Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will direct your paths.

This has been one of my favorites since the 80's. I love it because I always try to figure things out for myself. I am reminded that God sees the whole picture and if I just lean on Him, He will direct me and keep me on the right path!

I have to share this bizarre story with you about this verse...I was visiting my Mom while she was suffering and dying of cancer. In the mail she received a note from one of my cousins. My cousin had written this very verse in the card for my Mom. I was able to tell Mom that it was my favorite Bible verse. I then proceeded to share with her how I thought it related to her suffering..."Mom, while I hate the fact that you have to suffer like this,(and I did) I just have to trust that God sees the whole picture. He's up to something bigger than us." Being the trooper that she was, she understood, but of course, remained curious about what He was up to. When Mom left this world on St. Patty's Day, 2001, my family was able to reflect and realize what a gift we had been given. We had spent many hours together as a family, reaffirming Mom's life, and had been blessed with the opportunity to care for her until the second she died. While I miss her dearly, it does my heart a world of good to picture her dancing the streets of heaven!!! You go MOM...Trust!

Romans 8; 37-39

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us fromt he love of God....."

I can't tell you how many times in my life that I "have been convinced" that nothing, absolutely nothing can separate me from that amazing, all consuming love of God. I have the verse etched on a grain of sand in a little glass cross that I wear. It reminds me every time I touch it of the love that God blesses me with each and every day.

Just thought I'd bring this verse back to life in the forums because I bodes well for the new year.

I know I'm trusting and asking for guidance right now!

How about you?

Your post about God seeing the big picture reminds me of something that happened in our church several years ago.

The church had started an expansion project and the construction was delayed. It rained and the parking lot was full of equipment and we had to walk through mud and a pile of ugly boards and building material to get to the sanctuary. I and everyone else complained. People's nerves were stretched and everyone began to question the whole idea. I was unsure it would ever be finished and irritable with God about the mess.

Then one day, a business associate took me on a tour of the area in his small plane. As we flew over the church and I looked down on the framed in part from above, I was amazed. It looked totally different from the sky. It was truly beautiful. I realized that I was seeing it from God's persective. Gave me a whole new attitude.

Later I was irritated about having to travel to care for a friend on Fourth of July when I wanted to be watching fireworks with my grandsons. The pilot took us out of the the Missippi river in St. Louis and we saw the fireworks from the sky. Made me realize what God sees.

Thanks for reminding me of that.

smile

[ January 11, 2004, 06:50 PM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

My favorite quote from the Bible is, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye believe in God, believe also in me." Been my favorite for a long time, chiefly because we sang this in our high school a capella class.

Ann

Ann,
My church has always sung a capella and I love to close my eyes, open my heart and listen to the voices rising in love, praise, and worship. The school I attended 1-6 grade also taught us to read music and sing a capella and that training came in handy down the road too. I am not saying that instruments do not add to worship and singing, so please don't jump on me here girls, but I am saying that for me, I love to hear voices a capella turning into one and lifting. If you have ever heard someone sing Amazing Grace a capella, you know what I mean....hugs

Just this past Sunday our church began a 45 minute service with no choir. I know there's a move afoot to have a choir sing at the service, but after experiencing the service I'm against it.

It was so beautiful to hear everyone's voices when they were singing. We typically have a very loud organ and choir, both of which are good things, but their was a very informal, personal feel to the service without it.

Trust me, I'm very often moved by the voices in the choir so I'm not against choirs, but it was a nice switch! Very silent and moving!

This is very interesting.
There are few Baha'i Houses of worship in the world, and only one on this continent. One of the rules in all of them is that only the human voice is to be heard in the sanctuary. The building, by the way, is 9-sided, a huge open space, maybe 4 stories high inside?, with windows all around, covered by a concrete filigree pattern so the light comes in dappled, I guess. There's a choir that sings from way up high. It's quite beautiful and moving. If you're ever in the Chicago area, go up Sheridan Road to Wilmette, about 40 minutes north of the Loop, and the House of Worship is there, right by the lake. It's open all the time, as a sanctuary for anyone who wants to go there. I'm not sure when the singing happens, though. Might be Sunday afternoons.

DJ.

I was just wondering how you came to the Bahai faith. If you posted it before, I missed it. That certainly sounds like an interesting church.

smile

smile,
It's under What Brought you to your faith, page 2 in the Faith/Religion section.

Thank you DJ. As I read your post and the others, it occurred to me that most of us found our faith the same way. We all looked until we found something that resonated with our spirit. Most of all, I'm impressed that we all have faith in something. Some call it God and others have other names or no name at all, but it seems to be very alive in everyone's life.

smile