by William Upton, The National Pulse: The Biden–Harris government appears to be turning a blind eye to Chinese state-sponsored harassment of political dissidents, anti-communist protestors, and advocates for minority rights living in the United States. While there has been a crackdown on illicit Chinese-operated ‘police stations’ in New York and San Francisco by the Department of Justice(DOJ)—more clandestine but highly organized efforts by […]

  The original First Lady of the United States created an example for those who came after to follow. Martha Washington was famous for her unwavering dedication to her husband, George Washington, both publicly and privately, as he worked to develop and mold the country that America became, but there was so much more to her than that. At times a victim of tragic circumstances, Martha’s determination ensured her future success. Her efforts not only supported her husband but paved the way for the new government to define itself.   Young Martha Martha as a young wife by John Wollaston, 1757. Source: Washington and Lee University’s Washington-Lee-Custis Collection   Like her future husband, Martha was a native Virginian. Martha Dandridge entered the world on June 2, 1731 in New Kent County. She was the eldest of John and Frances Dandridge’s eight children who lived at Chestnut Grove Plantation. Expected to grow up to be the wife of a planter, like her mother before her, Martha was schooled in the skills required to run a household and social etiquette from a young age.   However, she also learned to read and write and had a lifelong interest in literature, from scripture to novels. As she grew into her teens, Martha began a courtship with a local planter’s son, Daniel Parke Custis. Custis’ family opposed the relationship, as they had a higher level of wealth than the Dandridges. After meeting Martha, Custis’ father relented to the romance, saying he was “enamored” with Martha and her character. Daniel and Martha wed in 1750. The two had four children over the next six years, two of whom died in early childhood.   Changes & Success Daniel Parke Custis by John Wollaston, 1757. Source: Washington & Lee University’s Washington-Custis-Lee Collection   Martha was suddenly widowed in 1757 after only seven years of marriage. Custis died suddenly, with the cause seeming to stem from a severe infection in his throat. He was laid to rest in Williamsburg, alongside his two children who had predeceased him, under an elaborate tombstone that Martha shipped from England.   At a time when very few women owned property, Martha suddenly became the wealthiest woman in the Virginia Colony. She was now in charge of the over 15,000-acre Custis estate, which included 300 enslaved persons as its labor force. In addition, she had her two small children, John, known as Jacky, and Martha, called Patsy, to care for.   Despite the challenges she suddenly faced, Martha soon proved to be skilled at plantation management. She continued Custis’ thriving tobacco exportation business, maintaining contacts in England to represent her legal and business interests abroad. She demanded the best in equipment and supplies from her vendors and didn’t hesitate to tackle matters of the law that arose. With the large cash reserves in the estate, Martha offered loans to other local planters, earning high interest as a return on her investments.   The Courtship of Washington by John C. McRaw, 1860. Source: Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association   Less than one year after her husband’s passing, suitors began approaching Martha. The 27-year-old received several young men, but one in particular caught her eye: a young militia officer named George Washington.   The two wed in 1759, and Martha left the Custis plantation to take on her new role as the mistress of Washington’s family estate, Mount Vernon. She retained one-third of the Custis estate as a future inheritance for her children and brought several enslaved people from her former home to her new one.   Martha stepped into position at Mount Vernon, becoming a valuable asset to Washington with her plantation management experience. Though her husband Washington held legal rights over his wife and her property, he involved her in legal consultations, and she made many commercial decisions relating to the estate and its production. George became the legal guardian of Jacky and Patsy, and the couple often opened their home to nieces and nephews. They never had biological children of their own. They’d later assume care of Jacky’s children when he died of “camp fever,” now known as epidemic typhus, during the American Revolution.   War Arrives A Man Vaccinating a Young Child Held by Its Mother, with Other Members of the Household Looking On by Louis-Leopold Boilly, c. 1807. Source: Wellcome Collection   In 1775, the Revolutionary War began, forever changing the life of the Washingtons. George became the Commander in Chief of the hopeful nation’s army, which would require his extended absence from his beloved Mount Vernon. Now General Washington had become famous for his adventures in the French and Indian War and was an easy choice among the members of the Continental Congress to lead the new army.   Washington’s absence and his new responsibilities, along with the outbreak of battle, put a strain on the couple’s marriage, but Martha did not waver as new challenges arose. She and her husband became public figures that people were looking to for leadership and hope. Martha entertained a variety of people, from military figures to society women, both at Mount Vernon and at army outposts throughout the war.   She joined her husband at “winter camps” as fighting ceased for the season. In order to stay at these locations for extended periods, it was suggested that Martha partake in smallpox variolation. A precursor to vaccination, variolation exposed a patient to material from smallpox pustules. This usually resulted in mild infection and strong immunity to smallpox, which ravaged the ranks and the country as a whole during the Revolution. In fact, in 1777, Washington made variolation mandatory for his forces. While the thought of variolation and the potential risks terrified Martha, she underwent the procedure in order to be with her husband and spent many months with him during the war.   She traveled often dangerous routes to spend time at camps in Valley Forge, Philadelphia, and Cambridge, among others. On these trips, she provided secretarial duties to her husband and often served as a sounding board, just as she had when the couple were home.   Martha Washington by Eliphalet Frazer Andrews. Source: White House Collection   A believer in the cause behind the Revolution, Martha supported all soldiers, not just her husband. In 1780, she became the public face of a colonies-wide drive to raise money for army supplies that were desperately lacking. While in the camps, she cared for ailing men and organized social events with other officers’ wives to improve morale.   These would be far from Martha’s last trips away from Mount Vernon. As her husband ascended to the first presidency of the United States, he found himself in a precarious position—what he did would shape the role of the presidential office for years to come. Martha was in an equally demanding position, as she would define the role of First Lady.   All eyes were on her as she not only supported her husband but created her own legacy. The first couple lived first in New York, then in Philadelphia. Martha became famous for her Friday evening receptions during the presidency, in which she hosted everyone from foreign dignitaries to great thinkers, inviting both men and women to participate in these informal socio-political events.   Wishes for Retirement The Washingtons and their grandchildren with an unnamed enslaved person in the background, painted by Edward Savage in 1796. Source: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC   The Washingtons were overjoyed when the time came to leave the presidency and return to their beloved home. Eager to focus on one another and enjoy their golden years, the pair returned to Virginia for good in 1797. Now considered figures of international importance, they hosted many guests and enjoyed time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.   Their twilight years together were short-lived, however, as Washington died just two years after their arrival home. His cause of death was likely bacterial epiglottis, a type of throat infection. He was also bled extensively, both at his request and at his doctor’s decree. Though it is estimated that Washington lost over 40% of his blood as a result, it is not believed that for a man of his size, this would have contributed to his death.   Regardless of the cause, Martha was despondent over the loss of her husband. She closed off their bedroom and moved to another part of the house, spending most of her days in her room. Wearing mourning black in public, Martha was often adorned with a locket or ring containing a lock of her husband’s hair. She later burned their correspondence to protect the sanctity of their relationship, a common practice for the time. Martha joined her husband in death less than three years later and was buried alongside him.   Outliving two husbands and all four of her children, at age 70, she succumbed to a “severe fever.” She was eulogized as “the worthy partner of the worthiest of men” in newspapers throughout the United States.   Another Legacy: Martha the Slaveholder Slave quarters at Mount Vernon. Source: Wikimedia Commons   It would be impossible to tell Martha’s story without considering the impact of slavery. Martha grew up in a world where slavery was a norm and a necessity to the plantation system as it stood. She was part of slave-owning households for her entire life and oversaw the welfare of hundreds of slaves as she became the head of her husband’s estate.   Martha never publicly stated opinions on slavery and never seemed to have questioned its existence like her husband, George Washington, did. She seemed to accept human bondage as a fact of life, giving enslaved people as “gifts” and utilizing their labor to complete what she called “drudgery duties” of the home until her death. Though George Washington would free all of his enslaved people upon his death, Martha did not follow his example when her own end arrived.   This 1861 painting by Daniel Huntington shows one of Martha’s famous receptions. Source: Brooklyn Museum, New York   Imperfect yet iconic, Martha Washington played a role in creating the foundation of America’s development as a singular entity unique from Britain. Her actions as not just Washington’s supporter but also a partner developed a role that future first ladies could grow and achieve. While her husband will remain one of the United States’ foundational emblems, in all likelihood, he would not have been nearly as impactful without Martha by his side.

  Little Turtle’s War is sort of a misnomer. Yes, this was a conflict between the United States and the Native American Confederacy organized in part by Miami Chief Little Turtle. But the war also formed part of two longstanding conflicts for control of North America. For starters, this conflict was the latest installment in the three-sided struggle for the continent between European empires like Britain, Americans, and Native Americans. Moreover, official United States military records consider Little Turtle’s War the first campaign of the Indian Wars, which lasted until 1891.   Unresolved Disputes After the American Revolution  The Treaty of Paris, 1783 by Benjamin West. Source: Wikipedia Commons   In the years following their victory in the Revolutionary War in 1783, the young United States sought to expand westward, encountering fierce opposition from Native Americans and the British. The Northwest Territory, encompassing present-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, became a focal point of tension.   Much to the disgust of officials in Canada and Native American leaders, British diplomats negotiating the end of the American Revolutionary War ceded lands west of the Appalachian Mountains, including the Northwest Territory, to the nascent United States.   However, while the 1783 Treaty of Paris directed the British to transfer control of frontier outposts like Fort Detroit to the Americans, officials on the ground refused to comply. In fact, the British aimed to create a Native American buffer state to block American expansion. Thus, until the British withdrew from places like Detroit, American control of these western lands existed only on paper.   Even more alarming for American officials was the renewal of Native American raids on American settlements west of the Appalachians. In fact, Britain’s Indigenous allies were not involved in the peace agreement of 1783 in any way. In other words, there was no peace between Britain’s Native American allies and the United States. The lack of a professional United States military only made attacks more likely.   Congress disbanded George Washington’s victorious Continental Army from the Revolutionary War in October 1783. As a result, there were barely any professional troops defending American territory. Historian Raymond K. Bluhm points out that at times between 1783 and 1788, there were scarcely 100 professional troops representing the United States.   American Settlement of the Northwest Territory 1937 US Postal Service Commemorative Stamp of Northwest Ordinance 1787. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Lands west of the Appalachians, particularly the Northwest Territory, proved far too valuable to American security and commercial ambitions to abandon to British and Native American interests. Settlers had already begun to move westward in increasing numbers after the American Revolution. But Native American attacks in the mid-1780s stemmed the flow of settlement in many areas of the frontier.   Many wealthy American investors and government officials were unsatisfied with the status quo. Congress, for example, faced increasing pressure to establish regulations to settle and administer the Northwest Territory.   In response, Congress passed the Land Ordinances of 1784-1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. These ordinances established the framework for American settlement of the territory and the process for admitting new states to the Union.   Revolutionary War veteran Rufus Putnam was among those investors eager to settle and profit from the valuable lands west of the Appalachians. In fact, Putnam was likely one of the authors of the Northwest Ordinance. Putnam, though, did more than help establish the government of the Northwest Territory.   For instance, Putnam also had a massive financial stake in the territory’s future. He helped organize the Ohio Company of Associates in 1786. Congress granted the company over a million acres of land in the Northwest Territory to resettle veterans of the American Revolution. In 1788, Putnam led a group that founded Marietta, Ohio. This was the first permanent American settlement in the territory.   Little Turtle & The Northwestern Confederacy  Portrait of Little Turtle by Ralph Dille. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Little Turtle, or Mishikinakwa, was a Miami chief from the vicinity of present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana. He achieved fame by defeating a French attempt to seize Fort Detroit after France entered the American Revolutionary War.   In response to the encroachment on their lands and the ever-growing threat posed by American expansion, Little Turtle and several other leaders like Blue Jacket and Buckongahelas forged a coalition of Indigenous tribes, including the Shawnee, Delaware, and Potawatomi. This confederation, sometimes referred to as the Northwestern or Western Confederacy, resisted the westward expansion of the United States.   This confederacy was built upon an alliance organized by Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant at the end of the American Revolution in 1783. With British backing, Brant organized a coalition of roughly thirty tribes to resist American settlement west of the Appalachians.   However, Brant’s alliance quickly dissolved as tribes began to make separate peace agreements with the United States. Many of these treaties were controversial within Native American tribes, and American settlers often violated terms.   As a result, the late 1780s witnessed an escalation in violence along the frontier. President George Washington’s administration was forced to respond by organizing the first official military campaigns in the young country’s history.   Escalation: Harmar’s Campaign Portrait of Brigadier General Josiah Harmar by Joseph Henderson Bausman, 1904. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Revolutionary War veteran Josiah Harmar became the highest-ranking American officer in 1790. President Washington and Secretary of War Henry Knox called for a major recruitment campaign to give Harmar an effective fighting force. Harmar’s objective was to attack the Miami capital of Kekionga near present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana.   Washington expected Harmar to move quickly from his base at Fort Washington near modern Cincinnati, Ohio. But Harmar dithered in camp. Accusations of drunkenness and incompetence soon haunted the aging Harmar.   Harmar’s troops eventually moved against the Miami towns in October 1790. At first, the campaign was successful, and several Miami villages were burned. But Little Turtle soon responded.   On October 19, Harmar sent 140 militia under Colonel John Hardin out to scout the surrounding area along the Miami River. Little Turtle organized an ambush near a swamp and routed Hardin’s inexperienced troops. Fleeing militia disrupted a detachment of American regular forces sent out as reinforcements. Captain John Armstrong and about 30 US troops made a stand against Little Turtle’s warriors. Only Armstrong and seven of his command survived the day.   Harmar’s battered army was soon in full retreat. Just days later, another ambush near Miami Town routed Harmar’s regular troops and militia alike. Harmar was wounded while leading a relief force to save the troops involved in the ambush. Wounded and low on supplies, Harmar ordered a retreat to Fort Washington.   The defeat stunned Washington and Knox. Harmar’s brief campaign had been a complete disaster, with roughly 200 soldiers lost. Despite public dismay and some reservations within the government, Harmar retained command of the army.   St. Clair’s Defeat: A Victory With No Name  Major General Arthur St. Clair by Charles Willson Peale, 1782-1784. Source: Wikimedia Commons   However, Harmar was replaced in early 1791 by another aging veteran of the American Revolution, Arthur St. Clair. St. Clair had a solid reputation as a Revolutionary War general and became the governor of the Northwest Territory.   Washington once again sought to expand the size of the American military. Major General St. Clair was to command an army of at least 3,000 in the summer of 1791. However, St. Clair’s force faced shortages of troops and supplies from the onset.   Washington had hoped for a quick victory against the Native Americans to erase the memory of Harmar’s defeat. But St. Clair’s army did not come close to mounting an offensive until late October 1791.   St. Clair and roughly 1,400 troops made it to the banks of the Wabash River by early November. On the morning of November 4, Little Turtle and 1,000 combined forces of the Northwestern Confederacy attacked St. Clair’s camp. Over 900 Americans were killed in the ensuing rout that became known as St. Clair’s defeat.   Historian Colin G. Calloway calls the battle “the biggest victory Native Americans ever won and proportionately the biggest military disaster the United States ever suffered.” Calloway also refers to the battle as the “victory with no name.” While occasionally called the Battle of the Wabash, American history books have long known this as St. Clair’s defeat. In this instance, the battle’s losers wrote its history, not the victorious Native Americans.   “Mad” Anthony Wayne & The Legion of the United States  Steel Engraving of Anthony Wayne after a painting by Alonzo Chappel, 1862. Source: Wikipedia Commons   Indeed, the shock of defeat reverberated through an anxious American population, shaking public confidence in the country’s military leadership and prompting a reevaluation of strategies for westward expansion.   St. Clair’s disaster on the Wabash put President Washington in a difficult position. Threats of a congressional inquiry forced Washington to quickly reorganize the defeated American army.   In March 1792, Congress authorized an army of 5,120. Washington was granted authority to organize the troops. On Knox’s advice, Washington established “The Legion of the United States.” Historian Vince Hawkins explains that the Legion combined infantry, cavalry, and artillery into a single combined-arms unit.   Washington turned to one of his most trusted commanders in the American Revolution, Anthony Wayne, to command the Legion of the United States. A fierce disciplinarian, Wayne spent most of the next two years training his troops. His nickname “Mad Anthony” came from his aggressive battlefield tactics and fiery personality.   From Fallen Timbers to Greenville The Road to Fallen Timbers by H. Charles McBarron Jr. Source: Wikipedia Commons   Wayne’s intensity and aggressive style were precisely what Washington and Knox wanted to see in the commander of this revived American army. The summer of 1794 witnessed the renewal of hostilities in the Northwest Territory.   At the same time as Washington prepared to deal with the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania, Little Turtle and Blue Jacket renewed attacks on American troops in the Northwest Territory.   In mid-August 1794, Wayne and the Legion crossed the Maumee River toward British-held Fort Miami. Wayne’s Legion met the Northwestern Confederacy’s warriors a few miles from Fort Miami at Fallen Timbers (near present-day Toledo, Ohio) on August 20, 1794.   Little Turtle and the confederacy’s leadership set up an ambush in the tangle of dense brush and fallen trees that gave the area the name Fallen Timbers. This position was ideal for an ambush and increased the likelihood of a repeat of Harmar’s and St. Clair’s defeats. But Wayne’s troops were far more disciplined than those from the previous American armies fighting in the region.   Moreover, a group of warriors ruined the trap set by most of the confederacy’s warriors and allied Canadian militia by attacking Wayne’s advance guard. Unlike previous ambushes, Wayne’s troops did not panic and flee. Instead, they charged into the dense wilderness. After 45 minutes, the Legion of the United States had won the Battle of Fallen Timbers.   The Treaty of Greenville Portrait of Tecumseh attributed to Owen Staples, 1915. Source: Wikimedia Commons   The warriors retreated to what they believed to be the safety of Fort Miami. However, the fort’s British commander refused to open the gates and assist the Native Americans. Wayne called on the British to surrender Fort Miami. Although Wayne menaced the fort for a few days, his troops ultimately did not attack the British.   Following the battle, the Legion marched to the site of Harmar’s defeat at Miami Town and built Fort Wayne.   The American military victory was not the only event to change the situation in the Northwest Territory. For example, in March 1795, Congress ratified John Jay’s treaty with the British, which included an agreement to evacuate all remaining military posts in the region, such as Fort Detroit and Fort Miami. With no hope of British military aid, the tribes of the Northwestern Confederacy began to seek peace terms from American officials.   Stunned and angered by the British decision to withdraw to Canada, representatives of 12 tribes negotiated with Wayne to conclude the Treaty of Greenville on August 3, 1795.   However, the Treaty of Greenville was a fragile peace between Native Americans and the United States in the Northwest Territory. For his part, Little Turtle emerged as a leading advocate for peace and reconciliation between Native Americans in the region and the American population. He died at Fort Wayne in July 1812.   In the early 1800s, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a veteran of the Battle of Fallen Timbers, revived dreams of a Native American confederacy to resist American encroachment on tribal lands. However, Tecumseh’s movement collapsed during the War of 1812.

A Prayer to Dive Deep into God’s WordBy Chelsey DeMatteis Bible Reading“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2 As school was letting out at the end of May, I knew clearly what God’s desire was for me this summer. It was to sabbath. And not just a little sabbatical, it was so take a step back from everything in life and ministry. This summer has been filled with time in prayer, time in the Word, and time just “being” with God. So often, our schedules allow for a sliver of time with Jesus, a verse here and there, and a quick prayer when we’re feeling frustrated or anxious. While I don’t want to diminish those moments, I also know that God wants more for us and offers more for us when it comes to our time with Him. For me, this has meant spending more time with the Lord while my youngest naps and my oldest has free reign of the house. It has also meant reading books that remind me about who God is, what He says, and how I can live by His ways. It has meant opening my Bible at midnight when I can’t shut my mind off rather than looking up recipes or researching the best ways to accomplish a project I’m planning. Diving deeper into the Word of God can only mean one thing: In return comes a deeper love for God. This is what I’ve seen to be true in my life and in the lives of those around me. I keep coming back to Psalm 121 as I ruminate on all this summer has taught me and meant to me. I needed this Sabbath to be reminded all over again that God is my help, my fortress, and my everything. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121:1-8 This Psalm concretes the calling of knowing God deeply all the more. Our help comes from the Lord. He will not let us be moved to places He does not want us to go as we walk faithfully with Him. He is our keeper in the highest highs and lowest lows. He is the shade over us; he covers and carries us. He keeps us from all evil and is the One who holds all of our days. We are promised that He will be with us in our coming and in our going today and forever into eternity. What a promise, what a gift. What joy we have in placing our hope in Him. Without knowledge of what God has given us through His Word, we miss these glimpses into the goodness He has for those who love Him. As summer comes to a close, I pray that not only for my life but for your life, too, we will draw more closely to God. This could be through a sabbatical or keeping a diligent routine for spending intentional time with Him. Whatever it looks like, give yourself time to get to know your Creator more deeply. He is faithful in showing Himself to us day in and day out. We need to be faithful to show up for Him to learn more about His heart and desires for us and those He has entrusted to our care. Let’s pray: Lord, thank you for the gift of your promises. All throughout the Bible, you reveal your heart’s desires for us, and one of those desires you have is that we would seek to know you more deeply. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you and my steps so closely behind the leading of your Spirit that I never have to question where you are leading me. I submit the rest of this summer and the remainder of the year ahead to you. May I faithfully show up for you and experience the gift of your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages B-C-Designs Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women’s Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com. Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer to Dive Deep into God’s Word – Your Daily Prayer – September 5 appeared first on GodUpdates.

September 5, 2024 When Life Isn't Turning Out Like You Thought It WouldLYSA TERKEURST Lee en español "Then the word of the LORD came to me: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.'" Jeremiah 18:5-6 (ESV) I want to be someone who trusts God no matter what. But when life isn't turning out like I thought it would, I can quickly shift from that place of wholehearted trust to one of desperately trying to be in control. How do we trust a God who allows heartbreak and pain to be a part of our story? Let's dig into a little further context around our key Bible verses for today. In Jeremiah 18, the prophet Jeremiah issued a warning to the house of Israel. Instead of turning to God, they continued to rebel against Him - fixing both their attentions and their affections on their false gods and high places. In response, God sent Jeremiah to the local potter's house, where Jeremiah received a message of correction from the Creator to His creation. "Then the word of the LORD came to me: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel'" (Jeremiah 18:5-6). Because of how familiar pottery making was in the Ancient Near East, this imagery made God's message an easy one for His people to understand, although we soon see it was not one they obeyed (Jeremiah 18:12). But I'm praying we will let this picture of God as the Divine Potter speak to our hearts today. Specifically, I believe this image can strengthen our ability to trust Him when we allow it to remind us of three truths: We can trust the hands of the One who made us, the One who loves to use dust. The Hebrew word for "potter" in Jeremiah 18:5-6 is yoser and means "to form or shape." Jeremiah was making a connection between the way a potter throws and forms his clay and the way God shapes "human clay" - starting with how He formed Adam from dust into a man bearing His image (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 1:27). I am amazed that out of all the things God could have used to make humans, He chose to use dust. When mixed with water, dust becomes clay. Clay, when placed in the potter’s hands, can be formed into anything the potter dreams up. We can trust the hands of the One who has good in store for us. For those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives, our time on this side of eternity is only the beginning of a transformation we all long to experience. The Bible reminds us that in eternity with Jesus, there will be no more death. No more crying. No more broken hearts or broken circumstances. No more shattered realities. Friend, the more we choose to hold on to this eternal perspective, the easier it becomes to live fully surrendered to God, no matter what we face. We can trust the hands of the One who loves us and knows what is best for us. Just like the children of Israel, we need to be shaped and formed as God sees best. We need to stay moldable as He works in our lives. And our willingness to yield to God starts with remembering we can trust Him because He loves us. I don't know what hard realities you're facing right now. But I do know this: We can trust our God. Our greatest disappointments and disillusionments, those things that shake us and break us and make us wonder about everything, don't have to mean all hope is lost. We can place our lives fully in the hands of the Potter. We can trust He is making something glorious out of us. Father, I confess there are days I allow heartbreak and pain to cause me to doubt You. Please forgive me for all of the times I have tried to take control of my own life. I know You love me. I know You are for me. And I surrender every worry into Your loving and mighty hands. I trust You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS You can stop carrying the weight of holding everything and everybody together - surrender what you're most worried about into God's fully capable hands with the help of Lysa TerKeurst's FREE resource, "Am I Trying To Control the Uncontrollable?" This gentle, guided resource is filled with prompts, reflection questions, prayers and more! Download now. ENGAGE Find real-life encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram. FOR DEEPER STUDY Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (ESV). In what area of your life are you most tempted to reach for control, or where do you struggle to trust God? Which one of the three truths in today's devotion did you most need to hear today? We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments. © 2024 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post When Life Isn’t Turning Out Like You Thought It Would – Encouragement for Today – September 5, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

“When I toured with Jeff Beck I never missed a single soundcheck. I'd sit on the side of the stage, just soaking it in" - Tyler Bryant

In 1991 Poison were ready to consolidate a year of enormous success at the MTV Music Video Awards... but it all went wrong in the most disastrous way

Let’s just say public speaking isn't her strong suit. The post Dodging The Debate Would Be Smart Because Kamala Isn’t appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

When the Democrats’ darling fell for the fake noose. The post Harris and the Hoaxster appeared first on Frontpage Mag.