THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and more.
A QUARTERLY COLLECTIBLE | Heart & Home Inspiration
THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
0

Held Together in His Hands

  • Teresa Whiting
  • October 11, 2022
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

It was the summer of 2020. Headlines about COVID-19 were rampant. Riots wreaked havoc across the country. Deadly wildfires swept through California. Political tensions were high. Social media posts sparked hostility between friends and family members.

In late July, my family drove 10 hours to my sister’s lake house, nestled on a dirt road in the mountains of New Hampshire. The pine-scented air ushered an invitation to rest. We look forward to this trip every year, but in 2020, it was especially treasured.

Sitting by the lake in the quiet morning hours, I watched mist rise from the glassy lake as birds flitted from tree to tree. I dipped my toe in the clear water and noticed fish lazily swimming past. Late at night, after the campfire was doused, I looked into an inky black sky sparkling with hundreds of thousands of stars.

For those few days, it felt like all was right in the world. Then it struck me—God’s creation was not freaking out. It was carrying on in happy oblivion.

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they” (Matthew 6:26)? When it seemed that the world was spinning out of control, the birds were not worried. Nor were the fish. The sun still rose each morning, and the stars came out every night.

Though we can’t deny the pain of this crazy, broken world, we can let the beauty of creation remind us of God’s power, love, and care. Even when it feels like the world is falling apart, He is holding everything together in His good and sovereign hands.

What aspect of creation reminds you that God has it all under control?

0
0
0
0
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Teresa Whiting

Teresa Whiting is a national speaker, writer, furniture artist, and Bible teacher, but her favorite titles are “Mom” and “G-ma”. She and her husband Greg are empty(ish)- nesters after raising five kids, including two sets of twins. Teresa holds a degree in Bible and Counseling from Clark’s Summit University. She is in the process of publishing her first Bible Study. Sign up for biblically rich hope and honest encouragement delivered from her heart to yours!

1 comment
  1. Abigail says:
    October 11, 2022 at 8:04 am

    LOVE IT: “Carrying on in happy oblivion.” Yes! The birds remind me of this, and the happy squirrels, too!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

TRENDING POSTS
  • Good manners 1
    We Don’t Talk That Way in Our House: Teaching Kids Good Manners
  • How do i forgive myself 2
    How Do I Forgive Myself for My Mistakes in Parenting in Light of Grace?
  • Personal bible study 3
    How to Transform Your Personal Bible Study Time With An Easy Perspective Shift
  • Valentine’s day with kids 4
    6 Unique Ideas for Celebrating Valentine’s Day With Kids
  • Prayers for a broken marriage 5
    5 Prayers for a Broken Marriage: Praying Scripture For a Hurting Heart
RSS Daily Devotions
  • Rough Draft to Masterpiece March 24, 2023
  • Find Your Way Free March 23, 2023
  • Seeing Your Samaria March 22, 2023
  • One Day, It Will Be March 21, 2023
  • Called Beyond My Ability March 20, 2023
VISIT OUR SHOP
  • The Joyful Life | Heart and Home Inspiration Everyday Joy | Volume 3 | A Collection of 100 Devotions $24.00
  • Issue 17 | REJOICE — Digital Version $14.00
  • Footsteps of Faith Digital Study Guide | The Joyful Life FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH | Digital Bible Study $12.00
The Secret Society of Salzburg Book Cover
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and exclusive offers for our subscribers.
Follow Us on Instagram

AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM DISCLAIMER | The Joyful Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links. Every purchase you make through our Amazon affiliate links supports our ministry at no additional cost to you.

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • WRITE FOR US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • ADVERTISE
  • Terms
  • ACCOUNT
  • Contact
© 2022 The Joyful Life Co., LLC

Input your search keywords and press Enter.