Stand Firm

From a photographer's point of view, this is not a great picture, but for me, it is a message I need frequently.

In April 2007 my husband's company and his job were among the first casualties of what many months later would become the current economic crisis. When we got the news, we were disappointed of course, but immediately started looking for the good in it, and we both had great faith that God was going to use this for our ultimate good. We really didn't worry because we fully believed that God was more than capable of giving my husband a new and better job.

We just never imagined how long it would take.

We never thought we would lose so much.

We never thought God's provision would be so gradual.

We never thought we would be in such a precarious position for so long.

Before any of this happened, I had taken this picture and created a greeting card with it. Three years later, I feel like I frequently could benefit from sending it to myself! What I love about this picture, despite it's photographic shortcomings, is the posture of the little boy. He looks so small and so vulnerable in the face of the Pacific waves crashing at his toes, but to look at the way he is standing, you would think HE was the one with the power!

As a mother, this picture scares me to death . . . as a Christian, it bolsters my courage. Even though this time of trial for our family has for months-stretching-into-years been scary and continues to feel precarious, as God's children, we can defy the appearance of impending disaster and stand firm. The little boy in the picture is only confident because he doesn't know how powerful the ocean really is and like all small boys his age, suffers from delusions of grandeur. We however, can have confidence like his because of the true power of knowing and being loved by the One who made that big, overwhelming ocean.

The things in this life that could easily crush and drown us, are nothing compared to the power of God! When we belong to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, we have the assurance that He will take care of us no matter what! We don't always know how, we don't always think He acts quickly enough or in just the way we had hoped, but WE CAN COUNT ON HIM!

I want to stand rock solid in my confidence in God no matter how many waves there are. The circumstances may sometimes scream at me that I'm about to go under, but I will stand firm even when it appears to be ridiculous. He literally sent the Creator of the Universe, His only Son, "God-very-God," to rescue me from the fallen sinful state that had me enslaved. Knowing that He loved me enough to go to such lengths means that the promise-keeping God I love is worthy of my trust!

When the waves feel too strong,
And the challenge lasts too long,When you feel much too small
Stand Firm . . .
God Almighty is your deliverer!


"Do not be afraid.
Stand firm and you will see the deliverance
the Lord will bring you today." Exodus 14:13-14

This photo is available as a greeting card--click here to view or purchase!