Persevere...

Hey, Y'all,

Funny, the word "perseverance" from that last RST has been literally rattling around in my head since I sent it out, and I wasn't really sure why until today when it clicked into place. I guess I'd thought about it before, but not to this extent.

Obviously, you don't "persevere" on an easy or effortless path, but rather the opposite. This morning I unexpectedly heard from a friend who's passing through deep waters, and I realized that I now am aware of a fairly substantial group of people who are "walking through the fire" right now. Not to be trite (y'all know), but been there...

There are only a couple of things we know for certain: we will have to overcome adversity (and likely with some regularity) in this life--I mean James didn't say "if and when you perhaps happen to maybe encounter a trial or two," he said "WHEN you face troubles" (in the plural, I might add); Isaiah said God walks with you "WHEN you pass through the waters," not IF you happen to. Interestingly, the second thing we can take to the bank is borne on those same wings: God knows, God cares, and He's right there, in it, with you.

Funny, just realized that Paul (in that last RST) also gives us a "how-to" to take that first step: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

So, my peeps--and you know who you are:
we're thinking about you, we're praying for you.
And yeah, God knows, and He cares;
He's right there with you, in it.
So lift up your eyes,
fix your eyes on Him,
and persevere.


You've been prayed for today (some of you earnestly so).
More on this tomorrow, but for today...

"When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze."
Isaiah 43:2