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Written by Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16^th President of the United States.

I have been driven many times to my knees in the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for that day. If the Lord did not answer my prayer I could not stand it. And if I did not believe in a God who works His will with nations, I should despair of the republic.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the se, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. [James 1:5-8]. no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love [1 John 4:18]

Written by Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1966), a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian.  This is an excerpt from his work “Clowning in Rome.”

In solitude…fear and anger can slowly be unmasked as manifestations of a false self, and in solitude they can lose their power in the embrace of God’s love…In solitude we can gradually be led to the truth that we are who God made us to be. Therefore, solitude is a place of conversion. That we are converted from people who want to show each other what we have and what we can do into people who raise our open and empty hands to God in the recognition that all we are is a free gift from God. Thus, in solitude we encounter not only God but also our true self. In fact, it is precisely in the light of God’s presence that we can see who we really are.

In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love [1 John 4:18]

Written by Dietrich Bonhoffer (1906-1945), a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and anti-Nazi dissident.  This is an excerpt from his book “The Cost of Discipleship.”

The first disciples lived in the bodily presence and communion of Jesus. In what manner is that communion and fellowship still possible for us today? St. Paul tells us that we are made members of the Body of Christ through baptism. But this is such a difficult statement that it requires elucidation. It means that although Jesus has died and risen again, the baptized can still live in his bodily presence and enjoy communion with him. So far from impoverishing them his departure brings a new gift. The disciples enjoyed exactly the same bodily communion as is available for us today, nay rather, our communion with him is richer and more assured than it was for them, for the communion and presence which we have is that of the glorified Lord. Our faith must be aware of the greatness of this gift. The Body of Christ is the ground and assurance of that faith. It is the one and perfect gift whereby we become partakers of salvation. It is indeed newness of life. In the Body of Christ we are caught up into eternity by the act of God.

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [1 Corinthians 12:13]

Written by Terri Savelle Foy, a contemporary writer.

Years ago, when I was faced with the most difficult time in my life, the last thing I wanted to do was express gratitude. For what? I thought. I have nothing to be thankful for! Nothing. My life is falling apart. My marriage is falling apart. I have no peace. I’m miserable! Those were my dominant thoughts.  I desperately needed a turnaround. One day, I heard a minister say, “Stop looking at everything you’ve lost in your life and start looking at everything you have left. And start thanking God for it.”  It was late one evening when I walked into my kitchen and with tears pouring down my cheeks, I forced myself to lift my hands and say, “Thank You, Father, for…” I had to pause and think. What do I have to be thankful for? Surely there was one thing. And then it dawned on me. “Thank You, Father, for my precious little redheaded girl sleeping upstairs. I prayed for a baby after losing one, and then you gave me the very desire of my heart, Lord.” I walked around the kitchen, and another thought came to me. “Thank You, Father, for my best friend. She knows everything I’m going through and she still loves me, encourages me, and believes in me.” And I persisted, “Thank You, Lord, for my job. I am so grateful I didn’t lose my job with all this turmoil going on in my life.” The laps around the kitchen continued. “Thank You, Jesus, for this house I live in. I’m so grateful I get to live here.”   Each time I voiced my gratitude, the sadness felt like it physically lifted off me. The misery would fade. And joy would be released in my heart. It was a tangible feeling of breathing lighter and experiencing greater peace.

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.    [Philippians 4:6]

Written by Lauren Miller, a contemporary author and speaker.

Worry is a story we tell ourselves about something that has not yet happened in the future. It is the archway through which discouragement walks through and sets up camp between our two ears… Worry opens the door to discouragement and has its roots in the original sin: our desire to take control as we believe that God does not have our best interests in mind. .. Worry is a strange unhealthy counterfeit method used by Satan to make us think: If I worry about this then I’m giving it my attention which may lead to a solution that helps me feel like I’m in control of a circumstance that I feel out of control about. Counterfeit is taking something authentic (like God’s ability to take care of His children) and making it in-authentic (using our own abilities to take care of ourselves) with the intention to deceive. One is faith driven and the other is fear driven. When we worry, we compromise our ability to lead like Jesus. Jesus led free from worry, which resulted in words and teachings that transformed lives. Worry is directly linked to attachment and doubt. As we form attachments to things, relationships and circumstances, we render ourselves vulnerable to worrying about losing those things… When we are attached to things, including our desire to figure things out, understand why things happen as they do along with worrying about the future, we are striving for control that belongs to God alone. Worry hijacks our faith and confidence that God has got our back. We let worry consume us and we don’t have to. Jesus offers another way. Let go of your need to know in order to feel safe. God is in control; He has your back and promises to never leave you . Jesus’ BIG solution to worry: trust that God is in control that He is trustworthy, just and good.

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? [ Luke 12:25-31]

Written by Rich Villodas, a contemporary author.  This is an excerpt from his book “The Narrow Path.”

There are legitimate reasons to be angry. But in the Kingdom of God, there’s no legitimate reason to let that anger destroy and consume you. I’ve found that the practice of lament – voicing my pain, grief, and distress to God—helps me defuse my anger. Anger closes us in; lament opens us up. Rather than ignoring an offense, lament creates space in our hearts for God’s Spirit to redirect our hearts and get to the root of the anger. It may surprise you that the root of rage is often grief. That is why slowing down to lament must be part of our regular worship gatherings and interactions with trusted friends. Paired with lament, our anger can be a catalyst for opening us up to God’s life, love, and power. Unless we face our anger honestly (and in the presence of God), we violate the law of love—the law that matters most to Jesus.

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” [Ephesians 4:26-27]

Written by Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), a bishop, writer, and doctor.

O Lord, we bring before you the distress and dangers of peoples and nations, the pleas of the imprisoned and the captive, the sorrows of the grief-stricken, the needs of the refugee, the impotence of the weak, the weariness of the despondent, and the diminshments of the aging. O Lord, stay close to all of them. Amen.

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. [Proverbs 31:9]

Written by the Lead Like Jesus team, an organization founded by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges that promotes a transformational leadership model based on following Jesus.

The condition of our hearts is often revealed in unexpected moments. Delays happen, things don’t go our way, change is sprung upon us. What comes out of us at times like these—groans, complaints, and resentment? Or do we take a deep breath and adopt a Christ-like attitude by trusting that God is in control and is at work in all things. Choose to look at life through Jesus’ eyes and receive what He has for you, especially when things don’t appear to be going your way.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything [James 1:2-4]

Written by Richard Foster, a contemporary author and speaker. This is an excerpt from his work “Letter to My Younger Self.”

You are trying too hard to be heroic in the spiritual life. Friendship with Jesus does not come by gritting your teeth but by falling in love. So, I would urge you to relax a bit, learn to be playful, and by all means, laugh a lot. And, on occasion, follow the wisdom of Psalm 150 and break out the lute and the harp, the tambourine and the pipe, the clanging cymbals and the loud clashing cymbals, and throw a party in the presence of the Lord.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. [Psalm 150:6]

Written by Timothy Keller (1950-2023), an American pastor, speaker, and author.

Discipleship is not just a matter of bending your will to Jesus’ will; it’s melting your heart into a whole new shape. A disciple is not someone who simply sets a new priority; a disciple finds a new identity… He’s talking—pretty radically—about the psychological, inner life. “Your old way of having an identity, of gaining a sense of self, has got to end. In a sense you have to die to it. And Jesus can give you a whole new identity. You’ll get a whole new true self.”… Others have also noted our obsession with finding and fulfilling your deepest desires as the main thing you’re supposed to do in life. It almost seems that Jesus has us in mind when he says, “You’re never going to find out who you really are by trying to find out who you really are. You’re going to have to lose yourself in serving me.” Some things happen only as a byproduct, and identity is one of them… But you can’t change your identity by just deciding. It’s not an act of the will. A person can’t just say, “You know, I’m having a problem in my life because I built my identity on my parents’ expectations. I think I’ll build my identity on my career and accomplishments.” You can’t do that! That’s not transformation; that’s acting. Your heart is not a computer in which you can just install a program. There’s only one way that the root of your personality can be changed, and that is by an experience of love. Only when your heart experiences love from a new source beyond anything it’s ever known before will your heart start to move toward that source, and begin to be deeply changed.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? [Luke 9:24-25]