Tag: Perseverance

The Journey to Serenity: Building a New Home in Nature

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7

Hello from the stunning Rocky Mountains of Colorado! As many of you know, I’m holding loved ones close in prayer, especially someone who struggles with drinking. I’m also praying about finances. I am working towards building another home that will be mortgage-free. I am also moving from Denver/Metro.

I will always love Denver. The surrounding areas, like Lakewood, Westminster, Arvada, and Littleton, hold a special place in my heart. Towns like Niwot and Timnath are also dear to me.

Honestly, Denver was once a city that had a charming small-town feel. For example, drivers made it a habit to let other drivers change lanes without rushing them. Afterwards, the grateful motorist responded with a wave of appreciation. And! The driver who didn’t mind allowing someone to get in front of them simply responded with a nod. Their gesture clearly meant “you’re welcome.” Now! It seems like accidents are happening on every corner! And, I’m finding myself seeking routes with less travel, even if I must pay tolls.

PRAYER

Sometimes, people find themselves longing for things they haven’t fully understood yet. When they finally make such dreams come true, they can face difficulties due to their lack of knowledge and understanding. This can make things more challenging for them and those around them. Lord, I pray that you show us how to guard our hearts from wandering souls in growth. Amen

July 27, 2023

Finding Your Way – Fruits of Suffering

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

Happy throwback Thursday! Ten years ago, on July 26, 2013, I posted an inspirational story about the struggles of a butterfly. It was befitting for this however long series titled “Finding Your Way.”

I’ve often seen people fall completely apart when facing trials and tribulations. The emotional stresses tied to struggles sometimes paralyze folks to a point they can’t see the forest for the trees; thus, rendering them helpless. And as a result nothing gets done to the best of their ability. As to why finding your way through difficult situations is so very very important to living an abundant life.

“A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.  One day a small opening appeared.  He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.  Then it stopped, as if it couldn’t go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.  He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.  The butterfly emerged easily but it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it, expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge and expand enough to support the body.  Neither happened!  In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around.  It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness  and haste did not understand:  The restricting cocoon and the struggle required by the butterfly to get through the opening was a way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives.  Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.  We will not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly.” ~~Author Unknown