Happy All the Day Long

I do not have thick skin. I can't shrug off difficult things like others. I take too much to heart. But I have Jesus. And this is what He showed me this week. Maybe it will help you too.

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"Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me, at my Father's throne, Make all my wants and wishes known!
In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempters snare, By thy return, sweet hour of prayer."

                     -William W. Walford, Sweet Hour of Prayer

"When children sleep under the scraps stitched into quilts and the clock ticks too loudly through the dark hours and the spiral galaxies spin in space, I lie under the afghan by the fire and read...'The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live.... He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything.'"

-Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, quoting Albert Schweitzer, Reverence for Life

"If received in faith, the trial that seems so bitter and hard to bear will prove a blessing....

God would not have us remain pressed down by dumb sorrow, with sore and breaking hearts. He would have us look up and behold His dear face of love....We may keep the heart stayed upon Him and meditate upon His loving-kindness all the day. He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace."

-Ellen White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing

"You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You."

-Isaiah, Isaiah

"O soul, are you weary and troubled? 

No light in the darkness you see? 

There's light for a look at the Savior, 

And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face;

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace."

-Helen H. Lemmel, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

"It is the love of self that destroys our peace. While self is all alive, we stand ready continually to guard it from mortification and insult; but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take neglects or slights to heart. We shall be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult....

Happiness drawn from earthly sources is as changeable as varying circumstances can make it; but the peace of Christ is a constant and abiding peace....Christ is the fountain of living water, and happiness drawn from Him can never fail."

-Ellen White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing

"The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever."

-A Psalm of David, Psalm 23

 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace..."

-Paul, Galatians 

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

-Jesus, Matthew