Psalm 22:4-5 – In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (ESV)

Bill was our show horse. He was a gaited horse, a beautiful racker. He had five different gaits, or manners in which he lifted his feet, that made him a smooth rider. The rack was his best: a fast, flashy, four-beat gait in which his feet touched the ground separately and at equal intervals. He was a beautiful horse, our best, and loved to show off his strut once he arrived at the shows.

But Bill had one flaw: he was spooked out by the loading ramp of the truck. Unknown to his previous owner, the horse trainer had beaten Bill, and the loading ramp was one of his hang-ups from abuse. He would not trust us or obey us to walk up the ramp. Instead, he would be so frightened that he would shake, tremble, and quiver until the ramp was removed. Then, taking a giant leap, he would jump into the truck. How much easier loading would have been if only he could have trusted us!

How many times do we, like Bill, forget that God is in our corner, if only we will turn to Him and trust Him! We find ourselves losing sleep, worrying, fretting, and suffering unfounded anxiety, all because we have not turned to God with our issues. Some who have not yet learned that God is trustworthy may feel that that is a giant leap! But God is trustworthy! His Word guarantees it.

As the song Trust and Obey tells us:

For the favour He shows,
For the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

– John H. Sammis

How much easier our problems are to bear when we are in partnership with God. The peace of mind that trusting brings is so comforting. I had to put this principle into practice in my own life when driving home awhile ago. The pharmacy called me on my cell and told me that my medicare plan was rejecting my card for payment of a very expensive prescription. I had done my homework, so I placed my trust in God that they would get it worked out, and they did. That is peace of mind.

Prayer: O God, when an issue seems difficult at best, we need to remember to give our problems to You. We thank You for faith to believe in help that is ours only by turning to You, trusting, and obeying. Amen.

During his lifetime, my husband Roger was a scuba diver, and built himself a ski boat. He was also an excellent photographer, and built his own airplane, from which, for farmers, he took aerial photos of ditches. He also toured over a hundred thousand miles on a BMW motorcycle. He is the pecan and walnut tree expert that people call for advice, and he grafted five different kinds of apples onto one apple tree. There just wasn't much he couldn't do.

It takes great courage to see him now, with Parkinson's disease. Very seldom does he shake, but there is no muscle strength left, so in this condition, he is not even able to shave himself. We are grateful, however, that he still has his sharp mind. Unlike my friend who told me that the worst day of her life was the one on which her husband entered extended health care, I thank God daily since October 15th for Roger's good care, because physically I could not do it any more.

My contribution now is taking the laptop over to entertain him and play DVDs and VHS tapes of our motorhome trips and life out west, which he considers to be one of the happiest times of our lives. I just got back from showing him one of his flights on which he held the camera and even filmed landing on the runway. Some of the nurses came in and watched. He had several of them as students when he was a school teacher or principal for thirty-eight years.

The Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, was the first to encourage Roger to donate his brain to science after death, because of the inherited type of Parkinson's that he has. When he first told me that he wanted to do that, I was reluctant to accept his plan. Donated brains have to be at the research centre within six hours of the death of the donor. But when I considered how this malady has afflicted so many members of his family, I had to think of our children and grandchildren. It took a lot of prayer, but I agreed. It has been arranged with the funeral home and the Indiana University Medical Center.

I realize that Scripture is silent on the matter of donating organs for scientific research or for transplant when they are no longer needed. For me, it was an act of faith to agree to it — a personal decision with no specific guidance in Scripture. I don't intend to tell readers that such a decision is right for them — who can tell how God's will might be performed by making such a decision? For example, a fellow with whom I used to teach lost his son in an accident. Paul's heart was given to a doctor who would have not made it without a heart transplant. The doctor actually came and talked to our class after he was well enough.

In many jurisdictions, when renewing a driver's license, we can indicate that we want to be an organ donor. This information is transferred to a databank of possible donors.

What an amazing opportunity we have to be able to donate organs and give the gift of life! It's an opportunity we all should consider taking advantage of.

Prayer: O God, we give thanks for the loving ones who have seen to caring beyond themselves, who have displayed love for others by donating the gift of life, prolonging someone's life or furthering research into some of the hitherto incurable maladies. Amen.

Philippians 3:14 – I press on toward the goal for the prize for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (NASB)

As you ramble on through life, brother,
Whatever be your goal,
Keep your eye upon the donut,
And not upon the hole.

Many years ago, these words hung above the counter in our local café. I have read that the same prophetic words were displayed in a Downyflake Donut shop in Australia's Chadstone shopping centre at one time.

My experience practicing this discipline came with returning to college. Much older now, married, and a mother of three, I had to keep focused to reach the long-term goal of graduating as a teacher, to ensure that our own three would be financially able to realize a college education.

My weakest moment came the morning I skipped a class, staying home to study for a test at noon.

Going down the road to pick up the babysitter, I noticed our horse racing across the bean stubbles, tail in full glory like black streamers in the wind. He had gotten out of the barn. It was my responsibility to get him corralled before I could continue.

Tired from corralling the horse and studying, on top of all my regular household duties, as I approached the steps of the college hall where the test was being held, I was very close to giving up the call and losing the focus of the plan. I found myself audibly saying, "Who is making me do this?"

In that moment, I decided to trust God. His confirmation for my decision came in hearing the noon chimes from the bell tower and the uplifting song, My faith looks up to Thee.

We've all had those moments when it becomes increasingly difficult to press on for some obtained goal, when we must cling to our faith that God will help us run in such a way that we may win.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we are so grateful for the times when, through the love of the Father and the Holy Spirit, You have directed us and kept us on course to complete our goals. Amen.

One memory of my teenage years is the spring my dad shipped in a thousand sheep by rail from Texas. With our hired help on horseback, we herded them off the train, down the main street of our small town, and out the west road to our bluegrass farm. I was posted on my horse at the entrance of the lane to make certain they turned in. What a sight! As they came down the road eight abreast, I marvelled how much it was like a scene out of a western movie.

By early fall, my awe changed into a nightmare. Winter decided to arrive early in Indiana. The first hard freeze moved in overnight. Early morning found me helping the others cut the sheep's wool loose from the ground so that they could be free to feed at the feeding stations.

We needed a miracle. By mid-morning, we had freed only two hundred sheep. Like the tired and doubting disciples, we felt that the thousand sheep to feed might as well have been five thousand, with the feat ahead of us. Also like the disciples, we realized the inadequacy of our own resources. We needed our faith and trust in God reaffirmed — that somehow He would help us through this unusual happening.

By 10:00 a.m., the sun came out, and it being early fall, the sun shone down with melting results, and the remaining sheep — close to eight hundred — were able to get up by their own volition. Like Christ feeding the five thousand, the sheep were satisfied at the troughs.

When we are challenged in an oppressive situation, we need to remember that God will see us through. We must not be overwhelmed with the vastness of the problem and give up, because His promises are true. Let us remember that God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)

Prayer: Lord, we do thank You for the times when we can trust You to come through, even when we are discouraged and lacking in faith to the point that we let our inadequacies almost blind us to Your possibilities of help. Amen.

Revelation 14:13 – And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!" (NLT)

"Red" was the horse we used at the rodeos to run in competition racing. Once the race was over and he left the track, he behaved himself, going down the main street of our small town. But as soon as the west road appeared, it took all my strength to hold him, because he was going home.

It required me to stand up in the stirrups and pull back on the reins, sea-sawing his bit, to hold him back.

He had run the race. He had done what was expected of him and was excited to go home.

He was going home where he could get the burden of the saddle and girth off, plus the restraint of the bridle and the martingale, that prevented him from throwing his head. His reward was rolling and roaming in the bluegrass.

2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (NIV)

How much our lives are like Red's. We run the race, we do what God expects of us with our talents and gifts, knowing that, in the end, our reward will be abandoning our trials and saddle bags of burdens, and dwelling in the house of the Lord forever.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we take heart in Your words of assurance that You have gone to prepare a place for us, a better place than we have known on earth, free of worry and trials. Amen.

Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NASB)

My horse, Mabel, was the answer for a small boy's broken heart and cry for comfort.

Little did I realize, the night I sold her, what a significant role she would play in the small lad's life.

Oh, of course, Mabel showed off when he mounted her, attempting to throw him off by whirling, just like she had treated me the first time I rode her. She was a one-person horse.

I assured him that with kind words, brown sugar, and patience, she would make up with him. And to bond further with her, he should talk to her while riding. She would prick her ears back and listen. Then, he would be the one-and-only. If he had no success, I would take her back.

A few years passed, and finally, a letter came from his mother to let us know that Mabel had died.

The letter also explained that Mabel was the answer to his prayer, a prayer he had nightly prayed to God to send a replacement for his twin brother, who had died in an accident. She had become his close companion, helping to mend his broken heart.

God's love and care for him and for other children in grief permeates this account. God comforted him when he was hurting and feeling lonely, and through Mabel, the boy was able to live again. God does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

Ezekiel 18:32 – For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! (NIV)

Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (NIV)

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank You for Your goodness, and for being a refuge in times of trouble for all of us. We know that You care for all who trust in You. Amen.

During the years that we wintered in the desert southwest, I volunteered four days at holiday time as an escort for the Salvation Army.

The generosity of the wealthy to those in need was overwhelming. For example, one businessman donated one hundred bicycles each year.

Buses were placed downtown so shoppers could fill them with toys and clothing, which were then distributed at our rented facility. Money donations were used to buy the food that was given out.

It was well organized. Each day, each of the four hundred people who appeared showed proof of income and birth certificates of their children to the twelve volunteers working at computers. Afterwards, we escorts took them through a room laid out with stations for different ages: infants, ages 2-4, 5-7, etc.

One adult could choose one toy and one piece of clothing for each child. They could not go back and switch, but had to keep moving on.

The largest number of bags I handled was for six children, and the least was a bag for one child whose father came. This father was close to thirty, had a limp, and was very thin. His kind manner and politeness were most touching. He was so appreciative of what he chose, but he was disappointed that he hadn't seen Kermit the Frog sooner, as this was a favourite of his little boy. So I motioned to the facilitator to charge it to me, and we added it to his bag.

The last room was where the 12 inch by 14 inch boxes full of groceries were stored, each box with a turkey and celery peeking out the top.

As I helped him out the door, I realized that he had come on a bicycle. We anchored the box on the handlebars and tied Kermit and the other gifts on the back. I watched as he left, asking God please to help him make it home.

Prayer: God, we do give thanks for all those who share Your blessings and their time so that those less fortunate can have a happy holiday. We need these acts of kindness pointed out to balance all the negative, brutal acts that take place in our society. Amen.