Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

  An Intimate Portrait


Let's take a trip back 2,000 years in time. Are you ready? Great! Buckle up, here we go. Zooooooommmmmmmmmm! All right, we're here. It's Friday afternoon, the day they crucified Jesus. Look over there. That's Calvary. Can you see the three crosses in the distance? On the two outside crosses hang thieves. Then the cross in the middle, that's Jesus. Oh quick, look at the foot of the cross. You see that? Those are two Roman soldiers, they're gambling to see who will receive the clothes of Jesus. We have another name for Him though. We call Him Savior.

      Let's move in a little closer. You see those thorns pressing on the brow of His head? Can you see the blood dripping off His cheek? Why would anyone go through this type of pain? Oh, and the one thief. He knows he's dying. So, he mocks Jesus. Listen to what he's saying. "If you are truly the Son of God, why don't you save yourself and us." Wow, you know that's a good question. I wonder why?

      Oh, but look, the other thief is about to reply. "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnations? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he looks to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom." Those are powerful words. What is Jesus doing? Oh, He is about to reply. I wonder what He will say? Will He yell at him? Condemn him for all of his sins? No, not this Man. "Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

      To actually be able to see this event would probably bring tears to most men's eyes. Just the thought of someone going through this much pain, this much suffering for us, is unreal. I'm here to try and show you, and tell you that this is very real. Jesus died for us, and this Easter, we should take time to look over these events. Try and picture what took place. Try and grasp the events as they really happened.

      He loves us with a love that will never be matched. More than a friend or loved one. He died so that we can have eternal life. Not just any death either. He was nailed to a tree to hang a slow and painful death, but He did it for you, for me. Paul once said, "We are all sinners, of whom I am the chief." Paul knew how bad a Christian he was, and he knew that Jesus would cover all of his sins with His blood.

      If today you're not sure if you have been saved, if you're not sure whether you would go to heaven if the world would end today, or if you would die in an accident, I would love to be able to share the gospel of Jesus with you. If you have received Jesus as your Savior, then please don't take it lightly. If you're not living your life for Him 24/7, then change. He gave His life on a cross for us. The least we can do is give our hearts back to Him. I look forward to hearing from you soon. God Bless and Keep the Faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Through Times Of Trouble


'Then the Lord's angel came and sat under the oak tree that belonged to Joash. His son Gideon was threshing some wheat secretly in a winepress, so that the Midianites would not see him. The angel of the Lord appeared to him there and said 'The Lord is with you mighty warrior!' Gideon replied 'If the Lord is with us why has all this happened to us? What happened to the wonderful things the Lord did for our forefathers? The Lord has abandoned us!' The Lord ordered him, 'Go with all your strength and rescue Israel. I myself am sending you.' Gideon replied But how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest and I am the least important member of my family!' The Lord said, 'You can do it because I am with you.' (Judges 6: 11-6)

Have you ever felt totally abandoned by God and wondered whether it was worth trusting in Him anymore? Just recently I have been wondering the same. I had decided to take up God's call to start a Christian band who's vision would be to bridge the gap between the Church and our generation. We prayed loads and we believe we now have the band line up God wants. We have been practicing and have done several concerts. God has promised us He wants to use us for something big.

However since we began the devil has tried his best to stop us. Most of the band have some sort of serious medical condition all of which have caused the grief recently and most of us have been in hospital with that. We have seen a break down in a relationship within the group causing a lot of hurt, we've had problems with brakes on cars, problems with families not supporting us or giving us more grief, operations canceled and I was feeling severely disillusioned, especially seeing I knew this was what God wanted me to do.

I cried out to God and asked Him why all this stuff was happening. I felt like God had abandoned us. A friend reminded me of Gideon's story. He had heard about what God had done in the past and yet he too felt God had now abandoned His people. The Midianites had taken Israel captive. However God was in everything that was happening and he used what little Gideon had and tested his faith. Later on in the story God cuts down the size of Gideon's army from 30,000 men to 300 men! It was doubtful that the 30,000 could have defeated the Midianites but Gideon had no choice he had to trust in God.

The story goes on to tell about how God used this small army to defeat the Midianites all because one man trusted in Him. When I was praying about my situation the only answer I received from heaven was ' Trust in me.'

It's a hard thing to do, responding to God's call, stepping out of your comfort zone and trusting totally in God. Are you willing to trust God through the tough times as well as the happy ones? God has already won the victory, we don't have to defeat the devil just resist him. He will do his best to destroy anything God has planned. It's up to us to stand firm in Jesus and put our trust in Him. But we are not on our own, Jesus will be with us every step of the way. Gideon felt small and insignificant but God used the little faith he had and used him to change the lives of those around him. He longs to do the same with us. And remember whatever God is calling you to do:

'The Lord is with you mighty warrior' judges 6 v 12

May you really know what it means to trust in God and may you feel His love and grace in your times of trouble.

[Soldier4Christ]

  We Are Redeemed



"In him we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of
God's grace" (Ephesians 1:7) NIV

This is the season of Easter. At Easter we celebrate
the death and resurrection of Christ. The above verse
tells you what happened on the cross.

Christ shed His blood on the cross for the forgiveness
of sins. He also redeemed us through His blood. What
do we mean by redemption? Redemption means to pay back
something that has been lost. Christ has redeemed us.
He paid the ultimate price for our lives: His own
life.

All this was done according to the riches of God's
grace. Do you know what grace is? Grace is when we get
something that we do not deserve. Such as in "For by
grace you are saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8a).
That verse tells us that through faith by grace we can
be sure of our salvation.

I will keep this short so that you can reflect on the
message of the cross. I leave you with a challenge: to
preach the Gospel to yourself every day.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Doubt - A Brick Wall


I wrote this devotion almost 3 years ago.  I was in the midst of doubt and despair because my husband had just died.  I still have times of doubt and fear and when I was looking in my devotion archives I found this devotion and thought it really spoke something to me.  I have some serious decisions to make now and I keep waiting for God's peace with them and found this devo still holds true today.

Sept. 1999 When faced with the assignment of writing a devo a few weeks ago, I doubted if I could write one. I had just recently returned online after the sudden death of my husband 6 weeks ago. I doubted that I could write something inspirational and worthy of my friends, the readers on the ministries I write for because of my tremendous grief. Then I stopped and laughed at my doubts because the topic of the devotion I was writing was on DOUBT.

Doubt can be such a "brick wall" because we go about our lives and then wham; we hit the brick wall of doubt. We doubt ourselves and so we should. We cannot do anything without God. John 15 verse 5 says it all.  "I am the vine: you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit: apart from me you can do nothing."

[Soldier4Christ]

  The Lord's Eyes


For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war. (2 Chronicles 16:9) NIV

Do you remember the Sunday school song. Be Careful Little Eyes What You See. For those of you who don't know it the first verse goes like this; Oh, be careful little eyes what you see, Oh, be careful little eyes what you see, for you Father up above is loving down in love, Oh, be careful little eyes what you see. You then replace eyes for feet, hands. If you want to know the rest of the song email me and let me know.

Today's devotional is exactly on what the song says. God is watching every move we make. He is listening to every thing we say and think.

The verse above is about King Asa. King Asa did not rely on God for the safety of his kingdom. Rather he went to his own resources. God then sent a prophet to Asa to tell him the above words. God was very unhappy with Asa for not trusting in Him. God had an eye on Asa but Asa paid no attention to it. To read the rest of the story look up 2 Chronicles 16.

God may not have physical eyes but He is always watching us. Is there anything that you are doing in your private life just as Asa was that goes against what God has commanded you? Being a Christian involves more than just what other people see; it requires our private lives as well. What would you tell Jesus if He came back at that point in time when in your private life you were disobeying Him? God is always watching us so be careful not only what you do but what you take in.

Secondly, you need to trust God in every area of your life. I know it is hard to do. But pray, talk with a pastor or trusted friend, and fellowship with other believers. This will help. Then when in doubt. The bible is always there for you as well. Ask God for answers, and He will most assuredly give them to you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  The Life Property


“Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.” (Ephesians 6: 23-24) NIV

My brain begins to retreat when facing such adversity, my tongue withdrawals to the back of my mouth and my hands cramp up as if in an Arctic snowstorm. I can no longer talk, think or even write. This common occurrence is widely known to all high school students as math class. At no point do I understand or comprehend the lesson that is being taught to me. When did it get so hard, and how did I fall so far behind?

I think that it all began when the most simple of instructions became the most misunderstood and unsuccessful task that the world has ever seen. It was called the transitive property. It is the easiest in nature but most difficult to accomplish. You can see it wherever you go. The property states that if (A=B, and B=C, then A=C). From this point on I thought that math would be easy sailing. I had learned one of the most known and used properties in math but little did I know that math and life are not as simple as A’s, B’s and C’s.

The nagging question, “When are we ever going to use this stuff?” is finally answered. Math has a practical lesson to the world around us, a lesson that is taught by Jesus Christ. The Lord comes to the world to love us and to tell of his fathers enduring love. “Put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love (Psalm 130:7).” Not only does the lord tell us that he loves us but to love each other, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10).” Lastly the Lord came to teach us to love him for he is the only way to heaven, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).” 

Did you see it? The transitive property is apparent in God’s teachings and will. I love God, and God loves you and me, so by definition of the transitive property I am taught to love you. Love you through inequalities, through sin and through all imperfections. It is no easy task to accomplish. Loving God who is perfect is hard enough let alone loving each other that hurt, steal and torment our lives. If we do not find success in loving each other, it is worthless to love God, because in the end love is all that matters. We were put on this earth for one reason, to love, to love God and each other. It is a privilege, and something that we take for granted. I pray that God open our hearts to love even those that may not love us in return. God be with you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Chasing After God


Did you know that sometimes we have to chase after God? The Bible gives several examples of this.

Matthew 20:29-34 tells of two blind men who were sitting by the roadside when they heard that Jesus was passing by. The Word says that these two men shouted "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" The crowd that had gathered quickly told them to be quiet and to settle down. What did they do? Did they just walk away? No! They shouted way louder and got Jesus' attention. Jesus stopped and asked, "What do you want me to do?" "We want our sight!" they said. Jesus had compassion and immediately healed them of their blindness.

Luke 5:17-20 tells us that Jesus was in a home and the Spirit of God had come upon him to heal the sick. Some men came in carrying a paralytic man on a mat and tried to get into the house to lay him before Jesus. What they discovered was that there were so many people already there, that it was impossible to get in. So, what did they do? Did they turn around and leave? No! The Bible says that they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 5:24-34 gives an account of a woman who had been sick with bleeding for twelve years and had spent all she had on doctors but grew worse! A large crowd had gathered around Jesus and he passed the woman by. Did she give up and go home? No! The Word says that she pressed in and came up behind Jesus and touched the hem of his garment, knowing she would be healed. He felt her touch, acknowledged her faith, and freed her from her suffering.

Don't give up! Don't allow yourself to feel that Jesus has passed you by. Chase after him. Shout louder when others say it's no use. Tear open the roof if you have to. Just don't let anything stand in the way of your blessing. He will acknowledge your faith and free you of your suffering. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Light From Within


Let’s just face it.  Sometimes things just suck.  You get picked on for no reason.  The girl you like doesn’t like you back.  Your friends ditch you.  Classes are hard.  You didn’t make the team.  Your job stinks.  Life is overwhelming sometimes.  It will get over on you and not be fair.  What do we do to cope and make it better?  Growing up, when I needed to, I left the real world behind and lost myself in video games.  To be part of someone else’s awesome story instead of your own lame one was so cool to me. 

One of my favorite games ever was Final Fantasy 4, imported to America as Final Fantasy 2 for the Super Nintendo.  You begin the game as Cecil, the Dark Knight.  Even though Cecil is a Dark Knight, he still has a noble heart and strives to do Good, but is stopped cold in his quest when he realizes something very important.  His Dark Sword cannot do any harm against true evil, as only Light can defeat Darkness. 

This intrigued me, as I had been used to only senseless violence in video games.  Cecil’s new task became to ascend a tall mountain and shed his dark past and become a Paladin: the Sacred Knight.  At the mountain summit, upon hearing the words of his father in his head, Cecil sheds his dark past and accepts the Light out of the sky and becomes a Paladin.  Equipped now with Holy power and a sacred sword, he is now able to continue the game, defeat evil, and eventually save the world. 

Back in the real world, I found myself wishing with all my heart that I could be something “special” like this video game character that fights evil with Holy power.  I knew that there was certainly a lot of evil in (and things wrong with) the world. I was seldom able to do anything about it.  I used to think that if only I had some Holy power, then perhaps I could do what I can’t now.

When I accepted Jesus into my life many years later after playing this game, I learned that there is now a Holy power living in me for real: Jesus Himself.  I began studying to find out who Jesus was. What I found was incredible. 

Revelation 1:12-18

I turned around to see who was looking at me, and I saw seven gold lampstands, and among them were what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold band around his chest.  His hair was white as wool, or as snow, and his eyes blazed like fire; his feet shone like brass that has been refined and polished, and his voice sounded like a roaring waterfall.  He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth.  His face was as bright as the midday sun.  When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man.  He placed his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid!  I am the first and the last.  I am the living one!  I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.  I have authority over death and the world of the dead.”

This is a vision of Jesus.  He lives inside all of us who believe.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Sometimes It Hurts

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1) NKJV

Just like a slingshot, there are times when you are pulled back one way, and thrown another. When a word is said that pierces your ears with a dagger to your heart. An action that swipes your breath away and leaves you gasping for air. Events do happen in each of our lives, sometimes even by the ones we know and love, that leave us hurt and often devastated. Let's take a look at one of those now.

Life took an unexpected turn last week that sent Joel flying to the other side of reality. His close friend and coworker turned on him. Supposedly someone said something to someone else and when push came to shove, everything got twisted around. Instead of confronting Joel about the problem, his friend took it upon himself to start pointing fingers.

Friends stick up for each other; they are there for you when nobody else is. Unfortunately, in this situation it is not the case. Joel took his friend aside and finally got to the bottom of everything. But, by this time it was to late. The words had been said, the accusations made, and a friendship was ended.

To many times we leap to conclusion in life only to regret it later. We open our mouths without thinking, we commit to actions without worrying about the consequences, and we end up hurting someone in the process. As a Christian we should uplift others when they are down. We should confront them if they might be struggling, and pray for them if they need it. The last thing we need to do is make a problem worse by jumping the gun. Gossip is wrong, and talking behind people's back never solved anything. Be an example to those around you, and remember to be a friend. The greatest witness we can give is through our actions to others. God Bless and Keep the Faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

  A Call in the Darkness

"Answer me when I call, O Lord who declares me innocent." Psalm 4:1a (The Book)

When I was a little girl, only five or six, I went to six flags with my parents and grandparents. I decided that I would go into the tube maze. It looked colorful and fun. So I went. As I was going through the maze I got stuck. I couldn't figure out which way to turn. After trying many different options and still ending up in the same place I began to cry. Softly at first, then I grew louder. Hearing my cry, my grandfather called out to me, "Hey Beth...Beth...Can you hear me?"

Through sniffles I answered that yes, I did, and proceeded to tell him that I was stuck and couldn't find my way out.

"I know you can't see me...but I can see you. I know which way you need to go. You have to trust me and listen to me ok?"

"Ok papa"

So He started to tell me where to turn. Sometimes I would get stuck again and begin to scream wondering why he didn't just come in and get me. I didn't want to be here. In fact, one time I even yelled at him for not saving me. He just kept talking me through it. His voice was soft but calming. I followed him. Eventually I found my way out of the confusing maze. When I reached the end I ran out to run into his arms. I smiled so brightly knowing that I was finally safe.
   
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, how many times have we, as Christians, been in this same situation? How many times have you, like me, cried out to our heavenly Father to come save you? I am sure that in all of our lives we have been stuck with no clue as to which way to turn. I know that it seems as if He is abandoning us in this maze of life. But, He hasn't left. He is still quietly talking us through it. He is telling us to simply trust and follow Him. Though we cannot see Him, He can see us and is leading us and guiding us through. He is reminding us that He loves us, even when we yell at Him for not just taking us out right away. As if that is not comfort enough...imagine what it will be like when we get to the end. When we finally see our Savior's face. We can run into His everlasting arms and stay there and know that we are finally safe from all of the evils in this world.  Are you stuck there...in the middle of the maze...in pain and crying out to God? Let me remind you that He hears your prayers. He sees your tears. He knows your pain and all of your fears. He is gently guiding you through. All you have to do is listen. I hope and pray that you all feel His comfort when you need it most. He is calling out to you.... "Come my child.... Trust me...I will lead you always..."

[Soldier4Christ]

  Questions and Answers


What do you do when things don't go the way they are supposed to?  What do you do when the pretty picture you thought you were looking at goes sour?  What do you do when you are betrayed? It has been a recent dismal discovery of mine that those things that are supposed to be good and true are not always that way.  Relationships you labor over end in them dumping you.  Jobs you work hard in get rid of you.  I invested trust, effort, and time in such things, believing that they will give back, but to no avail.  Why?  I do not understand why.

What happens when our support systems fail?  What happens when our favorite songs no longer provide comfort?  What happens when you don't know who to ask for help?  Who do you go to?  Someone please help.  Tell me what it is I need to do.  Tell me where I need to go. Then someone does come along who answers your questions and squelches your fears.  You trust them.  Then they leave.  Or show their true colors, becoming who you did not wish to believe they were. 

You are back to square one.  What is absolute in life?  What can I depend on when all else fails? You can depend on your true friends.  You can depend on a family who loves you.  Most importantly, you can depend on Jesus Christ.  Sounds strange, doesn't it?

Read in the Bible where God says He will never leave us. "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken for you." (Genesis 28:15) NKJV

God tells us that He has great plans for us. "For I know the thoughts I think toward you,' says the Lord, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11) NKJV

Read how God takes care of us in Psalm 23.
Read how God loves us in John 3:16.
Read why the Bible exists in John 20:30-31.
It's all in the Bible.   

[Soldier4Christ]

  Ultimate Blessing


"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and one who has been entrusted with much, much will be asked." Luke 12:48

God has blessed you beyond anything you can possibly imagine, but, if you're like me, you probably don't always take advantage of your blessings.  For instance, God has blessed with the ability to play basketball.  However, at times, I feel that this is more of a burden, especially when I have to wake up early on a Saturday morning just to be yelled at. Instead of having a negative attitude, I have learned to use basketball as a way to witness to others.  I also try to set a Christ-like example for my teammates. 

Sometimes I mess up, but who doesn't?  Luckily, for everyone, God forgives all those mess-ups if you accept him.  I believe that god has given me basketball as a way to reach others with His word.  Just as God has given me the ability to play basketball, He has blessed you with many abilities that you can use to serve Him. 

How many times do we overlook our blessing because we are too busy concentrating on the things God has given others?  It took me a while to realize that there is always someone better than me, but God still has a unique plan for my life.  God wants us to use our gifts and not be jealous of the gifts of others.  Have you ever wondered why the non-Christians seem to have been given more than us Christians?  They may have more money, friends, intelligence, athleticism, etc. Although they may have more worldly possessions and abilities, non-Christians do not have the best gift of all, eternal life.  I do not know about you, but I would not trade Michael Jordan's talent or Einstein's mind for one day in heaven.

God's gift of eternal life is the Ultimate Blessing.  Jesus Christ gave his life so that we could have everlasting life with Him in heaven. Just as with any other blessing God gives you, you have a choice.  You can choose to ignore the truth (thinking I don't believe anyone would do that for me), or you can accept it only when it's convenient for you (thinking I believe Jesus died for me, but I don't want to change  my lifestyle), or you can choose the truth and fully accept His ultimate blessing and live your life for Him. How will you handle your blessing?  Remember the choice is yours.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Keeping Conviction

I think the biggest problem today among Christian is the fact that we take
sin so lightly. Because of us taking sin so lightly is has caused us to
lose the conviction. Let me prove to you that we have lost the conviction.

Luke 18 10-13 Two men went to the Temple to pray, one was a Pharisee, and
the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by
himself and prayed this prayer: "I thank you, God that I am not a sinner
like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I
never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and
I give you a tenth of my income." " But the tax collector stood at a
distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead,
he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, " O God, be merciful to me, for I am a
sinner." New Living translation

The Pharisee did not take is his sins serious, but the tax collector did.
He took his sins so serious that he would not even lift his eyes to the
Heaven. I believe he was on his knees and it says that he was beating on
this chest in sorrow. He was crying out to God. I think it is funny that
every time in the Bible someone sins against God and then comes back to God
for His forgiveness they cry out to God. It brings up a good question, when
was the last time did you cry out to God? I believe if we took sin as
serious as it is, we would cry out to God very often. If you can sin and
not feel bad about it, there is something very wrong. Sin is serious stuff.

First, it separates us from Jesus. I do not want to be separated from
Jesus and second, there are non-Christians depended on us to be right with
God so we can tell them about Jesus. The Bible describes Hell as a place
where worms never die and the fire never goes out. (Mark 9) To think of
some of my non-Christians friends going to a place where worms never die and
the fire never goes out hurts. It's up to you, if you cry out to God, He
will forgive you and if you asked Him, He will give you back that conviction
we need so badly. Then non-Christians better beware because the love of
Jesus is coming for them, but it is up to you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Everything I Wanted



The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1) NKJV

It's been four months now since my obsession started. It all began one day when I walked passed her. Oh she was beautiful, sleek, fit, and stylish. Everything I had ever wanted and she was right in front of me. How I longed to be in her arms. If only I could hold her close and call her mine. Then all my dreams would come true.

Every day during my lunch break I would be drawn in. Across the isle I would be caught staring. I went out of my way and found reasons just to walk in and see her. Yes, I had it bad. Then the day arrived when I could not take it any more. I had to say something. I strolled in casually, and walked up to the counter and asked the guy who was working. "How much is that Play Station 2 over there?"

After I passed out from hearing the price tag, I realized there was more to life then being able to have a Play Station 2. Sure I could get it, go home and play it for hours upon hours. But, would that solve my true desires and never ending quest for happiness? Pretty soon a new system will come out and here we go again.

Take a second to think about your life and what you want. So many of us get caught up in wanting certain things and get manipulated in thinking that if I could only have this, then I would be happy. Unfortunately, there is only one person that can make us truly happy, and no it is not the opposite sex. Jesus Christ, our Savior, died on the cross so we would be able to have an eternal life. Every want and desire on this earth will one-day fade. Cars will be traded in, handsome guys and cute girls will get old and wrinkled, and jobs will end. But, eternal life is forever. Our relationship with our Creator is forever. Now that is something to get happy about. God Bless and keep The Faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Finally in His Arms

"When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation."(Psalm 91:15-16)

When I was little, about four or five, I sat alone in a local hospital waiting room. My mother was dying and my father had gone in to be with her, telling me that Faye would be there in a minute. Faye was my caretaker at the time. As I sat alone, with tears running down my cheeks, the depth of the loneliness that I felt was indescribable. When I finally looked up, I saw Faye calmly standing in the doorway, my pain reflected in her eyes. She opened her arms to me and in a still, small, silent voice she said "Come" and I ran. I ran as fast as I could and once I got there I clung to her. She was the only thing I had at that moment. She wrapped her warm, comforting arms around me and said to me "Beth, you're not alone anymore."

In the same way I envision Jesus standing at the doorway of my life. When I finally looked up, he opened his arms and in a still, small, silent voice he said, "Come." I ran as quickly as I could to his arms and I clung to Him, for he is all that I have. He wrapped his great big, enveloping arms around me and said "Beth, you are not alone anymore, and you never will be again."

Friend, God is standing in the doorway of your life. He always has been, and he always will be. Look up, you'll never be alone again. You are not alone in your struggles. Many of us face the same trials every day. I hope you know though, that none of us earthlings understand completely. That, only God can do. Please know that you are not alone, and that you will always have a friend in Jesus.