Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to him in song. --Psalm 28:7

In American history, Abraham Lincoln is lauded for his dynamic leadership during the Civil War. He's praised for the eloquent words of his Gettysburg address. And he's immortalized as the man who freed the slaves.

Abraham Lincoln, though, is not so well known for his own private battle with severe depression or for his wonderful remedy to his personal problem: laughter.

For example, Lincoln often told the story of two women who spread rumors in Washington about Confederate President Jefferson Davis and himself.

These women had a conversation comparing the virtues and potential of the two leaders. One said to the other, "I think Davis will succeed because he's a praying man." The other relied, "But so is Lincoln."

"Yes, but when Abraham prays, the Lord will think he's joking!"

Abraham Lincoln had a terrific sense of humor...and he was able to find joy during times when there wasn't a whole lot to laugh about.

What about you? Are you able to find joy and laughter even when your circumstances seem bleak?

Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Take comfort and find joy in the knowledge that Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, loves you.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Praise God by singing a hymn or a chorus and ask the Lord to allow His joy to radiate in you in all circumstances.

[Judy Harder]

August 15, 2011     


Daily Living for Seniors
     
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  --Philippians 3:13-14

You are probably familiar with the story of Paul Revere.

On the evening of April 18, 1775, he jumped on a borrowed horse and began his famous midnight ride to Lexington, Massachusetts, where he would warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British troops were marching to arrest them.

But it's what happened after midnight that makes the story interesting!

In Lexington, Revere met up with two men, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott. The men planned to ride to Concord where weapons and supplies lay hidden. But about an hour later, a British patrol arrested all three men.

Prescott and Dawes managed to slip away and several hours later the British troops freed Paul Revere...but without his borrowed horse. In reality, Paul Revere never actually completed his ultimate mission!

So often in life, our enemy, the devil, tries to keep us from doing great things for God by taking away our horse. Satan will do all he can to keep us from completing our "mission" because the last thing he wants is for us to serve God...to win the prize for which He has called us.

No matter what the devil may do to discourage you, press on! Don't let the obstacles, whether distractions, hurt feelings, or illness, stop you from doing what the Lord has called you to do!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Regardless of what you're going through today, ask God for the strength to persevere...to win the prize He has called you to.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. --Isaiah 40:31

Charles M. Schulz, the creator of "Peanuts," said much of the inspiration for his comic strip came from his seemingly never-ending stream of bad luck and blunders in childhood.

Like the time a local movie theater promised the first 100 children in line a yummy chocolate bar they could enjoy during the show. Schulz eagerly joined in the queue, already tasting the tantalizing chocolate in his mouth. He waited patiently...only to discover he was number 101 in line!

It's easy to become discouraged when you eagerly wait for something and have your hopes dashed. The enemy wants nothing more than for you to be discouraged and doubt God at times like these. But oftentimes God uses our disappointments to draw us closer to Him.

When you feel let down, look up to the Father. Praise Him in the midst of your sadness. Psalm 33:18 says "the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love."

Draw closer to Him, and you will find yourself refreshed with a new hope. Don't let the enemy steal your joy, no matter what you may be going through today!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: When you face seasons of disappointment, ask God to help you remember He is there for you, waiting to draw you closer to Him.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. --1 Thessalonians 5:11

Each school year a fifth-grade teacher assigned her students a very special writing assignment. She asked them to write a nice sentence about each classmate.

It could be something they liked about the person or something they thought the person did well. The teacher then went line by line and put together a list for each student of all the nice words their classmates had written.

When this special teacher retired, many of her former students, who are now adults, came to her retirement party. But they carried with them more than just good fifth-grade memories. One by one, each student took out faded, well-worn sheets of paper...the treasured lists of encouragement.

One woman in her 20s told the teacher that whenever she felt down, she would open her scrapbook and read those words. A 40-something-year-old man admitted he carried his list with him in his wallet. Those positive words left a powerful, lasting impression!

Have you ever had someone say something nice that boosted your spirits or heard a kind word that made you smile?

Maybe you know someone who lives alone. Imagine how a timely phone call to see how they are would help. Perhaps writing a note to a friend who is ill might boost their spirits. There's so much you can do and say today to encourage those around you with the love of Christ!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for those timely, positive words people have said to you, and ask Him for opportunities where you can encourage others today.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. --Psalm 86:15

In 1859, a prominent French banker named Jean-Henri Dunant set off to see Napoleon about a financial transaction.

Running late, however, he found himself on a hilltop watching in horror as Napoleon's troops engaged in a brutal battle with the Austrians below. The images Dunant saw of the young dying soldiers and the wounded crying out in pain seared into his mind.

Then the next day, he saw a similar scene in a small, neighboring town. After a battle, terrified refugees were huddled together...and the wounded and dead lay everywhere. And as a result, Dunant decided to postpone his trip to visit Napoleon to stay and comfort the wounded solders and care for the frightened citizens.

This experience ignited a passion in the heart of Jean-Henri Dunant, and he started a crusade to help those in need. His efforts eventually won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, and the organization he founded, the American Red Cross, continues to help millions around the world today.

Like Jean-Henri Dunant, you've probably seen something that touched your heart and made you think differently. You've probably seen someone in need and wanted to help.

Unlike Dunant, however, you may not know what you can do to help those in need. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Anything you do for others in the name of Jesus, whether it's as simple as donating canned goods to your local food bank, supporting a local charity with a financial gift, or going on a short-term mission trip, is blessed in the eyes of God.

This should challenge each of us to go out of our way to help those in need! I hope you'll take time today and every day to show the love and compassion of Christ to someone who needs it.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God for opportunities where you can show compassion to others, and thank Him for the kindness He has shown you.

[Judy Harder]

August 19, 2011     


Daily Living for Seniors
     
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. --John 3:16

It all began with a single red paper clip.

Kyle McDonald of Montreal, Quebec wanted to see if he could eventually barter for a house in less than a year starting with only a red paper clip.

So first, he went online and traded the red paper clip for a pen that looked like a fish. That fish pen soon became a homemade doorknob...that became a camping stove...then a generator...and so on.

Near the end of his year-long trading spree, McDonald bartered a rare snow globe for a movie role. Then the small town of Kipling, Saskatchewan, offered to trade McDonald a three-bedroom house for the movie role, which they planned to auction off.

McDonald agreed and achieved his goal. From a mere red paper clip, he gained a house!

Have you ever thought about how valuable you are? You're so valuable, so priceless, that God made the ultimate trade for you! John 3:16 says He gave his only Son so that you could spend eternity with Him! You mean that much to Him.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the worth He sees in you and praise Him for His gift of eternal life.

[Judy Harder]

August 22, 2011     

I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. --Acts 20:24

Dick Hoyt and his son, Rick, have completed countless races together, including the Boston Marathon and the grueling Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii.

While these are impressive feats, it's almost unbelievable when you consider that Rick suffers from cerebral palsy and is a quadriplegic!

During their triathlons, Dick pulls his son in a special boat. He cycles with Rick seated on the front of the bike, and then runs with his son in a special wheelchair.

Dick wasn't particularly athletic when his son, who couldn't speak, wanted to take part in a five-kilometer benefit race as a young boy. But after seeing his son's unbridled joy during the race, Dick decided the two should do more together. Today, Team Hoyt regularly finishes in the top quarter of the races they enter.

What drives this loving father to work so hard? He knows that his son Rick doesn't feel handicapped when they race together.

Isn't this a beautiful picture of God's love and concern for you and me? When we're weak, God is strong. He's there to push us, pull us, and even carry us through obstacles we cannot conquer on our own.

That's why we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37)!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for His fatherly love and that He is always there to push, pull, and carry you in any situation.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! --2 Corinthians 5:17

A young, enterprising store clerk convinced his boss a ten-cent sale would be a great way to reduce inventory. The boss agreed, and the sale was a tremendous success.

This gave the young man an idea: He would open his own store stocking nickel and dime merchandise! So the young man approached his boss and asked him to invest in his idea for a portion of the profits.

The boss said no. He thought the idea was ridiculous, and told the young man, "Honestly, where would you find enough merchandise to sell for a mere nickel or dime?"

The determined young clerk went ahead with his plans anyway. And eventually, F.W. Woolworth had stores all over the country!

Later, his former boss said with regret, "As far as I can figure out, every word I used to turn Woolworth down cost me about a million dollars."

Do you have something in your past you regret? Perhaps it's losing contact with someone you love or holding a grudge. Or losing a relationship. Or being unforgiving. The good news of Jesus Christ is that every day is a new day for His followers! His blood has cleansed you from all your sins and Jesus gives you the amazing opportunity to start anew every day!

That's the power of His grace!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the cleansing power of the cross to erase all your sins. And ask Him to help you with any past regrets you might have. By His grace you can start anew.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." --Matthew 17:20

There once was an Episcopal bishop in Ohio who stood in his pulpit and declared that flying through the air was both impossible and against the will of God.

It seems, though, that Bishop Wright's sons, Orville and Wilbur, didn't think much of their father's pronouncement...they invented the airplane anyway!

Have you ever felt strongly that something was impossible? Philippians 4:13 says "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." It doesn't say some things. It says all things.

Most would have said it was impossible for Sarah to have Isaac in her 90s. That it was impossible for Jonah to survive three days in the belly of a fish only to be spat out exactly where he was supposed to be.

And that Jesus' death and resurrection was impossible...only for Him to die and rise again so that you might have a relationship with God!

If you have an obstacle in your life you aren't sure you can overcome, don't be discouraged. Take heart because God can do the impossible! Trust in this promise today.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God that through Him all things are possible and ask for His power to do the impossible in your life today!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. --Psalm 20:7

While serving in World War I as a merchant marine, British actor Herbert Marshall was required to wear a foul-smelling life jacket.

He hated wearing the putrid preserver, and at the close of the war, contemptuously tossed the repulsive object overboard in celebration. He then watched in horror as the long-tormenting object sank like a rock!

Like Herbert Marshall, you and I often put our security in things that really won't save us. Things like material possessions, finances, and job status...even things like our own good works.

In Jeremiah 17:5, God warns us, "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD." But two verses later He says, "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him."

So I want to ask you an honest question today: Who (or what) do you put your confidence in? If your trust isn't in Jesus Christ, you're holding onto a life preserver that will sink when you need it the most!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Praise God that He is trustworthy, and ask Him to help you fully put your trust and confidence in Him.