At various points in our lives, it would seem that we are like the Prodigal Son of Luke 15:11-32, strangers in a strange land, without comfort, money, friends, or sustenance, on a lonely road back to our home. Sometimes the walk is lonely, sometimes dark, often scary. But we must all walk this pilgrim journey which John Bunyan famously wrote about in his iconic book Pilgrim's Progress. Sometimes, the road is as Alison Krauss described it in her song, "A Living Prayer": "The rugged road through barren lands./The way is dark, the road is steep." But in that song, Ms. Krauss also reminds us that "there's one who holds my hand" and at certain points on the road, He will even "become our eyes to see." He will give us "strength to climb," the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit, so that we have the courage for our "griefs to bear." He doesn't promise that it will be easy, but He does promise that He will empower us, change us, and will be with us every step of the way, every moment of every day. And if we lean on Him, trust in Him, let Him put His power in us, and submit to His Way in all things, we will make it through the very worst storms that life, people, the world, and the devil can throw at us. Just remember every day "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.." God will be faithful to reward us for our suffering in His name. We will be glorified by His Power and perfected in His Spirit

You can make it through this storm and all the storms in life with His Help, His Wisdom, His Power, and His Peace, doing things His Way, submitting to Him on all things, giving him total Lordship and control over your life, bit by bit (you don't "eat the elephant" all at once), and spending time in the Word and in Prayer. Remember that "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." You have something inside you at the moment of salvation that is more powerful than all the weapons in the world combined. You have a tiny piece of our Most Awesome, Infinitely Powerful God, a piece of the Holy Spirit, tiny as a "grain of mustard seed," but that tiny piece of God in you has amazing and