Welcome to my Friday Inspiration Station ,

I hope that while you are here you will feel at peace and at all times feel welcome 

It  was two weeks after I’d undergone a quadruple bypass and valve replacement on my  heart.  I remembered nothing of the seven-hour surgery, but my wife Tib  recalled every anxious second-the surgeon had warned her that at eighty-seven  I  might not make it.
After some time in the recovery room I was moved to an  intensive care unit where, wonderfully, Tib was allowed to stay with me 24 hours  a day sleeping (or at least lying down) on the narrow bench against the  wall.  I don’t know how many times a night she was up, adjusting my  blanket, bringing me a glass  of water, raising or lowering  the head  of the bed.
At  the end of the second week there, I had a dream.  I seemed to be walking in  a furiously raging stream with slippery , unstable rocks underfoot.  Tib  was in the stream, too, going ahead of me, feeling out the way.  And in the  dream she turned and called over her shoulder, “I love you.” Three little words, but  as I woke they echoed in my ears.  They echo still.  Wasn’t this what  love was all about:  the sleepless hours, the quiet standing by, the  walking with, one partner maintaining balance for both in turbulent  waters.
Isn’t  it an image , too, of Jesus’ love—-walking just ahead  of us , guiding our steps, pointing the way.  Help me keep my eyes on YOU,  Lord Jesus, when the water is deep.

Sometimes a day  seems hard to handle…then go to the bible
read   Isaiah   40:31
” But they that  wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall  mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall  walk, and not faint.
Invest Your Time—Don’t  Just Spend It

Time is a most valuable  commodity. Since it’s irreversible and irreplaceable, we ought to give careful  consideration to how we spend our days—and even our minutes. Time is a gift from  God. That means we are not owners but stewards and will one day be held  accountable for how we used what was entrusted to us. According to verse 15,  there are only two possible ways to live: wisely or foolishly.
Let’s first consider what is  involved in using our time wisely. Those who realize that their days belong to  God are careful how they live. Their goal is to understand the Lord’s will and  align their schedules and activities with His purposes. As they seek guidance  each day through intimate fellowship with Him in the Word and prayer, their  spiritual eyes are opened to discern which opportunities are from the Father and  which are not a part of His plans for them.
But those who are foolish do  not give adequate thought to the way they live. Some become unproductive and  lazy, living for their own pleasures while missing out on God’s purpose for  their lives. However, others may be very busy and extremely successful by  worldly standards, but if their days are occupied with activities that aren’t  God’s will for them, they’re wasting their time.
To make the most of your  opportunities, begin each day with the Lord, submitting to His will and asking  that He direct your activities. After all, none of us want to get to heaven and  discover that even though we’ve been busy spending our time,we have failed to  invest it for eternity.

Handling Difficult  Circumstances
Philippians 3:8-11
The apostle Paul understood how  to handle tough circumstances. Even while he was confined in a prison cell, he  kept his eyes on Christ and trusted firmly in the Savior. Therefore, despite  being in chains, he was able to celebrate the Lord’s work in his life. In fact,  the epistle he wrote from jail to the Philippians was filled with rejoicing  (1:18; 2:18; 3:1).
Focusing on Christ is neither a  natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at  hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a  result, troubles look scary and overwhelm us with a sense of defeat.
However, fear and defeat cannot  live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you’ll forget what  you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care  instead. He is the Deliverer (2 Cor. 1:10). He is the Healer (Deut. 32:39). He  is the Guide (Prov. 3:6).  The believer who lays claim to divine promises  discovers that God pushes back negative emotions. In their place, hope,  confidence, and contentment take up residence (Phil. 4:11). You aren’t going to  be happy about a difficult situation, but you can be satisfied that God is in  control and up to something good in the midst of trouble.
The Lord’s principles and  promises don’t change, no matter how severe or painful the situation is. Focus  on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you  safely through the trial. Then you can answer Paul’s call to “rejoice in the  Lord always” (Phil. 4:4).

Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009  All Rights Reserved.