Inspirational for Children from Heaven  Articles
By CQ
(From the ABBC 500% books)
How to Pray:
1.	Think about Jesus
2.	Thank Him and praise Him
3.	If you have done something that you need forgiveness for, ask Him for it and get your heart clean and right with Him
4.	Tell Him what is on your mind or what you need help with
5.	Focus and be specific as you express your thoughts or present requests in prayer
6.	Remind Him of the promises He has made in the Bible; quote or read a verse or passage
7.	Trust that He has heard your prayer, and let Him know you have confidence that He will do whatever is best
8.	Listen to what He wants to tell you in return, and follow through on anything He wants you to do
*** 
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (Galatians 5:7)
***
What does it mean to “hinder”? It means to keep someone or something back, or get in their way; to prevent, obstruct or stop forward progress towards a goal. If something hinders, it makes it difficult to do something or it delays action.
What is the best goal that we who love Jesus should be reaching for each day? –To obey God’s Word; to believe and follow the truth. Doing anything that isn’t in line with the truth of God’s Word, isn’t forward progress but is off the track and downhill and leads us astray. 
God is cheering for you like those watching a race. As you go where He’s said to go and do what He’s said to do, you make faster progress in doing what will bring good results from your life’s efforts. God will reward you for doing things His way. Like the verse above says, “You did run well.” 
But is it always easy to do things God’s way? No. Sometimes it can seem like the hardest thing to do. Not because it’s actually too hard for you to do it, but because other people—or our spiritual Enemy—might “hinder” you, with their words, ideas, and actions. They might tell you it’s wrong or silly to be doing what you know is right, or believing what God has said is the truth; or they might cause a delay or setback in your projects, through their bad deeds.
No matter where you are or what you try to do, if it’s the right thing and what God tells you to do, you will sooner or later face some kind of opposition. So how do you handle that? 
If your goal is to please the people of this world only, then you’ll give up trying to run in God’s direction. Because many of the people of this world are misled and going the wrong way. 
Jesus said, “Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” But He instructed us to, “Enter ye in at the strait gate... because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
However, if you are so thankful for Jesus’ love for you and you choose to love Him and follow Him, then you’ll push right on through any and all obstacles that try to hinder you and get you off course. 
Have you ever seen an ant carrying something back to its home? Is it always easy? While carrying the food it gathered on its way home, there are rocks, sticks, walls and other obstacles in the way. But does that stop the ant for long? No. If it can’t go over an obstacle, it goes around, or under, or even through. 
The ant does whatever it takes to reach its home, bringing with it the good results of its efforts. 
So it is with us. We are on our way to our home in Heaven one day. We need to stay focused on the goal of doing what we are here on Earth to do. We need to not get discouraged by the many “hindrances” that could cause us to quit, if we give in to them. 
We need to, as Paul the Apostle said, “Run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) 
Talking to Jesus and thinking about Him, and looking to Him for guidance will give us the faith to do what God’s Word tells us is right and what Jesus needs us to do. He will reward us in the end in more wonderful ways than a million people could promise to do for us on Earth. 

*** 
Susanna Wesley
(1669-1742)
Susanna Wesley was born in Spitalfields, London, and was the 25th child of The Rev. Samuel Annesley. She married Samuel Wesley at 19 years of age, and they had 19 children. 
Susanna devoted her time and strength to the raising of her children. She taught them about the Lord; educated them; and spent a regular hour with each of them, each week to have personal time to talk with, encourage, counsel, listen to them, and just be together.
Her prayers and the training she gave her children payed off, as her children grew to be a help to many. Most importantly, two of her sons brought many others to know Jesus. John and Charles Wesley gave their time, strength and made it the focus of their life to bringing many the message of Salvation. 
Susanna kept a good schedule at home while raising the children, making time for all important things to be done each day. They rose regularly at 5:00 a.m. to begin work for the day. 
When John Wesley was grown and away from home he was able to reach many with the gospel message by keeping to an early schedule and beginning work for the Lord each day, bright and early, with vigour. 
On his 85th birthday he wrote in his diary that he rose every day at 4:00 a.m., and began preaching at 5:00 a.m.
Even when her children were grown and away from home, Susanna continued to help them through their life’s journey through her letters to them. 
It was unusual for a woman at that time in history to know how to read and write, but her father taught her to do so. She used this talent to teach her children, instruct them, write to them, as well as write many other things of devotional nature. 
Because some of her writings were persevered and have been passed on to others, through her written words she is still able to encourage others, and bring them closer to Jesus as well.
A Prayer: Help me to manage the common affairs of life in such a way as not to misemploy or neglect the improvement of my talents; to be industrious without covetousness; diligent without anxiety; as exact in each detail of action as if success were dependent on it, and yet so resigned as if to leave all events to Thee and still attributing to Thee the praise of every good work. 
–Susanna Wesley

***  
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Matthew 16:26) 

I think one of the best—and also thought-provoking—jokes I’ve heard was about a man who begged to be able to bring his riches from Earth into Heaven. He must have toiled and laboured endlessly to gain material riches. The joke tells how he pleaded that when it was his time to go, he would be allowed to bring just one suitcase with him to Heaven. And God permits him to. 
What could be so important to him that he felt he couldn’t part with it, and thought it would benefit him in the next life? He arrives at the pearly gates and is asked what it is that he brought. With a smile and sense of pride he opens his bag to show that it is full of gold.
“What?!” the angel asks incredulously. “You brought pavement?”
The gold in Heaven was so abundant; the streets are made with God’s sparkling gold. It would be like someone treasuring a bag of soil or dirt. 
If someone had a whole suitcase full of gold on Earth, they’d probably be thought of as incredibly rich. But compared to the glories that await us in Heaven, it’s nothing. 
And no matter how rich we are on Earth, and how many great things we have, we can’t even bring one tiny dust particle of Earth with us when we go to Heaven. If we want to bring anything with us to Heaven, we have to send it on ahead—in the right currency! Heavenly currency; spiritual things like faith, love, prayer, and the immortal souls of those we have talked to about Jesus. Those are the things that will fit us to a rewarding, rich life of joy in Heaven. 
So what if this man in the joke, rather than owning one bag of gold he instead had everything in the world? If he owned all the riches on Earth, all the gold, was the king of all the countries combined, and owned every farm and food store and factory, would that benefit him in Heaven? Could he take any of it with him when he passed away to the next life?
In the joke he gets to go to heaven. But what if, in spite of having the whole world and all that is in it to call his own, he never knew and loved Jesus; he never received the gift of Salvation; never asked Jesus to forgive his sins and be a part of his life forever. Would it really profit him? To profit means it’s a “gain” or advantage; a benefit. 
In the end, when he died, he’d not only lose everything that he thought he’d gained on Earth, but also lose the benefits of being saved, of having a place secured for him in Heaven. His soul would lose the chance of having a wonderful and rich, happy eternal life with Jesus in heaven. 
So is gaining all the gold and treasures of Earth, without Jesus and His love in your heart, a “profit” or a “loss”?
Maybe you think, “Well, I’d sure like to have both! All that’s on Earth and Heaven too!”  Well, there’s one condition to enjoying rich and abundant rewards and endless joys in the next life. In the two verses preceding the above passage it tells us some very important information. 
Matthew 16:24-25 tells that those who want to truly love and follow Jesus will need to put aside earthly wishes and desires and do as He did—do the hard job of living life in His way, helping others and obeying God’s word. 
Jesus said that those who try to hold selfishly on to their life and things—doing only what they please, will lose it all in the end. But those who give Jesus their love, their heart’s desires, who give their life away in service for Him to help others come to know about God’s love and the way back to Him in Heaven, will find a joyful life. They will find their life filled with wonderful things, and will gain a wonderful eternal life too.
So what should you invest to gain the most profit? 
Give Jesus your heart and soul, and let Him lead you in this life. Give up whatever you need to, to help others to come to know Jesus, and to feel His love in your everyday life. Give up your pride and selfish ideas of making life only comfortable for yourself here and now. Instead, do whatever it takes to follow Jesus’ example. 
The more you invest in setting up His Kingdom on Earth, through helping to secure Him a place in the hearts of people on Earth, the more you will gain and truly profit from, forever.

*** 
Anne Sullivan
1866-1936
Anne Sullivan’s full name is Johanna Mansfield Sullivan. She was born on April 14th, 1866 in Feeding Hills, Agawam, Massachusetts, to her parents Thomas and Alice Sullivan. 
Anne faced many challenges and difficulties in her growing years, including eye illnesses that left her nearly blind. Because of this she eventually was able to attend “Perkins School for the Blind”. There she learned to use a type of sign language that is felt in the hand of the one being communicated with, rather than seen.
Though things weren’t easy for her as she grew up and she had to cope with eye pain most of the time, and she had to endure the sorrow of loved ones passing away, God was near to her. He had a special job for her to do, and all that she had been through in her life helped to prepare her for it. 
Anne did very well with her studies at that school for the blind, and soon after graduating, the director of the Perkins Institution suggested to a father of a seven-year old girl who was both deaf and blind, that Anne would make a good teacher.
Anne put her full attention and care into teaching and training the girl—Helen Keller. For 49 years Anne helped Helen Keller as a teacher and then as a friend and companion in her later years. First she taught and cared for her at the Keller’s home, and later she helped Helen as she was educated also at the Perkins Institute. 
While starting out trying to teach Helen how to communicate, Anne realised that the best way to teach new words to her was to go along with what was of interest to Helen, rather than sticking to a specific learning plan. When Anne did this, Helen made amazing and fast progress—in just six months Helen had learned to sign 575 new words and understood their meaning.
Anne found a way to help Helen also learn to speak aloud. It was a challenge, as Helen could not hear words said or see them being spoken. She learned to speak however, in her unique way. Helen also learned to read using the Braille system, and could learn from many books that were published for the blind.
With Anne’s vision and believing that nothing was impossible, she persevered and gave Helen the methods to both learn from the world around her, as well as communicate her thoughts and feelings. 
Anne Sullivan was a wonderful teacher, who gave her life to help her student succeed—both in knowledge and in coming to know Jesus too. It wasn’t an elaborate, fancy job, or one that seemed to influence many people at the time, or gave her abundant finances, but because she stuck to it faithfully and did her best, the world has heard about her now. 
Many have been encouraged to do their best to care for those who seem to be too handicapped to learn much. Anne’s love and dedication showed that it is possible to make a big difference in someone’s life and help them change for the better, no matter how challenging the situation might seem. 
Good, loving, caring, inspired, fun teachers can make a life-long effect in the lives of those they teach. 
Helen Keller has likewise given many others hope that they can rise above difficulties, setbacks and seeming impossibilities. Helen’s sample of success and the words of encouragement that she has communicated have stirred faith and courage in the hearts of those who hear about her or read what she has said.
 Anne’s influence didn’t stop with Helen, but continues to benefit the lives of those who are touched with the story and words of Helen Keller.
“Keep on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger until you have accomplished a purpose—not the one you began with perhaps, but one you’ll be glad to remember.”   
-Anne Sullivan

*** 
Praising God and Positive Thoughts:

There is always something good in every situation. 
Make it a habit to spot it and speak of it. Why? 
Because it helps you have a healthier and happier life, if you do!
Even if there is absolutely nothing good that you can see, still, God is good and powerful enough to make all the wrongs turn out right for you, eventually.
Praise Him for His power and His love. This will make you feel better, and give you strength of heart and spirit to face the hard times. 
Telling the Lord your words of praise and gratitude rather than getting grumpy and upset, will also make more blessings and good things come into your life. 
Jesus loves a praiseful attitude that shows your faith in Him. 
Start to form the habit today of saying, “Thank you Jesus that___” and fill in whatever good thing you can think of, when something tries to get you down or doesn’t go the way you wish it would. 
***  
As thy days, so shall thy strength be. 
(Deuteronomy 33:25) 
***
When I was younger, as an older child, our dad would take us to climb the hills and small mountains as a Sunday outing. The sun would be shining, the weather was warm, and we were glad to be going somewhere new and to be out in nature. 
However, I wasn’t particularly strong in body—I was short and skinny and often sickly or weak in some way. My younger brothers would hike up with no trouble at all, but when I got about halfway up, my strength would start to wane. 
The exercise was good for me, and I wanted to be there with everyone, but I didn’t always know how I would make it to the top. When each step got to be tiresome and I would look up at all the steps that I would yet need to take until the summit it would weary me. I could manage one more step—but could I make it all the way there? 
Well, that’s all I really had to do, to just take one step at a time. I had the strength to do that. And if I didn’t, then I would sit down for a little rest until I felt I could continue. I always made it to the top, even though it was hard work. I was always glad that I did make it. It was a fun, relaxing feeling to be at the top; to have made it. A victorious feeling!
It makes for a good example of our lives too. If we are feeling rather tired or struggling with something today or this minute, it can be hard to imagine how we’ll be able to keep on going and reach our goals tomorrow or in the future. How are we going to manage? 
Maybe there is something we are worried about happening—either something that is planned to happen, or something we hope won’t happen to us. “What if all of a sudden this happens...like what happened to someone else... what will we do then?” 
But weariness about the future and worries about it are pointless, because with Jesus’ strength, His Words, His love, and His ever-present help in answer to our prayers, He can help us through any kind of day. He gives us the strength for today and what we are facing. 
Right this minute we don’t have the strength for something we’ll face in the future; but we’ll have what we need for today, or for this minute. If we don’t have it, and we feel like quitting, maybe that’s because we need to take the time to restock with His strength and help through prayer; or we need to ask Him what He wants us to do to get the help we need. Maybe there is someone who can help us, and we just need to ask. 
So with Jesus helping us, we’ll always have the strength and skill and power we need to face today, one minute at a time. We don’t have to worry if we’ll use up all our strength today and be unable to manage something that we need to do tomorrow or next week or some years from now.
 “As our day” –whatever type of day, however long it seems to last, whatever it includes, “so shall our strength be”—it will match up and be equal to the task; we’ll have sufficient. Like that song says, “He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater.” 
If you look at what others are doing, you might not feel you could do as well as they are; you don’t have the strength, the willpower or the energy to accomplish it. That’s because they are not you, and you are not them, and their day has a very different pattern to it. Just focus on being and doing what the Lord wants you to do. He’ll give you all you need to manage it. 
Are you sick and it is hard to bear with the pain? Call out to Jesus. He knows what it feels like and He can give you the grace to bear it, to grow strong in spirit through it, to gain compassion and determination and skills that will help you face future challenges. You’ll have what you need, one moment at a time, as you reach out for His help in prayer and listening to Him and thinking about the promises in God’s Word, and praising Him for all His goodness and blessings. Praise gives strength to your heart and spirit and brings down Heaven’s help.
Are people causing you trouble, making fun of you, laughing at your misfortune, or lacking basic consideration and manners? Are your efforts to do what you know God wants you to do, met with resistance or indifference by those you are trying to help teach? Jesus sees it all, and He will reward you for not giving up.
 You can give Him your heartaches and tears and tell Him all about the difficulties you are facing. He had the same things happen to Him too. But He also has the strength and determination to share with you that will help you to make it through today and be a winner—a winner in the eyes of the one that actually holds the rewards. And that is really what counts. 
No one cheered for you on Earth when you did what Jesus told you to do? In fact they jeered and tried to stop you? Don’t worry about that. They are not the ones marking the score of life. God holds the scoreboard, and if you did what He asked you to do, He marks you up as a winner, and you’ll be rewarded. 
When things are not easy, it’s hard to imagine that we can keep on going for too much longer; or when we hear about something that will be happening soon that we wish wouldn’t be. But remind yourself of this verse that tells us that no matter what kind of a day we face, God will give us just what is needed at the time, to make it, do it, manage, and be victorious.
As your day, so shall your strength be.

***
Charlotte Mason
1842-1923
Charlotte Maria Shaw Mason was born in England, and was a Christian British educator. She loved children and was inspired by the Lord to do what she could to change the way children were being raised and educated at that time. 
With the revolutionary new ideas that she suggested and taught to others, many children were receiving a rich and more appropriate education. Even today children profit from these ideas.
Charlotte loved Jesus very much and knew first of all that the best way to help children is to show them God’s way, His Word and His love. She knew it was important to foster a child’s relationship with and knowledge of God.
She realised Jesus has a special love for each child, and she cared about them too. Charlotte saw that the common way things were being done in the raising of children, and the way the children were being taught, weren’t right and in line with the way the Lord made children and what would be best. 
She wanted the best education to be given to all children, and through her lectures, books and education centres, she was able to inspire a Godly change of methods and child training in those who listened.
Charlotte Mason founded the House of Education, a teaching college for governesses in Ambleside, England. She wrote a six-volume series on educating children. Though written about a hundred years ago, the Godly wisdom in those books is helping mothers, home educators and some schools still nowadays in their child training. 
Unfortunately, Charlotte Mason’s message and ideas are not wide-spread. This is in part due to the unchristian bend of the modern world today and particularly the public schools with mandated curriculums. What they wish to have taught to the children in those schools often goes directly against what the Bible teaches and the way God’s Holy Spirit would want the children to grow and learn. 
Schools that ban the reading of scriptures and forbid prayer wouldn’t welcome Charlotte’s ideas of giving children the knowledge of Jesus’ love and salvation and a knowledge of God’s Word as one of the main elements in their education. 
Because of this, nowadays, her books and methods are more known and tried out by parents who choose to educate their children based from home. Charlotte Mason’s ideas and methods of giving children a rich and beautiful, fun and creative learning journey can best be done at home, for that is where there is the most liberty for children to learn in the particular ways that suit their unique needs. 
Love, living, learning, laughter and liberty blend well together. A good, loving and Godly home will foster these elements as the parents themselves break away from old mindsets and instead seek a fresh, new and beautiful approach to educating their children, walking and talking hand-in-hand with the Creator of their children, letting Him lead them.
Charlotte wanted children to enjoy a happy life and learn in real-life, joyful and Godly ways—the ways we were created to learn best—not just sitting and studying facts from dry and dusty books. She believed that a good education plan includes letting the children explore outdoors plenty, talking with them, reading good and true stories and books. It would also include having short little times to focus on teaching needed skills like reading and writing or music and art, listening to good books read aloud and being able to retell the ideas expressed in one’s own words.
Good training would also provide the opportunities for the children to learn and practice good habits through living life in a loving, inspiring and Godly environment with parents, caretakers and siblings that demonstrate and teach the upright way to be. A good education plan also would include plenty of time for children to just be children and to think, play and be creative.
Charlotte passed on many more ideas and suggestions than these few written about here; wise words and  counsel which can be found in her original books, as well as in the works of those today who publish material that promotes and explains her ideas and lovely ways of teaching and enjoying life with children.
 
“The most important part of education is to give the children the knowledge of God.”   
“It is on the mothers of the present that the future of the world depends.” -Charlotte Mason
*** 
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
What is “wisdom” and why is it important? Wisdom is being able to rightly discern the way to take; knowing what is best in a given situation. Wisdom is the art of being wise. It’s more than being knowledgeable and filled with facts and information. Wisdom is the Spirit of God moving in you, telling you what to do and how to do it, giving you understanding and showing you what will ultimately bring the best results. 
Wisdom comes from God; it’s not something we’re born with. It can come through the lessons and experiences of life, but being able to rightly interpret those things we learn and being able to use that knowledge to help us make wise decisions, we need to be connected to the one who made us. 
Any of us can form the wrong opinion or assume things wrongly if we only base our conduct on knowledge or experience.  We have to have the Spirit of God being our teacher throughout our life, so we get the right thoughts and form the right ideas from the things we hear, see, read and experience.
If we love Jesus and want to please Him; if we believe that we are God’s creations, a part of Him and His plan; and if we respect that He is and should be in control of everything we see, and that He truly knows what is best, then He can impart His wisdom to us. 
If, instead, we are filled with our own ideas and resist God’s leading in our lives, then that’s really not going to make us smarter and wiser. We’ll only bring ruin to our lives. 
Jesus not only knows what is going on inside each person’s heart and mind, right at this very second, but He knows what should be done and said and how we should best respond to others; He knows what would truly help them in their lives. 
Because he made us, and all the features of our body, mind and soul—He really knows absolutely everything in the physical and the spiritual world, and how everything reacts and operates—God completely understands everything about us, from A to Z. 
When we are having a hard time getting along with and understanding someone, Jesus is the one to talk to, because He can help pass on some of that understanding. When we understand others and have God’s wisdom to know what to say and when to say it, what to do and when to do it, then things can go better and more God’s way. God’s way brings life, love and liberty!
King Solomon talked about the beautiful spirit of wisdom, and how we are to desire it if we want a life filled with God’s gifts and the best kind of riches His love brings to our hearts. Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of Truth” would “teach us all things”. 
The more of God’s Holy Spirit we receive, the more we listen to the wisdom from God’s Spirit as we go through our life’s experiences and make each day’s many decisions; and as we want to reverence and please the Lord in all we do, the wiser we will be. 
*** 
Jesus wants to talk to us throughout our life. We are not just each alone on this planet, guideless, having to find our way through life. 
Our creator wants to speak to us, to encourage us, and to help us make the right choices. God is so big and powerful, so while we are here in human form it’s not possible to see Him in all His glory and sit down for a chat, like we might do with a friend or brother or our parents. 
We can see some of the aspects of God around us—through the love we feel from others, or from the beauty and design in nature, and through the way our needs for survival are well-thought-out and provided for in the world around us. 
But if we want to communicate with Jesus, while here on Earth, what are some of the ways He might be able to get His Words and thoughts through to us?
Since Jesus knows everything we are feeling and thinking and isn’t limited like a person on Earth might be, only able to use words we can hear or read and actions we can see to communicate. Jesus can talk to us in special ways that we can feel and know in our heart and mind. 
He can put His thoughts and ideas right into our minds. He can put good feelings of peace, joy, love, and faith into our hearts; or warnings and premonitions to alert us to dangers and help us make wise choices. 
He can give us compassionate feelings to move us to act in love towards others. Jesus, through His Spirit, can help us to realise important things while we are reading His Words in the Bible. He can tell us words and messages that we hear with our spirit and can write down or say out loud so that others will know what Jesus said to us. 
Learning how to get quiet and pray and hear God’s Words and messages to us is one of the best things to know. Why? Because no matter how much we think we have learned, we really won’t know everything, and as a result we can get ourselves into a lot of trouble and make a mess of things. 
We’ll get frustrated trying to reach our goals, unless we teamwork with Jesus and hear from Him about the best ways to do things, and what is best to focus on and what to be aware of.
He is gentle and loving and doesn’t boom down His messages like thunder, but likes for us to quiet ourselves and listen. This is the best position to be in. This is the way our heart and mind can best receive what He wants to tell us—the things that will help us meet with success and joy. 
The best way to live a fruitful and happy life is to do God’s will and in His way. When we stop to listen to what He wanted to tell us, then we can find out what He wants us to do, and how He wants us to do it.
*** 
*** 
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Have you ever been too tired to do something that you know you need to do? You feel like you can hardly even lift a finger; your body is in need of rest. But perhaps you then remember that your daddy is going to leave very early the next morning, before you even wake, and you wanted to give him a birthday card to post to your friend. So you pray for the strength to get up, find the letter you wrote, and give it to your daddy so he can mail it the next day.
Having Jesus to call on to supply our every need is a great resource, the best supplier of all that we need. He not only helps us to have all the food, warmth, water, housing and other materials that we need, but He can supply what our bodies can’t. Jesus can do the supernatural—those things that are beyond the normal, natural way. 
There are other kinds of strength too, not just in the physical. There’s the strength of will power, and being able to focus on doing what you want to do, what you know is right, and not giving up until you reach a certain goal.
There’s also the strength of being calm and not easily upset, but patiently bearing with the unpleasant attitudes or unkind behaviour of others, when it’s not the time yet to make it all right yourself, and the Lord wants you to wait.
There’s the strength of faith, knowing God’s Word and knowing that He loves and cares for you, so no matter what goes wrong around you, you believe that as you love and serve the Lord faithfully, He will work everything out together for good in the end. So you don’t worry and get too down and discouraged; you have faith that Jesus is in control and will do what is best for you and others.
There’s the strength of endurance, to keep on going with a job or enduring a painful sickness, or bearing with a trying and hard situation when everything in you just wants it all to stop. To have the strength to do the best you can while patiently waiting for things to change. 
In order for rechargeable batteries to keep working, they need time out to “charge”, and then they are “renewed” and powered again with strength to be used. They can’t just keep going and going for eternity. You have to wait to use them sometimes so they can refill—and have their “strength renewed”. 
So what tip does this verse give us? What is the clue to having the kinds of strength that we need to keep on going and not quit in those times when we must? We need to take time to “wait on the Lord”. 
We need to get recharged with His spirit, with His Words, with His strength. We need to take time to be still and quietly communicate with Jesus, and through doing so we are refilled and our strength is renewed. 
God is the source of all that is good and all that is needed. We’ll never have the strength, joy, perseverance and determination to complete all we need to, on our own energy. We need physical rest, and rest of heart, mind and spirit; time with our Creator, to recharge.
It’s like a steam engine or steamship. It can look big and strong and be making fast headway on their journey, but as soon as the steam runs out, it’s not going to be going anywhere. It has to stay fuelled up, and the fire restocked when it runs low. Then the water can keep on boiling and the power of the steam can keep the vehicle going.
Taking time with Jesus in prayer and time to read God’s Word, and just to rest and wait for Him to do the things we are depending on Him to do, can be like stocking up the fire again. That’s our part to “wait on the Lord”. His part is to do the miracle of transforming that into strength and power in our life—just like the heat from the fire is translated into steam power.
Then, instead of wearily trudging along, discouraged, fatigued and exhausted, with Jesus’ strength in us we’ll feel like we are flying! We’ll have the strength to do what we need to do, just like an eagle has strength to fly.  

*** 
Jeanne Marie Bouvier de La Motte Guyon
“Madam Guyon”
1648-1717
“Thou, Lord, alone art all Thy children need,
And there is none beside; 
From Thee the streams of blessedness proceed;
In Thee the blest abide,
Fountain of life, and all-abounding grace,
Our source, our center, and our dwelling place.
- Jeanne Marie Guyon

 Jeanne Marie Guyon, known as “Madam Guyon”, loved Jesus more than anything or anyone else. She was willing to give up her home and property and wealth to help others come to know Jesus too, when the time was right.
After talking with her, many people found a close relationship with Jesus and learned how to pray and talk with Him, with sincerity. She listened to Jesus and just said what He told her to say. She wanted to only do as He wanted her to. 
The enemy tried many tricks to stop her and the message she was meant to pass on from Jesus. Many times her life was in danger, as living and travelling in the 1600’s had many challenges and difficulties. People told countless lies about her to stir up trouble against her. But she didn’t care what people thought about her or if they were saying bad and untrue things. 
Madam Guyon had peace in her heart through it all, as she kept focusing on the thing that is the most important in the whole world—and the thing that will keep you at peace even in the most difficult and hurtful situations: She focused on Jesus’ love for her, and her love for Him; she just wanted to please Him.
She had many illnesses and endured lots of painful afflictions during her life, but like Psalm 34:19 says, the Lord delivered her out of them all. She wanted to give her whole life and energy and income and all to Jesus. She let nothing hold her back when she was sure Jesus was asking her to do or say something.
Though her life might have seemed like one hard moment after another from the time she was young, until she was elderly, Jesus kept rewarding her love and submission to His plan by giving her special miracles and protection. 
Madam Guyon had a gift of knowing how to help sick people who the doctors said would never recover. She had what could have been fatal accidents and illnesses, but supernaturally recovered. She had a gift of knowing what people were feeling and thinking at times. 
She had a gift of writing many words, very quickly in the night when the Lord would call her to write words to help others get closer to Him. She could write, in one night, what it would take nearly a week of work for those writing out copies of her work to complete. She didn’t think about what to say, but just started to write and Jesus would tell her what to write at the time. She was as His pen, ready to pass on His words.
Madam Guyon cared very much for the poor and needy and always gave whatever she could. Once all she had, after giving up all her wealth to be a humble witness, was just a little ring on her finger. She gave it to a beggar who was in need. Things weren’t comfortable and easy for her, but she either had all that she needed, or the Lord made her not need it, and her body able to manage going without necessities.
Madam Guyon believed everyone could and should have a close relationship with Jesus, and could pray and talk to Jesus any time of day and night, communicating with Him in their heart. She was faithful to tell people that Jesus’ gift of salvation was a free gift to us who love and believe in Him. These messages were helping people to find peace and joy in their heart, and choosing to live for Jesus.
The enemy stirred up much persecution against these truths that she was teaching others. There were those who wanted to stop people from praying, so they tried to stop her from telling others Jesus’ Words from the Bible about prayer, and His message of salvation. 
Madam Guyon spent several years confined in prison towards the end of her life, because of ungodly people raising false charges against her. Even the king said she should not go to prison, but these people that were led of the enemy just kept telling more and worse lies and pressured the king to at last give his consent. Eventually she was released, and lived in peace for the remaining years of her life, though she was not allowed to travel away from that home; however she could minister to those who came to talk with her there.
While in prison she had time to write more songs and poems of praise and love, and she also wrote up her life’s story. It told of how she came to know and love Jesus, and how she’d learned to pray. It told of the miracles Jesus had done for her. It told of her difficulties, yet showed that she had faith through it all. 
The more she loved Jesus and talked to Him about everything, communing in her heart with Him, the more peace and courage she had to face all that she did. She had faith that the difficulties would work for her good, help her learn new things, and make her more like Jesus. She knew Jesus would reward her greatly.
Madam Guyon knew that Jesus had endured so much for us all, and she was willing to endure whatever she needed to in life, to love Jesus, and to tell others about Him. Pleasing and loving Jesus is all that mattered to her. 
*** 
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
(Matthew 7:20)
A delicious fruit, sweet and ripe, without blemish is a beauty and delight. When one looks at that work of edible art; a perfect combination of nutrients, energy-giving matter, and colourful design, they know certain things to be so.
They know the tree which it came from was a good and healthy tree that received adequate watering, sun, and appropriate care. One holding such a quality fruit knows that it was given time to grow to the desired amount without having fallen or been cast prematurely; the life source flowed abundantly through the tree enabling it to continue to nourish the fruit until the time was right and the fruit was ripe.
Pests did not hinder the fruit’s growth, and the blossom that bore it was pollinated properly.
You wouldn’t need to inspect every aspect of the tree, to see if it was working well. Taking one look at the perfectly created fruit, and tasting of its sweetness and richness all the way through tells you that the tree on which it grew is fine and well.
Much the same can be applied to us and the fruits of our labours; our works, and what others see that comes from us.
People need not examine every aspect of our lives, and have a full knowledge of all we have learned throughout our time on Earth; they need not—nor will they have the chance to—ask us a host of detailed questions to reveal exactly what kind of a person we are. 
What determines, in other’s eyes, if we are a noble, charitable person of good conduct and character, is what “fruit” we bear: What do we do? What do we say? What action did we take? What results come of our actions and focused energies.
Do we help good to flourish and provide others with what they need to reach their honourable goals and complete their God-given missions? Or do we bring a discordant confusion, a cacophony of mixed-up ideas of little worth to the minds of those with whom we associate? 
Do we help to provide the building blocks so desperately needed by those who want to build better lives for themselves? What fruits come of our actions? Are people’s lives bettered because of their involvement with us, or are they left lacking essential elements for positive growth and happy living? Or worse yet, are others’ good works and efforts brought to a halt and left in disarray because of our untimely and fruitless words and activities?
What fruit do you bear? People will know you, or assume you to be a certain way, by seeing the results of your thoughts and ideas. 

***  
When We’ve Done Wrong
If we’ve done something wrong, either on purpose, or by mistake, either way there are probably feelings in our heart that make us feel sad or bad; and quite possibly others don’t feel so good about it either. 
We need to make things right. The way to do it is to apologise or say we are sorry, to those who have been negatively affected by our actions, words or conduct. 
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed,” it says in James 5:16.
However, we don’t have to feel condemned and in despair, because mistakes and sometimes making the wrong choices or letting our pride cause us to act unkindly, are things that happen to everyone. They are part of the way we learn. 
We shouldn’t allow the enemy to make us feel down and discouraged, or to think bad thoughts about ourselves. Jesus loves us very much, and can help the mistake to turn into something good; something that we have learned from, and are wiser because of. 
Paul says, in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Jesus doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but to come to Him to ask for His forgiveness, with a humble heart, when we know we have done wrong. 
 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” John says in his book. (1 John 1:9)
Jesus loves us and will forgive us. He wants to give us a new chance to try again. In fact, our mistakes and wrongdoings can humble us and bring us closer to Jesus through knowing of our need for Him. The more we are depending on Him to help us, the better choices we can make. 
The less pride we have, the more loving we will be, and the more of God’s Spirit we can be filled with. Someone who has done wrong, but is sorry and in humility knows they need Jesus, is welcomed by Him.
 “A contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise,” King David says, in Psalm 51:17.
*** 
“Even a child is known by his doings, 
whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”
(Proverbs 20:11)

Do you ever dream of the great things you wish to do one day, when you are “all grown up”? Perhaps you don’t give it much thought, because the challenges, adventures and opportunities for learning new things, fill up your day, thoughts, and time.
But you know, great things start out small. And the younger that you are, the better chance you have to learn special things—things that can only be whispered to your heart and mind when you are young. 
As you get older, more pressures and business might fill your mind, and there are more opportunities to see and do new things. The time for often hearing the little impressionable whispers in your mind is nearly past as you move on with the needs you are compelled to meet when you are grown. You don’t have as much time left in your day to hear the thoughts and ideas right from Heaven, like you might have as a child. 
These days children’s minds are often filled with a whole lot of distracting sights and sounds, electronic devices, homework, and yet more studies and lessons. Then they want to also take time to have fun or be with friends. 
In this modern busy, loud and fast world there’s little chance just to be a child, happily making your little discoveries and having plenty of time to think, to ponder and to learn in peaceful settings. 
However, if you are afforded the time, and you get quiet enough, you might hear the whispers that God wants to put into your mind: ideas, explanations, observations, clever creative plans, and so forth. These are the things that help you to grow into the kind of person you were meant to be. 
When you don’t have time to learn from your Creator, and are only filled with the ridiculous, harmful, or pointless distractions from the world around you, then it takes so much longer to grow into the full and enriched character you were meant to be.
When a child is given the chance to learn in the right ways—ways that teach him all the best things there are to know, and that allow him to quietly learn from nature and from the silent voice of the Lord in his heart and mind—people notice that child as special. His or her qualities and good ideas are able to shine out, and people realise it. 
However, if he is just left to himself without Godly guidance or without being taught to follow the whispers of God’s Holy Spirit in his heart and mind, he’ll be stunted in his good growth, and form the wrong ideas. The child, ever-filled with energy, will use it wrongly; he’ll be misguided. He and others will regret the results. 
Care must be taken to ensure proper growth of mind, storage of quality matters in the heart, the right assumptions and proper explanations, as well as omitting and eliminating the elements of instruction and experience that hinder positive and beneficial growth. 
Those looking at a child, or hearing him or her speak, can often plainly tell whether the child is preparing in heart and mind and body for doing great things with their life, or if they are idling spending their time in vain foolish activities and being subjected to information of the wrong sort. 
But even in the worst of circumstances, if a child’s heart turns to Jesus, to his Lord and Creator, and he wishes to follow the whispers of God’s Spirit in his or her heart, the choices he makes in his day-to-day life will reflect the good he is allowing to influence him. 
By what he says and does, those around him know what he is allowing into his heart and mind, and what things he is shunning. According to his thoughts, words, actions and deeds the foundation will be laid for either a difficult life of waste, or a fruitful and beautiful life.