There is an old Arab parable that says: “All sunshine and no rain makes a desert." If you never have any down times, dark times, gloomy times in your life you'll be dried up. You'll have no depth to yourself, no maturity. It takes both good times and bad times to build character and make a mature person. Life is a mixture of pain and pleasure, of victory and defeat, of success and failure, of mountain tops and valleys.

Jesus was very realistic about this when he said in John 16, "In the world you will have trouble." It's not a matter of if, it's when. It's going to happen. They are a normal part of life. Don't be surprised by it. You're going to have some difficulty, some disappointment, and some discouragement in life.

There will be some times of suffering, sorrow and sickness. There will be days peppered with frustration, failure and fatigue. You will experience contention, controversy and conflict.

Even in our darkest valleys, on our darkest days, be exposed to this light from God’s word. "Even 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." Psalm 23:4

I know I can confidently face whatever...because I am not alone, God is with me.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Be sure to pick up a handful of Easter Door Hangers on Sunday to invite your friends, co-workers and neighbors to Easter services next Sunday.