SLL Week 2 – Monday Encouragement

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The boys made an excited dash towards the ocean with their brand new yellow inflated boat.  They were determined to ride in it, despite the unusually gusty winds.  I watched from my beach chair, as the raft flapped wildly in the air, at one point actually lifting these two skinny young boys right off the ground.

My son and his friend tried to ride in the boat for quite a while, but the strong winds made the water more like mini-tidal waves than the usual gentle tide. The few times the boys made it into the boat, the rolling surf spit them out like limp seaweed.

After being sucked under the rough waters multiple times, they finally admitted defeat. The waves had taken a toll on their spirits and the raft, rendering both boat and boys deflated and helpless.

Watching their frustration and defenselessness against the whitecaps, I was reminded of a season when I felt powerless to master one wave of adversity after another crashing against me.

It wasn’t just one thing that was causing stress and worry, but a toxic mixture of problems. The economy was going downhill and severely affecting our family. My mother lost her job. My sister’s chronic illness had gotten worse. Cancer tormented a loved one. One of my children faced a serious health issue, coupled with the normal daily challenges of raising three children. The washing machine broke, the transmission in my car died, and a hailstorm seriously damaged our roof.

Each day it seemed a new swell of problems engulfed me, adding to the accumulation of my concerns and stress. It was a long season in which I felt sucked under by a raging current, barely able to hold my head above water. I felt completely deflated and helpless, just like that little yellow raft.

During that time, I clung to Psalm 46:1-3,“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” (NLT)

These verses offered wisdom and comfort, helped me find the inner strength to persevere through difficult times. They served as a reminder to help me stay aware of my need for God, because none of us are equipped to handle life on our own. You see, no matter how strong we think we are, there will come a time when our stress seems overwhelming and we desperately wish we had somewhere to hide. Somewhere to take refuge from the storms, with Someone who understands what we are going through. And maybe you’ve feel like that recently and can totally relate to a desire for refuge and escape.

I understood the frustration of two little boys who wanted to ride in a big yellow raft, and I encouraged them to keep trying. After they had rested and the wind had lessened, they tried again, and finally found themselves floating in the boat, instead of hanging from it.

God understands what we are going through, and although He calls us to persevere, He wants us to depend on Him to keep our heads above water.  Through these verses above, we are reassured of His promise to help us in times of trouble. These verses offer fresh encouragement that when adversity strikes, God will provide the refuge and strength we need to weather the storm.

No matter the problems tossing you about today, you don’t have to feel like you are simply hanging on. Instead, hold onto God’s promise that He is the Master of all stormy waves, and that when we put our trust in Him, we will discover the peace and strength we need to make it to calmer shores.

Dear Lord, I feel beaten down by storms of life, drowning in a sea of adversity and stress. I commit today to depend on You as my refuge. I place my hope and trust in You and commit to hanging on to You at all times. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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IF RECEIVING THIS POST IN EMAIL, CLICK HERE TO WATCH TODAY’S VIDEO

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THIS WEEK’S READING ASSIGNMENT IS CHAPTERS THREE AND FOUR

10 Comments

  1. Sammie on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 8:09 am

    Thank you so much for this post. Even though I consider myself to have a very strong faith in our Lord, which has been strengthened through times of adversity, at the present time life is tough. I am struggling with health issues and I worry about the impact that is having on my family, 3 children and my wonderful husband. Your post has reminded me to let go and let God. He has seen us through far worse situations and your encouragement today has reminded me, He will see us through this too. Thank you. Sammie



  2. Amy on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 8:26 am

    Thank you, Tracie! I’m really enjoying this study. I do need to lay all of the stressors in my life at the Lord’s feet and I haven’t done a good enough job. And thank you for posting those verses from Psalm 46 at the top of this post. They never fail to comfort and encourage me.



  3. Judy Turnbull on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 9:35 am

    Thanks for the encouragement! God is so good to us and his promises are such an encouragement to us. He is in control and we can cling to him in our times of trouble. Thanks for the reminder.



  4. Dot on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 9:52 am

    Thank you for the encouragement. I am sorry that you had to endure all of that, but I do know how faithful God is. He did a tremendous work in your life during those times. He reigns! We never know what He sees what is best for us to go through, we cling to Him because we do KNOW He is the ONLY way.



  5. Melissa on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 10:17 am

    Thank you for this post. Parenting is a very special gift from God. Whether we are parenting our own children or helping show God’s love to the children in our neighborhood or in our church, we all have love and kindness to share with others.



  6. Kim on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 3:18 pm

    Thank you for this study and for today’s post. I am in a season of tremendous change (children leaving home, divorce, financial instability) that sometimes seems like it will never end. I struggle at times to turn my heart toward Jesus even though I know that doing so is the only way to relieve my internal struggles and calm my soul. Thank you for this reminder.



  7. Rachelle on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 8:06 pm

    Thank you Tracie! The video touched deeply in my life. I became a Christian later in life, and did not raise my children in church. (One of my main stressors and source of guilt and regret now.) I have 3 grown children, all in their 30’s now, and 2 grown step-children. Out of 5 kids, we only have 1 who knows the Lord. My youngest daughter went on an Emmaus walk last November, and she got saved during her time there. It was amazing, and has been so awesome to watch her grow in her relationship with Christ. I will never give up praying for the other 4, I know that some day, it will happen! God is good, all the time! <3



  8. Natalie Tull on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at 9:48 pm

    Thank you for this post today and for the video! I just finised up reading Chapter 3 and the swimming against the current section just really hit me hard!!!! It gave me a relief that I’m not the only one who feels those feelings. So many of the parents are in that “do whatever you want” catagory and especially young parents. As a younger single mom I tend to get those weird looks from other parents who think I am the “crazy over protective Jesus freak parent” as you said Tracie. Even though my children are still younger, I want to make sure without a shadow of a doubt that I’m raising them up in The Lord! And also as you said Tracie, “not let the church have the duty of teaching my children about God but making faith and prayer a priority in my household.” The message to faithfully persevere in my parenting values, no matter how stressful the journey becomes and no matter how unpopular it makes me was just what I needed to hear at this exact moment!!! And the encouragement of James 1:12. So I’m going to swim as hard as I can against the current and pray for Gods peace in my life as I raise my boys up in Christ! Thank you so much Tracie for your encouraging words!



  9. Shannan Williams on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 6:47 pm

    Thank you so much for your encouragement Tracie. I just received bad news from the doctor about my health and I completely freaked out…cried all day. Well all that did was give me a massive headache. So I am doing what you said, giving this to God. My prayer is Lord I trust You with these diagnoses that I just got from the doctor. Amen. I know God is with me and will never leave me. I love James 1:4 and of course Jeremiah 29:11. He has a plan and a purpose for me.
    What you said about stress being a silent killer hit too close to home for me this week after going to the doctor. I don’t know that stress caused these things but I do know that it doesn’t help with the problems at all. I am trusting God The Great Physician. Thank you again for your encouragement ~Shannan



    • Susan on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 8:49 am

      Dear Shannan:: I will be praying for you because I know what stress did to me and I am still working on it. For I worry and don’t feel well so together I will keep you in my prayers Susanna



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Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.

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