How can people make it through hard times without the Lord? He cares for us in so many ways, and having friends like you is certainly one of the greatest blessings of our lives. Every one of us in the family so appreciate your prayers and encouragement. Although Cora's physical condition continues to be very bad, God has given her renewed strength and focus by providing special times with Jenny as they read Cora's journals and letters together from the past few years. Not only is Jenny growing but Cora is being strengthened too. As they were reading through some of the letters Cora had written they found this one from September of 1988. We thought it was worth reprinting and trust you will be blessed by it. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13. What does this verse call to your mind? I always picture great feats of power we can do for God through Christ successful accomplishments for the Kingdom of God. But what about those times when we are weak and broken and all we see is what appears to be failure? Has God's strength failed us? Have our weaknesses somehow been too much for Him? As we have shared our struggles many have told us of their trials and needs during this time when God seems to be doing a cleansing work in His Body. Although the trials vary, there is a consistency in these experiences expressed by a growing sense of ones own weaknesses and inabilities and a hungering for God to act. How is it that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness? Let me share my recent experiences of Phil. 4:13. It is our prayer that if you are going through a time of discouragement you will recognize God's strength in you in a new way. * I can fail when I hoped so much to succeed and yet go on to serve the Lord through Christ Who strengthens me and picks me up when I fall * I can endure disappointments when all I expected from God falls through through Christ Who strengthens me and has a plan for good and not for evil to give me a future and a hope * I can make spiritual errors while I'm learning to hear God's voice and still press on to know Him through Christ Who strengthens me and will not let me be deceived * I can go through deep waters of brokenness when waves of sorrow block out the light through Christ Who strengthens me and will not let me drown * I can discover I've been fighting God because I was sure it was the enemy harassing me and still go on to mature in the Lord through Christ Who strengthens me and promises to present me blameless * My courage can fail as I go through fires of oppression and purging and yet still know I'm going to make it through Christ Who strengthens me and will not let me be consumed * My health can fail and my spirits droop but still be at peace through Christ Who strengthens me and is the strength of my heart and my portion forever * I can endure repeated failure in areas which I've sought deliverance and not lose hope through Christ Who strengthens me and will not let the weapons formed against me prosper * I can survive physical pain and weakness even when my feelings tell me it's just too much through Christ Who strengthens me and will not let me be tried beyond what I can bear * I can make it through dry times when I cannot find Him and yet go on hungering and thirsting for righteousness through Christ Who strengthens me and calls me blessed and says I will be satisfied * I can wait for God when every part of me longs to act through Christ Who strengthens me and will not let me be put to shame Perhaps these are even greater evidences of His power than what we would call great feats. Maybe this is what He meant when He said we are more than conquerors and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against us. And so we pray for you that no matter what you are facing you will place your hand in His and not be afraid of the blows to self that must come if we are to grow up into Him but find His strength excellent in every place of weakness enabling you to press on and not look back because of Christ in you, Whose faithfulness never fails.
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