Hope

Alley Cats

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

In our back alley we have the blessing of stray cats, one of whom seems to have adopted me. I have come home on various occasions to find him sleeping contentedly on the front porch or at my back door step. Though I have never fed this cat, he acts confidently like a member of the family! I used to gently chase him out of the yard but he always returned. We have a sort of truce. I don’t get worked up over his presence and he just moves on to the next house after his nap!

Problems come into every one of our lives like my alley cat. Getting angry, stressed out or shocked doesn’t faze him. No matter what, because he lives in our neighborhood he will keep coming back. He comes to see if I will feed him or invite him in. But instead of freaking out I remind myself that wherever there are alley cats the mice are few and far between! Problems pass through our lives for a purpose. So if tribulation shows up at your doorstep this morning don’t fall into despair. It is all a part of God’s plan for our good. Instead look up because His everlasting hope is on the horizon!

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3‭-‬4 NKJV

A Light in the Valley

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There’s a light in the valley

of death now for me

Since Jesus came into my heart!

Rufus McDaniel 1914

Are you passing through what feels like the longest and darkest valley in your life today? David tells us in Psalm 23 that He won’t fear in that darkness because he knows that his shepherd is always with him. Jesus goes even further when be says that if we are following Him we will never walk in darkness!

Oh but does it feel like a dark and confusing time? Yes for me too brother. Today dark clouds sit on my horizon also sister. But in this valley God’s promise is more true than ever. He Himself is the light. We must confront our fear and refuse to run! The light is shining only on the path ahead and that light is our Lord Jesus Christ. He longs to not only be the light of the world; He offers to be the light of yours and my world. Only He knows the way to the other side of our valley. Take a deep breath, calm your racing heart and in faith just keep taking one step at a time behind your Savior. He is more than only the light if the world – He is also the light of life!

From the Rising of the Sun

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These last 2 years we have faced the greatest tests to our faith as a family. It began as an automobile accident in which someone rammed the back of my wife’s new car at a red light. Nancy experienced months of pain in her hand and her car which we had just made the first payment on was crushed. We were angry and frustrated but God was working in ways we could not have imagined. Because of the pain and suffering in her hand and her loss of work my wife decided to seek legal help to recover damages. Immediately the lawyer requested a complete MRI of both Nancy’s neck and lower back. While no injury was discovered, the images revealed a mass that turned out to be stage three cancer.

From then on each month brought with it new problems and pains followed by surgery and months of Chemotherapy. Together we faced despair, discouragement and even anger, and yet God was drawing us closer to Him and to each other. It has not been a straight line road to victory but we have grown so much along the way. The Bible tells us that from the rising of the sun all the way to the end of the day; God’s name is to be praised. Both at the times when things are bright and sunny, as well as when shadows begin to lengthen God is good and worthy of praise. He has ordered our days, our steps and even our every breath. I confess to having thanked God very little and yet I have learned to trust Him more. I do appreciate the prayers of those who have followed us through this time. The last tests came back to us this week that Nancy is now cancer free and we are deeply thankful. God has been teaching and working behind the scenes of our lives in ways far beyond anything we could ever think or even imagine. It has all been His grace and grace alone. God has chosen to walk on a path over waves to come to us in the chaos and darkness of our storms. Now we know more than ever that to the final setting of the sun He will always be worthy of all our praise!

 

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