As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm always in the market for comfortable shoes, However, ordering things online can sometimes be tricky. I had seen the boots pictured above in a Facebook ad. They looked like they would serve me well and the price wasn't bad. So, I placed an order and waited for them to arrive. A few weeks later, I received a package from an unknown address. I couldn't imagine what the shrink-wrapped package shoved inside my mailbox contained. I soon pulled out what appeared to be two clown shoes. They were made of something similar to the plastic bag they came in and were about two sizes too big for my size 11 feet. I couldn't even be mad about losing the money on my purchase, because the laughter my friends and I had was priceless. They have been re-gifted a couple of times and even made an appearance in a floral arrangement.
Have you ever ordered something only to find out that it was not at all what you expected? Has life itself not quite turned out the way you wanted or hoped for? There will be times when we'll be able to sit back and laugh about the events going on around us, but there will also be times when all we can do is curl up and cry. Thankfully, no matter our circumstances, we have hope. That hope is found in Christ. The One who loves us and sustains us during our most trying times.
We are often offered the words of Paul in Romans chapter 8 as a source of comfort. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Today, I'd like to focus on a few verses further as encouragement for any Christian facing difficult times. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
No matter what you may be facing today. Even if life hasn't turned out as you expected or even hoped for... He loves you.
How He Loves Us - David Crowder Band
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Several years ago, I told her… You’re the friend I didn’t know I needed . After moving to a new area once again and having to leave friends behind that meant so much, I had shielded myself from getting close to anyone else. Yet, here I was meeting someone who had faced struggles time after time and through it all, never let their faith waiver. This was someone I wanted to know. She was pretty much home bound at the time, still recovering from jaw reconstruction surgery but enjoyed visits and the occasional day of piddling, when she felt up to it. She eventually gained her strength and was back into the swing of playing the piano, taking vacations, and helping others any time she saw a need. Unfortunately, that burst of energy didn’t last too long before she was facing a repeat surgery. It was a difficult recovery and it brought along new challenges. After a while, she settled into her “new normal” and went right back to touching the lives of those around her. She loved to cook for...
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A few years ago, Rusty and I spent some time trimming the many overhanging branches and shrubs from the fence-line on my mom's property. I recently noticed how all of the branches we had cut back were once again reaching across the fence and encroaching on the property as if we had never touched them. I dreaded tackling the task again but knew if we didn't tend to it soon, the job would be more than we could handle. It would be overwhelming. Have you ever felt like your life was becoming the same way? You may have job related pressures, lengthy illnesses, or family stress that creep in on you like over-reaching branches needing to be pruned, but feel like you no longer have the strength or energy to handle them. The psalmist David knew where to seek help when he became overwhelmed. In Psalm 61 , David knew that he had no strength on his own, but remembered how God had been his refuge and strength in times past. He began the psalm by asking Him to hear his prayer...
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