Friday, November 5, 2010

Always Joyful



Be joyful always;

1 Thessalonians 5:16



Paul tells the Thessalonian believers to do something that seems hard for people, then and now. He says, “Be joyful always;” what does he mean? Can a person be joyful in the face of personal tragedy, financial stress, illness that could become debilitating or even terminal?

When we know the Lord walks with us, guides us through, and comforts us. We can find joy in our circumstances. Sometimes we have to find a little beam of light in the dark times to see our way through. It is this little shaft of light that keeps us able to continue on our path.

For that little bit of light, we are thankful.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Out of My Comfort Zone




“Show me your ways, O Lord,

teach me your paths;

guide me in your truth

and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in You. ” Psalm 25:4-5



On a trip to see friends in the southern part of our state, I did something for the first time in my life. Hubby and his friend were going to take a Jeep ride out across fields on his farm land and adjoining land belonging to his family. I got to go along.

Hubby drove first. The ride was bumpy; the vehicle jerked as he tried to get the 4-wheel dive to work.

When our friend drove, the ride went better. We still had bumpy terrain. But the ride was smoother. We crossed a creek bed in two different places. We made a big circle to get back to the barn.

I found myself thinking about how life can be like this off roading experience. In life we sometimes get pushed out of our comfort zone. We have no clear path to follow. Sometimes life puts things in our way and we become entangled in them.

On that Jeep ride we had fallen branches got in our way, even into our wheels. When we went across the creek bed, we had to descend it’s bank to get across and go up the other side. A couple of times I felt uneasy but, after that, I felt our friend knew what he was doing.

When God takes us out of our comfort zone, we sometime have times of fear and get tied up with things we shouldn’t. But, we learn to relax and rely on our Guide and we see His plan unfold.

The time we spent on that ride gave us a memory. It allowed me to see the beauty of God’s earth from a different perspective. I was in the scene, a small part of what was going on. The blue sky and the cirrus clouds formed a canopy over the fall display of God’s world. We even saw a deer off in the distance as it headed for higher ground.

Monday, November 1, 2010

God, Please Guide Us




Please, Father, guide us as we go through our days. Tomorrow is Election Day, a day set aside for the citizens of our nation to chose who will represent us, make our laws, keep us safe from crime.

We have heard from all those seeking office about their qualifications and why they will do a good job in the office they wish to hold. We also had to listen to several of them bring up their opponent’s past voting record and their pursuits while not in the public forum.

I ask you to guide us, your children, as we chose those who will lead us at each level of government.

We love You, Lord. We want what You want for each of us and for our land.

In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

God Alone

  Jesus and the children at our church's prayer walk.          I will both lie down in peace and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD make ...