How is God using your today to prepare and purpose your tomorrow?
Today’s guest post is written by Tracie Johnson…
Do you believe that God is intentional in all He does? Not just about directing you in ministry, or the big decisions in life. Do you believe He is involved in even the slightest details? I do and here is my latest proof.
Around the beginning of November 2010, I felt a calling to devote time to the memorization of Scripture. I love to study, and my writing for Response to Grace Ministries keeps my nose in the Word on a regular basis. But I had never really committed to memorizing God’s Word and hiding it in my heart and mind.
As God started dealing with my heart regarding this matter, I discussed it with my dear friend and accountability partner, Susan. She revealed that God has been speaking to her about the very thing and we committed together to memorize two verses a month throughout the year 2011. In addition, after prayer, Susan felt as if we should memorize verses with a specific theme and/or content. I agreed and began praying for direction.
Through prayer, God directed me to the first verse He desired for me to learn. (Psalm 118:1-2)
I love you, O LORD, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.
My God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:103)
As December got underway, I wrote my verse on a small index card and started memorizing. I was excited with my new adventure and even decorated a small box to hold all my verses in with the following verse:
I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11)
I had no earthly idea how important the contents of that small box would become in the coming months and year.
When Christmas was just days away, my husband was informed his job would be ending on December 31st. The business contract his company had with the State of Illinois was not being renewed. While there existed a slight chance the company would be given a small extension into the New Year, we knew he would soon be out of a job. I held tight to the verse God has supplied for me and reassured my husband that God would provide.
As my husband diligently searched for a new job, I chose my second verse for January and wrote it on my index card.
You are my hiding place. You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7)
Thankfully, God provided my husband with a new job by the middle of February. During this month, God led me to other verses regarding His ability to rescue and save, such as Daniel 5:26-27 and Proverbs 30:5.
March began, and my family and I settled into our new routine. With gratitude, I wrote my all time favorite verse on my index card on March 1st.
“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 a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
By the middle of March, it became clear that my job would be eliminated at the end of the school year. With budget cuts my school district faced, there was no alternative position for me. I would soon be unemployed. I continued to lean on God and allowed Him to direct me as I choose verse after verse to sustain me.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Before March came to an end, I discovered this soon-to-be forty-year old was expecting another child. I cannot begin to describe the feelings I experienced. But more than any other, God supplied this unworthy girl with peace.
I cannot report an ability to quickly quote verbatim each of the verses I have on the index cards in my little box. But I have successfully hidden their message in my heart. My mind is at rest and I experience sweet peace. There are twelve verses stashed there now and each reminds me that He alone is my provider. His plans for me are good.
And I am so thankful that He took the time to prepare me for the journey. His subtle prompting to memorize His word did more to prepare me and give me peace than any other act besides daily time spent in His presence. If we only listen and obey, He is so intentional about providing us exactly what we need.
No matter what He is calling me to – whether it seems big or small, each day He prepares me for the next. He is with me, guiding and protecting me on His path.
How is God using your today to prepare and purpose your tomorrow?
Tracie Johnson is the founder of Response to Grace ministries. As her own faith matured, Tracie experienced a deeper desire to know God. She believes when a person truly understands the grace that has been extended to believers, a desire to know the One who bestows the gift is born. Tracie is passionate about helping people connect with God and with others through the study of God’s Word. The current Response to Grace study on The Names of God is just beginning!
(The current Preparation series is intended to help you look for, notice, and acknowledge God working in your life. At the end of the month, I’ll give away a free ticket to the Living Proof Live with Beth Moore event in Springfield, IL, October 25-26, 2013. All you have to do to qualify for the free ticket drawing is to comment on one or more blog posts throughout the month of March. The ticket will be given away on April 1st (and it’s not an April Fools joke!). (If you live too far away to attend the event, I have an alternate giveaway and will then pass along the ticket to someone else.)
Thank you Tracie for the courage to share that memorizing is not easy for everyone, but it can change us in ways we cannot foresee. May you find Isaiah 26:3-4 especially meaningful.
What a wonderful reminder those verses in Isaiah hold, Sheila. I am so grateful for the peace that only God can give! I am currently studying the names of God and Yahweh Shalom is one of my favorites.
Thank you for sharing this. God has obviously used you to refresh my mind and spirit as your story draws so many parallels to mine. This has been a blessing and encouragement to me!
Keep relying on Him, Donna. He will provide what you need right as you need it. He is an on-time and faithful God!
Tracie, you and Susan have both been such an encouragement to me. I don’t get to see much of either of you anymore, but your faith and spiritual maturity were just what I needed in my life. I am so blessed that God directed me to join you all in Bible study a few years back. You both were a huge part of the healing process for my wounded heart and soul. Thank you so much for your example!
Thanks, Michelle. God is so good to guide and provide! (I’m still up for that lunch sometime!) 🙂
I am thankful for our times of study and friendship too, Michelle. It is exciting to read posts about the happenings in your life and the work you continue to do for His Kingdom. Way to conquer the school-thing! Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you for this encouraging post. I’ve been too intimidated to memorize scripture because I am not good with memorizing things. Maybe I should take your approach and do a specific theme. Was that easier for you? Always looking for good tips on how to memorize scripture. God bless.
Cecily- I still don’t consider myself good at memorization. It hasn’t been easy for me. However, I have learned an invaluable lesson in the past year- one that this story helped teach me. Even if I am unable to memorize a passage word for word, I can be successful at memorizing its message in my spirit. The reason we work to memorize is to know the promises of God so we can recall and rest in them. God reassured me He wasn’t disappointed in me when I couldn’t verbalize the verses verbatim. He was pleased when I knew the content, applied the messages to my daily life, and when the Word hidden in my heart helped me to lean on Him.
I can’t say memorizing a certain theme made things easier- I wish I could! Memorizing similar verses caused me to get my words and references mixed up. They were all so similar! It did, however, drive the point home and I learned the lesson well.
A couple of things I have done to help my efforts is to write the verses out as often as I could. I read them aloud. I journal about them and rewrite them in my own words. I have even put the words to music.
Keep up your efforts and don’t become discouraged! Any time you spend pouring over the Scriptures will result in unlimited benefits that won’t be realized until we hear our entire life story from God’s perspective!
And of course, find someone to memorize with you. My journey of memorization was much easier since Susan was memorizing with me. She encouraged me and we shared verses/ideas/successes. Search for me on facebook. I’d love to connect and encourage you as you walk this path!
My mom started me memorizing scripture when I was 3 years old. No one could predict how those scriptures came flooding back to me in college when depression had turned the dark corner to suicidal thoughts. As much as I wanted to give up, throw in the towel and stop the pain – God gently brought back to me His words that helped me see, kicking and screaming, that giving up wasn’t His desire for my life.
The power of his word is amazing! Thanks for sharing your journey through a difficult year of change, change and more change.
God is so faithful to sustain us. I agree that the power of His Word is amazing!