Israelites were terrified. Maybe you’ve been there—unable to see your way forward but not able to go back. If so, you can identify with the Israelites’ fear. Moses’ answer seemed unreasonable:

  • Do not be afraid.
  • Stand firm.
  • See the deliverance of the Lord.
  • God will fight for you.
  • Stand still.

Yes, this is humanly impossible when all we see is the threat, but when we lift our eyes above the circumstances and focus on God we are able to put fear in its place, stand firm, be still, and await God’s deliverance because He fights for us. He is no different today than when He opened the sea to rescue Israel and drowned their enemy.

Stand still, confident in God. You may have to walk through mud, but expect Him to part the waters and make a way.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, 
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 
Jeremiah 29:11

Stand… Armed

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Stand, #2

Stand firm then, with… truth… righteousness…
peace… faith… salvation and… the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:14-18

You may have learned, as I did, that stubbornly standing does not ensure success. Stubbornness allows us to feel determined and enjoy an exaggerated perception of strength but, like other good intentions, it won’t win any wars. God gives us what we need to win.

We may get hung up with the specific pieces of armor listed in Ephesians 6—belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword—but when we step aside from the imagery we find our basic provisions.

  • God is the truth.
  • He makes us righteous.
  • He gives us peace and makes us peacemakers.
  • He gives us faith and makes us faithful.
  • He saved us, making us His.
  • His manual is the Word of God.

It is ALL we need—and it is all we NEED.

So, “don’t leave home without it.” Don’t try to stand without being protected and armed. Rely on truth, not feelings. Act with integrity. Step forward in the confidence of peace. Be secure in your faith. Know that your salvation has placed you in the army of the redeemed. Immerse yourself in the Word.

Now… you are ready to stand!

Stand… and Stand

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Stand, #1

Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:13

The last few years have challenged us physically, financially, socially, mentally, and, might I add, spiritually. Widespread disease, a diminished economy, anxiety about socializing, intrusive depressing thoughts, and the challenge to our confidence that God is in control, have weakened us. Will 2023 be different?

As I contemplated the arrival of a new year, the Lord dropped a word in my heart: Stand. Don’t cower, don’t weaken, don’t tremble. Stand fast, firm, fixed. The Lord reminded of my own words, written in 2019 and too easily forgotten. They are an antidote to fear that allow hope to once again flow.

  • Hold your eyes higher—above troubling circumstances.
  • Open your heart to God’s opportunities—this is not a dead end, but a turn in the road.
  • Ponder the positive, not the problems—replace negative fears and worries with assurances of God’s love and sovereignty.
  • Expect grace—don’t wait for the other shoe to drop, but anticipate God’s blessing. He’s all about grace!

These practices will feed our hope and enable us to stand in 2023.

*I Was Broken, Too