Friday, January 4, 2019

Anticipating Hope

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Not only that but we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that sufferings produce endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

Paul gives the Roman Christians sage wisdom in this passage.

“we rejoice in our sufferings,”

Wait a minute! None of us like to rejoice when we are ill. I, personally, didn’t rejoice when I severely broke my ankle and was out of commission for almost five months. No one enjoys being ill or incapacitated.

“sufferings produce endurance,”

When we experience difficulties of health crises, interpersonal issues, or financial backsets, we learn to weather the storm and wait for the situation to get better or we find a ‘new normal’. This is called endurance.

“endurance produces character”

When we wait out the issues that lay before us, we find we have unknown strength. We become different people because of these new strengths.

“character produces hope,”

When our character and that new strength takes hold of our hearts, we begin to see things in a better light than before. We have a better rein on our emotions.

“hope does not put us to shame,”

Hope brings a positive outlook of our future. It causes people to have better feelings about their futures and what comes into their daily lives. Believers in Christ know that God is in control of all the circumstances of their lives.

“God’s love has been poured into our hearts”

We receive God’s love when we ask Jesus into our hearts and lives. We become His vessels, His representatives here on earth.

“through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

God’s work in this age is done by the person He sent to us after He received Jesus back into heaven. The Holy Spirit guides us through our lives as we go through each day.


Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Looking Ahead into a New Year


 
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Happy New Year to you.

My plans and goals for 2019 are simple. I will continue to have a topic each month for my blog posts. However, I will be posting on Tuesdays and Fridays. I plan on being more faithful with posting on my website, cecelialester.com/  I also will have scheduled blog breaks throughout the year. I have found that doing this refreshes me.

Weather permitting, I will continue to take God’s Word to the local nursing home where I received rehab treatments in 2015. I am tentatively scheduled for two times a month.

I await a decision about my taking God’s Word to the Alzheimer’s building at a healthcare campus near our church. Please pray for me about these outreach efforts.

My word for 2019 is FAITH. After a time of introspection, I have realized that my faith, while becoming deeper, needs to be growing as I continue to live for Christ in this world.

I will follow God’s leading, as He leads through the Holy Spirit, in all I write.


Peace and blessings to each of you as we begin 2019.

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 ...