Let Nothing Disturb You....

Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila~

Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing frighten you.
All things pass.
God does not change.
Patience achieves everything.
Whoever has God lacks nothing.
God alone suffices.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world.
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless His people.
  

TV~

God has chosen to make known... the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [Colossians 1:27] 

New Eyes for My Spouse

A friend of mine lived in an impossible marriage.  She was given permission, by her pastor, to divorce her husband.  In spite of this, she tenaciously perservered within the seeminly doomed marriage.  Today, her situation has stabilized and her marriage is much better, even happy.

Here is a prayer that she said made a big difference. "Lord, give me Your love for my husband.  Help me to see him through Your eyes." 

TV~
...To know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  [Ephesians 3:19]

New Eyes

Many of my friends are becoming empty nesters.  They now have time to travel, pursue personal goals and relax after many years of raising children.  I, too, have spent many years raising children, but the empty nest is years away.   I want to travel, pursue personal goals and relax, but I can't.

In the phonics book belonging to my five-year-old are various short, encouraging maxims.  Here is what I read today:  "The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking NEW LANDSCAPES, but of having NEW EYES."

Lord, give me new eyes as I look at life today.

TV~
My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word...  Revive me, O Lord, according to Your ordinances.  [Psalm 119:148, 149]

Carpe Diem

  Why seize the day?

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:14)

You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. (Psalm 39:5)

No one knows what is coming-- who can tell someone else what will happen after them? (Ecclesiastes 10:14)

Even a small step in the right direction is better than no movement at all..

TV~
Behold, now is the day of salvation.  [2 Corinthians 6:2]

47

There is a painting at church of Jesus on the cross, with his mother Mary there at the foot.  Mary has gray hair.  If she gave birth to Jesus, say at age 17, then she would have been 47.  Yes, her hair most likely would have been gray. 

I had a season of significant grief at age 47.  It allowed me to appreciate Mary's great love for her Savior Son and to realize her agony of heart as she watched him suffer and faced her own future without him.

Every difficult road we travel broadens our level of compassion for the suffering of others.

TV~
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. [Lamentations3:3]

Sticking it Out

Day in, day out.  His mercies are new EVERY morning.  A day leads to a week, which leads to a month, to a year, to five years, and so on.   The highest mountain in the whole world is still climbed by taking only one small step at a time, and keeping on going....

TV~ (See May 3, 2013, for the meaning of "TV.")
And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. [I Corinthians 10:13]

Betrayal

Jesus knew the meaning of betrayal.

For it is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonor, for then I could have borne it;
Neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me; for then I would have hid myself from him;

But it was even thou, my companion, my guide, and mine own familiar friend.  We took sweet counsel together, and walked in the house of God as friends. (Psalm 55:12-15)

TV~
O cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall nourish thee, and shall not suffer the righteous to fall forever.  [Psalm 55:23]