When I Kept Silent

I’ve had a good day today. Part of it is because I had a day off from work, another is that I got to sleep in till about 7:00AM. Can I get a hallelujah? After feeding my doggo I was able to get a load of laundry started and clean up the kitchen! Winning. I was able to make it to a local coffee shop and get half priced coffee and read my devotional by 9:30AM. The real miracle here though is that I was able to sit down and be inspired by God’s word for this devotional prayer.

There have been many times in my walk with God where I have questioned my own salvation. But I’m reminded when I get into the Word that it is a lie that the Devil is trying to trip me up with. I have been and will continue to be redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. I have the Holy Spirit within me, being both a comfort and a compass pointing me towards God. My prayer is that Psalm 32 will both convict you and point you to the true blessing in this life: the love of our heavenly Father.

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1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

God, my Father, thank you for forgiving my transgressions against you. Thank you for being there, all around me, waiting for me to reach out. Thank you for never turning away from me. Lord, I pray for blessings to pour out upon this community. God, I pray that if there is a woman here who does not know you that show yourself to them today. I pray that their hearts are softened and that they feel the peace and love that you have for them.     

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

Your Holy Spirit lives within me and nudges me in the way I should go. God he is here in my heart that I may know you while I still live here on earth. He coaxes me to turn back to you and reconcile what has happened and be redeemed by you, God.    

6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

God give us all the craving and urge to seek you and pray. God help our first thoughts to be of you each day. When the good or the bad occur let us go to you first with thanksgiving and praise. Just as David said, “you are my hiding place”, Lord. Continue to shelter us in your arms and set your angels around us as protection against the enemy attacks.

In your name we pray, Father God. Be with us this day and all the days to come.

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Jessica Delp on Unsplash

How Lovely // Mary Swafford

I’m late.  I’m late in writing this blog.  I totally spaced that my blog was due to post on Monday this week.  I never thought about it until I laid down to sleep last night and then it hit me!

I’m late.  But God is always right on time.  Our theme this month for our blog is praying through the Psalms.  I randomly chose a Psalm that I remembered enjoying during our recent study of the Psalms but knew ultimately that God would direct me to another when it came time to write.  

I’m so thankful for His timing.  Had I written my blog on time, I would’ve missed the beauty of listening to the ladies at the tall table at Boulder Coffee today as they wrapped up their final bible study gathering for the summer.  They have been studying Psalm 23 for the last 8 weeks.  I have enjoyed hearing bits and pieces here and there of their conversations of how God has spoken to them through the word.  Today was no different.  There was a lull in activity at the coffee shop which allowed me to hear one of them beautifully describing how God had pointed her to Psalm 84.

I stopped listening to her and started reading the Psalm for myself.  And I knew.  I knew God ordained this moment and this is the Psalm I’m going to pray with you.

As I pray, I hope that you will pray with me too.  Listen to the words of the Psalmist.  The words of God.  Allow them to penetrate your spirit and share with me in the comments how God spoke to you through Psalm 84.

…

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord.  With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.

God, I love you Lord.  I want to be with you, Lord.  I want to feel your presence here with me now.  God I thank you for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and the intimacy that knowing Him brings.  God let your presence wash over me.

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your alter, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!  What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises.

God you take care of even the sparrows needs, Lord how much more will you care for mine?  With your tender love you provide for all of creation.  My King and my God!  What joy you give me.  Lord, I worship you with all that I am.

What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs.  The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.  They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.

God, you are my strength.  When I am weak, you are strong.  I give my burdens to you and when I lay them down, you will pick them up and carry them for me.  You will be my strength when I have none.  When I am thirsty, you will be my refreshment.  When I am hungry, you will be my nourishment.  

O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer.  Listen oh God of Jacob.  O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!  Show favor to the one you have anointed.  

God, listen when I pray.  Don’t let my cry go unheard.  God you know what is on my heart.  Sometimes it is more than I can even speak.  But you know my thoughts before I have them and my words before I say them.  

A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!  I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

God, I want to be in your presence.  More than anything else, Lord, I want to serve you.  I surrender myself to you.  I give you everything.  My life, my marriage, my family, my home, my possessions, my relationships.  They all come from you and I surrender them to you.  

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.

Just like when you lead the Israelites out of Egypt and you were their cloud and their fire, God you are my light.  You show me the way to go, which path to follow.  And you are my shield, protecting me from the enemy.

He gives us grace and glory.  The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

Thank you for your goodness Lord.

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you.

I trust in you Lord Jesus.  I love you Lord.  Amen.

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Cédric VT on Unsplash

Pray Through Psalms

For the month of August, my inspiration for the blog was that we need to pray through the Psalms. I believe there are many of you that are familiar with this concept and that is perfect.  But for those that aren’t I just wanted to share why I love doing this:

1.      Focuses Prayer

2.      Allows God to speak

3.      Easily repeated

My ultimate prayer is that by going through the next 5 weeks you will be inspired to do this in your own quite time.

…

Psalm 119:129-136

Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

Lord thank you for your Word. Thank you for giving us reminder after reminder of your faithfulness and love. Your words create light where darkness lived previously. God, I pray that you help us to not only remember your words but to help us to understand them. We thank you for the insight that we’ve received already in reading your word and wait anxiously for more.  

I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name.

God, I pray that you give us an insatiable craving for you and your presence. Father, help us to understand that we only need you. When we search and search for peace, it can only be found in your arms. Make your presence known in both the purposeful times and in the busy moments.   

Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep your precepts.

Lord, please just guide us in these troublesome times. Keep us safe from the enemy as he prowls around looking for openings in our lives. Set your angels around us and guard our minds from the lies of the deceiver. Jesus thank you for your sacrifice in dying for our sins and redeeming those who choose you, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.

Father, please allow us to feel your presence. God help us to be like David and give us a longing to share your love with the people around us. Soften our hearts for those that are suffering and give us the courage and nudging to help.

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

 Photo by Jasmin Ne on Unsplash