A place to find Hope

Category: turmoil (Page 1 of 3)

Children Are Being Abused Around Our World.

If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

______________________________________________________________________________________

I have been spinning around in circles lately. Too much turmoil in our world. In one country four youths were captured and they were beaten. They also had urine forced down their throats. They turned them loose, but the scares will last forever.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

It is hard to be optimistic when all of this is happening. There are children all over the world being tortured and murdered. It breaks my heart when people think it is OK to do this to children.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Pray for these little ones daily.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Thoughts to ponder:

  1. An idol is anything that absorbs your imagination more than God.
  2. God is the creator of all the universe. He created you.
  3. In the final days, God will judge you.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

There Needs to be Ways We Can Help Turning Our Country Around

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

______________________________________________________________________________________

I have decided to do some changes to this site to make it more interesting. Let me know in the comment section below what you think.

_______________________________________________________________________________________OOur country is heading in the wrong direction. Inflation is sky high. Gas prices are terrible. Thousands of illegal immigrants are crossing our southern border. Corruption is running wild in our government. The crime rates are out of sight.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
It is hard not to be depressed when this is happening. So what can we do to try to overcome all of this:

  1. Write to your congressmen and women. Let them know you aren’t happy on how things are going.
  2. Support positive causes. I will not list them here. Check them out.
  3. Teach your children what is right and wrong. This will change the world.
  4. Be strong in your beliefs.

How you are you holding up? Is all this turmoil overcoming you? It is reassuring to me that God is with me. The comfort I feel is beyond definition. I know He is watching over me, and guiding me down the right paths. He is my fortress, my tower of strength, and my protector.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up.

____________________________________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

Depression Can Lead to a Very Dreadful Life

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

___________________________________________________

Some people seem to take God for granted. They go through life blindly thinking they can take on the world alone. Dr. Phil would say, “How is that working for you?”

I was like that once. I didn’t even go to church. There were sports on Sundays I didn’t want to miss.

I got a wake up call from God in 2001. It was March 31st to be exact. I was sitting in my Ford Explorer in a high school parking lot, ready to end my life. I had been struggling with depression, and it was overcoming me.

I finally cried out, God! I can’t take this anymore! There was a sudden calmness around me. I relaxed and ponder what had just happened.

It was like God was saying, “It’s about time you came back to me. Now let me lead you the rest of the way.”

My life changed that day. That day was the first day of the rest of my life.

______________________________________________

I have learned a lot since then.

  1. God is the Father of the fatherless. I was without a father because of divorce. I felt alone and my self image was shot.
  2. God is the defender of widows. There is nothing worse than to lose a loved one. God is there to comfort you during those times.
  3. God senses the loneliness in families. Seems odd to think you are lonely in your own home, but it can happen and is devastating.

______________________________________________

Another thing I learned is that a is my job is to be a leader in my home. Not a dictator that rules the nest with anger. Satan would love for men to claim authority over their family. This only leads to turmoil and sadness.

_______________________________________________

Take an inventory of your choices in life. Do you need an overhaul? Is happiness a word you do not understand?

Turn to God. He loves you. He made you in His own image. That means you are His child.

________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

_________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

How can We Survive in This Not So Friendly World?

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

__________________________________________________________________

This is a busy day for me. Just got home from have a blood test done, and later today I am off to PT.

I thought the busyness of the holidays would go away, but I guess there is no rest for the wicked

___________________________________________________________________

I promised you that I would be starting a new formatt today. What I will be doing, is sharing excerpts from my first book, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.

Each post I will share another excerpt. Keep coming back to read the excerpts. Better yet….

Go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future post will go directly to your inbox.

____________________________________________________________________

Preface

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.

Psalm 40:1–2

One of the most exciting things that can happen in your life is to have a close encounter with God. Moses had several. A burning bush started talking to him; he went to Mt. Sinai where God gave him the Ten Commandments. He raised his staff during a fierce battle to help fight off the enemy. Moses and the Israelites received manna directly from God.

Elijah had a close encounter with God when ravens brought him food while he was in the wilderness at God’s direction. Daniel met some lions that the bad guys thought would eat him. Instead God calmed the lions—and they became pets for Daniel. Everyone that met Jesus had a close encounter.

God showed His love through many close encounters in the Bible, and He can do it for you today. You may have already had a close encounter without realizing it ever happened. Did you ever turn a corner you hadn’t planned to turn and seen an old friend who would have missed otherwise? Have you ever happened on the scene of a horrible accident you would have been involved in had you been there just a second sooner? During a lightning storm, were you ever close to a strike that hit the ground? Have you ever felt alone and abandoned and cried out to God for help and then felt a real peace that you have never felt before?

You may have encountered some of these situations, or others. God is watching over you every day. He wants to protect you. He has a plan for you and me. If danger is near, He may choose to spare your life because He has a path He wants you to take to help others to know Him better.

I went through some tough times because I felt lost after I retired from teaching. I had no purpose. I tried being a salesman at several places, and even tried to run my own business as a salesman. I failed at all of them. I went into the lowest spot in my life and was ready to end my life. God saved me on March 31, 2001, after I cried out, “God I can’t take anymore of this!” I felt calmness in my heart and even the air around me seemed to cool. It was as if God were saying, “It is about time you came back to Me. I have been waiting for you to return. Let Me carry you the rest of the way.”

From that day on I kept praying to God to tell me why He had saved my life. It didn’t take Him long to point to a technical book I had been tinkering with for a few months. It was a book written for people who worked in the cash flow business that gave ideas on how to be a better salesman. Can you believe I was trying to write a book on that? Sure failure was lurking at my door—again!

I had failed at being a salesman, but God kept prompting me to look at the cash flow book very hard again. What was He trying to tell me?

Why did I keep getting the book-in-progress out? Then God finally woke me up. He wanted me to write about my own experiences with depression and share the love of God with others. As I looked at the manuscript I was working on, the titles fit perfectly into a book of encouraging others. I had been using phrases I had seen on bumper stickers to start each chapter.

            One sticker said, “Need Directions?” Another said, “My way is the highway.” Still another said, “Don’t believe everything you think.”

I had intended them to be chapter titles for teaching selling. As I looked at them, I saw what God wanted.

“Need directions?” was actually God telling us to read the Bible.

“My way is the highway” was God saying that we need to choose the right path that leads us to heaven.

“Don’t believe everything you think” was telling me that Satan can plant garbage in our minds to cause us to drift away from God.

The rest is history. I immediately dove into to writing this book. I was excited the day I started back in 2001, and I am still excited today. I started out writing a book about selling and ended up writing about getting eternal life for free. I had finally found something I could help give away free. No down payment. No monthly installments. No interest rates. Just accept the Lord into your heart and you have a free trip to heaven with its entire splendor.

As I worked on this preface, I searched my computer for the chapter titles I had used for the cash flow book to show how they had been transformed. I came across a statement on the very page I was looking at and saw something I had never seen before. I know I hadn’t typed it because it was in a different color ink. I never use any color but black in my work.

As I read it, I was sure God wanted me to read it. It said: “I love this! Let’s keep going! No catches. Just the peace in knowing that you are able to share God’s love and works to all those you have contact with, and even bless someone you don’t.”

That is exactly how it was typed. I didn’t correct any wording, or add any words to make it look more dramatic for you. It wasn’t sent to anyone but me. It was at the top of the page I was searching for. God may have placed it there way back when I first changed my direction, but I missed it then. But I found it, and it only confirms why I spent the last seven years toiling to get to the final outcome.

            God’s timing is amazing.

I had my own special close encounter with God, and He has been my refuge ever since.

This book hopefully leads you to have a close encounter with God. You may have chosen this book because it deals with the hurts in your life as well as other “afflictions” we all face. They can be crippling, and even deadly. I lived with depression, self-doubt, anxiety, hopelessness and fear of failure for many years until I turned back to God and found help through a doctor who determined I also had a chemical imbalance. Now through a close encounter with God and the right medication I am able to cope and have a productive life.

My original working title, Close Encounters of the Heavenly Kind, comes from a favorite movie of mine, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It is about a man who has visions in his head and can’t understand what is happening. So he goes on a search to find out. That is what people with the many closed walls around them are going through. They are sad, and they can’t cope. They do not know why they are that way. They, too, are searching for answers.

As the book progressed, I wanted a more “hopeful” title for it. And since it is based on sayings and signs I’ve seen and the fact I wanted the book to provide the same hope for others as I have found, I was easily persuaded that the title Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World might be a better fit. You will still find several allusions to “close encounters” throughout the book and I wanted you to know the how and why I use that term so often.

The bumper sticker idea came from my hobby of collecting them for many years. I looked at them again years later, and realized they had some meaning, and I started writing about everyday connections to them.

That is my story (so far) and I am stickin’ to it! I hope that through this book, you will also begin searching for some meaning to become stronger, and choose a path that leads you to a closer relationship with God.

Let the adventure begin.

_________________________________________________________________

I shared the preface to start with to give you a feel of what is ahead from you as you travel with me through the book.

_________________________________________________________________

Have you had those kind of days when you are not sure what is coming at you? You certainly are not alone.

Lean on God for help like I did. He brought me out of the muck and more, and today I am very excited for what life might have in store for me.

__________________________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

___________________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

Words From the Bible We May Not Know or Understand

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

___________________________________________________________

I thought I would change things up a little bit. Today we are going to learn the definitions of many words in the Bible we may not know or understand.

  1. Amen: “this is true.”
  2. Apostle: Accredited messenger who has been sent in service of another.
  3. Grace: Mercy; clemency; pardon.
  4. Disciples: Followers of Christ.
  5. Bible: The collection of sacred writings of the Christian religion. comprising the Old and New Testaments.
  6. Advent: An Arrival that has been awaited.
  7. Antediluvian: Relating to the period before the Biblical flood.
  8. Atonement: The act of making amends for sin or wrong doing.
  9. Baptism: A sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth.
  10. Betrothed: Pledged to be married.
  11. Brethren: The lay members of a male religious order.
  12. Cherub: An angel portrayed as a winged child.
  13. Epiphany: An inspiration of divine manifestation.
  14. Exodus: A journey by a group to escape from a hostile environment.
  15. Fallible: Wanting in moral strength or will.
  16. Forbearance: a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges
  17. Idolatry: The worship of objects or images as Gods.
  18. Messiah: Any expected deliverer.
  19. Omnipresent: Existing everywhere at once.
  20. Prodigal: reckless and wasteful.
  21. Prophecy: A prediction uttered under divine inspiration.
  22. Scapegoat: Someone who is punished for the errors of others.
  23. Tribulation: A annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event.
  24. Wrath: Intense anger.

__________________________________________________________

Now that you have a headache from learning so much, How are you doing? Do you live each day with prayers to God? Are you distracted by all the turmoil around you?

Stay strong in the knowledge that God is there for you. He will listen to those prayers I mentioned above. He will answer them in His own way.

Do not give into the darkside who wants you to turn away from God. The dark side is Satan. He would love to have you up on his trophy wall.

____________________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all..never, ever, give up!

______________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

The War is Over, but the Suffering Will Last Forever

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

________________________________________________________

I am still saddened by the results of the withdraw from Afghanistan. Needless death and destruction. People left stranded and fearing for their lives.

I was in contact with a SFC Army soldier in Afghanistan, and she was very frightened. She felt she would die soon. Thank God she made it out.

Yes the war is over, but the scars will last forever.

__________________________________________________________

This is certainly not a very friendly world right now. There are sad things happening all over. The pandemic is back and worse than ever. It never left. The unrest amongst the people is very high. Our president doesn’t seem to know what planet he is on.

What does our future hold for us?

___________________________________________________________

It will a rough and bumpy road we must travel, but we have need to remember that God is in charge. Yes, it is hard to believe that He would allow all of this turmoil in our lives, but He has a plan and we need to be silent and know He is God.

____________________________________________________________

I am in the same boat as you are . I am fearful for the future, but I have to sit back and wait on the Lord. He will rescue me and give me peace. He is my fortress. He is my salvation. He is my redeemer. Without Him I am totally lost.

____________________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

______________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

It is Frustrating to See What’s Happening in Afghanistan

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

__________________________________________________________

Another stressful day. We were supposed to go to Hawaii on Sunday. We saw a statement by the governor of Hawaii saying he would refer people not come, because of the tremendous increase in the virus there.

Our dream trip has disappeared even though we checked with people on the Island, and they felt that if we wore masks plus did our social distancing we should be OK.

However, I have too many underlining problems, and could be a sitting duck if I go. So tonight we will cancel the trip. We will try again soon.

I am of course upset about not going, but I have to be cautious. We will find a time when it is better and still enjoy it.

___________________________________________________________

I am so frustrated with the happenings in Afghanistan. There are many Americans still stranded, and thousands of Afghans.

I can not accept the procedure that our government is doing. They seem to be running scared leaving many people to die behind.

Pray that not one American, or service man will be left behind, and that any people from Afghanistan that wants to be saved, will be.

_____________________________________________________________

Do you have loved ones in Afghanistan? Please comment in the comment section below, so I can concentrate and pray for them. Your comments are not seen by anyone but me.

______________________________________________________________

We can always thank God that He is there for us during this troubling time. He wants all our troops to be safe. He wants their loved ones to be reassured.

He will be by your side no matter what storms come you way.

________________________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

_________________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

Awful Things Are Happening to the People of Afghanistan

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

___________________________________________________

Sorry that I haven’t posted for a while. Busy time getting ready for our vacation, and when we got to the house we rented, there was no Wi Fi until yesterday.

I am enjoying the great weather in Central, Oregon called, Sun River. Lots to do and see. Haven’t had a moment to breathe until this morning. The rest went swimming. I am alone, and it is wonderful for now.

____________________________________________________

I a so saddened by the events in Kabul, Afghanistan. People dying, and women and children, captured with horrible futures for them.

I also saw this morning that the Taliban have captured 229 Christians, and they will all be put to death. There is nothing that can be done. They will die as martyrs.

___________________________________________________

I am very angry with the response from our President. He seems almost like he wants to ignore what is going on there. There doesn’t seem to be any plan to get Americans out. He is spending more time fighting with the Republicans over COVID-19.

___________________________________________________

I am sorry for starting out so negative, but I feel people need to know. I rely on God to help me through all of this. He has big shoulders for me to cry on.

How about you? Are you depressed with the happenings in Afghanistan? I totally agree.

The only power we have is to pray for God to intervein. Pray for His mercy for all the people of Afghanistan. God loves all people, including the Afghans.

To make yourself feel better, read the bible. Find verses that soothe your soul. Dig deeply in the love of Jesus

____________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

_____________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

Top Five Ways to Survive in a Not so Friendly World

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

______________________________________

I had my usual Physical therapy today. Went pretty smoothly. Getting stronger each visit.

______________________________________

The governor of my state of Oregon announced today that we are going back to mandating masks for indoor events. The new Delta virus is causing havoc everywhere. We are back to where we were over a year ago.

Here are some scary statistics. Two of the biggest cities in our nation have had a tremendous increase of deaths from the virus. In one of the cities 95% of the deaths were not vaccinated. In the other city it was 94%. Pretty clear facts that shows everyone needs to get their shots now.

_____________________________________

I don’t know about you, but I am struggling with all the turmoil that is going on all around us. Fake news, rioting, racism, lying by politicians, bad decisions by congress, and a president that doesn’t even know how many people live in our country.

I sat down and tried to figure out how I could face all of this mess. Here is what I came up with:

  1. Time to wear blinders like horses do. Only look straight ahead to the future.
  2. Only believe facts. not fairy tales.
  3. Do not blame people around you for problems, look in the mirror.
  4. Reach out to help those who are confused and depressed.
  5. Rely on your family and friends to see you through the storms.

______________________________________

If you are overcome with all the turmoil. Make you own list of survival ideas. Live by them every day.

_______________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

The So Called Movements Are Corrupting the Minds of People

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

_________________________________________________

I have been learning about what justice is through my church. It has been a theme for several weeks.

The Pastor’s definition was : Loving what is good and hating what is evil.

Makes sense to me.

One thing we need to remember is that God’s purpose for justice differs from OUR pursuit of justice.

His purpose for justice is purification and restoration. We get that in one place. It is on the cross.

When we try to take on the world alone without Jesus we tend to be corrupted. It can catch us when we are unaware. The Black lives matter movement, and the anti everything groups darken our view of what is right and wrong.

One thing we must never forget is that everyone needs compassion and forgiveness. Even the anti groups.

Never let the dark side sway you into thinking in negative ways.

Take courage; hold on, and be strong.

___________________________________________________

If you are getting caught up in the turmoil of the rioting, and people attacking the government, stop now and know that God is in charge. He knows what is going on, and He will correct everything when he is ready.

As for you and I. We need to pray for God’s guidence, and be open to His suggestions. Life would much more livable if we let God take charge of our lives.

____________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

_____________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

« Older posts

© 2024 Daily Signs of Hope

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑