Where Does My Strength Come From?

Today marks the one year anniversary my precious Momma went home to be with her sweet Jesus. Strange, but it seems like only yesterday she transcended this life, leaving her earthly body behind, a mere shell made from the dust of the earth and no longer needed, crossing over Jordan, entering the Gates of Heaven, dancing on the streets of gold, no more sickness or pain, finally at home, meeting her sweet Jesus. What a day of rejoicing that had to have been for her.

As I am sitting here trying to figure out in God years how long she has been gone (because I do that kind of crazy stuff) I suddenly realize how appropriate the phrase “in the MEAN time” really is (my brain multi-tasks, often). Thinking, Momma’s gone and in the MEAN time, we are left here to carry on. Thinking about this past year – packing up Dad, moving him, building a house out of love, settling him in, having a new early bird grandbaby, our son deploying, having a second heart attack, Dad getting sick and in the MEAN time life keeps going on. Yes, so often, time is MEAN. Life is hard. Things fall apart. People let you down. Change is inevitable. Nothing looks like you imagined and you’ve been thrown a proverbial curve ball. Well, that’s where I am . . . and while I don’t necessarily like it - all is well.

Over the past year, people have asked, ”how you can do this?”, “how do you handle everything?”, ”how can you be so strong?”, and “where does our strength come from?. I immediately stop and ponder their questions! (interjecting thought here! I know this might surprise you, but, I am not Super Girl or even Wonder Woman.) All the while knowing in my heart how I “can do and can handle” this – I do this because I am more - so much more than my circumstances. I am a child of the King, a daughter of the Father, part of the Bride of Christ and I have been called out for a purpose.

But the most important question to answer “where my strength comes from” - When the storms of this life rage against me, I ask Him to strengthen me by His Spirit - not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength. His grace is enough; it’s all I need. His strength comes into its own in my weakness. And, I stand on the Word, His Word:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 

He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 

The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 

The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore 

So let the storms of this life rage, come on MEAN time, you don’t bother me, because I am sheltered in the arms of God – God is my strength, God is my song and yes, God is my salvation. This is where my strength comes from.