Strength in Joy

     Did you know the deep joy of the Lord brings us strength? That joy can catapult us into heaven, allowing God’s light back to earth when we need it most. Nehemiah had a dream. It had been over a hundred years since the destruction of the Jewish temple. God gave him the joy and strength to dream big.

I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2:12a

     Through hard work and prayer, Nehemiah would see his people return to Jerusalem. He and Ezra and other priests read from the book of the Law to encourage the Israelites. The listeners were struck with the thought of being back in the land and they wept. But Nehemiah was ready to celebrate, as we, too, are ready to celebrate and one day soon, we can proclaim these words as our own as we return to the land of normal living once again.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice foods and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

     The joy of the Lord is your strength. Let Him place a dream in your heart and believe!

Lord,

Let Your deep joy fill us during these days of doubt. Place a vivid dream of hope in our hearts as you did for Nehemiah. That dream was fulfilled and You will bring our Godly dreams to reality, a day we can eat and drink and be filled with the strength of Your joy.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Refreshing Joy

     I pray you have friends and family surrounding you with love. God gives us the people we need when we need them. In this time of forced separation, we appreciate one another evenmore. I can’t wait for the day I can celebrate with our kids, gather with extended family, go out to dinner with friends, sit by a bonfire at a cabin or dance at a wedding.

     Never again, (please God) will we take our simple pleasures for granted. Friends and family refresh our souls. Take a minute of prayer and gratitude for your loved ones, the people who love you no matter what, the friends you have known for a lifetime, or a few months. God will bring you refreshment. And how we need it right now!

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. Philemon 1:7

A generous person will prosper. Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed Proverbs 11;25

Lord,

Will you give us the right words of encouragement to refresh each other? We thank You for the friends and family around us. Thank You for the refreshment and joy they bring to our lives. Bring a breath of fresh air to each person reading this blog today. Bless them with refreshment for their souls.

Amen

Joy in the Morning

     This time for all of us is filled with unanswered questions. How long? What’s next? When can we get back to work or school or gather together? Many don’t know how they will make the rent. Others, like our daughter, and so many others, are home with kids while trying to work from home. We all miss being together and this virus continually looms around us and ahead of us.

     God will heal and restore. The cross on Good Friday brought with it death and anguish and loss of hope. No one, on that day, could imagine the resurrection to come. Easter Sunday brought about everlasting joy and the promise of eternal life. God shares our sorrows and understands them. He witnesses our grieving hearts when we lose loved ones and He sits by our side to get us through. His promises bring a renewed hope that joy will, indeed, come.

So it is with you. Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22 

Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5b

You turned my wailing into dancing. You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. Psalm 30:11

     This last month has crept along at a snail-like pace. Can you imagine the dancing, the cheers, the jubilant joy when we are together again? The promise is there, right in front of us. Joy will come in the morning. We will be clothed with joy.

Father,

Your Word recognizes our times of weeping and grief. Life is not easy and these times are tough. Renew our strength and hope as we await the mornings of joy.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Deep-down Joy

     The deep joy of the Lord gives us a continual bounty of blessings for our souls. The circumstances surrounding us may overwhelm everything, as fear and doubt and worry take hold. This week, let’s focus on the joy that is available to us at ALL times, the deep and abiding joy of faith in Christ.

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

     Inexpressible and glorious joy! Our souls are saved and one day, in eternity, we will be clothed with our eternal bodies forever. Let that deep faith bring you joy. The joy of the Lord, as we will see this week, offers refreshment and strength. God’s love can overcome our troubled hearts.

I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:7

Lord,

We rejoice in our souls today for knowing You. You give us unending joy in Your presence. Lift up our spirits with Your love and with the joy that brings comfort.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Beyond

     Remember, God is so far beyond our lives, we will never completely comprehend His ways. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. He reminds us of this: His ways are far higher than ours.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

     Those words are comforting to me. God’s ways are eternal, far beyond our lives. To Him, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day (2 Peter 3:8).  He gives us enough. He provides what we need for life in His word. Everything He offers is sufficient. There is enough grace for each day. Everything else, we can leave up to Him and His mighty ways.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons and daughters forever, that we may observe all the words of the law. Deuteronomy 29:19

     To think that our magnificent, miraculous God loves us enough to use us for His eternal purposes. Soon, we will be with Him. His second coming could be soon. The signs are all around us. In the meantime, let’s shine!

When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28

Father,

We lift up our heads as we move closer to eternity. Give us hope and purpose and help us to be grateful for the time we have today. Most of all, we thank You for being with us. Your gifts to us each day are all around us and we thank You. Protect our friends and our families as we look beyond.

In Jesus name,

Amen

    

Behind

     Not only is God preparing the way before us, not only is He walking beside us, blessing us with His presence, He walks behind us with gentle nudges. Nudges of warning, nudges to turn right or left, nudges to let someone or something go, nudges to keep moving, even though the path ahead appears treacherous.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

     Knowledge of God and His word will bring us more confidence as we continue to maneuver through life. Hearing Him above the noise and distractions around us is no easy task. I find it interesting that this world-wide shut down coincided with the holiest weeks of both the Christian and Jewish faiths.

     As a father disciplines his children, so our Father disciplines us. Maybe we all needed a time out. I know I did. His voice is right behind us, urging us on, giving us more zest and passion for this life. Listen.

My sheep listen to My voice. I know them and they follow Me. John 10:27

 Lord,

As you speak to us, we need to listen. As you guide us, we need to follow. As you discipline us, we need to learn the lessons You are willing to teach. Build up our strength to have confidence in Your voice above all others. Make our time with You more precious than silver and gold.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Beside

     We need people in our lives to walk beside us, to love us. Life is better when it is shared. Our joys are doubled and our sorrows are halved. God can be our closest companion. When we are lonely, He is beside us, always present. His righteous right hand lifts us up and gives us strength.

You make known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Psalm 16:11

     The presence of God will never, ever leave us. We will be by His side through all eternity. Several friends have lost loved ones over the last three weeks. Grief is a long journey, and not being able to celebrate the life of a loved one with others, compounds that grief. But knowing where they are, brings us back to hope and the knowledge that we will be with them again. For now, God will hold us up when we can’t do it alone.

So, do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

Father,

Comfort those who grieve. Give them hope and peace. Stay right beside them with Your eternal love.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Before

     It comforts me to know God is not surprised by what is happening around us. He knows the end from the beginning and His purposes will stand. His promises are all true. Remember, he walks before us with answers. He understands the path we are on. He lights the way. He opens new doors. His footsteps are ahead, forging a way.

The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid and do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

     All we need to do is follow.

When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. John 10:4

     Think about God surrounding you on all sides, never leaving you, never tiring of hearing your voice, loving you unconditionally.

You hem me in behind and before and you lay your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5

     Feel God’s hand upon you as a blessing. You are His beloved child. He will never leave you. He is just ahead making a way.

Jesus,

Thank You for fighting for us. You are before us. And you hem us in with your arms of love. We are blessed.

Amen

Be

    God has been bringing Scriptures to my attention, one after the other, on being still, being quiet, speaking less, listening more. Maybe a lesson to be taken from this time of shutting down? This week let’s take a look at the Bible and just “be” for just these few minutes.

     In addition to the verses today, for the rest of the week, be aware of God’s presence surrounding you with love and peace. He hems us in from before, from beside, from behind and beyond. What a gift to take in as we struggle in our minds, bodies and souls, during a time of upheaval and confusion and sickness, yearning for a return to our normal lives.

     Be certain of this. God will get us through. In the meantime, take some time to be still.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a

Yes, my soul, find rest in God. My hope comes from Him. Psalm 62:5

     Believe with me that God has this in control. He will win the battle for us. Let’s wait with hope.

The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 1 Samuel 12:16    

     God is fighting for us. Wait with expectation. We need only to be still for a while. And finding rest in Him will leave our souls in a quiet place. Let all be well with your soul.

Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:4

Dear Father in heaven,

Lead us to the quiet place in our souls where we find peace and rest in spite of what is swirling around us. Guide us to use this time wisely as we sit and listen for Your voice and as we experience Your presence all around us. Keep fighting for us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Peace

     There is a certain peacefulness about this time. Quiet streets, extra time, schedules clear, refreshing walks as our daily escape Time for true worship and study. Time to focus and think. Many people don’t like to be alone or in quiet spaces. My husband and I, maybe some of you, too, love solitude and quiet.

     This time may be causing you to be a bit stir crazy, but try to savor the moments. God can bring peace through noise and chaos, through upheaval and turbulence, but in the quiet, we can actually listen. What is His voice saying to you? Jesus brings calm in the storm.

He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:19

     I realize this time is far more challenging for those of you who gain energy being around people and places and keeping busy. The quiet can be unnerving for many of us. I pray God brings peace to your hearts and peace to your souls and peace to your minds as we navigate through to the other side of this crisis. You are loved.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in You. Isaiah 26”3

Lord,

Give us Your peace that is not of this world. Only You can give us the deep peace that transcends understanding. (Philippians 4) You tell us not to worry. Take away our anxiety. We need Your peace.

Amen

Passion and Power

     Faith in Jesus provides the best, most passionate life. His love drives us beyond ourselves to a focus above us and outside of us. The perspective God shares with us about ourselves, and what he can do through us, is invaluable. His vision is eternally-bound and yet He understands our earthly living.

     Our temporal circumstances can be so difficult, so traumatic and so overwhelming, but Christ rises above them all. His love encompasses our lives and beyond. Trust Him for the answers, trust Him to use your suffering for His good, trust Him to shower you with the power of heaven. We can do all things with Jesus.

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

     Everything was made through Him and for Him, and with our faith, we can move the mountains in our way.

For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

     Think we can keep the faith and trust our Lord? All things are held together because of Him. The sun every morning? The air we breathe? The rain, the stars and the moon? Yep, it’s Jesus. Trust Him with your life and He will see you through today, tomorrow and forever. The very Spirit of God lives within us.

Lord,

We trust You. We know You are sovereign over all things. Everything is held together because of You. Remind us of Your strength. Use us for Your eternal purposes. That heavenly power is within us through Your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Prayer

     It’s easy to get in the habit of using prayer as a last resort. When we have used up our strength, when we don’t know where to turn, when control is taken away, we turn to God. Our Savior does not want our prayers to be the last line of defense, but the first. Prayer has the power to move the hand that rules the earth.

     Allow God into your world this week. Thank Him for the little things. Praise Him for the breath of life. Pray for our country. Pray for our leaders. Pray for rain or for sunshine or for healing or for comfort. Pray for your family. God is near to your heart. He cares for you.

Come near to God and He will come near to you…James 4:8a

Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

     Come near to God. He cares for you so much. Let Him in. Ask for help. Cast your cares and worries on His mighty shoulders. He is right there.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Father,

Remind us to be in constant contact with You. You never leave our side, even when You seem to be far away. Help us to lean on You today with everything on our hearts.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Perspective

     One day we will look back at this time. I don’t know about you, but God has brought wisdom, understanding, compassion and miracles through the deepest suffering in my life. Can you relate?

     Perspective takes time, often a lifetime. What will we release after this time of quarantine? What will we keep? What have we learned? We sure have the time to ponder the deep questions in life. What do we value most and how can we keep our focus set on those values and not on the trivial, the surface, the unimportant?

     The Bible reminds us of this: It all reduces down to love. Jesus lets us know how others will identify His followers.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

     And, He boiled down all of the commandments to these:

He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

     Let’s be different when all is said and done. It is exhausting to hear the hate around us. I wish we could all come together, as one nation under God and figure this out. Love God. Love your neighbor. Perspective. How should we live?

Lord,

Help us to be more like You. It’s a rough time for the entire world right now. We wish everyone knew Your kind of love and that it would spread like wildfire, with the contagion of this deadly virus. Your kind of love saves us. It saves souls.

Amen

Perseverance

     How are you doing mentally and physically through this time? Our Governor just extended our time of captivity. As we await the days when we can gather with our loved ones, how do we cope? Luckily for us, we live in a time of technology and creativity. Connecting on computers with friends and family will help get us through. We have talked through windows, met on Zoom and Facetime, talked across a yard or over a walking path.

     It’s tough. I long to hug my daughters and their families and our friends. I have always been a hugger by nature My husband will tell you I am a bit more clingy than usual! The apostle Paul knew deep suffering, much more severe than this time in our lives.

     You can read about just some of what he experienced in the 11^th chapter of 2 Corinthians. He was stoned and whipped, he was shipwrecked, dealt with starvation and imprisonment. And he never gave up singing for joy because of Jesus. He knew the end of the story. And he persevered.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me, heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance’ perseverance, character; and character hope. Romans 5:3-4

     We can do this! Remain grateful to all of those keeping us safe and fed. Such sacrifice they have shown us! Press on. Persevere. Listen. Find hope. There will be light at the end of this dark time in our history.

Lord,

Thank You for the words Paul gives us. Because He knew You and counted on Your presence, he persevered through so much. We can, too. Be with us. Give us answers. Give us peace and keep us filled with hope.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Hallelujah!

     Jesus knew why He had come to earth. He understood what He would have to endure. And He did it for you and me.  As He entered Jerusalem on this holy week, over two thousand years ago, He knew.

As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set His face toward Jerusalem. Luke 9;51

     If you are suffering today, Jesus understands. He was tempted in every way. He suffered all of what we suffer, all of it, and took it on His shoulders over those agonizing hours. But His face was resolutely set for the time had come. Do you know what He saw as He went to His death? He saw us!

     He endured it all for us!  Listen to these precious words.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

     He saw joy beyond the cross. He yearned to be with us and He needed to die for us, the one and only Son, the one and only sinless man. His words on the cross say it all.

When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit. John 19;10

Jesus,

The finished work of the cross, once and for all. We believe and we are heaven bound. We can also endure what life holds in the anticipation of the joy that awaits us. We set our faces resolutely toward heaven. Easter will come. Hallelujah!  He is risen!

Amen

Have a blessed Easter!

Heavenward

     Each one of us is on a journey. God’s plan includes each and every one of us. He loves us. He understands us. He will use us with all of our quirks and failures. He knows us intimately inside and out. He has given you gifts uniquely suited to you and no one else. Have confidence in Christ and His power within you.

     If you haven’t met Jesus, seek Him today. Ask Him to meet you where you are. Accept His life, death and resurrection as truth and believe!  That’s it! Don’t buy into rules and regulations, into legalism or doctrine, into denominational traditions. Just believe!  Here are some wonderful Scripture verses to keep in your heart.

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:9

     Believe and you are eternally saved. It is a gift from God, all of it a free gift, accepted with faith, through His everlasting grace.

Lord,

We try to complicate Your gift to us, because we know we don’t deserve it. That kind of love is hard to take it. Turn many hearts to You during this time. You promise joy and hope through it all.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Hosanna

     The followers of Jesus knew Him to be the Messiah, the one who would set up His kingdom of heaven on earth. They knew it and they awaited it. As Jesus made His way, knowing He would soon face His suffering and death, hundreds of people gathered and welcomed Him with praise.

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Mark 11:9

     When Jesus was arrested, as He was led to His death, all but one of His disciples deserted Him. With all they had seen, with their devotion and adoration, they could not see to the other side of the cross, even though Christ Himself had tried to explain. (Matthew 16 Luke 9)

     We know the truth. The darkness of good Friday, the suffering and death, would lead to the light of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus! Because He is living, so too, will we. Eternity awaits. It puts this very short life in perspective.

Hosanna in the highest! Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Father,

We are blessed to live on this side of the cross, to have the full knowledge, the inspired Word of God at our fingertips. Keep us humble. Keep us in praise. Keep us mindful of what You have given us. We praise You today!

In Jesus name,

Amen

Humility

     Crises, like the one the world faces right now, bring us to our knees. I saw a moving picture of a group of ER doctors in New York, kneeling in a large circle outside their hospital, praying and seeking God’s help..

     When we come to the end of ourselves, when we suffer greatly, when we see the full glory of God, it humbles us. Humility is the place we begin to find Jesus. And He is waiting with open arms.

     When the prophet Isaiah was allowed to see inside the throne room of God, here is his response:

“Woe is me,” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6:5

     Seeing ourselves compared to a holy God allows us to recognize our great need for Him. What a beautiful spot to give ourselves to God, a place of humble surrender. As Jesus began to call His disciples and they began to understand just who He was, they responded like Peter:

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord. I am a sinful man!” Luke 5:8

     Recognizing God’s holiness, seeing Jesus for who He is and what He has done, brings us to humility. This is where we seek Him and this is where we begin and this is what He will do.

Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up. James 4:10

     Let God fill the needs of your soul today. Allow Him to lift you up. Ask Him to meet you right where you are and feel His holy presence wrapping you in His mighty arms of protection.

Father,

We kneel before You. Heal our land. Heal our souls. Heal those who are sick. We need You.

Amen

Holiness

     This is our holy week, where we follow the footsteps of Jesus as He moves resolutely to the cross. He came for us. He died for us. His resurrection makes it possible for us to be connected with our holy God and to live eternally. Let’s remind ourselves of His holiness.

     Isaiah, Hannah and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are just a sampling of the many shown in the Bible to have witnessed the glory of God. Some saw angels, others were escorted into the very throne room of God. What will be our reaction when in the presence of God?

And they were calling to one another saying, “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord Almighty, the earth is full of His glory!” Isaiah 6:3

“There is no one holy like the Lord, there is no one besides You, there is no Rock like our God.”1 Samuel 2:2

“For the mighty one has done great things for me-Holy is His name.” Luke 1:49

     Recognizing the holiness of God is a great place to begin this week. God is holy. There is no way to His holiness, other than one. It is Jesus.

Father,

The magnitude of who You are and what You have given us is awe-inspiring and miraculous. Take us on a journey this week as we witness Your Son, Your one and only Son, sent to save us, full of grace ant truth.

Holy is His name,

Amen

Return

     Jesus understands you, right where you are. He accepts you just as you are and He is available 24/7.  When we are sleepless, he is awake.

He will not let your foot slip-He who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:3-4

     When we lose our faith, He remains faithful. There are verses in the book of Lamentations (chapter 3) that remind us. His mercy is new every day. The titles of the blogs this week have all begun with the prefix, “re” meaning again and again and again. Sometimes, I wonder how God puts up with me. And He says to me over and over again.

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11;28

     He continually redeems, renews and refreshes our souls, again and again and again. The well never runs dry.

“Whoever believes in me as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

     Watch for the renewal around you this spring, in creation and in the hearts of men and women of faith. Be refreshed and nourished with the living water of Jesus.

Lord,

Your patience with us never ends. You love us unconditionally and always want the best for us. We ask for that living water to satisfy our weary hearts and souls.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Refreshed

     I saw someone share on Facebook that God is sending us to our rooms for awhile. Well, we certainly deserve it, don’t we? Our sports and our busy lives, our celebrities, our technology, often take precedence over Him. He yearns for a deep relationship with each of us. He paid the price for us as the mediator between a holy God and us.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man, Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5

     Because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we are reconciled forever with God. What a gift! The good news is too much to take in. Because of this sacrificial love, we can move boldly right into the heavenly throne room of God.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find peace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

     Go boldly and with confidence to God and give him your worries, your doubts, your uneasiness, your fear. We definitely have the time to sit with Him awhile. His mercy is strong enough to return us to peace over and over again. Let your soul be refreshed.

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Jeremiah 31;25

Lord,

We know you are there, but sometimes our distractions and our busyness move us into places of fear. This time for all of us is difficult, but You understand. Bring us back to You. Jesus lived among us and was tempted in every way. The only sinless man to walk the earth and He paid the price for us.

Amen

    

Rebirth

     As we look to creation around us this spring, new life can offer inspiration to our weary hearts. Jesus redeems and renews.  He offers rebirth, a new way to live. As a believer for 30 years, I have seen the transforming power of Jesus over and over again. He saved my brother, Jim, as his body gave way to Parkinson’s. People came around him in miraculous, mind-blowing ways and he could no longer deny and turn from the presence of the God who longed to save him.

     I have seen His power in redeeming addicts over and over again, changing lives for His glory. I have witnessed His peace as I ministered in crisis care. This peace and joy of our Lord could be seen in the faces of those in hospice care, of those grieving the loss of their spouse or child, in dealing with cancer, and the list goes on. The spiritual power of Christ gives us this deep peace, unlike anything on earth. His love is over-powering, sacrificial and ever-present.

     I pray for you who read this blog and I pray, always, that God’s word will bring you that peace and joy and hope and love, through everything life throws at us. Do you feel it right now? Let your heart be renewed, bringing fresh hope.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

     I give you this last verse as a blessing over you today.

May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Amen!