For the Brokenhearted Mothers and Mothers-to-Be

With Mother's Day just a few days away, I can not help but remember what I was feeling this time last year.  You can read my exact feelings in this post, but to sum it up I can say that I was dreading the day.  I was grieving my two miscarriages that had occurred in the 6 months before and facing a very discouraging infertility diagnosis.  My empty arms and empty womb were a painful and tangible reminder of a dream I'd had since childhood that seemed to be slipping away, the dream of being a mother.  This year I'm on the other side of a miracle, just 8 weeks away from my due date, counting down the minutes until, Lord willing, I get to hold my baby girl in my arms for the first time.  I'm full of the joy of anticipation and the immeasurable gratitude to my God for this life that is even now squirming inside of me.  And yet, I can not help but remember my sisters out there who are still waiting, still grieving, still longing for a child of their own.  I do not take a thing for granted even as I believe in faith that this child I will bear is the answer to my prayers.  I know that so many of you have prayed and are still praying for your own miracle child and are trying to find hope, even in moments when you despair.  In the past year, I've known women who have lost their children to miscarriage, stillbirth, chromosomal disorders, and tragic accidents.  I have been witness to their grief and misery. I have shed tears with them and for them.  I have prayed for their hearts to be mended and their grief to subside.  Even now, I hope with them as they continue to long for children of their own, and I know that if I, with all of my human shortcomings, will remember them on this Mother's Day, God remembers them all the more.  

He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:23

Throughout the Bible we see that God remembers His people.  He hears their cries of pain and sorrow. He rescues them from misery.  He restores them to a place of joy.  This Mother's Day, I want to remind all of you with empty wombs and empty arms, that the same God who remembered the children of Israel, remembers you.  The Savior knows how you hurt, and He hurts with you.  He knows the desires of your heart, and He has a plan for you.  It was last August that I began to realize I needed to wait on the Lord for a child, stop trying to find my own solution, and allow Him to do the work that only He can do, the work of creation.  It was in early September that I completely surrendered to His timing and plan for when I would get to be a mother.  I did so with the full knowledge and expectation that I might have months or even years ahead of me with no children.  I did so knowing that His answer to my prayers might not include me carrying a child in my womb.  I did so knowing that I might have many Mays to face with no cards on Mother's Day.  I did so because I trust Him. At the end of the day, I trust that God knows better for me than I know for myself.  He sees my future when I can only glimpse today.  He loves me more than I can ever imagine loving anyone. 

I hope you know the same is true for you.  God knows what is the absolute best plan for your life and that is the plan He has you working towards.  It will not feel good at all times and it will come with hardships, but it is still His best for you.  God does not just see where you are right now, but what your future holds.  His perspective is greater than yours so His knowledge of what is best is superior to yours.  God loves you in a way that you can't even comprehend. All the love you feel for the children you lost is just a fraction of what God feels for you as His child.  He is not some distant figure, but a loving father who grieves with you.  Know that He is always working to mend your broken heart.  I pray that you will trust Him this Mother's Day.  Trust Him with your dreams and desires. Trust Him by turning to Him in your moments of despair.  As you carry your burden week by week, allow God to carry it with you by reading His word, praying to Him,  going to church, and praising Him in the midst of your sorrow.  These may not be the easiest steps to take, but I know personally that they are the best and only steps that will return you to a place of joy.  I will be thinking of you all on this Mother's Day, and I can say with a certainty that God will most definitely be thinking of you too!

A Really Good Friday

What a difference a year makes.  Last year on Good Friday morning I was having a D&C after my second miscarriage.  I was heartbroken and grieving, but at the same time I was thankful for the foundation in my life, the Savior that died for me on this day over 2000 years ago.  When I woke up from the procedure, the first question I asked my doctor was if I could go to church and sing with the choir that night.  I woke up knowing that I had so much to be thankful for in spite of the pain and grief I was feeling.  I woke up determined to live out the words that I read so often in Job 1:21,

"I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away.  Praise the name of the Lord!"

It didn't matter what my current pain was because in my heart I knew it was temporary, just as this life on earth is.  The greater joy in my life is my eternity.  The forever that I get to spend with Christ when I leave this world is enough reason to praise God no matter  my circumstances.  That joy, that hope that I possess is something I want to share with others who don't yet know it.   As I enter into this Easter weekend, I'll continue to invite as many people as I can to the Good Friday and Easter Sunday worship experiences at my church, because I know there are people who will hear the Gospel this weekend and become a part of the family of God through Christ. 

This Good Friday, I woke up not just to the incredible joy of my salvation, but the extra bonus gift I've received.  My child kicking in my womb.  I'm 100 days from my due date and beyond thankful that God has chosen to bless me in this way.  This current happiness is the overflow I believe David was referring to when he said, "My cup overflows with blessings." 

Whatever your circumstances may be this Friday, I encourage you to praise the name of the Lord.  Remember that your joy is based on your Savior and not on your situation.  If this year finds you at a low point, know that it is temporary.  If this year finds you at a high point, rejoice in the abundant blessings.  Don't let your faith and your joy be swayed by your right now.  Base your faith and your joy on your forever, Jesus Christ.  Share that faith and joy with others this weekend and every day of your life on this earth so they too can know the joy of a loving Savior!

If You've Ever Had to Struggle

Recently my church hosted a guest pastor, Greg Rohlinger, who shared not just a message, but his life.  It is by far one of the most incredible messages I have ever heard and one I plan to revisit regularly to remind me of the profound truth shared, that is so easily forgotten when we go through difficult times.  I implore you to take the time to watch this message.  I promise you will benefit from his words and gain perspective from his story.  

Greg Rohlinger's Incredible Message

Just Janky

So, I like to use the word "janky"!  I've used it for years and, occasionally, I forget myself and use it when I'm speaking.  When this happens, I realize it is a slang term that may not be widely known so I have to pause and explain it to my audience, not because I'm worried they won't get what I'm saying, but because I don't want them to go out there and use it incorrectly.  That is the worst.  So I decided it was worth a blog post to explain the word.  

janky: (jan'-kee) low quality; messed up 

Some examples? 

"All I know is when I put on that polka dot top with those paisley pants, I looked janky!"

"I knew this cake would taste good, but it looked so janky when the top layer fell apart,  I had to just eat it myself." 

"The reason no one wants to hear her talk about Christ is because her attitude is so janky!"

Now, that last statement is not just to help you know how to use the word, but to remind you of how your attitude and behavior can misrepresent Christ!  I spoke to a fabulous group of women this weekend at Fellowship Orlando about the danger of Christians walking around being rude, judgmental, superior, and antagonistic, making our Savior look bad.  There is absolutely nothing unattractive about Jesus, so when people find our faith unattractive it is because of something we are doing.  I understand that we all have bad days and a janky attitude can sneak up on the best of us. I've certainly had one from time to time.  However, we don't have the luxury of taking a day off from being the salt of the earth, the light of the world. 

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others,that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:13-15

God is counting on us to be His representatives to the lost people of the world. Lost people are watching you all the time.  Whether you are at home, work, school, the mall, or the gym.  People are watching you who know you are a Christ-follower, and what you do and say will either draw them to Christ or turn them away from Christ for another day.  I'm not saying every time you correctly represent Christ in the world someone is going to accept him in that moment, but I do know that you are either moving them another step closer to the Lord, or driving them a little farther away. Each day we have to choose our attitude.  Sometimes each minute of each day.  We have to choose to selflessly put aside our own feelings or frustrations and represent our God to the best of our ability. What does that look like?  I think the best description of a "non-janky", Christ-like demeanor is found in Galations 5:22-23,

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

If your behavior can be described by any of these words, then you are safe from being described as just janky!

How I Started My Morning

The best way I know to get myself in the right frame of mind on any day is to start the day right and that means starting it with Christ.  Reading verses from God's Word and singing a song of praise are perfect to do just that.  This is how I started my day this morning.  Just thought I would share both with you today. 

Verses:
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.  And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.  God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.  If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.

1 John 4:7-21

Song: 

How He Loves  Kim Walker/ Jesus Culture

15 Items or Less (Fewer)

When I was single, I probably went into the grocery store once a month at the most.  My fridge was there to hold condiments, drinks, and the carry out containers from all of my dining out leftovers.   However since, I've been married I actually have a refrigerator full of food to be cooked and prepared, which means I now make the weekly trek to the grocery store with occasional drop-ins in between.  Now that the grocery store has become a regular part of my life experience, I have taken it on myself to learn the etiquette of grocery shopping and function accordingly.  I double check my list before heading to the checkout line so that I don't have to run back for anything.  I quickly load my items onto the conveyor belt so that the clerk is not waiting for me when he/she gets to scanning.  I pull out my method of payment while the clerk is scanning so that the minute a total is read, I'm ready to swipe my card, and I load bags into my cart as they are filled up so when I'm handed my receipt, I'm good to go.  All this allows the check-out clerk to run at maximum efficiency, and keeps the people behind me smiling at me with vague friendliness rather than mentally choking me for slowing them down.
  
However, I have begun to to notice that there are some people out there who just can't handle the check-out line in a grocery store.  I'm not saying it's the majority.  Most people understand the etiquette that comes with lining up to pay for their groceries, but at least once a month I encounter one of the handful of people who forget that anyone else exists and turn the check-out experiences into a tortuous gauntlet.   Last month it was a lady who seemed to be trying to stick to a budget, but was not aware that you can add up the cost of your groceries as you put them in the basket.  She waited until she was checking out with three people behind her to stop the clerk between each item to see what her total was so far.  Then we had to wait while she thought about whether or not she wanted to keep the last few items that had apparently sent her over her budgeted total.  After two minutes of pondering, we had to wait for her to dig into the secret compartment of her wallet to pull out the extra cash for her splurge.  Of course by this time there were six people behind her rather than three and I could feel the heat of their eyes scorching my neck as the murderous beams were being thrown.  This week it was a man and his wife who couldn't find the orange juice.  He asked the clerk if they had any, which of course they did and then sent his wife looking while the clerk began scanning their items.  I knew this was not going to end well when the wife walked away at a normal pace.  Her legs were moving at a fourth of the speed that the clerk's arm was scanning. Of course the clerk finished and there was no sign of the wife.  The two of us behind them turned to five while we waited for the wife to come back.  When the husband glimpsed his wife way down the aisle looking aimlessly, he asked the clerk to go help her.  When the clerk said he'd have to get someone else to help her and needed the man to pay for what he had so far so he could help the other customers in line (8 now) the man glanced at all of us behind him with no concern and said, "I'm a customer."

As I walked to my car some minutes later, I reflected on these semi-regular encounters I have and realized that they are great examples of how selfishly we can act without giving a thought to how it impacts others.  Certainly, the long-term effects of waiting a few extra minutes in a grocery store line are not detrimental to me, but what is happening in that moment is something we all do from time to time that God wants to move us away from. 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value other above yourselves, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interest of others.  Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) 

I may have mastered the selfless behavior that is required in a grocery store, but I know there are other times in life, when I'm just as guilty of being caught up in my own little bubble of "I, me, mine" and forget how my actions or inactions are impacting others.  Too often we let our own lives, problems,  concerns, or frustrations drown out the needs that others may have.  It can be as simple as forgetting to ask someone how they are because you are caught up in your own thoughts.  I can recall times when I've been having my own pity party in my head and then heard of someone else's pain and realized I don't even have a true problem in comparison.  The conviction that comes when I  realize I've spent way too much time on me and nowhere near enough time on others, weighs heavily on my heart.  The weight comes from knowing I'm being as unlike Christ as I can be rather than being Christ-like, which is my goal. 

Today, I'm hoping to take a lesson from my frustrating few at the grocery store.  I want to look around and see who might be beside me.  I want to think about how my next moves will impact them, not just me.  I want to be considerate of others as I go through each day whether they are close friends or strangers.  I want to be willing to let someone go ahead of me or have the last item at any time.  Most importantly, I want to do this every day, not just on the days when I feel like it.  Can you imagine how much better this world would be if we all put an effort into putting others first?  I sure want to find out.  

BFF

This past week, I had the privilege of speaking to my fellow sisters of Flavour at my church home.  The topic of the talk was friendships and having the right friends in your life.  It is a topic that is easy for me to speak about because I'm blessed with the most incredible friends.  The lesson from the Flavour team gave guidelines for finding the right friends.  Look for women who are trustworthy, honest, encouraging, and yielded to God.  As I was preparing for the lesson,  it guided me to try to think of a different friend in my life that represented each of these qualities.  My problem was not in trying to come up with four friends, but WHICH four friends.  The phrase "my cup runneth over" is so aptly applied to how richly blessed I am in my friendships.   

It always makes me sad when I hear women say they don't have any close girl friends.  I hear all kinds of reasons for it.  For some, they've relocated and not yet made new friends.  Others say they've never gotten along with women and prefer to hang with men.  Some will flat out say they don't trust women because they are too "messy" and can't be trusted.  I've moved several times, so I understand how hard it is to make new friends in a new place.  I've certainly had times in my life when it was a lot easier to hang with the guys, and I don't know woman alive over the age of 13 that hasn't had a "mean  girl" experience.  However, none of these are reasons to give up completely on finding loving, honest, women of God to walk with you through life.  I can not imagine how I would have made it through the most difficult times of my life without my friends. Not to mention all of the fun and laughs we have together.    
God created us to be relational beings.  While our relationship with Christ is ultimately the most important in our lives, God's word also emphasizes the importance of friendships. 

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone?A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

My closest friends do exactly this in my life. They help me up when I fall. They encourage me, pray for me, remind of what is right, and call me out when I'm wrong. They have my back in every situation, but always in a way that is pleasing to God.  I can share my problems and struggles with them and trust them to keep what I say private.  They laugh with me and not at me (well most of the time-sometimes I'm laughing at me too), and they love me for who I am.  

I have an amazing husband and an incredible family, but without my close friends, I would be missing a lot of love and support.  If you don't know how to start finding friends like this, let me encourage you to first make sure you are ready to be a friend like this.  Be someone that other women can trust and count out.  Be compassionate, loving, and encouraging.  Be ready to speak the truth in love and pray for the needs of others.  Beyond this, take the initiative.  Look for the women at your church who display these qualities and invite them to lunch or dinner.  Make the time and invest it in those with whom you want to be closer. Friendships take time and effort to build but are certainly worth it. Some of my closest friends have come into my life in just the last five  years, so don't give up on making new friends.  Your new BFF may be waiting for you just around the corner.  

 

A Joyous Blessing

To all who mourn in Israel,

    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning,

    festive praise instead of despair.

Isaiah 61:3

     Years ago, I was advised to pray scripture, to speak God's words back to Him as I shared my hurts, desires, praises, and thanks.  It was great advice that I have put into action before, but never have I seen it come to life as it has in the last year of my life.  In January of last year I was grieving the loss of the child I'd carried for twelve weeks before miscarrying on Christmas Eve.  I can't remember now if someone texted Isaiah 61 to me or if I just went to it on my own, but I definitely remember praying it fervently. I could not imagine at the time how my grief and despair could ever be turned into a "joyous blessing" or "festive praise", but I desperately wanted the Lord to ease the pain that was consuming me.  When I discovered I was pregnant again in early March only to miscarry a week later, I went back to praying this verse, but I was also questioning God.  "Lord, we don't seem to be headed in the right direction, AT ALL!"  I remember telling my closest family and friends, that my faith was not shaken but my heart was broken.  I knew all along that only God would be the answer to my sorrow, but from my very human perspective, I could not see a path out of the valley I was in.  My lowest point came at the end of May when the results of numerous test came back to tell me that my chances for being able to produce a healthy egg that would result in a healthy baby were extremely low. For about a week I was wrapped up in a cocoon of despair. As I wrestled with the Lord over this diagnosis, I remember praying for Him to take away my desire to be a mother if this was going to be my reality.  I knew that I was going to have to find peace, so I could continue to do the work of God that I have been called to do.  

      By mid-summer, the Lord had brought me back to a place of peace and contentment, and I found my joy for ministry in the exact place where He first called me to it: at camp with a bunch of high school kids.  I went to camp to share God's word with the students, and it was there that God gave me back my joy and let me know I could handle whatever was or was not to be in my future.  I would always have more than enough to be thankful for in my husband, my family, my friends, and ministry.  My praise became festive again, and my broken heart was mended by God's love and faithfulness. My longing to be a mother was still with me, so I knew that if God had not taken it away, He had a plan to grant my desire in the future in some way.  By the end of the summer, I was content to wait on His plan, His timing, and His way for that future. 

     One of my favorite things about God is when He acts in such a way that only He can get the credit.  Too often we pray for something and then try to answer our own prayers by manipulating circumstances and taking action that God has not actually called us to take; what we actually need to do is be still and let Christ be lord of our lives.  It was in a time of stillness that Jesus did exactly that in my life.  One month after my husband and I decided to take no extra measures or medications to help us conceive, we found ourselves pregnant!  Now, we are well into our 2nd trimester and the evidence of our blessing is beginning to show. As if the miracle of conception was not enough to let us know it was God taking action, the timing was further proof of God's love. Our due date of July 7th is in the same week of our due date last year.  I spent last July 4th filled with grief for what was not happening, but I'm trusting in God's will that this July 4th week will be full of joy and celebration.  

     As I go back to my Isaiah verse now, I am overwhelmed with the love and faithfulness of my God.  He truly has given me the crown of beauty, the joyous blessing, the festive praise in place of the ashes, mourning and despair that I was feeling just a year ago.  Even as I know that other times of sorrow will come into my life, my faith in His redemptive love is stronger than it has ever been, and I am certain that any future sorrow will also be turned back into joy because God loves me that much.  I share this with you all because I know that you too have sorrows in your life.  I know you are mourning and grieving losses and despairs of all kinds, and I want to encourage and reassure you that our heavenly Father is faithful and will bring you out of that place of sorrow into a place of joyous light if you simply trust Him to do it. 

All That Matters This Christmas Eve

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.  This is my favorite version of the Christmas story to read each year.  Something about reading it in KJV that brings back so many memories.  This is really all that I think needs to be said today.  Share the joy of the gospel with all you can, this Christmas season! 

Luke 2:1-20

King James Version (KJV)

2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

² (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
³ And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
⁵ To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
¹⁵ And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
¹⁶ And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
¹⁷ And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
¹⁸ And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

After the Vote

This morning I'm going to do something that I have been careful to not do so far. I'm going to talk about the presidential election, but I want to make it clear that I'm still not attempting to dip my toe in politics.  I'm compelled not by a great desire to share my political opinions, because I think we have been inundated with WAY too many opinions from WAY too many people.  I am instead sharing my faith, my beliefs and my thoughts on how we as believers are to respond to any election at any time.  

Here's the deal: for me, nothing has changed as I wake up this morning, and I don't mean that because the president has been re-elected.  Had he lost, I would be saying the same thing.  I vote because it is my duty and privilege to do so as an American.  I have voted in every presidential election since 1992 when I was 18 years old, and as a black woman I'm extremely aware of the fact that people fought and died for my right to vote.  I do vote.  I do not vote with the belief that any candidate is my hope.  I place my trust in Jesus Christ, not in men.  Yes, I understand that men take actions that impact our nation, but I trust even more that God directs every man whether that man is aware of it or not.  If He can use Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, surely he can use a US president. 

As I stood in the voting booth, I saw a choice between a man who says he shares my faith but has spoken opinions that are opposed to the Bible and a man who doesn't share my faith at all.   I knew God's direct intervention was going to be necessary with either candidate.  When the results came in last night, I didn't think, "Well, now I really need to pray."  I thought that months ago, before I knew who would win.  I started praying then and last night, I just continued to pray.  

I pray because there is too much hatred among Americans.  As believers we are not supposed to be haters, but prayers.  We are to stand for God and what His Word says is true, but we can do that without beating the tar out of others verbally or physically.  I pray because we have a government that talks a lot, but can't seem to get anything done.  I pray because people who were unemployed yesterday are still unemployed today, and they need to work to care for themselves and their families.  I pray because women are making the decision to abort their pregnancy not because of a political belief, but out of desperation, ignorance, and a false sense of a solution, with no clue that this decision will be one they grieve until the day they die.  I pray because marriages are failing and families are being destroyed every day.  I pray because each day on the news there is another story of a man, woman or child being brutally murdered by some sick person out there.  I pray because people are going to hell, completely unaware that the sinful choices they are making each day are keeping them separate from God, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to bridge that gap.  

I love being an American and I'm proud of our country, but I never forget that our nation exists in a fallen world and is flawed and damaged as a result, just as every other nation in this world is. That being the case, you're not going to hear me despair over a particular candidate, you're going to hear me despair over the state of our world.  In a fallen world I vote every four years for the candidate I think is best, but I put my trust every day in the Savior of this world!

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.       1 John 4:5-6