By Connor Lad<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> Not just when life is easy. People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> Yet he said, <\/p>\n\n\n\n People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> “Be still, and know that I am God.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n Be still long enough to hear what God says about you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You are not your mistakes. People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> Your life matters because the God of the universe knows your name… <\/p>\n\n\n\n People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> Through students who show kindness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Through friends who choose forgiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Through people who stand up for what is right. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Through those who refuse to let hate have the last word. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> Not because life is perfect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not because every problem is solved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not because we know what tomorrow holds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People:<\/strong> Leader 1:<\/strong> People:<\/strong> Leader 2:<\/strong> All:<\/strong> By Connor Lad Leader 1: Some days are amazing. Some days are exhausting. Some days we feel unstoppable. Some days we wonder if anyone even notices us. People: Still, we rejoice, because God is good. Leader 2: The Psalmist tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Not just when life is easy. Not just when we’re winning. Not just when everything<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[77,68,84,83,42,64],"class_list":["post-1714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-litany","tag-connor-lad","tag-god","tag-god-is-good","tag-litany","tag-psalm","tag-responsive-reading"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1714"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1714\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1715,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1714\/revisions\/1715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/yya\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Some days are amazing.
Some days are exhausting.
Some days we feel unstoppable.
Some days we wonder if anyone even notices us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, we rejoice, because God is good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Psalmist tells us,
“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not just when we’re winning.
Not just when everything goes according to plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is with us in every season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though the earth gives way…
Though the mountains shake…
Though the waters roar\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We will not fear, because the Lord is with us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Habakkuk imagined the worst:
No fruit on the trees.
No crops in the fields.
No food to eat.
No sign that tomorrow would be better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not because everything was okay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But because God was still good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our joy is not built on perfect grades,
perfect friendships,
perfect families,
or perfect futures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our joy is built on the faithfulness of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we don’t make the team… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is still good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we feel left out… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is still good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we’re anxious about tomorrow… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is still good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When life doesn’t make sense… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is still good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And because God is good… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We still have hope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God also says, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You are not your fears.
You are not your popularity.
You are not your failures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We belong to God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your life matters.
Not because you have all the answers.
Not because everyone knows your name.
Not because you have it all together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
…and calls us beloved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your life matters because Jesus gave His life for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
…and invites us to follow Him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your life matters because the Holy Spirit lives within you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
…and works through us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God has chosen to love this world through ordinary people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lord, let Your love flow through us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone is waiting for encouragement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let us be Your voice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone is waiting for compassion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let us be Your hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone is waiting to know they matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let us show them Your love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Lord of Hosts is with us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are never alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The God of Jacob is our refuge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are safe in God’s care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So today we choose joy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We rejoice because God is good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We rejoice because God is with us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We rejoice because we are loved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We rejoice because our lives matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For God is our refuge and strength, and through His love, we will be a light to the world. Amen. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"