How Firm is Our Foundation and His Goodness Never Ceasing!

Hello dear sisters,

I hope this finds you all well. I had a very nice trip up to Alaska and praise the Lord for allowing me to go! I spent my pleasant week going yard saling, visiting with my dear, old church family at the Memorial Day picnic, had a good lunch with my violin teacher, a challenging and great lunch with my old pastor, and many special moments with my Mom, Jeremiah, and our good friends, the Rowlands. In short, it was wonderful! :)   

While I greatly enjoyed my visit, I was very excited to come home. Why, you may ask? My pastor encouraged (and challenged) me to go home and apply myself to becoming my Dad's best friend. You see, who better to teach me how to be a godly woman than my father? . . . a man who knows what character traits make a good person and wife. If I learn how to be a blessing, a joyfull servant, help-meet, and a listener now while serving my father, I can be a blessing, joyful servant, help-meet, and listener when and if I get married. And my husband (and everyone else I meet) will be greatly blessed. My pastor also encouraged me to ask dad what character traits I need to improve on. I have not done this much in the past, but surely, this could change my life. I know that this coming year is going to be life changing as I live away from home and start school. It is so important that I learn what and who I believe in and to gain godly character; I know that by listening and obeying my Papi, I will gain a godly foundation which will carry me.  I just want to encourage you, my fellow sisters in Christ, to seek to win your father's heart. God was very wise in giving us the parents that He did; He never makes a mistake and is very purposeful in all He does. Whether or not you have honorable parents, seek to honor and lift them up. In honoring un-honorable people we gain godly character and the Lord's blessing!

 "Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Ephesians 6:2, 3

Well, I guess I'll get off of my soap box. :) I just love how God will us authorities in our lives to change us into His likness! How good He is to us! Finally, a true and encouraging hymn, "How Firm a Foundation."

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said,

You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;

In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;

At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,

As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,

My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove

My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;

And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,

Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not desert to its foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

-John Rippon

God bless you dear sisters with His peace and grace!