Author Archives: Marianne Wright

Hope

March 21, 2023 By in Contentment, Patience, Prayer Leave a comment

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is the tree of life.”  Proverbs 13:12

What is hope? According to Webster’s dictionary,  it is “desire with expectation.” We all have different hopes. They might center around our children, our future, our desire to serve the Lord, our health, our finances or numerous other possibilities.

The one thing these hopes have in common is that heartfelt desire that they happen.  Some of our hopes are merely carnal, but many hopes have been embedded in our hearts by the Lord.

So we pray – sometimes for years – and often it seems as if the Lord has not heard those prayers. Discouragement creeps in and we start to believe that what we hope for will never happen. We wonder if the situation will ever change.

However, change does occur. As we pray the Lord is changing us! Fervent prayer enables us to focus on His goodness, faithfulness and trustworthiness. Christ focused prayer empowers us – through it we can jettison self.

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Break the Bow

February 17, 2023 By in Contentment, Trust 2 Comments

“He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.” (Psalm 46:9)

Recently, I was becoming upset and discouraged over something that I had no power to change.

You know what I mean …

You start down the road of “what if this” and “what if that”?

As I was wrestling with the situation I felt the Lord say, “He breaketh the bow.”

At first, I didn’t know what that meant so I did some digging.

The Hebrew word for bow in Psalm 46 refers to a bow that is used for war and is a symbol of strength and power. To “break the bow” means to put the enemy into submission.

According to Clark’s commentary, “He breaketh the bow” also implies that God “has rendered useless all the implements of war; and so profound and secure is the general tranquility, that the bow may be safely broken, the spear snapped asunder, and the chariot burnt in the fire.”

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Promise of Spring

January 27, 2023 By in Hope 4 Comments

The winter landscape is beautiful when you gaze on white, glistening snow. You experience God’s majesty as you view His creation.

Winter, however, also brings cold, rainy, dreary weather and you wonder if the sun will ever come out.

Both describe the winter season.

Sometimes our lives feel the same way. We can have glorious highs with the Lord but also deep valleys.

When I walk in our yard during January, at times I’ll see daffodils emerging if we’ve had an unusual warm spell. Occasionally you can even see the flower buds.

Daffodils are extremely resilient. They survive frigid temperatures without any injury to the bulbs. For me, daffodils proclaim the promise of spring because they always bloom no matter how many storms they’ve endured.

The “promise of spring” is also crucial in our spiritual lives.

Like daffodils, Bible scholars say there are more than 8,000 promises in the Bible. 

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Fireball

December 17, 2022 By in Hope, Trust Leave a comment

Have you ever felt like you were hit by a fireball and then exploded? Sometimes life is like that and we wonder where God is in the midst of the explosion.

What are we supposed to do when the barrage hits? Our initial response might be to duck and hope it goes away. Some people might rely on alcohol or drugs to deaden the pain. What would the Lord want us to do?

A fireball can wear many faces …

Financial difficulties, marriage struggles, death of a loved one, a friend’s betrayal, illness, unanswered questions.

The list of possibilities is endless and the fireball could just be one or there might be a volley of fireballs. 

When Job was in the midst of the horrendous fireballs in his life, he said,”Though He slay me, yet will I trust.” (Job 13:15) Trust is difficult when it seems like our life is unraveling and our heart is shattered. Trust is reliance on the Lord’s strength. In the midst of the turmoil, we usually do not have much strength so it is imperative that we put our hope and trust in the Lord.

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The Plowshare

November 4, 2022 By in Contentment, Peace, Trust 2 Comments

Once upon a time a farmer surveyed his fields. As he looked, all he could see was the devastation left from the storm. His crops were ruined. What was he supposed to do? Was it too late to replant? 

Totally discouraged he prayed, “O Lord, give me wisdom, strength and peace. I don’t know what I should do?” Suddenly he heard, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10) 

As he pondered the word from the Lord, he realized that “Be still” was an inner attitude, not inaction. It definitely did not mean – do nothing!

Yes, he would have to clean up the damage from the storm, but when that was completed the farmer was unsure of his next step.

A week passed and the debris had been removed. “Be still” remained his focus. He rested, prayed and spent extra time with his family.

He had peace that he was following the Lord’s instructions. Meanwhile, his fields remained fallow (unplanted). 

His family and friends kept asking him what he was going to do. He replied that he was trusting the Lord and trying to “Be still.”

He sharpened his tools and got his farm machinery ready. Still his fields remained fallow. By now it was too late to replant.

He studied about the Israelite farmers in the Old Testament. They were commanded to let their fields lie fallow during the seventh year. “Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyards and gather the fruit thereof. But the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath unto the Lord.” (Lev 25:3-4) 

He came to understand that the fallow field year was a time of refreshing. He experienced the Lord’s peace and goodness.

He understood that the Lord had him in His hands. He learned to savor this special time with the Lord.

Then spring came. The Lord told the farmer it was time to “break up his fallow ground.” (Hosea 10:12) The farmer got his sharpened plowshare and joyfully began to till his fields. He was now in a new season…. And so it is with us.

Sometimes we get frustrated or discouraged when it seems the Lord does not allow us to plant. Sometimes He has us in a season of rest and trust. Pushing against the restraints often brings more frustrations, but when we decide to be still, and know that He is God, we discover that He really is able. When He is ready to restart our growing season, He, Himself, will take His plowshare. He will cut through the weeds that have been in our lives. 

The new season might look different than the past, but that’s okay. Life is not stagnant. Are you willing to be in a fallow season?

Being fallow is beneficial to both the soil and the soul. The Lord uses it to restore and refresh. If you allow Him, the Master Gardener will lovingly enable your life to grow, prosper and flourish for His kingdom. Are you willing?

~Marianne Wright

Walk with Me in the Garden

January 29, 2022 By in Peace, Prayer Leave a comment

“Then the man and the woman heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Gen. 3:8) Oh, what a delight this must have been for Adam and Eve! Walking in the garden was probably a fulfilling, tranquil every day experience. Then sin changed the equation.

I believe that the Lord still wants us to walk in the garden with Him. No, we don’t live in the original Garden of Eden. We live in a world containing joy and sorrow, blessings and curses.

A few days ago I felt like the Lord said, “Walk with Me in the garden.” So I started wondering how can I be obedient and accomplish that goal? If the Lord asks us to do something, then it must be achievable.

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Fellowship

March 4, 2021 By in Confession, Fellowship, Forgiveness Leave a comment

What is fellowship?

Koinonia is the Greek word most closely related to New Testament fellowship. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines it as “fellowship, association, community, communion or joint participation.” Koinonia embraces the idea of a close knit community where people are invested in one another.

Christian fellowship usually occurs in a small group where people can openly share their thoughts, insights and concerns with one another. Fellowship could be an “official” meeting at a set time and place or it could be two friends eating lunch together.

True fellowship, however, involves being willing to be transparent.

Transparency – oh, that can be hard.

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The Itch

January 23, 2021 By in Healing, Struggles, Trust 2 Comments

Sometimes life is like an itch. An itch can either be small like a mosquito bite or large like a rash that encompasses areas of the body. Everyone knows you should not scratch something that itches because it only intensifies the problem. Everyone also knows that it is a challenge not to scratch. The more you mess with it, the worse it becomes. Sometimes it bleeds, oozes or gets infected. Depending on the cause, it can often spread. The itchiness becomes your focus, even when you try to ignore it.

Our lives are often the same. The “itch” might be a person, an upcoming decision, a sin in our life, a poor choice, resentment, bitterness or unforgiveness. The possibilities are endless and just like a physical itch the spiritual itch can consume us. You might find yourself constantly rehashing what happened, mentally creating “worst case scenarios” or gossiping to justify your version. You might even complain in “great holiness” to the Lord about the unfairness. This merely intensifies the pain and itchiness.

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Though He Slay Me

November 16, 2020 By in Faith, Struggles, Trust 1 Comment

“Though He slay me …” Job 13:15 

Have you ever wondered how Job must have felt when he went through his trials? His friends made fun of him. He lost his health, family and possessions. He lost everything and it appeared that God had abandoned him. His situation looked hopeless. Yet Job never turned his back on God. Instead he proclaimed, “Yet will I trust in Him.”

Trusting in the Lord when trials and tribulations come into our lives is a daunting task. Often, self wants to have a pity party. Sometimes we whine and complain to our friends. Sometimes we just hold it in and worry. None of these are a “trusting in the Lord” response. 

Trials will come into our lives. That is a guarantee. James 1:2 reminds us to, “consider it pure joy … whenever you face trials of many kinds.” 1 Peter 1:2 says we should rejoice when we suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Thankfully, when trials come into our lives, the calamity is usually not as extreme as the one Job faced. However, we can still feel worried, hopeless and sometimes abandoned. Overwhelmed by emotions, decisions or uncertainty, we can often feel like the Lord is not listening to our prayers.

It is hard when the Lord is silent. Job did not have the Lord encouraging him as his friends expressed their dark opinions. Elijah discovered that God was in the gentle whisper rather than the wind, earthquake or fire. I believe that it is often challenging to wait for the gentle whisper. Too often we feel consumed by the wind, earthquake and fire.

When you are in the midst of the tempest, pour your heart out to the Lord. He never forsakes us. In fact, I believe He takes delight in our coming to Him. He is the Father listening to His children’s concerns. He orchestrates the best for His children, even when it seems like that is not happening. He uses these trials to mold us into His character, if we let Him. He is our Daddy God who loves us with an immeasurable love.

“If God is for us, who can stand against us?” (Romans 8:31)

~ Marianne Wright

The Gate

April 27, 2020 By in Brokenness, Redemption, Repentance, Sin Leave a comment

Gates have many functions. They provide an entrance or secure an area. When opened they allow access or can signal the beginning of a race. In Biblical times the gate to a city was the seat of governmental and business transactions.

26-ideas-for-garden-gates-and-garden-gates-the-first-to-welcome-us-22-839We each have gates in our own lives. One of my favorite gates is in the book, The Secret Garden, by ‎Frances Hogsdon Burnett. This gate leads into a magical garden that initially is dead and unfruitful, but overtime transforms into an exquisite garden filled with beauty and healing.

I have been the dead, brown, lifeless garden. The Lord in His infinite mercy has, over the years, planted His flowers into my life to also transform me. Sometimes though, He allows us to go through seasons where we find ourselves severely pruned back and we are like the garden in winter – waiting for spring. The good news is that spring always, eventually comes and we see the glorious results of His drastic garden maintenance.

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The Pathway

March 25, 2020 By in Courage, Faith, Trust 3 Comments

Once upon a time there was a little girl who had to stay in the castle because a great malady had come over the land. She filled her days with reading books and spending time with the Lord. He became her best friend. They would have deep conversations.

forest-clearingOne day He asked the little girl if she would like to go on an adventure with Him. She enthusiastically responded and asked where they would go. He told the little girl to trust Him, took her hand and said, “Follow me.” 

Soon they came to the edge of the forest. The woods were thick and wet from the recent rain. The little girl hesitated because it seemed like there was no way to pass through the thick undergrowth. The Lord, sensing her dilemma, told the little girl to just trust because there is always a way. As He held her hand they both stepped in the underbrush. Continue reading →

The Web

February 28, 2018 By in Hope, Patience 2 Comments

Spider webs are beautifully and intricately woven. They are incredibly strong, and for the spider’s prey, very deadly.  If you brush up against one unexpectedly, you might involuntarily shudder; but when the sun shines on a dew-covered web, you marvel at its spider web 2exquisiteness. It is the exact same web seen from two different perspectives. Webs can be a protection or they can lead to destruction.

Most people have probably heard the story of the soldier who hid in the cave while he anticipated being captured by the enemy. Then a spider wove a web across the entrance. The enemy did not enter the cave because the web gave the appearance that the cave had been unoccupied for a long time. The spider’s web became the man’s protection.

When the Lord creates our web, He can use it to shield and protect us. Sometimes, we need to retreat or regroup for a short time. Often, when I am in a “Wait” season, I feel like I am enclosed in a dark cave of uncertainty with a subsequent lack of direction. For me, waiting is difficult. It’s not that I feel like I’m floundering, but it is hard to not have a clear direction especially when it concerns important, life changing decisions.

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The Impossible

December 21, 2015 By in Prayer, Struggles 2 Comments

Often it seems that the Lord places “the impossible” directly in our path and nothing we can do will change or alleviate the circumstances.

impossible giraffe“The impossible” are situations totally out of our control and they frequently converge within our normal everyday life. At times like these we have to look beyond what we can do. Our solutions are so finite, whereas His solutions are eternal.

Recently I have been pondering “the impossible” since it seems like the Lord is illuminating two impossible situations. Sometimes it is hard to know how to pray because there is nothing that I can do to change them. I might be able to give some advice, but in reality, my input can do nothing to alter the outcomes. They are literally and figuratively life and death.

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The Miraculous

February 8, 2015 By in Fellowship, Prayer 4 Comments

Every once in a while we get to touch the hand of God. When we hold a loved one’s hand there is a connection that transcends more than the mere physical touch. Holding hands unites the emotions with the physical. Touching the hand of God unites creation with the Creator.

hand of godThis morning God reached His hand down to the Sunday fellowship group that meets in our home. After a short time of sharing we began to pray for each other. Some of the shared needs will require the totally miraculous to happen.

I believe that God is in the business of the miraculous. When we prayed this morning the supernatural presence of God filled the room. Almost everyone had a word, Scripture or a picture from the Lord to share with the person who was receiving the prayer. The sense that the Lord was standing right there in the midst of us was overwhelming.

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The Gift

December 11, 2014 By in Compassion, Gifts, Love Leave a comment

Gifts are special. Gifts can sit on a shelf awaiting the appropriate time to be given, or they can be spontaneous. Gifts can come in small or large boxes. Sometimes the gift in the smallest box is far superior to the one in the larger container.

giftThe Lord knows how to give good gifts. If a son asks for bread, he will not give him a stone.

When the Lord selects our gift, He handcrafts it so it is exactly what we need. His gift is sometimes not what we would have picked, but He knows our true needs.

Sometimes the gift is an unexpected answer to prayers that may be decades old or it could just be a little reminder that the Lord is good and He loves us with an infallible love.

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Garden of Delight

August 18, 2014 By in Healing, Hope, Woundedness 1 Comment

Working in my flower gardens is one of my favorite delights. I love to watch them change from mere soil into beds filled with beautiful flowers. I believe that the Lord is the Master Gardener. He delights in transforming dry, dead, dismal gardens into works of art.

my_gardenThe Lord frequently speaks to me through prophetic pictures and many years ago He showed me that I was like a lifeless, desolate garden. His picture was not pretty.

In the Lord’s picture I opened a garden gate expecting to find a beautiful garden, but instead what He showed me was a brown, dried up, dead enclosed garden that did not have even one sprig of green. I was not instantly encouraged by the Lord’s picture!

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Take A Plunge On The Wild Slide

July 21, 2014 By in Obedience, Trust 2 Comments

Have you ever experienced the thrill and excitement of going down a giant water slide at a water park?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the joy the Lord and I experience by plunging down the slides He places in my life.

water slide 2The plunge comes towards the end of the journey, after lots of preparation.

First, I need a destination by choosing which water park. I can’t just hope to arrive without knowing where I’m going.

On my spiritual journey I also need a purpose. I can’t wander aimlessly hoping that somehow I will make a difference in God’s kingdom.

Once I have chosen a location, I must pack a few essentials for the trip. Suntan lotion, beach towel and swim suit are the bare minimum.

I believe that the Lord only has one essential for my journey with Him. I need to pack the attitude that I am willing to do whatever He asks.

That is a tough one to fit into the pool bag because self often wants something very different. Sometimes it seems like I have to keep shoving the desire to be obedient back into the bag when it tries to escape.

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Pain and Restoration

April 28, 2014 By in Brokenness, Healing, Pain, Struggles 2 Comments

Jesus used every day events to help his followers understand more about the kingdom of God and I believe that He still weaves our daily activities into teachable lessons for us.

Since I broke my elbow in February, I have been going to physical therapy (PT). This has been my first experience with PT and I have been PT2thinking about it a lot.

The reasons someone needs to have PT are varied. Usually it is one step in recovery from an accident or disease because the body has been injured or harmed and is not working up to its full potential.

The therapist uses many methods to help the body return to maximum flexibility and efficiency. But it takes time.

There are no quick and instantaneous exercises that will miraculous restore your health; however, with much patience and diligence your body does become whole again.

So it is with our walk with the Lord. There are many times when we are emotionally hurt and spiritually broken. Sometimes it feels like we have been mutilated and destroyed. Other times our pain or confusion is less severe, but we are still broken and need repair.

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The Unexpected

March 31, 2014 By in Gratitude, Life, Struggles 5 Comments

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

~ From The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Each day we have the privilege of choosing which road we will travel. It often really is our choice. Do we want the path that is smooth and drama free or are we willing to journey on the path that is frequently covered with pot holes?

the road not taken

The Road Not Taken

Throughout our lives there are times when each of these roads is a viable option. I must confess that, for whatever reason, the road I usually find myself on is bumpy, covered with overhanging branches and contains many twists and turns.

I would like to suggest that there is also a third path that can emerge. The sign post on that road reads “The Unexpected.” The unforeseen journey down this road brings with it the potential for destruction or immeasurable growth. When the unexpected occurs you might be tempted to ask, “Why, God?” or try to second guess what you could have done differently.

Jim and I have been traveling the Unexpected Road since January 6. In fact, all the family members who live in our house with us have been active participants on the unexpected journey. One man from our fellowship group summed it up best when he jokingly said, “Isn’t it a sad state of affairs when Joy (our dog) is the healthiest member of the Wright clan?”

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Abundance

January 1, 2014 By in Grace, Joy, Love 2 Comments

Abundance often emerges from the impossible. Many times the very fact that the impossibility exists creates the opportunity for the Lord to bring forth His abundance.

starsSometimes an act of faith is required. For Abraham, he had to believe in the midst of impossibility that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

Abundance wears many faces. Some assume that abundance implies health, wealth and prosperity and for some people that may be true.

However, God’s abundance does not come with a guarantee of those things. The churches of Macedonia experienced great trials of afflictions, but they possessed an abundance of joy even in the midst of deep poverty.

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Redemption

August 26, 2013 By in Counseling, Redemption, Struggles Leave a comment

When we think of redemption we usually think about Christ’s atoning blood which delivered us from our sins. Yes, on the day we personallybundle surrender ourselves to the Lord and ask His forgiveness, He redeems us and we become His children.

Christ’s sacrifice was vital. We can now partake in His kingdom here on earth and when we die join Him in eternity. However, I believe that Christ’s act of redemption is far more encompassing then simply making a way for us to enter heaven.

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Repentance

July 24, 2013 By in Courage, Forgiveness, Repentance 3 Comments

In the New Testament, repentance means to change the way that we think and act. Without the Lord, this would be impossible. However, when we bring, and then surrender, our thoughts, beliefs and actions to the Lord, He replaces them with peace, truth and hope. True repentance brings transformation.

gardenI love to work in my garden. Have you ever dug a large hole in hard clay to plant a bush? I think repentance requires many of the same steps.

When I dig the hole, I expend a tremendous amount of energy. Being willing to openly expose my sins and faults to the Lord also requires much effort.

Sometimes my feet hurt from stomping down on the shovel as I try to break through the hard soil. Likewise, there have been times when my body, soul and spirit ache as I struggle and my heart can feel like heavy, solid clay.

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Obedience

July 8, 2013 By in Faith, Kingdom of God, Obedience 2 Comments

Obedience is like the tug of war game that my second grade students play every year on Field Day. Each team musters their forces together and strategically places the participants where they will be the most effective. Then, when the whistle blows, each side pulls with all of their might.

Often I find that my obedience to the Father’s plans is like that. I line up all of my reasons why I probably should not do what I feel the Father tug of warwants me to do; then, I try and justify my reasoning.

Fortunately, I am usually on the “losing” side of that tug of war because my heart’s desire is to be obedient and to do the will of my Father. However, my response is not always as instantaneous as I would like.

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Trust

June 3, 2013 By in Faith, Struggles, Trust 4 Comments

Probably at some time in our lives we have all wondered what it means to trust the Lord.

Trust can be elusive. It is not something that we magically create, but it is something that the Lord develops in us over time. It usually requires walking through difficult circumstances for the Lord to implant trust in us.

bungee jumpingI believe that trusting God is like bungee jumping. You jump as a choice of your will, while you are connected to a large elastic, bungee cord. In the same way, we trust as a choice of our will while we are connected to the Lord.

For those who enjoy bungee jumping, the thrill and excitement come from the jump and the resultant rebound. Often when the Lord asks us to trust Him, it is difficult to experience the joy and the excitement that could be ours if we are willing to jump with abandon.

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