No foolin'

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4

April 1 is coming up fast. That day on the calendar is filling up fast as well. William will be 3 years old that day and he shares his birthday with my niece Lydia who will be 2! Charlotte has a field trip, so I just learned. And I am speaking to a MOPS group that morning. No problem. It sounds like a normal day, now that I think about it.

The Lord is preparing me for this special day. He is reminding me of verses to share that will remind these mothers of his plan to rescue them. He is directing me to share my heart and my experiences but most importantly: His truth. That's the whole deal with this Devoted Living ministry. God's Word is the best comfort that we can offer each other in troubled times. As God encourages me, I hope to share that with my friends and their friends.

The topic that I was asked to speak about is: Navigating Life in Choppy Waters. I know that I need to leave these ladies with an understanding of Who calms the seas. The Rescuer, the Comforter, the Deliverer is the one that we seek. We cannot afford to give up and wait to drown. Even though most of us have had days or even months when that seemed our only option. We will also look at ways to live with a depressed person. When someone in our home is without hope, a spirit of hopelessness will taunt us everyday.

Pray for the Lord to speak through me: His words, not mine. Ponder these verses along with us on April 1. No foolin'!

Isaiah 61:1-3: He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness, instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.