Dear Ones,
Hope your day is full of sunshine! Al will be giving a communion service this morning at Assisted Living, and I will be going to Aldi’s and to my exercise class.  And tonight, we have a missionary speaker at our Bible Study class at church.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
   All of us at times have probably questioned why God doesn’t prevent some of the troubles we go through in life. It seems like some Christians go through life with seemingly few problems and yet others experience one hard experience after another. Does God love one more than the other? I think not! In fact, the one who goes through trials may be reaping the best good that only comes through times of suffering.
   Haven’t we all been through agonizing times that tested our perseverance but later said, “I never would have gotten through this without the Lord’s help. He was right there for me in ways I never experienced before.” Or God may use us as a living example to others of endurance through suffering and it encourages them to hang on in faith and perseverance in what they are going through.
   God has a calling on each our lives, and with that calling may be hard things we must walk through. We can’t compare it with anyone else for their calling is unique to them. We can think of those people in scripture who God gave a specific call that would mean suffering in order to obey and yet they did not resist or run from it. I doubt I would have volunteered for Jeremiah’s calling as a prophet to warn God’s people of the coming devastation and exile to Babylon, knowing they wouldn’t listen and repent. Nor would I have traded lives with the apostle Paul to be shipwrecked, whipped, often hungry and cold, writing his letters from prison etc. and yet he didn’t flinch from his call to teach and preach the good news.
  May we embrace the life God has assigned for each of us, whether it means we have to endure more trials than someone else. Let us remember that one day, as the song goes, “ It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So, bravely run the race till we see Christ.”
  Challenge for today: Be at peace with the calling God has on your life, and refrain from complaining, knowing God is doing a good work in you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy