Dear Ones,
Hope you wake to a day of sunshine! We will soon be leaving Coralville, Iowa today and heading home. We were glad to get here yesterday as there were strong winds and tornado warnings. I had a wonderful swim in the indoor/outdoor pool and some time to retreat. Thank you for your prayers for our time away.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Why are we surprised when difficulties arises when we are serving the Lord?  The first question that usually comes to my mind is, what am I doing wrong to cause this trouble? But when we encounter opposition, it may well be, not that we goofed up, but rather the enemy sees the progress being made for God’s kingdom and wants to sabotage it. In fact, we can expect it. Jesus told us it would happen, and we would be attacked and hated for His sake but also reminds us of His power to overcome. In John 16:33 He said, “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”

I am reading in the book of Ezra, how Zerubbabel led over 42,000 Israelites back to their land after being exiled in Babylon for 70 years. It was God’s doing that the Persian King Cyrus, gave volunteers permission to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. They no more got started with the foundation laid and the altar built and sacrifices offered, when they had to face opposition that hindered the building for over 16 years. Zerubbabel was discouraged and the people fearful; but finally, when their hearts received encouragement by words from the prophets and leaders and reading of the scriptures, they were able to finish the temple and worship there again.

We will have those that oppose us and try to sidetrack us from doing God’s will and we may get discouraged. We should not be surprised or feel hopeless, but rather seek God’s help and move ahead. God may use others to come along side of us, and encourage us and pray for us so that we can complete the work given to us. Let us not be slowed down or to give up but to place everything in God’s hands and go in His power, not ours.

Challenge for today: When doing God’s will, don’t weaken by words from the opposition, but feed on God’s word and get prayer to complete God’s task through you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy