Over the past several weeks I have experienced a series of  unfortunate events both personally and professionally.  The death of Ms. Bell, a lost brief case, more death and now a car wreck.   It feels more like a bad dream than reality.  I do not think there is such thing as luck even though I will occasionally use the phrase good luck (more as a gesture of good will than anything else).  Why is this all happening.  I don’t know.  Sin perhaps  but in any case life is like this and to be honest with you most people know this better than I do.   It turns out that being a pastor does not promise one  good fortune, but it does give you tools to survive these kinds of bad days and weeks.  I have read and reread Romans 8 and it brings be hope.  Perhaps will will be helpful to you as well.

Romans 8

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,^[j] who^[k] have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[l] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Life may go up and life may go down but God’s love is consistent in many and various ways.

Such as –

Prayers in our prayer chain have given me strength

An understanding spouse

Wonderful Children

Good Friends

A Great Church

And yes a loving God

Enough said.