One of the most endearing characters in the annuls of Winnie the Pooh is an elderly donkey named Eeyore. His name came up recently when someone asked me if they were spelling the name of the Hebrew Month that just began correctly. Actually, in most transliterations the month is spelled I-Y-A-R, as in Iyar. But, I found something fascinating with connecting the Hebrew month of Iyar with the lovable character known as Eeyore.

For instance, when Eeyore is first found by Pooh and his friends, he is found floating in the water. On Passover, we retell the ancient story of the baby Moses being found, just as Eeyore was, floating in the water.

Eeyore spends a lot of time wandering and, as you are most certainly aware, our people spent a lot of time wandering through the wilderness. As we wandered, we set up temporary huts, which we still put up in our yards each year on the Festival of Sukkoth. Those huts are made out of a bit of wood and branches or thistles.

Now, it is true that Eeyore likes to eat thistles, but, it is also true that his house was built out of sticks, and, just as when we spend time in the Sukkah, we realize how fragile life can be and how everything we have can be wiped out in an instant, so Eeyore finds that a house of sticks is not necessarily the best thing to build a house out of.

This donkey, this lovable character, always ready to lend a helping hand to his friends, also comes out with one of the greatest lines for us to connect to our faith. He says, “If honey’s what you’re looking for, I know just the place to find it.”

There was a wonderful musical out many years ago that points the way in lyrical fashion as they sing about The Holy Land of Israel with the words, “This is the land of milk and honey.”

By the way, Eeyore isn’t the only name that is similar to the month of Iyar. There are women who are dubbed with the Hebrew name, Iora, and if you know what Oro means in Spanish, then you probably can guess that Iora means “gold.” One of the most famous songs of all time in Israel is Naomi Shemer’s “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav,” which means, Jerusalem of Gold.

During the month of Iyar, we observe Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and then, the very next day, we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. It may sound almost ludicrous to go from a national day of mourning right into a national day of rebirth and joyous celebration, but it sure fits the month of Iyar.

According to the Sages, Iyar is a time of healing. The word “Iyar” is an acronym for “Ani Hashem Rophecha” (“I am HaShem your Healer.”)

On Passover, we celebrated our freedom from slavery. We spent so many years as slaves and then, one day, suddenly, we were freed from the pain of our taskmasters’ whips. Today, many of us are still enslaved by various forms of illness. In this month of Iyar may we, like Eeyore, should be ever ready to help a friend in need and may our visits and ministrations be as sweet as honey. And to those of you who are dealing with illness, remember that just one day can make all the difference in the world.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and Member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County.

Are you ready for Mother’s Day? It’s less than a few weeks away. I know it’s a little early, but I wanted the opportunity to give the ladies the honor they deserve. For you history buffs, let me fill you in on some of the Mother’s Day details. Mother’s Day in the USA started long ago when Anna Jarvis organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her Appalachian community. She called it “Mother’s Work Day.” When she died in 1905, her daughter began a campaign to memorialize her mom. In 1914, Anna, the daughter named after her mother, saw her hard work pay off when President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother’s Day as a national holiday. Today, the second Sunday of May has become the most “dined out” day of the year, and telephone companies record their highest volume of calls. The flower and candy businesses are not bad either. Oh, let us not forget about “the card.”

2 TIMOTHY 1:5

5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

NIV

You are important and you will leave a mark on this earth. It’s up to you as to what you leave behind and pass on. All throughout the Bible, women have played an incredible role in the plan of God. We see women being used by God in amazing ways, helping to fulfill His divine plan. Women have always played a key role in God’s plan, and I want to make sure we never lose sight how important they are to all of us. Take the time to thank the women in your life who have helped shape you into the person you are today.

Proverbs 31:10

10 A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.

AMP

What’s the most important Mother’s Day ever? This one! Oh, I am sure you can recount some very special Mother’s Days. But the one you observe this year should be the best ever. Also, make sure your kids do the right thing. Honor the special ladies in your lives by recognizing the valuable contribution they make at church, as well as at home. It’s not easy being a wife, mother, churchwoman, bread-winner, homemaker, taxi driver — you name it! Let her know how you feel.

If I can speak to moms, and women in general, on behalf of the husbands, fathers, brothers and sons today, I would like to say this. The music of your life is beautiful. You are a beautiful flower with delicate petals and a wonderful fragrance. We envy the relationship you have with our children and grandchildren. God created you beautiful in the depth of your being, and it is that beauty that draws us to you. We praise God for you and thank God for you, even though we don’t tell you nearly as often as we should.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

During the Passover Seder, there is a part that is usually reserved for the youngest person in attendance. It is known as The Four Questions. Why is this night different from all other nights of the year?

Most are familiar with the first of the questions asked pertaining to why we eat only matzah; but it is the fourth question that I wish to focus on today. The fourth question asks why on this night we all eat reclining. In our Haggadoth, many of us read the response as “To recline at mealtimes in ancient days was the sign of a free man. On this night of Passover, we demonstrate our sense of complete freedom by reclining during our repast.” But let me ask you something, which way do you lean? Do you lean to the left or do you lean to the right? And, exactly how far do you lean?

I posed these questions at one of the Seders and someone who was trying to be funny attempted to show just how far they could lean to one particular side. Do you know what happened? That’s right, (or maybe I should say, that’s left), they fell off their chair and wound up down on the floor.

Somebody chided that the reason the person had fallen was that they leaned to the wrong side. And to prove the point, this other person leaned himself all the way to the opposite side. And guess what? That’s right; he wound up falling off his chair as well.

So let me give you another way of looking at the question ‘Why do we recline?’ When you hear the word recline, you might envision your favorite chair … you know, one of those soft, comfy recliners. Those chairs are meant to make you comfortable. But if you think about it, Archie Bunker had his favorite chair and G-d forbid anyone else ever try and make themselves comfortable by sitting in it.

Archie was worried about his comfort, not anyone else’s. He didn’t care what he said that hurt others. He looked down on anyone who was different from him. He disliked anyone who viewed the world differently. He even felt his wife was so subservient that, in his mind, it was okay to refer to her as ‘dingbat.’

Let me get back on track and focus on the word ‘recline.’ In the dictionary, it says, “To cause or permit to incline backwards.” Let me be the first to tell you that there is a big difference between CAUSING someone to lean over backwards and PERMITTING them to do so.

Causing someone to lean over backwards is a form of slavery. Permitting one to do so is a form of freedom. On Passover, we are supposed to feel as though we, personally, were freed from slavery. So this year, stop causing yourself to be enslaved by leaning too far to the right or the left. This year, permit yourself to look at things from a different angle. Perhaps, it will open up a whole new world for you and give you a greater sense of freedom than you have had in a very long time.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

My family and I have lived in Argentina for the past 3½ years before coming to Deerfield Beach last June.  Our house in northern Argentina was close to a large river and we lived three blocks from the beach. Each summer, we would spend two weeks at the shore. You can tell that my family and I love going to the beach.  Imagine how excited we were when we arrived in Deerfield Beach and realized that our house was only a short distance from the ocean. I remember how ecstatic we were when we packed up the car and all of our beach toys and headed for a day in the sun. Soon after arriving, I encouraged the boys to play a little soccer in the sand. The lifeguard quickly blew his whistle and said, “No balls allowed on the beach.” We decided to get a little creative and started to throw a Frisbee. “No,” said the lifeguard, “you can’t do that either.” I then went into the water with the boys and we started to wrestle and tackle each other. Once again, “NO.” I was beginning to think Deerfield Beach was boring and we were doomed to a life of sedentary towel sitting.

We left at the end of the day determined to make the best of our situation.

A short time later, my wife came into the house very energized.  She said, “I found another part of the beach that we didn’t know about and it’s a lot of fun.” What happened was, after not finding parking at the south side, she ventured north of the pier and found volleyball courts, people playing soccer, surfboards, boogie boards, music and everyone, everywhere, having a great time. She had discovered that we only knew a part of Deerfield beach, and that upon further discovery, there was another section that had all the elements we loved about the beach.

Thinking about this experience, I believe this is exactly how our relationship is with God. We think God is all about “No,” when, in reality, he’s all about “live.” John 10:10 says this, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Christ came so we could have a full and blessed life. We, like my family and I, go to the beach on the south side of the pier and have expectations of what we can do. We then get frustrated because life is not all we had planned and hoped. When all we have to do is head to the north side of the pier and find all the things we love about the beach. Life with Christ is exactly like that. We insist on meeting Jesus on our terms and then we blame Him because our life is not fulfilling. If we are willing to venture north of the pier and meet Jesus on his terms, then we will find an abundant and fulfilling life.

Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Life in Christ is not about rules and our ability to follow them. Christ wants to give to you, help you carry your burdens, give you rest and help you experience a full and abundant life. Finding an abundant life in Christ is as easy as taking a step in the right direction. He will open up for you a whole new world you never imagined possible.

Pastor Deron Peterson is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach.

I got a late night call from an elderly woman. She told me her name and asked if I remembered her, letting me know that she was the woman who was very hard of hearing. I let her know that I did indeed remember her and not to worry as many of the people I care for are hard of hearing. She let me know that she had been very sick and I immediately told her that I was very sorry to hear that she had been ill. She went on to inform me that she was okay now, and I told her how delighted I was that she was feeling better and that we should say a prayer of thanks to G-d for her recovery.

But before I could even begin, she let me know that she might be in need of my services soon. I asked what for and she let me know that she suspects she might soon be very ill again. I started to tell her that she shouldn’t worry about that, but should instead be sure to follow the doctor and the therapist’s instructions so that she could maintain her rebuilt health.

But, she insisted that she needed to talk. She told me that she wanted to know if I would officiate at her funeral. I told her that, when the time came, if my schedule permitted, I would be honored to preside. I asked her where she was going to be buried and she couldn’t remember the name of the cemetery so I gave her the names of a couple of the local Jewish Cemeteries and one rang a bell.

I asked her about her current condition and about her family and, then, as the hour was late, I asked her just why she had called so late in the evening and she responded, “Well, Rabbi, I just called because I wanted to ask you how much you charge for a funeral.”

So I told her and she immediately shouted through the other end of the phone line, “What was that … I can’t hear you … I’m very hard of hearing you know!” This woman, who most certainly had difficulty with her hearing, had no problem hearing every other word of our conversation. But when something was said that she didn’t want to hear … suddenly she was deaf.

Passover is soon upon us. In preparation, we are supposed to clean the chumatz out of our houses. Perhaps, we should also use this time to clean out our ears so that we can hear things more clearly. Then again, there is a time where it is not such a bad thing to close our ears so that we cannot and do not hear. I am referring to when someone is speaking Lashon Hora … when someone is saying something bad or wicked about someone else… Usually when someone is saying something that puts someone else in a bad light, they somehow feel that they are raising themselves up. But on Pesach, on Passover, we are supposed to get rid of the Leaven, of those things that rise. And remember, sometimes when you lift yourself up too high, you are setting yourself up for a big fall. Pesach is coming, may you rise to the occasion.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and Member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him, and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You, You’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You most, You would leave me.”

The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you.  During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

-Author Unknown

Dream the impossible dream. All dreams that come from God seem impossible at first.  However, do not forget that all things are possible with God.

DEUTERONOMY 31:8

8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

NLT

When you feel discouraged, take heart: God’s promise to never leave you or abandon you is always there to get you through your troubles. Why is it that we tend to turn to Him as the last resort when He is always faithfully by our side? Are you afraid of your future? Are you afraid to go after your dreams (Maybe even to dream your dreams)?  Are you afraid to believe that you can achieve your dreams? Do you ever feel lonely?  Do you ever feel like what you are going through you are going through alone? Do you ever feel like you were stuck in a pit with no way out? Reread the above verse, Deuteronomy 31:8. What does this verse do to your fears or feelings of loneliness?

Psalm 23 can be such an encouragement in times of trouble! Take a fresh look at this famous Psalm (read it today, do not wait) and be comforted that God has walked with you, not only during the good times, but through your bad times as well. Do you ever feel like you are in a pit and your dreams have no chance of ever coming true? Don’t quit in the pit. Always remember that the dream never dies, just the dreamer.

Remember that God is always with you leading you, guiding you and protecting you.  You are never alone. Don’t quit when you’re in the pit. You only lose if you quit. Don’t be afraid to dream the impossible dream and live each day to accomplish it. Continually encourage yourself with the Word of God.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

The other day, my favorite first grade teacher quoted one of her students to me.

The little one said, “My Momma told me I ‘gotsta’ be good for G-d.” Well, except for the grammatical mistake, I really thought the little one was onto something. The only problem is that I understand that the very day he came out with this quote, he was “off the wall.” If you don’t know what the term, “off the wall” means, just ask a teacher … any teacher.

So, if his momma told him that he ‘gotsta’ be good for
G-d, then why wasn’t he being good? Well, first of all, his momma wasn’t there. But, his Momma didn’t tell him to be good for her. She told him to be good for G-d!

Oddly enough, in the Torah, we find Moses telling The Children of Israel that they ‘gotsta’ be good. But he doesn’t tell them to be good for him. He tells them to be good for
G-d. And, as long as Moses is around to supervise, the people are fairly well behaved and, if not, they are brought before him for some disciplinary action.

While, in our day, Johnny might not be able to read; back in the wilderness, Johnny apparently had trouble with math because the Children of Israel expect Moses to come down from the Mount after a certain number of days. But some of them count wrong and, with Moses not there, they forget that they ‘gotsta’ be good – not for Moses, their teacher, but for G-d. Then, Moses takes a census of the people and each has to put in half a shekel, perhaps a reminder that we should have the wisdom to use at least half the senses G-d gave us.

There are times in our lives when we participate in a census. The government has a census. There are others that are taken to show what the current population of the Jewish People is in the world today. And, no matter how many censuses are done, there always seems to be another census that disagrees or disproves the other one.

We all want to see the data, but we only want to believe the data if it shows what we want it to show. We want to believe that whatever we do is the right thing, and, if someone disagrees with us, they are doing the wrong thing. There are many absolutes in this world. But there are other things that are not so easily discerned. Sometimes, we are not sure which way to go and sometimes we react out of anger.

When Moses was up on Mt. Sinai, some of the people weren’t sure which way to go. Some decided to build a Golden Calf, which wound up being a real Red Herring.  They needed a teacher to step up and take charge, but, whatever teacher they got would not be able to do it on their own. What they really needed was a parent. We need the parents and the grandparents of our children. Without them, the teacher’s chances are cut in half.

So, while you might expect your child’s teacher to be his/her mentor, remember that, as far as your children are concerned, if you want to teach them that they ‘gotsta’ be good for G-d, you had better accept the responsibility of being good and leading them on the right path for His Name’s Sake. And, while you’re at it, don’t forget to bring your child’s teacher an apple and a good dose of honor and respect.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and Member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County.

By Diane Emeott

“Most people don’t realize, it’s as hard to go out as to come back,” said new Senior Pastor at First Baptist, Deerfield Beach, Deron Peterson, about his time on the mission field in Argentina.

He said it takes about 6 months after you return to get acclimated, that something as simple as going to the mall – where you expect them to be speaking Spanish to you, and they’re speaking English,” takes some getting used to.

Pastor Daron and his wife Beth were missionaries for nearly 10 years — for 6 years in Buenos Aires (the capitol of Argentina) with Word of Life ministries. [He was Director of a Bilingual High School there.] and for 3 ½ years with the International Mission Board in Corrientes, where he provided Leadership Training.

He called the two places completely different in spirit and attitude, comparing the suburbs of Buenos Aires to downtown Miami. “It was the mouth of Argentina.” Corrientes, a city of about 500,000 felt more like Deerfield Beach. He called it “the heart of the people.”

“Eventually, you get to the point where it’s your home. We loved living there as much as we do here.”

He said people going on short-term missions trips are always worried about what they’re going to do. He said just by getting on a plane and going, you are already doing more than expected. “Anything you do is beneficial. Through the simple things, you learn a lot.”

He encouraged anyone going on a short-term mission trip to stay long enough to have to buy toiletries.

Family

The Petersons have three adopted children: Samuel, 13, born in Argentina, attended K-3rd grade here in the states. Isaiah, 7, was born in Philadelphia. Anastasia, 3 ½, was also born in Argentina. She  has a genetic disorder called Williams syndrome which makes her unusually gifted in languages. The three children are bi-lingual, although Isaiah is beginning to lose his Spanish, he said.

Pastor Deron is a Leukemia survivor.

He said his wife Beth was nicknamed “squirrel” in Argentina because she is always on the go. She is a runner who ran in Dunn’s Run and recent marathons in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. “Everywhere we’ve been, she has gotten involved in the community and the church.” She helps out at Crossroads preschool, in addition to focusing on raising three children.

From missionary to pastor

Pastor Deron said it was his first Sunday at First Baptist [June 2010] that Pastor Jeff Knight announced he was leaving. He said he was surprised to hear of Pastor Jeff’s departure. That his first thought was just to be available to help out or be a presence in any way he could.

Initially, the Peterson family was simply looking for a place to stay while working with the Florida Baptist Convention on church planting in Miami. In August, First Baptist, Deerfield Beach, asked Deron to teach the Wednesday night Bible study.  The end of October, they asked him to fill the Sunday pulpit for November and December, later extending it to January and February. Jan. 18, the deacons and elders unanimously voted for him to be Pastor. Jan. 23 was his first Sunday preaching as the new Senior Pastor.

“I really didn’t think this was going to happen. I was surprised. I’m still a little surprised and very excited! He said his master’s degree is in Leadership rather than the usual Master of Divinity degree associated with pastors. He also served as Youth Minster for 15 years — 4 of those at First Baptist of Dallas, TX.

Pastor Deron said his message is: “I don’t care what you did last night, the day before. I care about the truth – the word of God – you are hearing this morning and what you are going to do with it.  Jesus taught about external change = false righteousness vs. internal change, which calls for a loving response to others… My job is to teach the truth,” he said.

Purim is soon upon us. Get out your groggers … your noisemakers. Get out your Megillat Esther … your copy of the Book of Esther. Get out your costumes. Make a list of what you need to make up your Gift Baskets. And, find that recipe so you can whip up a batch of homemade Hamentashen, those luscious triangular pastries filled with poppy seeds, prunes, cherries or (nowadays) even chocolate.

Wow, that sure sounds like an awful lot of preparation to do for one holiday, a minor festival at that. But, just as each week we prepare for Shabbat, it is important that we take the time to prepare for the holidays and festivals — even the minor ones — and, if it is important that we prepare for the minor ones, how much more important is it that we take lots of time to prepare for the major festivals.

The word Purim comes from ancient Persian and refers to “lots,” as in picking from a lottery. When we take part in the lottery here in Sunny Florida, we hope and pray that our number should be chosen, that we should win the drawing. But when you read the Book of Esther, you learn that there are times when having your number come up can hurt a lot. In fact, the story shows us that a lottery can destroy your life and can endanger the lives of your entire family.

Who among us haven’t read the story of those who have won the lottery and become instant millionaires or multi-millionaires only to see their lives destroyed — someone who finds that the winning ticket that seemed to fulfill a lifetime wish wound up leaving them with less than they had before?

I have certainly seen families torn apart by such a lottery — sons who no longer talk to parents, parents who wind up divorced not just from their children, but from their spouse of many years.

In the Sayings of Our Fathers, it is asked, “Who is truly rich?” and the answer given is “One who is happy with their lot … with what they already possess.”

The other day, I was sitting at the bank waiting to talk with the Branch Manager as I needed a little advice from her. While I was waiting, a woman sitting near me started kvetching about how bad our economy is and how the world has never been worse off.

I wanted to tell her, “Hey lady, the two of us are sitting here in a bank in Boca Raton, Florida, where we both have accounts. I think we need to realize just how much we are blessed with because, as things go, we have a lot.”

Of course, she was in a pessimistic mood and a pessimist sees the glass as half empty. When I told her that I thought we were blessed, she said that I must be an eternal optimist who always sees the glass as half full. But I am not always as optimistic as I would like to be so I am so thankful that I read the advice of a very wise man, David Kaufman, who wrote, “Stop asking if the glass is half full or half empty.” Instead, ask, “What is in the glass and what can I do with it?”

You see my friends, Purim is about lots and, every once-in-a-while, we need to be reminded that we have a lot more than we ever realize. Have a Joyous Purim and remember Passover falls just one month later so start preparing.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and Member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County.

James 5:13

13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

NLT

No one is exempt from going through bad times, but please do not forget that we have many good times also. Whether everything is great or it just totally stinks, God should always have our attention.

The last time I went to Disney World, I knew I was in for a great day. How could it not be? I was in the “Happiest Place on Earth.” However, as I looked around at this happy place, I started to think. In this giant playground, there was a lost child, a man nursing a painful sunburn, a little one who had fallen and skinned her knee and a crying baby. I couldn’t help but think, even in the happiest place on earth, there is still suffering.

Even in church on Sunday mornings, there may be someone hurting or in pain, even though church is a very happy place. Check out Psalms Chapter 20. (Awesome).

Psalms 20

1 In times of trouble, may the LORD respond to your cry. May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.

2 May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.

3 May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Interlude

4 May he grant your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.

5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory, flying banners to honor our God. May the LORD answer all your prayers.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed king. He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power.

7 Some nations boast of their armies and weapons,  but we boast in the LORD our God.

8 Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.

9 Give victory to our king, O LORD! Respond to our cry for help.

NLT

For some, our happiest place is with our family and friends or taking a walk on the beach.  We cannot escape suffering; no matter how hard we try we are not exempt. Sometimes, suffering is used for correcting, sometimes it is used for God’s glory, sometimes it is used to build our character and sometimes one person suffers for another’s benefit. Yet, there are times when we really don’t understand why others or we, ourselves, are suffering. Like Job from the Bible, we must seek to trust God and endure because we win when we do!

As Christians, we have a better happy place than Disney World. We have a happy place found in the presence of the Lord. If God could hear Jonah’s cry from inside the whale, then I am sure he can hear your cry. One thing is for sure: if we are suffering in any way, then we should be praying and talking to God a lot. What do you think?

Perhaps you are in a season of hurt or suffering right now. In this moment, it may not be clear why your suffering is happening. Your role in this season is to spend time with and reach out to the Lord, knowing He will help you through this trial with His strength. In this way, at the end of the day, you will be able to rejoice in who God is. James 5:13 says we should pray and praise God during the good times and the bad. In good or bad times, we better be spending time with God. Our happy place is in the presence of the Lord.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church