Finding Peace

The accent may be on youth these days, but the stress is on adults.  Always reflecting on the things we haven't done, we start each day worrying earlier and stay up later to worry every night. 

A certain parish priest patented a method for making holy water.  I figure it's a good way to deal with worries, too.  He took a big pot, filled it with water, turned up the heat, and boiled the devil out of it. 

And guilt?  Why not boil the devil out of that, too?  After all, we'll always have those things we shouldn't have done but did anyway.  So we end up wasting time dragging our burden of guilt in the dirt instead of getting it washed.

Cares are the tools God uses to fashion us for the better things.  He uses reverses to move us forward.  Reverses and cares bow us down low until we finally drop to our knees.  But a lot of kneeling keeps us in good standing because it brings us closer to God.  Being close to God, we find peace.

Barbara Johnson
Laughter for a Woman's Soul

Promises About Hope

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.  Proverbs 13:12

Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?   Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 42:11

Everything that was written int he past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.   Romans 15:4

Never Give Up Hope

Hope is a precious gift of our salvation.  While w can "hope" that our kids don't spill their soda, we must remember that our only reliable hope is in what we cannot see or control:  the outrageous faithfulness of God.  Our responsibility to him as his children is to study his character so we will know, without a doubt, that whatever way he deals with our circumstances in life, it's the right way.  Even when things don't work out the way we planned or desired, he is all-knowing, all-loving, the beginning and the ending.  Hope is acting on the conviction that despite what we see with the natural eye, God is working in the spiritual realm to accomplish his perfect will in our lives.  His hope does not disappoint!

God's Word declares hope. God's promises proclaim hope.  We must think hope.  Speak hope.  Pray hope.  Sing hope.  Act hope.  Share hope.  In other words, get our hopes up.  Because hope has been given to us, we can expect the best, even in the worst conditions.  Praise God!

Sheila Walsh
Laughter for a Woman's Soul

Promises About Your Life's Direction

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

This is what the Lord says-your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." 
Isaiah 48:17

God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.   Psalm 48:14

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