Daily Signs of Hope

A place to find Hope

Category: out of control (Page 2 of 3)

Surprises Tear Into Our Daily Struggles in Life

November 4, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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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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Be Strong Through the Storms of Life

November 2, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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It has been quite a ride for me the last eight months.

The pandemic has placed me in lock down. Only doctor’s appointments and family gatherings that everyone has to wear masks and keep the right distance. Haven’t hugged one of my children during this whole time.

This plus the election, (that ends tomorrow, thank God.) Don’t forget the rioting, wild fires, looting, shootings, etc. Pretty dismal path we have to walk.

How do I handle it? Well, it is hard, at best, for me to stay positive, but positive I am.

Why?

  1. All storms come to an end.
  2. God is in charge.
  3. He is only a prayer away.
  4. He will not allow us to have more than we can handle.
  5. He loves us. He made us in his image. He wouldn’t do that if He didn’t love us.

Those statements are my fortress against depression, and feeling lost.

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So what is happening in your neighborhood?

Are you standing strong, or is the world loading you down with worry? I certainly hear you, but the most wonderful thing you and I can do for our families, is to be a strong leader and always show that we are positive.

If we show a poor me attitude, so will those around you.

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Never let the dark side overcome you.

The dark side would love to drag you down into the muck and mire. Look for the light which is Jesus.

Yes, these are very troubling times. This, however, is when the tough get going. They face the storms head on. They lead others to freedom of 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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Think Very Hard Before You Vote. It is a Vital Year

October 30, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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More doctor appointments today. See my eye doctor this afternoon. He is prepping me for my second cataract surgery.

I went to a neurologist two weeks ago because of a bad tremor in my left hand. She did Botox on it and in the past that worked fine. This time I think it is worse after to procedure. Can’t control my whole left arm much now.

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I am not a very political guy, but in four days from now we elect our president. The is the most important election in our countries history. There never has been such a divided country since the Civil War.

Here is my take on it. You don’t have to agree with me, but I need to share.

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In 2016 everyone one on the planet thought Hilary Clinton was going to win the election. She didn’t! WHY!

Many so called scholars think it is because God didn’t want her to be president. I tend to agree with that. It really seemed impossible to have a non-politician beat a veteran one. It happened, and Hilary is still complaining today. She thinks he stole the election from her. He didn’t. God gave it to him.

Now it is 2020. Trump is behind in almost every poll out there with only four days left. The odds are against him again. However, it looks like God is on his side, and I predict another with for President trump.

He is heading our country in the right direction. Yes, I do not like him blasting away on Twitter. Yes, he is cruel in calling people names. His personality turns me off, and yet he would be a much better president than Joe Biden, who seems to have a pile of worries coming at him from all directions. Mostly from his own son.

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If you haven’t voted, please do. This is a critical election. Each vote counts in the very tight race. Use your right to vote.

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How are you handle all this garbage we face each day? We are hit with this election and ads on TV by the millions. We are struggling with the pandemic that seems to be getting worse. The rioting is back worse than ever. Philadelphia is the latest victim.

I wish it all to go away, but it hasn’t so we must buckle up and face the storms head on. This is the time to really lean on God for his comfort and protection. He is a fortress in all this chaos.

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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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Let God Show You the Path so You can Face the World

October 23, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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Had an interesting day yesterday. I had cataract surgery on my right eye. It went very smoothly and my eye is getting better by the minute. I am able to do this post today.

I had to miss my Wednesday post because of several reasons. Sorry about that.

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While I was waiting to go in for surgery, I had the usual worrying moments. That is when I always hit back saying, God is in charge!!

The surgery was done so well, and I have not pain today at all.

Why do we get worked up over things that don’t really happen. In my first book I have a chapter called, “Worry is the Dark Room Where Negatives Develop.” That is so true and we can really worry ourselves to death.

I have had too many times when I wasted my time worrying. I have found that 99% of what we worry about never happens. Just give the rest to God.

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I agree that there are many things that people worry about today. The pandemic, rioting, wild fires, the election, etc.

Each one of those can cause people to overheat. They try to face each day, but it sometimes gets too overwhelming. Panic comes and there are many problems with people rebelling, and attacking anything that represents the government. Even policemen are attacked. Several have died during the rioting.

My feelings on this are not panic, but determination to keep calm and face each day with positive thoughts. My children really have noticed that.

They look up to me for guidance. I certainly not an expert, but I share that God is with us, and He will never give us more than we can handle.

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I certainly have reasons to complain! I am on a complete lock down. I have health issues, that my doctor says makes me a prime target for the virus. I will not survive if I get it.

What do I do?? I cling to God’s promises, and keep going forward directly into the storm.

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How are you doing? Is the current status of our country overwhelming you? Do you want to stay in bed and not face the day?

I hear you, but you have to have courage and take on the world with God on your side. He is with you 24/7. He will guide you down the right path to safety.

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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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Crucial Times are here. We Need to Lean on God

October 17, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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I am a day late. It is Saturday and I usually post on Fridays. Well my Friday was full of fun. I had a day full of health tests. I went to get my blood check since I use blood thinners. Test turned out fine.

Then I had a CT scan to see if I had a stroke recently. It turned out negative and I am fine.

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Great results on both tests, but it is getting tiresome to do so many tests. I know it is because of my age. I have two more appointments next week for different things. They all know my first name down at the clinic.

There is a bit of worrying going on of course, but I again have to just know that God is in charge.

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The election is only days away. It is an extremely important election for president. The outcome could drastically change the way our country continues on. Two complete opposites. I am going to be bold and say I am voting for President Trump. Here is why:

  1. No one in their right mind thought that he was going to win in 2016. It had to be God who was in charge of the minds of the people and wanted Trump to be president.
  2. President Trump has done many things that he promised to do. Not any presidents can say that.
  3. He has affectively closed down the illegal aliens from coming across our southern borders. That was crucial in stopping drug trafficking, and the virus from crossing our borders.
  4. He will be putting his third supreme court nominee into service. That will completely change outcomes on very important issues. It has been speculated that if he is reelected he will be able to nominate two or more judges.

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How are you doing? Is there some hard days in your life? Do you feel the heavy burdens of this world?

You certainly are not alone. There are many people struggling right now. It is time we put on the armor of God and fight back. Do not let this crazy world tear you down. Remember, God is by your side 24/7. He will not let you face more than you can handle.

Yes, it is hard, at best, to be strong at this time, but when you face walls in front of you. Go around, under, or over them with God’s help.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

+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.

Idols Will Fade Away, But Not God

October 12, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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What is an idol? It is something you love more than God. It is taking the place of God. Do your idols control you?

We all have idols. They could be something material, or it could be someone in your life. Here are some examples of both:

  1. A fancy car.
  2. That great boat of yours.
  3. Joe Biden, or President Trump.
  4. A huge mansion.
  5. That Harley Davidson.

There are many more that I can think of, but this gives you an idea.

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In Biblical times the Egyptians had hundreds of idols. One came back to haunt them. The frogs came into their homes and everywhere else, as one of the plagues. (There are only so many frog legs you can eat.) However, the most important one for them seemed to be the sun.

The worshipped the sun everyday. They offered sacrifices to it. Idols can destroy you like it did the Egyptians back then.

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Do you have idols? Are they more important to you than God? What do you need to do to put God first in your life? I suggest spending time in the Bible every day. The Word is wisdom. It can’t be destroyed like some idols.

I have learned that I need to use my time wisely. I am not sure how many breaths I have left. I want to use them to worship God and to share His love. I can’t say that I don’t have time for God. He should be first, and I should be spending most of my time with Him.

Do you feel more atoned to your I-Phone, or your Fit Bit watch than to God? They can become idols. My wife tells me that I spend far too much time on my I-Phone. I checked and I have to agree. I average 7 hours a day on the phone. Ridiculous!

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Put together your priorities. My I-Phone should be near the bottom of the list.

Here is some of my priorities:

  1. God
  2. Family
  3. Church
  4. Reach out to help
  5. Always have a positive attitude.

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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.

What Are The Things You Are Thankful For?

October 9, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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I was sitting here wondering what I was thankful for, and what I had trouble with in my life. Complete opposites and yet we have them every day.

The Thing(s) I am thankful for is long, but here are a few:

  1. My family.
  2. I do not have the COVID-19 virus.
  3. I am working hard on my health by walking a lot.
  4. My church.
  5. That God is with me 24/7.
  6. Friends.
  7. Books to read.
  8. God’s glorious mountains and valleys.
  9. I still have my breath that God gives me.
  10. Naps!

I have many more, but you get the picture. Now about things I have trouble with:

  1. Procrastination.
  2. Not enough communication with others.
  3. Not going on walks enough.
  4. Motivation, at times.

There are others, but I really need to work on these first.

How about you?

Make your list and be glad, plus work on your list that you are having trouble with.

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Another day of wondering what is going to happen in our world. So much to consider. The Pandemic, rioting, debates, wild fires, and facing each day.

So, what can we do to survive?

I have my own list I have for me, so I will share some with you:

  1. 99% of what we worry about never happens. Give the rest to God.
  2. There will always be storms, but then the Son.
  3. There are some things you can’t control, let them go.
  4. Be sure to tell your children you love them every day.
  5. Never let someone else tell you who you are.
  6. Smile at everyone you see. They will often smile back. A win, win.
  7. Check with your neighbors to see if they are Ok.
  8. Have family time at you house at least once a week, Everyday would be better.
  9. Love others as yourself. (Jesus)
  10. Never, ever, give up!

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I was thinking (gives me a headache) about my new book coming up. I haven’t told you much about it here. If you want more information about it go to: http://www.dougbolton.com. There I share daily updates on how it is going.

I have a publisher who is very interesting, and I am almost done. It will be called, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.” It reaches out to those veterans who may be suffering from PTSD, TBI, depression, anxiety, Lost buddies, or war wounds.

At the other site I have been sharing interviews I have been having with veterans. Some are WWII veterans. Those interviews are gut wrenching. Every one of them. If you are a veteran, please check out the site and subscribe. It will give you hope and peace, Plus you will get every post sent right to your in box.

The reason I am writing the book is that 22 veterans, or current service people are taking their own lives every day. Yes, I said every day. Hopefully this book will help them in some 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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+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.

We are in Troubling Times Time for Prayer

October 1, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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My mind is blank today so I guess I will ramble.

The debate was the worest ever. Lots of shouting, and no control by the moderator. It was embarrasing. I hope they come up with a better format.

President trump has a love/hate relationship with the people. You either love him or you hate him. How could he be such a controversial figure? In my opinion…IT’S BECAUSE GOD WANTED HIM THERE! God wanted things to be rattled, and used this to wake up the people to what was going on in our government was not right

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Had a strange week this last week.

I wasn’t feeling well so my wife took me to Urgent care. MISTAKE! I met with the triage nurse and she asked me a bunch of questions, like what symptoms did I have. When she was finished she said I coudn’t come in. I was sent to an outside tent to have a test for COVID-19.

I was sure I didn’t have that, but played the game. At the tent the nurse asked me even more questions. She than sat down to type what she wrote. Out of nowhere, a PA (Physicians Assistant) came out and started talking to me. The nurse said she already asked the questions, and that she didn’t think I need the COVID test. He still insisted I take the test. This time they stuck the probe down my throat. The nurse jabbed the side of my throat by accident, and she was very apologetic.

I won’t know the results for a couple more days.

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We finally got rid of all the awful smoke from the wild fires here in Oregon. However, we woke today with more smoke. From the Claifornia fires!!!

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Let’s talk about you. How are you doing? Are you holding strong? Is the turmoil going on getting to you? I hear you!!

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Let’s remember a few things:

  1. 99% of what we worry about never happens. Give the rest to God.
  2. God will never give you more than you can handle.
  3. God is with you 24/7.
  4. The most important thing to remember is…GOD IS IN CHARGE!!

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You ar enever fosaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

+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.

We Need to Pray About Our Fears to Stop Panic

September 29, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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WE NEED TO PRAY RIGHT NOW

Thre no way to avoid it, we are in troubling times right now. There is the pandemic, rioting, wild fires, etc. A bit overwhelming don’t you think?

I have made a prayer list for myself that I do every day before I lay my head down:

  1. Pray for all leaders. From the president on down to our own local government.
  2. Pray for those you have trouble with. Love you neighbor as yourself.
  3. Pray for peace. There are many “hot posts,” in this world.
  4. Pray that the gospel will reach out to many and they will be saved.
  5. Pray for things that pleases God.
  6. Pray for your family, and friends.

We have many fears:

  1. Marriage-It is hard to have a good marriage if you don’t try hard to help it out.
  2. Job-There is much turmoil in the world now. Many people laid off because of the pandemic.
  3. Having enough money. Single moms wonder where the money will come for their rent.
  4. People wonder if life has any meaning. Sharp increase in suicides since the pandemic started.
  5. Many fear they are not accepted by God.
  6. Some think they are a failure.
  7. Others feel rejected.
  8. The opposite of # 5. People are afraid they are too close to od.

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Jesus has got us covered my friends. He said it very clearly in:

Matthew 6:25-34 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious 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: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed.

There is also a verse that shares these thoughts:

Philippians 4:6-7 

Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.

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So where are you in your faith right now? Do you wonder if you are safe from disaster? Would you rather stay in bed all day then face the wolrd?

BE STRONG IN THE LORD!

Jesus is beside you 24/7. He will not sway. He will protect you and love you. He faced many more horrible things many times, and He never wavered.

Show others why you are not afraid or full of fear. Tell who has your back and that they should too.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

+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.

Stress is a Huge Part of Life These Days

September 15, 2020 / / 0 Comments

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It has been very stressful the last six months. Where I live we add the wild fires to our stress. Hundreds of homes are gone. Millions of acres burnt. People have died.

We just got some news that arsonists started two of the deadly fires. Two people have been arrtested, and will face a long time in prison if anyone is killed.

The question is how will we be able to handle all of this. Besides the wild fires, there is the Pademic, rioting, looting, shootings, beatings, etc. Pretty overwhelming for a every day Joe like me.

I was watching my church online yesterday, and our Pastor spoke to this very concern.

When a virus hits that attacks the vulnerable, isolates individuals, and shuts down the economy and schools. We can say, the harder it gets the better I live. 

When protests stop being peaceful, when elections become polarizing, when families, friends, communities, and churches become divided. We say the harder it gets the better I live. 

When everything you own is burned to ash, when families flee for their lives, when the smoke makes the day night. We can say “the harder it gets the better I live. 

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Let me explain what he means.

His theme was God knows what to give us.

He is saying that God knows what is going on. He knows the dangers we are all facing. He knows what to give each of us ACCORDING TO OUR NEEDS.

Every person has different fears. Each person faces storms every day.

God doesn’t want us to compromise so He knows what to give us to help us face those who try to sway us.

What the thoughts are from the pastor is, we should know that the harder it gets the better we live. We are sons and daughters of God. He will not gives us more than we can handle.

He may give some peace. He may give others courage. He may give some knowedge to help others.

When it comes to your daily life; choose your battles carefully. Choose your friends wisely. Choose your solutions intentionally. Do not waver God has given you a path to take. Stay the course.

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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.

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