10 Verses That Carried Me

For as long as I can remember, I have called myself a Christian. I’ll be honest though, I was the type of Christian that went to church on Sundays but rarely opened her Bible during the week. I guess I felt my weekly church attendance was enough to carry me through the week. I didn’t feel convicted about that until I realized that my children could recall more scripture than I. They were committing God’s words to memory and I wasn’t being the example I knew they needed. 

It flipped a switch in me and made me realize the type of spiritual leader I wanted to be for my family. For the last two years I have been very intentional in my walk with Christ. Reading my Bible more than ever (still not enough), memorizing scripture, using a prayer journal, getting baptized and actively praying with my children throughout the day. I still fall short daily on the example that I would like to be for them, but after coming out of the most trying and challenging year of my life, I know God more intimately than I ever have. 

My testimony now includes how God taught me to surrender what was never mine to carry alone, to lay fears, doubts and worries at His feet, to call on Him first and to recall scripture to help in even the most uncertain times. This awakening all came together in the middle of 2024 when I was pregnant with my third baby. Now I have experienced pregnancy, labor and delivery twice before, but I feel with each pregnancy and delivery, the more you know the more fear and anxiety of what “could” happen creeps in.

For the first month or two into my pregnancy I was afraid. I was consumed by fear and robbed of the joy one experiences when finding out such good news. I was afraid my baby wouldn’t make it to term, I feared my being “advanced maternal age” would impact the health of my baby or open me up to some unknown complications. I replayed everything I did and ate before I found out I was expecting and I had a heightened awareness of every decision after. I worried who would care for my other two kiddos while away at the hospital and the inability to plan when labor would occur stressed me more than ever (especially being due at Christmas). I wanted to be able to control as much of an uncontrollable situation as possible in an effort to silence my fears.

That year almost wrecked me and I wanted to end the year stronger and more grounded than I started so I found 10 verses (2 are verses I recite for my oldest kiddos) to support me and carry me through one of the most challenging seasons of my life. I wrote these verses on index cards and packed them in my diaper bag to have with me during labor and delivery. I recalled the first one throughout delivery, leaning into the promise that God was holding my right hand, and it carried me (along with the most supportive and incredible husband ever). Now I’m committing to memorizing the remainder to help carry me through this year and I wanted to share with you, just in case you needed a verse to support you through the hills and valleys life brings.

#1 For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.

-Isaiah 41:13

#2 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

-Romans 8:18

#3 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self control.

-2 Timothy 1:7

#4 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my strong hold.

-Psalm 18:2

#5 The Lord goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

-Deuteronomy 31:8

#6 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

-Philippians 4:13

#7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

-2 Chronicles 15:7

#8 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

-Isaiah 40:29

#9 God is within her, she will not fall;  God will help her at break of day.

-Psalm 46:5 (this is my daughter’s verse)

#10 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

-Joshua 1:9 (this is my oldest son’s verse)

My biggest takeaways, God didn’t promise easy, but He did promise never to leave us and never to forsake us. He promises to hold onto our right hand and to help us. He reminds us to seek him in prayer, to lay our requests at His feet and cast our anxieties on Him because He cares for us. And one of my favorite promises, that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, His love for us is unchanging and nothing we do can separate us from the love of Christ. God is good my friends.