Trusting God’s Word: Light for the Journey

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path ~ Psalms 119:105. This was the verse in my inbox the other morning. For some reason, the words made my quirky mind think about camping — about taking a walk to a certain destination in the dark. Walking with my trusty flashlight, I could see into the distance to vaguely see where I was heading. The most important thing, though, was to shine the light down, so I could securely take the next step. God’s word can be like that. Some verses give me a vision of where I am going and some verses give me the message I need right here and now.

Several years ago, my father wrote a list of the scripture verses that were special to him. It’s a list I treasure. So, today, I am sharing a list of some of the verses that came to mind as I was writing my story – My Tapestry- Experiencing the Love of the Designer.

This first set of verses are for those times when I needed “light at my feet”.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. ~Psalm 94:18
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. ~Psalm 40:1

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. ~Psalm 107: 13-14

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 41:10

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. ~ Proverbs 3: 5-6

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ~ Matthew 11: 28 – 30

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This second set of verses help me trust my unknown future.

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. ~ Psalm 62:8

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye upon you. ~ Psalm 32:8

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 1:6

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” ~ Jeremiah 17: 7-8

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

And, finally, my “life verse”:
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. ~Psalm 23:6

My life’s journey has taken me to across the country and over the mountains. Through the years I’ve learned more life lessons and have found more wonderful truths in God’s word. God’s word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path – a path that leads to a heavenly destination!!

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

World War II Love Story: A Tribute to My Parents

Today, June 14, 2017, is seventy-one year since my parents got married. The following paragraphs are the words of dedication taken from my book —My Tapestry — Experiencing the Love of the Designer

For My Parents

With Thanks to GodDuring World War II, my parents lived in the Netherlands, which was occupied by Nazi Germany. It was a very difficult time, and hard choices had to be made. Near the end of the war, my parents were engaged and working in the Wieringermeer polder, which was low-lying land reclaimed from the sea. Dikes and pumping engines kept the land dry.

In the beginning of 1945, under German command, Dutch workers dug deep holes at the bottom and at the top of the dikes. Each hole was loaded with unexploded bombs from British and American aircraft. On April 17, 1945, at 12:45 a.m. the explosives were ignited. The seven thousand people who lived in the Wieringermeer and the estimated one to two thousand refugees had to leave the polder. Within forty-eight hours the entire polder was filled with water. The people living there had been warned and there was no loss of life.

On April 22, 1945, my father, then twenty-four years old, wrote in his diary that he and my mother went to look at the polder from part of the dike. He wrote, “It was a sorry sight– water all over with here and there a rooftop and tree showing. If we didn’t know God cares for us, we would be devastated… The Lord is right in all His ways and works.”

After my father died, my brother Len wrote Afterword — the final words about Dad’s life– as an ending to my father’s autobiography, A Life of Grace and Blessings. Len wrote, “In his book, Dad talked about his engagement to Mom years before. He said, ‘We loved each other dearly.’ For sixty-two and a half years their love for each other grew stronger and deeper. It was at the heart of the family, and it blessed everyone they knew.”

My parents’ example of trust in God and their love for each other greatly shaped my life. I thank God for the parents He gave me and for the example they were to me and my children. I dedicate this book to the special memories of my parents.

Trusting God Through Adversity: A Story of Hope and Faith

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it, ~ Mary Engelbreit

When I read this quote a few days ago, it reminded me of a story I read about my father. One day, towards the end of his life, when my sister was visiting, Dad first quoted Psalm 27:1 and then Psalm 23:6. “The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Dad’s life hadn’t been easy. He had been a young man in occupied Holland during WWII, had immigrated to Canada so he might be able to fulfill his dream of owning a farm. He had to sell that farm after a few short years because of an industrial accident and then searched for several years to find a job that his pain would allow him to do. He had cancer, a stroke and declining mobility in his later years. Yet, he had trusted God was in control of his life, past present and future.

It made me reflect on my own life. What is my attitude like when I face feelings of rejection, the fear of failure or when life seems dark and grey? Am I trusting that God is the light of my life and my strong place?

Towards the end of my marriage, I was doing a cross stitch sampler of Psalm 23:6. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to complete it. I didn’t feel like “goodness and mercy” were following me then and I wondered if that would ever change. That was eighteen years ago now and that sampler has had a prominent place in wherever I’ve lived for many years.

It’s easier for me to see God’s hand on my life when I’m looking back than to trust Him for today and tomorrow. Slowly, it’s becoming easier to let the lessons learned yesterday affect the way I feel about today. Praise God, He isn’t finished with me yet. He is changing my heart.