A LETTER FROM ISAIAH: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants will be known among the nations,
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the Lord has blessed.
I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.” Isaiah 61
Where am I in all of this?
One song can spark a moment, One flower can wake the dream. One tree can start a forest, One bird can herald spring. One smile begins a friendship, One handclasp lifts a soul. One star can guide a ship at sea, One word can frame the goal. One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room. One candle wipes out darkness, One laugh will conquer gloom. One step must start each journey, One word must start each prayer. One hope will raise our spirits, One touch can show you care. One voice can speak with wisdom, One heart can know what’s true, One life can make the difference, that one life – it's up to you!
Don’t undermine your worth
by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different
that each of us is special. Don’t set your goals
by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you. Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life,
for without them life is meaningless. Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life. Don’t give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don’t be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly;
and the best way to keep love is to give it wings. Don’t dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope;
to be without hope is to be without purpose. Don’t run through life so fast
that you forget not only where you’ve been,
but also where you’re going.
Life is not a race,
but a journey to be savoured each step of the way.
Nancye V. Sims
Lord, as I offer you all that is ordinary and everyday in my life,
I ask you to give me the power of your Spirit
that I may do the ordinary things
in an extraordinary way. Amen.