to be encouraged

I awoke to a rainy, drizzled and blustery day. I was up until 2:30 a.m. finishing a book. My son caught me. Guilty. He is never up in the middle of the night, but due to the joys of orthodontia, he needed some ibuprofen. He also tattled on me to my husband who "tsk-tsked" me with a roll of his eyes and shake of his head (and I'm sure a smile too). 

I like the rain, but being spoiled by so many sunny days, it affects my mood quickly. I felt dreary of soul this morning. Add this to the fact that taking less than a minute on my phone or laptop and I've already sucked in at least a dozen negative and often heart-wrenching stories from around the world.


Tragedy deeply affects me. For the last several months, I've taken a news "sabbatical." It has helped me live with more hope and optimism. That being said, it's virtually impossible to live in a bubble. I've enjoyed receiving theSkimm in my inbox each morning--a summary of top world stories with some sarcasm and dry humor to boot. It's enough to be connected yet not inundated. I also look for encouragement. I look for the touching, some humor, the inspiring, the interesting...here's my sampling:

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I read this story years ago in Franklin Graham's book Living Beyond the Limits:Life in Sync with God. The story etched itself permanently in my mind. I've thought of it often over the years and especially with the recent airplane tragedies. It recently resurfaced in my Facebook news feed. Powerful. What would I do if I were on an airplane I knew was destined to crash?

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Superior Women: And the Men Who Can’t Out-Give Them

Doug Wilson's thoughts.

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I LOVE this story. I heard it on the radio during this last Christmas season. I can't resist a love story.

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I am well-versed in English royalty. My mom loved it, I grew up "knowing" the royal family, watching the royal wedding of Diana and Charles, looking at pictures of Diana's wedding dress in magazines, and learning the history. I know exactly how succession works. I traveled to London as a high school graduation present. My brother and I went again and were in London when the Queen Mum celebrated her 100th birthday. I may or may not be an Anglophile. I found this to be a very interesting read.

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Lastly, read about veterans who make sure students in rough Chicago neighborhoods get to and from school safely. Loved this.

The world has much good and beauty. Jesus still reigns. He will continue to reign.

Happy weekend!