WEBVTT - Closing August Without Panic

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<v Speaker 1>Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched

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<v Speaker 1>something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly

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<v Speaker 1>newsletter built for people who want to go a little

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<v Speaker 1>deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations,

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<v Speaker 1>and a little community all in one place. No ads,

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<v Speaker 1>just good content. This one means a lot to us.

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<v Speaker 1>We built The Good Word based on the audience survey

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<v Speaker 1>so many of you filled out a few months back.

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<v Speaker 1>You told us what you wanted and we listened. So

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<v Speaker 1>thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to

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<v Speaker 1>the link in the show notes and join our community today.

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<v Speaker 1>We'd love to have you.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for tuning in to Your Nightly Prayer, a

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<v Speaker 2>podcast designed to help you rest and connect with your

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<v Speaker 2>Father in heaven as the day ends. God is ready

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<v Speaker 2>to meet you in this moment of peace as you

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<v Speaker 2>settle into sleep. After this short word from our sponsor,

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<v Speaker 2>we'll encounter tonight's devotional, Closing August Without Panic, written by

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<v Speaker 2>Angie Grant and read by your host, Brooke McLaughlin. Tonight's scripture.

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<v Speaker 2>God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

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<v Speaker 2>Psalm 46.1 Something to Ponder If you're anything like me,

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<v Speaker 2>you are asking where the summer has gone. The free-spiritedness

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<v Speaker 2>of June has faded away. Our thoughts are quickly shifting

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<v Speaker 2>to the soon-to-be reality of the busyness of fall and

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<v Speaker 2>all it entails. School is starting again, calendars fill, and

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<v Speaker 2>Vacations are ending. Routines will change and schedules will become

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<v Speaker 2>more crowded. Suddenly, we feel overwhelmed and a sense of

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<v Speaker 2>urgency about all that's coming. And if we're really honest,

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<v Speaker 2>we go into August already anxious about September. The psalmist

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<v Speaker 2>reminds us that God is our refuge. What he doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>say is that God will remove every piece of stress

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<v Speaker 2>that comes with change or uncertainty. Instead, in the middle

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<v Speaker 2>of it all, we're reminded that we have somewhere to run.

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<v Speaker 2>I think about all the places I find myself running

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<v Speaker 2>instead of to God. I run to my husband in

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<v Speaker 2>hopes of him bringing comfort to my anxiety or fixing

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<v Speaker 2>what needs fixing. I think of running to a friend

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<v Speaker 2>who will surely bring me an encouraging word to ease

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<v Speaker 2>my panic and situations where fear has taken over. Or

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<v Speaker 2>maybe I just book a last-minute trip to bring me

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<v Speaker 2>peace amid my angst. All those things are not wrong

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<v Speaker 2>in and of themselves. However, they act more as an

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<v Speaker 2>escape rather than a refuge. A refuge isn't a place

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<v Speaker 2>where the storm never comes. It's a place we find

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<v Speaker 2>safety in when we encounter the storm. Many of us

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<v Speaker 2>spend August trying to outrun the stressors. God invites us

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<v Speaker 2>to run toward him instead. Our goal shouldn't be to

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<v Speaker 2>have every detail planned out before we turn the page

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<v Speaker 2>to September. The goal should be to remember who walks

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<v Speaker 2>with us in every new season. He is an ever-present

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<v Speaker 2>help when we're anxious, uncertain, or panicking. The phrase ever-present

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<v Speaker 2>help in this passage means he is found to be

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<v Speaker 2>exceedingly available. An invitation. An invitation. He isn't waiting for

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<v Speaker 2>us to get it together before he shows up on

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<v Speaker 2>the scene. He's already there. He is present and longs

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<v Speaker 2>for us to see that he is. He is present

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<v Speaker 2>in the quiet moments when no one else sees your tears.

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<v Speaker 2>He is present in your sleepless nights over a wayward child.

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<v Speaker 2>He is present with you as you juggle a full life.

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<v Speaker 2>We breathe prayers like, God, please be with me, and

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<v Speaker 2>have the sweet reminder that he already is. Over time,

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<v Speaker 2>I have experienced that God rarely hands us the strength

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<v Speaker 2>we need in six-month increments. He gives grace one day

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<v Speaker 2>at a time. When we try to carry tomorrow's burdens today,

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<v Speaker 2>panic grows. When we simply receive God's grace for the

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<v Speaker 2>assignments He has for us today, peace makes its way

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<v Speaker 2>into our minds and hearts. As August comes to a close,

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<v Speaker 2>perhaps you don't need to spend time on a long

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<v Speaker 2>to-do list, but maybe you can ask yourself, How can

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<v Speaker 2>I remain close to the one who is my refuge? Jesus,

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<v Speaker 2>as summer begins to fade and fall is on my heart,

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<v Speaker 2>I look to you for strength. May I experience your

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<v Speaker 2>grace over my life one day at a time. Help

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<v Speaker 2>me rest in your presence. Teach me to turn my

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<v Speaker 2>panic into your peace. May I not strive, but surrender.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for being my refuge. Let my first response

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<v Speaker 2>always be to run to you. In Jesus' name, amen.

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<v Speaker 2>Three things to meditate upon. Number one, what areas can

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<v Speaker 2>I recall where God has always been faithful? Two, what

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<v Speaker 2>am I worrying about that hasn't even happened? And number three,

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<v Speaker 2>what would it look like to enter this next season

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<v Speaker 2>from a place of peace instead of panic? Reflect on

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<v Speaker 2>tonight's prayer and share how God met you there. Join

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<v Speaker 2>the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum. Thank

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<v Speaker 2>you for listening to Your Nightly Prayer, a production of

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<v Speaker 2>the Life Audio Network. If you found comfort and inspiration

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<v Speaker 2>in tonight's prayer, be sure to follow and subscribe on Apple, Spotify,

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<v Speaker 2>or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow today so you

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<v Speaker 2>never miss a moment of peace and reflection to end

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<v Speaker 2>your day.