Here's a great article to ponder for Friday!

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/nine-lies-in-the-not-yet-married-life

Some cool quotes from Phil Humber (Chicago White Sox pitcher) -

"I didn’t have that peace because I wasn’t looking in the right place for it. I wasn’t resting in the fact that God has my best interest in heart because I’m a child of his."

"For so long, I was trying to make it about me. I was going to make it happen because of how hard I was working. ... But because of the road I took, I couldn’t deny the fact that it was God doing it, that God had a plan."

"[Phil says that] every time he walks off the mound, he prays that God would be glorified: 'As Christians, that’s really our mission. Wherever we’re at, whatever we’re doing, that God will be glorified in what we’re doing. And he can be glorified in our low moments or in our best moments.' "

Taken from this article http://www.worldmag.com/webextra/19433
Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin, Phil Humber, wow, lots of public giving-credit-to Jesus Christ from the sports world this year!  May it increase yet more... and from all spheres of society...

My dearest wife;

God, by His holy will, has prolonged my prison sentence to five years and four month. I very much long for the day that I will be reunited with you my dear wife, our children and God's people in the church.

My dear, listen to me; not only as a wife, but also as a Christian woman who has come to understand who God is and how deep and mysterious His ways are. Yes! I love you, I love the children and I would love to be free in order to serve God. But, in here, God has made me not only a sufferer for His Name's sake in a prison of this world over which Christ has won victory, but also a prisoner of His indescribable love and grace.

I am testing and experiencing the love and care of our Lord every day. When they first brought me to this prison, I had thoughts which were contrary to what the Bible says. I thought the devil had prevailed over the church and over me. I thought the work of the gospel in [country] was over. But it did not take one day for the Lord to show me that He is a sovereign God and that He is in control of all things - even here in prison.

The moment I entered my cell, one of the prisoners called me and said, ‘Pastor, come over here. Everyone in this cell is unsaved. You are very much needed here.’ So, on the same day I was put in prison, I carried on my spiritual work.

My dear, the longer I stay in here, the more I love my Savior and tell the people here about His goodness. His grace is enabling me to overcome the coldness and the longing that I feel for you and for our children. Sometimes I ask myself, ‘Am I out of my mind? Am I a fool?’ Well, isn't that what the apostle had said, ‘Whether I am of sound mind or out of my mind, it is for the sake of Christ.’ (2 Cor. 5:13)

My most respected wife, I love you more than I can say. Please help the children understand that I am here as a prisoner of Christ for the greater cause of the gospel.

(originally posted in 2010)

-- a recent letter from a Christian in prison in an African country...

see http://members.opendoorsusa.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=45641.0&dlv_id=0 and http://www.opendoorsusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=86&Itemid=17

He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?"
Hebrews 13:5b-6

The only thing that I really want, that God has not yet provided to me, is that all of my friends would come to know Him too.