In Sunshine or in Rain

Long ago and far away, in a small village nestled into the mountains, there lived a potter. He worked hard every day forming pots and other vessels out of the best clay he could get his hands on. He loved his work even though it was painstaking. Some days the clay was too dry, so he would have to spend a long time softening it. Other days the clay would just not center on his wheel. But even though the work was not easy, he would always return to his little home at the end of the day feeling very satisfied because he knew that he had done all that he could to turn those lumps of clay into something useful. Every pot he made served a specific purpose. Some where made to store water, others were fashioned for cooking, and some were made into vases and candle holders. The potter loved every vessel that he made regardless of its use. He loved the plain water-pot just as much as he loved his most elaborate ornaments. They were all made by his hands and therefore he valued each one of them. ...

"The happiest people are the ones who have learned what it means to serve." How different from what the world teaches us. Billboards, magazines, and TV advertisements all tell us that in order to be happy we need to be rich, famous, and physically attractive. The world encourages us to focus on ourselves, our desires, our dreams, our well being. I don't know about you, but when I look around, I see a lot of dissatisfaction, emptiness, and sadness. The pressure to be that which the world deems successful drives many people to the brinks of despair. It is easy for us as Christians to get stuck in a similar rut. While we may shun some things of the world, we still make its principles our own. We try to be good Christians, not because we love Jesus, but because we seek other people's approval. We want to be noticed, and we feel dissatisfied and jealous of those who have more talents, and more recognition than we do. As long as we are self-seeking, we can never experien...

Angels weep, while human eyes are dry and hearts are closed to pity. COL 192. Try to imagine what it must be like to be an angel. You find your greatest joy in serving your Creator and perfect harmony and bliss reign in that glorious city. Looking down upon the little speck known as earth, you see darkness, quarrel, and a sinfulness so great that it pains you to behold it. You see suffering to an extent that it breaks your pure and holy heart. Imagine that you are looking down from heaven one day and see a family where the wife and children get abused, and the fear and daily quarrel has extinguished every trace of sunshine. You look around a little more and see a teenager who has taken the wrong road and has ended up in drugs and a degraded lifestyle. That's not it though. You keep looking and see millions of starving children, young girls sold into prostitution, and wars that tear families apart. You see school shootings, bullying, loneliness, suicide and so much more. You ...

Lord take my heart, my life, my will, I give it all to You. I want You to be the focus Lord, Of all I say and do. Without You I am very weak, Make me strong I pray, Lead me in Your perfect way, Please be my Guide and Stay. Send me where You would have me go, "Here I am, send me!" It doesn't matter where I go, As long as You're with me. I don't want to live for selfish gain, I want to give my all To reach the lost and hurting, By answering God's call.

Dear child, I just want to let you know that you are precious in my sight. You mean so much to me that I was willing to give up my only Son so that you could be set free from the bondage of sin. I knew that there was a chance that I would lose Him, but heaven was no place to be desired while you were still lost. Dear child, I know that life is sometimes very challenging and painful, but I want you to know that you are never alone. When you are sad I am right there beside you to comfort you. When you can't go another step, I pick you up and carry you.There hasn't been a time in your life when I have not tenderly watched over you. I know that sometimes you wonder where I am when things get rough and bad things happen. My precious child, it is in these moments that I am especially close. It is not because I am not there that life is challenging, but it is because you live in a world that is sinful. I know that you often wonder what the future holds. Sometimes you find...