We are now owners of our third car.  Our oldest daughter got her license in November and thus began our journey for another vehicle.  With that third car has come an obvious new expense, another tank of gas to fill, another car to insure, another driver to insure, and another car to take care of.  The first few months were going smoothly.  But then the arctic cold hit our state.  School was cancelled for four days and that car sat in the driveway without the protection of a semi-warm garage.  The car handled the first extreme cold day okay.  The second cold day however was a different story.  It wouldn’t start.  Later in the day we jumped it and drove it around for 30-40 minutes and decided we would just turn it on a few times a day.  That worked…..for another few days.  The cold snap ended and school resumed on a Friday.  My daughter drove herself and her brother to school just fine.  After school though, the car wouldn’t start.  After another jump we brought the car to our local repair shop to find out the cold had killed her battery and she needed a new one.  $200.00 later we had a new battery and the discovery that there was a battery plug in her car this whole time.  We only needed to plug the car in on extreme cold days and the life of the battery will for sure be extended.

This is just like life.  Some days the battery just dies and there is nothing we can do about it.  Other days the battery dies, but we discover a plug to keep us going for the long haul.

Today my heart is hurting.  It’s a time in my life when I’m feeling alone and fearful.  Wondering if this battery is gonna die or if I’m going to find the plug to keep it going for the long haul.  At this point I’m in the valley and the mountaintop seems so far away.  But I was doing my daily devotions this morning and was reminded that even in our times of struggles,  I can sing praises to God because his love endures forever!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. – Psalm 107:1

You see our earthly life is temporary my friends.  We are filled by earthly circumstances that change, people that are imperfect just like us, and times when the struggles just make us feel tired and alone.  By reading Psalm 107 today I am reminded of the constant of God’s love.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever….Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress…Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love…for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things…Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind…Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind…Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress…Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind…But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks.  The upright see and rejoice…Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord. – Psalm 107:1,6, 8-9, 13-15, 19-21, 28, 31, 41-43.

There may be days in your lives when your struggles become overwhelming.  When you are so tired.  When it all becomes too much.  But we need to continue to have faith and rely on that faith that the valley will eventually turn into a mountain top.  Even if we can’t see it now, we can rest in the everlasting love of God that is ALWAYS there.

God is my ROCK.  He is steadfast and loves me.  I know that he is in control.  Today I turn over my struggles to him.  I lay them down right at the feet of Jesus.  Then I will lay down my head and be grateful and thankful that he is always there.  That he will always be.  That he will always love.  On this Valentine’s day we need to all sing praises to our God for his most perfect love!

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.

– Psalm 107:1