Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the beautiful day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I am a little later than usual because I made up for my lost hour of sleep yesterday, by sleeping later this morning!
Observations from around town yesterday: a traffic jam on Central Ave. on Sunday afternoon... hundreds of people downtown for no special event - just visiting restaurants, museums, the Pier, and shopping. St. Petersburg is a happening place! I grew up here and how it has changed.
Then I saw a kingfisher on the line by the lake near our home, a gator swimming in the canal at the Park and flocks of ibises near the school. As I was picking up twigs and stuff blown off the oak trees after the windy storm, I heard a hawk nearby, but couldn't see it. It sounded like it was in one of our oaks. God's Creation is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
1 Peter 1:21 "Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God."
The resurrection, the greatest event in history, is the foundation of our hope.
When people get motion sickness, they need to fix their eyes on the horizon in the distance in order to regain composure. Remaining fixed on a point in the distance helps us travel. Jesus' followers fix their eyes on an eternal horizon. This gives us hope in all the discomforts of daily life.
How can I hope when times are tough?
Hebrews 10:23 "Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."
Our hope is rooted in God's integrity and faithfulness. When everything else falls apart we can cling to the fact that God keeps his word.
John 14:1 "Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me."
Our troubles do not surprise the Lord and should not surprise us. Trouble is rampant in this fallen world. Our focus should be on Jesus who has overcome this world and all its troubles.
Romans 15:13 "I pray that God who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (my favorite verse)
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
