Repost from @wellwateredwomen • Yesterday I collapsed on my bed and picked up my phone to scroll. Deep down, I knew I was trying to escape my weariness, weakness, and worn-out reality. But as I opened the Instagram app, this reminder reoriented my heart:⁠ ⁠ True rest is not found in scrolling social media; it’s found in surrendering in the embrace of my Savior (Matt. 11:28).⁠ ⁠ I needed true rest, something my phone can't provide. The kind of rest that only comes from finding my identity in Christ, not fixating on the identity of others online. Scrolling is an escape, but surrender is an entrance into restorative, gospel rest.⁠ ⁠ Though it may feel uncomfortable to lay aside my phone to draw near to Jesus through prayer when I want to zone out, I never regret coming to Christ in surrender. As Elisabeth Elliot once said, “One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.”⁠ ⁠ Scrolling can't save us from exhaustion or restore us from weariness, but drawing near to our God, who sits enthroned and has all strength and grace for every moment of the day, can (Heb. 4:16). ⁠ ⁠ Rest in him, friend. Even when it’s uncomfortable and hard, your soul will learn the delight of being still and knowing that he is God, and this far outweighs the temporary escape of a transitory flick of the screen. –Gretchen (@gretchensaffles), Founder #wellwateredwomen #growinginGRACE #webecomewhatwebehold https://www.instagram.com/p/CoIYc85PAkSmkrj6jwt2FxshOkzq9qCCsGzYn00/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Lovely brunch https://www.instagram.com/p/CoIYNM3PqpxoUEobrXmWD7ZICl4LM6b43A5Z7g0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Repost from @sally.clarkson • It is not perfection that God expects from mothers. There is no perfect personality that does the job best. It is not our background or training or the way we keep house that qualifies us to be godly mothers. . He has promised to reward our faith and our faithfulness. The precious children He has placed in our hands are hoping that we will be faithful and endure so that they will have a reason to hope and an example to follow in their own lives. . It is for the children’s sake that we give our lives. We are protecting future generations that they might be strong for the battle of life. https://www.instagram.com/p/CoIXoONvhcwYOrRYsflxcI3x3pwGcAQrkQEguc0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Repost from @elijahhouseusa • Consider what it does to us if we reduce those who wrong us to the role of unforgivable monsters. Viewing someone as a monster gives that person the power to condemn us to live with the hurting memory of our painful past. We give them the power to keep on hurting us and to stay in control of our lives. Is that what we want? This is not to say that forgiveness should mean looking the other way as if hurts & injustices hadn’t happened. We can’t deny evil or even try to tolerate it without confrontation. “There is no real forgiveness unless there is first relentless exposure and honest judgement. When we forgive evil, we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it. We look evil full in the face, call it what it is, let its horror shock and stun and enrage us, and only then do we forgive it.” - Lewis Smedes What does it take to overcome bitter wounding & lingering trauma to become a forgiving person? A fundamental key is to accept accountability for our own choices that may have contributed to the our traumatic experiences. As well as being willing to let go of anger toward others for their hurtful actions, and to submit ourselves to the healing power of the holy Spirit to bring peace & transformation into our life. Our anger & unforgiveness are our own. God can use every circumstance of life to bring blessing to us and to write wisdom in our hearts if we respond according to His will. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28). God promises victory as we act on our faith & sow forgiveness, pray blessings into our circumstances, and trust in God’s mercy to heal our wounds and provide for our every need. Continue reading this topic here: https://tinyurl.com/3yeyybde #ElijahHouseInc #ElijahHouse #innerhealing #transformation #spiritualhealth #godislove https://www.instagram.com/p/CoIPqn6LScpWNaPZJvzjwnU8KMgnjvTXa-P6bk0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Still beauty #favoritethings #somethingtheLORDmade https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn2opqrO7xBmddxnBcowLLTXxvtO8RFnr7MGsk0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@susielarsonauthor Evening Blessing: May Jesus fill you with grace and power this very hour! May an awareness of His love rise up within you and awaken your heart. May you more easily discern His highest and best will for your life. May confusion be replaced by startling clarity. May insecurity be replaced by holy confidence. And may you walk with a whole new assurance that God is with you, He goes before you, He has your back, and He surrounds you with His favor. You are more than your circumstances. You're someone God loves. Rest well tonight! #SusieLarsonBlessings 1 Corinthians 14:33 ~ For God is not a God of disorder but of peace--as in all the congregations of the Lord's people. https://www.instagram.com/p/CnptBBlun5X5hSTbifJx4M4yr1EtHx_CJoDtYM0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@laurenfortenberrywrites “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” [1 Corinthians 10:31] Join me on Instagram, too ❤️ instagram.com/laurenfortenberrywrites. GOALS https://www.instagram.com/p/CnpbIk3u7CK3hNVkC3f32VzQfdwZlwz38xmQPA0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@aussiedave If you feel lost today, this is for you. ⠀⠀ The last time I was in Israel, I got to spend an afternoon with a bedouin shepherd, which made so many things in the Bible come to life. The most impactful thing was when I noticed this injured sheep, which had been left behind. As the flock moved up the hill, this sheep couldn’t keep up, and so, was forgotten. The flock and the shepherd moved on (you can see them near the top of the hill). ⠀⠀ Straight away I thought of Jesus telling his followers that he is a shepherd who would NEVER leave a sheep behind (Luke 15:4-7). ⠀⠀ When Jesus told this story, his audience wold have been reminded of Psalm 23, where God is described as a shepherd. Verse 3 of this famous poem says the the Lord “restores my soul”, a line that brings hope to many Jesus followers … but do you really know what this means? ⠀⠀ Well, the Hebrew word we translate as “restore” is the word “shuv” (שוב, pronounced “shoob”), which means “to bring back”. The word “shuv” refers to someone being brought back home, not just once, but repeatedly. The idea of Psalm 23:3 then, is that God is continually bringing us back home to him. ⠀⠀ And Jesus repeated this idea by saying he chases after any of his lost sheep so he can bring them back home! ⠀⠀ As I watched this sheep get left behind, I learned that a shepherd leaving 99 sheep to go after one makes no logical sense … until that one is YOU. ⠀⠀ So, if you feel lost or left behind today, take heart ... because Jesus promises to continually chase after you, and to bring you home. ⠀⠀• “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” — Luke 15:4 https://www.instagram.com/p/CnpY6EfO2ZGvk3QYCAJ2hZzNa6IlTjqDS-Zong0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Mom’s original Meatloaf with tomato gravy recipe #southerngirlscan #cook https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm1-xzZu5cFC3QX7SZivmkNggIecNQ-xBypf3I0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@ulliekayepoetry https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm15K1NuYdwLs1p9kOlQo6HPVwGa4H3eMSDoPM0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

One of my favorite things about Christmas #somethingtheLORDmade #amaryllis https://www.instagram.com/p/CmQA4Bsu0tkvHlOHY0btLV05GCiU1VzInCTBFs0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@susielarsonauthor Weekend Blessing: May a new sense of expectancy rise up within you! May you begin to see with eyes of faith and believe with a heart that knows God is for you and He will not let you go! Stand strong in this place! May the Holy Spirit stir a fresh passion within you to trust Jesus even when you can't see what He's up to. May your history with God compel you to trust Him with your future. He loves you more than you can fathom. Walk forward in faith knowing His grace empowers and catches you. Have an abundantly grace-filled day! #SusieLarsonBlessings Isaiah 41:18 NIV ~ will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmPMfvXuwo00zAUpDo6BUliOQ21tuf7WoebmOc0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@susielarsonauthor Evening Blessing: May God reset your perspective tonight. You’re not called to do everything, be everything, or even see everything. You are called to keep your gaze fixed on God alone. Don’t look at all of your problems all at once; instead, look at ONE of His promises all of the time until you’ve made it your own. God’s Word is living and breathing, active and powerful. God’s Word holds life, wisdom and revelation for you. Search until you find them. It’s time to reset your perspective. God has peace for you here. He has joy for you here. He has provision for you in this place. Look to Him and you’ll find life again. May you spend the rest of your life getting to know the love of God and the promises of God. May you spend every moment seeking the face of God. He deserves your trust. He’s a good God. It’s impossible for Him to fail you. #SusieLarsonBlessings Psalm 119:38 NIV ~ Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmOD9kTON9uUE0v-GTS35XcTprLWCmW-VvT-Po0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@laurenfortenberrywrites “And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises.” [2 Peter 1:4] Join me on Instagram, too ❤️ instagram.com/laurenfortenberrywrites https://www.instagram.com/p/CmMnoQuOHPf1ZtvvoNdR0tA5SHyyB8L8IvrMgo0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@susielarsonauthor It's all too easy for our priorities to get out of whack during the holiday season. What's sad is that we don't recognize how costly it can be, and this is not about following the rigid rules of religion. Not even close. It's about keeping Jesus in His rightful place in our lives. When we give priority to anything over Him, we skew our perspective, plug our ears, and miss the beautiful intimacy to which our souls are heirs. #SusieLarsonQuotes #PrepareHimRoom John 15:9 NIV ~ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmMmu6EOJM38iyqAX699fimcS-1VPXzhe59WKo0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@mamaturtle4jesuscr https://www.instagram.com/p/CmK-LwauquC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=