Philippians 4: 1-9

2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.

these two women get their name in the bible... that by itself is an amazing and awe inspiring thing... and what is it for??? fighting... unchristlike conduct... come on now... they get some good mention.. saying they worked hard with paul... but the jist of it is to help them overcome this disagreement... how distressing would it be to look down from heaven and see that your name is in lights for not acting in a christlike manner...

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

always be full of joy.... you know... I am a pretty happy person in general... but some days... the fears and the wondering are too much... and then.... then you just have to sit back.. remember just how ugly things were in the past... and know.. that you can live through this too... whatever it might be... as long as God is for you... I think I used to say that God is all I need... and I meant it... but you know.. that is not all I want anymore... to just coast along... happy by myself.. with no stress and no cares... I want love... Jesus has given me love through children in the past... if that is what it is.. then bring it on... if it is love with a man.. then bring that one on too... whatever HIS will is... I'm waiting... some days I feel like I been through to much to ever go through anything at all again... then other days... I'm ready for whatever...

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

again... I know that God has brought me up out of hell.. and I know that He will do this again if need be... but I struggle with the resting and the peace... I am thankful that He will guard my heart... I have not been so good at guarding it....

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

there is the key.. fix our mind on what is right and pure and lovely and admirable and true and honorable... think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise...

funny... all our lives we learn to stop trusting.. stop belieiving the good... yet here is the bible.. telling us to believe the good despite the bad... that messes up our live experiences... that try to get us to see that everyone is not good... and so we start to dwell on the negatives and the fears... when we need to try to see good even when it's hard to see... and trust God to guard our heart and mind... so that we can live in peace...