Hi friends. Happy Friday! I hope you have had an amazing week.
I’m excited about today’s blog post because it comes from a friend who is so full of the love of God.
Heather Butler is an amazing writer but she is also an amazing woman. Her story runs deep into the rich roots of God’s grace and I know her post today is going to bless you so much.
PLUS, she’s got a sweet giveaway at the end. 🙂
Here’s Heather…
When you were young, did you envision what your life would look like years down the road? Yeah, me too.
I would graduate college. I would fall madly in love. I would get married. I would have lots of babies. And I would write, all the time. Probably in some adorable breakfast nook with big windows. The sunlight would leak in & fall perfectly on my face while sheer brilliance flowed out of me.
I was young. I had a clean slate, fresh start at life. And all those things were going to happen the way I expected them too. I just knew it.
Along with my list of what would happen, I knew what wouldn’t.
I would never quit college. I would never be “that” insecure girl or allow a boy to measure my self worth. And I would never have a broken family.
I had a plan. And those things weren’t a part of it.
At the end of my sophomore year in college, the perfect storm hit. Each of those things did happen & they happened within months of each other. My life was turned upside down, inside out & shaken like a snow globe.
My first real boyfriend broke up with me after a year of dating. I was devastated. I put way too much of my self-worth in him. He was my world & it all began to fall apart. I was “that” insecure girl.
Living on-campus was no longer an option because my grandparents were unable to continue helping with my tuition. I had to quit college or at least put it on hold.
My parents were divorcing. I did not want to stay with my father, but I also didn’t want to move away with my mom & leave everything I knew behind. Although already emotionally broken, my family was now physically broken.
My sister was getting married to one of my best guy friends. I was thrilled for them, but they would be moving away & I would be losing my best friend & the remainder of my family.
The only things left felt like fragmented pieces of my heart, my dreams & my should-have-been life. I was alone.
And it was there, in that quiet, dark, isolated place that I heard the tender voice of my God.
“I hold your future very carefully in My hand. There is hope, restoration & joy in Me.”
I dove into His word; not as a list of dos & don’ts, but as a source to fall into to soak up all His beauty & truth. I knew that I would never again be “alone”.
He began encircling me with people that spoke life & truth into my life. One of these amazing people would one day become my best friend & husband. My God orchestrated situations down to the tiniest of details to express His love for me. In both my tears & my rejoicing, He was ever so present.
The Lord showed me that He was rebuilding the foundation of my life – one that would last. It would not have been possible unless everything from before was torn down & removed. The places of my heart that once held unhealthy, counterfeit, wavering life was now overflowing with joy, restoration & faith. True faith.
It is on that foundation that I have continued to chase God & rest in the assurance that despite my always-changing emotions & situations my God remains faithful & cannot be moved.
I am not perfect, nor will I ever be. And I in no way have life figured out or all put together. But I’m learning that perfection is overrated & that I am still beautiful to my Savior, even in my messiness. This is a journey & I’m thankful for every step.
It is God Almighty, not our actions or past, that destines us to greatness. He intertwines all things together in a miraculous way. Even the areas that are painful are a part of a large masterpiece.
So stand, dear sister & look up. Know that your imperfections & mistakes have not ruined you. You are not alone. It is those deep wounds that absorb God’s goodness & grace the most. It is in those times of emptiness & uncertainty that His presence is most tangible. They are not ugly marks in which to hide or be ashamed of. They are beautiful, deep ravines into which God’s abundant life freely flows.
I declare my God as faithful!
__________________________________________________________
Thank you SO MUCH Heather for this powerful word from God.
Here’s how you can connect with Heather:
Website: www.faithfulnessdeclared.com
Twitter: @faithdeclared
Facebook: www.facebook.com/faithfulnessdeclared
And today Heather is giving away a copy of the book
The 30 Day Praise Challenge by Becky Harling and a $5 Starbucks gift card!
To enter to win leave a comment sharing something you want to declare God is faithful about. Let’s make some praise noise for God today on this little blog!Â
We’ll announce the winner on Tuesday. 🙂
49 Comments
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God is faithful to provide for ALL my needs spiritually, physically, and emotionally. He’s El Roi the God who sees me, Jehovah Jireh the God who provides for me, Jehovah Rapha the God who heals me, Jehovah Nissi He is my banner, Emmanuel the God who is with me.
Christina, that is beautifully put! Amen Amen!!
God is faithful in His promises! He just wants us to wait for His timing! God provided what doctors had told me was impossible without “intense hormone therapy and that is no guarantee”. God provided me with a wonderful pregnancy. I now have the most precious son. God was faithful in His promise. He just had to make sure I was in the right place to receive it. Thanks be to God!
Joy, what a miraculous story! Doctors can never put restrictions on an Almighty God! I am so so thankful that you have experienced such beautiful miracles in your life! Pregnancy & children are held in a very tender, special part of a woman’s heart. Experiencing His faithfulness in that area changes us forever. Thank you for sharing!
Such an amazing testimony of God’s faithfulness! Thank you for being so transparent Heather! It’s so hard to see clearly in the midst of overwhelming sorrow and heartache. Even when we don’t feel it, our God is good and never leaves us to figure it out on our own. Praise the Lord He is faithful!!
Meagan, you are so right! It is usually difficult to see clearly in overwhelming circumstances. But like you said, God is good & never leaves us to figure it out on our own. The night is as day to Him!
God is faithful through ALL things! I was that insecure girl too, relying on boyfriends to fill something missing. My confidence has been growing a lot lately being closer to God and depending on Him for everything! I am getting through a separation, my oldest son in jail and raising 2 younger children. Through all of this God has given me so many signs and instead of worry and doubt, He is giving me His strength and I am persevering!!! God is awesome and is always there. Thank you for sharing your heart!!
Jennifer, I am so glad to hear that your confidence is growing more & more as you seek God & depend on Him! He gave His only Son to die for you. You are that precious, beautiful & valuable to Him. You are definitely walking through a difficult time right now. It is so encouraging to hear that you continue to lean on Him & you are sensitive to the truth He is speaking into your life. Blessings to you as you continue to persevere & seek Him with all your heart!
I know my Jesus is with me each day. To rely on Him when I have no one else to rely on. A little over 3 yrs ago I realized He is in control. We had a house fire, which my husband set, he had a mental break down, he spent 6 days in a locked down hospital. We moved in with my sister while legal issues were resolved, he resigned as a firefighter, he gave up his addiction to gambling and with in 2 months he got saved.
Joy, I got goosebumps as I read your comment. You have truly walked through so much, both physically & emotionally. Your faith is obviously very genuine. Thank you for your honest words & your transparent heart!! Blessings to you as you continue to heal & grow.
God is faithful all the time but a good example for me was to put my RA in remission after the birth of my second child over 7 yrs ago. I prayed that night in the hospital from the depths of my soul for him to help me raise my kids in a pain free state and he has blessed me with that answer ever since. I am grateful every day to be well and for Gods faithfulness!!!
Michele, what a powerful example of God’s faithfulness. Wow. How precious are the prayers that His children desperately cry out to Him in the quiet of the night. He loves, heals & gives abundantly. May you always & forever feel His answer & promise wrapped tightly around you. Thank you for sharing this.
God is faithful in all things. Through death, divorce, catastrophic illness, single parenthood, and now empty nest He is faithful and good. He is faithful to hear and answer my prayers. I am thankful for a mother who carried me to church as a little girl and introduced me to Him. He is my salvation! Praise God!
Vickie, you are a beautiful of example of Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” How encouraging this is! You have been through so much & it is easy to see that your faith is solid. This is a beautiful picture for all of us to see. Blessings to you as you continue to praise Him & declare Him as faithful!
God is faithful for never leaving me. He is always with me, guiding me and loving me. He is constant in an ever changing world and life. When I don’t know what to do I run to Him and He is always there! And I am very thankful for that 🙂
Natalie, oh how I am thankful for this truth as well! What a amazing gift it is to have a God that doesn’t change & stays with us – always!
God is faithful to RESTORE all that’s lost!!
Tinika, AMEN AMEN! What a simple sentence that holds more truth & power than our minds can even grasp!
My God is faithful is never leaving me. When I was 4, my father’s choices became clear and my mother moved me away with my stepdad and little sister. As a child, I always thought people would leave me (after school programs must have hated me!)and to this day, I still don’t trust people. They can leave and I can’t stop them. But my God doesn’t want to leave. He wants to spend time with me. He cares for me. He loves me. He won’t leave me alone…His word says so. There is a song by MercyMe (You Are I Am) that I love to sing to and worship my God, because he is the great I AM.
Thank you for sharing your story! Have a blessed day!
Jessica, I am so sorry for what you’ve been through. But it truly blesses my heart & is so encouraging to see you turning to your God & relying on His constant presence & love! You are His precious daughter & will always hold You safely in the palm of His hand.
Wow this blog really hit me today. I have been questioning my faith and struggling since my husband left nearly 5 months ago. I know that God is faithful, his plan is better than ours and His plan will be revealed on His time. While I continue to work on my relationship with God, I continue to pray for God to place people in my husband’s life that can show him God and that the Holy Spirit may touch his heart. I’m saving this post to read when I start to doubt God’s plan for me.
Sondra, I wish we could grab coffee & just talk. My heart aches with you. I don’t know why things like this happen. I know for myself, one of the biggest things that has set me free & changed my way of thinking has been exactly those words – “I don’t know why.” I don’t know WHY things happen, but I do know HE hasn’t changed. It broke this barrier I felt was hindering me to trust God fully & still acknowledge He is good even when I’m hurting, badly. I realized it was ok not to know the whys. I don’t know if that resonates with you or even makes sense, but I pray that you continue to fall into Jesus in the midst of the chaos & hurt. Even on days you don’t “feel” Him, He is closer than your breath. Stay consistently in His word, especially on discouraging days. His truth, comfort & direction truly will soak into the very core of your being. There is a contact page on my website. If you ever need anything specifically prayed for, please let me know.
For some reason, this just came to my inbox today (Saturday) so sorry for the late response!
My God is faithful to surround me with his love and caring devotion even when the tides of loneliness wash in as I wonder when my turn for love will come, even when I question the path he has placed me on simply because the territory is unfamiliar, even when financial troubles ensue because of a family member’s continued unemployment. Through all of these things, God is faithful to give me peace in the midst of the storm. It rarely looks the way I anticipate that it will but his peace is better than anything I could possibly imagine anyway so that’s okay!
Thank you so much for the wonderful blog post and congrats to whoever wins!
Ashley, you expressed that beautifully. There is so much truth in your comment & I know so many of us relate to it. Thank you for being so honest & for sharing your heart!
God is so faithful because He is always there for His children. I’m going through a divorce. Something millions of women go through, right? In my situation, my husband and I moved to Dallas. When we moved here my health got worse and I had a hysterectomy. I guess I became unattractive to my husband and he moved on. I was asked to leave our home. He changed the locks on the doors, took my car, and closed our checking account. Here I am, in Dallas with no family. Luckily, The Lord placed people in my life that helped me shelter, a job, and getting a car. I may not have everything, but He’s provided my needs. It gets a little easier each day, but I’m leaning and trusting in God.
Thank you for this encouraging post!
Courtney, I can’t imagine what your heart has been through! The Lord’s hand is evident in your life! I know you are completely wrapped in His heart. Praise God for His provision – even when it looks differently than what we thought. He is a God of restoration & I know that is in store for you. Continue to press deeper & deeper into His word. He has great plans for you. Blessings on your beautiful journey, Courtney. He will remain faithful.
God is faithful inHis love for us. It is always with us.
Tammy, I completely agree! What a gift!
God has been so good to me. He always comes through for me whenever I am afraid and worried. I start speaking His Word over my life and I sense Him with me. My fears & worries disappear. I feel a deep peace inside and although things do not always go the way I want them to, the LORD always gets me through. Praise the LORD for he is good and his love endures forever!
Elaine, you have grabbed onto an amazing truth! Speaking His word – out loud – is a game changer! I grew up with terrible anxiety. I would always pray in my mind & recite verses, but it wasn’t until I began claiming them out loud that my anxiety slowly diminished & my heart got bolder & bolder! I still struggle with anxiety, but I sure know what beats it down! Thank you for sharing your heart!! Keep living in & practicing that truth! You are such an example & light to others!
I am most thankful that I have a God who truly loves me no matter what. He keeps me grounded in His love!
Sylvia, that is so powerful, isn’t! A perfect God that loves His imperfect children no matter what? Praise God!!
God has shown me over and over His great and never ending love for me. Most recently I was taught the lesson of how God always provides. My hours at work were cut dramatically creating a huge financial burden for my spouse and I. In my tears God held me close in His arms and asked that while I had free time I provide at least one blessing to someone each day. The next day I received a check from a financial company that holds my IRA account. Two years ago they made a mistake and over charged me! A check for $1,000 was included. God caring for me when I cannot care for myself. I love Him so much.
Jill, WOW what an awesome example of God’s faithfulness & provision! It is incredible that your God knew exactly what you would need & when you would need it! It’s so great that you were receptive to the Lord asking you to bless others while you also needed to be blessed! That’s so beautiful! Thank you for sharing your heart!!
My God has been so faithful–through the loss of a son, divorce, loss of a job–I am in such a better place with Him now. He has placed me in the best job I have ever had, healed my broken heart and wounded spirit. He loves me in spite of my failures and imperfections…I am so blessed!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!
AMEN
Kathleen, your words hold such weight & are a huge encouragement. You have known the deepest of heartaches as well as the greatest of God’s restoration. You are an example of strength & God’s faithfulness. Thank you for your honest words.
God is so faithful… even when I am not! For years, I was wrapped up in a drug addiction; even to the point of leaving my precious child with my parents 24/7. On January 17, 2011, God reached down to me and said, “ENOUGH!” Today, I am in nursing school, have 2 jobs working as a CNA, and participate in my son’s activities weekly. God is so faithful – He is patient with us, and truly gives us our heart’s desires!
Erin, thank you for your transparent heart. Your journey has obviously been a difficult & painful one. You paint a beautiful picture of how God can literally save us from ourselves. Thank you for your honesty. Continue to dive into His word & spend time in His presence. Your testimony is a powerful one & I know He is using you powerful in your child’s life & in the lives of everyone around you! Blessings on your journey!
God is faithful. I have found that in those moments where I am broken and feel most alone, He shows up in a gentle way, allowing me to know that he cares and will never leave or forsake me. I am every thankful for the small ways in which I sense His comforting presence with me.
Khalilah, He truly is close to the brokenhearted & speaks gently to us when we desperately need it. Thank you for your beautiful words & sharing your heart!
Nicki and Heather, God has been faithful to me all throughout my life, in my journey with Him. If I chose one part of my life that God has shown His faithfulness, it would be my grandson Andrew. Andrew was born 6 years ago with an extremely rare genetic neuromuscular condition and given less than 3 days to live…I knew they were wrong. They were not God! In faith and trust, my daughter and I, in shifts or together, never left him. 103 days later, Andrew came home! He is now a student in my class. He communicates by eye gaze and is on level with his peers. His miraculous life is filled with God’s great love and faithfulness! Praise the Lord!
Mary, your story & example of God’s faithfulness brought me to tears. What an incredible reminder your precious grandson is! Oh our God is so good!!
So wonderful to hear testimony of His faithfulness. Especially during this season of life where I am unsure about so many things. Job lose, medical issues so much going on but I know God will see me through. I must press in and press on.
Hope, may this time of uncertainty bring many beautiful moments of seeing God’s faithfulness & provision in new & powerful ways.
God is faithful even during the tough times.
God is faithful to never leave me, will point me in the right direction when I seek Him, and love me no matter what!
“The Lord showed me that He was rebuilding the foundation of my life – one that would last. It would not have been possible unless everything from before was torn down & removed.”
I love this comment from the post and I can relate to it so well. I’m currently in a season of separating from my husband of 11 1/2 years and I need to believe, day after day, that these words are true. He WILL rebuild my foundation to one that will last.
Thank you!
God is faithful no matter what because God never changes. He is who He says He is, He does what He says He will do, He cannot lie because He is not a man. Praise be to God!!
God is faithful because He loves me and is always with me. Like you, I have had to brave many storms in my life, but I have always been aware of God’s presence during them. It was in many of those moments that I felt closer to Him than ever before. My father is dying as I write this, and his home that my children and I have lived in with him for the last six years may be taken away to pay his bills. I am a four year survivor of thyroid cancer that left me disabled with vocal cord paralysis, so I don’t know what will happen if we lose the house. Through it all though, I know that God is faithfully with us, and that my father will see Jesus when he is taken home. God will provide for us, as He always has. As you said, He is with me in my emptiness and will heal my wounds because He is faithful.
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