a Heart's Ramblings.

a hymn written by Anna L. Waring in 1850: Father, I know that all my life Is portioned out for me, And the changes that are sure to come I do not fear to see; I ask Thee for a present mind, Intent on pleasing Thee. I would not have the restless will That hurries to and fro, Seeking for some great thing to do Or secret thing to know; I would be treated as a child And guided where I go. Wherever in the world I am, In whatsoever estate, I have a fellowship with hearts To keep and cultivate .

"Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature…. If the next centennial does not find us a great nation … it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces." | James Garfield, 20th President of the United States |

"When God is teaching us to walk by faith, not by what we feel, He withdraws from our emotions. He hides from our feelings. So instead, we have to take on trust that He is with us. In His hiddenness, we learn to believe that “God will never leave us or forsake us,” and we establish a pattern of simple faith that “He is with us always.” - Graham Cooke

God promises all that we need for life and godliness; with no exception. And when the Bible says all  that we need, it means... all ! Our good and gracious Father does not give us a little sliver of grace for obedience, and then leave us exhausting ourselves in futile attempts to draw strength from the well of self-effort. He gives the full measure of grace needed to victoriously live the Christian life, not just sometimes, not just when our “if only” ideals become reality. Right now, in your current situation and season of life, God has made available to you all that is needed for glad obedience. It is when we are relying on our own strength and power to obey, and not on the power of Christ, that we find ourselves failing and faltering! It is then, when we are tempted to shift the blame for disobedience onto our circumstances; it is then that we insist that we would obey “if only”. If you are not giving out of your little, you will not give out of your plenty. God d...