Is God the source of strength in your life? God’s Word declares that He is a sanctuary for us. Listen to a devotional by Janie Alfred about allowing Him to be our refuge.

God sometimes allows the trials in our life. Pastor Ted tells us why. A sermon excerpt, given by Pastor Ted July 21, 2013. From the “Writing on the Wall” series Watch the full sermon at: http://simplyjes.us/12N9zSs
Your fiery trial is an opportunity for others to see Jesus there with you. A sermon excerpt, given by Pastor Ted July 21, 2013. From the “Writing on the Wall” series Watch the full sermon at: http://simplyjes.us/12N9zSs
The warmth of the sun has beckoned me into the garden the last few days. I find it to be so therapeutic, gardening. As I made my way around the yard, watering the plants, I came to the fig tree, and my heart was encouraged and made well. This fig tree was a $10 purchase at Lowes last month, due to the damage caused by the frost. Lowes considered it to be worthless, discounting it even more when I went to purchase it.
I brought the fig tree home, in high hopes of a flourishing, bountiful tree this spring. February continued on, with many more freezing nights, temperatures dropping below what the young tree could bear. I became discouraged and settled in my mind that maybe Lowes was right. The damage might be irreversible.
In this time of economic struggle many people turn to Matthew 6 for strength. But the words in verse 26 strongly jump out at me for a few reasons. First there is the obvious, “the God of the universe really does care for you and will supply all of your needs,” but there are some implied lessons in this teaching as well.
Are you feeling exhausted, burdened, or just burned out? It can definitely be challenging to keep up with all of our responsibilities and activities. Our mental and emotional faculties are consumed by our professional and personal lives, and what little energy we have left, we want to pour into our friends and families. This quickly leads to feeling overwhelmed, depleted, and ineffective. Don’t worry; you are not alone! You can conquer this feeling of emptiness by taking two simple steps