About the Author

A writer of faith by day and mystery by night, Patricia Raybon is an award-winning Colorado author, essayist, and novelist who writes top-rated books and stories at the daring intersection of faith and race. More at patriciaraybon.com

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things we love
& you will too!
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Comments

  1. Patricia,
    When I read your post, I think of Isaiah 49:16: “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” If we believe in Jesus and His sacrifice that saved us, God has our individual names written on the palms of His hands. We are His. He told us so. Not even a pandemic will wash our names from His hands that hold us with divine love. Ironic, that in a season in which we don’t want to touch anything, God continues to reach out and touch us with His love. He lets us know we are not alone and never forgotten. “Thank you, Jesus!” Amen!
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

  2. Normal will not come back; to me that is a secular viewpoint. That’s how it is with God, we progress and prayerfully grow during good times and especially during not so good times. Yes, we hold onto Christ daily, it is His Spirit that guides our lives, but I don’t feel that normal is an appropriate word for this pandemic situation or for the blessed privilege of living, growing and following Him each day.

    • Thank you, dear Melanie. I don’t disagree at all. You and I say it in slightly different ways. But, as you say, Jesus is Lord all the days, every day! Glory to His Name! Much love today!

    • Amen, wonderful Lesley! Only God would publish this essay on the day when people in our country are lining up to get the first vaccine shots. But His love is already like a shot in the arm! Every amazing day! Thank you, Jesus! We praise You, O Lord!

  3. Thank you so much for these words, Jesus, seems so like
    a son, brother, father after reading this. Peace

  4. Amen. In a world of many words, spoken and written, about this global pandemic, these minister a blessing. Thank you.

    • Amen, dear Anne. Our hard-working pastor has preached virtually every Sunday for nine months. I’m not mad at him for breaking down some Sundays and wearing jeans and a hoodie. He’s still preaching Christ! Our Alpha and Omega! Aren’t we so grateful for His love. Thank you, Jesus! Now and forever! And thank you, dear Anne, for your comment!

  5. Thank you for those passionate words. Maybe the old normal wasn’t so great and we can forge ahead with a new normal that is more compassionate, caring, empathetic, and accepting. Maybe this is a time to begin to reach out more. I do know that God is on my mind more these lasts months and I am learning to trust in God more than I have in the past.

    • I’m with you, dear Madeline. If we haven’t learned how to love better during these times, our hearts are hard, indeed. Inspire us, O Lord, to love with Your compassion, empathy, care, and acceptance. Even here in our (in)courage community, may we show each other move love! Love over all. Point us, Jesus, to Your beautiful path! His blessings on you, Madeline!

  6. Yes, Thank You Jesus! I find myself using these words daily, all day in my head and out loud. They keep me grounded, hopeful and encouraged through my unchanging faith! Thank You Jesus!

  7. Thank you, Patricia! Every morning I pray for people to have patience during this time. I pray that people will offer each other grace, even if they disagree about the way forward. I am ashamed when “Christians” focus more on self than on others. God will carry us through. I know this in my heart. Thank you for reminding us.

    • Beautiful Irene, what beautiful prayers! More grace, O Lord! May we heed that now. Then when people see “Christians” like us, they’ll hear His voice. Lord, let it be. Praying with you, Irene. His blessings today and always!

  8. Amen! I am truly blessed by this morning devotional. Thanks for sharing! May God continue to bless you!

  9. Dear Patricia, thank you so much for this post. I am so thankful that God is still God and he always will be God!! He has done so much for me, answered so many Prayers I can’t begin to Praise him enough. THANK YOU JESUS!!!!

  10. When I saw the line about Public Safety Alert – I knew you had to be in Colorado. 🙂 Bless you and thank you for this reminder! Waving at you from Fort Collins!

  11. Oh, how I needed this today! I have had to cancel my traditional Christmas Eve gathering for the first time in decades. This has been very disappointing to me and my family. Though we know its for the best for all of us, it’s still disappointing. The silver lining is we will have a Zoom Christmas this year and make the best of it.

    Thank you for the reminder that we all can get through this with His constant presence and love. He will give me the joy needed to get through this most unusual year. This Christmas will certainly be memorable and not forgotten soon. So even if my family doesn’t meet, the Good News remains, Jesus, the Light of the Word, has been born. Joy to the world.

    • Amen, Mitzi! Jesus is still the Light of the Word and His world. I pray His loving grace, joy and presence as your family gathers by Zoom. May you feel Him right there in the virtual room! Blessings as you make your plans and details by faith. Then, indeed, have a very Merry Christmas in Christ! With His love today, Patricia

  12. That was excellent, surely a God send in these present times. Yes indeed, common sense should be used. We are able to have any faith get together on computer or tv. A quiet moment in our own homes can also connect us with Jesus. We do not have the ‘right’ to endanger others. Thank you for your post, it was lovely. God Bless.

  13. Patricia, well spoken and timely for my family. Thank you for speaking Truth, and taking the time to listen and share your insight of Jesus’ Truth with us. Blessings, Joanne

    • Blessings, dear Joanne–and thank you so much. I appreciate your loving reply and encouragement so much! God’s wonderful blessings on you and your entire family!

  14. Patricia no matter what. We have big mighty God who will look after us. Look at the story in our Bibles of Jesus feeding 5000 plus people that day it doesn’t say anything about the Children that might have been there that day on five loaves and two fish. Jesus told the disciples to get them all to sit down on the grass. The people there that day came to hear the King of the world speak who Jesus speak. They did care about Germs. As they knew the king of world would keep them safe. They did care if the person beside them had washed their hands or not or if they had a cold or running nose. Or if the kids had clean hands or not or clean noses or clean faces. Or about the insects on the grass. When the baskets of fish and loaves were being passed around. They all knew the king of the world Jesus would look after them and keep them all safe. This story when it came into my head taught me a big lesson. And big Question. Who are what are we as followers of Jesus really putting our trust in today or holding too. Is our trust really on the one who made this world or we in a panic that we even though we are saved. We might catch Covid 19. If we did would we die from it. We’re is our real faith then if like that. What does it really lie in. Does it lie in what we hear in the news and what the big people tell us to do. Or does it lie in the God who made this world. Yes we have to do our part even as saved people the follower of Jesus. Wear masks in Church and Shops etc. But for worrying about will we catch it. Plus other things. Who are we putting our trust in? Is the God who made the world. Like the song I was taught at Sunday School when small. It is so true for us all today you get it on YouTube. It is “He got the whole world in his Hands. In his hands he got me and you Brother” there are more words to the song. The song is so true. God has got the whole world in his hands and he got me and you Brother in his hands. So I putting my trust in Jesus. Not Man. I trusting Phil 4 verse 19 Which say “My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus” Meaning God will meet all my money needs not my what my head is telling me and he will meet my health needs. According to his riches in Christ Jesus and let nothing happen to me. If I did get Covid 19. Jesus wouldn’t let it kill me. I recover from it. But I know Jesus will never let me catch it. Because I have Psalm 91 over me. Plus the Armour of God in Ephesians 6 as I apply these over me every day in faith. So you the saved can do the same and apply them to in faith. Start sinning Jesus Jesus Jesus over your life and saying it. Not talking about Corona Corona Corona all the time. Applying the word of God over your lives and saying the promises in God word over your lives. See how your faith changes. You because less worried about things and about Covid 19. You being to trust Jesus more your life begins to change for the better. Mine did. For doing this. I am so glad. Yes it Good to watch the news to know how to pray against it. Thanks you Patricia for another excellent reading. Thank you incourage praying for you all. Patricia still keeping your Daughter and her Husband and kids in prayer. Believing God for their Salvation. I know in God perfect timing all will get saved. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co Fermanagh. Xx

    • I meant to say shinning not sinning sorry for the mistake please forgive me my typing errors went wrong.

    • Blessings, wonderful Dawn. Thank you so much for sharing your great faith and your encouraging perspective!! Wonderful blessings and to you and your family and Merry Christmas, too! With God’s great peace, health and joy!!

      • Thank you Patricia for writing back to my reply. I write what God put on my heart. I love your writtings. I love to pray for your Daughter and her family and family to come to the Lord. My Husband and I we support amw Link. It is Building Christ’s Church Among Arab People and what your Daughter believes in. Because Raymond cousin she married a Muslim. They do work also with the Muslims as well they have two boys still as school twins brought up Muslim. Raymond my Husband cousin was brought up in Christian family. Both her late parents were Christians. Here is the web site of ARB World Ministries. They be only too glad too pray for your Daughter and her Husband and kids. If you didn’t want their names said too anyone else. They respect that. Here is website so you can look up more about the good work they do. I and my husband pray for the work they do as well as support them. We got involved because of Raymond my Husband cousin. Because we heard them speak. http://www.awm-pioneers.orgs I just love to pray for you for your Daughter and her husband and kids. As I know and believe in Gods perfect timing all of them will get saved. What Day that will be for you. They will see the light of Jesus is the true light. The only light. Just at the moment Satan has their eyes blinded like he has Raymond my Husband cousin eyes blinded and her husband eyes blinds plus his family. I know in God perfect timing they will and her two boys also come to see Jesus is the true light also. Love Dawn Happy Christmas to you and your Husband. Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co Fermanagh xx

  15. Patricia,

    There have been many plagues similar to Corona virus in the past. Just like those we will get through this time with God’s help. The verse I clung to lately is Psalm 23:4-5 “Yea though I walk THROUGH the valley of shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod & staff they comfort me.” God has gotten us through pandemics, wars, etc. He will get us through this also. This advent season let’s rest in the knowing that God’s got this. He is holding our hands tightly & has our names written on His palms.

    Blessings 🙂

    • Amen, Beth!! In Christ, He will carry us THROUGH! Thank you for that fresh perspective on Psalm 23. I appreciate so much your wise counsel. Thank you for encouraging!! His peace and blessings on you now, tomorrow and always!

  16. Patricia,

    I loved this post. I used to hate the term “new” normal as well. Still do, sometimes, but I guess you could say that as each day we live life changes us, we are in a “new” normal daily. Thank you for the encouragement that God keeps us. And yes, I say he can even make us thrive during a time when everything seems to be coming down. God has grown me during this time, and I’ve learned that I can indeed thrive. After all, with a little rain, don’t flowers in the desert bloom?

    • So well said, wonderful Jennifer. I love your analogy that, with a little rain, flowers in the desert bloom and thrive in Christ. May He bless us to do the same during this time. Thank you so much for your wise encouragement! Many blessings!

  17. Thank u, I appreciate this word, especially “you are mine” from Isaiah 43:1 & also about resting in Him, so we can find out that He alone is all we need and our everything in all that comes our way. Thank u for sharing with us. Many blessings in Him.

    Norma ⚘⚘⚘

  18. Well written and done!
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    Visitor engagement and material value are king.
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    Cntinue the good work!
    Cheers,
    Mickie

  19. A wonderful message. It was inspirational. Keep on allowing the Lord to use you in the gift He has given you. God bless!

    • Beautiful Emma! Thank you so much. Your kind feedback really blesses me today. May we all inspire each other in Christ, indeed. With His great love and joy! Merry Christmas, too!

  20. Thank you so much for that! Even though those are things that we know, it is always good to be reminded. Thank you for continuing to share His Word. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    • Beautiful Yolanda! Thank you so much. I pray you had a Merry Christmas and pray God’s kindest good blessings on you and your entire family in the New Year! With His peace and joy!

  21. How reassuring this wonderful writing is, Pat. I sit here alone, 11 years since Phil passed away at Christmas, pondering life as I now know it. I’ve decided that whatever “normal” is when the major pandemic ends (because there are sure to be aftershocks), I will be alright alone because GOD will hold me and life and the world together. Your writing has given me the “warm fuzzies” I need to get through this day with JOY!! Thank you, Pat, and THANK YOU, JESUS!! AMEN!!

    • Amen, beautiful Sharon! Your candid thoughts–about your wonderful Phil, the life you led together, your life now, and God’s faithfulness whether times are “normal” or not–speak to your endurance, resilience and God’s enabling power in all of our lives. With Him, we are never alone, indeed. As He holds all things together, may He continue to hold you with love, kindness and grace in the palm of His hand — now, always and forever! With His peace and love, Pat

  22. Praise God for that timely message. God always holds it and us together. During the time of us dealing with the virus, the doctor diagnosed me with colon cancer. My body might have it BUT I don’t have it. I listen to the doctors instructions and tests BUT MY GOD is my HEALER. I pray we all get closer to God, pray without ceasing and BELIEVE without fear. God Bless You Min. Patricia and all

    • Amen, beautiful Diane! Speak life! I rejoice with you that God is Your Healer in all things and in all ways. His blessings on your faith-filled journey. You are an inspiration and a powerful witness to His goodness and power. His great blessings as you abide AND thrive in Him. Onward in Christ!

  23. You speak to my heart, thank you for this devotional, it gives me courage and hope and the resolve to continue praying for the things most dear to my hear and soul. Bless you!

  24. I love so many things about your devotional today. The scripture references are fantastic!
    Blessings to you and the in(courage) team today and every day!