I had a day from “the dark side” this week. It all began with a simple and seemingly benign decision. I ordered a Kindle reader from Amazon! Have you ever had something go awry at every turn? I’m sure you have. It’s part of the human condition, it seems. Earth is not Heaven, and that I’m sure we all have grasped. We await for that heavenly destiny and glory to come, or until Jesus returns for His children.

My adorable little Kindle arrived early in the week, but little did I know where that would lead. After five hours on the phone with five different Amazon customer service agents, I was a frustrated wreck. There were unusual sign-in issues, and after one service rep suggested I eliminate a little used business account, the apparently defective Kindle then became impossible to return. I had unconsciously ordered it from the then-defunct account and no one could seem to go back to retrieve the original order. I was on the phone with our credit card bank at 11:00 p.m. that same night because the first rep tried to charge me $59.99 for registering the device. That was fraudulent, I was later told. He sent me an email form to fill out with my credit information, resulting in not one, but two cards having to be immediately cancelled. I felt my stress level rising as no one seemed to know how to resolve all these mounting obstacles.   As I lay in bed talking to the Lord about my daunting day, I knew it was all inconsequential in the face of so many major problems around us. But, it did make me evaluate how I handled my personal potholes that day. I can share with confidence how God intervened and walked with me through the fires of some major traumas in my lifetime. Why, then, was I so undone over this incident? Of course, I wanted my money back. Certainly, I didn’t like being scammed by someone who was supposed to be a reputable representative. Naturally we were upset by suddenly having no credit cards.   Yet … I have friends facing Covid hospitalizations, livlihood losses, loss of family members, positive test quarantines, and grandchildren struggling to gain a normal in-person education. We see lots of suffering all around us. As I prayed that night, I knew I needed to regroup and let my Father God be my Source of peace again. How easy it is to walk away from His great love and light, to let worry fray my spirit, and weigh my heart.   I am reminded that God’s Divine power has given me (and you) everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him. He called us by his own glory and goodness (I Peter 1:3). In verse 5, we are admonished to “make every effort to add to our faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” If we have these qualities increasing, it will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.   So, my reminder to self is that I don’t have to let little challenges in life rob me of my joy. Knowing how God was faithful to me in the most daunting of losses and heartaches, He will be faithful even in the small things. He will help me navigate even in the day-to-day junk.

I hope this song by Michael W. Smith will bring joy to your heart as it reminds us God is here for you. This song also makes a beautiful love song if you have a special person you wish to encourage this Valentine’s Day. Take a listen. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=M-hgLP9YKiA&feature=share Lyrics: When you feel the sunlight Fade into the cold night Don’t know where to turn I don’t know where to turn And all the dreams you’re dreaming Seem to lose their meaning Let me in your world Baby, let me in your world All you need is someone you can hold Don’t be sad, you’re not alone