Last summer I joined my beloved group of runner friends for a six-day running trek through the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. Each day was a beautiful adventure with physical challenge, weather changes, conversations over many miles of running and climbing and the earned pleasure of amazing views.
There were times when I stood, with poles in my hands and a pack on my back, staring up at the seemingly insurmountable vertical stretch of switchbacks on the trail ahead. It was daunting to attempt to measure the effort against my perceived strength and endurance. My pulse would start slamming before I even began the trek upwards.
I would take a deep breath and tell myself this: God is in me, and I am in God. I said it over and over in my mind as I climbed higher. This reminded me that I was not reliant upon my own power, instead I was connecting to a power greater than my own.
What mountains are ahead of you?
Thank you so much for all the prayers offered yesterday for my brother Stephen. His knee surgery was very successful and he is already home recovering. His doctor mentioned that given the amount of arthritis present he was surprised my brother could even walk on it. Hopefully he will soon have less pain and more mobility. My sister-in-law will make sure he keeps up with the PT and I am a retired orthopedic nurse so he has no choice! May God bless the entire LFF community. Your support is priceless and treasured.
AMEN!
Amen!
My prayer "Lord Jesus, increase my love for you and unite my heart and will with yours, that I may only seek and desire what is pleasing to you."
Amen!!
Amen! Great reflection! I used to be a runner :)
A 40-day prayer journal specifically for my daughter, Katie, the self proclaim agnostic to come back and walk with Jesus, her Savior and soon to be Lord ✝️ *** Day Twenty four - I love You, Jesus! Psalm 145:8-9, "The Lord is gracious, kind and tender. He is slow to get angry and full of love. The Lord is good to all. He shows deep concern for everything He has made!" *** Yes, You are gracious, kind and tender to Katie! You are slow to get angry and full of love towards Katie! You are good to Katie and shows Your deep concern for Katie! She is made in Your image, Lord Jesus! ✝️ *** I can't wait to praise You and tell about Your work in Katie and her fruit so others will praise You! Psalm 145:10-13, "Lord, all Your works praise You. Your faithful people praise You. They tell about Your glorious Kingdom. They speak about yYour power. Then all people will know about the mighty things You have done. They will know about the glorious majesty of Your kingdom. Your kingdom is a kingdom that will last forever. Your rule will continue for all time to come!" Amen ✝️
Praying for the Pope. Praying for immigrants, for workers losing their jobs, and for the poor, hungry and sick across the world who are in need of food and medical aid. Praying for Ukraine and its people.
Amen.
Lord, hear our prayers.
Yes. Amen.
*** Here is Paul’s experience and encounter with God in a similar way but not exactly what we think how God works in us! 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “God has shown me amazing and wonderful things. People should not think more of me because of it. So I wouldn’t become proud of myself, I was given a problem. This problem caused pain in my body. It is a messenger from Satan to make me suffer. Three times I begged the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ’s power can rest on me. Because of how I suffered for Christ, I’m glad that I am weak. I am glad in hard times. I am glad when people say mean things about me. I am glad when things are difficult. And I am glad when people make me suffer. When I am weak, I am strong!” *** It reminds me of Daniel’s three friends that they were weak in facing death but they were strong in the Lord! Daniel 3:16-18, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him. They said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to talk about this anymore. We might be thrown into the blazing furnace. But the God we serve is able to bring us out of it alive. He will save us from your power. But we want you to know this, Your Majesty. Even if we knew that our God wouldn’t save us, we still wouldn’t serve your gods. We wouldn’t worship the gold statue you set up.” *** What is impossible with people, is possible with God even if the circumstances don’t change! Matthew 19:24-26, “Again I tell you, it is hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. But it is even harder for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were really amazed. They asked, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With people, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.” ******* Do you have a mountain in front of you that you want to climb? Jesus will answer your prayer in either going through the mountain above or the stream below…but either way He is with you guiding every step! Isaiah 49:8a, 11, 10b, “The Lord says to His servant, “When it is time to have mercy on you, I will answer your prayers. When it is time to save you, I will help you. I will keep you safe……. I will make roads across the mountains.I will build wide roads for my people……. The God Who has tender love for them will guide them. Like a shepherd, He will lead them beside springs of water!”
Thank you Kristen...beautiful message and image..I am just picturing in my mind the amazing views you described, created by our Saviour for us to enjoy....our Lord is the one always in control
My prayer "Lord Jesus, increase my love for you and unite my heart and will with yours, that I may only seek and desire what is pleasing to you." Alleluia
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How fitting that the image of the day is the Dolomite mountains! I am an avid hiker & whatever mountains are ahead of me, I will overcome with the Lord's help. "Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayers." St. Padre Pio