“We pray not to escape life, but to be able to handle life.” -Anonymous 

I encourage all who are enduring trials and tribulations at this very moment to visit the 1st Chapter of James in your Bible! The Apostle opens up his dynamic book by letting us know, TRIALS WILL COME TO THE SAINT OF GOD, -but interestingly enough, he tells us to rejoice in our trials! We live in a world today that doesn’t like to experience pain, so they choose to live in a Fantasy world. Some live vicariously through pop culture, or even Social Media! They choose to drown their sorrows by turning to temporary pleasures in life, or perhaps drugs and alcohol: They simply cannot deal with “LIFE!” Then you have those who try to live for the Lord only in the good times, but when calamity hits, the first thing they do is give up on serving the Him because they were under the assumption, living for God would take away pains and trials of life. -This is a folly mind frame to be in! When you peel back the layers of a true Blood Bought, child of the King, you will find scars from the wounds of life! You will find such grit and determination that nothing can deter them from serving God! You will find humility from the blows of life, but you will also find Strength that comes from those same experiences! One may ask, “How can this be?” It goes back to what the Apostle James tells us: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (VARIOUS TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS) Knowing [this], that the trying (TESTING) of your faith worketh patience (SPIRITUAL ENDURANCE, or as I like to say, SPIRITUAL MUSCLE!) But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect (JAMES IS SAYING A MATURE CHRISTIAN) and entire, wanting nothing.” (In other words, allow the process of “Trials” to play out in your life, that way you come out on the other side STRENGTHENED by the Help of the Lord, AND A MORE MATURE CHRISTIAN!!) Serving the Lord doesn’t excuse us from Trials, but having a relationship with Him does give us the ability to get through any circumstance, as long as we Lean on HIM for Strength! Many times we pray, “GOD GET ME OUT OF THIS,” And there are times He will do just that: He will step out onto the boat and calm the storm! Yet, there are times when He simply wants to come on board and grab ahold of the Steering Wheel, and guide us THROUGH THE STORM, because He knows exactly what we need! Today, I thank the Lord He loves me enough to never give up on my old rotten self, and He allows the process to mold and shape me into the very person He’s called me to be! Faith in God will not remove the pain that is accompanied with these mortal bodies, but it will help us to understand He will truly never leave us nor forsake us. It will help us to realize, When His Hedge is removed, and you feel like you’re being hit from all sides, HIS SUSTAINING HAND IS STILL THERE GUIDING YOU THROUGH YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE! Child of God, don’t let go: The dawn of a new day soon approaches, As in the words of James, “My brethren count it all joy!” 

God Bless, JDS