“When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!” Deuteronomy 20:1 NLT

What phrase describes all that the Lord has done for you?

God’s people had a phrase. You may not have noticed how often it is repeated. “The Lord God who brought you out of the land of Egypt…” That one phrase described so much for the Hebrew people. It summed up who they were before God delivered them, what they had lived with for 400 years, what God had done to deliver them, and how He had defeated the Egyptians without any action on their part. All they had to do was trust Moses, their leader, and obey the commands he gave to them. That phrase reminded them of how Pharaoh and his army drowned in the Red Sea after they had walked through on dry ground. It reminded them of the manna that had sustained them as God guided them through the desert by a pillar of flame and cloud. It reminded them of all that God had done in the desert as He prepared them to enter the Promised Land.

What phrase describes all that God has done for you up until now? I’ve been thinking about that but haven’t come to any conclusion for myself yet. However, this contemplation reminds me of just how important personal testimonies are. How easy it is to forget what God has done. We each need a reminder of how God “brought us out of Egypt.” I know I do!

What was your Egypt? Mine was insecurity, perfectionism, abandonment, and rejection.

God changed the identity of the Hebrews from slave to free. He changed my identity from second choice to chosen child.

God delivered them from monotonous work for Pharaoh to exciting adventure with God. That’s what He has done for me and you as well. We no longer work for ourselves or society. We do our work as participants in the Great Adventure of God’s plan for Planet Earth. How awesome is that?!

God brought them out through no effort of their own. He did all that was necessary through miraculous signs and His favor. He did the same for you and me through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

How has God defeated your past enemies? God has used His Word to defeat my enemies more than anything else. As I have learned and lived His truth the enemies of fear or insecurity or rejection or perfectionism have lost their power in my life. It has taken time and effort unlike the miraculous opening and closing of the Red Sea, but I know who I was without Him. Who I am now is nothing like who I was when I first “came out of Egypt.” He was with me every step of the way as I fought those lies with truth. How is He with you now as you face your current battle?

I am still contemplating what phrase sums up all that God has done for me, but until I come to a conclusion I am going to borrow the Israelites’, “The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!

Remember, the Lord who brought you out of Egypt is with you. Do not be afraid. The battles that He has won for you in the past tell the story of how He will win this current battle. You are not alone. You don’t need strength. The Hebrews had none. You only need trust and faith. What He has done in the past, He will do again. As He has loved you through deliverance before He will do it again.

Don’t be afraid. The Lord who brought you out of your Egypt is with you.

Key Question: What phrase describes all that the Lord has done for you?

A Scripture to Consider: “When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!” Deuteronomy 20:1 NLT

A YES Challenge: Give yourself time to think back to your Egypt. Be intentional as you remember what the Lord has done for you. Choose a phrase or Scripture as a reminder and post it somewhere you will see it.

Prayer: Father God, You have done so much for me. You have brought me so far. You have delivered me from my Egypt and changed my identity. I know who I was before You entered my life. I have thought about who I would be if You had not transformed me. I am so grateful! Continue Your good work in me. Amen.

August 8, 2026

A - C = P: Anxiety - Control = Peace (Repost)

'Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. ‘Philippians 4:6-7 MSG

I was listening to a podcast when I heard a quote that brought so much clarity, I couldn’t get it out of my head. Here it is: “Anxiety results from wanting to control something God has not given us to control.” I didn’t remember the name of the person or why she was on the podcast, but what she said made so much practical sense. (I looked it up later. So, if you are interested, it was Joanna Weaver’s podcast, The Living Room, and the guest was Sharon Hodde Miller, author of The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises Us.) As I pondered her statement, a formula took shape in my brain, “A – C = P,” Anxiety – Control = Peace. Easy to remember and a goal worth aiming for.

Anxiety is something we all experience. Anxiety steals peace and commands focus. Whether it’s something personal about your family, or a job, or something broader like politics and the world situation, anxiety creeps up behind us, leaps upon us and gets us in a stranglehold. Ever feel that way?

Your brain goes in circles, trying to resolve something you are powerless to resolve. You can’t sleep and every waking moment is consumed with mental and practical fruitless attempts to solve the problem. Suddenly, it seems like nothing else is happening in your life. What started as a thought becomes a huge shadow. What do you do?