“[Abraham] did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise
but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
because he was fully convinced that what God had promised, He was also able to do.” (Romans 4:20-21)
Are there any of God’s promises that you have a hard time being “fully convinced” that He is really able to do?
Maybe it’s that one where He told you that He will save you by His mercy instead of your good works or behavior? Or maybe it’s the one where He promises to never leave you or forsake you? Or that one about how He will provide for your needs?
Let’s face it: We like to cling to the tangible—what makes sense and what we can DO. He often asks us to cling to the intangible—the supernatural, that only HE can do. There’s no way around the fact that this takes a whole lot of faith.
Abraham was asked to believe the promise of an heir when he was too old, and descendants like the sand of the seashore before he even had one son, and the Messiah to come through his line, the last two which he would never see fulfilled in his lifetime. He literally had to die still believing in the unknown.
But he did—and “it was credited to him for righteousness.” (4:22) The only thing more amazing than this verse is the next: “Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” (4:23-24)
The next time you are tempted to doubt the promises of God, remember that when you choose to take God according to His Word, no matter how crazy it might seem, He esteems your faith so highly that He does the same amazing thing for you as He did for Abraham: credits it to you for righteousness.
Wow.
P.S. See this original post for info about this photo challenge and more about this reading plan I’m using this summer for the book of Romans (and I’d love to have you join in!)!
“What then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Absolutely not! Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar…” (Romans 3:3-4)
The leaves are changing, they said way too early in August—and they were right. It started with a premature crimson splash here and there. But soon the green of summer was transitioning full speed to yellow, orange, brown and crimson of autumn. Fall was here.
I drive down the road in a windstorm, and a rainbow of leaves swirls down from the sky like confetti. This is their fate. Magical to me, the end of life for them.
Elusive as change is to nail down, however, there’s one sure thing about it, and it’s that change is as inevitable to life as autumn is to the circle of seasons. It will come. And sometimes that’s a fearful thing to us humans who like to map out our yearly planners months in advance and make our tidy little five, ten and twenty-year plans for success. Even joyful changes can create stress by throwing off schedules.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
Is it Christmas lights? Is it snow?
I’ve been seeing this black and white photo challenge happening around social media that sounded like fun.
And speaking of contrasts, here’s verse that contains a truly glorious one:
There are two things that cause writer’s block for me: having nothing to say, and having altogether too much to say.
Sometimes, nearly always, there’s no end to the cold and snow in February.
And we found them—puddles, liquid blue and silver, beneath cotton candy clouds in February.
I love 
My favorite shot from our family trip out west this spring is a toss up between these two. I love the way the chartreuse green of budding cottonwoods is layered behind lavender lilacs against 
Another lucky capture, taken less than twelve hours before my own sweet third baby girl was born. Perhaps it was the contortions I had to put my hugely pregnant self through to get low enough to the ground for this shot that 
Flowers never fail to be an appealing subject. 
I’ve been taking photos at the headwaters of the Mississippi ever since I owned a camera, but
Nocturnal photography is still experimental territory for me, which is why the success of this harvest moon capture (and what I learned in the process) was truly a highlight!
I discovered 
I can never resist a good mushroom photo opportunity. The wet autumn hike through an ancient forest that led us to
And, finally, 
The ice is in.
Today, all was still and silent.
It was possibly the most gloriously beautiful November day we’ve had yet—and if the playful antics I observed this morning are any evidence, apparently the otters knew it, too.
Rejoicing Hills 