“Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.”
Psalm 42:11 NIV
Find Rest by Francesca Battistelli
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. “
Romans 12:12 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 NIV
Nothing in our lives is wasted
God is still working
Do not be deceived by the enemy
God loves you
God wants you to live life to the full
Don’t give up
Don’t give in to sin
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10 NIV
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6 NIV
(This photo was taken at Kathio State Park in central Minnesota)
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV
The world preaches immediate gratification, seek more…quickly
Obedience to God is upside down according to the world
God is with you and working for your good and His glory
Keep seeking Him…Keep praying
Trust in the Lord and wait for Him to complete His work on His timeline
It may be you just haven’t seen it yet…
Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey
“I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.“
Psalm 27:13-14 NIV
(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountian National Park)
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Begin again
trust God to guide you
surrender your heart and mind
with God all things are possible
Trouble will come, things will get messed up and times will be difficult, this is to be expected
Focus on what you can control…how will you choose to respond?
Will you choose hatred, anger, malicious talk and put your efforts into tearing down others?
Many have chosen this way and it brings nothing but destruction
Will you choose kindness, compassion, listening and patience?
Even with your enemies?
Every single person was created by God…clearly it is time for the human race to go back and read the instructions for life found in God’s word
If you are unsure where to begin try the Book of Proverbs or look into the story of Joseph in Genesis
God can renew and restore us if we are willing to turn towards Him
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.”
Psalm 51:10-12 NIV
(This photo was taken on Paradise Island of the Bahamas)
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37 NIV
“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26 NIV
As we close out 2025 and look forward to the New Year…remember you have a Good Father in God and there is nothing He can’t handle in your life
When it looks and seems impossible
Know that God can conquer all things
He is with you…He is for you and He loves you
God Is With Us by Casting Crowns
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:1-6 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27 NIV
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NIV
As we reflect on this year and the stroms of life in a broken world
We need to remember there is peace available for all of us
It is a peace that surpasses all understanding
As our faith rises up and we become still
Peace will come over us
Jesus speaks peace
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
(This photo was taken in Glaciaer National Park in Montana)
“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”[c]—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[d]
Mark 1:1-3 NIV
God’s story and God’s plan is greater than our self-oriented desires
We are a part of His story, not the other way around
We all have been given certain gifts to use while we are here
Our job is to recognize the gifts we have been given and to use them to help others
We are to do our part to Prepare the Way for the coming of the Lord when He returns
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
John 3:36 NIV
(This photo was taken at sunrise on the island of Maui, Hawaii)
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
1 John 4:4 NIV
Make it a priority in your life to spend time with Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord
He has conquered all things and nothing you are facing or will face in your life is greater then Him and His saving grace
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10 NIV
(This photo was taken at sunrise by a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 NIV
When we put our trust in God and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us grow spiritually
It can be difficult to tune in to the Holy Spirit during the hustle and bustle of daily life but that does not mean God is not present with you
Evil and darkness will go to great lengths to keep us from our connection to God…make time to connect to God’s presence in your life and tune into the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:26 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
John 15:12-13 NIV
Sacrifice…Savior…Salvation
The actions of God through Jesus Christ were done to save us
We don’t deserve it, we can’t earn it by doing good things, it is given to us as a gift
We can choose to accept it
We can stay close to Him by meeting with Him daily
We can do good things to help others
The mission is to help as many people as we can learn about Him and know Him
May the love of God be in us and work through us
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 4:10 NIV
(This photo was taken at the Botanical Gardens in the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)
Take Your Faith With You 