Happy Monday!

No studying or writing today; just household stuff, coffee, NCIS and dinner with Bruce at a reasonable hour. It was so very nice.

Travis and Sarah got home safely from their week in Key Largo. They had a wonderful time.

Prayer report:  My Aunt Linda came through surgery very well and is already in far less pain than she has been in for the last two or three years. Giving thanks for God and His tender mercies for her healing.

Prayer: God, You are God and that is enough. You are called Immanuel, God with us. You are with us always. Help us to remember to rejoice in Your Presence when the road is smooth and when the road is rough. Your Spirit lives within us and that is sufficient for all of our needs. You are with us moment by moment of our lives and we find joy in You because You are our Savior. Thank you ever present Lord. In Your mercy, hear this prayer. Amen.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are not sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

Habakkuk 3: 17-18

It is so easy to be joyful when the things in our lives are going smoothly and trust in God’s sufficiency is easy. But when we encounter rough roads, difficult times, sadness, sorrow and times that tear at our very souls and when these times seem to happen one after another it is not easy to be joyful.  It is in those times when we try to smooth out the rough places or find solutions to the difficulties or try other methods to make things better on our own. There is nothing wrong with trying to figure out solutions to problems and situations, but after a while of doing this on our own we get tired.

God’s sufficiency is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. But also very important is that we make the choice to allow the Holy Spirit, God’s power within us, to help with the burdens, problems, and difficult situations. We choose the Holy Spirit day by day, moment by moment and even breath by God given breath. God is with us by His Word and by His creation. Rejoice my friends, rejoice!

Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint. Wear comfortable shoes, pray with a heart filled with gratitude, cast your cares upon God and get some sleep. God is up all night anyway and so there is no need for both of you to be awake. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.