LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: God’s essence exists in every space.

"I tried to get relief by listening to sentimental Christian-ish songs to drum up a different set of emotions, but it never lasted. Dealing on an emotional plane only addressed the surface problem, not the root."
"...In turn, she reminded me of the gospel and paraphrased Romans 8:32. If God chose to save me, if Jesus died to make that happen, did I really think He didn't care or wasn't big enough to handle this current situation? Obviously not, but how quickly I forgot." ~Anon

Psalm 139 has a well-known description of God’s omnipresence:

"Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7-10 ESV)

" There is no “going from” or “fleeing” God, because he is everywhere. He doesn’t just see into every place, but his being exists there. If God’s power—his “hand”—is in every place, then the whole of God’s essence exists in every space, since his power is one aspect of his indivisible essence. All that God is can be found in all places." Anon.

 "The Christian knows no change with regard to God. He may be rich today and poor tomorrow; he may be sick today and well tomorrow; he may be happy today and sad tomorrow--but there is no change regarding his relationship to God. If He loved me yesterday, He loves me today." ~Allistar Begg

Our power to survive challenges resides not in us but with God, who dwells within us. We’re not exempt from the punches that life throws at us nor from the storms that inevitably threaten our stability. But with full confidence in His power to sustain us, we can say with Paul, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).
Join the many travelers through life who through deep waters of pain and suffering embrace with unshakable confidence the truth that God’s grace is sufficient and that in our weakness He is made strong (12:9). It will be the ballast to your soul." —Joe Stowell

"Lord, give me the grace to trust in Your power to ultimately prevail in the midst of the challenges of life. May my trust in You be rewarded by the power of Your overcoming strength."

"How long?" is the cry of God's people through the centuries. It began the day Adam and Eve were barred from Eden, clinging to the hope and promise that one day a Savior would come and crush the head of the serpent. It was a cry echoed by the Hebrews during their tenure of slavery in Egypt. It was David's cry in Psalm 13, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?" (vv. 1–2).
Though the cry was answered with the Son of God's own cry from the cross, "It is finished!" it's still the cry of believers who are waiting for the final consummation of Christ's redemption and restoration. As believers, we live like nomads in a world that is not our own. We live in the in-between—between Christ's ascension and his final return when all things will be made right. The question, "How long?" even rings out in the halls of heaven as the souls of the martyred cry out, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Rev. 6:10).
Whatever our in-betweens are, how do we live while we wait? How do we wait for God to act, to answer prayer, to move in the desperation of our lives? How do we live by faith while we wait to hear if we need another test, for the long hoped for engagement ring, for the entrance exam scores, or for our house to sell? This is where the rubber meets the road in our daily lives." ~ Anonymous read & captured today but can't remember what site.

 

LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: Consider

This Is My Father’s World (Music by Franklin Sheppard; Text by Malthie Babcock)

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, The birds their carols raise,

The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world; He shines in all that’s fair;

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,

Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin;

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

 I am full, having received . . . the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma . . . well pleasing to God. —Philippians 4:18

"I’m grateful that God has given us the sense of smell so we can enjoy the many fragrances of life. I think of how much I enjoy something as simple as the fresh and inviting aroma of after-shave lotion in the morning. Or the mellow smell of fresh-cut grass in the spring. I especially enjoy sitting in the backyard when the delicate scent of my favorite roses fills the air. And then there are the savory aromas of delicious food.
So it catches my attention when the apostle Paul says that our generous acts of love toward others are like a “sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18). When we think of helping those in need, we usually think of it as the right thing to do—or even the Christlike thing to do. But Paul says that our intentional act of reaching out to meet someone’s need actually fills the throne room of God with a fragrance that brings pleasure to Him.

We can please God with the aromas that rise from being a blessing to others! What an added incentive this is for us to perform deeds of kindness in His name.

Who might need your act of kindness today? Ask God to lead you to someone. Be a blessing. It’s a fragrant thing to do! "—Joe Stowell

Blessing others is a blessing to God.
INSIGHT: Paul says, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content . . . . I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (4:11,13). Paul’s contentment came from the sufficiency of knowing Christ, not from the gifts he received from the Philippian believers (vv. 14-17). However, these sacrificial gifts were a “sweet-smelling aroma” to God (v. 18; see Lev. 7:12-15).
Today's Daily Bread

 "Life ought to come with a list of side effects. There should be a tag on every newborn baby saying life can be full of fun and adventure and excitement and joy, but there are side effects. There’s illness . . abuse . . . broken relationships. . . betrayal . . . sorrow . . . loss . . . injuries. . . disappointment . . . heartache . . . crime . . .and death."
~Emile Wolfaardt

 "King David tells us in the verses above (Psalm 139:17-18) that God’s thoughts towards us outnumber the grains of sand. How many grains of sand do you think there are in the world? The University of Hawaii gives us a theoretical number, for to count them all would be impossible.

According to the University of Hawaii’s answer:

There are seven quintillion five quadrillion grains of sand on all the beaches of the world. That’s a 75 with 17 zeros following! God has more than 7,500,000,000,000,000,000 good thoughts about you.

You can say, “I am not good. I make mistakes. I am not perfect. How can God have so many good thoughts about me?” God created you. You were His idea."
~Can't remember who

LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: Focus

Even though powerful princes conspire against me, I fix my mind on what You require. Yes, Your testimonies are my joy; they are like the friends I seek for counsel. – Psalm 119:23-24

 Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

"Life has its’ ups and downs, and we are all sometimes faced with different challenges. Sometimes it seems like it’s just one thing after another… It may seem like we are met with difficulties on every side. When going through hard times, we may be tempted to think God has abandoned us. Dear Friends, nothing could be further from the truth. Going through hard times does not mean God has abandoned us, or that God doesn’t love us, or that God doesn’t care about us. Absolutely not! God has promised He will never leave us or forsake us. As long as God is with us, we have nothing to fear! Yes, the road may be tough, rough and disappointing sometimes, but by God’s grace we will experience God’s peace as we travel our unique paths if we fix our eyes on God. Yes, God is with us through it all. Remember the story of Joseph? Through it all, through the ups and downs, God was with Him. This is what Joseph drew his confidence and peace from. Joseph fixed his eyes on God. Everything he did always had God at the center of it. And by God’s grace, he made it. God brought him through it all, God matured him spiritually in the process, and God’s name was glorified in his life. I want to encourage you today. I don’t know what you are going through. But please, don’t fix your eyes on your circumstances and what you see, which is only temporary (see scriptures below). Instead, fix your eyes on God, who is unseen, yet constant, permanent, eternal and unchanging. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith; Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. It is well! God is with us… It is well!"
~JollyNotes.com-Inspiration for Joyful Living

 "The Christian faith is meant to be lived moment by moment. It isn't some broad, general outline—it's a long walk with a real Person. Daily details count: checking in with God often, not hogging the spotlight, small sacrifices, frequent thoughts about Jesus, giving credit where it's due, a few uplifting words, a kind deed while no one’s watching, and brief victories over nagging sins. Such daily actions are the measuring rod of our walk with Christ." —Joni Eareckson Tada

"Praise should be proportionate to it's object, therefore, let it be infinate when rendered unto the Lord.
We cannot praise him too much, too often, too zealously, too carefully, too joyfully."
~Spurgeon (1834-1892)

LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: One Day At A Time

One Day at a Time
One day at a time, with its failures and fears,
With its hurts and mistakes, with its weakness and tears,
With its portion of pain and its burden of care; 

One day at a time we must meet and must bear.
One day at a time to be patient and strong,
To be calm under trial and sweet under wrong;
Then its toiling shall pass and its sorrow shall cease; 

It shall darken and die, and the night shall bring peace.
One day at a time - but the day is so long,
And the heart is not brave, and the soul is not strong,
O Thou pitiful Christ, be Thou near all the way; 

Give courage and patience and strength for the day.
Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet;
"Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet;
I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve;

I will not forsake thee; I never will leave."
Not yesterday's load we are called on to bear,
Nor the morrow's uncertain and shadowy care;
Why should we look forward or back with dismay?

Our needs, as our mercies, are but for the day.
One day at a time, and the day is His day;
He hath numbered its hours, though they haste or delay.
His grace is sufficient; we walk not alone;

As the day, so the strength that He giveth His own.
—Annie Johnson Flint

"Are you discouraged because you are intimately aware of your weaknesses, your temptations? And the desires and circumstances that pull at your thinking?
Take heart child of God! Why downcast oh your soul?! God has not left you nor forsaken you in your valley.
Instead of aquiring such focus and knowledge on your failures and weaknesses... Instead let knowledge of your Savior consume your thinking.
My dear husband says "of course you will be depressed when you look at yourself, your a sinner, what do you expect?"
Let me ask you this? Do you believe in the sufficiency of Scripture? Do you believe the truth of 2 Peter 1:3, that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness?
Then when the cords of your feelings begin to tighten flood your mind with knowledge of your Savior!
2 Timothy 1:7 " God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self control"
If you are in Christ you can change! You are a new creation and the power of the living God dwells within you! Don't quench the Spirit within you but feed it with the Word of God and be amazed at what rest and refuge He can give you, freeing you from the captives of your fallen mind." ~Sandi Luciano

"To God this world is only a preparation and scaffolding for yonder world. A wealthy builder must have much scaffolding for a house. When the house is finished, he tears the scaffolding down. An artist must first rub and mix his colors and clean his brush. A barber must first wash his hands and strop his razor. These activities are nothing but preparation. In like manner, God has made this whole world as a preparation for yonder life. There, matters will for the first time really go according to the power and the will of God.” ~Martin Luther

This is the God who:

Upholds the universe by the word of His power. (Heb. 1:3)
Is the eternal, unchanging Creator. (Heb. 1:10-12)
Laughs at His enemies and their futile plans to thwart His purposes. (Psalm 2:4-6)
Saved me. (Eph. 2:1-10)
Promised to never leave me nor forsake me. (Heb. 13:5-6)
Intercedes. Works all things together for good and will complete His work in my life. (Rom. 8:26-30)
Remains faithful even when my faith fails. (2 Tim. 2:13)

 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. – Psalm 27:5-7 (NIV).
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith for the joy set before Him He endured the cross. Heb.12:2

*Have Your Way* by Britt Nicole (with lyrics)

Feels like I've been here forever

Why can't You just intervene?

Do You see the tears keep falling?

And I'm falling apart at the seams

But You never said the road would be easy

But You said that You would never leave

And You never promised that this life wasn't hard

But You promised You'd take care of me



So I'll stop searching for the answers

I'll stop praying for an escape

And I'll trust You God with where I am

And believe that You will have Your way

Just have Your way, just have Your way



When my friends and my family have left me

And I feel so ashamed and so cold

Remind me You take the broken things

And turn them into beautiful



So I'll stop searching for the answers

image:



I'll stop praying for an escape

And I'll trust You God with where I am

And believe that You will have Your way

Just have Your way, just have Your way



Even if my dreams have died

And even if I don't survive

I'll still worship You with all my life

My life, yeah



And I'll stop searching for the answers

I'll stop praying for an escape

And I'll trust You God with where I am

And believe that You will have Your way

Just have Your way, just have Your way



I know You will, I won't forget

You love me, have Your way

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LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: My comfort

"Believers have comfort, to live upon, that the world knows nothing about. We have the comfort of God’s promises. And what do you think is best, to live upon earthly pleasures, or upon the promises of God? The earthly are yes and no, but the promises are yes and amen. The earthly are deceitful, but the promises are sure and faithful. The earthly feed the sense, but the promises fill the soul. He that lives upon the promises, lives by faith, and the life of faith is the only safe and true life in the world."

- Matthew Mead

 "Do you ever feel like God just isn't there?
Although our feelings tell us that at times, we shouldn't be driven by our emotions when it comes to our trust in God. Because Scripture says the "righteous shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17) and "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6), we shouldn't have to feel God to know He's there. But I know how you feel if you find yourself discouraged at times, because it seems like God just isn't around.
Unanswered prayer, a series of disappointing events, or a betrayal by someone close to you can cause you to think that God has checked out of your life. Other times we get so busy with our day-to-day lives that we feel guilty that we're not doing enough for Him to want to be around us. But because God has promised He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), we can be assured of His constant presence whether we are struggling with a painful situation or just too busy to notice He is near." ~Cindi McMenami

"Never underestimate the valuable and important difference you make in every life you touch. For the impact you make today has a powerful rippling effect on every tomorrow." ~Anon

 1 Peter 1:8-9New International Version (NIV)
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.

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” Peter 4:12

For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.
I Chronicles 29:15
MORE RIPPLES click here 

LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: Look Up

WHY?  "I made all this out of nothing. Trust me, I can take care of you." God
 
Amazing bit of writing from Theodore Cuyler, drawn from God’s Light on Dark Clouds.
I have noticed that the deaf often have an unusual quickness of eyesight; the blind are often gifted with an increased capacity for hearing; and sometimes when the eye is darkened and the ear is closed, the sense of touch becomes so exquisite that we are able to converse with the sufferer through that sense alone.
This law explains why God put so many of His people under a sharp regimen of hardship and burden-bearing in order that they may be sinewed into strength; why a Joseph must be shut into a prison in order that he may be trained for a palace and for the premiership of the kingdom. Outside of the Damascus Gate I saw the spot where Stephen was stoned into a cruel death; but that martyr blood was not only the “seed of the Church,” but the first germ of conviction in the heart of Saul of Tarsus. This law explains the reason why God often sweeps away a Christian’s possessions in order that he may become rich in faith, and why He dashes many persons off the track of prosperity, where they were running at fifty miles the hour, in order that their pride might be crushed, and that they might seek the safer track of humility and holy living. … God’s people are never so exalted as when they are brought low, never so enriched as when they are emptied, never so advanced as when they are set back by adversity, never so near the crown as when under the cross. One of the sweetest enjoyments of heaven will be to review our own

experiences under this law of compensations, and to see how often affliction worked out for us the exceeding weight of glory. There is a great want in all God’s people who have never had the education of sharp trial. There are so many graces that can only be pricked into us by the puncture of suffering, and so many lessons that can only be learned through tears, that when God leaves a Christian without any trials, He really leaves him to a terrible danger. His heart, unplowed by discipline, will be very apt to run to the tares of selfishness and worldliness and pride. In a musical instrument there are some keys that must be touched in order to evoke its fullest melodies; God is a wonderful organist, who knows just what heart-chord to strike. In the Black Forest of Germany a baron built a castle with two lofty towers. From one tower to the other he stretched several wires, which in calm weather were motionless and silent. When the wind began to blow, the wires began to play like an Eolian harp in the window. As the wind rose into a fierce gale, the old baron sat in his castle and heard his mighty hurricane-harp playing grandly over the battlements. So, while the weather is calm and the skies clear, a great many of the emotions of a Christian’s heart are silent. As soon as the wind of adversity smites the chords, the heart begins to play; and when God sends a hurricane of terrible trial you will hear strains of submission and faith, and even of sublime confidence and holy exultation, which could never have been heard in the calm hours of prosperity. Oh, brethren, let the winds smite us, if they only make the spices flow; let us not shrink from the deepest trial, if at midnight we can only sing praises to God. If we want to know what clouds of affliction mean and what they are sent for, we must not flee away from them in fright with closed ears and bandaged eyes. Fleeing from the cloud is fleeing from the Divine love that is behind the cloud."

 Psalm 139 has a well-known description of God’s omnipresence:

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7-10 ESV)

LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: At The Right Place

Romans 8:28, "Christians can rest in the fact that God is sovereign over everything that happens in this life. He directs events, He puts people in our paths, and essentially He enables us to be in the right place at the right time.

Proverbs 21:1 is one of my favorite Scriptures for reassurance when I am praying for God’s will in my life, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.” If God can direct the king’s heart to “wherever He wishes”, then surely He can direct you to the right employer, to the right woman or man, to the right ministry, or whatever His will is for you. The key here is that your will must be aligned with His will or you will be frustrated."
Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-to-find-gods-will-in-your-life/#ixzz3RCoRFhy4

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
― Haruki Murakami

Emmanuel=God is with us.
"I don’t know if anyone else spends much time wondering why God loves us, but sometimes His love is a mystery to me. I know my inadequacies and shortcomings. I also know that God loves me in spite of them. Moses’ words to Israel in Deuteronomy 7:7-8 comfort me. He explains God’s love for them to the Israelites:
“The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh King of Egypt.”
Our might and importance have nothing to do with God’s affection for us. He just loves us. John 3:16 may be the most memorized verse in the Bible: “God so loved the world...”
~Anon

 Matthew 26:38 Depressed!
" Jesus was depressed! He said that it was so bad that it felt like he was dying! He knows what it is like to be surrounded by blackness and darkness.
 He was hurting.
He was struggling.
 He wanted comfort from his friends.
 He told them what he was feeling and asked for their companionship.
 Then He went to His Father, the Source of all comfort, and prayed. 
 He answered his depression and temptation with faith and surrender. He didn't try to mask it and put on a happy face. He was real. Afterwards, He came and found his friends asleep. Even in the midst of all this sorrow,
 He ministered to them, and then He went and prayed again and again.
 He was strengthened.
 We also are going to have some rough times, but let us follow His example and go to the One who knows the depths of sorrow. He will strengthen us and give us the proper perspective on the events of life. (Hebrews 4:14-16; 12:1-3) ~from a fb post on my timeline

“People suppose they may be followers of Christ and yet ignore the path which He traveled; that they may decline the unpleasant task of denying self and yet make sure of heaven. What a delusion!”~ Arthur Pink, "Gleanings in the Godhead”

LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES: Drifting

GOD OF MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS by Francis Frangipane

"The battles we face are often intense times of weakness, distress and confusion. If the events of our lives were charted, these would be the lowest points. Yet the Lord is no less with us during difficulties than at other times. In fact, these valleys are often as much the plan of God as our mountaintop experiences.
No matter what the enemy tries to tell you, Christ is God of the mountains and He is God of the valleys. He has not stopped being your Lord because you happen to be in a valley. He is the God of glory as seen in His power and miracles. In the valleys He reveals Himself as faithful, loyally committed to us in our difficulties and distresses. In and through all things He is our God.
When we are on the mountaintops of our Christian experience, we can see our future clearly. We have perspective and confidence. When we are in one of life's valleys, however, our vision is limited and our future seems hidden. Yet valleys are also the most fertile places on earth. Valleys produce fruitfulness. You can expect there to be a harvest of virtue when God dwells with you in the valleys of life."

                              

"Drifting on a lake in a boat is one thing; drifting in life is something else entirely. If you fall asleep in a boat, nothing much happens. If you try to sleepwalk through life, you will end up somewhere you never intended. Hebrews 2:1 warns us, “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Drifting from Christ comes naturally – we humans are inclined to wander away from God. But it takes supernatural discipline to anchor yourself to Him when strong, cultural currents are tugging at your heart. Every day we are rowing upstream, against the tide, and it's possible for any of us to float away morally or spiritually. Friend, do not coast away from your first love of Jesus. Don’t look up at the end of this month and be stunned at the distance between you and God. Use today, Sunday, to anchor yourself to His Word, and sing with me the words to this sweet, old hymn: "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, oh, take and seal; seal it for Thy courts above". ~Joni

"When trouble strikes, we sometimes forget our knowledge of God too. We struggle to recall past answers to prayer, specific guidance provided by the Holy Spirit, and lessons learned in previous crises. Only the present seems real. Our minds spin with future implications, and our troubled emotions inhibit clear thinking.
In our own strength, we lack sufficient resources and abilities to meet life's challenges. So God provides what we need. Our suffering is never a surprise to the Lord. He knows everything we are going through. More than that, He’s orchestrating our circumstances for His glory and our benefit, according to His good will.
Reflecting on the divine purpose in hardship can help us respond to trials in a God-honoring way. Let’s take a moment to fix our attention on the Lord and seek to understand the lessons He wants us to learn through life’s dark moments.
1. One purpose for hardship is cleansing. Because of our own "flesh" nature and the self-absorbed world we live in, it's easy to develop selfish attitudes, mixed-up priorities, and ungodly habits. The pressures that bear down on us from stormy situations are meant to bring these impurities to our attention and direct us to a place of repentance. Our trials are intended to purify and guide us back to godliness, not to ruin our lives.
2. A second reason we face difficulty is so that we'll be compassionate and bring comfort to others. God's work in our lives is not intended solely for us. It's designed to reach a world that does not recognize or acknowledge Him. The Lord uses our challenges to equip us for serving others. As we experience suffering, we will learn about God's sufficiency, His comforting presence, and His strength to help us endure. Our testimony during times of difficulty will be authentic. Those to whom we minister will recognize that we know and understand their pain. What credibility would we have with people in crisis if we never experienced a deep need?
3. Another promise God makes is that He'll provide a path through any trial. The disciples probably wondered how long the storm would last and whether they would make it safely to shore. Most likely, they wished it never happened. But, had they somehow avoided this storm, they would have missed the demonstration of Jesus' power over the sea and wind. The frightening situation was transformed into a revelation of the Savior's divine nature. God wants to make His power known through our trials too.
4. The most important thing He gives us is an awareness of His presence. At first, the disciples believed they were alone in a terrifying storm. When they initially spotted Jesus, their fear increased. They thought He was a ghost. But as they recognized Him, their fear changed to relief and hope. Similarly, we may not sense God's presence during a crisis. But He has promised always to be with us (Heb. 13:5-6). The assurance that the Lord will never leave provides immediate comfort, an infusion of courage, and a sense of confidence to endure.
No one enjoys suffering. But in the hands of almighty God, trials become tools. He uses hardship to shape believers into the people He intends them to be. Jesus allowed the disciples to experience the fear and anxiety of being in a boat on a raging sea. He permitted them to suffer because He had something far more important to teach them. He wanted the disciples to recognize their own helplessness, His sufficiency, and their dependence on Him.
Ask God to reveal His abiding presence in the midst of your trouble. He provides for our spiritual needs to both endure and grow stronger in our Christian faith. What challenges do you face? Are you using what God has provided?" ~Dr. Charles Stanley

LIFE IS A SERIES OF RIPPLES (Comfort folder inserts)

Life Is A Series Of Ripples

     

Just as ripples spread in the wake of a trip across the lake, encouragement can have far -reaching effects. Those ripples will influence everyone you meet and send forth ripples of...
~rJs

If you look back on your journey thus far, you can see that the days of extreme weakness have been precious times. ~anonymous but edited by me.

"...And if I do not want what He has to give me?"
"If you are not willing that God should have His way with you, then, in the name of God, be miserable--until your misery drive you to the arms of the Father."'
"Oh, but this is only about a mundane matter. I do trust him in spiritual matters."

"Everything is an affair of the spirit, If God has a way of dealing with you in your life, it is the only way. Every little thing in which you would have your own way has a mission for your redemption. And he will treat you as a willful little child until you take your Father's way for your own." ~George MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons.

 "Even though we are totally dependent on Him for our next breath, with that breath we may declare that He does not exist or that we refuse to do what He wants us to do. We live by the life He gives us, moment by moment. We enjoy rain, sunshine, the growth of crops and flowers, sensations, delights, satisfactions of many kinds.
Yet we often act as though we were sufficient in ourselves, needing no interference from Him. I can, by the power mysteriously granted me by my Creator and Redeemer, declare myself master of my fate, captain of my soul, and say, "My will be done."
That the Lord should expose Himself to this effrontery(Shamless boldness) in a million forms of days and nights, is the mystery of love and grace. Still He draws us with cords of love, calls us to come, waits (amazing grace) for us to bow and say, "My Lord and my God!"
~E. Elliot

"When you are going through very tough times and there is no relief in sight, you usually start looking for a way out. These escapist longings stem from self-pity and a sense of entitlement: You think you deserve better conditions than your current situation. But when you think this way, you are ignoring My sovereignty over your life. Though your circumstances may indeed be painful and difficult, they are not worthless." -Jesus Today by Sarah Young, p. 144

"Don't judge me too quickly

,my damage had not defined me,but-it is refining me...you may think I'm at the bottom of life's bin, but Jesus paid as high a price for those of us at the bottom as He did for those that are proudly displayed on the top shelf"- Carol Davis #we are All special and loved by our heavenly Father!

"There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them on a quest, in turn to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. 
 The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in the summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and returned, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
 The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent and twisted. The second son said that it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms and smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment. The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen only one season in the tree's life.

 He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person by only one season. That the essence of who they are; the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it's winter you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer and the fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
 Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches, and better things are sure to come in time. Live simply. Aspire to inspire before you expire. Love generously. Care deeply. And leave the rest to God. Happiness keeps you sweet, trials keep you strong, sorrows keep you human, failures keep you humble, success keeps you growing, but only God keeps you going. 
 We are facing a winter season but we know that God has a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven."
We should also remember not to give up on another person in their difficult season because their spring could be just around the corner."
Author unknown

ONE DAY AT A TIME:from the Comfort folder.

One Day at a Time

One day at a time, with its failures and fears,
With its hurts and mistakes, with its weakness and tears,
With its portion of pain and its burden of care;
One day at a time we must meet and must bear.
 
One day at a time to be patient and strong,
To be calm under trial and sweet under wrong;
Then its toiling shall pass and its sorrow shall cease;
It shall darken and die, and the night shall bring peace.
 
One day at a time - but the day is so long,
And the heart is not brave, and the soul is not strong,
O Thou pitiful Christ, be Thou near all the way;
Give courage and patience and strength for the day.
 
Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet;
"Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet;
I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve;
I will not forsake thee; I never will leave."
 
Not yesterday's load we are called on to bear,
Nor the morrow's uncertain and shadowy care;
Why should we look forward or back with dismay?
Our needs, as our mercies, are but for the day.
 
One day at a time, and the day is His day;
He hath numbered its hours, though they haste or delay.
His grace is sufficient; we walk not alone;
As the day, so the strength that He giveth His own.
—Annie Johnson Flint

 HE GIVETH MORE GRACE

Annie confined to a wheelchair due to arthrites

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;

To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
~Annie Johnson Flint

 

MY GO TO COMFORT SCRIPTURES:

My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16

"O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble." Isaiah 33:2

“My grace is sufficient for thee.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5

"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." 1 Peter 5:10

Out-of-my-comfort-folder  CLICK HERE FOR COMFORT

EMBARKING ON ANOTHER YEAR, Getting older.

I came across this poem, On Aging and thought it would be something, I would like to include in my Comfort Folder.

ON AGING by Amy Grant

It occurred to me this morning
    as I washed this face of mine,
How quickly come the changes
    with a little passing time
A wrinkle here, a hair turned gray
    a not so lilting step
I see me growing older,
    but i don't quite feel it yet
At times I nearly feel my age
    at others I'm, sixteen,
So full am I of all the thoughts
    and feelings in between

Who would have thought the road of life
Would twist and turn so much?
The journey makes me strong and weak and
     tender to the touch.
And so this day I face the choice
     that I have faced each day,
Will I be open? Teachable?
Unafraid of change?
    Yes.

I will embrace this moment.
Forgive my past mistakes.
And remember that just showing up is
    sometimes all it takes.
I'll seek the kind of beauty
    that time cannot erase,
Wisdom and experience resting on my face.

OTHER POEMS FROM MY COMFORT FOLDER CLICK BELOW.
http://cultivatingjoy-cultivatingjoy.blogspot.com/2015/12/out-of-my-comfort-folder.html#.VocajlJDaY4