Feeling Stressed Today?

Satan is alive and well and working in the world in which we live. How do we handle all of the stuff he throws at us? Scripture says that he prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8) Will that be us today?

People deal with stress in different ways. Some drink alcohol, some use drugs. Others meditate or try to think happy thoughts. What do YOU do? Have you tried reading the Bible? Have you tried meditating on God's Word or the blessings He has given us?

Wellness books are all the craze these days. Their authors must think we have a lot to be mindful about, and we do. But the thing we have to be mindful about is not our feelings, fluffy white clouds, listening to ourselves breathe, or what kind of tree do we think we are. We need to be mindful about the things of God.

"3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" - Psalm 8:3-4

Let's consider the tree for a moment. Why do they basically look the same above ground as they do below ground? Who designed them anyway? God. How do they turn the carbon dioxide into oxygen? They take our "waste" and make it something we need to survive? Who does that? God. 

We spend so much time trying to soothe ourselves; trying to be mindful of our own well-being. Perhaps, if we were more mindful of God, everything else would just fall into place.

Birthday Lesson

This old man recently celebrated his 68th birthday. The best gift I received was not from family or friends. It was from God, in the form of a lesson.

The world we live in is full of distractions. Things that entice us away from God. Temptations. Gee, I wonder where THOSE things come from? Could it be . . . Satan? Yes!

We love to celebrate ourselves in this world. Every time I turn on the television it seems like there is one kind of award show or another. There are talent shows that demonstrate to OURSELVES how great WE are and all the talent that WE have. What about God?

I have over 600 friends on Facebook. Not bragging. Just a number. How many of them do you think would take the time to wish me a happy birthday? It used to be dozens upon dozens. Now it's ONE dozen, if that. Everyone gets distracted and busy with their own lives.

But look at the lesson this gives us! How distracted do we become in our relationship with God? Did the Jews always remember to keep all of the festivals? Nope. They were forever turning their back on God. What was God's reaction?

Yes, God punished them. He was trying to teach them something, like a father teaches his son. But what was the end result of Israel's disobedience? Repentance and forgiveness and then the welcoming arms of God as His children returned to Him. And then the blessings came.

The thing I learned this year, as I turned another year older, was just how precious love is. And our ability to love others. Love is a choice. Who can we love today?

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21

"Let each esteem others better than himself." - Philippians 2:3

"Forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead." - Philippians 3:4

"I have learned that, whatever state I am in, to be content." - Philippians 4:11

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

Praying In God's Will

I think that God is getting lots of prayers these days. If it's not our misfiring government, it's Covid-19, mass murderers, China, failing relationships, on and on and on. Yet God hears the prayers of the righteous. He hears the prayers of those who have placed their faith in His Son, Jesus.

It is up to God whether He answers our prayers or not. It's His will, not ours, that determines if prayers get answered. God takes our prayers and examines them. He examines our hearts along with them. He knows our thoughts and our motives.

Do you remember the story about the friends of a paralyzed man who lowered him through the roof to be healed by Jesus? Look closely at what Jesus says.

"Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” - Luke 5:18-20

Jesus forgave the paralytic's sins first, THEN He healed him to make a point to the Pharisees.

I have a friend whose sister-in-law in lying in a hospital bed this morning with Covid-related pneumonia. At last word she was unresponsive. What should my prayer be? Look at our example in Luke 5.

I think that the first thing we need to pray for is that people come to know Jesus. When we place our faith in Him, that's when things begin to happen. Verse 20 above says "when Jesus saw their faith."

Jesus "sees our faith" when we pray. Unless we have none to see. The men in the passage we read had so much faith in Jesus' ability that they tore a hole in the roof to deliver their friend to Him. Is that us in our prayers? Are we that desperate when we pray?

Look, Jesus can heal anybody. That's been proven in scripture. The question becomes, "Will He?" It's totally up to Him. He knows the future. He IS the future. His first criteria in answer prayer or in healing the sick is a person's faith. We need to express that faith as we pray.

We need to KNOW Christ. We need to trust Him, that no matter the outcome, it is God's will. And we have to be fine with that. Trust in Jesus. Have faith that He can accomplish anything. And hope in His promise that He wishes that NONE would perish. Everlasting life awaits all who believe.

The Miracles of God

As we approach Easter, the celebration of God's raising Jesus from the dead, it seems like a fitting time to reflect on God and His performing miracles in people's lives.

A few weeks ago I wrote a story about meeting a friend of mine on a rural road near our house. The story was about my friend's battle with cancer and his dealing with the terminal nature of his brain tumor.

To briefly recap, his doctors had given him a few months to live. He had already contacted people about serving as pall bearers at his funeral. The end was pretty much in site, Then this Facebook post last night . . .

"Hey guys, I got the results of my MRI..."

Then this these.

"I'm CURED through Christ!"

"They are amazed. Like it never happened."

And then this.

"It's a miracle from God"

And that it is!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

King Hezekiah was told that his life would soon be coming to an end. Hezekiah prayed and wept. God heard his prayer and extended Hezekiah's life. A miracle! A gift from God!!

"In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ”

2Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5“Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. 6I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” - Isaiah 38:1-6

Some people mock Christians for our faith. but look at my friend Paul, suddenly cancer free. We pray, we seek help from a great God who saves. Some people "trust in the science." They trust their doctors. But as for me and my Christian brothers and sisters, we trust in the Lord!

Lord, we thank you and praise you for hearing our prayers. There is NO ONE like You!!

Our God - Chris Tomlin

The Future

Consider these two commands from Jesus. If we are to be obeying Jesus in our faith, why are we not doing what He says. What He commands!

"Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

14Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there." - Matthew 19:13-15

"Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world." Did you just sing that like I did?

It's obvious Jesus loved children. I wonder how we got to the point where we thought it was okay to kill them in the womb. We've strayed so far.

Everyone loved pictures of new-born babies. Yet our society tells us that it's okay to kill them the day before they were born. Why?

The only answer I can come up with is Satan. If "Jesus loves the little children," Satan must hate them. Satan is anti-Christ.

Abortion is a spiritual battle, not a political one. Satan is pro-abortion. Jesus is anti-abortion. Spiritual.

Our current president is Joe Biden. He is a Democrat. Democrats traditionally support abortion. They call abortion "a woman's right to choose." They feel that babies in the womb have no rights at all but, once they are born, all politicians love to kiss them.

I wonder. I am willing to bet that if a poll was taken of all unborn babies, 100% of them would be pro-life. Just a theory.

Should someone asks me if I am pro-choice, my answer is based on my faith, not on politics. I would tell them about Jesus and the love He has for ALL people.

I'm with Him.

Jesus Loves The Little Children - The Chosen

Into Your Hands

Perhaps it is the times in which we live that made these words stand out so boldly in my reading. "Into Your hands I commit my spirit." Those were the last words of Jesus before He died. But then, He lived! He rose from the dead. An example to us about our level of commitment?

What does it mean to be a Christian? Is it just going to church on Sundays and praying before meals? Or is it something more?

"When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A man with leprosy a came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy." - Matthew 8:1-3

How committed are we in our faith? What are we willing to do for God? Are we willing to serve as a volunteer at a Covid-19 vaccination site? Helping distribute food at a food pantry? Are we willing to die, like Jesus did? What is present day Christianity supposed to look like?

Using Jesus as our example, it seems obvious that we should be loving and serving others - our neighbors. But I think our willingness must go deeper than that.

"As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” - Luke 21:1-4

What would it look like if each of us "gave all we had?" If you have your Bible handy, open it to Luke 9 and read the first four words of verse 47. They read, "Jesus, knowing their thoughts...."

Have we given everything to God? Even our thoughts? There is a spiritual battle taking place for our souls. Right now. Scripture says that Satan prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Is he wandering around in our heads? Yes!

We need to remember whose we are. Christians belong to the Lord! Paul called himself a "slave to Christ." Shouldn't that be us?

How will we be obedient today? How can we make God proud? I think it's by loving others, MORE than we love ourselves.

Sacrifice. Love. Obedience. Grace. Truth.

Don't those words define Jesus? They should also define us.

The Prodigal Disc

Incoming texts from unknown phone numbers usually go right into the trash, but the one I received last fall was different. The message simply said, "I found your Wraith."

"My Wraith?" I thought. "I didn't lose a Wrai . . ." Wait a minute. I DID lose a Wraith. A year ago!

I lost my disc when my wife and I were vacationing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A year ago! And now it had been found over 400 miles away from where I lost it! That's amazing!!

There are two reasons I am getting my disc back. The first is because I took the time to write my name and phone number on the disc, in case it ever got lost. The second reason I got my lost disc back is because the person who found it was thoughtful enough to call the number.

When we get lost in life, held captive by the unseen forces at working in this sin-filled world, we don't have a phone number written on our foreheads. If someone finds us wandering around somewhere, lost, how will we ever get returned to our rightful owner?

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him. 11In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." - Ephesians 1:7-13

If we have been identified "in Christ", if God is "our owner", we WILL be found and returned to our home.

Do you have His identifying mark on your heart? Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior? It is the only way you will be able to get back home.

Another note to add to this story, which I wrote last fall, hoping I would soon be getting my disc back. My sister picked up the long lost disc this past weekend. There IS a difference between HOPING I will get something and KNOWING I will get something. KNOW Jesus. It's way better than only thinking you know Him.

Dessert

When my wife and I went on an Alaskan cruise for our 30th wedding anniversary we were given some advice. "Eat the dessert first, in case the ship sinks." Funny. But good advice.

When people ask me about reading the Bible I always suggest they read the Book of John first. Same advice.

I usually refer to The New Testament as "dessert" whenever I am reading through the Bible. The Old Testament is good and all, but the New Testament is Jesus! The dessert buffet!

I love reading the words of Jesus - our King and Savior. It seems like Jesus was always teaching just one step beyond what the Pharisees and The Law of the Old Testament had in mind. Here's an example that I just read the other day.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:43 - 45

One step beyond people's thinking at the time.

Are we thinking and living that "one-step-beyond" life? Are we living our lives and telling others about the dessert buffet of Jesus? I need to do a better job of that. I spend more time eating the desserts of His Word than telling other people where the buffet line starts.

We need to first embrace His Word, then devour it. But we also need to tell others about it. How did WE come to know Christ? Didn't someone tell US? The dessert of The Gospel is what everyone needs to hear. But they do need to HEAR it.

Feelings

The problem with society today can be summed up in just one little word -" feelings." I was raised in an age when we got F's in school for bad work and when only the best team got a trophy. There were no "participation trophies" like we have today. And that, my friends, is where our societal problems all began. Our poor little feelings got hurt.

Our country is based on basic precepts found in the Bible. Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not steal. We seem to be getting away from all that these days.

Today, when people "feel" like doing something, they think they should be allowed to do it. Why? Because they FEEL like it. And we let them.

For example, stealing is against God's law. It's against our country's law too, but people are allowed to steal if someone "feels" like they have been wronged. I give you Portland, Minneapolis, and Seattle as examples during the George Floyd riots of last year . . . and again THIS year. People "feel" like they should be allowed to do this. And we let them. Why? Good question. I believe I have found the source.

Back in the mid-70's there was a nauseating song by one-hit wonder, Morris Albert called Feelings. Even today I can still only listen to one verse, max. I have included a link here, if you dare to listen, followed by a link to an antidote song. You're welcome.

Our feelings have gotten in the way of actual truth. And now we are knee-deep in . . . participation trophies.

Sadly, our faith has caught the same sick bug as our society. We have not only brought our feelings into our laws but into our churches as well. We are so concerned about "feeling God's presence" these days. Is that right? Have made Jesus into someone who conforms to OUR image? One that WE have created?

Voddie Baucham once preached a message referring to this modern day Jesus we have created. There's a link to a 5-minute clip below. Voddie referred to our society's Jesus as a "Sissified, Needy Jesus." His description of what that is is followed closely by the actual truth from God's word. Please listen to it, read it and heed it!

Voddie is right. We are all going to stand before Jesus one day. The REAL Jesus. And each one of us will be judged. That judgement will have nothing to do with how Jesus is "feeling" at the moment. It will be a righteous judgement based on the truth of God's Word.

You see, God doesn't need us. We need Him. Jesus IS the truth. David was a murderer and an adulterer. He did what he felt like doing. Until he was found out and repented in guilt and shame. We, and our country, need to do the same.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place." - Psalm 51:1-6

Feelings - Morris Albert

Bad To The Bone - George Thorogood

Sissified Needy Jesus - Voddie Baucham

The Blessings

Blessings from God are wonderful things. We are never able to predict them, they usually come at the weirdest times, and they are always, ALWAYS, something you would never expect.

One of God's many blessings rained down on me Monday around lunchtime as I was driving home from town.

I was in the process of finishing off my amazing KwikTrip Mushroom & Swiss burger (on sale) when I came upon two people walking down the road.

The lady waved. I waved back. Then I noticed it was Jan, a friend of mine from church. She was probably out walking with her son Chris I thought. Nope. It was Paul!

I slammed on the brakes as I passed them and turned around. You see my friend Paul is being treated for a cancerous brain tumor and I hadn't seen him since his diagnosis.

It was SO good to see my friend Paul. So many times I had driven by their house on my way home. "I should really stop and visit Paul." or "I should tell Jan that if she needs anything that I live close by." I never did. But apparently God thought I should do ALL those things so He made it happen. And I'm glad He did.

The three of us stood by the side of the road and talked, and laughed and then laughed some more. Just what all three of us needed. And God therefore provided.

There is a lesson to be learned here. ALWAYS take the time when presented with opportunities to "love your neighbor." You will be blessed. THEY will be blessed. GOD will be blessed.

As evidence of this I give you the faces in this picture. Do you see any signs of a grim diagnosis on their faces? No. All you can see joy! And do you know why? It's because each of us knows a great God who saves.

Look at my friend Paul's face. Two words come to my mind. Gritty determination. Paul hopes to take a trip to Florida to ride on a roller coaster. He'll do it. Gritty determination!

But now two other words are popping into my head and they are the best of all. God's grace.

My friends, if you don't know the Lord, please consider it. There is such joy to be found.

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. 20Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death." - Psalm 68:19-20

Our God Saves - Paul Baloche

C.I.N.O.

During the second impeachment trial of President Trump I heard a new word - RINO. Not the animal. That's spelled r-H-i-n-o. This "RINO" stands for Republican In Name Only. So, what do you think the title of my story means? Ask Judah, the writer of the Book of Jude.

"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." - Jude 1:3-4

Jude is talking about people IN The Church - Christians In Name Only. They call themselves Christians but are really something else - wolves in sheep's clothing.

The first CINO was Judas. He was a follower of Christ. An apostle! Yet Judas betrayed Jesus. He was never really a believer. Someone who was only interested in the money box (John 13:29).

It's not always easy to spot CINO's in church. They say all the right words, for example, but we are called to watch their actions. As Jesus told us in Matthew "judge their fruit" (Matthew 7:16)

For example, Joe Biden professes a strong Catholic faith yet he opposes many of the church's beliefs on abortion and same sex marriage. Is he a CINO? He has been refused communion by his priests because of his beliefs. THEY are judging Joe by his actions, not by his words. Good for them.

Are people who say they are Christians yet don't actually act like one,  are they tarnishing the name of Christ? The answer has to be 'yes' based on these words from Jesus Himself.

"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." - Matthew 12:30

If someone is against Christ he or she is anti-Christ. Hmm.

If we call ourselves Christians, shouldn't we act like one? Jesus called religious leaders of His day liars for not following God's will.

"Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word." - John 8:55

There is your indicator. A Christian always obeys God's Word. Yes, we still screw up and do things against God's will but hopefully we repent of those things and seek God's forgiveness. Otherwise we are living a lie. Trust me, that's NOT good.

Always seek the truth. The truth sets us free. If we LIVE in that truth we will find that we are standing with Jesus.

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

That's a good place to be.

Whittlin'

This looks like a really nice rainbow trout. I wonder where they got it mounted. Answer: they didn't. It's carved out of wood.

Some guy sat down with a boring piece of wood and a knife and he created this beautiful fish.

YOU have been "carved." Whittled into who YOU are. You just don't know it.

Every person on this planet has been shaped and whittled into who they are today, and the process is still going on. Every trial, every success, every challenge we face changes us. It effects our character.

When my dad was a kid he carved his own toys - plane, a dancing man on a stick. Whittlin' is a lost art these days, but some can still do it. God can.

If you watch videos of wood carvers, they usually start out their carvings by looking at a picture. They refer to images constantly, making sure every detail is correct. Tremendous attention to detail. God did that with us. We were created in HIS image.

You are a whittlin' project whether you like it or not, and God is the master carver. We all started out as rather unimpressive "blocks of wood" but then God started working on us and the next thing you know we have been "fearfully and wonderfully made."

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." - Psalm 139:4-6

Sometimes the wood we are made out of has knots in it or little imperfection of one kind or another, but that's what makes us unique. Our imperfections, in the hands of a master carver, can be turned into points of interest in the eyes of the beholder. Don't fear your imperfections, embrace them. They make you who you are.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Fish Carving

Grace

Something happened to me early this morning. I was given a gift by a total stranger. Today's story is about just what it means to give and receive.

As many of you know I love to play disc golf. I run local tournaments and leagues, I teach classes and design courses. Disc golf is part of who I am.

We disc golfers have an app for our phones called UDisc. UDisc is amazing. It keeps track of all of our scores, the courses we have played, and it can tell you where every disc golf course is on the face of the earth!

Well, it was time for me to renew my membership so I followed the link in the app. I was given several payment options, all of which included  giving my credit card information to Google. I really didn't want to do that so I sent them an e-mail asking if I could just send them a check.

This morning I checked my e-mail and there was one from a nice man at UDisc saying that he decided to simply decided to extend my membership for another year. For no reason other than he was feeling like doing something nice that day.

His gift got me to thinking. What grace had I extended to anyone lately? Have I given anyone a gift without thought of reimbursement or recognition? Have I shown compassion for someone I don't even know? All of these things are examples of grace.

Grace-filled gifts are given freely but often they come at a cost for the giver. My UDisc friend's gift cost him an annual renewal fee. He was willing to give up an some income by casting a seed in hopes I would bring in MORE income.

"He has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time," - 2 Timothy 1:9

God has extended grace to all mankind. It is a free gift. All God asks of those who accept His gift is to extend grace toward others by spreading the word about His son Jesus. God's grace cost Him plenty - His one and only Son.

And how do these gifts make me feel? Grateful. Wonderfully grateful. God's gift of grace makes me eternally grateful. It makes me want to spread the word of God's amazing grace. Have you accepted God's amazing gift of grace?

Amazing Grace - Judy Collins

The Parable of The Puzzle

Life can be difficult at times. Sometimes all the pieces don't quite fit together correctly. Other times some of our pieces come up missing. Life also comes in different shapes and sizes and with varying difficulty levels. Some lives seem so simple compared to ours. Life is basically a puzzle.

I like doing jigsaw puzzles. Charles Wysocki is my favorite artist. I can do a 1000-piece puzzle in about a day and a half. Not bragging. Just stating the facts so I can establish some baseline information for my story.

My son-in-law brought me a puzzle this past weekend. He knows what I like! It's only 500 pieces, so it should be pretty easy, right? Wrong. It's a winter landscape. the sky is white, the trees are white, the ground is white. So is the table I am assembling things on! I am currently into day two and I am not even half way done.

Life can be difficult at times too. Relationships as well. I think we all go through difficult times to teach us things. God uses tough times to strengthen our character and to make us into who He wants us to be. He can also use difficult times to make us lean on Him more than we do.

Are you going through a tough time right now? Have you prayed? Have you reached out to God for help? Has God placed anyone in your life for "such a time as this?"

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." - Psalm 46:1

Our biggest struggle in life is often our own pride. WE can do this! WE can handle things on our own. When the easiest thing to do is to reach out to God for help, for strength, for patience.

The jigsaw puzzle I have on our table WILL be completed. There is no doubt in my mind. I'll get through it. And this puzzle has taught me things along the way. How to examine things more closely for subtle shade changes and patterns. We can do the same thing with our lives.

Are you struggling right now? Why? Examine. Do you need help with something? A relationship perhaps? Seek God's help in prayer. Prayer is ALWAYS an excellent place to begin.

I should have prayed before starting this jigsaw puzzle!!

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9