On Worries, God and a New Year

Christa Tietjen Photography

This blog post is “late.” You know, as in – inside my head I decided all posts “should” happen right around 8:00 AM every morning, Monday through Friday. Hmmm. And now, I’m reacting with stress and anxiety.

So, I sit in my worry, my thoughts racing to, “What do I do with the 3-year-old while I write? What do I say? Can I continue to ignore the dog hair on the floor and the mountain of laundry? Should I really be headed to the grocery store? …”

And God says, “Be still.”

Scriptures begin to surface.

Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14)!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).

Then the 3-year-old’s voice rises from the chair beside me, “He’s got the wind and the snow in His hands… He’s got the big boys and the babies in His hands… He’s got Benjamin and lemurs in His hands, He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

Oh. Lemurs – totally deep, right?! But, it took me to the space where, very simply, I remembered that God’s got us all – me included – in His hands. And He’s got all my busyness and all my worries and all my questions wrapped up in His hands, too. In fact, as I pray, Jesus is sitting at the right hand of his Father, interceding for me!

And thoughts of this huge, loving Father are entertaining the 3-year-old. He’s got it all there in His hands.

So, what I write to you doesn’t matter, not really. And when it posts isn’t all that important, either. All I need to be doing, ALWAYS, in everything, is to be resting in the giant arms of my (our!) all-encompassing God. Everything else will fall into place.

May God bless you with the simplicity of His Presence today and every day. Happy 2014! May it be a year filled with joy and grace.

- Bethany Tippin, MOPS Mom & Publicity Leader

Bethany Tippin is a wife and mother of 2 children, ages 3 and 5. She is a musician, teacher and writer. She joined MOPS very soon after moving to Sheridan and regularly finds blessing in her participation. This, her 6^th year, is her 1^st year in a leadership role. Serving as the 2013-2014 Publicity steering member is a joy and a challenge. She is massively excited about all the ways Christ is evidently moving in her life and community!