Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Hope

In this you greatly rejoice, though for now for a little while
you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that your faith –
of greater worth than gold,
which perishes even though refined by fire –
may be proved genuine and may result in praise,
glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Though you have not seen him;
and even though you do not see him now,
you believe in him and are filled
with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
for you are receiving the goal of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
1 PETER 1:6-9 (NIV)



Though we have not seen Him, He calls us to love Him. Though we do not see Him now, He calls us to believe in Him (even if things aren’t going so well). And the result when we do so? We are filled with “inexpressible and glorious joy” which will culminate in the salvation of our souls.


Seeing is not always necessary for believing. What is necessary is trust in the One who has shown Himself faithful. Placing our faith in Him is not gullible, it’s smart – or in Jesus’ words, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” JOHN 20:29



We can rejoice, too,
when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they help us develop endurance.
And endurance develops strength of character,
and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment.
For we know how dearly God loves us,
because he has given us the Holy Spirit
to fill our hearts with his love.
ROMANS 5:3-5 (NLT)

On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky

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Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Peace

May the God of Peace,
who through the blood of the eternal covenant
brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great Shepherd of the sheep,
equip you with everything for doing His will,
HEBREWS 13:20-21 (NIV)



What a crazy world we live in. Oh, how we need God to breathe peace on our planet. Actually, He has, according to these verses. No matter how wild the world gets, we can experience this glorious peace because hostility no longer exists between the Father and us.


Still, it’s a crazy world. We need the peace of God that rules in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). God is with us, right in the middle of our world. And anywhere, at any time, we may turn to Him, hear His voice, and know His peace.


It’s my prayer that you turn your thoughts toward His calm and quiet. Hold the world at bay. Live in many moments of rest. May the peace of God go before you, leading you into each day. For whenever we look up into the face of our Father, whenever we quiet our spirit to hear His voice, we have found divine peace this crazy world can never take away.


JONI EARECKSON TADA



And let the peace that comes from Christ
rule in your hearts.
COLOSSIANS 3:15 (NLT)



On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky

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