Jesus

Thankfulness in the Midst of Trouble: Lift Your Eyes Up to the Mountains

When songs pop into my head I tend to listen to them. đŸŽ¶

♩Today I started singing an old Brian Doerksen song. I have to admit. I haven’t felt much like singing lately. I’ve just been trying to make it from one minute to the next.

The song goes:

I lift my eyes up, to the mountains

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from You

Maker of heaven, Creator of the earth.

Oh how I need you Lord

You are my only hope

You’re my only prayer.

So I will wait for you

to come and rescue me

Come and give me life.

I Lift My Eyes Up – Brian Doerksen

Where does your help come from?

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.

Psalms 121:1-4

♩God is so good and faithful. He has brought the most caring, loving and faithful people around us during the toughest time. I am so grateful. I’m going to publicly honour one of them a day this week thanks to a post one of my mamas made today.

♩Focusing on what He IS doing and IS providing and being grateful, honouring, and thankful is key. Keeping your eyes on Jesus when things look difficult brings our eyes UP to look in the beautiful face of Jesus instead of down on our problems.

♩It always amazes me to see how He works behind the scenes bringing help in ways you weren’t even expecting. Sometimes I think “well why don’t you just do it this way? Wouldn’t that be easier?” when He thinks in a completely different way and says “Yes, I could but if I do it this way instead then this and this will happen
”

♩Balancing being authentic and keeping it real and walking in faith has been an interesting journey full of learning and good fruit. Yes, things are tough right now but wow, I woke up to breathe a new breath and live another day. Praise the Lord!!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Psalm 150:6

♩God has been impressing this scripture upon me lately. I pray it brings you HOPE as well today:

Isaiah 55:8-9 – “”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’

♩How have you been challenged to be grateful and thankful in the midst of trouble? Do you look to God for help and how has He pulled through for you in the past? Do you trust that God’s ways and thoughts are always for the best out of His immense love for you? I would love to hear your testimonies friends!! Have an amazing day looking to the heavens! đŸ§ĄâœšđŸ‘‡đŸ»

Tiffany x

Digging Deeper: A Christmas Story

I’ve had to dig a little deeper this year. 🎁

☆ I mean really dig. In the quiet times, alone. Sometimes in tears and usually after I feel I failed as a mother. We all know. “It’s a different year.” A different Christmas. It just all hits different right now, doesn’t it?

It’s a different year.

Tiffany Butler—pointing out the obvious

☆ I made myself sit and ponder. Maybe it was the Christmas star that did it for me, but in the mix of depression and work, melancholy and delight, there lies the truth of it all. And sometimes we just have to dig deep to find it.

☆ It seems I don’t know how to do that very well in the midst of the craziness. When I pull away I can see Christ in His splendor, in His peace, beckoning me to just come away with Him and stay awhile. It’s where I know I can just be. With Him. I question why it becomes such a quest to find the meaning in it all at times? Truth and simplicity can be glazed over by work, tinsel and bows, presents, and stress.

☆ But in a manger, far from the crowds and social media, here for you and me, He came. To bring us the best gift of all. Himself. Born for our sins. For our freedom. For us.

☆ Finding the time to find the truth is the most important thing right now. I hope you can find it—Him. I also hope you can find it in the midst of all you do—I know I’m trying although it seems to come easier when I just rest.

☆ He is here with us now. In the loneliness. In the strain. In the mess. And He’s the best part of it all! Take a moment to welcome Him in and say thanks—for another day, for life, for it all. Even these deep depths of sadness and questioning that lead us closer to Him and one another—to the important stuff. Thank God.

He is here with us now. In the loneliness. In the strain. In the mess. And He’s the best part of it all.

“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.“

-Matthew 1:23

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

– Luke 2:9-14

Do not be afraid. We can trust Him.

Good news of great joy. There’s joy in Him.

For all people. For EVERYONE including you.

A Savior.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

-Isaiah 9:6-7

Wonderful Counselor. He’s with you. For you.

Mighty God. What can’t He do?

Everlasting Father. Forever.

Prince of Peace. Even now.

He reigns. Not COVID, not sadness, not sickness, not loneliness, but Him.

☆ May you have a very merry Christmas, my friend. We wish you all the best as we wrap up 2020 and head into 2021. I think our digging this year has shown us what’s really important now and in the New Year. And it’s really one another. ♡

Much love and Merry Christmas from Us, The Butler's, in the thick of it all but near the streams of Living Water

Tiffany (and Trevor and Sam) x