July 21, 20016

Greetings My Friend, I woke up this morning to see overnight that several police officers were killed and several more were wounded. Almost daily I read or hear on the news about a mass shooting from terrorists or otherwise. These days are scary to say the least. Government officials commit major breeches of trust and go Scott free with little more than a slap on the hand. Then there are the major disasters all around us, flooding,drought and the list goes on. I want to get caught up in the sadness and the panic or fear but today I read in Joshua "Do not be afraid of them for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord." At the bottom of my journal page Psalm 9:10 reads "Those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." I read these verses a few times and find calmness replacing the confusion and fear. I keep sensing the world has lost any sense it ever had and I feel the chaos building all around. Time alone with God though shows me to trust, to obey and then to do. There may be a 3rd world war in the making or there may not. God is teaching me to quit depending so heavily on the "grid" for my needs such as heating our home, providing for our needs with putting up food and we are doing just that. While I work I find myself enjoying a simple life in the process. I am once more sewing and learning to make quilts, studying how to make simple dress' without a pattern and for some reason I feel that if anything happens we will be able to care for our needs for the most part. When I stop to reflect I see that God will be with me in the midst of the trials that are coming whether illness, disaster or war. I may not know life as I have known it but my needs will be met. I learn again to be thankful for the needs being met and not seek the wants so strongly. I learn to discern between needs and wants more fully. I learn to enjoy learning new ways to do things and for some reason in all of that I find real joy. In a little bit I will start my day of doing what I can, resting, waiting a few hours to start again and at the end of the day I will have accomplished much. I am grateful for my disability because with it I am learning to trust God daily, seek Him throughout the day and then obey. Left to my own devices I would be panicked, sit in fear and give up. God does not allow me to give up, by obeying Him I do not and then I am amazed at what I am still capable of doing. As the world gets scarier and scarier I find that God has started preparing me to deal with those scary moments and to live in trust which turns into peace and contentment. When fear tries to rise up in me I have already learned to take the fear to God first. I am learning to discern His voice from Satan's or from false prophets. I know to keep myself focused on God, the Word and the Holy Spirit guides me, teaches me. When I think God does not know, I sheepishly remember our Lord Jesus and I know that I know God truly does know the end from the beginning. My prayer is that we all begin to listen to that small still voice of the Holy Spirit. We can know it is Him if we read our Bible because God will never go against His Word. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet