May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Psalm 18:2
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is
my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my
stronghold.
2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Don't let the hard days win.
I'm in the middle of cataract removal surgeries. About a
week ago, the eye surgeon sucked the cloudy lens out of my right eye. Then he
placed a new artificial lens in so my vision would improve. The left eye will
be corrected soon, but in the meantime, I'm in limbo. The right eye has an
astigmatism. Which means, my eyeball is shaped like a football instead of a volleyball.
Most of the time, people who have lenses replaced for cataracts have clearer
vision in about two days. Not me. Nope. My football shaped eye is better—I
can see clear colors instead of a yellowish cast, but I can't see as well as I
can out of my left eye that still has a cataract. The eye doctor did his job,
but my eye didn't cooperate. So between now and the time my left eye is fixed,
the one shaped like a volleyball, I can't wear my glasses. Once my eyes work
together again, I'll get a new prescription.
I've adapted by using readers and thankfully my left eye can
see distance, but working on the computer and reading are hard. My eyes hurt by
evening and I often have a headache. I'm managing, but I could throw up my
hands and quit until the left eye is corrected. Instead, I'm leaning into God
to help me through this trying time.
Of course, my situation isn't the end of the world, and it
should be better by November, but there have been dark times in my life when I
couldn't see the end. I felt helpless and disheartened, but you know what? God stood
by me and protected me. He always does. God has gifted His people with the Holy
Spirit, who gives us power, love, and self-disciple. Those are the things that
have helped me through dark days, along with my family and friends.
Don't let the hard days win and don't try to navigate them alone. Give them to Jesus and trust Him to send help.
Joshua 1:7-8
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my
servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that
you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the
Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that
you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous
and successful.
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known
God. -Corrie Ten Boom
Our youngest granddaughter had to have oral surgery. When you're nine years old and have nothing to compare the experience to, you have a bit of fear and anxiety. A beautiful thing happened to her. After school, one of her teachers and her principal prayed with her, on the day before the surgery. That evening, I ate dinner with her and her family and she prayed over the meal and asked God to make everything go well for her during surgery. My heart danced a happy dance. That little nine-year-old gets it. She placed her fear in God's hands.
Our ministers are preaching a series this month that focuses
on Joshua called "Be Strong and Courageous." God told Joshua multiple
times to be strong and courageous. In Joshua 7, He called him to be strong and very
courageous." Take it up a notch Joshua and step out on faith.
Courage isn't the absence of fear, but the choice to trust
God with the future. He calls all of us to step out and have faith in Him and
in the future He's planned for us. He asked Joshua to keep the Book of the Law on
His lips. For us, He wants us to have the word of God in our hearts. I'm no
Bible scholar. There's so much I don't understand, but I cling to the verses
that encourage and give me strength and courage.
Trust in God for the future, be strong and courageous.
Psalm 86:12
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will
glorify your name forever.
The standing ovation stopped the game.
On Sunday, Maggie and I attended the last home game of the
Cincinnati Reds. Tim worked as an usher, and we met some of the regulars in his
section. The Reds have had a good season and have been fun to watch. They've
added new players to the roster and have one outstanding player who has hung
with the Reds for seventeen years.
When Joey Votto appeared on the field for his first at bat,
the crowd rose to their feet, clapped, cheered, and may have cried a little.
This player has been with the Reds his entire major league career. At the end
of this season, his contract is finished. As fans, we don't know if he will
return, so our response was to show appreciation for all he has done for the
team. When all the fans rose to their feet and applauded, the energy shook the
atmosphere. It was fun to be a part of his recognition and to see the
humbleness of this faithful player.
I wonder what it would have been like for Jesus if people
had reacted to Him that way. If those closest to Him and those who met Him
realized He was the Son of God, would they have loved Him more, or praised Him
as one worthy of praise? From the scripture, it appears Jesus' humbleness would
have stopped any outcry or ovation, but no one is more deserving.
The times I think about what Jesus has done for me, how He
has carried my burdens and sin on His shoulders, I thank Him and praise Him. Do
I do this often enough? Probably not. Praise doesn't have to wait for a Sunday
church service.
Praise the One who
gave His life for yours—every day. He deserves the glory.
Doctor-in-training Louisa Vaughn has no intention of remaining in Sweetwater Crossing. She's just there for a few days to help a friend. But she can't abandon the injured man she finds at the side of the road. Until his broken leg heals, she'll serve as the town's doctor and midwife. She may not be fully qualified yet, but surely she's better than nothing.
Josh Porter's plans to win his grandfather's challenge and fulfill his father's
final wish to gain full control of the family business hit a roadblock when he
breaks his leg. But his enforced stay in Sweetwater Crossing gives him new
ideas about the expansion of the company into new territory--ideas Louisa could
help turn into reality.
If only the town were more accepting of Louisa's talents! Someone is determined
to convince her to abandon her dream of healing others. Can Josh help her
uncover the person behind the threats before it's too late? And is there any
future for them together when neither of them plans to stay?
My Review:
I have enjoyed several Amanda Cabot books. This one included. In Against the
Wind, the author returns to Sweetwater Crossing where book one left off. In
book two, Louisa returns with no intention of staying until she finds a man by
the road who needs help. Josh Porter finds himself in this small town, a thousand
miles from home, unable to take care of himself. I love the tenacity of Louisa
and her caring and determined heart. She wants so much to be accepted as a
doctor in the small town, but fights against the opinions of others and some
tragic events. Josh wants to please his grandfather, but he's not sure it's the
best path for his life. With a strong faith thread, the two discover life is
filled with surprises, struggles, and difficult decisions. I enjoyed the story
and the characters. I received a free copy with no expectations, and opinions
are my own.