Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

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)

The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.
Exodus 14: 14 (NLT)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1: 9 (NLT)

You’ve been there too, right?

Please assure me that it’s not just me.

Looking for that place of calm.  Searching for a sense of joy within. 

With moments of happiness all around like this week—a family wedding, family birthday celebrations, and a surprise birthday celebration for a long-time dear friend.

Yet peace and calm went wanting. 

The opportunity to watch the annual Super Bowl with some of your precious family, especially the opening ceremonies and National Anthem. 

Nice, happy moments—but still looking.

Needing something abiding and deeper, something steadier, more stable. 

Something not dictated by the wind, waves, wins or whatever’s going on in the world around us. 

Something certain in the face of the uncertainties of recent days, and the uncertainties which we will probably face in the days ahead. 

Something steadying and hope-filled to help deal with the disappointments which too often land in our hands and hearts.

Something Moses needed when the Israelites were crying out in doubt and despair, and he didn’t know what to do. 

Something Joshua needed, as he stood there with knees shaking and palms sweating, after Moses passed from the scene and God tapped Joshua on the shoulder and said—you’re the one to now lead my people into the Promised Land. 

Something like—peace, joy, calm and hope.

Something which never wavers. 

Something which the God of hope, which Paul refers to above, will provide. 

The God of hope we have seen we could count on before, when everything seemed to be crashing in around us.

The God of hope we know, in our better moments, will fill us not with a worldly happiness, but with a deep, steadying, stabilizing, abiding and eternal joy. 

A joy which never wavers. 

A joy which provides a peace, calm and hope in the midst of the storms and disappointments. A joy which puts a smile on our face despite the doubt and concerns lingering in the uncertainties just around the corner.

That’s where we find it. 

No matter what—our God of joy is here, to provide us all the calm, peace and hope we will ever need for the living of each day.

Always and forever.

In His Name–Scott

Many of us watched Super Bowl LVII yesterday, February 12, 2023. 

Click the link below to enjoy Whitney Houston singing our National Anthem before Super Bowl XXV in Tampa. A rendition which many view as the best ever sung of our National Anthem.