Good Friday Forgiveness

It's Good Friday!  It's a great day to think about forgiveness and seeing good in everyone.  It would be so difficult to forgive if we had been Jesus back in the day, and yet we know He did.  Luke 23:34 says, "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.'"  It is so cleansing, and yet not an easy thing.  It is so important, though, for our inner peace.

If you have trouble forgiving, God will help you.  He says in Isaiah 54:4, 10 and 55:9, "Fear not...My steadfast love shall not depart from you, and My covenant of peace shall not be removed....For as the heavens are higher than earth, so are my ways higher than your thoughts."  So even if our human reason won't let us forgive, we have God's Spirit within that will see us through.  He will give us strength to forgive and love and see the good in people.

This Easter Sunday as we remember Christ's resurrection, we should remember that God sees us through the darkest night to the brightest day.  When we awaken Easter morning, we will joyfully go forth with the new life and knowledge that God has seen us through the darkness and brought us into the light of forgiveness, peace, and joy.

Light and Love,
Patty

Blessings Galore!

God has blessed me beyond measure, and I am grateful.  I am happy.  I have a great husband, an awesome family, a flexible, satisfying job, and a lovely home.  Yet my life has not been without its trials.  Both my girls have been in intensive care.  Thankfully, both recovered.  I have been through divorce, but I have an amazing husband now.  For all the pain and trouble I have endured, God has blessed me double.  That's how He rolls.  I give myself credit too.  I believe this quote by Jemome P. Fleishman, "It takes courage to live----courage and strength and hope and humor.  And courage and strength and hope and humor have to be bought and paid for with pain and work and prayers and tears." Not that I deserve all the blessings I receive.  I realize that had it not been for God's goodness and favor, I would not have all the blessings I do.

People may be jealous of our blessings and wonder why we are happy when they are miserable, and the best thing we can do for them is to be a smiling example of God's goodness and peace.  Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." He blesses us daily with all the abundance of all the world's beauty.  And this is available to everyone so no one needs to walk around defeated.  Joel Osteen says, "Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for the favor, the honor, the joy, the peace, the victory that God has given you."  The truth is that these blessings come from God and are free to all who choose happiness on a daily basis.  We will have pain and tears, but with work and prayer and God's grace, we can overcome anything with a positive attitude.  Every day is a gift from God.

Love and Light,

Patty