Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

So if you are a Christian, this topic should interest you.  How much?  More than your "dreams."  More than raising your family.  More than your career.  More than anything and anyone in your life - this should be your main purpose in life. Oh to be sure, He uses  all of the above-mentioned parts of life.  But how? It is a process.  There are no "three easy steps" that I know of to get this done.  But there are ways of being - attitudes - that help the process along. Christ does the work in us.  But if we don't let Him or cooperate with Him or obey Him in everything - yes, everything - then we will not be conformed into His image the way He has in mind for us. For me, it's always in the hard times.  The trials and tests of life have a way of whittling away the sharp edges in our souls.  This hurts.  I mean if a slab of marble could feel when the sculptor chisels away at it, I don't think it would be enjoying it! I believe it is such a painful process for

We all like to feel that we are in control over our lives.  What an illusion!  If we have learned anything at all from this pandemic is that we have very little control over the outer circumstances of our lives. Now self-control, that is the control we can control! How to let go of the stress and worries that beset us? Rest.  Trust.  Faith.  Submission. Confidence in Christ. When we rest in Christ, we have peace.  We are free to let go of our fears, worries, doubts, and lack of control because we trust Him  more than anything or anyone else - including ourselves! Why should we trust Christ?  Because He is in charge!  And not only that, He is thoroughly good.  That is a hard concept to grasp when all we see as human examples are flawed ones.  Even the best human example is still human! To realize His power and authority and that He is also pure goodness is a very comforting truth, and that Reality supersedes all other "realities." He is absolutely trustworthy (sigh, relax, sho