“You will not get to steal quietly into heaven, into Christ’s company, without a conflict and a cross. I find crosses to be Christ’s carved work that he marks out for us and that with crosses he portraits us to his own image, cutting away pieces of our ill and corruption. Lord cut – Lord carve – Lord wound – Lord do anything that may perfect thy Father’s image in us and make us ready for glory. It is the Lord’s kindness that he will take the scum off us in the fire. Who knows how needful winnowing is to us and what dross we have before we enter the kingdom of God? So narrow is the entry to heaven that our knots, lumps of pride, self-love, idol-love, and world-love must be hammered off us, that we may stoop low and creep through into that narrow entry. O, what I owe to the file, the hammer, and the furnace of the Lord Jesus! I know that he is no idle husbandman – he purposes a crop.” (An excerpt from Samuel Rutherford’s book The Loveliness of Christ) ...

The Writing Room is honored to be a sponsor of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference, which starts today. We look forward to connecting with talented writers, sharing ideas, and supporting a vibrant creative community after the event. Blessings to all participants for an inspiring and productive conference. Give us a shout out if you’re there this week! https://the-writing-room.org/ ...

Re-launching my website today after taking a hiatus for a few years: https://brandiejmuncaster.com ...

“The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It’s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.” - Napoleon Hill ...

Pursue God. Cling to Him. Take time to sense the grip He has on your life.

Psalm 63:8 “My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” ...

When God’s hand plucks us off of a sunny mountaintop and places us at a valley entrance, our life is thrust into a new reality. Fear tells us we’ll never get to the other side. Uncertainty shrouds our pathway with shadows. When darkness falls, our vision is limited so drastically we don’t know the way forward. So, we wait like a stone with no capacity until God comes to our rescue. And He does. When we turn our gaze from the darkness to Him, He infuses us with strength and offers us His hand. Then, He sheds just enough light on the path for us to take the next step forward. His presence keeps us calm, reminding us that He knows the safe way through.

He leads us on, pointing out the blooming wildflowers along the way, bringing us to deep, wonderous springs for refreshment. Then He offers us a stillness in the silent caverns that’s hard to find anywhere else—shielding us from the threat of dangerous wildlife. When we are tired of walking and still can’t see the end, He offers us His hand again. But this time, instead of holding our hand, He holds us in His hand. When He holds us, He can only do what we cannot do for ourselves. We find true rest. Nothing can easily move us. We find peace with the understanding He has given. And we allow that to occupy our minds instead of the fear, uncertainty, and discouragement that plagued us at the beginning.

When you find yourself in a valley, don’t be afraid. God will do great things if you allow Him to work within your soul the way He wants. There will be treasures to enjoy along the way. While you wait to see the end, absorb the joy of His presence. And when you get there, maybe you’ll look back and deem this one of the most beautiful places He’s ever taken you. And even though it was hard to walk through, you’ll realize that these low valley places you experience here on earth are the worst your life will ever get because of Heaven. ...