Do not fear

what you are about

                 to suffer.

         Revelation 2. 10

(Not in a defeatist mindset

     of impending doom,

but not being surprised,

or distracted,

or defeated by

        this broken world.

Because He knows suffering,

    God enters into ours.

"Be not afraid.

I am with you.

Trust Me in this."

Because of Christ,

we are stronger than we know.

And we cannot grasp how

         in unexpected ways,

God provides His power

even in impossible places

    and divine appointments.

"I can't do this," we cry.

And God replies,

   "Good.  Because I can."

God always replies.

God always responds.

God is not about

            to abandon us.

Nothing random at all.

See this affliction

                 differently.)

O LORD,

No matter what we are facing,

no matter how temporary

           or bleak,

this is not the

            end of the story,

but perhaps,

    only the redeeming part.

You bring the endurance

              for our souls.

And You bring

      Your victory to it

in ways we cannot yet see,

sometimes in ways

   we will never comprehend

   until the Other Side of life.

We bear witness.