Faith and Life Blog

  . The goodness of God is a topic that has been widely discussed for centuries. People of different faiths and beliefs have written about God's compassion, mercy, and love. It is often said that God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. In this blog post, we will explore the goodness of God and how it impacts our life lives. First and foremost, the goodness of God is rooted in his character. God is a loving and compassionate God who desires the best for his creation. The Bible mentions several times that God is good and his mercy endures forever. Psalm  34 says, ‘Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.' This verse invites us to experience the goodness of God for ourselves, to know that God is good, and to trust him completely. God's goodness is also evident in his creation. When we look around us, we see the beauty of nature,  the diversity of life, and the intricate details of every living thing. From the smallest f...

  "What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God."   -  Rick Warren "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us ” -  Augustine Be blessed and encouraged today, my friends. God is with you no matter what! 40 Christian Quotes That Will Inspire and Encourage Your Faith (crosswalk.com)

  God Orders My Steps The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Psalms 37:23 The Lord has promised to order the steps of those who walk uprightly in His sight, so whenever I am tempted to get annoyed when things do not turn out the way I hoped they would, I am always reminded of this verse. In hindsight, I can see that in many instances the Lord was indeed ordering my steps without my realizing it. I will share one such instance with you. I am a lover of gospel music and so a few years ago when I learned that a popular American gospel artiste would be in Jamaica for a concert, I was all excited as I decided that would attend. It was a midweek concert, so I arranged to depart work early enough so that I could avoid the traffic. Apparently, many other people were thinking along the same lines, as the traffic was horrible and it took me a long time to get to the venue, even though I had left early. To my dismay, when I arrived, all the parking spac...

  Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear,   for I am with you;      do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen   you and help   you;      I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God has your back. Trust Him!

  Wanting a change of scenery, I left my desk and sat at another desk across the room. I looked up and realized, to my surprise, that from this new vantage point, the office looked like a totally different place. I could not believe my eyes! Oh, what a change of seat can do! Life is like that. Our perspective determines the way we view the issues and circumstances of our lives. As the saying goes, one man's meat is another man's poison. Where I see a 6, you may see a 9.  Our exposure, or lack thereof, upbringing, environment, educational level, and socialization are but some of the factors that shape our perspective and which in turn, inform the way we see and experience life. As we grow and mature, our perspectives change and we view life differently. A change of attitude is often the catalyst that propels us to a new and different level. Indeed, our attitude determines our altitude.  Do you want to change your life? Change your attitude. Change your perspective.

  For I know the plans  I have for you,” declares the  Lord , “plans to prosper  you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)   Years ago, a well-known and established Jamaican financial institution ran an advertisement on television that ended with the words, “We have your best interest at heart. Full stop.” Those were powerful words. And I am sure that many potential investors believed those words and as such, took the bold step to open investment accounts with that institution. Such a move  would amount to an act of faith, believing that the institution would manage the funds invested in a responsible way, thus yielding handsome returns at the maturity date.  The drawback with this, however, is that those expected returns are not guaranteed. A myriad of things could go wrong in the financial sector. The stock market could crumble, investment deals could go awry and the list goes on.  There is simply ...

  Have you ever admired the beauty of a piece of embroidery? It is truly a sight to behold, one that brings a sense of pleasure to the onlooker, and satisfaction to the one who made it. Beauty, indeed, is in the eyes of the beholder. But have you ever looked at the reverse side of that same piece of embroidery? What is beneath belies what is above. Underneath is a maze of seemingly chaotic, uncoordinated, and confusing threads. There seems to be no pattern. Everything seems disjointed and out of place. A messy affair indeed! But the finished product, the beautiful design above, carries an all-important and comforting message of hope. There is a method to the apparent madness.  God will make something beautiful out of the brokenness of life. He gives beauty for ashes. He brings beauty out of chaos. He makes crooked paths straight and rough places smooth. Trust Him today. Give Him all your hurts, pains, anger, and suffering. He will turn it around for good and for His glory. Sou...