Focus On The Father
This is part of a powerful message from Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian's First Lady. "I will not have panic and tears. I will be calm and confident. My children are looking at me. I will be next to them. And next to my husband. And with you." When I read this I was so touched by this encouraging message to her country. I have sure prayed for those people - they are our brothers and sisters in Christ and that could be us. I find myself feeling like this quote,
"My desire to be well-informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane." I have to be careful about how much "news" I watch.
Another quote I like is, "Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds, you can grow flowers or you can grow weeds." I am so thankful that I am reading the one year Bible right now because I have never been in God's Word this much! It is crazy how His Word or being in His presence can completely change my mood in an instant. God can use a prayer, a scripture verse, or a verse from a worship song. He can take me from panic to peace in a moment! He can change my thoughts from weeds, that choke beautiful things, to flowers!
Like Olena Zelenska, "I will not have panic and tears. I will be calm and confident." John 14: 27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Isaiah 41: 10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 1 Peter 1: 25, "'...but the word of the Lord endures forever.' And this is the Word that was preached to you."
I saw this on social media recently and this is me. "I get most of my exercise these days from shaking my head in disbelief!" So I will take Charles Spurgeon's advice, "Try and sing in the night, Christian, for that is one of the best arguments in the entire world in favor of your religion…I tell you, we may preach fifty thousand sermons to prove the gospel, but we will not prove it half as well as you will by singing in the night." Our children and others are watching us and they need to see our confidence in our Lord and Savior!