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I went on a road trip with my sister this week. It’s been years since we’ve had that kind of time—just the two of us in a car, no schedule, no interruptions, no rush. After we got home, she sent me a sweet message:

“It was great getting to know each other better.”

I had to smile at that. I mean, we shared a bedroom growing up—shared a bed, even. You’d think we’d have each other figured out by now. But life has this way of pulling us in different directions, doesn’t it? Days turn into decades, and before you know it, the people you love most are familiar strangers. That’s why this trip meant so much. Somewhere between the long stretch of highway and the laughter over chips and salsa, something deeper settled in.

We remembered.

Not just stories or inside jokes—but the quiet ways God has held us through the years. I thought back to the mid-70s—just two young girls kneeling on the orange carpet in our basement, giving our hearts to Jesus with all the sincerity our little hearts could hold. And then I thought about this week—two grown women still riding side by side, still held by the same faithful God.

Some seasons were sweet—marked by clear answers to prayer, moments that made us want to raise our hands and shout hallelujah! Others… well, they left us wondering. Why that loss? Why that long wait? Why did it have to happen that way? But whether we saw it clearly or not, His hand was always on us. Guiding. Correcting. Providing. Loving us too much to let us go.

Nehemiah chapter 9 reminds us just how life-giving this remembering can be. The Levites led them in a prayer that stretched all the way back to creation. They remembered how God called Abraham, rescued them from slavery, gave them the Law, and carried them through the wilderness.

And here’s what I love—they didn’t skip the hard parts. They didn’t gloss over their disobedience or hide their rebellion. They laid it all out there. But even as they remembered their failures, they saw God’s mercy woven through every page.

Over and over again, Scripture says:

“But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” (Nehemiah 9:17, NIV)

That’s the heart of remembering—not to wallow in regret, but to recognize how faithful God has been despite it all.

Israel’s reflection wasn’t a history lesson. It was a spiritual lifeline. It reminded them of who God was and who they were because of Him. That perspective gave them strength for the challenges in front of them. And the same is true for us today.

So let me ask you this: When’s the last time you looked back—not with shame, but with gratitude?

 Remember the times He provided when you had no idea how ends would meet.
Remember the moments when peace filled a room that felt anything but peaceful.
Remember the quiet whispers of reassurance, the answered prayers, the closed doors that protected you even if you didn’t see it then. 

It’s in the looking back that we remember His promises are true.

It’s in the remembering that our faith gets stronger.

And it’s in the retelling that His glory is made known—again and again.

God hasn’t changed, friend. The same faithful God who brought you this far will bring you much further yet. When we take time to remember, our worship deepens, our trust expands, and our obedience becomes a joyful response to His never-failing love.

This Week’s Printable

Here is this week’s printable. Click the image to view and print a higher resolution.