Spiritual Thoughts

  A dversity has the effect of elicting talents, which in propserous circumstances would have lain dormant. ~ Horace I n this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,  so that  the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the coming of Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7

  A dversity can crush our spirit - or strengthen it. It is our choice. ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie   B efore I was afflicted I went astray. BUT now I keep Your word. ~ Psalm 119:67

  If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. If we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~ Anne Bradstreet Before I was afflicted I went astray, BUT now I keep Your word. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. ~ Psalm 119:71, 75

  Friday Tale ~ Test Kitchen of Life   A young woman was complaining to her father about how difficult her life had become. He said nothing but took her to the kitchen and set three pans of water to boil. To the first pan, he added carrots; to the second, eggs; and to the third, ground coffee.        After all three had cooked, he put their contents into separate bowls and asked his daughter to cut into the eggs and carrots, and to smell the coffee.      “What does all this mean?” she asked impatiently.       “Each food,” he said, “teaches us something about facing adversity, as represented by the boiling water. The carrot went in hard but came out soft and weak. The eggs went in fragile but came out hardened. The coffee, however, changed the water to something better.”     “Which will you be like as you face life?” he asked. “Will you give up, and become hard, like the eg...

  I f we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~ Anne Bradstreet   R emember my affliction.... This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD's loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.   They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. ~ Lamentations 3:19-23

Friday Tale - Lessons from a Carrot, Egg and Coffee Bean   L et's face it. Painful personal trauma and tragedy – like illness or injury, death of a loved one, loss of a job, or an unexpected breakup of a relationship – are unavoidable. The question is: Will these private calamities erode our capacity to be happy or cause us to become stronger and better able to live a meaningful and fulfilling life?          Consider how differently carrots, eggs, and ground coffee beans are affected by the extreme adversity of being boiled. Like a carrot, adversity can soften us. We can emerge more flexible, understanding, compassionate, and grateful, or we can let our life spirit turn into a soft mush.          Like an egg, boiling water can make us harder, stronger, tougher, and wiser, or we can become more cynical, pessimistic, callous, and inaccessible.        ...

A dversity has the effect of eliciting talents  which,  in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant. ~ Horace (1st Century B.C.)     I know you are enduring patiently and  bearing up for my name's sake, and  you have not grown weary.  ~ Revelation 2:3

A dversity not only draws people together BUT also brings forth that beautiful inward friendship, just as the cold winter forms ice-figures on the window panes, which the warmth of the sun effaces. ~ Soren Kierkegaard A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.  ~ Proverbs 17:17

N early all men can stand adversity, BUT if you want to test a man's character, give him power. ~ Abraham Lincoln B lessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. ~ James 1:12

A rebirth out of spiritual adversity   causes us to become new creatures.  -James E. Faust    T herefore, if anyone is in Christ,    he is a new creation.      The old has passed away;         behold, the new has come. -2 Corinthians 5:17