A place to find Hope

Tag: excerpt

The Threat of War Has us Under Great Stress.

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We are on our way to the Oregon Coast. Not a cloud in the sky, but very, very, cold. It got down to 21 degrees last night.

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I am bummed out. It looks like there is going to be a war in Europe and Ukraine. There is no reason for it to happen except for greed and power. We all need to pray for the area.

Have you had a lot of stress lately? Has the threat of war, the pandemic, inflation, a divided country, wore you down and made you weary?

You certainly are not alone! There are many of us in the same boat with you.

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I may be repeating myself, but here is how I face the storms of life:

  1. Each day is a new day. Yesterday is going and tomorrow isn’t here yet. Just take care of today.
  2. There are some things we can’t control.
  3. There are people from the dark side that are trying to under mind our country. Ignore them! You and I know what is right.
  4. Bottom line...GOD IS IN CHARGE! He knows all the mess we are facing. He knows we are stressed. He still wants what is best for His people.
  5. Pray for His love and protection. Give all your stress to Him.
  6. BE STRONG!

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As you can see there is no excerpt today. I have been at the Oregon Coast today, and couldn’t add one, but come back on Friday and there will be one. Better yet… go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+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.

Worry is The Dark Room Where Negatives Develop in Our Lives

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I promised you an excerpt from my first book, which won a national award from the Reader’s Choice Awards. It is called, Signs of Hope: Ways to survive in a Unfriendly World.

Here it is…

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Chapter 12

Worry Is the Dark Room Where Negatives Develop

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

I had a real dream the other night, and it was a western. It had me tossing and turning until the outcome unfolded.

The wonderful thing about dreams is that no matter how terrifying they are in the beginning, they almost always turn out for the good in the end. You notice that you never quite get caught by the monster that is chasing you. Isn’t it fun when you are flying and you can see everyone below you? I just flap my arms, and I fly. (OK, I know you’re thinking, This guy is crazy!)

How about the fact that you are the hero and you always save the day? Everything is wonderful. That is how life can be if you follow God. It doesn’t pay to worry, have anxiety and be full of fear. It doesn’t pay to be full of shame. It doesn’t pay one cent to be gossiping all the time. My dream is an example of that.

The characters:

The good guys: Matthew, Mark, John

Stranger on a white horse

The bad guys: Anxiety, Gossip, Shame, Death

Matthew, Mark, John and the Stranger—the four good guys—were riding on their horses through Sin City towards the Not OK Corral. Hiding from them were Anxiety, Gossip, Shame and Death—the four bad guys. They didn’t want the good guys to find them and stop the harm they were doing. They had control of all the people in the city and they wanted to keep control. Matthew, Mark and John were riding on brown horses because that was what they rode in those days. The Stranger was riding on a white horse.

The good guys were not gunslingers; they were Bible-slingers. The good guys got down off their horses and went searching for Anxiety, Gossip, Shame and Death.

Matthew found Anxiety leering around a corner trying to see where everyone was. Anxiety had a worried look on his face. He kept looking everywhere in fear—in back of him and in front of him. He didn’t know what to do.

Anxiety (aka worry) can be caused by a doctor’s appointment that holds the results of a blood test. It can be wondering if you can pay this month’s bills. It could be from a dispute you had with your wife. Whatever the case, from stage left comes Matthew, who says to Anxiety: “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done” (taken from Philippians 4:6).

Anxiety felt like a ton of weight had been taken off his shoulders, and he left the Not OK Corral much happier. Anxiety was gone.

Mark was looking for Gossip. When he found him, Gossip was talking so fast Mark couldn’t understand him. Gossip said, “Did you see Clem at the Horse’s Breath Saloon? He said he would never take another drink, and I just saw him walk in there!”

Gossip can ruin a person’s life. Talking about someone behind their back can only spread hurt and can cause unwanted hardship.

Mark put his hand over Gossip’s mouth and said: “As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts” (Proverbs 26:21–22).

Gossip was dumbfounded and was unable to speak further. He went away with a swollen tongue and was gone. There was no more gossip.

John found Shame hiding in a closet because he was so ashamed of what he had done all his life. He didn’t want anyone to see him this way.

Shame is often the last fatal nail in the heart of a person who is hurting from something they did in the past. Turn anything you are ashamed of over to God, and He will wipe it out of His books.

John felt pity for him and said, “If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16).

Shame rose and came out of the closet. He was a different man. He felt self-worth. He felt he was loved. He wanted to learn more about God. After this, Shame was gone. There was no more shame.

Then the Stranger went right to where Death was, for He knew where everyone was, and what they were doing every second of the day.

Death was a hideous creature. He was caring a sword and had a look on his face that would melt anyone who looked into his eyes. He really was the leader of this gang. There was fire coming out of his ears, and he laughed a chilling laugh. (This is the part where I was tossing, and turning!) He said, “You may have calmed the rest of my gang, but you have no power over me. Everyone has to die, and I will wait until they come to me.”

Yes, death will happen to all of us, but if we are under God’s protective wing, we do not have to fear death. It is just a stepping stone to be with our heavenly Father. You can be assured that the angels are waiting for the moment you are ready to be with the Lord. It is like a parent anticipating a newborn. The angels will say, “Cool, here comes another one to be with us in heaven.”

The Stranger took off His cloak, and uncovered his head. It was Jesus. Jesus walked up to Death and said, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Death spun around in pain and, weaker but still standing, turned back toward Jesus.

Jesus said, talking to God: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (from Psalm 23:4).

Death began to wither and fell to the ground. He had no more power over people any longer.

So there was no more anxiety, no more gossip, no more being ashamed, and most importantly, no more death.

God is the final power. He controls all things. We can stop worrying about anything. Worrying and fear does not gain us one more minute in a day—and it saps our strength. Turn your anxiety, gossiping, shame and the fear of death over to Him, and He will send them on their way.

The four horsemen got on their horses and headed to the next town to see what gangs might have settled there. As they rode into the sunset, they all sang praises to God and worshipped Him.

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory,

honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

Romans 2:7

Further Adventures

Have you had one of those bad guys come into your life? Have you been faced with anxiety? Has someone said something about you to someone else that wasn’t true? Do you live in shame for past sins that you cannot get out of your mind? Have you lost a loved one? Always remember that God is always there. He knows what your anxiety is. He knows about the gossip that has been spread about you. He wants you to throw away your shame, like it was a broken toy.

And remember that death has no power if your loved one was a Christian. God is the final Word. He controls everything. Lean on Him through whatever trial you are going through. You will have some storms come into your life, but God is there to help calm them for you.

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says?

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There will more in the future. Keep coming back to check them out. Better yet… God to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+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.

Signs of Hope is Needed for Life, Military, and Seniors.

+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.

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I am very tired today so my spellcheck better work. 🙂

I am getting to the age where every new day is a blessing. I am almost through with my second book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

It is a book for the veterans who are struggling with life. It covers PTSD, TBI, Depression, anxiety, etc. It also shares live for me while I was in the military. Some funny and not so funny stories there.

Go to…www.dougbolton.com to find out more about the book.

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My next book will be called, Signs of Hope for Seniors: The Alligators that Chase us. I am an expert on that since I am 82 years old and counting.

It will talk about aging, of course, but also about loneliness, health issues, depression, lack of memory, being sent to assisted living, and many more of the usual suspects for seniors.

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Also…stay tuned here for excerpts from my first book, which won and national award, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.

It is perfect timing for the way that our world is today. It speaks about being strong when the storms of life try to overcome us. It shares ways to stand up to the rush of daily problems.

I will share my first excerpt in my next post on Monday. So keep coming back to check them out. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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How is it going for you today? Too overwhelming? Too much sorrow and not much joy?

FEAR NOT!!

God is in charge !!! He knows what your hurts are. He know what causes you pain. He knows every single hair on your head. Turn to Him during your storms of life. Pray for His protection. Ask Him to hold your hand and guide you down the right paths.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+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.

Man’s Way Leads to a Hopeless End-God’s Way Leads to Endless Hope

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We are in the middle of putting together a Living Will and Trust. It is extremely complicated, and has many things you have to do to make it valid. We are charging ahead however, because we know how important it is to our family.

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Here is another excerpt from my first book, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in the Unfriendly World, that won a national award.

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Man’s Way Leads to a Hopeless
End—God’s Way Leads to
Endless Hope


Chapter 5
A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD
will prosper. He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in
wisdom is safe.
—Proverbs 28:25–26


THERE ARE TIMES when I think I am doing fine and do not
need to worry about tomorrow. I will be strong against the
sin that I may face. Every time I feel that way, I fall flat on
my face, and I let Satan creep in inch by inch. You give Satan an
inch, and he will become the ruler. (Another great bumper sticker!)
God has a plan for me, and I need to understand that He already
had my life planned before I was even born. A plan was begun for
mankind before God put the first breath into Adam. God knows
my every move. Wherever I go, He will be there with me.
I sent a saying to my son when he was stationed in Iraq. It said,
“I know your name, and I will be with you wherever you go.” That
is true for everyone. He knows your name. He is wherever you go.
God cares for you.
And God even cares for “little people.” What I mean by little
people are the people who come into your church—the ones youcharity store,
don’t want to sit next to because they need a bath. They need help
because they don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
They are the hungry. Their clothes look like they came from a
charity store.
Let me make sure you understand! God always hears and loves
those who seek Him—little people or not. He doesn’t care what
they wear. He doesn’t care if they smell. He does care that they are
hungry. He does care that they need love—just like you do.
I realize that to love these people you are going out on a limb,
taking a risk. They could take advantage of you. They may want to
steal the church offering. But you should embrace them as people
of worth and welcome them into your church. God cares about
them—and you need to as well.
Speaking of taking a risk: Don’t you take a risk when you let
your daughter go to her first dance alone? Don’t you take a risk
when you give the car keys to your son for the first time? You worry
about them, but you love them enough to let them stretch their
wings a little. They are a little person in your eyes yet. They are
still your little girl or boy, but you trust them enough to let them
enjoy increasing independence.
Our heavenly Father takes a risk with His children every day.
He lets us stretch our wings. He trusts us to do the right things.
We don’t always do the right things, but God loves us just the same
as you would still love your children if they didn’t make the right
decisions.
We often try to make decisions without God’s help. But as the
bumper sticker says, “Man’s way leads to a hopeless end.”
Try to remember the risk takers from the Bible. Think of David
and his slingshot, Mary washing Jesus’ feet, Abraham raising his
knife to kill his son. They took the risk, but they relied on God to
help them. They had a heavenly Parent to trust them and protect
them. He let them stretch their wings because, “God’s way leads
to endless hope.”

Stay with God’s way, and the narrow path you walk will lead to
endless hope. The wider path leads to destruction, disappointment,
shame and despair. You may stretch your wings if you wish, but
stay the course that God has in mind for you, and you will receive
the fi nal reward—the eternal love of your heavenly Parent.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

—1 John 4:16
Further Adventures
Man’s way does lead to a hopeless end. We have all been there.
You think everything is going great and that you don’t need God
to help you during that time. Like clockwork, something knocks
you to your knees, and you are praying (crying) to God to help
you through it.
Let me suggest an alternative: Pray without ceasing! Let God
know every day about your day. If it was a good day, thank Him for
it. If it was a bad day, ask for His loving care. It is so easy to get in
touch with God. It is a much better way to communicate than any
electronic invention man has come up with. It is similar to e-mail,
except you would call it knee mail.


Something to Ponder
Isn’t it funny that if God is for us, no one can be against

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I will share more excerpts in the future so keep coming back to check them out. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future post will come directly to your inbox.

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Are you struggling in this not so friendly world? You aren’t alone. Many people struggle with what is happening in our world today.

FEAR NOT!! God is with you. He knows all your troubles. He knows what is best for you. Let Him guide you for the rest of your life.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+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.

He Who Angers You Will Control You

+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.

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I had a week with heavy exercise. It has paid off. I lost a few pounds this week, and my legs feel stronger. I still have another day of exercise today. Then I will crash for the weekend.

I am sharing another excerpt today from my first book, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in and Unfriendly World. It received a national award.

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Chapter 3

He Who Angers You Controls You

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother

will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother,

“Raca” [a term of contempt], is answerable to the Sanhedrin

[body of authorities]. But anyone who says,

“You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Matthew 5:22

I have “a short fuse.” I can be easily offended and strike back with anger. As the years have gone by I realize that anger doesn’t solve anything. It only raises my blood pressure, and allows the other person to win. They get what they want. They got me frustrated and not thinking clearly.

I have finally gotten smarter and have learned to control my feelings to the point where I still may be upset about what has happened, but I don’t let it cause me to verbally strike out toward the other person. I don’t “count to ten.” I turn to God to give me strength to overcome my own feelings and think about the consequences for me if I fail in my quest to help others with their anger. I also ask God to help me have a calm spirit, and an understanding heart. I’m not being a good example to my children—or anyone else—if I don’t.

The following story makes the point about anger very clearly. Got a hammer?

There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him to hammer a nail into the back fence every time he lost control. The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Then he gradually discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. His father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father led his son to the fence. “You have done well, but look at the holes in the fence,” he said. “When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like the nail holes. You can put a knife in a person and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say ‘I’m sorry,’ the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.”

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.

Psalm 37:7

A fool shows his annoyance [temper] at once,

but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Proverbs 12:16

In your anger do not sin:

Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

Ephesians 4:26

Further Adventures

How do you deal with anger? Do you have loved ones who can’t control their feelings some times? I have been a victim of losing my temper sometimes. I can’t put a bunch of nails in my fence out of anger because Charlotte would want me be put in a safe place so I wouldn’t be harmful to anyone—or the fence—again.

But think about this story each time you get angry. Tell it to your loved ones when they get upset. This is an easy story to remember. It is very short, but its impact could be tremendous.

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny that when we say kind words to someone they say kind words back?

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Come back often to see another excerpt. Better yet… go to the top of this page and click on Subscribe. When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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So how is your time on this earth going? Have you had a heated exchange with someone? Do you feel badly?

FEAR NOT!!

God is there with you and He will guide you on to how to reconcile with that person. To ask for forgiveness, or to forgive does wonders.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+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.

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