“Since virtue and faith too often do not readily trade in the marketplace, some may feel that they can live by what ever standards their whim or fancy suggest. In a value-free society–free of morals, free of standards–many also live free of feelings of self-worth, self-respect, and dignity.

Far too many young people, and older ones, too, fail to realize, as the motto of the city of Nottingham, England, affirms: Vivet post funera virtus (“Virtue lives on after death”).

In the intellectual approach to human worth, the values of faith in God and virtuous behavior cannot be quantitatively proven or measured, and so faith and virtue are often rejected by many as worthless. This is a route destined to failure because it does not take into account the powerful importance of the subjective things we can know but not measure. For instance, I love my wife and family, and I feel their love for me. You cannot measure how deep our feelings of love are for each other, but that love is very real to us. Pain is also difficult to measure, but it is real. The same is true of faith in God. We can know of his existence without being able to quantitatively measure it. Paul states, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” (Rom. 8:16.)

…

The dignity of self is greatly enhanced by looking upward in the search for holiness. Like the giant trees, we should reach up for the light. The most important source of light we can come to know is the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is the source of inner strength and peace.”

-James E. Faust

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy

Ephesians 6:12-18

Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication. 

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy

“So if you have problems in your life, don’t assume there is something wrong with you. Struggling with those problems is at the very core of life’s purpose. As we draw close to God, He will show us our weaknesses and through them make us wiser, stronger. If you’re seeing more of your weaknesses, that just might mean you’re moving nearer to God, not farther away.”

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures exclude them.”

“As you feel the need to confide in the Lord or to improve the quality of your visits with Him -to pray, if you please- may I suggest a process to follow: 
Go where you can be alone, go where can think, go where you can kneel, go where you can speak out loud to Him. The bedroom, the bathroom, or the closet will do. 
Now picture Him in your mind’s eye. Think to whom you are speaking, control your thoughts- don’t let them wander, address Him as your Father and your friend. 
Now tell Him things you really feel to tell Him -not trite phrases that have little meaning, but have a sincere heartfelt conversation with Him. Confide in Him, ask Him for forgiveness, plead with Him, enjoy Him, thank Him, express your love to Him and then listen for His answers…answers from the Lord come quietly- ever so quietly. In fact, few hear His answers audibly with their ears. We must be listening so carefully, or we will never recognize them. Most answers from the Lord are felt in our heart as a warm comfortable expression, or they come as thoughts to our mind. They come to those who are prepared and patient.”

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy