Month: November 2020 (Page 1 of 2)

Do We Really Need to Go to Church to be Christians?

November 30, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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It’s Monday, and I am suppose to dread the thought of it, but I am retired and every day is like Saturday to me. I put in my time, and now I am enjoying every day.

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Things are still in a turmoil in our country.

The rioting has spread. The pandemic is at a all time high, and we STILL do not know who our next president will be.

It is hard, at best, to be optimistic during this time. I am stubborn and will not let the dark side put out my light of hope, who is Jesus.

He is with each of us every day, 24/7. Never wavering. Never forsaking, never turning his back on us.

That gives me tremendous comfort. When I am down and depressed, He is there to take my hand and give me hope.

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I was told by someone that they don’t go to church.

I asked why? They said they are a Christian, but don’t feel they need to meet every week with other Christians. They feel they can make it on their own.

Dr. Phil might ask, “How is that working for you?”

I can not separate myself from the church. Right now I can only be at church through an online set-up, But I am refreshed and ready to take on another week.

Just being there, hearing the songs, and listening to my pastor reassuring me, makes the whole world different to me.

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Another thing I have been doing is talking to God every day.

I thank His Son for dying for me on the cross, and then I got through my list of family and friends I pray for. I even pray for our national and local governments.

I do this every day. I love my family and friends, and I love my country. I seek God’s wisdom to guide us all through the storms.

Things don’t seem to be going the way we would like it, but God is in charge and He never makes mistakes.

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How are you doing?

Is there a lot of turmoil in your life as well? Do you wonder what is going to happen to you in the future?

There is millions of people with you in the same boat. Many are clinging on for dear life. Some are ready to give up. The suicide rate is sky rocketing during these times.

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Don’t let the world dictate to you what you should fear. Jesus said, “Fear not.” He will be there for you during the good times and the bad times.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….Never, ever, give up!

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Time to Make That Important List of What You are Thankful For

November 27, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Well, it is the day after Thanksgiving and I had a very unusual day yesterday. No family. No food cooked. Just my wife and I home alone,

Now that sounds pretty sad, but good things happened. My wife’s sister brought the turkey meal with all the fixings plus two desserts. That was the day before Thanksgiving.

On Thanksgiving. My son and his family brought another full turkey meal and two desserts.

We ate very well for being alone.

We were alone, because we are on lock down, thanks to the virus. I have several health issues that the virus would love to attack.

Later in the day our whole family did connect by Zoom. It certainly wasn’t the same as hugging or sitting together in one room, but we made it fun, and I was really refreshed because of it.

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Too many homes are going through what we are here. Isolated parents, husbands, wives, children, etc.

I forced myself to sit down this morning and come up with the things I am thankful for. It was hard at first, because I wasn’t in a cherry mood.

Here are some from my list:

I am thankful we have Thanksgiving. Many countries don’t have it.
I am thankful for my family. ALL OF THEM!
I am thankful that God has given me another day.
I am thankful I am somewhat able to do pretty much anything.
I am thankful that I made it through several major surgeries.
I am thankful for my friends. They are a pillar of my strength.
I am thankful that Jesus paid the ultimate price for me so I can have eternal life.
I am thankful that many storms may come, but they end.
I am thankful that I live in a country that is free.
I am thankful that God gave me the skills to write,

I could go on. This also isn’t necessarily my top ten list.

After I wrote many things I am thankful for, my outlook on life totally changed. I am one very blessed man.

Very strongly suggest you make your list, and don’t stop at ten. Then keep it somewhere that you can look at it from time to time.

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This going to be a pretty short post today. Sorry about that, but I have my son coming shortly and I want to be available for him 100%.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Be Strong and Don’t Go Through Life Alone

November 25, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Have you ever felt alone? I mean like you ae stranded on an island by yourself?

I have some times that has happened to me:

When I was eighteen, I enlisted into the military. I had never been out of my home state. In basic I had two buddies that I had enlisted with and they gave me comfort. But then we were trained and all three of us were deployed to Korea. Still OK until we got there and found out that we were being sent to three different bases. I then learned what loneliness was. It was just me and a whole company of guys I had never met before. Then the alone feeling was overpowering. This eighteen year kid was in a foreign land, and didn’t know anyone. I felt lost. I felt I wanted to be back home with my family.
Much later in my life I felt alone again. It was overwhelming. I couldn’t even tell my wife why I felt alone. It kept growing on me until I was ready to give up. I was driving my Ford Explorer one day, and it all came up all at once. I began sobbing. I couldn’t see where I was going. I turned into a high school parking lot and drove way in the back of it where no one could see. I had actually considered checking of this hotel called earth. That is when I yelled, “God I can’t take this any more!” Then I felt different. I felt the fear got away. I felt fresh air. It seemed like coming out of a coma. It was like God was saying, “It’s about time you came back to me. Now let me carry you the rest of the way.”

There are other times I have felt alone, but each time now I remember one thing...I AM NOT ALONE! God is with me every step of the way. I could tell you what happened after each time I felt alone. I even wrote an award winning book about it called, Signs of Hope, Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.

There are only one place to get the book if you want it. It is close to a second printing, and there are only about ten copies left. I have those ten copies, and you can only get one by going to www.dougbolton.com and click on books. This way you get an autographed copy directly from me.

I digress.

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Being alone and isolated is our enemy.

We feel we can take on the world on our own. As a result, we distance ourselves from those who know us the best, We come incased in ourselves to push away others.

Remember this… Living the Christian life is not a “me,” thing, it is a “we” thing.

We need someone in our life to hold us accountable. We need a mentor to keep us on the right path.

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In my case it is my own son Greg.

He has grown up to be a real Godly leader. I turn to him whenever I feel sad, depressed, or even alone. He is a no nonsense guy who tells it like it is, and that is exactly what I need.

We have to realize that we can not live for Christ if we are not connected. My son keeps me connected.

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Before you chose your mentor You have to expect the following things to happen:

Transparency: You must be willing to be see as you really are. Many of us of afraid to let anyone knw how we are deep down. We are afraid of rejection.
Choice: You must be willing to change. No one can force you into anything.
Confidentially: Everything you share never goes any further than the two of you.
Commitment: Both of you must agree to a higher standard. The person across the table from you must have a deep desire to see you succeed.
Confrontation: You can’t go easy on each other. Accountability requires confronting the reality of the truth. Face the truth and accept the challenge.
Compass: This is is most important thought. The Word of God must serve as your compass to guide you the rest of your life.

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“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” proverbs 27:17

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So if you feel isolated, find someone to help you. You need them to have a sounding board for you. Be strong!

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…..never, ever, give up!

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Three things to Do to Cope in This Not so Friendly World

November 23, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Another Monday! Like the lyrics says, “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.” It is raining and it is Monday. Any Questions?

Actually I am doing fine. There is nothing about Mondays that should be any different since I am retired. Every day is a Saturday for me.

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Now we have to wait and see what the world has in store for us today. Should be very interesting with all the clamor going on around us. The pandemic, the unknown out come of the election in the United States, and of course, the ever popular rioting.

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I have taken all of those on with incredible courage and valor. Let’s look at each one.

The pandemic is the hardest one for me.

I have been on lock down since March. I have some health issues that the virus would love to attack. But why should I pout and scream?

Jesus, was going through an awful lot more than I can even grasp in His life time. He never pouted or screamed. He kept loving the people no matter what.

The election outcome is not known yet.

“When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.” Another lyrics that is a very sad song. This election years has been a nightmare from the beginning until now. Constant attacks on our president from the Democrats. Then the election it self seems tainted. What should we do?

Always remember, God is in Charge! He will allow the right person to be elected. It may not be who you or I really wanted, but God knows what is best for us.

The rioting has started up again.

In Portland, Oregon rioters attacked the homes of the council that voted to not defund the police. This is beyond wrong. They aren’t rioting because no justice, they are rioting to bring our country down. What should we do?

Stand very strong against violent rioting. God knows what is going on, and He has a plan. We just have to be patient, and let Him do the right thing.

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Through all of this turmoil, how are you doing? Do you have problems coping?

Pray for God to guide you each and every day. Take His hand and hold on tight. He loves you, and will not have you face anything that you can not handle.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

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Satan is Having a Party at Our Expense Right Now. Fight Back!

November 20, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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It is getting to the boiling point for me. I am so tired of the problems we have to face in our country.

We still don’t know who our next president will be. The COVID-19 virus is growing faster every day. The rioting has started up again.

Any one of these problems could bring a good person down to their knees.

So…Let’s get on our knees!

We need to pray more now than ever:

Pray for our government both national and local.
Pray for your family to be safe from the virus and any rioting.
Pray for strength through this storm.
Pray for you friends, who may be suffering.
Pray the the election in our country will end, and done the right way.

I have a much longer list. Make your own list and start being a prayer warrior.

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I am finding that all of the stress can cause problems as well.

I have been struggling lately, because I have been on lock down for nine months. There is no end in sight.

So how do I keep, keeping on?

I always remember God is by my side.
There is nothing thrown at me that God can not handle.
I have been much closer to my family, even though it is through Zoom type programs. It isn’t even close to being together where you can hug each other, but very important.
I have found that when I reach out to help others in the same boat. They are grateful, and so am I. A win, win!
Perseverance should be your main word. Through perseverance you can take on anything.
Yes, the storms come, but we need to face it head on and fight back.

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So how are you doing?

Are you having many of the same issues? Does the world seem overwhelming to you right now.?

You certainly not alone. There are thousands of followers here that are walking the same path with you.

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Be strong!!

Satan is having a party right now. He is very happy with what is going on. We need to tell him to hit the road, and concentrate on God.

Pray everyday for guidance from God. He hears your pleas. Remember, He answers on His timetable, not ours. Be patient.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never fosaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

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God, hear Our Pleas for Help Because we’re in Turmoil!

November 18, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Things are still crashing all around us.

The pandemic is roaring like a lion. It is getting really bad in my state of Oregon. We are having over 1,000 new virus cases each day.

I saw what proved that point. I was going to just have a routine blood test. When I turned into the parking lot there must have been 100 cars lined up to have their test for the COVID-19 test. People are scared.

The whole state is close to a complete lock down. Doesn’t matter to me. I have been on lock down since March due to health problems.

Yes, I am climbing the walls, but I am being safe.

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The rioting is coming back again.

One city decided to not pass a bill to defund the police, and the area went berserk. The rioters even attacked the homes of the councilmen who voted against defunding.

Be assured that this has nothing to do with what started all of this way back when people were protesting the killing of a poor black man. Now it is just plain anarchy, and they are trying to dismantle our government.

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This is where sane people need to unite and pray for peace and understanding.

I am a member of a fairly new social network called, RallyPoint. It is just for military people only. I highly recommend it if you are a veteran. http://www.rallypoint. com

There, the veterans are getting on edge. They are tired of the turmoil that is going on. They are talking about a civil war.

Not a good choice, in my opinion. I am tried of the turmoil too, but that would like a picnic at the park compared to a civil war.

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Here is what my plans are:

Pray for our national and local leaders. They are not perfect, but they are much better than any other country’s leadership.
Stand fast in your own beliefs. There is a movement against our churches. You can have groups gathering in certain numbers, but churches can not. What s wrong with this picture.
I will support my local police and firefighters. They are heroes in my mind.
I will pray for my family and friends. They are so many people affected with what is going on.

Prayer is a powerful force.

God hears our pleas. He will listen and answer. We, however, must always remember that he answers prayer on His timeline and not ours.

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BE STRONG!!

Face the upcoming storms head on. God is there with you every step of the way.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up

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Don’t Let Doomsday Thoughts Overcome you

November 16, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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What a rare mood I’m in…..It’s almost like I have been trampled, disappointed, lost, and in mental pain.

How’s that for a lead in sentence?

It is hard, at best, to find very many positive things in our world these days.

I feel like I have bring run through the wringer a few times.

That reminds me of the old washing machine my mother had in her basement. There was a wringer on it to help squeezer the water out of your clothes. I always feared I would get my arm stuck in it.

I am sounding pretty negative here, when I am suppose to be sharing hope. I love the word hope, It is my favorite four letter word.

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Where can we find hope?

There is hope when the sun comes up each day.
There is hope when your child takes their first steps.
There is hope when you get that job you wanted.
There is hope when you accomplish something people thought you couldn’t.
There is hope in our grandchildren.

I could gone on for several pages with hope. Hope is the key word in our lives.

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Now that I have picked myself up off the floor of despair, I feel like all the negativity is gone.

This is what I need to do every day. I need to think of the positive things in my life. My wife. My children. All my friends.

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I suggest you try this approach yourself. Every day sit down and think about all the great things that are happening in your life. You don’t need to write them down. Just sit and clear your mind of negative things for the day.

God is with you every step of your day, and while you sleep at night. He loves you and will protect you through all the turmoil we are seeing.

Never give in the the darkness of fear, and panic. There is a light ahead, and is our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…Never, ever, give up!

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We Have to Remember God is Near to Help us

November 13, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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I am tired and weary today. The rigorous days I have faced are slowing me down. I had a doctor’s appointment today that was good news. Sure needed that.

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We are close to our second week without knowing who our next president is going to be. There is growing evidence that something is not being done like it should be. My thoughts are that no matter who wins, it has to be fair and square. Not cheating. Time will tell.

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I really enjoyed my online church service last Sunday. It stressed calmness, and turning all of our burdens over to God. I have to reminded often about this. I take on way too many burdens that God could be helping me with.

The service online went on to say: We are never alone. One of my closing thoughts on every post I send out to you. Must be true then don’t you think?

Some think Jesus was very alone on the cross. Jesus was fulling human and felt in the ways we do. However, He was not alone. God was there with Him. You have to know that God was in pain watching His only Son die.

My pastor also mentioned that God allowed all the turmoil we are going through right now, because He wanted to bring the world closer together. Makes sense to me.

It’s almost like we have all fallen asleep about God being there for us. We fear everything. We doubt everyone. We are angry way too much.

Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Be anxious about nothing.” That pretty much covers it in my world.

If you have fallen asleep like so many Christians seemed to have done, wake up, it is time to praise the Lord. Do not hold it in any longer!!

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I hear you when you say, “I love the Lord, but I am overwhelmed with burdens.”

In this day and age, there seems to be way too many burdens each of us has to carry. Stop in your tracks right now and turn all of them over to God. Now, can’t you feel the weight lifting off of your shoulders. I do every time I give him my hurts, disappointments and fear.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Stop the World Let me Off I’m tired of Going round and round.

November 12, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. I want to reach out to as many veterans as possible+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. I want to reach out to as many veterans as possible.

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What a ride we have been having lately. The pandemic is having its way, rioting still continues, and the election is still up in the air as to who really won the presidency fair and square.

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The election is a mess. I was watching the news tonight and they claim to have hundreds of affidavits signed saying there was much wrong doing going on during counting. There were those who even tapped a guy that was taking ballots out of an envelope and everyone that was for Trump he tore in half and threw it in the garbage. He laughed when he did it.

So much of this kind of thing is going on in several crucial states. There has to be a reckoning to straighten all this mess out. We want who is suppose to be the president, not by cheating.

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The pandemic is just growing by each day. When will it end? When we be back to “normal?”

The county where I live in Oregon is getting especially getting hit hard. We had 75 new cases just today. I am on complete lock down, because of my health issues.

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The rioting’s are spreading. In Portland, Oregon near me, it is starting up again with even more force. The city council voted to not to defund the police, and the rioters went crazy. They even attacked the homes of the city council.

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What are we to do? How can we help stop this madness?

The word is prayer, and lots of it. I pray every single day for our government both national and local to come to their senses and end all of this turmoil. It shouldn’t be allowed to continue.

We need to become Christian soldiers. We need to stand strong and support the right causes. We need to say NO to evil and be alert to the works of Satan. He is having a field day right now. Turn your back on him and tell him to hit the road. We have God on our side so we win in the end. Just stay strong.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

Surprises Tear Into Our Daily Struggles in Life

November 4, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

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What a day I have had so far. Had a doctor’s appointment early this morning and it was almost frightening.

My doctor surprised me with a dementia test. He was concerned and wanted to see if my thinking process was OK.

He handed me a sheet with several test questions on it. He pointed to the first one where I had to draw a line from dot to dot. Somehow I missed number ten. BUSTED!

Then he had me draw a copy of a square that was on the page. It seemed like an optical illusion to me so I blew it there too. BUSTED!

Then he had me read five words in a row three times. After that he had me repeat them without looking. Got four out of five. PASSED!

Then he had me name three pictures of animals. Peachy easy! Passed.

He went on to me repeating two sentences right after he said them. Aced!! Passed!

He then aske me what year, month and day it was. He finished that part with what day of the week it was. My mind blocked. (I am retired. What do I know about days of the week.) Before he went on I blurted out WEDNESDAY! He allowed that. PASSED IT!

The final question from him was the game changer. If I missed it I failed the test. He asked me what the five words were that he had me say at the beginning of the test. I named four out of five. He said that this test was the best one he had had in many months. PASSED! 27 out of 30!

He suggested that I do a lot of crossword puzzles, and solitaire to keep my brain active. Already doing both of them.

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Do you like surprises? Is it hard to accept them? We all have surprises every day. The car won’t start. You turned on the wrong street. You forgot your cell phone. (I do that a lot.)

Surprises are hard, at best, hard to handle, but they come and test us frequently.

We still have our Lord looking out for us even when those pesky surprises attack us. He is there to calm the spirit and let us handle them.

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Do not give in to this world. We are not part of it. We are only here for a short while if we believe. The world is a very scary place right now. The pandemic is just getting worse. The rioting has not stopped. Wild fires are still burning. The election is upon us.

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We need to remember that God is our fortress during our storms. He will never let us face something that we can not handle. Lean on Him during these troubling times.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

Month: November 2020 (Page 1 of 2)

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