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I love writing about the things I see, the places I go and special moments with my family. But I love writing mostly about Jesus.

I love telling everyone how much Jesus loves us. I love writing about what He has done for me and listening to people tell me what He has done for them. I find joy in using the love of Jesus to let people know that we are to proclaim victory over our circumstances versus letting our circumstances be victorious over us.

God wants us to come before Him boldly, He is our Father and He controls the universe. He has us in the palm of His hand and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is thank Jesus that I am still alive and in my right mind. I thank Him because on a daily basis I continue to grow strong in Him. I’m 82 years old and every day I feel He gives me new blessings.

The first blessing is the gift of life. I’m alive and getting a chance to try and recover from some of the mistakes I made. I’m given an opportunity to right some of my wrongs and forgive things that should have been forgiven a long time ago.

The second blessing is Jesus has allowed me to do things that I always wanted to do. I’ve wanted to write for the newspaper for many years prior to actually doing it, but Jesus said it is in My time, not yours. He wanted me to be patient to make sure I have the words to convey my thoughts.

I always wanted to be able to get up and travel any time I want to and now at the drop of a hat I’m out the door. My hopes and dreams were to always be a motivational speaker and God has me going to a senior citizen’s center on the first Saturday of every month spreading His Word and good cheer.

The third blessing is the opportunity to have a second chance at life. Every day I feel more rejuvenated and stronger than the day before. Does that mean every morning I bounce out of bed, no aches, no pains? No, it doesn’t. It simply means my mind and my spirit are stronger than ever. I never get to the point where I want to give up because God has been way too good for me to do that.

God never promised there wouldn’t be pain or sorrow, but He did promise joy will come in the morning. So, if you woke up in pain this morning, count it all joy because you are still alive. Jesus sees your pain and your tears, and He knows how you are feeling. Jesus has promised He will not give you more than you can handle and I can attest to the fact that He will not leave you when you are in trouble.

Be blessed in Jesus’ name

Mary Simmons is a columnist for The Kenbridge-Victoria Dispatch. She can be reached at Marysimmons6@hotmail.com.