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Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (Psalm 116:7) May 2005 Dear Friend, Trusting that all is well with you and your loved ones. We are fine, and thanking God that Spring is here after a long winter. For some of us this Winter has been a harsh one, not only in braving the elements, but in trials and storms. Now is a time to look up at the sunshine and let it soak into our inward being, bringing healing to our soul, and soothing warmth to our bones. Take a deep breath along with me, and let us praise God for sunshine and warmth not only in the natural, but in the spiritual. Take a moment to stop and do that right now! I’ll wait... Don’t you feel better? I know I do! When we talk about storms, I can tell you quite a few stories about storms that I faced this past winter. It was rough! I not only faced physical problems, but horrendous home repair jobs that had to be taken care of immediately. The heating system in my house broke down, and I had one repair man after another come until finally the problems were found and corrected! And it goes on... Praise God, our Precious Lord led me step by step through each trial, and I was able to say along with the Psalmist, “I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.” (Psalm 118:5) Glory! Thank God there is a season for everything, and nothing lasts forever. There comes a time when we can put things behind us and go on to greater things. There is a time for joy! But let us go back to the hard times for a minute and reflect upon what it means, and what we learn through them. Psalm 118:24 tells us “This is the day the Lord has made, We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Are we to take those stormy days with the attitude that the Lord has made that day, and we are to rejoice in it? Let’s see what Jesus has to say about that. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Now, how are we to be joyful when the world is crashing in on us, and we feel sick, and there seems to be no end in sight? From what I can see, Jesus is telling us that each day He gives us is a gift, and joy is our right! He wants us to have joy! What do we do when someone gives us a gift? We accept it; right? So if Jesus is giving us a gift, how much more should we be accepting it? Since He has made this day, shouldn’t we receive whatever it is He has for us? I am not speaking about emotional frills right now. I’m talking about a deeper, inner joy that the Holy Spirit brings us when we follow God’s plan for our life, living each day to the fullest, experiencing all that He has to give to us. This is Holy Spirit joy! This is something that no man, no hardship, no enemy can take away from us! It is our inheritance! We spend most of our lives working hard to fulfill our dreams, and then we live as paupers because we do not accept our inheritance of joy and riches of glory in Christ Jesus! We allow the storms of life to rob us of what is ours. We put horse blinders on, looking only at the trials, and not the Giver of Life. My friend, it is time to take in what is ours! It is time to stop allowing the enemy to rob us of our inheritance! In every situation, no matter how traumatic it may be, we have to begin to look to Jesus and receive His gift! There was a movie once, I can’t remember the name, but at one point, you saw people looking out of their windows, all yelling at the top of their lungs, “I am not going to take it anymore!” Let’s give the enemy a good shaking up, and let him know that we will not take it anymore! Our life is a gift from God and joy is our inheritance, let us receive all that He has to give! Let us live our life with His glory shining through us! Let us declare His marvelous works! Spring is here! Now is a wonderful time to go outdoors, and take in the beauty of the trees and the flowers. Now is a terrific time to look upwards, and thank God for all that He has done for us! Let us see the sun shining through the clouds. Let us trust Him with our future! Let us trust Him with the storms of life, knowing that Spring does come! The sun will shine again! The earth will bloom again with beauty, even in the midst of a storm! Praise Him! God is calling us to deeper things. He wants so much to fellowship with us. If we are open to receive from Him, His Holy Spirit will saturate us with His oil of gladness. He will take us through the desert, out of the wilderness, and into triumph! He will wash away our anxieties that we suffer because of cares and turmoil. If we say “Amen” He will provide a cleansing, healing, soaking, saturating Holy Spirit oil through our whole being, bringing us to wholeness in spirit, soul and body! Through our tears, let us say “Yes Lord!” and turn away from the lies of the enemy. Let us allow His Word to penetrate to our inner being, until we can say “So be it Lord!” Sometimes our tears may choke our response, especially for those who suffer pain year after year. But when we dare to take God at His Word, and say “Amen” we are daring to trust Him! That is what He is looking for! He wants our trust! In the midst of our trial, He wants our praises, He wants us to receive His gift of life and love, and hope! He wants us to know that we are never alone, that He is there! He is the Great “I Am!” This Spring, take the time to take your shoes off, relax, soak in the sun, and the Son! Let Him heal your spirit, and bring refreshment to you soul and body. Enjoy the wonderful gift of life! God bless you! Rev. Barbara Anne Yovino, Ph.D.
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