The world is vast, and it is incredible. God has poured so much beauty out on us - we must pause to reflect on it. I am grateful for long days of reflection lately. My busy life doesn’t often allow me chances like this. And these sweet memories in echoing caverns remind me that happier days will come again, and when they do, I look forward to catching them with arms wide open. There will be more caves, more hidden blue springs, & more stunning views from mountain tops. I can’t wait to see what comes next ☼
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“Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” (Habakkuk 1:5)
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#travel #wanderlust #newzealand #waitomocaves #glowworms #internationalfriends #australia #nature #adventure #caves #seetheworld #nzmustdo #creation #faith #scripture #christianity #traveltheworld #kiwis #sisters #bibleverse #bible
And if not, He is still good // Daniel 3:18
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The other day, I was reading a book on suffering. It seemed like appropriate timing, considering what is going on in the world these days. There is so much suffering: financial instability, health concerns, loneliness, racism, struggle for resources, food insecurity, and death, a reality that we will all face one day for one reason or another.
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In this book on suffering (Suffering is Never for Nothing) the author Elisabeth Elliot says, “Would you like to have the story of Daniel without the lions’ den? Of course we wouldn’t, because we know the end of the story.” If you are familiar, you know that this story is an example of some extreme suffering. In fact, the Bible is quite literally a full anthology of stories on suffering. Even so, I know that many of us wouldn’t change that, because we are encouraged by knowing Who the victory belongs to at the end of it all (spoiler: it’s Christ!) •
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Maybe the suffering we face today is our own Daniel story; this is our lions’ den. We are Esther, and this is our Jewish genocide. We are Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego, and this is our fiery furnace. And of course there is Jesus Christ, who took on the greatest suffering in human history - this is our cross, the cup that we drink to share in His suffering.
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Daniel 3:18 is commonly paraphrased as saying, “And if not, He is still good.” We know the end of the fiery furnace story, and that God saved the three faithful believers from the blaze. They didn’t even get burned. But they didn’t know then what the outcome of their story would be. In faith, they declared that God would still be worthy of their worship alone, no matter their suffering.
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He is still good.
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We can’t see the end of our own stories, but He can (2 Corinthians 5:7). The Truth of Christ is that He is still sovereign, and He loves us deeply. And when life seems scary or unpredictable, we can rest in knowing that no matter what happens here on Earth, the story that ends with Jesus always ends in victory.
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#scripture #bibleverseoftheday #bible #christianity #faith #hope #encouragment #truth #love #bible #bibleverse #godisgood #sunset #nature #victory
❦ for all my single gal pals out there, I hope today especially that you remember that the sun doesn’t rise and fall as a result of your relationship status. your worth isn’t dependent on that empty ring finger or the lack of flower bouquets to set on your kitchen table.
so when the loneliness and insecurities from looking around you too long set in, shift your gaze up ↟ to the One who knows and treasures you more deeply than any earthly being ever could. who needs sweet nothings whispered in their ear when the Creator of Universe is writing us daily love notes in the form of beautiful sunsets, the laughter of a cherished friend, or a hot cup of coffee in our hands?
and friend, if no one else is telling you “I love you” today, let me be the first to say it: I LOVE YOU! ... & so does Jesus, alright?? so that makes two of us, and the one from Him is by far the most important “I love you” we’ll ever receive ❦
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#valentinesday #love #truth #truelove #singleladies #christisenough #faith #hope #encouragement #christianity #christianblogger #womenoffaith #relationships #sunflowers #australia #queensland #travel #traveltheworld #sunflowerfield #nature
