Why we can trust God with every thing

May 12, 2026

Maria Answers to Prayer, God's compassion, God's Sovereignty, Psalm 149, Psalm 46 , , , Leave a comment

The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made. Psalm 145:9 Berean Standard Bible

I was careless, and Gizmo, our adventure-seeking cat, escaped through an open window.

Gizmo and Jason are indoor cats. Jason is content, but Gizmo longs to explore the great outdoors. Birds and squirrels call to him. We have to be vigilant when bringing in groceries or leaving through the back door. And we pray daily.

He has managed to slip past our feet eight to ten times in his life. Usually he hides under my car or in the bushes. Only by working together have Mike and I managed to grab him.

Early Sunday morning, in an effort to air out the house, I opened a back window, not realizing that the screen had been removed last summer to make cleaning easier.

Ten minutes later, as I shut the window, my heart sank. I instantly knew that Gizmo had escaped.

Running out back in sandals and my jammies, I started crying out to the Lord. I quickly made my way down our steep backyard slope to the edge of our lot. The grass was wet with dew. Climbing back up, I moved across the lawn, hollering, “Gizmo!” Never has he come when we called.

At the same time, I recognized the danger of my Birkenstock sandals and went back inside to change into sneakers. A few months ago, I almost twisted an ankle while rushing into the house.

Mike came out of the bedroom to grab coffee, and I quickly explained what had happened. We held hands and prayed, and then he joined me outside.

Throughout the next 45 minutes, I pleaded with God, affirming, “Father, You can be a GPS to Little Giz and direct him back to us. You rule over all Your creation!”

I moved up and down the quiet street out front, thankful there was no neighborhood traffic on that early Sunday morning. After texting five friends to pray, I caught sight of a flash of white fur darting across our backyard.

I traipsed across the neighbors’ lawn, circling their house twice—front, sides, and back.

Then I looked toward the yard two doors down and spotted Gizmo standing at their patio door, pitifully mewing.

I bent down, stuck my arms through the black bars enclosing their backyard, and called to our beloved, quirky cat. For the first time ever, he slowly came toward my outstretched arms. He drew near enough for me to grab his collar and gently squeeze him through the vertical bars.

Clasping him firmly, I praised God and carried him into the house.

As I yelled out the good news to Mike, I realized that not only had the Lord changed the will of this little creature so that he returned to me, but He had also prevented both Mike and me from slipping, twisting, or even breaking an ankle on the dew-soaked slope of our backyard.

We leave for Italy in a week, and that would have been a bitter blow to our plans for walking throughout the country.

The overwhelming kindness of God has stayed with me. Our Father truly is sovereign over everything in the universe—not only over all His creation, but also over all that man does and builds.

On Sunday, I witnessed Him rule over the natural instincts of animals and over human carelessness.

I take this display of tender mercy as an invitation to trust Him all the more with every detail of our upcoming trip—the foreseen and the unforeseen.

I will “relax and know that He is God.” Psalm 46:10

Talking myself into anxiety

May 6, 2026

Maria Anxiety, Conviction, God's Word, Proverbs 18, Words , Leave a comment

“. . . a man is satisfied by the yield of his lips . . . Death and life are in the power of the tongue . . .” — Proverbs 18:20–21 ESV

Our upcoming trip to Italy is something we have been planning and looking forward to since January. Yet, as we draw closer to departure, we are experiencing some anxiety. Air travel in recent years seems to have grown more stressful. I catch myself imagining delays.

But then, by grace, I find myself remembering that the past has no power over the future. I’m usually able to substitute a hope-filled thought such as, “But what if it’s wonderful!”

The other night, I was confronted by God regarding a deeper issue, one that lies beneath the surface of this travel unease. Pulling up the covers, I nestled down into bed, slowed my breathing, and initiated my inner conversation with the Lord. Usually, I affirm all His goodness, giving thanks for His providence that day. This particular night, the Spirit convicted me. He spotlighted how I had spoken out loud to our son and my sister-in-law, describing my sense of vulnerability and fragility in the face of travel. On this trip, once again, we will be out of our comfort zone—navigating Italian roads, meeting Airbnb hosts, finding grocery stores, following quirky directions as we explore, and using the language.

God interrupted my moment of thanksgiving with this thought: “Why talk about what you don’t want, Maria? Don’t you know that death and life are in the power of the tongue?”

I almost gasped with the realization that He was describing exactly what I had done. With clarity, I could see how careless I have grown in uttering the negative—not that we are to be Pollyannas—no. But to proclaim or announce circumstances I don’t want? Studies show that the words each of us speaks aloud carry weight, and our ears and hearts receive them.

The following morning, enjoying coffee with the Lord, I noted in my prayer journal what had happened and asked for help to change—not just my words, but my thoughts as well.

I located where Solomon mentions the power of our vocalized beliefs. The prior verse convinced me all the more of just how powerful my lips can be. Better to declare God’s Word than my thoughts. I can either enjoy a feast of goodness or live on a beggar’s ration.

Grumbling against God

April 25, 2026

Maria Blessings, Complaining, Confession, Conviction, God's voice, Gratitude, Philippians 2 , , 1 Comment

Do all things without grumbling. Philippians 2:14 NASB

I caught myself yesterday morning grumbling. Inside. To myself.

Immediately, the Spirit convicted me. “Why are you complaining about some physical conditions? Why aren’t you thanking Me for your body? I have given you overall good health, strength, and wisdom to steward your body.”

Undone and ashamed, I immediately begged His forgiveness.  I felt the gravity of dwelling only on minor health issues. It was as though God revealed my ingratitude. I confessed how I’ve ignored His blessings, grousing instead about what I don’t have.

As I reflect now, I realize that this constant stream of inner murmuring from within my heart (mind) is often negative. Sobered, I realize that these are not mere thoughts but complaints against the Almighty.

Awakened to God’s perspective, I have been praying and asking for the Holy Spirit’s help to praise God for who He is and for His good gifts. Might this be what is meant by the “fear of the Lord”—an awareness that one is displeasing God, “from Whom all things flow?” 

Last night, as I worked on some Spanish homework, I realized how I don’t thank the Lord enough for the progress He has allowed me to enjoy. That insight unnerved me all the more.

Where else in my life am I lamenting what I don’t have, situations that unsettle me? Perhaps this is where I must begin in order to notice just how much good God has already bestowed on me.  


My plea, dear Father, is this: “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:2 ESV), that I might gain Your perspective into my heart and align my ways to Your Word.”

When life feels out of control

April 16, 2026

Maria God's Word, Psalm 139 , , Leave a comment

. . . Your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:10 NIV

For the past few days, Keith and Krysten Getty’s hymn, “He Will Hold Me Fast,” has been playing in the background of my mind, strengthening my heart. 

Yesterday morning, I used Gemini, the AI tool, to ask for some biblical verses to support the claim that God will hold on tightly to me.  Psalm 139 was one of several.

These days, in April 2026, wars of all kinds and degrees unsettle me, especially the one around Iran.  Closer to home, I’m traveling today.  Every flight I take quickly reminds me that I control very little, whether planes, people, or my cats. Sometimes I can’t even restrain my mouth!

Were I not a follower of Jesus, these kinds of reality checks would scare or even depress me. They don’t. This morning I actually experienced a settling peace. Because Christ permanently resides in me, not only do I enjoy His presence, but His promises belong to me as well.

I am slowly learning to live by the truth that trying to control details is futile, exhausting and unending.  

No matter how the war goes (and I pray God will bring it to an end soon), whether my flights today are delayed or cancelled, I know Christ will hold me fast. I’ll trade certainty, that ‘needing to know how things will turn out’ for settled assurance that God is more than enough for the day.

What brought peace in the face of threatening war

April 8, 2026

Maria Anxiety, Fear, Glorifying God, God's Sovereignty, Prayer, Psalm 46 , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Relax and recognize that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 paraphrase

I awoke with Iran on my mind. When I sat down at the table, coffee in hand, the first thing I did was greet the Lord. Then I thanked Him that the earth was still intact. Yes, from our president’s over-the-top threats yesterday, I didn’t know what to expect this morning.

Settling in, I turned to the day’s reading in a Ken Boa topical verse guide—no commentary, just pure Scripture. My heart immediately ceased its anxiety when I read the verse above, this truth about who our God is and His purpose for the world. 

Examining the meanings the Blue Letter Bible app offers for the Hebrew terms that Bible translators render as “cease” and “know,” I rewrote the first part of the verse for myself. I often do that so I can more easily wrap my mind around the truth.

Up until this morning, I’ve skipped over God’s statements about being exalted. Suddenly, they pulsated with assurance of the continuation of the earth. 

Nothing that Trump nor Iran does can block God’s will for all people groups to exalt Him, to recognize who He is. How do we exalt the one and only God who created the universe?  By our speaking truth about Him—how perfectly powerful, holy, good, wise, sovereign, purposeful, and present He is.

If that is what God has laid out for our world, then neither evil men nor Satan can block His ways. Furthermore, our Lord has already set down the exact time for everything that occurs.

My fears immediately subsided as I acknowledged this truth. Of course, I continue to pray for God’s restraining hand so that fewer people suffer and more come to know Him as Lord.

God’s correction brings life

March 31, 2026

Maria 1 Timothy 6, Conviction , 1 Comment

But you, O man of God . . .pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11 NKJV

I woke up heavy-laden, preoccupied with an ongoing health issue that I can’t seem to ‘hack’ my way out of. Nothing I have tried has brought relief—whether advice from traditional medical people, friends, or even ChatGPT.

Putting on headphones to listen to a podcast while I fed the cats, made coffee, and did my morning stretching, I chose instead an audio message from an Argentinian mom who is part of my weekly English conversation group I lead.

Her five-minute recording sparked tears, for I realized that despite what discouraged me this morning, I apparently had ministered to her in a meaningful way. She explained that she trusts me and feels like she can safely share her worries about money, faith, and relationships. God sweetly revealed to me that physical discomfort is no impediment to helping a sister in Christ.

Sitting down with coffee and Bible at hand, I opened a devotional by Ken Boa. Under the section “Character I want to cultivate” was a first-person affirmation taken right from Paul’s instructions to Timothy (see above). This young pastor needed to center on God’s Kingdom and personally “pursue” the character traits of a godly man or woman.

Immediately, the Holy Spirit pierced my heart: “Just what are you seeking first in your life, Maria?. What has grabbed your heart? ”

Humbled, I knew what He was asking. I had let this pursuit of a solution concerning a physical condition be front and center in my life. Sovereignly using that audio from Veronica, the Lord proved that despite certain issues, I can serve others.

I repented and asked for God’s help to refocus and remain centered on what matters most to God—Kingdom expansion and righteousness.

As though to encourage me, another young woman texted me after my morning time with Jesus. She wrote how today’s selection from the Feed on Him book had steadied her nerves about some new classes she was about to lead later in the day.

Thank you, Father, for Your ongoing corrections. I receive them gratefully as proof that I belong to You. I know You are always speaking to me through people, creation, the Word, and thoughts You plant. Today, I will try to keep my ears, eyes and heart fixed on You.

Chance, luck and accidents

March 16, 2026

Maria Anxiety, Fear, God's Peace, God's Sovereignty, Psalm 23, Psalm 31 , , Leave a comment

I will fear no evil nor any scary news, for You are with me. Psalm 23:4 paraphrase

This morning, Joe challenged and encouraged us as he preached through John 21:18-19, adding some life-altering applications.

My major takeaway came from this premise—We should draw comfort and find stability in the truth that God has ordained everything in our lives. As the Almighty Sovereign who lovingly works all things for our good, neither luck, chance, nor accidents exist. Yes, harm can befall us, but all events are in His hands. Therefore, no one can say truthfully, “What dumb luck”, or “she never gets a chance”, or “he’s accident-prone.”

I can sense God growing me out of my former identity as a practiced negative forecaster. For some years now, I’ve been pleading with my Father all the while trying to break this self-sabotaging habit. Is it not insane to imagine all that might go wrong instead of all that might go right?  Who really wants to be depressed in this way, just from our own thoughts!

With the world in a media-proclaimed crisis in the Middle East, I woke up this Sunday morning with a pressing need to Feed on Him and meditate on what is beautiful, good, and life-giving. Of course, the Holy Spirit came through. 

Daily, I ease into time with the Lord through reading and praying through two pages of a small book by Ken Boa: Handbook to Renewal:Renewing Your Mind with Affirmations from Scripture. Today’s readings included Psalm 23.  I paused and lingered when I read:  I will fear no evil, for You are with me. 

What a lot to draw out from that affirmation. I noticed that ‘evil’ is assumed—no denying the reality in God’s Word. Yes, our world is broken and suffering is woven through every facet. Who can deny that all humans are sinful and Satan is our enemy?

But God teaches that we have agency.  I CAN decide not to practice fear, empowered by grace and truth.  What is that truth?  That Jesus, through His Spirit, is always with me. 

So, Joe’s proclaiming that luck, chance and accidents not only don’t happen, they can’t occur made me breathe with relief. 

Fretting about what might occur tomorrow–as in, for example, “What if I get into a car accident?”—is fruitless. Of course I should pray for protection, but then follow that with a calm relaxing into God’s promised care. 

Two realities support that. First, my fretting won’t block suffering.  And second, if God’s plan for tomorrow includes pain or sorrow, I can trust that He has also foreordained more than enough grace. What gives me most peace is that He has assured me of constant presence as the Good Shepherd.

Father, help me put my active imagination to better use—imagining all the good that you have destined for me. “How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.” Psalm 31:19

Can we really eliminate worry?

March 9, 2026

Maria Genesis 28, God's presence, Jacob, Nehemiah, Trusting God, Worry , , , , Leave a comment

At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he had a dream . . . Genesis 28:11–12 NLT

God has been pinpointing several accounts in the Bible to capture my attention about sinful worry. The patriarch Jacob’s reaction to stress while fleeing contrasts with my well-practiced angst. How could this young man sleep knowing his murderous brother was after him?

Then there is Nehemiah. This brave Jew’s response on a perilous mission trip reinforces what I still lack—solid faith that replaces fretting.

Consider what the audacious royal cupbearer for King Artaxerxes undertook when he journeyed the three to four months from Susa to Jerusalem. Not only could he not predict what each successive travel day would bring, he couldn’t plan for potential obstacles or challenges involved in rebuilding the wall. How did he handle all the ‘What ifs’?

Scripture such as these, along with life’s circumstances, press me to admit how little sway I have over life in general and my particular circumstances. My general response as I have aged has been to resort to negative forecasting.

Yet, each time God provides what I need despite pathetic night-interrupting prayers for “all to go well tomorrow,” I tell myself, “Maria, see, you CAN and you SHOULD trust the Lord. He always comes through.”

But I don’t change. In fact, after God has answered a prayer, especially involving the unpredictability of air travel, I’ve muttered, “Yeah, but if I knew that the next flights would go well, I wouldn’t HAVE to worry.”

But God! In a ‘wispy,’ almost ephemeral way, I’m now sensing that I might not need to know how tomorrow will turn out—that the FACT of Jesus’ promised presence and provision is enough.

Mike Foster, author of the book The Seven Primal Questions, sorts all events into three different categories—what we can’t control, what over which we have partial control, and what we CAN determine.

Current struggles concerning our cat Jason’s change in eating habits, sleep ‘success,’ personal digestion issues, emotional states of family members, a friend’s husband potentially dying, and now the military conflict in Iran have impressed on me the futility of worry. And I haven’t even mentioned future travel.

I’m daydreaming about what it would be to just hand everything over to God.

But what if . . .

What if I simply relinquished each ‘worrisome’ circumstance I mentioned? If I just relaxed into a state that proclaimed and REALLY believed in my heart, “What does it matter what happens tomorrow if Jesus is with us? Whatever He brings about is His ‘good’ plan for us. He will give what we need. He has promised to never leave us.”

What fun it would be just to pray earnestly, calling on His character, past deeds, and promises of future grace. And then to let it all go and embrace the day for the joy of it.

Please, Father, strengthen me to try Your way.

Do you feel trapped or safe?

February 27, 2026

Maria Hope, Refuge, Trusting God, Zechariah 9 , , Leave a comment

As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. Zechariah 9:11–12 NIV

This week in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), we worked through chapter nine in Zechariah and two more. Rereading our loving Father’s message through His prophet always augments my appreciation for God’s promises.

I forget that I dwell in a different fortress than the one I tend to build for myself. In the past several weeks, I’ve placed myself in one of those waterless pits that dry up all hope. That confining ‘cell’ is called “Maria needs to control X, Y, Z in her life.”

For instance, regarding processes in my body that I’ll delicately call elimination issues, the Holy Spirit has gently thwarted all my obsessive attempts to get results. Then there have been a few people whose feelings or interactions with me I have actually thought I could affect. You might have similar areas in your life you try to micromanage, too.

But through some good, logical counsel and Scripture, I am seeing for the umpteenth time how I need to hand over, to offload, all these issues to the One who can do something. For here are the facts: God created my body. He knows best how to keep it in good working order. He also placed me in a family and among friends for His purposes and my greatest good. He has promised that if I depend on Him, He will guide me the right way. I ‘should’ know better by now that I can only control my thoughts and my reactions.

As I remind myself daily, the Father has given me His Spirit, who acts with power on my behalf. This same Spirit reassures me of God’s unchanging love for me. So too does He bless me as I read Scripture so I can conform my thoughts to His truth.

No, I am not a prisoner of despair and hopelessness called “No Exit.” I am NOT trapped.

Rather, I belong and live securely, safely in union with Christ, a happy, hedged-in-by-Love daughter of my Father in His Kingdom of Hope.

As someone has said, of all people, Christians should always be overflowing with sure hope.

What’s worth boasting in?

February 18, 2026

Maria Confession, Idols, Psalm 43 , , , , , 1 Comment

. . . God, my exceeding joy . . . Psalm 43:4 ESV

Off and on, I’ve been reading through the Psalms, using Graham’s gift of Bible journals for each book of the Bible. The ESV text is on the left page, and the blank, lined right page invites written thoughts. There’s no commentary to tell me what to think or notice. The Holy Spirit leads me where He wants.

Lingering as I read each line of Psalm 43, I asked myself, “Is God my exceeding, my greatest joy? Can I say that? If not He, then just who or what is?”

This holy nudge came just a few days after He convicted me of boasting about myself to a few people at church. I was sharing about two projects that I felt made me “special.” One had to do with my next book project and the other with “tidying” up the Marie Kondo way.

Not 24 hours after that ego-driven posturing, God convicted me of idol worship—the idol being me, Maria.

Jotting all this down as a humble confession, I realized that there is just ONE thing that makes me authentically special: that I belong to Christ. Yes!!! What a gift. And nothing to strive for.

Father, may I boast only in that I am a member of Your forever family because of Jesus. Whatever I have boasted about in the past is just fleeting, like morning mist. But my relationship with You, the all-loving God, is permanent.

Now, THAT’s worth putting on my tombstone: She belongs to Christ.

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