The Lord came to me like a dream one
day and asked, "why do you sorrow?"
I answered, "Lord my life is so full of
pain, I can't face one more tomorrow."

The Lord sat down beside me, and
gently took my hand. He said, "Let me
explain to you and then you'll
understand.

Each sorrow is a stepping stone
you must surmount each day,
And every stepping stone you climb
is a sorrow that's passed away.

The road of life is a mountainside,
with crevices in which to be caught,
But as you struggle on your way,
I the Rock, will lend support.

Every stepping stone you climb,
makes spirit and heart grow strong.
Exercising character and faith
this road seems painful and long.

The way is paved with stepping stones,
to uplift your heart and soul,
Though difficult they aid your way,
to a City paved with gold.

I know that you are tired,
for I too have walked this way,
My sorrows did they multiply,
but I cleared many stones away.

I left my rock to lift you up,
I left behind my story.
To give you strength to make your climb,
to that special place in glory.

And never fear, the Rock is here,
You'll never climb this mountain alone
Surmount life's sorrows, continue on,
For they are but stepping stones.

Hallelujah unto Jesus!
Now He lives to die no more;
Let all nations sing His praises,
Gladly sing them o’er and o’er.

Refrain

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! to our King!
From the tomb today He’s risen,
Hallelujah we’ll sing.

Hallelujah unto Jesus!
Who for us once bled, and died,
He is now o’er death, the Victor,
Hail Him King the Crucified.

Refrain

Hallelujah unto Jesus!
Blessèd firstfruits of the dead;
He our resurrection Surety,
Lives for us our risen King.

Refrain

Hallelujah unto Jesus!
Death is robbed now of its sting;
And the tomb for us lighted,
Hallelujah to our King.

Refrain

Memo from God  

Here is an e-mail sent by a friend that I would like to share with all of you

To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.


Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.


If you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.


Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years.


Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.


Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.


Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.


Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.


Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of
them!


Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you, you may have touched their liv es in ways you will never know


PS.
Life is travelled only once. Todays moment becames tomorrows memory. Enjoy very moment, good or bad, coz the gift of life is ... LIFE itself

Ten Reasons To believe In A God Who Allows Suffering:

1. Suffering Comes With The Freedom To Choose

Loving parents long to protect their children from unnecessary pain.  But wise parents know the danger of over-protection.  They know that  the freedom to choose is at the heart of what it means to be human,and that a world without choice would be worse than a world without pain.  Worse yet would be a world populated by people who could make wrong choices without feeling any pain.  No one is more dangerous than the liar,thief,or killer who doesn't feel the harm he is doing to himself and to others(Gen. 2:15-17).

2. Pain Can Warn Us Of Danger

We hate pain,especially in those we love.  Yet without discomfort, the sick wouldn't go to a doctor.  Worn-out bodies would get no rest.  Crimminals wouldn't fear the law.  Children would laugh at correction.  Without pangs of conscience,the daily dissatisfaction of boredom, or the empty longing for significance,people who are made to find satisfaction in an eternal Father would settle for far less.  The example of Solomon,lured by pleasure and taught by his pain,shows us that even the wisest among us tend to drift from good and from God until arrested by the resulting pain of their own shortsighted choices(Eccl. 1-12; Ps. 78:34-35; Rom. 3:10-18 ) .

3. Suffering Reveals What Is In Our Hearts

Suffering often occurs at the hand of others.  But it has a way of reavealing what is in our own hearts.  Capacities for love,mercy,anger,envy,and pride can lie dormant until awakened by circumstances.  Strength and weakness of heart is found not when everything is going our way but when flames of suffering and temptation test the mettle of our character.  As gold and silver are refined by fire,and as coal needs time and pressure to become a diamond,the human heart is revealed and developed by enduring the pressure and heat of time and circumstance.  Strength of character is shown not when all is well with our world but in the presence of human pain and suffering(Job 42:1-17; Rom. 5:3-5; James 1:2-5; 1 Peter 1:6-8 ) .

4. Suffering Takes Us To The Edge Of Eternity

If death is the end of everything,then a life filled with suffering isn't fair.  But if the end of this life brings us to the threshold of eternity, then the most fortunate people in the universe ae those who discover,through suffering have not wasted their pain.  They have let their poverty,grief,and hunger drive them to the Lord of eternity.  They are the ones who will discover to their own unending joy why Jesus said,"Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"(Matt. 5:1-12; Rom. 8:18-19).

5. Pain Loosens Our Grip On This Life

In time,our work and our opinions are sought less and less.  Our bodies become increasingly worse for the wear.  Gradually they succumb to inevitable obsolescence.  Joints stiffen and ache.  Eyes grow dim.  Digestion slows.  Sleep becomes difficult.  Problems loom larger and larger while options narrow.  Yet,if death is not the end but the threshold of a new day,then the curse of old age is also a blessing.  Each new pain makes this world less inviting and the next life more appealing.  In its own way,pain paves the way for a graceful departure(Eccl. 12:1-14).

6. Suffering Gives Opportunity To Trust God

The most famous suffer of all time was a man named Job.  According to the Bible,Job lost his family to "a mighty wind," his wealth to war and fire,and his health to painful boils.  Through it all,God never told Job why it was happening.  As Job endured the accusations of his friends,heaven remained silent.  When God finally did speak,He did not reveal that His archenemy Satan had challenged Job's motives for serving God.  Neither did the Lord apologize for all allowing Satan to test Job's devotion to God.  Instead,God talked about mountain goats giving birth,young lions on the hunt,and ravens in the nest.  He cited the behavior of the ostrich,the strength of the ox,and the stride of the horse.  He cited the wonders of the heavens,the marvels of the sea,and the cycle of the seasons.  Job was left to conclude that if God had the power and wisdom to create this physical universe,there was reason to trust that same God in times of suffering(Job 1-42).

7. God Suffes With Us In Our Suffering

No one has suffered more than our Father in heaven.  No one has paid more dearly for the allowance of sin into the world.  No one has so continuously grieved over the pain of a race gone bad.  No one has suffered like the One who paid for our sin in the crucified body of His own Son.  No one has suffered more than the One who,when He stretched out His arms an died,showed us how much He loved us.  It is this God who, in drawing us to Himself,asks us to trust Him when we are suffering and when our own loved ones cry out in our presence(1 Peter 2:21; 3:18; 4:1).

8. God's Comfort Is Greater Than Our Suffering

The apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord to take away an unidentified source of suffering.  But the Lord declined saying, "My grace is suffecient for you,for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  "Therefore," said Paul, "most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,in reproaches,in needs,in persecutions,in distresses,for Christ's sake.  For when I am weak,then I am strong"(2 Cor. 12:9-10).  Paul learned that he would rather be with Christ in suffering than without Christ in good health and pleasant circumstances.

9. In Times Of Crisis,We Find One Another

No one would choose pain and suffering.  But when there is no choice,there remains some consolation.  Natural disasters and times of crisis have a way of bringing us together.  Hurricanes,fires,earthquakes,riots,illnesses,and accidents all have a way of bringing us to our senses.  Suddenly we remember our own mortality and that people are more important than things.  We remember that we do need one another and that,above all,we need God.  Each time we discover God's comfort in our own suffering,our capacity to help others is increased.  This is what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,who comforts us in all our tribulation,that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble,with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God"(2 Cor. 1:3-4).

10. God Can Turn Suffering Around For Our Good

This truth is best seen in the many examples of the Bible.  Through Job's suffering we see a man who not only came to a deeper understanding of God but who also became a source of encouragement for people in every generation to follow.  Through the rejection,betrayal,enslavement,and wrongful imprisonment of a man named Joseph,we see someone who eventually was able say to those who had hurt him,"You meant evil against me;but God meant it for good"(Gen. 50:20).  When everything in us screams at the heavens for allowing suffering,we have reason to look at the eternal outcome and joy of Jesus who in His own suffering on an executioner's cross cried,"My God,My God,why have You forsaken Me?"(Matt. 27:46).

Adapted from 10 Reasons To Believe In A God Who Allows Suffering - Copyright 1996,2002 RBC Ministries.  You can find all of RBC's 10 Reasons To Believe brochures on the Web at  http://www.rbc.org/bible_study/ten_reasons_to_believe/home.page

God bless, Becky 

An old writing of mine:

Tuesday, May 04, 1999

God cares about us

God plays a big role in what his human creation believes.  He has made man to be able to conceive ideas. He has given man thought patterns unlike animal or any other creation on earth.  Not instinct alone more conscience to weigh out what is good for them from what is bad for them.  It is this way he has made man in his own image for God is a spirit.  He has given the earth to be in man's care.  The animals and plants.  He did it with the hope that man would use his 'God given conscience' and his 'Talent(that only humans have)'to take care of the animals that are in their subjection and the earth that is in their subjection.  He has seen to it that we have instruction from the begining so we can proceed with these tasks.  But, they were never meant to be just tasks they were meant to benefit us.[2Timothy 3:16 and Isaiah 48:17] 

If Satan never had a chance to disrupt Gods plan,then we would be reaping the good life.  We would be happy with our hard work for it would be benefiting us not short changing us.  Hence, the scripture you reap what you sow.

Until Satan (way back in the garden) turned man's attention away from God and onto their own selfish wants, there was no need to hide from anyone espeacially God.  Yet God proceeded to help man even in their want. But satan and anyone taking up their own selfish desires did not take the path of helping anyone or anything.  So man became in control of man to his injury.[This scripture can be found at: Ecclesiastes 8:9]

That injury comes in many forms and is abuse (in evey manner)to the earth an all that lives on it. 

God made us so consistent and wonderfully that we heal from that injury in many different ways but we heal.  It all depends on what our injurys are (physical,mental,or emotional, yes even all three)but he made us so we can heal.   He gave us life,he wishes us to live.  It is in death that he takes back all control that he gave to us and wanted us to have before Satan devised his selfishness among humans.

And of course the most important thing God did for mankind was to send his own son (manifested into human form from spirit form) to humbly win back life for us. All this takes time for many reasons.  One is for mankind to see his mistakes and want to repent and turn around so he can again benefit from his life and not have to have death be forever.  God has the power to resurrect (give back life) to those who have seen their wrong selfish ways and turn around to wanting and practicing good (rightous ways of God).  Shouldn't we be thankful to God for being made in His image?  He will take care of our enemies for us.  But, just in case our enemies may want to repent (now or later) we should forgive them and pray for them.  All we need do is follow the instruction God gave to us.  He saw to it that it was written down for all generations to read.  We need to seek out the good and wise teacher for what we don't quite understand well yet.  But, if we pray, God will help us find that one.  The first teacher he had us find was his son Christ Jesus while on earth.  He saw to it that Jesus' teachings were written down for all generations,too.  Yes the Bible is an account of mankind in association with their creator and is for all generations of humans on the earth.

                                                                                                                   Becky

Hello everyone.  I've been away and just looked in to see if all is well with comments of visitors.  I have changed the look here as you see.  I added my site in my profile, top right.  I'm going to try to come in more often and make posts and visit my friends to see how ya'all are doing.  I don't know how to change the number of comments that are at the bottom of each post, but there is not as many as it says.  Once I came in and saw a lot of the comments were spam and I deleted them but the number of actual comments are not as many as it maintains that there are.  So, don't let it scare you off if you want to read some of the comments, ok?  I probably should have new comments sent to my email address so I'll know if there are any new ones.  However, I'll see about placing some new posts since the last post was dated 2005.  I finally learned how to put the daily devotion on the top where the name of my diary is so I can add new posts to the main without pushing the daily devotions to the archive.  So, if you vist here now put me in your favorites to visit so you may read the daily devotions if you like.  Or, if you like you may make me a friend on your journal. 

With Christian love, Becky

*On that first Palm Sunday, one might have expected Jesus the King to enter Jerusalem on a mighty steed.  But He chose instead a lowly donkey.  Before He cold come as a King to reign, He had to come as a Savior to die.  Throughout His life on earth, Jesus was a man of striking contrasts—reflecting both His genuine humanity and His full diety.

I read this in one of my groups...

THE BRICK


A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down

when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver

then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against

a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?" The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother, "he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.


It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: "Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!" God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Thought for the Day:

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.

He sends you flowers every spring.

He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!

Send this to every "beautiful person" you wish to bless.


God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow,sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Read this line very slowly and let it sink in...

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.