GCR Women

The warm weather's had us out at the local nurseries shopping for plants to put in our flowerbeds and outdoor pots.  The varieties already available are amazing!  Bright reds, hot pinks, deep purples.  Each plant - each individual plant - is unique.  As much as they are alike, they're different.  And oh, how those differences delight! Looking over the coleus, I saw some that were deep violet-red edged with bright spring green.  Some had ruffled leaves.  Some had spotted leaves.  The sweet potato vines were just as intriguing with their long tendrils intertwining.  The new growth on the purple version was just as bright a green as the green variety but I know in time, as it matures, that green will darken to a beautiful maroon shade of purple to match the older leaves. The hanging baskets of petunias were full of surprises - first pink ones with white centers, then deep, almost black, purple ones paired with yellow ones with matching dark...

Seems like everybody is having one kind of trouble or another.  Job loss, sickness, accidents, moves, death, pain.  If we let them, these troubles can become the focus of our lives.  So what can we focus besides our troubles? Just like the early church, we can focus on the goal of our faith - the salvation of our souls.  We can remind ourselves that these troubles are temporary and they help refine our faith. But rather than just focus on ourselves or our reward, how about we focus on God?  He's making it all work out for the good of those who love Him, right? Have faith, dear ones.  Set your minds on things above. Remember the joy that is before you.  Walk toward the Light. Faithfully, Patrice 1 Peter 1:21 (NIV) Through Him, you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.