I’ve been stressed
I’ve been blessed
I know I am loved.

It’s been about two years since I have written a blog – tonight seemed like a good time to reconnect because of the three lines written above.

Sing those lines to the tune of “I’ve been cheated, been mistreated, when will I be loved?” If you don’t know the tune you could google it on You Tube and I’m sure it will pop up somewhere . . The point I’m making is this – in our lifetimes we have all been cheated at some point in time and we’ve all experienced being mistreated at some point in time – and yet, most of us would have to admit that we have all experienced some blessings and it is through the blessings that we know we are loved.

Let that sink in. The thought came to me while I was managing some of the personal stresses going on in my life. Quite often the Lord gives me new more hopeful lyrics to some secular songs that tend to sing about our woes. I think it’s the Holy Spirit that does this to me, to keep me centered and focused on my faith, hope and belief in God’s for love me and the whole world. (John 3:16)

I think about the stress that Mary and Joseph endured during Mary’s pregnancy and Jesus’ lifetime. And yet, because of the little babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, they clung to the belief, hope and promises that the Spirit of the Lord announced to them through others during those early stressful times.

I think about the stressful times I’ve endured and I’m grateful for the blessing of having a gift of faith and hope and belief and the strength and power of God’s love for me, as proclaimed by angels over 2000 years ago and declared by Jesus during his lifetime.

My favorite book of the Bible is John 17. At a very stressful time in my life – There were alot of things going on in my personal life, community life, extended family and I fell while leaving the neighbors house on a Sunday afternoon following church. I had taken them some rolls or something left over from fellowship and when I left, I took a shortcut, fell and heard both ankles or legs crack. Yep – it was painful. There I lay, on the ground, trying to get up to no avail, calling for help. They picked me up, helped me get into my house and get on the couch. They left, the pain did not go away. I called my husband home from work and off we went to the hospital. I was bummed, to say the least. The words – ‘The Lord maketh me lie down in green pastures . . . he restores my soul” came to me the next day while I was lying on the couch with one ankle wrapped and the other leg in a boot. I had to stay off my leg for a certain length of time and had to learn how to use crutches. There is a difference between trying them out just to see what it’s like and actually having to use them for a long period of time. Made me think about people who use them and wheelchairs every day of their lives. This was a short inconvenience and I asked the Lord what I should do with all this down time to restore my soul. And that’s when I was inspired to read, reflect and write on each verse of John 17. What a blessed time of healing and restoration it was for me. Now, I’m praying about whether or not they should be submitted for publishing. All in the Lord’s time if that is to happen.

This Book Praying Our Way Through Stress came about in a similar fashion. And if you think about the many books of the bible and the stories contained in Scripture we realize that these too, are stories of people who were stressed, blessed, and knew they were loved.

We are all in this world together – sometimes we’re a little more stressed – sometimes we feel a little more blessed – always we should remember and know that we are loved – in good times and even more so through the bad times.

Let us pray:

Lord God, Thank you for the gift of life, and the gift of your love, the gift of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for today’s new words for an old melody and the reminder that you love us, all of us, all of the time. Help us and teach us Lord, in this generation, how to Love as you love, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, that we may fully love you, ourselves and our neighbors. We ask this for the sake of the building up of your people here on earth and to the glory of your Holy Name. AMEN