Greetings from Oregon!
How are you? We are well. Today are enjoying a day of warmer weather and lots of sunshine. Normally during this time of year it rains a lot. We are very happy when the sun decides to come out and warm things up. All the rain allows for all the beautiful flowers to grow and this is one of the most beautiful times of the year. We have trees blooming that have so many blooms they look pink! I'll include a photo for you to see.
When I was younger and still in school, my brother, mom and I would eat breakfast together every morning. We would do a quick Bible study and pray together. We would our time together each morning by putting on the armor of God, which is found in Ephesians 6:10-18. It didn't take long for me to memorize this passage, and I still remember it to this day. Have you ever read these verses?
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. "
Have you ever thought of your relationship with God as a fight or a battle? Most soldiers wear some sort of armor when they go into battle so that they have protection when the enemy attacks. When we become children of God, we enter into a battle with God's enemy - Satan or the devil. Satan hates God and wants to us to hate God too. We must put on armor - God's armor - to protect ourselves and our relationship with Christ. I'll be talking about each piece of armor mentioned in the passage above in my next few letters, but today I just want you to know that I am praying for you and for your protection against the evil one. Would you also pray for my family and our protection?
Love, Jill ( and Kevin, Sydney and Kayleigh)
