Back in 2015, I posted about my favorite YouTube videos. Some of the videos don't work, and I don't think they are an honest reflection of me anymore (it has been 11 years). I am just going to say these are a little embarrassing, but this is Frivolous Fridays, so things are happening.
As I mentioned in my Psalm 8 post (link), I’ve been sharing some of my reflections on the Psalms. Recently, I’ve completed a couple of these studies, but wanting to pace myself, I revisited some old journals to see if I had any past material. That’s when I found a study on Psalm 46 from last year. Interestingly, I had just worked on Psalm 46 again about a month ago. It seems I’ve been spending quite some time with this particular Psalm, especially the phrase: “Be still and know I am God…”
In this series, I’ll compare and contrast these two reflections on Psalm 46. I hope you’ll join me as I explore what new insights have emerged over time.
💖 What Does It Say About God?
God is our refuge and strength — not occasionally, but abundantly (v.1). The cross-references here are rich. Psalm 62:7–8 says: "In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge." And Deuteronomy 4:7 asks the rhetorical question that answers itself: "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?" The nearness of God is not incidental — it is definitional. He is not a God who shows up when it's convenient. He is abundantly available for help.
God is in the midst of His people (v.5). This one stopped me. The cross-references pile up like a chorus — Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Zephaniah, Zechariah. The thread running through all of them is the same: I am here. I am with you. I dwell in your midst. "The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall see disaster no more" (Zeph. 3:15). The city does not move — not because of her own strength, but because He who lives with His people is her defense. His protection can be counted on because He is consistently present.
God is the LORD of Hosts — and He is covenantally committed (v.7). "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." That title — the God of Jacob — carries weight. Jacob was not the most impressive patriarch. He wrestled, he schemed, he doubted. And yet God tied His name to him. The title underscores faithfulness, power, and enduring commitment. 2 Chronicles 13:12 echoes it plainly: "God Himself is with us as our head." He doesn't just observe from a distance. He leads. (Gen. 32, 2 Chron. 13:12)
God is the one who makes wars cease (v.9). He breaks the bow. He cuts the spear. He burns the chariot. This is not a God who merely comforts — He is the one who acts, who intervenes, who dismantles the very instruments of destruction. The peace He brings is not fragile or negotiated. It is won. (Ps. 76:3, Isaiah 2:4)
God will be exalted (v.10). "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Isaiah 2:11 and 17 both anchor this: the loftiness of man will be brought low, and the LORD alone will be lifted up. The command to be still is not just an invitation to rest — your study note caught something important here. That call to stillness is set against the backdrop of impending judgment. It is a declaration before the nations, before enemies, before every power that thought itself great: Know that I am God.
That changes the verse, doesn't it? It's not only a mild whisper for the weary. It's a command to every opposing force — stop. He is God.
👩What Does It Say About Me?
Because of who God is — refuge, strength, abundantly present, dwelling in the midst of His people — I do not need to fear. That's not a feeling I have to manufacture. It's a conclusion I get to rest in.
And that word rest feels right. When I know that the LORD of Hosts is with me, that the God of Jacob — the God who is faithful to the unpolished and the doubting — is my refuge, stillness becomes possible. Not because the trouble is gone. But because He is here, and He is God, and that is enough.
I want to be found praising Him in that. Whatever I face, I want to be found there.
🙏 A Prayer to Close
Lord, as I am to be judged, may I have peace, hope, and grace in Your eyes. Lord, I know we will all face judgment, but I rely on the words that say You step in our place. I am surrendering that to You. But Lord, I want to be found praising You. In all that is honorable — I want to be found praising You.
I have had two blog posts on my mind for weeks. One being my Psalm 8 (part 2), and now this follow-up to my 40 random facts about me. I ended the last post of that series with the words of my friend, "What is one of your favorite things about last year?" And "What is one thing you want to accomplish in the next year?"
I had every plan to answer that, but as I began to write my post (because, yes, most times I write it out by hand before typing it up), I realized I didn't really do that. Loosely but not really.
At the beginning of the year, I wrote out my prayers for 2026, and I have been blessed to see how God is answering them. The year is only halfway done, and I am blessed to see how God will answer the others.
📌Yellow note card — "Prayers for 2026."
God's healing power in my life, enabling me to experience His peace, hope, and joy.
Rely more on His facts than my feelings
Being fully funded
Pray for my heart to be restored in Him so I'm open to another relationship (in His timing)
Movement of the Holy Spirit, so there is revival for God throughout Sharpstown
Embrace what God desires?
That I may hear Him clearly
Praise:
My job is support-raised, and if you would like to learn more, please sign up for my mailing list (link). I am truly grateful to share that, while I am not yet fully funded, I have reached a strong percentage — something that has been a significant challenge for me over the years. This progress is an incredible answer to prayer, and I am deeply encouraged by how far God has brought me.
My heart is being actively restored, and I am in a relationship with a wonderful man who is pointing me more and more to Jesus. Last week, I shared a prayer request, and he said he was praying and thinking about it too. I thought it was awesome God has us on the same path, even if we don't talk about it.
Prayers:
I continue to pray for revival in Sharpstown, because I see so many nations represented in this part of Houston. I truly believe if revival were to happen here, it could transform not only Houston but also nations around the world.
Still truly trying to embrace who God desires me to be (that will probably be a lifetime prayer).
🙏 Back to praises and a little bit of prayers:
God's healing in my life… The end of 2024 and a lot of 2025 were hard for me. I sat in a lot of grief, shame, and regret, so I prayed for restoration. I can't say I have reached the pinnacle of His peace, hope, and joy. I think there are still things I am working through with God, but there is a lot more light than darkness.
I don't know when I wrote the blue card, probably later in January or early February, but as much as I can proclaim things over myself* I prayed:
Tears and pain would turn to rejoicing
Doubts and fears would turn to certainty
Longings would turn to trust
Hurt would turn to hope
Unforgiveness would turn to restoration
Lack would turn to abundance
Lack would turn to wisdom
God is graciously blessing me in many of these prayers, but looking over this list, I can still see some areas of struggle I need to actively turn over to the Lord. But as I said in my Psalm 8 (part 2) post, I am still crying out to God, "I trust, but help my untrusting."
I don't have a neat bow to tie on any of this — and honestly, I don't think I'm supposed to. Faith is a daily return. And so I'll keep returning, keep writing my prayers on little note cards, keep pinning them where I can see them. Because the card on my board is a constant reminder — "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (1 John 5:14). He heard me when I wrote those prayers in January, and He is still hearing me now.
💖 Lovely reader, He hears you too. So keep asking. Keep returning. Nothing you lay before Him is ever forgotten.
Thanks for reading and joining me in this journey.
This is usually what it looks like when I am getting blogging done
* I often wrestle with how to approach proclaiming things—I don’t want to fall into a “name it and claim it” mindset. Still, I believe there is genuine value in trusting God with our lives and honestly expressing our desires to Him. I am thinking of verses- Psalm 37:4, 62:8, Philippians 4:6-7, and Romans 8:26-27, and I hope that if I am misunderstanding these verses or taking them out of context, you will graciously correct me.
I wrote out my study of Psalm 8 (link), but I keep coming back to it. It was a good start, and I loved sharing what I learned, but I don't want my blog post to be just intellectual; I want to share life and start discussions (if possible on a blog). So I came up with some thought-provoking questions I will answer, and maybe you can answer in your journal or in the comments below.
Do you actually believe you were made in God's image? How would your daily life look different if you truly did?
I know the verse "Let us make man (man and woman) in Our image according to Our likeness…" (Genesis 1:26), and while I used to think it meant we were made like how God looks. But a few years ago, I heard when it says "according to Our image," it really means we were called to bear His image, to carry out His image and ways. I think it changes my idea on the question… Do I believe I was made in God's image?
Yes! Absolutely.
Do I live it out daily? Probably not.
How would my daily life look different if I truly did?
One, I think I would have more confidence, not just in myself, but in showing love to others (not being prideful or selfish). I think I would have more trust. I frequently pray, saying, "I trust God, He is the maker of the universe. He stepped down from heaven, walked among us, dwelt with us, died on the cross for us, and rose again." So I do not struggle to trust Him as God. But sometimes I feel like the man who said: "I believe, but help me in my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). I say, "I trust, but help my untrusting."
Something I love about my boyfriend is that he is so trusting that God will work things out, and he is absolutely certain that God's got all this. I'm certain too, but there is a difference in our attitude. I have to start off with things going nuclear and then work my way back from there. I feel conditioned to start with the worst-case scenario and make plans A, B, C, and sometimes D, just in case. My boyfriend is conditioned (though he might correct me on the wording) to believe that everything will go all right and that God's got this (Matthew 6:34).
If I truly lived out carrying God's image more, I think I would just truly have deep certainty, a hope or peace surpassing all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Where have you been looking for worth God has already given freely?
Not lately, but in the past, I have struggled with just the idea of being good enough — I know I am only good enough by God's grace, love, mercy, and salvation, not by my own efforts. But I struggle with this. There are moments when I feel completely inadequate in my job, in a relationship, and at low times, just walking on the face of this earth. I have to consistently remind myself of God's truth. He created me, He loves me, He chose me, delights in me, and saved me, and there is nothing I can do to change it. My sister frequently tells me to rely on His facts, not my feelings, and I hope I will eventually live it out.
I think this leads to answering another question:
What is one thing about God — His greatness, His gentleness, His attention — you have taken for granted lately?
I couldn't think of just one, so here are three:
His acceptance. God accepts me for who I am. I am not saying He won't transform me; I want to be renewed, refined, and restored in His holiness, but He will never abandon or forsake me when I mess up. He accepts me and loves me because I'm His cherished daughter; I am His beloved. And I need to lean on His acceptance, His grace, and mercy in my life.
His forgiveness. I spent a lot of time beating myself up for things He has already forgiven me for (1 John 1:9). I'm still figuring out what this genuinely looks like and what it means moving forward.
His faithfulness. He always provides. He doesn't hold back. He holds me, and I need to walk in security and confidence.
When you look at creation (the sky, the stars, the sunset, or maybe if you can see mountains (we don't have mountains in Houston)), does it make you feel small in a scary way or small in a safe way?
For me: safe.
Who in your life points you back to God when you're falling apart? Have you told them what it means to you?
For me: my dad, my sisters, my boyfriend, and my friends.
I hope to do more Psalm studies, so stay tuned, and please let me know your honest thoughts.
Now that it is the final facts, I will say this has been a fun and interesting reflection on my life.
33. First country I ever visited outside the U.S.? France, well, technically Spain, but all I did was get off the plane, get in a car, and drive on the highway to the cruise boat. So I am sticking with France.
In a town where I got to see Roman ruins outside of Marseille (Sorry, can't remember name)
34. Most random anecdote: I have been licked by a giraffe... my best friend in high school, Karen, and I were visiting Six Flags Marine World, and they had this opportunity to take a picture with a giraffe. Well, from what I remember, my friend held the salt stick to get the giraffe to come over to us, but she held it closer to me, and it licked me. Not sure why, but I freaked out, and somehow their telling me it was good luck to be licked by a giraffe calmed me down (I wasn't a Christian yet, so maybe that really did calm me down).
35. Favorite Boston memory: Going to John Lester’s no-hitter on my 23rd birthday or doing the Freedom Trail with visitors and stopping for some cannoli.
At John Lester's no-hitter
But in all honesty, I mostly just hung out with my friends and watched movies at their apartments. It was here I lived life, grew in my faith, and found a support system.
36. Favorite Houston memory (not family related): Seeing Reba McEntire at the Houston Rodeo
But I would not have gone to the Rodeo if it weren't for the wonderful friends I have made at PLI... so I should give them a little shout-out.
37. Favorite comfort food on a bad day: This is going to sound random, but when I am feeling really crummy, I like to make rice and eat it with butter and sugar. We ate a lot of rice when I was growing up because it was cheap and easy to make.
38. What has been the hardest season of your life, and what did it teach you? I have struggled with depression on and off since my junior year of high school. The time that stands out most was after grad school, when I searched for a job, and nothing happened. Whenever friends asked about it, I wanted to cry or shout—I felt useless, disappointed, discouraged. Other friends seemed to get job offers right away. I cried out to God, “Why?” My quiet time became a checklist. I remember walking home from the train and wishing a bus would hit me and end it all.
I felt like dirt—worse than dirt.
Moving to Houston didn’t magically fix things; my problems followed me. I still scrambled and called out to God. One day, driving to a babysitting job, I thought a pickup truck would merge into me. I swerved into an 18-wheeler. Somehow, I only damaged my bumper and had a headache. I walked away knowing God must have a purpose for me. I’m still living in that truth.
39. Do you have any irrational fears or phobias? Yes, ants, and my roommate thinks it is hilarious that I love Ant-Man.
40. Favorite role in life (thus far): Being "Aunt Blaire," if you spend any time around me in real life, you will know my niece and nephews are my favorite subject to speak about (after Jesus). I'm always so proud of them; they hold my heart, and watching them grow up has been one of the biggest blessings in my life.
After putting all of this together, I'm already thinking about what comes next. A friend in Boston had a beautiful birthday tradition... every year, she would ask two questions: What was your favorite thing about the last year? And what is one thing you want to accomplish in the next year? I love that. Simple, intentional, and worth sitting with.
I think that deserves its own post... Stay tuned. 🎂
