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Peace in the middle of the storm “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’” —Mark 4:37-38 In this one fantastic story we have Christ in His humanity and Christ in His deity. God in His humanity, weak and frail and tired at times.  But not only do we see the mystery of His humanity, but in this same story Mark is quick to tell us of the miracle of His majesty; because the same Christ, asleep in the bottom of the boat, is able to rise and with the word of His power He controls the realms of nature. Fear and anxiety are major problems in today's world.  We face panic and trouble and tribulation all around. Sometimes even the strongest Christians find themselves swamped by circumstances, and we're tempted to be afraid and even to panic.  We wonder, "God, where are you?  God, what's happening in my life?  Don't you care!?" We can know that the same Christ who stilled the storm that day on the Sea of Galilee is the Prince of Peace who stills the storm in our hearts and in our lives and calms our own troubled seas. There are times in our lives when we wonder where is God, but if you're a child of God... if you're a Christian... if He's in your boat, even when He seems absent, He's present. Practice the peace of God every day of your life by keeping your mind on Him. Tuesday, November 20, 2018 Plenty of Reasons by Dr. Paul Chappell “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1–5 Calvin Coolidge did not expect to sit in the Oval Office, but the sudden death of President Warren Harding in August of 1923 saw him elevated to lead the United States of America. Coolidge relied on his devout faith in God to meet the challenges he faced. Three months after taking the oath of office, Coolidge issued his first Thanksgiving proclamation. Coolidge wrote, “The American people, from their earliest days, have observed the wise custom of acknowledging each year the bounty with which divine Providence has favored them. We have never failed to find reasons for being grateful to God for a generous preponderance of the good. Even in the least propitious times, a broad contemplation of our whole position has never failed to disclose overwhelming reasons for thankfulness. Thus viewing our situation, we have found warrant for a more hopeful and confident attitude toward the future.” All of us have received numerous blessings from the Lord for which we should be grateful, not just at one special time of the year, but day after day after day. There is no excuse for us not to be thankful because of the amazing and undeserved blessings God pours out on us day after day. Too many times, we think His blessings are the result of our merit rather than His grace. But all good things come from Him, and we must humbly recognize His role and give Him praise and thanks. Today’s Growth Principle:  A person who says he has nothing for which to give thanks is forgetting the innumerable blessings of God.