Written by a Cafe 1040 student

I have been very encouraged lately. Of course, any person can attest to the fact that this life is not all sunshine and daisies. So here is what God is teaching me: Sunshine and daisies, maybe not; but as believers in Christ, there is a deep-rooted, satisfying joy and peace that surpasses all understanding; there is a song to rejoice in and to boast in - having confidence in Christ Jesus, and not in ourselves. There is inescapable trouble, affliction, and pain right now, but that is only for the night, joy comes in the morning! We are not unseen, unknown, unheard, or unloved; rather, we are fully seen, fully known, fully heard, and fully loved because of Christ. The Father looks at us and sees us as his beloved. He is making us more like him in every moment as we abide in him. Our transformed lives are the product of an infinitely loving and gracious Father who seeks us out and calls us to himself. The power of our Creator, who made all things and in him all things hold together, the power of our shepherd who restores our souls, and who leads us by his voice, the power of God incarnate, who pardoned our iniquity by dying on the cross, providing a way for us to be made righteous before God, and giving us access to a real relationship with a perfect and holy God—there are so many more things to talk about in terms of increasing enjoyment in God and how his Word is fully true, alive, and does not return void.

I hope this encourages you as it has me; not only am I being refreshed as a student of the Word with these unchanging, ever-increasing, awe-inspiring truths of God, but he is allowing this to sink deeply into my heart, unveiling deeper truth of himself—to describe it would be to say that it feels like it is running through my bloodstream and is keeping me alive, satisfying me in the food and drink given to me in Christ. Pray God opens my eyes to the suffering around me, and give me boldness to steward this overflow for his glory among my neighbors and walk faithfully into the harvest right where I am now, as well as wherever he'd have me this summer. 

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" Revelation 4:11