Trusting the Father When I Don't Understand | Melanie Redd Blog

Trusting the Father When I Don't Understand | Melanie Redd Blog

I’m honored to share one of the devotions found in my book 40 Days to God, My Father on my friend Melanie Redd’s blog this week. You can find an excerpt below and click the link to read the full devotion.

The tune of ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus plays softly in the background as I sit to tackle the day’s tasks before me. Deadlines loom, messages piling in my inbox scream for my attention, and a list of personal needs must be addressed. But the song catches my attention and its familiar lyrics slip easily from my tongue.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take him at his word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

I’m ushered into a holy moment—and I don’t want to miss it. The Lord prompts me to answer this question: Do I—and can I—trust Jesus? Memories flood my mind. All the hard trials that I didn’t—and still don’t fully—understand. My father’s debilitating health that began during my teenage years and eventually led to medication dependency. It wrecked our family.

My chronic illness diagnosis at age twenty-six and all the dreams shattered by the years I suffered with it. Times of financial upheaval and anxiety about the future— the list could go on. I bet yours could, too. 

Then I recall verses I memorized as a youth…

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Our Heavenly Father Gives Comfort in the Valleys

Our Heavenly Father Gives Comfort in the Valleys

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

I associated the 23rd Psalm with death for most of my life. As a pastor’s daughter, I attended numerous funerals and the majority of those services––in some way––included Psalm 23. And I understand why. This psalm gives great comfort in times of mourning.

Yet, it’s not only a song to sing when we experience the darkness brought on by the loss of a loved one. It’s a passage to cling to in every dark experience we endure in this life.

Sometimes the darkness is in the form of rejection, an unexpected diagnosis, job loss, familial discord, or a child who walks away from the faith. In these valleys, we battle fear, despair, and doubt.

One miserable valley I’ve circled in and out of throughout my adulthood is….

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The Promise for All We Need

The Promise for All We Need

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

The rich smell of Douglas fir fills my nose as it wafts through the air. The white lights from the Christmas tree catch my eye. Watching the glowing beauty surrounded by the darkness outside my home, calms my spirit and gives serenity to my heart. 

Knowing what the tree represents––the celebration of our Savior’s birth––and the fulfilled promise of the peace it stands for, reminds me of the familiar verse in Isaiah 9:6.

The prophet Isaiah foretold Jesus’ birth and revealed the great gift His coming to earth would provide. The ultimate gift of all we need to make it through this life––Jesus Himself!

Friend, if you’ve come to this Christmas season (and the end of another year) filled with uncertainties, unanswered prayers, and unmet expectations, join me in sinking deep into how Jesus fulfills the promise for all we need.

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A Reason to Hold on to Hope

A Reason to Hold on to Hope

HOPE is a beautiful four letter word.

But sometimes it’s hard to hold onto hope when all I see are the struggles, strife, and hardships in the world around me. Constant reports of growing crime rates, increasing prices, and rising global conflicts fill my newsfeed. And that’s besides the difficulties to get by day to day in my own life. It’s enough for me to question whether there is any hope left in this world.

In the Old Testament the prophet Jeremiah endured his own battles with hopelessness, both internally and externally. He was appointed to spread God’s Word in a time when people…..

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Seven Promises that Remain in Changing Seasons

Seven Promises that Remain in Changing Seasons

“For I the Lord do not change.”

Malachi 3:6a ESV

Red and gold leaves flutter in the wind. They flow from one tree among hundreds that are still stuck in summer. The tree is lit on fire with seasonal change and hails the first visible sign of fall. Once again, I am reminded that this life is ever-changing.

Just as nature cycles through seasons, we all experience different seasons in this life. Seasons of difficulty, loss, and loneliness come to everyone. And so do seasons of beauty, joy, and fruitfulness. I’ve experienced the ups and downs––and know that more are sure to come.

While I survey the tree in its metamorphosis, I’m prompted to question: In the midst of change, what things are certain to remain?

There are promises found in God’s Word that offer us hope and….

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