Friday: best encouraging posts in my blogroll hat!

Are you  1 - victorious, 2 -  thankful and 3 -  loving ? For a bit of a change, I have selected what I consider the 3 best encouraging posts written by inspirational bloggers listed in my blogroll. If you'd rather go directly to their pages click the link on the first words of the 3 selections.

    1 -   Hello Victorious Friends! Today, I assure you that God, who is our Alpha and Omega, has been with you and has seen your situation from the beginning. Because of this, according to HIS WORD, you have already come out on top. Your mission has already been completed. You have already reached the finish line - by faith. Therefore, as you are going through, understand that where you are right now is temporary. The Psalmist said, "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." Notice the phrase, "walk through".
Not stuck in -
Not abiding -
Not dwelling -
"Walk through" assures us that we are moving. How are we moving? We are moving and walking by faith and not by sight.
For, it is in HIM that we live, we move and we have our being! (Acts 17:28)My victorious friends, I encourage you to keep living and moving by faith. Although the blows may be coming at you - from the left and from the right, DO NOT give up! Remember, God has great plans for you! (Jeremiah 29:11)

     2    -    A thought by John C Maxwell (2012-10-02) from his book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential (p. 75). Center Street. Kindle Edition.Now I, personally, start my day in the Bible. Today I read Psalm 106. It showed the importance of following Him and what happens if we don’t and what happens when we do. It ended with “Praise the Lord.” Good reminder to start the day. Then I read the last part of Acts 22 and of how God was moving Paul to His desired destination. It showed how each incident had a part in moving Paul to Rome where He wrote a big part of the New Testament. Each incident in the day is important to God. 
John Maxwell also says, “And the small steps you take today will lead to the bigger steps you take someday.” Let’s say you start your day with griping and complaining. Psalm 106:25-27 tells what God thinks of that. He doesn’t like it. Don’t do it. Start your day as Psalm 106.1-2 does with giving thanks to the Lord because He is good; and His love is eternal. Remind yourself of all the good things He has done in your life. And then Verse 3 says, “Happy are those who obey His commands, who always do what is right.”

3    -     Ever heard of Daniel Frederick and Susan Bateman? No? That’s okay. They aren’t movie stars or government leaders. Their lives are significant, however. They were married on August 29, 1772, till death did they part, 91 years and 12 days later. Daniel and Susan represent history’s longest recorded marriage.
Now you have something to shoot for, if you want to shoot for it, that is. For some marriages, 91 years would be a gift – a gracious extension to a blessed union. For others, it may be like the curse of immortality for the suffering.
Time can be a marriage’s worst enemy.
How so?
When there is little love and no romance.
When a marriage goes months or even years without sexual intimacy.
When husbands and wives choose to hold onto resentment.
When we keep secrets and protect turf.
When we never say, “I love you,” or “I’m sorry,” or “I appreciate you.”
Time has a means of sealing in our bitterness like moss in the crack of a sidewalk. Hearts that have hardened only get harder with time.
Time can be a marriage’s best friend.
On the other hand, time can also be a marriage’s best friend, if we choose to allow it. You can grow a mushroom overnight but an oak tree takes decades. When it comes to our marriage we need to decide to be oak trees.
The road of marriage has plenty of bumps and bruises. We let each other down. We hold each other up. We rest in times of peace and we weather storms together. And over time, through thick and thin, sickness and health, better and worse our marriage grows into a beautiful oak tree if we are willing to stick it out.

Have a blessed week-end. N.