Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one!!!

Happy weekend all, it is another beautiful morning here in Utah, the sun has just popped up over the mountain, a nice breeze is allowing the tree branches to sway to and fro as if in dance and the birds are singing beautiful tunes, the fragrant smell of the early morning wafting into my windows, me sitting with my coffee and listening to the sweet sounds of the Rev. Al Green my old dear friend Sundance (golden retriever) at my feet snoring in rhythm with the tunes ...picture perfect morning in my eyes. 

In chat with God this morning I sat in the silence of my little home and thanked Him for each blessing that I am given, some of the blessings are "hard blessings" but still blessings just the same. I sat here and reflected on yesterday..thankful that it is now behind me, raised my arms to the heavens and welcomed all that will happen in my life today! I love that saying about today being a gift that is why it is called "the present" Each day I arise with new HOPE and with stronger FAITH than the day before and stand on the promises that God made, knowing that if I do my part the kingdom will one day be given me. I had so many prayer request yesterday and worked diligently at making sure I did not miss any, I know the beauty and miracle of prayer and deem it one of the most important parts of my day to day life. I had a very special prayer request from a very special lady in my life, she asked that we all come together in prayer for her niece who is not full term in her pregnancy but is having issues big enough to warrant an early delivery on Sunday. Please join us in lifting this young lady and her unborn asking God to lay his hands upon both of them allowing them to be filled with strength to get through the procedure and health with no boundaries. Father comfort this new mom as she lies in wait of the unknown, calm her fear and allow her peace in knowing that all will be well with she and her baby, we ask your favor and mercy upon both of them. I ask you to pray with me for comfort for a family dear to my heart my daughter's fiance lost his grandmother this morning, I ask you to lift them for comfort as they prepare to say "until we meet again" to her. I know that this loss is a "hard blessings" but I also know that she is gone only in body, that her beautiful spirit lives in the heart of each of them, there are also several who are suffering loss of loved ones that we have been praying for, Father continue to hold them in your arms providing them with their needs during this pain filled time. I also ask you to continue to pray for those who cannot seem to find their way out of the darkness and ask you God to lead us to them today, allow us an opportunity to touch the heart of a person in need, to lead by example to spark an interest that will bring them from the shadows into the light so that you might warm their hearts and give them hope in their storm. Father I ask these mercies, graces, and favors in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

In reading facebook this morning I came across a little writing by a young man that I hold in great esteem for his spirit and his faithfulness to God. Thank you Bryan B. Hubbard... He posted..."Trials and tribulations are words that we do not like to hear.  We all face different trials and tribulations.  They come to us in every walk of life.  Some of us will face financial trials for our entire life.  Many will face physical trials or troubles.  Maybe it is family or relationship trials. We all seem to have some “cross to bear.”  Some people seem to believe that if you become a Christian, that all of your trials will go away.  Some have called this the “prosperity gospel” which means that if you believe in Jesus, everything will be great!  This type of belief is not found in Scripture.  Quite the contrary.  Jesus never told his followers that if they followed him, everything would be great or rosy.  He told people that followed Him that it will be a difficult road.  Thankfully, there are many passages and verses concerning trials and tribulations (some other words used too are “trouble,” “affliction,” and “oppression”).  Here are some examples to think on…

2Peter 2:9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,

Deuteronomy 4:34 Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Deuteronomy 7:19 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So will the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

Deuteronomy 29:3 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders.

Luke 22:28  “You are those who have stayed with me win my trials,

Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

We will have trials all of the days we live on this earth, we were lessoned in the spirit would before we gained our earthly bodies, we know the difference between right and wrong and we are going to be tested to see how faithful we can remain when there is so much evil around us...