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Ute Valley Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Click on this SoundCloud link to listen to an audio recording of today's Blog.
Click on this SoundCloud link to listen to an audio recording of today's Blog.
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3 English Standard Version
This tree looks like I feel many mornings (as well as afternoons and evenings) and I don't think that I'm alone. Based on Monday morning Facebook posts, I would guess that many of you feel rather gnarly in the morning, at least on Monday morinings.
Yet we persevere. Though this tree has seen some pretty tough times, it continues to survive. Evidence of its survival are the green needles produced on its branches.
Yet, this tree has seen its share of suffering. You also might have seen your share of suffering. Suffering produces character reflected in this tree and reflected in our lives, but how do we get from character to hope instead of feeling gnarly?
There is no magic pill for you to pick up at your local pharmacy. It is God who produces hope. And this hope is based on his promises to you. His promise is that he will be with you in your suffering. His promise is that he will redeem your suffering when Christ returns. These promises of God produce hope.
So, given the circumstances of your life, even though you might feel a little gnarly today, know that God's promises are sure, and these promises produce hope.
This tree looks like I feel many mornings (as well as afternoons and evenings) and I don't think that I'm alone. Based on Monday morning Facebook posts, I would guess that many of you feel rather gnarly in the morning, at least on Monday morinings.
Yet we persevere. Though this tree has seen some pretty tough times, it continues to survive. Evidence of its survival are the green needles produced on its branches.
Yet, this tree has seen its share of suffering. You also might have seen your share of suffering. Suffering produces character reflected in this tree and reflected in our lives, but how do we get from character to hope instead of feeling gnarly?
There is no magic pill for you to pick up at your local pharmacy. It is God who produces hope. And this hope is based on his promises to you. His promise is that he will be with you in your suffering. His promise is that he will redeem your suffering when Christ returns. These promises of God produce hope.
So, given the circumstances of your life, even though you might feel a little gnarly today, know that God's promises are sure, and these promises produce hope.
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You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes broadcast at the iB network on Sundays at 8:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm MDT (www.ibnetwork.us). You can also listen to the show on the iB network on Tunin Radio.
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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner. ARR.
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