AS I WALK THIS PATH

OF LIFE

 Recently we took an extended hike in the mountains.  Our destination was to see a beautiful waterfall and then to see the gigantic rocks along the river.

The path started wide and straight, with lovely trees along the way.  Then the path began to get steeper, and there were more rocks in the path.  Then we begin to climb, and the climb became so steep that my husband held me by the hand as we walked higher and higher. 

Then there were rocks, more and more of them.  I am not very agile when it comes to climbing over rocks.  I am always afraid my feet will slip, but my faithful husband continued to hold my hand and guide me over the rocks and to see the falls as they cascaded down the mountainside.  Oh, the beauty of God’s creation!

After seeing the falls, we headed back down the path and to the river.  But first came more climbing over rocks, even steeper than our previous climb.  And there they were, enormous rocks, with the river flowing over and around them.  And many people were bathing their feet in the cold waters of the river.  As I looked around at the enormous rocks, the cascading river, the trees, I begin to liken this experience to my walk with the Lord and how He guides me down the pathway of life, even though there may be enormous rocks in my pathway.  And I am reminded that He is my Rock, He is my Fortress, and He is my deliverer (Psalm 18:2).  My God is immovable and He never changes and He is as solid as those rocks!

You may have enormous rocks in your pathway today.  Some of those rocks are big enough to climb on and others are gigantic.  We may have rocks of cancer in our pathway.  There may be rocks of fear, anguish, grief, financial stress.  In the midst of our darkest nights God promises to light a lamp and bring light to your darkness. (Psalm 18:28)  And our Lord Jesus has walked the path of suffering, and is ever full of love and compassion for your tears.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” Proverbs 16:9.

As we walk this pathway, we may plan where we are going, but as we serve the LORD and seek His will for our lives, it is the LORD that will direct our steps.  He will guide us in the right direction and down the path for our lives, according to His will.  And isn’t it wonderful to know that He is leading us and guiding us all the way, no matter what the obstacles that may lie ahead on that pathway. 

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” Psalm 16:11.

Oh, the joy of walking down that pathway with Jesus!  And He reminds us that we can look up toward our final destination.  “God will guide me with His counsel, and then lead me home to glory” Psalm 73:24.

And then the path gets steeper.  There are obstacles in my path.  Sometimes I feel I cannot take another step.  I just don’t have the strength to go on.  Sometimes the storms come on my pathway and I can hardly see my way ahead, and it may be dark and fearful times in my life.   Are you going through similar circumstances right now?  You don’t know which path to take, and the path you are on is steep and narrow?

“God will bring me by a way I did not know; God will lead me in paths I have not known.  He will make darkness light before me, and crooked places straight.  God will do these things for me, and not forsake me” Isaiah 42:16.

God knows the way ahead, and it may be on a pathway that we have never trod before.    For He promises He will never leave us or forsake us ( Hebrews 13:5-6).  Oh, what a Wonderful God we serve!

And as I walked that path, I was so fearful of losing my footing and falling.  There were many rocks to climb over and I was not sure where to plant my feet safely.  But on my pathway walking with our Lord He promises: “I will walk safely in my way, and my foot will not stumble; for the Lord will be my confidence, and will keep my foot from being caught. (Proverbs 3:23 & 26).

And as I trod this path, my husband holding my hand up the steep trail and over the rocks, I was reminded of My Heavenly Father who promises to hold my right hand (Psalm 139:10).  And He is also our Shepherd always leading and guiding us always upward toward the goal.

“One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, I press toward the goal of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13-14.

So we keep pressing on this pathway that He has set us on, even though there may be rocks of testing and trial in our pathway.  The climb may be steep and rocky, but we never look back, for our Wonderful God is holding our hand all the way, as we continually look upward.  We look forward to our heavenly prize ahead, and that is our goal.  Praise the Lord!

Blessings as you continue to walk this pathway with our Lord!

Pastor Sharon

Dear Precious Friends,

I will be on vacation for two weeks, and will be back with you on Sept. 30th.  So God Bless You, keep your eyes on the goal ahead, and keep climbing that pathway with Jesus.

Blessings,
Pastor Sharon Besler

AS I WALK THIS PATH

OF LIFE

 Recently we took an extended hike in the mountains.  Our destination was to see a beautiful waterfall and then to see the gigantic rocks along the river.

The path started wide and straight, with lovely trees along the way.  Then the path began to get steeper, and there were more rocks in the path.  Then we begin to climb, and the climb became so steep that my husband held me by the hand as we walked higher and higher. 

Then there were rocks, more and more of them.  I am not very agile when it comes to climbing over rocks.  I am always afraid my feet will slip, but my faithful husband continued to hold my hand and guide me over the rocks and to see the falls as they cascaded down the mountainside.  Oh, the beauty of God’s creation!

After seeing the falls, we headed back down the path and to the river.  But first came more climbing over rocks, even steeper than our previous climb.  And there they were, enormous rocks, with the river flowing over and around them.  And many people were bathing their feet in the cold waters of the river.  As I looked around at the enormous rocks, the cascading river, the trees, I begin to liken this experience to my walk with the Lord and how He guides me down the pathway of life, even though there may be enormous rocks in my pathway.  And I am reminded that He is my Rock, He is my Fortress, and He is my deliverer (Psalm 18:2).  My God is immovable and He never changes and He is as solid as those rocks!

You may have enormous rocks in your pathway today.  Some of those rocks are big enough to climb on and others are gigantic.  We may have rocks of cancer in our pathway.  There may be rocks of fear, anguish, grief, financial stress.  In the midst of our darkest nights God promises to light a lamp and bring light to your darkness. (Psalm 18:28)  And our Lord Jesus has walked the path of suffering, and is ever full of love and compassion for your tears.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” Proverbs 16:9.

As we walk this pathway, we may plan where we are going, but as we serve the LORD and seek His will for our lives, it is the LORD that will direct our steps.  He will guide us in the right direction and down the path for our lives, according to His will.  And isn’t it wonderful to know that He is leading us and guiding us all the way, no matter what the obstacles that may lie ahead on that pathway. 

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” Psalm 16:11.

Oh, the joy of walking down that pathway with Jesus!  And He reminds us that we can look up toward our final destination.  “God will guide me with His counsel, and then lead me home to glory” Psalm 73:24.

And then the path gets steeper.  There are obstacles in my path.  Sometimes I feel I cannot take another step.  I just don’t have the strength to go on.  Sometimes the storms come on my pathway and I can hardly see my way ahead, and it may be dark and fearful times in my life.   Are you going through similar circumstances right now?  You don’t know which path to take, and the path you are on is steep and narrow?

“God will bring me by a way I did not know; God will lead me in paths I have not known.  He will make darkness light before me, and crooked places straight.  God will do these things for me, and not forsake me” Isaiah 42:16.

God knows the way ahead, and it may be on a pathway that we have never trod before.    For He promises He will never leave us or forsake us ( Hebrews 13:5-6).  Oh, what a Wonderful God we serve!

And as I walked that path, I was so fearful of losing my footing and falling.  There were many rocks to climb over and I was not sure where to plant my feet safely.  But on my pathway walking with our Lord He promises: “I will walk safely in my way, and my foot will not stumble; for the Lord will be my confidence, and will keep my foot from being caught. (Proverbs 3:23 & 26).

And as I trod this path, my husband holding my hand up the steep trail and over the rocks, I was reminded of My Heavenly Father who promises to hold my right hand (Psalm 139:10).  And He is also our Shepherd always leading and guiding us always upward toward the goal.

“One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, I press toward the goal of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13-14.

So we keep pressing on this pathway that He has set us on, even though there may be rocks of testing and trial in our pathway.  The climb may be steep and rocky, but we never look back, for our Wonderful God is holding our hand all the way, as we continually look upward.  We look forward to our heavenly prize ahead, and that is our goal.  Praise the Lord!

Blessings as you continue to walk this pathway with our Lord!

Pastor Sharon

AM I STANDING TALL AND STRAIGHT

OR BENT BY THE WIND?

 As we were traveling recently through the mountain and the forest to the coast, I was looking at the trees on the mountainside.  Then I looked at those along the stream flowing down the cliff, and wondered why some trees are straight and tall.  Some seem to be bent by the wind and the snows of winter.  Some have simply died.

 Then we drove through the giant redwood forests, and again I marveled at God’s creation and why some seem to reach to the sky, and others are drying up.

 Then the thought came to me that we are like those trees.  Some of us are strong and green and can stand strong in the midst of howling winds, rain, and the storms that come into our lives.  Others of us give up in the midst of storms and trials, our roots wither, and we lose our grip on life.  We no longer seek God in His Word or spend time in prayer.  Many think God has forgotten them in their suffering.

 And I looked again at those trees growing by the riverbank, strong and green.  They are the ones whose roots go deep down into the stream.  There are other trees which seem to grow right out of the walls of the cliff and their roots reach down into the stream bed.  Let’s look at God’s Word and see what the Lord has to say about trees and how they relate to our own lives and our walk with the Lord.

 “Blessed are those who trust in the LORD their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit”  Jeremiah 17:7-8. (NLT)

 Here we have a beautiful picture of those going through the great storms of life.  When he heat of trial comes, or times of great need or lack.  Sometimes we are worried about the needs of tomorrow, but these in the passage of scripture are not worried.  The LORD says they are “blessed,” because they put their hope and trust in the LORD in their great time of need.  And notice that they never stop producing fruit, no matter what the trial or how many years they may live.

 “But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.  For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house, they flourish in the courts of our God.  Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green” Psalm 92:12-14. (NLT)

 It is said that the cedars of Lebanon grew to 120 feet in height and up to 30 feet in circumference; thus, they were solid, strong and immovable.  The writer of the Psalm saw believers as upright, strong, and unmoved by the winds of circumstance.  When we place our faith firmly in God’s care, even when the storms howl around us, we will walk in His strength.  And notice that even when we hit our senior years, we can still be bearing fruit.  We can be walking daily in the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:21), still be a witness to those around us and be an intercessor, praying for our friends and loved ones and our grandchildren and generations to come (Psalms 71:18).

 "Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.  But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.  They leaves never wither, and they proper in all they do”  Psalms 1:1-3.

 Here we have another lovely picture of that tree by the river, standing straight and tall, unmoved by the winds of circumstance or by the storms that beat upon it, or by the rain or snow that may come.  This tree is also drawing deep into the river bank.  This is a lovely picture again of the Holy Spirit and the Living Water that Jesus talks about in John 4 and John 7.  It is drawing from the living waters of the Holy Spirit that we grow and draw nourishment.

 And how do we continue to grow straight and tall in times of testing and trial?  How can we keep producing fruit in our lives, having leaves that never wither and prospering  in whatever He calls us to do?  “But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night” (v 2).  It is staying in the Word of God, memorizing it, letting it sink deep into our hearts and meditating or pondering the fresh Word of God day and night.  It is finding a quiet place daily, feeding our souls with His Word and spending time in prayer.

 Then we will be like those trees by the river in the mountains, strong and straight, green and producing fruit and drawing water deep from the stream.  We won’t have to be like the other trees who are right there by the river, but have dried up.  They have dried up because their roots did not go deep into the stream. Maybe they are like some of us, we start growing, but trials and things of this world come in and we cease to draw nourishment from the Living Water, the Living Water that only comes by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

 So what kind of tree are you, my friend?  Are you straight and tall?  Are your roots going deep into the Water of the Word of God?   God is calling His people back into His Word, into prayer and spending  time with Him.  Things are tough in the world situation, and all around us.  We all need to be drawing our strength from Him and then our hope and strength are secure no matter what the circumstances of life may bring.  God Bless you as you dig deep into His Word and continue to let your roots go deep into the Living Waters.  Praise the Lord!

 In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon

IS YOUR WELL FLOWING

WITH LIVING WATER?

There are many people around us who are dry and thirsty in their souls.  They hunger and thirst for “things” but nothing seems to satisfy, and they may wonder why they feel so empty.  I think about those who seemingly are lost without hope, alone in this world.

 I recently saw a newscast about a young woman who was being released from prison.  The commentator mentioned that here was a young lady totally hated by society and her family.  She said she didn’t even have a pair of shoes and only the clothes on her back, and nowhere to go.  She has no one to turn to.  I felt deep compassion for her and prayed that the Lord would send someone her way who would show her the way to Jesus, the Living Water.

In thinking about her, I was reminded about another woman in the New Testament.  We don’t know her name.  We only know her as “The Woman at the Well.”  We find her story in John, chapter 4.

 But he needed to go through Samaria.  So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.  Now Jacob’s well was there.  Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well.  It was about the sixth hour.  A woman of Samaria came to draw water.  Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”  John 4:4-6

He needed to go through Samaria.  He had a Divine appointment waiting there.  Jesus was very tired.   He knows what it feels like to be bone-tired!  “Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted” Hebrews 2:18. (NLT)  Sometimes the storms rage, the problems come, and we continue to struggle and we become weary, but Jesus understands He has been there!

Women of the village came to draw water twice each day, morning and evening. But you notice this woman came at noon, alone.  We are sure she came alone to avoid the other women, who knew of her reputation.

This woman was a Samaritan, a member of a hated mixed race.  She was known to be living in sin.  This was a public place and no respectable Jewish man would talk to a woman under such circumstances.  But isn’t it wonderful, but Jesus did!  Jesus always reached out to untouchables, the lonely, people who were the lowest in society.  And He still is reaching out today.  It doesn’t matter what you have done, or where you are in life.  Jesus is there! 

 She questions in verse 9, why He a Jewish man would ask her for a drink, since Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

 Jesus answered and said unto her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (verse 10)

Jesus directed her attention to God and what He wanted to give her “the gift of God” and on Himself who would give her this gift.  He spoke to her of Living Water.  In the Old Testament we find many scriptures about thirsting after God.  God is called “The fountain of life in Psalms 36:9.  In Jeremiah 2:13 God is called “the fountain of living water.” In saying He could give her living water, He was claiming to be the Messiah, as only He could give this gift to satisfy the soul’s desire.

The woman questions Him why He would want to draw water from this well as the well is deep and He has nothing with Him to draw water and wanted to know where He would get this living water.

Jesus answered and said to her, “whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” John 4:13-14

The thirsty soul need only to come to Jesus for living water, and that water will bubble up out of his innermost being like a fountain.  In John 7:35, He spoke of that fountain being the Holy Spirit.  In other words, when we are drinking of His fountain, our lives will flow with Holy Spirit power, reaching out to a lost world.  Have you ever met a fellow believer who seems to just bubble with joy?  And oh the lives such a person will touch for the Lord Jesus!

This woman, after Jesus confronts her sin, she realizes the true place of worship.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when we will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem worship the Father.  You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. “but the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth”  John 4:21-25.

Jesus directed her attention on true worship of the Father and the fact that “The hour” was His death on the cross that would provide redemption and open the way to the Father for this woman and all of us who would come and accept this wonderful gift of salvation.

This woman was concerned about the place of worship, but Jesus taught her and all of us that the focus is not on the place of worship but on the Person of worship, God the Father.

Are you drinking of the Living Water today?  All the things of this world will not satisfy.  A person could have all the riches of this world and still be thirsty and dry.  He is calling you to the “well.”  This is the well that never runs dry and bubbles up in our lives like a fountain, filled with the Holy Spirit and leading to eternal life.  Won’t you drink of that water today?

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE

I CAN DO FOR THE LORD?

 As a senior you may feel like life has now passed you by and you feel that you can no longer serve the Lord in the capacity you once did.  Maybe you are confined to a wheelchair.  Maybe you can no longer get around as you once did.  And maybe you are reading this and you are not a senior, but are approaching those years.  This message is also for you.

 And what determines if we are getting ‘old’?  Is it the color or lack of hair?  Is the number of wrinkles we have acquired?  Maybe our shoulders stoop and our eyes are dim.  Maybe we are now hard of hearing and do not understand what people are saying sometimes.

 Someone once said, “we know we are old when we regret the past, fear the future and criticize the present.”  God never intended for we, His children, to become stagnant and unproductive just because they have reached or past the 80 year mark.

 Of necessity our bodies shift into lower gear, but must that affect our attitudes?  Is it possible to be like the senior citizen described in Psalm 92:12-15

 “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.  They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright:  He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

 As seniors we can continue to “grow straight and tall” in God’s kingdom.  And notice that you can still bear fruit in old age.  What fruit are we to bear?  How can we bear fruit when sometimes we can hardly get around, and troubles surround us?  No matter what age, what condition you are in, you can still bear fruit and much fruit for the Lord.  You may ask, but what fruit are we talking about here?  Some of you, I am sure know what fruit we are talking about.  Let’s take a look at our “fruit.” 

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law” Galatians 5:21.

 Can we honestly say we walk daily in these nine Gifts of the Spirit?  Jesus said, He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’”  Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit in John 7:38.

 Here is the secret for bearing much fruit in our lives, even in our old age, and that is letting the Holy Spirit flow through our lives not just into our lives.  Isn’t that wonderful?

 And how do we keep the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives?  It is that special time with the Lord daily.

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.  Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:  for unto Thee will I pray.  My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee and will look up” Psalm 5:1-2

 Notice that the Psalmist says he will direct his prayer in the morning.  Even Jesus went out before dawn and prayed to His Father. (Mark 1:35).  Sometimes it is hard in the mornings.  Some have to rush off to their days, as some of us have busy schedules.  But take the time, even a short time, if necessary to give Him your day, invite the Holy Spirit to refresh you for the day ahead, and He will guide your path.  The Psalmist also says that he will “look up.”  When we start our day with the Lord, then we can look up to Him all day, keep our eyes on Jesus as we move through the day, and you can be amazed at how God will move in your life in situations and in answered prayer.

 “I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only.  O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works.  Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shown Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to every one that is to come” Psalm 71:16:18

 Many of us have been taught from our youth and witnessed and shared His Word with many.  But now, as we are old or getting older He calls us a step further.  He calls us to share our faith with those around us, to our grandchildren, great grandchildren, so that our faith will be continued to be passed down through the generations to come.  What a blessed promise?  That because of our faith down through the years we can be confident that after we have passed on to Heaven, that His Word will continue to be shared to all those to come.  Praise the Lord!

 In conclusion we have learned that we too, as seniors, can continue to minister and share our faith no matter where we are.  And sometimes, it may be just a comforting word to someone who is hurting, blessing them in the Name of Jesus, or just whispering a prayer.   We can then continue to bear fruit and much fruit (John 15), even in our senior years.  May God continue to bless you as you serve Him wherever you are, no matter how old you may be.  The Holy Spirit will continue to flow through you and to bless other lives around you.

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

TRAVELING WITH MY GOD

 As I traveled recently to the coast of Oregon, looking at the Redwood forests, traveling on the narrow, winding mountain road, sometimes we would travel a straight path.  We traveled through valleys.  Then we would begin to climb again.  Sometimes we would see the sun.  Other times the canyons hid the sun. 

 We went through fog as we neared the Pacific Ocean.  And along the way there were posted warnings to beware of rock slides.  Then ahead of us was God’s beautiful ocean, with wind and waves roaring.  Then the fog lifted and I could praise the Lord with the Psalmist in Psalm 96:11-13

 “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.  Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.”

 I rejoiced in God’s beautiful creation, but I was reminded also of the picture of His people traveling through life as pilgrims on a journey.  We are like Abraham looking for a city.

 “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God”  Hebrews 11:9-10.  “But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them”  Hebrews 11:16.

 For as we walk we keep our eyes on Jesus, looking forward to our heavenly home.

 “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.  You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You?  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.  My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” Psalm 73:23-26

He never leaves me nor forsakes me (Hebrews 13:5).  He promises to hold my right hand as He guides me through life.  He leads me through beautiful forest glades.  Sometimes there are narrow mountain paths with steep drops on each side, which fill me with fear.  So I must cling tightly to His nail pierced hand.  Sometimes it is lovely on those mountains and oh, those mountain top experiences with my Lord!  Then the fog of grief and pain may cloud my vision and I don’t know where I am going, but He is there right beside me leading me through those dark and lonely places.  Along those paths may be rock slides of despair, discouragement and anguish.

 Oh, the storms may blow and rock my ship, but my Captain can calm the storms of my life.  And when I follow Him closely the seas become calm, the fog lifts and I can see the sun again.  And when my travels are done, He will lead me safely home to glory!  Praise the Lord!

 I don’t have anyone in heaven but Him, and as much as I love my family and friends, there is no one I desire more than my Lord Jesus and to someday see Him face to face.

 “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” II Corinthians 13:12.

 This body will someday fail, as it is only temporary.  My heart may fail, my strength may fail, but we don’t lose heart.

 “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever” Psalm 73:26 (NLT).

 So don’t lose heart, my friends.  I know it is so hard sometimes.  Sometimes when the hard times come and our bodies fail us, words mean little.  Sometimes it is just the touch of a hand on a forehead or the touch of a hand reaching out to another and sometimes it is just a hug in the Name of Jesus.  Jesus uses us to touch others, as we are His hands to reach out to the discouraged, the sick and the lonely.  But as we are on this journey we are not alone, as He goes before us, and uses others to touch our lives.

 So keep your eyes on Jesus and on His promises, and soon we shall see Him face to face, and what a day that will be, when our journey will be complete, no more sorrow or pain and we can say with Paul:

 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course.  I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” II Timothy 4:7-8.

 In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon