Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

The Lord Reigns Over the Nations {No Matter What Monday}

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The first presidential election I remember is the 1980 election. I was barely 4 years old, but I remember seeing Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan shaking hands. I understood there had been a change in leadership of our nation. And my peace-loving preschool mind believed that President Carter and President Reagan were buddies. I assumed President Carter was tired of being president, so he let his friend have a turn. Every good preschooler knows about taking turns!

But of course, that’s not how politics works. Rather than being kind to each other, as our preschool teachers taught us, we spew anger and hate, not only at the candidates, but at brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t share our political leanings. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for this election to be over.

Maybe the future of our nation is weighing heavily on your mind, too. Or maybe your personal struggles consume your thoughts, leaving little room for national issues. Either way, I hope today’s Scripture encourages you:

“For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne” (Psalm 47:7-8).

Our King reigns. He sits on His holy and eternal throne, ruling over the earth and over your life. Nothing in this universe is beyond His sovereign control. He reigns over the leaders of the nations and over each and every detail of your life.

Not one vote, not one cell, not one gust of wind in this world are beyond His control.

Here’s more good news: the one who reigns is not only your King, He is your Father. He loves you and cares for you. We can face our future without fear, because the One who rules the nations cares for us.

No matter what you face this week, your Heavenly Father reigns over the nations.

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Keep Clinging to the Lord {No Matter What Monday}

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It’s a familiar routine. We both climb out of the white minivan, and I lock the doors. As we step out into the parking lot, she slips her soft hand into mine. She knows that at barely 4 feet tall, she’s safest if she’s holding my hand as we walk through the big, bad parking lot.

Who’s holding whom as my daughter and I walk hand-in-hand? She’s the one who reached out and grabbed my hand, but I’m the one who won’t let go. I’m the one who would scoop her up and rush her to safety if danger threatened. If she forgot to reach out and grab my hand one day, I’d reach for hers and grasp it tight.

Psalm 63:8: My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

In this psalm, David remembers the Lord’s help during dark times. He finds joy in being near to the Lord. And he knows that as his soul clings to the Lord, the Lord’s right hand will hold him tight.

Are you struggling to cling to the Lord? Maybe it feels like you’re trying to grab on, but your fingers keep slipping in the midst of fear and doubt. Or you’re trying to hold on, but your muscles are straining and threatening to quit.

Keep clinging, friend. And when your hands grow weary or start to slip, remember that the Lord’s steady hand upholds you. He’s got a strong grip on you, and He won’t ever let go.

No matter what you face this week, keep clinging to the Lord and trust Him to hold you.

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God Has Prepared You For This {No Matter What Monday}

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A couple months ago, I stared out the window of my home office, sipping coffee and enjoying the early morning quiet of a house filled with my sleeping people. The silence was broken by a sound I interpreted at first to be my children jumping up and down upstairs. But the way the house was shaking, there must have been twenty kids jumping, and that couldn’t be right. The waves of realization came slowly across my slightly-caffeinated brain: an earthquake.

I had no idea where I should be or what I should do. I live in Arkansas, not California! Was I supposed to bring everyone downstairs to a bathroom, like in a tornado? Get everyone out of the house like in a fire? Get under a desk or into a doorway? Thankfully, the earthquake ended by the time I gathered my confused, bleary-eyed family, and we were fine.

After we settled down, I was struck by how unprepared I was for the earthquake. When the unexpected happens, we often find ourselves unprepared. We feel scared, confused, even frantic. Life is happening, and we need to act or respond, but we have no clue what to do.

Ephesians 2:10 promises us that God has equipped us for all that He calls us to do: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

We are His workmanship. He has good works for us to do, which He has prepared beforehand. Fueled by the Holy Spirit, we can walk freely in the work He asks us to do.

If you’re anxious about the tasks your week will bring, you can be sure of this: God has equipped you in every way to tackle the to-do list He’s given you.

Whatever you face this week, God has prepared you for this, because you are His workmanship.

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Guest Podcast Appearance ~ Sucker Punched with Becky McCoy

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I’m so grateful for this opportunity to share God’s story of faithfulness with my friend, Becky L. McCoy. She hosts a fabulous podcast called Sucker Punched. I’d love for you to check out the episode and subscribe to her podcast! I promise you’ll be encouraged by the stories of God’s grace in the midst of hard times she shares each week.

 

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