𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏

"She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize Him." ~John 20:14 NLT

Moring after morning, I sat in the early pre-dawn darkness with my 3 pups snuggled on my lap, my hot steaming coffee beside me, and my head bowed in silent prayer, tears gently rolling down my cheeks.  I had been struggling -mostly on the inside- with grief for so very long.  Over the past many months, I had been dealing with the loss of 2 of our beloved fur-kids, my mother, and then my dad.  On top of that my only sibling had initiated an estrangement for reasons only known to him.  Every day was a struggle just to get out of bed.

As was my usual routine, I would rise early each day while it was still dark, curl up in my favourite place on the sofa on our cozy back porch, surrounded by dozens of birds singing their good mornings.  Here, I could spend quiet time totally alone, immersed in the teachings of Charles Spurgeon and in prayer.  I found much comfort in his texts.  I also found solace in listening to my mother's favourite hymn; its lyrics assuring me that I was never alone when I sought God, its melody softly playing in the orange-pink dawn light.

"𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀.  𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀." (𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻, 𝗖. 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝟭𝟵𝟭𝟮)

In our lifetime, some may be especially blessed to encounter the Lord in some tangible way.  The more we immerse ourselves in His Word, the more His presence will surround us.  But, one morning, as I sat in solitude, I truly felt His calming, peaceful presence with me.  Unlike the song lyrics or Mary's encounter, there were no words, no discourse or conversation, just an immense and profound feeling that He was sitting there with me, a shadowed image sitting across from me.  For a moment, it was just as Mary experienced outside the tomb of Jesus.  For a fleeting moment, she didn't recognize Him.  But, at the sound of His voice saying her name, she knew it was Him!  "𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙧, "𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙮!" 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙃𝙞𝙢, "𝙍𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙞!" (𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮, 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧)" ~𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙣 20:16 𝙉𝙆𝙅𝙑

In that moment on my back porch, words weren't necessary.  My heart felt at peace and held an understanding that had been lacking for so many months on end.  The reassurance I felt that morning was intense. 

"He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share, as we tarry there, none other has ever known."

Naturally, since that blessed morning -of which I've never spoken until this moment-, there have been hard days; days where I questioned God's plan and timing.  But, as 𝙋𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙢 27:14 (𝙉𝙄𝙑) reminds us, "𝙒𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙊𝙍𝘿; 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙊𝙍𝘿."  So, when I encounter a setback or tough situation, I think back to that pre-dawn morning on my back porch and draw strength and courage from knowing that my King and Saviour walks with me every moment I draw breath.

🐾💗🐾

Paws To Pray

Heavenly Father,

Among Your greatest gifts, we are all blessed in knowing that You walk along side us in our every step of life.  We pray, Lord, that no matter how we encounter You, whether through Your Word, a sign, a feeling, or a voice in our hearts, we hold tightly to those moments and draw strength and courage from them when difficulties and challenges arise.  We give thanks, Father, that Your presence surrounds us, as we walk through the garden of life.

In Jesus’ Heavenly Name we pray,

Amen.

For downloadable versions of this and other prayers click HERE.

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