Patience

Serve One Another

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“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

1 Peter 4:8-11 NIV

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

Galatians 5:13 NIV

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“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2 NIV

(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Patience And Persistence

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“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

“Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV

Father God, we know You have a plan for our lives, and that You want to bless us.  Help us lean into that promise!  Sometimes it is hard to see past our present struggles.  Thank You for loving us even when we have doubts and fears.  Fill each of us with Your hope and give us courage to carry on.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Be Still And Know

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“Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields[a] with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Psalm 46:8-11 NIV

Be Still And Know by Amy Grant

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“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)

To Know Him…

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“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”

Colossians 1:9-12 NIV

Father God, Your Word is filled with wisdom and promises that offer guidance for our lives.  Sometimes it is difficult for us to understand, please give us courage to trust Your faithfulness.  Light our path, help us learn about You and Your way and give us clarity about how You want us to live.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Colossians 1:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in Wyoming)

Persevere

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“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

2 Corinthians 4:6-9 NIV

Father God, You call us to always be faithful and obedient, especially during difficult times.  Thank You for providing Your Word as a guide for us.  Remind us that no matter what our struggle is, You are near and will renew our strength and provide us endurance to persevere.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Colossians 3:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Humility…Gratitude

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

Father God, when we are overwhelmed by the brokenness and darkness we see, help us to remember You are near.  You are in control.  We can’t stop all the pain and injustice we witness, yet we can help overcome evil by doing good.  Please help us to do that.  Give us the courage and humility to love other people well.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:15-17 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in northern Colorado)

Persevere

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James 1:2-4 NIV

Father God, please give us strength to run the race of faith.  Often times darkness in this world will bring us many forms of struggle and we are easily distracted and drift away from You.  Fill us with courage to stay close to You and trust in Your promises…even when…especially when we can’t see clearly.  You are the source of our endurance to keep going, when we get knocked back or pushed down we know we can trust in You and keep running the race of faith.  Thank You for all You do for us.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Hebrews 12:1 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

God’s Faithfulness

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“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness, even when we have been unfaithful to You.  Thank You for Your presence in our lives and for never leaving us alone.  We know that You will continue to guide us and protect us as You work in us and through us.  Help us remember to place our hope and trust in You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“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.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

God’s Timing

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“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

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

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“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.“

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Wait For The Lord

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“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

Our lives are usually so busy moving from one thing to the next, so much so that planning and preparing become dominant activities…the problem is if we are always planning and preparing for what’s next when are we living in the present moment?

A difficult part of surrender for all of us is letting go and not always trying to control what’s next.  A life of faith doesn’t mean we always go and do what we want…Jesus said in Luke 9:23 “…If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  We all have a cross to bear in life, it is different for everyone…and bearing a cross is doing what needs to be done.  It is sacrifice.  It means being obedient to God and we do things because we love God and others.

Be in prayer and talk with the Lord about what He needs you to do then wait and listen.  May each of us be surrounded by the love of God each day.

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“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 in July of 2021 at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountian National Park)