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
Isaiah 41:8-9
“But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it
was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
"We'll be friends forever, won't we, Pooh?" asked Piglet. "Even longer," Pooh
answered.
I’ve had a few book signings recently. At each one, I’ve met new people, and visited with returning readers and fellow writers. When I went back to my hometown, to the building where my library career started, I had the joy and honor of being in the presence of three of my dear high school friends.
They may cringe when I say this, I might too, but next year marks
our fiftieth anniversary for our high school graduation. Time goes too fast.
Even though I moved away from Lynchburg, I’m blessed to have
communication with so many I graduated with. Bev, Colleen, Garnet and I
reminisced, shared updates on our families, travels, and books we’ve been
reading, and simply enjoyed seeing each other.
There’s a song I remember from childhood, “Make new friends,
but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.” We may have sung it in girl
scouts. I’m not sure, but it still rings true. Those friends from our youth are
precious indeed.
One friend I discovered in my youth was Jesus. He’s a friend
who sticks closer than a brother. In Isaiah and James, we read of God calling
Abraham his friend. How incredible to be known as a friend of the Lord God, who
created the world.
Even when I have failed in my friendship with Jesus, he
stuck with me. He loved me and called me closer to him. I’m beyond grateful for
Jesus’ love and kindness and the sacrifice he gave, so I might be called God’s
friend.
Take good care of your friends and seek Jesus, who loves you
more than anything.
Luke 8:22-24
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to
the other side of the lake.” So, they got into a boat and set out. As
they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat
was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master,
Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters;
the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked
his disciples.
Lake Erie tossed and turned.
The waves rose and crashed after tornados had attacked the northeastern
shores. Tim and I happened to spend a few days at the lake, in Marblehead,
after some tough storms went through the area. We watched the water rise and
wash the shore like hands reaching to grasp whatever the waves could steal.
The next day, a sailboat ventured onto calmer, yet choppy
waters. The boat bobbed up and down and I thought, if I were on it, I might be
seasick.
The Sea of Galilee tossed a boat around when Jesus and some
of his disciples sailed. Jesus fell asleep and the storm frightened the men.
When Jesus woke and settled the waters, he asked, “Where is your faith?”
I may not sail in a boat, but it seems like storms attack
our shores too often. A spiritual battle rages around us as good and evil fight
for dominance. When fear overwhelms, Jesus asks, “Where is your faith?”
It’s then I understand, this life was not meant to be lived
alone. Yes, I’m surrounded by friends and family, but I need more. I need
Jesus. I don’t want him to wonder where my faith is. I want him to know my
faith remains in him, every day.
When life rocks the boat, and even when it doesn’t cling to
Jesus. Have faith in the one who makes a difference.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved
us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your
hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
What do you get when you add three friends, a beautiful day,
an outdoor venue, and the Christian musician/singer Crowder?
An amazing night of worship and renewal.
My friends, Bev and Krista, and I traveled to the Fraze
Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio. White clouds billowed in the blue skies, the
temperature hovered around eighty and the place was filled with people ready to
worship Jesus.
If you aren’t familiar with David Crowder and his music, he’s
a multitalented musician who is one of the most humble and down-to-earth
performers I’ve seen. He offers a variety of music that touches the heart. From
a few rock/rap songs to gospel to the music I sang with my grammy, no matter
what music came from the stage, it all pointed to Jesus.
To be able to sing along and see the open sky filled me with
joy and reminded me of the many times I attended church camp and sang outside
under the stars. As the words of the songs echoed and we offered a joyful
noise, my imagination pictured Jesus returning on the clouds to receive God’s
children. What a glorious day that will be.
One song that especially touched my heart, All My Hope,
encouraged me. In this broken world, we still have hope. When nothing else makes sense, hang on to hope in God and his plan to call his
children back to him through Jesus. Even as sin and despair try to separate God’s
children from him, Jesus provides the path of grace back to his Father.
Don’t give up. In Jesus, we have hope.
I hope you'll give the song a listen:
