Week Ending Friday, May 3, 2024
{quotes}
Shallow men believe in luck, strong men believe in cause and effect.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.
Toni Morrison
Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.
Victor Hugo
Compassion is the language the deaf can hear, and the blind can see.
Mark Twain
{blessings}
Courage and Perseverance
The most vibrant blooms often emerge from the seeds sown in uncertainty, watered with courage, and nurtured with perseverance. May God bless you with growth and profound brilliance.
Moving Forward
May you always be moving forward, grooving joyously, and proving yourself proudly. Life is your blessing.
Fear
Fear is real, and it’s scary. You can’t control it, but you can control your response to it. Pause. Pray. And gather up your courage, knowing that blessings await you when your faith in God, the Protector, is strong.
Look Up and Smile
Sometime today, look up, smile, and say, “Thank You, God!” for sending blessings my way.
Sweetness
A little sweetness can balance out the bitterness. May God bless you with a taste of the good times ahead.
{prayers}
Slipping to Peace
Lord, if it is not your will, let it slip through my grasp and give me the peace not to worry about it.
Day to be Grateful
Today is the perfect day to be grateful. Your love, O God, sustains me. Keep the spirit of gratitude alive within me. Help me hold on to the values I cherish: strength of character, generosity, kindness, and joy.
No Magic
God, we know You do not grant wishes. We do not rely on You to make solutions appear as if by magic. Faith overcomes challenges. We learn from You how to find success on our own. Thank You for providing us with the strength to accomplish great things with Your Divine blessing always over us, always present, always within.
Work on Me
Dear God. Work on me. Make me better. Kinder. More patient. Generous. Loving. And fulfilled. Bless me with integrity, good character, and a bright future.
Rally for Change
Dear God. Give me a generous spirit. I want eyes to see the things that break Your heart. I want ears to hear the cries of people in need. I want a conviction that is never comfortable with the way things are but strives for justice for all. I want to rally for change.
Hannah Brencher (adapted)
{bible affirmations}
1 Samuel 2:1
I feel strong in my God. I laugh at my enemies. I rejoice in my victory. My heart is happy in the Lord.
James 4:6
God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
2 Chronicles 15:7
But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.
Proverbs 10:4
Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Isaiah 49:18
Lift up your eyes and see.
{stories, features, videos}
Story: Rose Lubin
Blog: Empty By Hannah Brencher
Music Video: Good Morning by Mandisa
Holy Humor: Live Letters, Clarity on God’s Laws
Feature: National Day of Prayer
Mailbag: “I’m trying to practice what I preach. I tell people that we shouldn’t nitpick: Don’t take the worst examples of one side and claim they’re representative of everybody you disagree with. Don’t let the trolls manipulate you. And my advice doesn’t end there. I often say you shouldn’t let frustration with the media overwhelm you. Also, don’t catastrophize, and don’t let recency bias lead you to think everything is worse than ever. Don’t let your anger get the better of you.”
~ Jonah Goldberg