The dryer bell goes off and I begin to fold the sheets and towels. As I fold the pillow cases, one of them is totally inside out, which is not the way they went into the wash or the dryer.
How does that even happen?
One minute I am folding laundry and the next my thoughts are weaving.
As I turn the pillow case right side out, I realize our lives are much like the pillowcase. They can become inside out without our even realizing it.
In these times we are living, we are faced with decisions and choices each and every day. Varied opinions surround us on every side. They vie for our attention, their voices loudly shouting, until we are turned every which way and often, inside out.
So how are we to live?
The question lingers in my thoughts for much of the day until the answer comes in the form of a song …
 “O God, you are my God, and I will ever praise You.
I will seek You in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways,
And step by step You’ll lead me.
And I will follow You all of my days.”(Step by Step by Rich Mullens)
The song is an old favorite and gives us wisdom for navigating these days so we are not turned inside out:
- Seek Him in the morning. The psalmist made a point of spending time with God before the start of the day. “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly”
(Psalm 63:1, NASB). A few minutes to center our hearts and minds on God and His Word will sustain us over the challenges each day. - Learn to walk in His ways. “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths” (Psalm 25:4, NASB). When we ask the Lord to make His ways known to us, we are asking Him to show us His will. As He reveals His will, He alone can teach us His truth, rooting and establishing us so we become a people who are stable and unwavering.
- Follow Him for all of our days. “I wait for your salvation, Lord, and I follow your commands” (Psalm 119:166, NIV). As we wait on Him, we continue to follow and obey Him. “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21, NASB).
In these days of questions and uncertainties, the psalmist David brings us this reminder: “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:8, NASB).
As we cling to God,
God is faithfully holding onto us.
Lois Flowers titled her post with the question: Does the World Really Need Our Stories? Be sure to read her post to discover the answer, for parts of our stories truly do matter.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Photo by Frank Busch on Unsplash
Today I am joining …
I’ve had that experience, too, of clothes turning inside-out in the laundry.
What wonderful assurance that if we’re following Him, rooted and established in Him, we can trust that an unexpected detour is part of His plan.
Inside out days! In all the tossing and turning of our days, we do need truth to live right side out!
Yes to the inside-out pillow cases, and shirts, and shorts, … 🙂 What a great lesson you have learned from it. Thanks for sharing with us these important truths, Joanne. I do remember that song (and I remember Rich Mullins). I don’t want to be turned inside out but right side in, following God.
Joanne, I so identify with the weaving thoughts, folding laundry tends to foster that for me! I know this song well, and YES such good advice. Sometimes, especially when we get turned “inside out”, we want answers fast, but God is never in a hurry-best for us to follow step by step, so we stay right with Him!
My desire is to be a Christ follower; in order to do that I have to study His ways.
Thanks for sharing the song!
It is easy to get turned inside out! It’s so important to be intentional about focusing on God again and seeking to follow his ways.
I love that song so much. Thank you for reminding me of it.
I love the analogy about being turned inside out without even realizing it. Thank you for reminding us of the Psalms that help us abide with God and get back on track.
Yes, we sure live in perilous times Joanne but God already knew these times were coming & in that I find comfort because He has certainly has this! 😉
Blessings,
Jennifer
The Psalms are so comforting and encouraging! He is faithful!
Thanks for sharing my post, Joanne. I’m so glad you share YOUR stories with this corner of the online world. I know I will relate whatever you write about … from house plants to inside-out pillowcases! The verses you shared are definitely timely … especially now, I’m so glad that God’s “right hand upholds” us.
I understand inside-out learning (’cause that’s how I learn LOL) – so I love the visual of inside-out days! I wish days like that smelled like fresh laundry, though. One step, though, at a time! Yes! Day by Day! I can do that! I can walk that – even on inside-out days! Your post goes to this laundry-folding, sock-matching mama’s heart!
Sometimes, I truly do not know what the laundry does in that dryer! But I know how quickly I can get turned inside out. Great application – and thanks for the truth. Enjoyed the lyrics!