“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

Take a deep breathe and wait …. can you feel His peace? He is surrounding you right now – He surrounds you with His presence. Feel His arms wrapped around you so tight. Psalm 139:5 says, “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”

The other day I got to go to our Children’s House called “Bithiah’s House” here in Cambodia. It is one of my favorite places here. Bithiah’s House is a small, family-style children’s home providing hope for a forgotten generation. Named after the Egyptian princess that rescued Moses (a child at-risk) from the banks of the river, so too Bithaiah’s House seeks to restore overlooked, Cambodian children. The particular afternoon I went to this home, I had many different things going through my mind. I was carrying the weight of different burdens and felt anxious. When I got to the house, I could feel the weight of the burdens lifted in the atmosphere of a safe home where love dwells. I encountered love on the property and my concerns seemed to fade away. I could take a deep breathe because I was in a safe place – I was home.

I think Bithiah’s House and even our families here on the earth are beautiful pictures and manifestations of the love of God to us. Just like we are provided for, feel safe to be ourselves, and experience love in our earthly homes and families, God is our Daddy and we experience the same things in His family.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1

As we are in our Daddy’s arms, we can take a deep breath. We are safe and no one can snatch us out of our Father’s hand (John 10:29). We are perfectly provided for – we always have more than enough!

Matthew 6:8 says, “for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

And in Matthew 7:9-11, the Word of God also says, “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

I want you to take a few minutes and think about how God has provided for you lately – what about this week? What about today? Look for the ways that He is perfectly providing for you – more than enough!

If you find yourself starting to be ungrateful, I encourage you to intentionally look for your Father’s provision for you and be thankful! List them out and thank Him out loud, even for 2-3 minutes. I have experienced in my own life how thankfulness seems to lift me up when I am seeing myself focus on negative things or feeling discouraged.

One more great exercise to do is to picture in your mind’s eye Father God surrounding you. Picture Him providing for all of your needs – more than you could ask for. Picture yourself in His arms and take a deep breath… He is so good! You are home.

Written by:  Jacqueline Bixler
Published on 1/26/18