Why worry? Instead, count your blessings.

I have learnt, after a lot of trials and errors, not to worry about things I cannot change or cannot afford. One of the things that used to wind me up was the lack of money all the time. Another was owning a property - having a mortgage, and other material things like so and so! Especially when my friends put pressure on me with comments such as 'XYZ has a mortgage, when will you have one?' As time went by my worries multiplied but my situation remained the same. What does it pay to worry?

Prayer upon prayer taught me that worry only robs you of the joy of living today. I realized that I don't have to have what other people have because everybody's life circumstances is different and there is nothing wrong with being different as long as God is with you. As a result, I learnt to count my blessings by simple observations like these:

In spite of my financial difficulties, I have never gone hungry or thirsty,

lacked a roof over my head,

failed to put on my clothes,

or lacked companionship from those who matter!

The lesson? Miracles have two parts: God's part and your part. Do your part and let God do His part. So why worry? Look at these scripture readings on worry:

Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up (Proverbs 12:25).

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life.

(Phillipians 4: 6-7)

Oh God, give me the strength

to look up and not down,

to look forward and not back,

to look out and not in, and

to lend a hand.

Edward Everett Hale.

COMFORT

We are a fragile species. One thing going wrong can mean the complete demise of our spirit. One friend turning against us and our response is simply, 'I will not talk to them again, never will I have anything to do with these people again!' Wait a minute, don't you think that is harsh?
Don't you think you are looking for comfort in the wrong places? No wonder you get bitter and rage with anger and disappointment.

But wait a minute, all is not lost. For God provides us with comfort and good cheer, if only we could seek it. Here is the proof:

God is a safe house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times.
Psalm 9:9

God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
Psalm 46:1

Pile your troubles on God's shoulders - He will carry your load, He will help you out.
Psalm 55:22

We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort - we get a full measure of that, too. - 2 Corinthians 1:5

What I can do

If I can do some good today,

if I can serve along life's way,

if I can say something helpful,

Lord, show me how.

If I can right a human wrong,

if I can help to make one strong,

if I can cheer people with smile or song,

Lord, show me how.

If I can aid one in distress,

if I can lessen one's burden,

if I can spread more happiness,

Lord, show me how.

Grenville Kleiser.

On being a parent

According to the world, you are a failure if, for whatever reason, you are unable to have children of your own. BUT, according to God Our Father, you are a winner, whether or not you have children. So who's view is more important - God's or man's?

God has many purposes for us to fulfill and bearing forth a child and bringing him or her up according to His Word is only just one of them. The problem I find is that human beings fail to recognize this. Instead, they place so much emphasis in having children that if this does not happen, they treat you as if you are an outcast, the cursed one. These are the devil's lies and any true Christian should not be crippled by such comments and views.

Proverbs 19:21 tells us: We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but GOD's purpose prevails.

Therefore my brothers and sisters, if there is anyone among you who does not yet have children of their own, PRAISE GOD! In every situation, PRAISE GOD and let Our Heavenly Father work in your life. You may think that all is finished for you but God works miracles and wonders and the best is yet to come. Be encouraged and spend this time while waiting on the Lord to do other things that please him. And our Father in Heaven, who sees what you do, will reward you abundantly.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, AMEN.

God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interiror of his purposes.

You don't find it lying around on the suface.

It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest -

what GOD determined as the way to bring out his best in us,

long before we ever arrived on the scene.

1 Corinthians 2:7