”And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person that went in.” You’ll learn a lot during that storm. You will see the faithfulness of God, you will grow spiritually and you will see Him bring answers that seemed impossible. Stand firm in faith. Don’t let the wind and the rain bring fear.

Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress no matter how slow. And never BE discouraged if your own progress seems to take forever. You may look around at others and they seem to be miles ahead. Just remember the story of the tortoise and the hare. “Don’t brag about your lightning pace, for slow and steady wins the race!”

Search for the joy when it’s easier to say “it’s not fair”. That seems to be the battle cry of America. Life’s not fair. Set yourself apart from the complainers and the naysayers. A thankful heart sees the good when others see the bad. A thankful heart finds joy in the smallest things. Choose wisely.

  Help when you feel like you’re the one that needs help. Pray for someone when you feel like you’re the one who needs prayer. Show love when you feel like you’re the one who needs to be loved. Every time we give, God gives it back to us, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Set yourself up for a blessing today.

Oh how easy it is to think we will always have “forever” with those we love. It’s not that we take them for granted. It’s just that we expect them to always be there when we reach for the phone to call them or walk into their room to see their face. Love the people God gave you because He will need them back one day. The people in our lives are treasures. The older I get, the more I love every moment I spend with them. I know you do too.

“The two biggest lies our culture believes today are that we are good people and that, because God is loving, He will not punish sin.” Those are lies that fill too much of our culture. Please understand that being a good person won’t get you into heaven. It’s repenting of sin and accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. He would love to see all of us with Him one day but that’s our choice. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.