Day 3 - EPHESIANS 3:16 (NIV) - “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through Faith.”

This Scripture reminded me that when hard times come we are blessed to have the Holy Spirit in us and with us as flowers of Jesus Christ. We are also blessed to have brothers and sisters surrounding us to lift us up in our times of need and pain.

We are experiencing many struggles in Iowa this summer and farmers are feeling pressure because crops have been planted and then were flooded out, or the planting did not happen because fields were water soaked. We have had communities that have been flooded and homes have been damaged or lost. Families have been displaced due to tornadoes and the flooding. Children, young men 13 and 14 years old, were killed in a tornado that struck the Boy Scout Camp at Little Sioux, Iowa. These young men were the best of the best and now they are gone from our midst.

But as we have experienced all of these difficulties, I hear people holding fast to their faith. I see neighbors helping neighbors when all are hurting. This act of compassion demonstrates the holding fast in our inner beings. This love and compassion comes from holding on the Holy Spirit and the Promise of Jesus that we are going to travel some difficult journeys, but He will be traveling with us—holding us up in compassion and love shown through our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to encourage each other to show His Love through Our Love.

Submitted by - Pat Curtis