the cure for anxiety

 "Even to your old age and gray hairs
  I am He, I am He who will sustain you.
  I have made you and I will carry you,
  I will sustain you and I will rescue you."

                     -- Isaiah 46:4

something like a shadow

Just like that, it's December. 
And the ghost of other months flit and fly away,
carrying me into the last leg of a yearlong race,
into the arms of the final days of fourteen. 

Where has time gone
Where has life gone

The children that used to glow with something like innocence are older.
I am older,
and I can't stop seeing everything,
seeing everyone --
changing even in the fraction of a second.

Hair growing
Spine lengthening

Aging isn't something I'll ever grow used to,
but this body is destined for the ground,
with our souls sent either upward or into the fiery flames.

Our choice.

Only one life here, 
surely not to be wasted, 
certainly my days under the sun will amount to eternity. 

If I am something like a shadow,
Cast the light of Your face upon me.

on care

Today I am grateful for homework, crazy as that sounds, even if I didn't want to do it only a couple of hours ago.

It can be tough taking classes at Word of Life, because over time the Bible starts to become something of a textbook. When you study the Word of God in a college setting, it is refreshing and worth it, but also tricky. I never want to get in the habit of looking at my Bible as just another book, an assigned text. When I have to read so much of it for assignments, though, it's hard to see it with new eyes.

For homework tonight, I finally did the assignment I'd been dreading, a 1000 word essay on something from the Old Testament. I chose Psalm 65, which is pretty gnifty, and includes this glorious verse that caught my attention some weeks ago:

"When we were overwhelmed by sins, You forgave our transgressions." ~ Psalm 65:3

During the paper, I had to really dig into the Psalm, both explaining it and applying it to my life. Psalm 65 is all about God's blessing and abundant provision on a people that comes to Him with their heavy burdens. Not hard to relate to! So often I feel weary with worry, trying to handle and hold onto the things that stress me. I am constantly having to learn this lesson. But it was actually really comforting and worthwhile to spend some hours in the Word doing this research paper, because it reminded me

one. Why I am at Word of Life in the first place
two. How blessed I am to get to study the Word for a year

and

three. What a relief it is that I don't need to carry anything.

God carries it all for me. And He does this because He cares so much.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." ~ 1st Peter 5:7

What are you holding onto that is becoming a burden?
If you're in Christ, you can walk with light shoulders and a satisfied spirit.