Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:1-5
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Melancholy Moments
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Melancholy moments
have their veins of gold
as do memories
marbled with grief
Good can come
from each circumstance
I’m told –
if we will…
but believe
For it’s our attitude
that blesses or burns
and gives them worth
I’m learning
to mine for treasures
and be thankful
for things could have been worse
Using faith to pick at rocks
and with His Power
I’ve found
I can pan for gold within the pain
swishing it
in Living Water
round and round
Focusing on eternal gems
casting aside
marred and broken thoughts
and slipping sparkling
words of wisdom
into my leather pouch
of all
that He has taught.
Wendy/2013
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The passage of time seasoned with His grace can turn anything life dishes out into something savory.
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In the low lying areas of life’s journey treasures can be found. I love the mountaintops – but we can’t stay there all the time… at least not on this side of Heaven.
In the valley I become acutely aware of my lack and my need. The personal growth of faith and spiritual maturity takes place here on the bottom. And you know what they say about being here: The only thing left to do is to look up.
When I am on higher ground and feeling confident in myself rather than confident in what He is doing in me, and through me, then I am dragged to the bottom in a landslide of suffering (pride before a fall).
Suddenly everything in my environment seems uprooted and unstable. Any idols I had foolishly clung to show their real substance – fluff!
Some landslides come simply just because… and not self-induced. Stuff happens on this planet. But our hope in Christ, and his word, can cause us to soar sooner than the world would have expected us to – and that glorifies God!
It reveals his strength and majesty while we are slowly being conformed into his likeness, and our faith is refined into something of far more worth than anything we might mine for…
Character Building Blessings ~ Wendy
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In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1: 6-7
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:18 & 28
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The Word With Wendy 