How has God showed up for you?
Last night Jerri Marr spoke at the church my family attends. Who is Jerri Marr, you ask? She’s a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Forest Service and more importantly to thousands of people in Colorado Springs this past summer, Jerri was the voice of calm and hope during the Waldo Canyon Fire.
She talked briefly about the fire, even more briefly about herself — although I know there’s a story worth hearing there. What Jerri wanted to talk about was the God she believes in: who He is, how He’s worked in her life — and how He wants to work in each of our lives.
Jerri Marr is a hope-filled woman.
She doesn’t view the world through rose-colored glasses. Her job won’t allow for that. But she does walk life out with faith. After listening to her last night, I’ve figured out why she was the voice of calm and hope whenever she stepped behind the microphone during a Waldo Canyon Fire press briefing. She wasn’t there in her own strength, relying on her own abilities to make everything okay. Her hope and confidence was in God. I liked how she said it last night: “With God on our side, how can we lose?” (Romans 8:31)
Jerri reminded me that God is for me. God has never lost sight of me during the toughest of the tough days I’ve walked through. He has shown up for me repeatedly — offering me strength, offering me grace, offering me that unbelievable peace that makes no sense at all in light of what I was facing.
In Your Words: I’ll ask you the same question Jerri Marr asked us last night: How has God showed up for you?
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She sounds like a great lady! I think God shows up for me in tons of ways, most little and I don’t realize it until later, after the fact.
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I was so impressed with her during the Waldo Canyon Fire — thousands of people were. And then I was so encouraged by her faith, and her humor, and her heart’s desire to be God’s woman.
Oh man, countless ways! Countless! He’s seeped into every waking moment and even the times when I’m snoring. I see Him everywhere & for that I’m so deeply grateful!
~ Wendy
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Agreed, Wendy.
Such peace to know that God is for me — awake or asleep — He’s for me.
God is always there in the big, painful events of my life, wrapping me in His bubble of love and peace. And He’s also there in the smallest of things…like blessing me with a rainbow after the storm, or a beautiful flower…
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Amen and Amen, Pat.
He’s shown up by making things happen that I couldn’t have dreamed of. When I look back over the last year, any strides forward–anything really amazing that happened–weren’t things I went looking for. They “just happened”–which is another way of saying God made them happen. I’m so grateful He knows what I need before I do.
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Sometimes that unexpected bend in the road is unexpected to you — but so, so part of God’s plan, isn’t it, Lindsay?
Beautiful, Beth. I’m not surprised to hear that Jerri Marr is a Christian. That peace she always exuded during the updates made me wonder. 🙂
God has shown up for me in so many ways, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one. 🙂 I guess, because of the morning I’m having, I’d have to say I see Him in those times when the kids push me, push me some more and I am able to respond with a calm tone instead of the frustration welling inside me.
Thanks for the reminder that He DOES show up. Often, in fact.
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Yes, Jeanne, as you show eloquently state, God shows up in the here and now. Exactly when and how we need it.
I love stopping to take a moment to contemplate questions like these. How has God shown up? In the obvious ways, but more importantly, in ways that I don’t even realize until I ask this question. I love that our God desires to be praised and worshipped, but He shows up in thousands of little ways we never acknowledge – yet, He comes anyway. He showed up this morning when my daughter and I were looking for her stuffed hamster to bring for “H” week at school, He showed up last night when I didn’t know which direction to bring my story and a new idea struck me, He showed up to have our brother-in-law available to help remodel our basement this winter…I could go on. He’s there in the big and oh-so-little ways every day. I’m going to be more purposeful to look for him today – and praise Him for being there.
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Ah, the “H” is for Hamster ways … the joys of children … there are so many ways God showed up for me as a mom — and still does.
Absolutely wonderful. I’m so glad she’s speaking and glad you got to hear. Years ago I worked at forest fires, saw God intervene. Once all of us were on our knees praying while our men (including my 2 young sons) were out fighting and we literally saw the wind direction change, reverse itself, and blow back across the acres it had just consumed and blow itself out. We’ll never forget that day.
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A miracle right before you eyes, Dee.
A-ma-zing God.
God has showed up for me in a bazillion ways, but the most recent was just this morning…I was having my quiet time and writing in my prayer journal…and for the first time in a LONG time, I found myself really feeling, like, friendly with God. Which I realize sounds kind of silly, but honestly, I had this moment where I paused and was like, “Wow, we’re friends, aren’t we? I can tell you ANYTHING and it’s not going to change the way you feel about me. And I’ve known that my whole life in my head and here and there felt it in my heart…but today I KNOW-know it.”
I know, sounds a little silly and whimsical, but it truly was a cool moment this morning…and a neat way to start out my day, feeling that presence so strongly. We don’t always get the “feeling” part of faith and that’s okay…but in the moments when we do, it sorta rocks. 🙂
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Oh, Melissa, what you shared is such a precious moment of intimacy with God … something to be treasured …
Thank you for giving us that glimpse of God’s love for you … for all of us.
A friend of mine posted a picture of a black hole on Pinterest. She highlighted it by saying “A PICTURE of a BLACK HOLE”.
Now, at this moment, there is a Canadian on the International Space Station Tweeting pictures of Earth and space from his office window.
When I think of all the vast things, the HUGE “wow” things that go on up above me and that I’ll never ever get near, I remind myself that He knows my name.
The KING of all that knows MY name.
And He waits for me to spend time with Him.
I love that, Jennifer. Thanks for that reminder. 🙂
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Humbling thought … awe-inspiring thought. Grace-filled thought.
One thing that Jerri said last night that really penetrated was “I am not perfect, but I am chosen.” Amen to that, Jerri!
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Short but sweet truth, Shari.
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