This Is the New Testament is part of a twelve-week thematic overview of the entire Bible. Each day we’ll read a thematic selection from a different book of the Bible, along with supplemental passages that show how the theme of that day’s main reading is found throughout Scripture. We’ll also read a brief summary of each book and a reflection on how the book fits into the larger story of Scripture. This week, we’ll continue reading the Pauline Epistles.
What Is 1 Thessalonians? The book of 1 Thessalonians is Paul’s letter of encouragement to the church in Thessalonica concerning their sustained faith in the midst of suffering. The letter served to correct misunderstandings about end-time events and to remind readers that continued sanctification is God’s will for them.
How 1 Thessalonians Fits Into the Story: First Thessalonians contributes to our understanding of the second coming of Christ. Paul wrote this letter to correct the church’s misunderstandings of this teaching and, in the process, showed that Christ’s eventual return gives us true hope in all circumstances. He also speaks to the practices that make us more like Christ.
Reflection Questions:
1. How can the acts of rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving train and develop believers to become more like Christ? How does this mindset provide comfort in every season?
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
Take time to reflect on your responses and share what you are learning with others in the community in the comments.
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63 thoughts on "1 Thessalonians"
God got you
Lord we thank you for being god you are a way maker a healer a miracle worker you are the great I am lord we honor you lord for you are holy lord we honor you lord for you are good we honor you lord for being God lord we ask that angels be dispatched on our behalf to cover us in all areas of our lives on today healing favor joy peace love prosperity is our portion and we declare and decree it is so no weapon formed against us shall not prosper lord cause you got us the devil is defeated and we are walking in the promises of you lord you are the covenant keeping god and you have never lost a case so victory is our portion it is done and it is so in Jesus name hallelujah!
Lord we thank you for being god you are a way maker a healer a miracle worker you are the great I am lord we honor you lord for you are holy lord we honor you lord for you are good we honor you lord for being God lord we ask that angels be dispatched on our behalf to cover us in all areas of our lives on today healing favor joy peace love prosperity is our portion and we declare and decree it is so no weapon formed against us shall not prosper lord cause you got us the devil is defeated and we are walking in the promises of you lord you are the covenant keeping god and you have never lost a case so victory is our portion it is done and it is so in Jesus name hallelujah!
Everything is going to be alright! I hope you all have a blessed week.
Gain strength from the Lord and always develop your life according to God’s plan
Praying for Sophia, Jody Lynn
Thank you so much Victoria E! I want you to know that I have been praying for you as well. I am a fertility nurse, and I was so overjoyed to see that your ultrasound was positive! ❤️
Oh wow Jody Lynn thank you!!
Good evening SRT ladies! I know that I don’t post much; but I read all of your comments everyday; and find so much inspiration in them; so thank you!! ❤️ I have a prayer request today… my daughter Sophia is 17 years old, and entering her senior year of high school ( @Angie, I so wish she could be in your girls group!! ) She had a very large brain tumor removed in 2018, and she has to have MRIs every 3-6 months… up to this point, they have all been clear PRAISE GOD… she is having a very long MRI of her brain and spine as I’m writing this… If you could be so kind as to include her in your prayers today and in the next few days as we wait for the results, I would so very much appreciate it… thank you sisters!! ❤️
Jody Lynn I will be praying for your daughter !
@FOSTER MAMA ♥️
I believe that rejoicing, praying and giving thanks changes our perspective, so that in any situation, we can see the good things that God is bringing to the surface.
Thankful for this week’s readings and everyone’s perspectives. So nice to read many praise reports. Please pray for strength and wisdom to surround my sister and her son, my 21 yr old nephew Brandon with autism who is making more bad choices and started using meth. It is heartbreaking and very overwhelming. Thank you.
“17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” May we keep these 2 important verses in mind. Praying for your petitions. Shoulder is slowly coming around but other arm is an issue. Please pray it is tendinitis or something similar and not surgical. Seeing dr next Wednesday.
I wrote something down that Churchmouse said/commented a few months back when we all read
I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Rejoicing. Praying. Thanking.
Does my face, my words, and my actions give evidence of these. I have this posted on my bathroom mirror. I read this most every day and do my best to practice this at work. Missing you Churchmouse hoping you are OK.
Just wanted to say thank you SRT Ladies for the prayers. We saw the orthopedic surgeon and it was a clean fracture. My husband is in a cast for three weeks and we go back to the surgeon for more xrays and probably another cast for three additional weeks. Compared to having surgery this is great news. Thank you again ladies for your prayers and strength. God is good all the time and all the time God is good.
Update. Tom should be coming home from the hospital today! He had a bleeding ulcer from the radiation. He lost about a third of his blood. Tanner has good and not so good days. But God is good! He has outlived his expectancy.
Rejoice always! I see how far God has brought my son. The times I got through only because of him. The peace my relationship with God brings to me. I’m so thankful for it. I want to be able to see God in all circumstances.
It brings tears to my eyes to know that you lovely ladies take the time to pray for us. Thank you! I pray for you all each day, but I think I’m going to start a prayer journal and write them down. I used to do that and it is very helpful.
Rejoicing can be done in many ways. Just saying in the morning when when you get up, “Good morning Lord, thanks for another day.” or singing in church or to the radio or around your home. God doesn’t care how we rejoice and praise Him just that we do rejoice and praise Him and Christ. Prayer can be as quick as, “Please Lord I need help.” to as long as naming any and every person and thing you what or need help with. The Lord’s ears are always open and are always listening. You can pray at 2 pm or 3 am it DOESN’T matter to Him. Giving thanks is something we should do every day and more often than that. Yes I know you wonder sometimes what you have to be thankful for: 1.) you’re alive and breathing, 2.) you’re able to read this, 3.) you have a place to live and food to eat, do I need to go on. Just look around and you will find things to give thanks for. The Lord’s love out shines everything and we need to pass this on however we can.
I’ve been reading a Joyce Meyer book (for the second or third time) titled, “Help Me, I’m Depressed”. She has several in her “Help Me” series including “I’m Stressed” and “I’m Afraid” and “I’m Worried”. They are quick, easy reads and great for the soul and spirit.
Have a blessed, wonderful and God-driven day my sisters.
Yay! Praise God @Victoria E! @Tracy G praying for your husband.
I loved the variety of verses SRT puts together, today the combination of Matthew and 1 Thessalonians connected for me. His yoke is easy and light, our role is to; rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks and be at peace with one another. He will take care of the rest. So let us put on our armor of faith and love, and our helmets of hope of salvation, and continue to encourage one another as we are already doing.
CeeGee, ERB, Foster mama, Taylor, Angie, and everyone who prayed (I’m sure I’m leaving off people!) thank you! God is so good and faithful and he hears us when we pray! Miri am, Laura, Melanie, and Foster mama , I will be praying for each of your situations. The enemy is real and wants to steal our joy, and destroy the good things that God has given us, but prayer and praise pushes him back! Being alert to the enemy is so important! A lot of my crippling anxiety I have come to realize are thoughts from the enemy designed to make me doubt God’s goodness and faithfulness. Once I realized this and began to focus on God my anxiety is better ! Praise Him!
Amen Heidi V! I too had the same reaction reading “rejoice always” even a few months ago but now I can see that even when everything is looking bleak there is always something to rejoice about and the act of finding it and praising God has really changed my life ! Make no mistake, I still struggle with this but I can at least see the wisdom in those words !
Thank you Victoria! I wrote your words down. Thank you for your prayers.
Dear ERB, always joy in your words about God’s word. Isaiah 61, indeed so good and yes the whole chapter. Don’t you love that the clothes/garments He gives us are praise, salvation and righteousness. So lovely He dresses us, Amen, and a crown of Beauty instead of Ashes. Just reflecting on this I think how many circumstances we/I can get stuck in and dwell in the ashes of it, or what the negative is. But God, He shines even in these depths and when my eyes are on Him and what He is doing, the joy is revealed even in the sorrow. And then in the beginning where Isaiah reflects on what God calls him to, and us I believe, so much to keep in mind here as we go about our daily lives. If we need to remember all He brings to us and through us to others. Isaiah says “Because the Spirit of the Soveregn Lord is on me (I love this title for the Holy Spirit) because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. How Great is our God ERB, praying His garments, His crown for you in your sufferings that above it all you feel His joy and His healing weaving through it all. XOXO Shout out some praise to our God who saves.
Sisters, I have been praying for the many needs here. Traci Gendron praying for Tom and for you. May you feel Jesus with you, beside you. Lord God, please bring your miracles for Tom and Tanner, your peace and love so strong. Show us your hand, your touch Jesus. Gina, I have been praying for your husband and you. Healing, but also God’s provision in whatever is needed. He does provide, please know this, I can testify that money though it can enslave thoughts and bind us up. He is more than able, trust this. Bridget V praying for your family, feel God wants me to say, lay down the heaviness of this, you don’t have to carry it all. His hands are big enough His love all encompassing and His healing will come. Dear Melanie, crying out to Jesus to cast this pain into the sea, to bring His miracles, whether it is His immediate touch, giving wisdom to the right doctor, or bringing the answer right to your heart and mind. I know He knows, praying you feel His strength mighty until His healing comes. Amber R, Praying for your husband, God’s truth Jesus to come in gentle ways to reveal to his heart all that he needs. Kristine L praying for your daughter. Miriam, praying, know that you are important enough to make the decisions that are right for you, for your health, for your safety, and that God will bring you peace. Hugs to you. Emily Tyson, praise God they are new every morning. That is Who He is. Jen Brewer praying your family has no lasting issues and are completely healed from covid. Angie praying for your teens and all teens, the blatancy and desensitation of this world in media is so damaging to the minds and hearts of our young girls and boys. Praying the light of Jesus reveal the darkness. We really need to be praying daily protection, and strength, for it is the youth who when they stand up against it in Christ will be heard. Your light is shining Him for these girls, what an eternal gift Angie, thank you. Laura, praying for you. I feel God’s leading to say, your daughter is trying to survive, as so many her age are, the expectations they see in the media, in friends, in self and the lies that confront them. But God, He will pursue her with His love, you can trust this and lay down the path you see she is on to know that He chases after her and all of us, the lost sheep. What she will see is the grace she is given, only this and the faith that you have in Him. With my own daughter in the depths of her journey, I had to remove all judgement that was wrapped around me wanting to save her, because it was condemning and she couldn’t see the love in me telling her what was right and wrong. She was in her own battle and truly, though I couldn’t see it at the time, her own heart was already convicting her, because God was already working, and not because of anything I had done. And I had to release her into the hands of the Almighty and know that only He was able. Please call her what He calls her Beloved, for no matter where are children are, that is what they are to our Lord. Foster Mama, that must have been you I heard singing in my heart. God be praised, thanks for the smile. Claire B, praying you feel His light bright, and His joy abundant this day. Hugs and love to you all. Our light has come, look in the mirror for you are wearing His crown of beauty, move away from the ashes, the judgement, or whatever is trying to turn your gaze from His love and wear with grace the praise, the righteousness in Jesus, the salvation that will shine with His incredible love. Beautiful day in Colorado. Thanks for letting me go on. Thank you for your prayers,
@MAURA ♥️
Sydney… This world confuses HAPPINESS with JOY, doesn’t it?
Absolutely!! But JOY is so much more than mere happiness and how lovely it is to rest in the joy we are given by God!!
Paul’s words (“let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled.”) in Thessalonians reminds me of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane urging the guys to stay awake and pray. We may not be able to control what happens in this world but we can stay alert and in prayer against all evil. That is our calling as children of the light.
Praying along with you and PRAISING God for your report, VICTORIA E.!!! I agree with ERB’s beautiful prayer!
Thank you CeeGee!!
Helps keep on focus on Jesus rather than our circumstances. There is always something to rejoice in, pray and be thankful for. If I can get my focus off of myself, I’ll be living more freely.
We are children of light! Children of the day! We can rejoice always because our Father is faithful, and we can pray knowing that He will act.
Today’s verse: rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything AND the one from Colossians: He is before all things and keeps all things together…those two verses were my lifeline when I walked through a very deep valley in my life/family/marriage 5 years ago. It is so good to be reminded of them again when things are better and not so deep. He is with me through the good and the bad, He is going before me right now and knows exactly what is to come. My job is to keep praying, keep giving Him thanks and rejoice in my relationship with Him. Praise the Lord!
Please continue to pray for my relationship with my wayward daughter. After meeting with her two times, communication has most likely been cut off again. She was angry by my reaction to her lifestyle. She so much wants me to validate the sinful choices she is making and I have lovingly told her that I cannot do that as her mom because I love her too much. She doesn’t understand and is angry, although she knows that she is rebelling against God and so therefore has refused to believe there is even a God. In order to justify her lifestyle she denies the existence of God. My heart was sad the last time we were together but I was also very much at peace because I felt like I said the things that I needed to say to her and I felt God’s presence. He is in control and I turn it all over to Him. He is greater that the World and I am so very thankful for that.
Laura I’m praying for you and your situation with your daughter. The sermon at my church was on persistent prayer and how God rewards it and hears you and will answer you. Keep the faith!
Laura I will be praying for you and your daughter. Like Makenzie we have been studying prayer at church and I have been studying it on my own (highly recommend a book called PUSH- pray until something happens). I have seen with my own eyes the power of prayer even in a hopeless looking situation.
I haven’t done the reading yet but, catching up on yesterday.
To all those who highlighted: “He is before ALL THINGS and in Him ALL THINGS hold together! ” — thank you. I’m sti struggling these days re: the balance of protecting my heart/identity vs. “loving like Jesus” in a tough relationship and I need to give God control of my tongue, my body language,my actions, my ‘wisdom’ — ALL of it that things would be accomplished as HE sees fit…as He ordains. (Hubby wants me to give up TOTALLY on the situation.)
KRISTINE LOUGHMAN, TINA, JENNIFER WING, JIMIN, VICTORIA E, MELANIE, ADRIENNE, SARAHJOY, EMILY TYSON, MADISON, GINA, BRIDGET VASCHAK, MICHELE PATIRE, TRACI GENDRON, KRISTEN, ERB, AUDREN, (Sorry if I missed anyone that I have in mind)…KAITLIN SCHROEDER…I am praying AND praising alongside each of you ❤️
MAURA, I’m belting out the Lauren Daigle with you :)
To all the teachers and students, I’m praying for a great year ahead!
Thank you for praying Foster Mama. By any chance have you sought any advice from a pastor or elder at your church about the situation you are in?
Such encouraging words for the days in which we live.
Christ was always going to God the Father, He was one with the father. In the same way, we should keep going to God in every situation, whether it is to praise God, give thanks or ask for something. Then we become more like Christ through the work of the Spirit in our hearts. Isn’t it also very comforting to know that we have a Father who is always ready to listen and help us out in anything we need, any time of the day?
1 Thess 5 might be as close to using bullet points as Paul gets. What is our destiny? Salvation. What is God’s will? Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, be thankful in all circumstances.
Thank you so much for those praying for myself and my good friend. I feel God has given me overwhelming peace and is working in my heart so I may show grace even in the hurting/confusion. Thanks be to God for His overflowing mercies!
Amen! Wonderful news Emily Tyson.
Praying and Amen
True joy isn’t based on our circumstances, but is a choice. The act of practicing gratitude and prayer helps us to be joyful. These disciplines help shape our mind to find the joy in all things. It doesn’t take away the suffering but it’s a perspective shift.
1 Thessalonians is one of my absolute favorite chapters in the Bible!! Every time I read it I am filled with hope, encouragement, exhortation and expectation. God is SO good!!
VICTORIA E, What an INCREDIBLE a testimony of God’s COMPLETE and utter faithfulness!!! He restores what we don’t even think about!!! SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY for you and your husband!!! Congratulations!!!! And Thank You Jesus!!!! May this child continue to be a sign of fulfillment and blessing!! May the Light of our Heavenly Father shine brightly on ALL who come in contact with this precious little life and may each one be filled with encouragement, hope and delight!!! All gory to You Father God!!! ❤️❤️❤️
KAITLIN SCHROEDER, thank you so much for your continued prayers and for your kind and sweet encouragement!! Your words yesterday were like a warm hug that I didn’t know I needed, so thank you!! Thank you for being faithful to what God is having you do!! It’s doing much more than you know!!! ❤️
Continuing to pray for EACH of you ladies and your requests (spoken and unspoken)
SO grateful for this community!!!
ERB thank you for your beautiful and powerful prayer !! I cried tears of happy joy reading it and knowing that you and other have also been praying for this life along side me and you have not even met me! What a testimony to God’s goodness and power that He can bring together a community like this one. I hope you are doing better on your AED regimen, I have been praying for you as well. I am so thankful for you and everyone else here !
Rejoicing, prayer, & thanksgiving help us to endure all things as Christ did.
MAURA, it is so good to be back in Isaiah with you dear friend!! LOVED your insights on chapter 60!! So good and so relevant!! …And to hear life, hope and the breath of God in you!! I can tell you are gaining strength and confidence and it warms my heart!! Keep leaning on Him and He will restore you!! Appreciate you dear sister!!
Isaiah 61 “The year of the Lord’s favor” WHAT an awesome chapter header!!! And what an AWESOME God we serve!!! SO faithful!!! I highlighted the entire chapter!!! Haha!! Here are the verses that stood out to me… (again, basically the whole chapter! Haha!!) …I don’t know about you, but just hearing about the favor and faithfulness of God, makes me giddy!! I stand in AWE… seeing how He weaves this beautiful tapestry together!!! Yesterday you mentioned the shoot of Jesse…I also thought about that when reading…and today it mentions a sprout that causes seeds to GROW!!! May this be so in ALL of our lives!!! May we submit ourselves to the FAVOR of God so that we can be the sprouts that cause the seeds!!! To God be ALL the Glory and Honor!!! Amen!!
Isaiah 61:3-4 “ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
Isaiah 61:7-11 “ Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. 8 “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.” 10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”
Ran out of time to think of my response but just wanted to check in and say I’m lifting up every prayer request! @Victoria E HUGE PRAISE!!!! I write everyone’s prayer requests in my journal, and I know how much it means to me to see my name pop up in people’s posts. @Angie @Maura @Traci Gendron @Miri AM @Lexi B @Kaitlin Schroeder @Kristine Loughman @Melanie @Sarah Joy @Emily Tyson praying for each of you and others!
Life is hard so finding the good may seem impossible. I woke up in pain but grateful I woke up. I fight this everyday and sometimes every hour.
Melanie, it breaks my heart to read how things still are tough for you. Praying that God will bring joy to you along with easing your pain.
Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks, all remind me of the simplicity of the way Christ lived – the way in which God designed us to live and love. This world makes our minds and hearts so complicated, yet we are called to a life of simpler things. Giving thanks brings our minds away from the things of the moment that may be troubling us. Rejoicing gives us a unique opportunity to share with others what God is doing in our lives. And praying brings us closer to God in a personal way – both when we pray for ourselves and when we pray for others. In this mixture, similar to Jesus, we have a deeper connection with God, a heart leaned towards helping others, and a joy that brings warmth to the world.
Kelly — that’s a wise perspective. I’ve never thought of rejoicing, prayer and thanksgiving holding me in the present moment —but they really do.
Rejoicing, giving thanks in all circumstances helps me fix my eyes on the Lord, not my own self. Jesus lived in such a way that He stayed connected to God, and the disciplines He kept (prayer, gratitude, etc.) gave him the proper perspective. How often do I left my selfish nature get in the way? There is always something to give thanks for, and in doing so I look to the God who provides, guides and shows his Grace to me.
Praying for you, sisters, as I read through yesterday’s posts and those posted this morning including:
MIRI AM – praying for you! So thankful that you are seeing the issues (as painful as looking at them may be). I didn’t always listen (finally did though!) but I read/heard something in my single days when I was in a relationship that was beginning to look serious. Look at it with open eyes as much as possible because dating is when we are all (presumably) putting our best foot forward and that much effort to show our best side may never be made again once married. It was more blunt than that, more like “this could be the best it gets, is that what you want? Is this God’s best for you?”
KAITLIN SCHROEDER – Praise that Derek is doing well, praying for challenges and scheduling ahead, and law school. Also praying for your sister!
TRACI GENDRON – praying for Tom, his medical team, you and Tanner. For healing, strength and wisdom during this time.
ANGIE – praying for your girls! I also had strict parents but not much communication as to why. Being the teenager that I was, I fought it on every turn and made some bad choices. Now, if I see or hear information about some of the people I was trying to hang around – many of them are really in sad situations now and looking back – were possibly being abused in some way when we were growing up. The Lord is using you in a mighty way in these girls’ lives.
VICTORIA E – what a wonderful praise report! Will continue to pray.
KRISTINE LOUGHMAN – praying for your daughter and for wisdom in getting her whatever help she may need. I have a family member who works in this field who says (generally speaking, no confidences broken) that it’s usually more about having control over something and not about food itself. Praying your daughter will be able to confide in you about whatever may be going sideways for her, or whatever thoughts she may be having about body image, etc. The preteen years are difficult and girls (even “friends”) can be mean.
SARAH JOY – praise for the healing in that relationship!
EMILY TYSON – praying for you and your friend.
Joy (xapá in Hebrew) Fullness of joy is beyond Earthly things. Therefore, it doesn’t matter which outcome occurs because our joy comes from God and not from earthly things. When we entrust everything to Him, not only do we find peace (eípńvn in Hebrew) but *also* joy! Practicing being joyful reaps more joy. It’s incredible.
We can use our God-given joy to testify God’s goodness to others. When non-believers ask *how* can you be joyful when this is happening to you? It’s all a matter of perspective. Suffering and labels and sins and mistakes might “define” us on Earth but not to God! We are joyful children of God because we are justified, sanctified and glorified. The work is done! Hallelujah ❤️❤️ and Good morning!!
Sydney thank you for sharing !
1. The acts of rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving train us to be observant in the NOW. They help us see God’s work in and around us so that like Christ we do what we see our Heavenly Father doing. This mindset provides comfort in every season because we are not focused on our situation, good or bad, but on God’s love and kindness to us.
2.Thessalonians reminds me that God still has a plan for this fallen world. Evil will not have its way forever.
I was struggling to rejoice and be thankful today. The relationship I thought was headed for marriage is falling apart. (I don’t think it’s wise to enter into a covenant with a man who has a marijuana addiction who flits between admitting and denying it’s an addiction and will not get professional help. It’s not the most regular habit but a man who schedules a drug test just so he can go and stoned afterwards clearly has some addiction issues) Anyway, I digress. I’ve spent most of the last 24 hours in tears and prayer. Today’s questions have reoriented my heart that I can ALWAYS rejoice and be thankful because I have an eternal life in heaven with Christ. So though things may never turn out the way I wanted them to here, though I may loose everything and have nothing, I will always have that promise because I believe he came and died that I might be redeemed. Lord remind me daily of this promise and fill my heart with the joy it brings!
Praying for you this morning Miriam and for the peace of God to wash over you during this difficult time. It’s never easy to see a relationship wither away, but your confidence in God is inspiring. Blessings to you.
Praying for you Miri am, I believe God has something better for you.
I think that to rejoice in everything and to give thanks for everything, is to be like Christ because it shows that our faith in our life are hidden in him.