do not give up – Meghan E White

Press On

August 9, 2024August 9, 2024 meghanewhite

Are you ready to give up? You have faced obstacle, after obstacle, with no end in sight. Your legs are cramping up, breathing is difficult. Winning looks impossible, and finishing your race seems unlikely. You slow down, wipe your brow, and wipe your tears. It’s over. Or is it?

In the summer of 1972, Munich was hosting the Olympics. One race in particular stands out for the extraordinary win from an American named Dave Wottle. Eight men lined up for the 800 meter race and took off running, except Dave had a slow start and was lagging pretty far behind. He had been dealing with tendinitis in his knees which interfered with his training. Things were not looking good for Dave. He later admitted to some fear, and even thinking there was no way he was going to catch up to the other runners.

Something incredible happened in those two short laps where Dave Wottle started out way behind. He began to get closer and closer to the pack, eventually meeting the other runners, and then pressing on right past them. Dave just continued on and worked his way up to the leaders of the pack and at the last second, Dave was the first to cross the finish line. Amazing!! Dave Wottle won the gold medal that day.

Dave’s hard work, determination, and training paid off. He pressed on in spite of how bad his race looked, and he won. What if he would have given up? We would not be talking about him right now, and he would be quickly forgotten. What a fantastic example to us, to keep going in our race in life.

Life is hard. Each of us has a race to run. As Christians we are not running our race alone. We’ve got Holy Spirit power. That doesn’t mean our race is any easier, it just means we’ve got supernatural help to pick us up when we fall. To strengthen, protect, empower, and encourage us when we just can’t take another step. We’ve got Jesus, and Father God leading and guiding us, helping us, and providing for our every need, and giving us purpose.

We don’t run our race to win a trophy, or get some sort of fame. We run the race set before us with confidence in our Lord. We don’t let our past mistakes hold us back, we keep focused on what is ahead, knowing we are forgiven through Jesus’ precious blood. We are heavenbound, and that is our prize.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14, NIV

Press on, brothers and sisters.

Love you all,

Meghan

Check out Dave’s unbelievable win.

Photo credit: Meghan E. White

Promises, Promises

Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?

March 8, 2024 meghanewhite

I’m reading Genesis right now and a very important event occurred in chapter 18. Every Biblical account is significant, but this one stopped me in my study. I have read the account of Abraham and Sarah many times over the years with much enjoyment, and many questions. Apparently I have short term memory as I seem to forget just how awesome God is. I was reminded of it today.

Sarah is eighty-nine years old, well beyond child bearing age. She has accepted the fact that she will never have a baby, or so she thought. The Lord appeared to Abraham and told him that at the same time next year He will return to them and Sarah will have a son. Sarah overheard this conversation between her husband and the Lord.

So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Genesis 18:12-13, NIV

Sarah is caught in her disbelief. Of course it seemed absurd for an elderly woman to conceive a baby. But the Lord confronts Abraham.

Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.” Genesis 18:14-15, NIV

I love this interaction. It’s so personal, and authentic. The Lord called Sarah out on lying, to her face. Yikes! I think you know the rest of the story, if not please read Genesis. Guess what? Sarah conceives and gives birth to Isaac a year after this meeting, like the Lord said she would. Once again, God kept His promise.

Is there anything that God cannot do? Is there anything too difficult for Him? No. He is the Almighty. The one true God. The maker of heaven and earth. The Lord is omnipotent. There is nothing too hard for the Lord. Nothing!

As you wait on that promise God gave you to be fulfilled, be encouraged. Keep trusting Him, keep believing, keep obeying, and keep asking. Whatever may look impossible, and too hard in your life, is not too hard for God to take care of.

There is nothing too hard for the Lord.

Love you all,

Meghan

Photo credit: Meghan E. White

Faith, Trials

Don’t Be Afraid, God’s Here to Help

January 28, 2023 meghanewhite

Fear is a powerful force that can bring us to our knees, and strike terror in our hearts and minds. Fear can also draw us to our Heavenly Father as we ask for His help. And He delights in helping us. What an awesome God who loves us so very much!

Are you stressed out, afraid, anxious? Welcome to the club. There’s no shortage of things to be afraid of in this dark world. But……..there is hope! We do not have to stay in a fearful place. God is ready and always available to reach out and rescue us. We just need to ask.

This scripture was part of a devotion in the YouVersion Bible app a few years ago. We can never get enough encouragement. I pray you are encouraged today.

Do not be afraid! God is here to help you. He’s got your back, and your front. Keep trusting God.

Love you all,

Meghan

Lord,

Thank You for for grace and mercy, and for helping us when we are afraid. Bless every person who is reading this, and afraid. Give them peace, hope, and comfort. Take them by the hand and make a way for them. Change their perspective as they take their eyes off of their problems and look to You. We love You, Lord!

In Jesus name,

Amen

Nature

Save the Monarchs

January 21, 2023 meghanewhite

Hello to you! It’s been a while since I’ve written a post. I allowed myself an extended break, and it was delightful. No social media, no blogging, no regrets. I highly recommend social media breaks. I will write about social media another time. Today it’s all about monarch butterflies because they are beautiful, and important, and make me happy.

Right around Christmas the temperatures dropped to below freezing, which doesn’t happen often in Southeast Texas. I noticed a few monarch caterpillars on the milkweed in the garden, and then had the crazy idea to dig up the plants and bring them inside to save the caterpillars. So we dug up two milkweed plants, put them in buckets, and brought them to the safety of our dining room. A few caterpillars were placed in a terrarium. Monarch caterpillars eat the sole diet of milkweed, so there was no concern over caterpillars escaping.

We kept them inside for about a week until the weather warmed up. I would daily check the branches for new caterpillars, and they just kept showing up. There were fifteen total between the terrarium and the plants. I love all things nature, and plants, and animals, and butterflies, so this was fun for me. We felt like we were running a monarch rescue.

The caterpillars have been outside since the new year doing well. We went to a local nursery in hopes of finding milkweed to feed our ever growing caterpillar family. The nursery gave us a dozen milkweed plants for free since they were about to throw them in the dumpster. Definitely God’s providence.

Our first butterfly emerged the other day. I felt like a proud parent as it stayed on my fingers for a while drying out its wings. There are currently nine chrysalises, or chrysalides (not sure on the correct plural for butterfly cocoons) waiting to become lovely butterflies. I am enjoying every moment of watching these precious little creatures grow up.

The reason I am nerding out over monarchs is they remind me of my creator. Every stage of a caterpillar from egg to butterfly reflect God’s glory. There is no mistake or randomness in caterpillars or butterflies. They serve an important purpose to help with pollination of the vast majority of the world’s flowering plants. Monarchs are kind of a big deal. All butterflies are a big deal. Only God would make pollinators so beautiful.

As I watch each stage of the caterpillars I am blown away that everything they need is inside of them. No human can do that, only God, our magnificent Creator, can create something so remarkable. Nature brings me solace in a hurting world. I am comforted knowing God made it all, and He has the final say.

God cares for all of His creation. He cares for you too. There is nothing too hard for our awesome God! Nothing! Whatever is concerning you today, give it Him. God loves you so much.

And I love you too.

Meghan

Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3

If you need prayer send your requests to meghanewhiteauthor@gmail.com

Faith, God

God’s Hands

August 14, 2020August 14, 2020 meghanewhite

Those teeny weeny chubby baby feet belong to my youngest son. He was 2 months old when that picture was taken. That’s my hand. I have average size hands to give you some idea of how small his newborn feet were. Now that he’s a teenager, there is no way I could squeeze just one of his feet in my hand. Maybe half of one of his feet.

When I look at my hands I see tools. I do a lot with them. I chop, stir, and whisk all sorts of things in the kitchen. My hands clean, grab, fold, and write. My hands hold and grasp. My hands open in worship and are clasped in prayer. The human body is a miracle and God gave us incredible abilities with just our hands alone. But my hands are limited.

God’s hands are big and powerful. They hold you and me, and the entire world in them. But that’s not all. God holds the planets, stars, moon, and every bit of space dust in His hands. God made it all.

For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land. Psalm 95:3-5, NIV

My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them,
they all stand up together. Isaiah 48:13, NIV

God holds us in His mighty hands. We are so tiny in His omnipotent hands. The hands that made every person, plant, and animal are holding us. They are giant hands. Bigger than we can imagine or comprehend.

God’s hand protects.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10, NIV

God’s hand guide us.

Even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:10, NIV

God’s hand gives favor.

The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Acts 11:21, NIV

We are secure in God’s hands.

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. John 10:29, NIV

God is always working, even though it may appear like nothing is happening. We can get so focused on the problem that we take our eyes off of God. When answers take too long, when problems seem never ending, or impossible, we too easily forget who is in control. God is holding us, sustaining us, protecting us, and guiding us.

God is a loving, perfect, Heavenly Father. No problem is too big for God, or too small.

What are you facing today that seems impossible?

What have you been holding on to that you need to place in His hands?

God can take care of things that we can’t. He is God and we are not. Give all your worries and fears over to God. Trust Him, praise Him, and thank Him. God is able.

Let’s all do a sing-along. An oldie but a goodie.

Sing it with me……

He’s got the whole world in His hands

Love you all,

Meghan

If you need prayer go to my contact page.