Simply Created by Cole

By His Grace,

Cole

Since the Journey of Providence is never over...

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You are welcome anytime.

Learning {Journey of Providence Day 9}

2011-09-15T00:39:00.001-05:00

Hello friends...

We are nearing the end of the Journey Series but

not the Journey God has written for us.

Thinking back on these past nine days I am humbled and thankful for the ways God moves, works, and weaves lives together.

I am thankful for you.

I never thought that through this One Word,

God would place on my heart this Journey,

and lead me to these Kindred Friends.

I am so thankful for the grace you have shown me along the way.

My Journey is not perfect.

My Journey is not over.

{Yours isn’t either.}

I have not perfected trusting and hoping in God’s Plan.

I am, though, learning to trust and hope in all that He brings.

Whether it be rain or shine.

Because there is always...

Joining 5 other writers, kindred friends, who are sharing the journeys they are on.

By His Grace,

Cole

Sovereign Over Us {Journey of Providence Day 8}

2011-09-14T00:00:00.004-05:00

In this Journey, in this life,

even on the detours and with trails we face...

we can trust in The One who is.

The One who is...

...Sovereign Over Us...
{Click link above for a worship reminder.}

Joining 5 other writers, kindred friends, who are sharing the journeys they are on.

By His Grace,

Cole

Living Hope {Journey of Providence Day 7}

2011-09-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

God saves. God Provides.
Not just for a season or a particular time.

He saves us in truth, His Truth, in the Power of Christ.

25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,

Romans 16:25 NIV

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8;28 NIV

He is always ready to help us.

18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18 NIV

God was there for Ruth and Naomi. He provided for them.

Provided a home, provision, a husband for Ruth, a Hope.

It may not have been what they planned or the road they started out on.

But it turned out for the good, God’s good.

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

The plans He promised them were good, prospered them, and gave them a Living Hope...
...even in the face of detours and trials.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

1 Peter 1:3-8 NIV

This is a Hope, a Joy, we can find today because...

...He is Sovereign over us...

Joining 5 other writers, kindred friends, who are sharing the journeys they are on.

By His Grace,

Cole

Abide {A Journey of Providence Day 6}

2011-09-12T00:00:00.007-05:00

Hello on this new day!

If you are just joining us, we are on a journey.

A Journey of Providence: Trusting and Hoping in God’s Plan.

If you missed us last week, here are the first 5 Days.

Day 1- A Road and a Verse

Day 2- Truth Speaks

Day 3- God is in Control

Day 4- Perseverance

Day 5- Believe

Continue below for the next part in the Journey...

How does one find Hope in the detours, in trials?

How did I find Hope from a verse given to me on a car trip?

...Because the journey of living in God’s Providence is
trusting God despite what we see or feel.

There were many time I prayed for the situation to be different, for it to work. God helped me through those difficult times.

He didn’t give me what I asked nor did He remove it.

He kept me from being shaken.

24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— Jude 1:24 NIV

That trip was a life change from what I thought life would be like, where I thought it was headed, what I had prayed for...

It is in that detour that I learned apart from Christ I can do NOTHING.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NIV

I needed to abide in Christ, remain in prayer, remain in His word,

continue on the Journey.

It is in His Word, where His Hope became...

…Living Hope.

Joining 5 other writers, kindred friends, who are sharing the journeys they are on.

By His Grace,

Cole

Believe {Journey of Providence Day 5}

2011-09-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

When I looked at the trials and who God was through the trials,

my view was skewed.

My thoughts and emotions were a train wreck...

each threatening to flip the next car of the track.

Only when I began to,

“Look at circumstances through the promises of God.” {Charles Swindoll}

...Did my journey, the detour, begin to take on new meaning.

From etsy.com on Pinterest via Simply Created by Cole

It is then I finally started to trust that:

God is intimately involved in our lives down to the smallest detail...

Even the the detours and trials.

He walked the same earth we walk.

He understood the same feelings we have.

He experienced pain for us.

Pain on the cross.

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

James 1:2-8

We will face trials, detours, in this life.

If we take the steps toward Him, persevere, He will give us wisdom.

We must believe in that wisdom and that God’s plan is good and best.

And pretty soon we come to this...

3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope....

Romans 5:3-4

...Here is where it gets good friends...

Joining 5 other writers, kindred friends, who are sharing the journeys they are on.

September 5th-16th, sharing the words God has laid upon our hearts and breathed into our souls. Each one different, yet weaving our lives together.

If you like, you may grab the Journey button over on the sidebar to share with others. Just right click on the button and copy link location.

By His Grace,

Cole

Perseverance {Journey of Providence Day 4}

2011-09-08T06:00:00.003-05:00

The Journey is not over...

Is it possible to trust God’s goodness and have Hope He will provide in the times of trial? Provide in the the detour times?

Ruth and Naomi have traveled back to Bethlehem. They have made their home and now it comes time for Ruth to work out in the fields.

Here comes the Perseverance...

1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”

Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

Ruth 2:1-3 NIV

It is no coincidence she finds herself in the field of Boaz.

Like Ruth, God will provide for us.

He will provide through His Word, others, and us taking the step towards Him.

But, we have to take the step.

... All that time I lost in letting the trials, detours, of my particular circumstance cloud my view of God’s will. While I never stopped believing God and in God. I lost Hope that His will was good and best.

I quit doing the work.

I allowed the circumstance to “tell” me it was okay. It wasn’t.

But, as I clung unto that verse given to me by my mentor, dear friend...

God provided the way.

By His Strength and Perseverance...

I began taking the steps towards God’s Will, not mine.

Steps toward Hope, that things will work out.

That they will be good, oh so good.

James 1:2-4 NIV

Slowly I was learning.

Learning,

It is more reliable to trust an unseen God than visible circumstances....

Joining 5 other writers, kindred friends, who are sharing the journeys they are on.

By His Grace,

Cole

God is in Control {Journey of Providence Day 3}

2011-09-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Day 3 of our Journey Series!

If you are just joining us here is Day 1 and Day 2.

Or, just click on the Journey of Providence button over in the sidebar.

To help us understand Ruth better and the trials she faced

let’s look at the background and times.

*Ruth is set in the time of Judges which comes right before Ruth in the Bible.

*The Judges governed Israel at this time and it was among the most cruel and spiritually dark days it had ever seen.

*The last verse of Judges says it best, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” Judges 21:25

It was a very dark time indeed. People’s views of God were obscured by the circumstances around them.

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger...

Judges 2:10-12 NIV

6 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

Judges 17:6 NIV

Source

How have I let the circumstances, the detours, obscure my view of God?

I think of the sufferings of Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah.

Did they let the pain, hurt, obscure their view of God?

In the Word it says...

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

James 1:2 NIV

Notice it says, “whenever,” not “if.”

We are all certain to face trials, detours in life, things not go as we had thought.

It is only a matter of when.

Sometimes it is not by our choice, but by the choices of another.

Sometimes it is not even a person, but a serious illness, wreck,

or whatever the situation may be.

In this world where we do have choices.

God is still in control.

1 Peter 1:6b NIV says:

though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Oh how they must have grieved the lost of their husbands and Naomi her sons.

The trials of their journey through the desert imaginable.

How I have grieved the loss of loved ones, a broken relationship, the laying of the lives I love and that are closest to me in the hands of Christ during some major trials.

How have you grieved dear friend?

What losses are you facing today?

What is the detour you are on?

Keep traveling dear friend.

It is not done here.

The Journey is not over...

Joining 5 other writers, kindred friends, who are sharing the journeys they are on.

September 5th-16th sharing the words God has laid upon our hearts and breathed into our souls. Each one different, yet weaving our lives together.

If you like, you may grab the Journey button over on the sidebar to share with others. Just right click on the button and copy link location.