Wednesday Words of Encouragement

This has been a week of anxiety and stress. I've had issue after issue arise and cause the churning in my stomach, sleepless nights and a dull, throbbing headache throughout the day. Some of these anxieties are regarding the well-being of my children, some are major financial hurdles and others are ministry concerns. No matter, what they are, it's a battle in my mind and spirit to turn them over to the Lord and then keep my mind from going over and over them. I've struggled with not trying to find solutions in my own strength when I've heard God say, "Trust me."

The Lord is good because two days in a row He spoke very clearly to me. Yesterday morning I was sitting on the deck having my quiet time and praying that the Lord would provide what we needed and I was asking and also praying He would give me peace. Suddenly, my eyes settled on a mourning dove, that was sitting on the roof.  It sat there for a very long time. I loved that God sent me a visual reminder as the symbol of peace I was asking for yesterday.

This morning as I sat to read and pray, the anxieties started buzzing in my head again. I'm reading through the Bible and this week I'm in Isaiah. I was reading, but nothing was registering as I was mulling our situation over in my head. After a while my eyes finally focused on the passage I was reading and these words jumped off the page at me.

Isaiah 4:10 ~ Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

Exactly what I needed to hear at that moment. Have any of my concerns and requests been answered yet? No. But what I needed was answered. I needed peace for the day yesterday and God gave it. I need my fears and anxieties to calm down today, and He provided the exact words I need to hear for that to happen. 

I don't know the outcome of these circumstances. But I do know that God will give us what we need for this day and that is enough.