Archive for the ‘Prayer’ Category

19 Feb

Getting on with Life

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, depression, Faith, Hope, Lent, peace, Prayer, Uncategorized, Unemployment. Tagged: , , , , , .

Getting on with Life

Losing a job has been compared to losing a loved one. There is an initial period of mourning that has to be gotten through before one can get on with life. You will quickly discover that life goes on, even after becoming unemployed. All of the personal and family affairs that required your attention before losing your job are still there waiting for you in the wake of your loss. Mourning is part of the healing process–it’s OK to mourn.  However, the quicker you can get through the mourning the better off you’ll be.

The 12th chapter of the book of Second Samuel describes how King David had the great warrior Uriah murdered because he lusted for Uriah’s wife Bathsheba. With Uriah out of the way, David adulterously took Bathsheba for himself. She subsequently gave birth to David’s son. Not long after the baby was born, the prophet Nathan visited David. He told him that the child would die. Only a short time later the child became ill. During the illness, David begged God’s forgiveness and mourned what he knew was God’s judgment for his sins. On the seventh day the child died. Upon hearing of its passing, David arose, bathed, put on clean clothes, went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. His example shows us it’s possible turn a period of mourning into a period of worship, repentance and restoration.

William Bartram was a 19th century American naturalist born in Pennsylvania. He traveled much of the United states, observing nature and recording what he saw. Bartram wrote of his life’s experience, “On the recollection of so many and great favors and blessings, I now, with a high sense of gratitude, presume to offer up my sincere thanks to the Almighty, the Creator and Preserver.”

If you’ve recently lost a job, resist the urge to crawl inside yourself and mourn, which only leads into a dark pit. Instead, get on with life as quickly possible. Establish a daily routine and get to work finding that next job. Meanwhile, as William Bartram suggests, pause daily to thank our Creater and Preserver for the blessings you still have in life, recognizing that all blessings come from God!

Psalm 145, God’s Majesty and Love:
I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 I[a] will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.[b]
6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9 The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
10 All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.[c]
14 The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

Today’s Lenten Prayer: a prayer for those who mourn
Bless those who mourn, eternal God, with the comfort of your love,
that they may face each new day with hope and the certainty,
that nothing can destroy the good that has been given.
May their memories become joyful,
their days enriched with friendship,
and their lives encircled by your love. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 12:15-23 the death of King David’s infant son
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2012:15-23&version=NKJV

18 Feb

Discipline in Everything

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, discipline, Faith, health, Lent, Patience, Prayer, Self-discipline, Unemployment. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Cupcakes

Developing discipline is neither easy nor pleasurable. Anyone who has tried to diet knows this! For most people, dieting is a struggle between the desires of the body and the needs of the spirit.

Like dieting, a good job search also requires strict discipline. The best approach is to develop a strategy and stick to it. Your strategy must be proactive. It should include networking, personal branding & marketing, lots of research and a double dose of patience and perseverance. Approach your job search like a fulltime job until you find employment. At the same time, use your period of unemployment as an opportunity to improve yourself: try to shed a few of those extra pounds; develop a fitness routine to improve your physical condition; work on acquiring some new job skills that will make you more marketable and current in your field; reach out to help others around you; and work on disciplining yourself spiritually.

Taking just a few minutes of quiet time each morning to pray, study the scriptures and reflect on the day ahead will add clarity and purpose to your day. Christians could learn a lesson from the followers of Islam. Muslims stop five times per day to pray–morning, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening. Periodically pausing for prayer throughout each day is guaranteed to help you cope with stress and worry, two challenges that you will encounter daily while unemployed.

Mark 1:35 (NKJV) tells us that, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He (Jesus) went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” If this is the way the Lord began his mornings, how can we do otherwise? If you don’t currently start the day with some quiet time with God, I challenge you to give it a try during this season of Lent. A blessing awaits you.

Psalm 84, the blessedness of dwelling in the house of God
How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
My King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You. Selah
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
Each one appears before God in Zion.[b]
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You! 

Today’s Lenten Prayer: a prayer for self-discipline
Lord, give me the wisdom to see
No good life comes without right discipline.
Give me the grace to impose it upon myself
Lest others do it for me.
Help me to discipline my tongue
That I may be clear rather than clever
Sincere instead of sarcastic
Help me to discipline my thinking and actions
To do what is right
And not what is easy
Let me get on with the job on hand
Doing the best I can
And leaving the rest to You. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Oswald Chambers – the Discipline of Spiritual Perseverance

The Discipline of Spiritual Perseverance

17 Feb

Don’t Go It Alone

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, Faith, Fear, Hope, Lent, loneliness, peace, Prayer, Religion, Uncategorized, Unemployment. Tagged: , , , , , .

Alone

Searching for employment can leave one feeling lonely, isolated and hopeless. Jobseekers need a support network to encourage and assist them on their journey. Joining a job networking group while unemployed is a good way to discover you’re not alone and your situation is not unique. It will boost your morale. There is strength in numbers and as the saying goes, “two heads are better than one.” It is a well documented fact that the vast majority of new jobs are landed through networking, not by searching and applying for jobs through Internet job boards.

Even though we are currently in the season of Lent, each Sunday is a feast day on the church calendar; today is a day to rejoice and celebrate our salvation through the Lord. Just as it is not good for jobseekers to go it alone, it is not good for “Godseekers” to go it alone either. The Sabbath is a day set aside for communal worship in God’s house. The fourth chapter of Luke’s Gospel tells us that it was Jesus’ custom to attend services in the synagogue on the Sabbath. We should need no further example to convince us of the importance of worshiping together with fellow believers.

If you haven’t attended church for awhile, I encourage you to make an effort during the Lenten season to get back into the habit of attending. It’s one habit that’s guaranteed to make you better off than before.

Psalm 25, a prayer of David:
To thee, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in thee I trust,
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait for thee be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know thy ways, O LORD;
teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me,
for thou art the God of my salvation;
for thee I wait all the day long.
6 Be mindful of thy mercy, O LORD, and of thy steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, or my trangressions;
according to thy steadfast love remember me,
for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD!
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For thy name’s sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man that fears the LORD?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 He himself shall abide in prosperity,
and his children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn thou to me, and be gracious to me;
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 Oh guard my life, and deliver me;
let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in thee.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for thee.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles. (RSV)

Today’s Lenten Prayer: A prayer for the lonely
Loving God,
there are times in each life
when there is no one.
No one with whom to share
a word,
a laugh,
a sad remembrance,
a gentle touch,
a fond embrace,
a kiss of love.
Bless each one who suffers
from such loneliness.
Enrich life with a friend
or gentle stranger
who will spend a moment
noticing and loving.
In those times
your love shines through,
the world is reborn,
and Christ is known. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 28:16-20 Jesus is always with us.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028:16-20&version=NKJV

16 Feb

Cling Fast to Hope

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, Faith, Fear, Hope, Prayer, Unemployment.

Lent - fast forgive pray prepare

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain outcome of events. People remain hopeful as long as they continue to believe their desired outcome is possible. Often, this hope fades with time until a person becomes convinced that his or her desired outcome will never happen. Despondency and depression sometimes follow.

Those who find themselves unemployed might initially have a great deal of hope of finding a new job. Much of this hope stems from confidence in their personal skills, qualifications, education and performance in past jobs. This confidence often fades with time. Long, disappointing job searches can ultimately lead to depression if not handled correctly.

It’s good to be confident in one’s self, but we human are all flawed. Our true hope doesn’t lie in our ability to solve our own problems. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When we put our hope in the Lord, that hope turns into faith. He is the only genuine source of hope for the world. As you move through your Lenten journey, remember that true hope means presenting your desires and needs to God on the altar of prayer, listening and leaving the details to Him.

Listen to what Saint Paul says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5 , NKNJ).

Placing our hope in God leads to faith, which ultimately results in peace with God, even in times of great tribulation. Hope in God, place your faith in Him, and let him be your main source of comfort and peace as you search for your next job.

Psalm 146 – the happiness of those who hope in the Lord:
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 While I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day his plans perish.
5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
10 The LORD shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations. (NKJV)
Today’s Lenten Prayer: A penitential prayer of St. Augustine

O Lord,
The house of my soul is narrow;
enlarge it that you may enter in.
It is ruinous, O repair it!
It displeases Your sight.
I confess it, I know.
But who shall cleanse it,
to whom shall I cry but to you?
Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord,
and spare Your servant from strange sins.

Today’s Reading:  Jeremiah 17:5-8  Trust in the Lord
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2017:5-8&version=NKJV

14 Feb

I’m Sick of This

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, Faith, Lent, Prayer, Unemployment. Tagged: , , , , .

Hospital Corridor

For many Americans, one of the scariest things about being unemployed is the looming threat of the loss of health care.   While many western nations have guaranteed health care to all of their citizens, the United States lags far behind in this area.  According to one study, as many as 75% of unemployed Americans have no or inadequate health care coverage.  Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

God doesn’t promise us good health, but he does promise to give us the strength to carry us through any situation, including health problems.   During your Lenten journey, through prayer and fasting, place your cares on the altar of God and leave the rest to him.  Do not be afraid…He will give you the inner strength to sustain you in any situation.   As the apostle Paul tells us, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  (Philippians 4:13, NKJV)

Psalm 23, the Shepherd Psalm:

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (NKJV)

Today’s Lenten Prayer: 

Dear God, in his public ministry Jesus healed the sick and cured many of diseases. We pray for your compassion on the sick and also for their friends and loved ones who are anxious and worried about them.  We pray for the unemployed and others in our nation lacking basic health and dental care. We pray for those who receive inadequate treatment for their illnesses and injuries or have suffered financially from their health problems. We pray for all believers who are health care providers, recognizing that their careers serve their faith. May the conscience of all health care professionals and all health care institutions be reminded of the sacredness of human life. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God

Today’s Reading: Luke 17:11-17  Jesus Heals Ten Lepers

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2017:11-17&version=NKJV

23 Jan

Don’t worry away the blessings of today!

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, Faith, Prayer, Simple Living, Unemployment, work. Tagged: , , , , .

Image

In every life we have some trouble,

                      When you worry you make it double,               

Don’t worry, be happy. 

Lyrics from “Don’t worry be happy” by Bobby McFerrin 

The Psalms tell us, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (118:24). Well, this is a cold day in Pittsburgh.  No—on second thought it’s freezing.  When I awoke this morning it was a frigid one degree above zero and quite windy, driving the wind chill well below zero.  As I worked through my morning devotional I remembered to thank God that I was warm and snug inside my home.  By midday it had already reached the predicted high, a sweltering 12 degrees.

I’m unemployed and looking hard for a good job these days, so I spend a lot of time at my computer.  Today as I sat working on the laptop in my home office, I found myself spending long periods just staring out the window at the beautiful snow-covered woods before me.  I couldn’t help but marvel at the amount of activity outside.

Birds were fluttering about despite the brutal weather. I keep my copy of the Peterson Field Guide® for Eastern Birds nearby. With it, I was able to identify cardinals, blue jays, robins (weird for winter), wrens, house finches, creepers, titmice, chickadees, and at least three kinds of woodpeckers.  Watching so many birds going about their business despite the difficulties presented by the harsh weather was inspiring.  It made me recall the scripture:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)

I belong to a faith-based job networking group where there are lots of unemployed folks like me. For the unemployed, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with worry. Yet worrying about what might be tomorrow strips the joy from what is today. I find it helpful each day to review the inventory of the things I have to be thankful for.  Faith, family, and friends are always at the top of my list—blessings that unemployment can never take away and for which I will always be thankful.   

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, faith looks up.” Being unemployed can be one of the greatest tests of faith a Christian will ever endure.  Each time you find worry creeping into your thoughts, turn it into an opportunity for prayer.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

21 Dec

Pray for Sandy Hook and More

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, Poverty, Prayer, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Unemployment. Tagged: , , , , .

Jesus Praying - Dec 2012

“The world as God designed it was the best of all possible worlds, but it has now become the worst of all possible worlds; in fact, the Bible reveals that it could not be any worse than it is.  Individual men who take the wrong line can get worse, but the world itself cannot get worse. Grief brings a man to see this more quickly than anything else and he longs for an umpire who will hold the scales.”  —Oswald Chambers

The recent shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School have left the minds of many spinning—such horrific acts defy the human mind’s ability to understand.  We’ll probably never learn the shooter’s motive or understand the thoughts that were going through his head on that terrible day.

Watching friends and family of the victims being interviewed, it’s clear that many of them are experiencing difficulty simply trying to explain their feelings in the wake of the calamity.  They just can’t seem to find the words.  At times when others are hurting and we can’t seem to find the right words, good people everywhere ought to pray.

There’s no need to be eloquent in your prayers, just pause, get in touch with God and let the Spirit do the rest.  Romans 8:26 tells us, “…the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (NKJV).  Before  going to bed tonight take a minute to drop to your knees and lift up the families, friends and loved ones of all whose lives have been affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy.

While Sandy Hook might be foremost in our thoughts and prayers today, never forget that there are far more Americans elsewhere who are also suffering greatly.  For many Americans, 2013 promises only uncertainty and potential disaster.  I recently joined a local job networking group.  Although currently unemployed, I’m fortunate enough to be a military retiree with a dependable monthly paycheck and medical benefits.  Most in the group aren’t so lucky.  Many struggle to make a mortgage payment, others are facing looming homelessness and still others don’t even have enough money to pay for gas to drive to our networking meetings.

As Jesus tells us, we will always have the poor with us.  Unfortunately, there’s a new variety of the poor in America.  It’s composed of educated, middle class people who have worked for years and now find themselves struggling through long periods of unemployment.  The American middle class is shrinking while those living in poverty grows proportionately.

As our politicians bicker over taxes and spending, it appears that the federal emergency unemployment benefits that are currently in effect might be allowed to expire on December 31st.  This would place many more American families at risk.  Judging by the news, the politicians are nearly out of time and ideas as to how to reduce the massive national debt and get spending under control.  It’s time that we turned to God for ideas.

So while you’re on your knees tonight, don’t stop after saying a prayer for Sandy Hook.  Also ask God to help our nation by blessing our elected officials on both sides of the aisle and giving them the wisdom and courage to do what’s best for America in the coming year.

May you have a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

5 Mar

Feeling overwhelmed? Try this.

Posted by Zachary P. Hubbard in advice, Prayer, Time Management.

 Image

“Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest”  Psalm 55:6                                                                                                                  

In Psalm 55, David is on the run, fearing for his life.  The disloyalty of an old friend has left him feeling alone, scared and in despair.  While your personal burdens may not be life threatening like David’s, they can be overwhelming nonetheless.

Our struggling economy has created burdens for many that they could never have anticipated just a few years ago.  Whether it’s because of a lost job, impending mortgage foreclosure, or overdue bills piling up, many Americans are suffering tremendous financial pressures.

Even if you’re in good financial shape, it isn’t enough.  A 2011 study by the Manilla Research Institute indicates many Americans are stressed out by the pressure of managing their financial accounts.

Many others are overwhelmed by caring for aging parents, health concerns, difficulties with children, struggling marriages and more—the causes are too many to enumerate.

In trying to escape the pressures, many people follow dangerous paths.  One of the most common escapes is alcohol.  Unfortunately, it provides only temporary relief and comes with a laundry list of potential hazards.

Drug abuse is another popular outlet. This includes both legal and illegal drugs.  Over medication with prescription drugs is a major concern–Michael Jackson immediately comes to mind.  In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that one in ten Americans over the age of 12 is on some kind of antidepressant medication.

The Internet offers newer forms of escape.  It abounds with websites catering to extramarital affairs.  Sites like “Married Cheaters,”  “Married Cheating,” and the “Married Affair Guide,” are there to help those looking for an escape from marriage, either through a physical affair or one carried out “virtually” over the Internet.

Internet gaming is also a popular escape.  Through a multitude of game sites it’s possible to escape into a make believe world where you make all of the rules and you decide all of the outcomes.  In September 2007, ABC News reported that a man in an Internet café in China dropped dead of exhaustion during a three-day Internet gaming session.   While most people never go to such extremes, escapism through excessive Internet gaming carries real risks.

So what do you do when feeling overwhelmed? How do you try to escape the stress? We would all be wise to learn from David, who provides us a simple solution. He says in Psalm 55:16-17, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me.  Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.”

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  (NIV)

In her book, “The SuperStress Solution,” Dr. Roberta Lee devotes an entire section to spirituality and prayer.  Speaking of people who are religious or spiritual, Dr. Lee’s research concludes, “They’re better able to cope with stress, they heal faster from illness, and they experience increased benefits to their health and well-being.”  She also concludes that people who are more religious tend to become depressed less often. When they do become depressed, they recover more quickly. While Dr. Lee’s  conclusions are sound, she could have saved herself some time by simply reading Psalm 55 and believing.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:37-39 (NIV)

Newer Entries »