The Garden of Pain

Every human being on this earth knows that life is not without pain or trials. For most of us these conditions are an inconvenience, trials to be endured, or if possible, avoided. But there are a select few who when faced with bleak and cruel and unfair ordeals, refuse to complain – but rather use them as tools to create something so beautiful that it transcends this world and makes them exceptional human beings. They have the foresight to see the grandness of a flourishing garden, even as the soil is tilled and the seeds are sown. From a rocky and barren field they can envision beautiful flowers, velvety grass, fruit-laden orchards, hardy shrubs, a cool flowing brook and a sturdy majestic forest. It takes uncommon faith, resolute perseverance and uncompromising trust that God not only has our best interest at heart, but knows which trials and what pains will uniquely bless us individually and help us become who He wants us to become - the best us we can possibly ever become in preparation to someday live with Him in His Kingdom, in the splendor of His glorious, infinite and eternal garden.

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Wm. Calvin Hughes

Lake Elsinore. California

April 22, 2015

Finding The Power to Improve

Regardless of our status in life, our goodness or our faults, our spirituality or temporal-mindedness, our background or upbringing or our history, every aspect of our character - from one end of the spectrum to the other - every aspect (good and bad) can be improved and every mistake can be reconciled. These positive changes ebb and flow differently and at various momentums by individual realization and by circumstance. But fortuitously, some things remain constant - 1) We are not left to make this progress alone. We are never alone. And 2) We have unlimited access to heavenly powers that will sustain us, encourage us, and guide us in the right direction - back to our heavenly home. These divine powers are available to all who will humbly accept these heavenly gifts. 

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Wm Calvin Hughes
Lake Elsinore, California
April 13, 2015

The Plan of Salvation = The Plan of Happiness

Wherever you are in life... whatever your beliefs... It is such a comforting and reassuring and peaceful feeling to know that God is in control and that He has a plan. That His plan involved His Son - a Savior and Redeemer to atone for our sins and conquer death. That His plan has a mission statement - "To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." And that the prime objective of His plan is our happiness! 

Knowing about His plan changes everything! It gives us an eternal perspective. It gives us hope and faith. It gives us perspective to properly view the challenges of life as blessings from a loving God allowing us to learn patience and faith, tolerance and resilience, endurance, compassion, gratefulness and love. It allows us to look directly into the face of the worst of the storms of life and say, "Do your best!" It can give us a measure of the fortitude of Job, when in the midst of horrendous trials and loss, he responded with uncommon conviction, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Amazingly, “in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”

Oh, how wonderful it is that God has a plan!

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Wm. Calvin Hughes

Lake Elsinore, CA

April 12, 2015