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Posted on 01/01/2024 3:15:48 PM PST by luvie
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What was amazing was how the neighbors all got together and helped each other. Those were different times, back in 2005.
(At least in my neighborhood it was like that)
Hard to believe it’s been almost 20 years.
Indeed...a lifetime ago it seems.
Bible in a Year :
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary.
A pair of eagles built a giant nest in a tree a few miles away from my house. Before long, the enormous birds had eaglets. They cared for their hatchlings together until one of the adult eagles was tragically struck and killed by a car. For several days, the surviving eagle flew up and down a nearby river, as if searching for the lost mate. Finally, the eagle returned to the nest and assumed the full responsibility of raising the offspring.
In any situation, single parenting can be challenging. The delight a child brings combined with possible financial and emotional pressure can create a broad range of experiences. But there’s hope for those who have this important role, and for anyone trying to manage a situation that feels overwhelming.
God is with us when we feel exhausted and discouraged. Because He’s omnipotent—all powerful—and doesn’t change, His strength won’t ever expire. We can trust what the Bible says: “Those who hope in [Him] will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). Coming up against our own limits won’t determine what happens to us because we can depend on God to supernaturally recharge us. Hoping in Him allows us to walk and not faint, and to “soar on wings like eagles” (v. 31).
Reflect & Pray
How have you seen God’s faithfulness in your life? How can you serve Him in this season?
Dear God, please help me to follow You all the days of my life.
I hope you get your power...and your life....back very soon! What a mess!
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Happy Thankful Thursday.
Very very thankful that our wonderful President Trump is OK and will be speaking at the convention soon.
BTW....the convention band is awesome! Listening now...they are great!
🥳
They are a terrific band, but now I’m wondering what’s going on, because the scheduled speakers aren’t appearing. I can tell they are playing for time.
Bible in a Year :
We have this treasure in jars of clay.
His back is hunched, and he walks with a cane, but his many years of spiritual shepherding are evidence that he leans on God—the source of his strength. In 1993, the Reverend William Barber II was diagnosed with a debilitating disease that causes the vertebrae of the spine to fuse together. In a not-so-subtle way, he was told, “Barber, you probably gonna need to figure out another thing to do besides pastoring, because the church ain’t gonna want [someone disabled] to be their pastor.” But Barber overcame that hurtful comment. God has not only used him as a pastor, but he’s also been a powerful, respected voice for underserved and marginalized people.
Though the world may not fully know what to do with those with disabilities, God does. Those who value beauty and brawn and things that money can buy can miss the good that accompanies uninvited brokenness. The rhetorical question of James and the principle underneath it are worth considering: “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5). When health or strength or other things are reduced, one’s faith needn’t follow suit. By God’s strength, it can be the opposite. Our lack can be a catalyst to trust Him. Our brokenness, as was the case with Jesus, can be used of Him to bring good to our world.
Reflect & Pray
In what ways are you weak or broken? How can your weakness be used as an asset to encourage others?
Father, please help me to bring You honor despite my weaknesses.
Thank you so much. The power finally came back on. Now I’m exhausted and realizing I’m having some residual PTSD from Katrina.
I’m sure that PTSD is real. I can’t even imagine what y’all went through, and I’ve seen video footage. It was scary enough just watching those! Take care of you!
We just buried both my parents last Friday as well. I’m reeling. Thankfully our God is good and takes care of His own.
Thank you very much!
Bible in a Year :
The tongue has the power of life and death.
It’s almost unheard of for institutions to admit guilt after a tragedy. But one year after a seventeen-year-old student’s death by suicide, a prestigious school admitted it “fell tragically short” in protecting him. The student had been relentlessly bullied, and school leaders, despite knowing about the mistreatment, did little to protect him. The school has now committed to taking significant steps to combat bullying and better care for students’ mental health.
The devastation caused by bullying is a stark example of the power of words. In the book of Proverbs, we’re taught to never take the impact of words lightly, for “the tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21). What we say can either lift up or crush another. At its worst, cruel words can be a factor contributing to literal death.
How do we bring life with what we say? Scripture teaches that our words flow from either wisdom or foolishness (15:2). We find wisdom by drawing close to God, the source of wisdom’s life-giving power (3:13, 17-19).
We all have a responsibility—in words and actions—to take seriously the impact of words, and to care for and protect those wounded by what others have said. Words can kill, but compassionate words can also heal, becoming a “tree of life” (15:4) to those around us.
Reflect & Pray
When have you seen careless words cause damage? How can you show God’s compassion through what you say?
Loving God, please help me never take the impact of words lightly but rely on You to speak what brings life.
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