by Ken Kelley

I’m guessing that many of you were awakened by thunder early this morning. It’s certainly rattling our house as I write this. I’m more convinced than ever that Colleen can sleep through anything (or that she’s even more exhausted than the rest of us).

“I’m exhausted” – a phrase that describes my own state of being and something that I’ve heard repeatedly this week from many of you. Maybe it’s just my corner of the world, but most of the people I’ve talked to recently have been some combination of overworked, sick, stressed out, or just plain worn out.

To put us (at least temporarily) in a better place, we’ll all probably benefit from the light-hearted philosophy of a few church signs. Here’s my favorite 10 from a list of 101 that I found on the internet:

1. Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?

2. Prayer. The original wireless connection.

3. Wrinkled with problems? Come to the Lord's House for a faith lift.

4. What is missing from ch__ch? U R!

5. Looking for the perfect gift? Find Him here.

6. Does your spiritual house need spring cleaning?

7. God wants full custody, not just weekend visits.

8. If God is your copilot, switch seats.

9. Jesus is God's selfie.

10. Tweet others as you would like to be tweeted.

“This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Proverbs 17:22

To those of you who have more of a crushed spirit than a joyful heart right now, I pray that you’ll find peace, and I offer you these words from John Birch, a Methodist lay minister from England:

“True healing is more than restoration of flesh and blood or knitting of bone to bone. True healing is
wholeness, where body, soul and spirit unite. True healing is peace, the knowledge of God’s presence,
a hope that knows no end. True healing cries ‘Father, not my will but yours.’ True healing knows love
perfectly, a love that casts out fear. True healing overcomes, endures, for eternity.”