Here, for Such a Time as This

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Who did God create you to be?

Do you know His plan for you?

Do you compare yourself to the world?

As I think about these questions, my mind goes to Esther 4:14: “…for such a time as this.”

I know God has a plan, a purpose, and a process for me. I know I am loved. I know I am chosen. I know I am forgiven. For me, all of this really matters. But then, I have to ask, “Am I immune to the world?” The answer is a resounding NO! I am tempted and distracted by the same things you are.

Let me tell you something that recently happened.

I am very active in the worship and music activities at my church. I never want any service to become the Marie Show. I want my part in worship to be all about God.

Last evening, I went to Facebook to see what my friends and family had been doing. The first thing that popped up was a collection of pictures from a past worship service. There I was, in four of the ten pictures. Not only was I prominently featured, but the outfit I was wearing looked horrible. Am I immune to the world? NO!

And here’s the thing; the evil one can use something as simple as a picture to get me thinking that I’m not what God says I am. Here’s another thing: I will not let him. I will become the woman God wants me to be. I will remember that I am God’s daughter. I will remember that I am welcome in God’s home and He is preparing a place for me for all eternity.

And most of all, I will remember that He loves me. The real me. Not the one in those pictures. Not the Marie the world thinks it sees. Not even the me I sometimes wish I were. The real me!

And guess what! He loves the real you!

So who did God create You to be? Be the real woman. Be the real man.

…for such a time as this!

I am joining a great group of Christian writers at 5-Minute Friday. We write for 5 minutes each Friday (sometimes longer). You can read the other writers posts and share your own here: https://fiveminutefriday.com

When Life Is Disrupted, God Is Not

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I’ve been thinking a lot about disruption lately. Maybe because I’ve experienced it in more ways than I care to count.

Sometimes God disrupts our plans.

A door closes. A direction changes. Something we were certain about suddenly isn’t certain at all. We may call it an interruption. God may call it an invitation. What feels like a disruption to me may be His gentle—or sometimes not-so-gentle—way of moving me to a place I would not have chosen. (Proverbs 16:9)

Sometimes people disrupt our peace.

I cannot control what another person says, does, believes, or chooses, yet I can choose where to take the turmoil that’s left behind. Those actions are often disruptive, but no one has the authority to take away the peace Christ gives. (John 14:27)

Sometimes circumstances disrupt our understanding.

We pray, and nothing seems to change. We believe God’s Word, yet what we see doesn’t seem to match what we know to be true. We ask Why? and there is no answer. We look for the next step and cannot see it. Sometimes faith means standing in the middle of what we don’t understand and saying, “Lord, I don’t understand this. But I do trust You.” (Proverbs 3:5–6)


But none of them can disrupt God’s sovereignty.

Plans may change. Peace can be shaken. Understanding is nowhere to be found, but God remains God.

Maybe this is where disruption becomes something different. Maybe it’s not something I have to understand, but something I can surrender to El Roi (My God who sees). Whatever caused the disruption does not have the final word. God grows us through the changes and circumstances of our lives.

Trust Him! No matter what caused the disruption, God has the final word. (Psalm 115:3)

I am joining a great group of Christian writers at 5-Minute Friday. We write for 5 minutes each Friday (sometimes longer). You can read the other writers posts and share your own here https://fiveminutefriday.com

What I Believe, I Know

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There is a difference between believing and knowing. I believe that God is who He says He is and that He can do what He says He can do. I know that He has redeemed me through the blood of His precious Son.

Believing begins with trusting what we have been told. Knowing is much deeper. As a relationship grows trust grows with it. It’s like sitting down on a chair. When I sit down in a chair, I instinctively trust that it is there. I can’t see behind me, so technically I have no way of proving that the chair is there until I sit down. But I trust it. I trust that it will hold me.

So how do I know that God is really God, that He really can do all He says, that He redeemed me? That requires a special kind of relationship and that’s the key. I have built a relationship with Him. How? I spend time with Him, in the Word. I talk with Him in prayer. I discuss Him with other believers. I listen for His voice. I watch for His imprint on my life.

Somewhere along the way, something shifts. God stops being something I know about and becomes someone I know and trust. My relationship changes from my faith being simply an idea to a trusting friendship. I may not be able to prove all I know about God, but I know Him, and that makes all the difference.

I am joining a great group of Christian writers at 5-Minute Friday. We write for 5 minutes each Friday (sometimes longer). You can read the other writers and share your own here https://fiveminutefriday.com

Coming Home

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I find it interesting that when life becomes difficult, our first instinct is often to blame someone or something. It is a very human response. We try to make sense of pain by transferring it to another person, another circumstance, or even to God Himself.

Naomi was no different.

As she struggled with overwhelming grief at the loss of her husband and both sons, Naomi could only conclude that God Himself had brought this sorrow upon her. In essence, she cried, “He did it!” The NIV states it like this:

“The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” Ruth 1:21

We may not want to admit it, but many of us have spoken to God in much the same way.

Yet, almost unnoticed, Naomi does the very thing she needs most.

She goes home.

The idea of coming home echoes throughout Scripture. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness before entering the home God had promised them. The Hebrew exiles longed to return home from Babylon. The prodigal son finally found hope when he decided to go home to his father. As believers, we live with the anticipation of our eternal home in heaven.

Home is often where healing begins.

When trauma enters our lives, we rarely move from pain to peace in a single step. There is numbness. There is grief. There may even be blame. Then comes the search for sanctuary. Finally, with God’s help, rebuilding begins.

I remember those long days when Ray was recovering from his traumatic brain injury. Each evening, returning home brought a sense of comfort that I desperately needed. The familiar surroundings reminded me that not everything had changed. But even more than the comfort of our house, I found myself returning again and again to the comforting arms of God.

Sometimes it was the reading chair in my prayer room where I became totally engrossed in God’s Word. Many times it was absolute silence while I rested in the promised comfort of abiding in Him.

Like Eligah I discovered that God’s presence often met me, not in the noise, but in the quiet.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12

He alone comforted me. He guided me when I couldn’t see the next step. He provided for every need. He healed broken places that no one else could see.

Naomi thought her story was ending in bitterness. God knew it was only the beginning of redemption.

We don’t choose the phases of our lives, but we can choose our refuge. Again, and again, I have discovered that my true home is found in God’s presence.

Abba, Father, You have given me so much. You are always present when I need You. All praise, honor, and glory belong to You alone. Thank You for creating this beautiful day and for reminding me that no matter where life leads, I can always come home to You. Help me rest in Your presence, trust in Your provision, and find my peace in You.

This Is The Way

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When I hear the word route, my mind drifts back to Robert Frost and the traveler standing before two roads. His poem has stayed with me for years because life really is a series of choices, each one leading somewhere.

But over time, I’ve begun to picture my route a little differently.

Instead of a road stretching into the distance, I see a tree.

It begins as a tiny sapling. There are no branches yet—only possibilities. Then life happens. One decision leads to another. A new branch grows. From that branch come more branches, each representing another opportunity to trust, obey, wait, serve, forgive, or begin again.

Not every branch survives. Some are broken by storms. Others are lost during difficult winters. A few bear scars from lightning strikes or the weight of life’s unexpected burdens. Yet the tree continues to grow because its roots reach deep beneath the surface.

Looking back, I realize many of my own choices have led me down what Frost called “The Road Less Traveled.” They weren’t always the easiest routes, but they were often the places where God did His deepest work.

Our route isn’t determined by one monumental decision. It’s shaped by thousands of small ones made day after day. Each “yes” to God’s leading becomes another branch in the story He is growing.

Today I find myself less concerned about whether the road is popular and more concerned about whether it is the one Christ is asking me to follow.

After all, the safest route isn’t always the easiest one. It’s the one that leads us closer to Him.

 “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.”  Isaiah 30:21

The image is unforgettable. Yet I’m grateful that God doesn’t simply point toward a road and wish me well. He promises to walk every step of the journey with me.

Perhaps Robert Frost was right. One road can make all the difference, but I’ve learned that it isn’t the road itself that changes us.

It’s the One who walks beside us.

Lord, keep my feet on Your path and my heart rooted deeply in You.

I am joining a great group of Christian writers at 5-Minute Friday. We write for 5 minutes each Friday (sometimes longer). You can share your blog here https://fiveminutefriday.com/2026/07/02/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-outcome/