Dear Friend, In these uncertain times, there is one certainty: we have a good God. When much of the news is bad, there is one good report: we have a loving God. When the future is unpredictable, there is one assurance: we have a sovereign God. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are they even like ours. We aren’t even in the same neighborhood. We’re thinking, "Preserve the body;" he’s thinking, "Save the soul." We dream of a pay raise. He dreams of raising the dead. We avoid pain and seek peace. God uses pain to bring peace. “I’m going to live before I die,” we resolve. “Die so you can live,” he instructs. We love what rusts. He loves what endures. We rejoice at our successes. He rejoices at our confessions. We show our children the Nike star with the million-dollar smile and say, “Be like Mike.” God points to the crucified carpenter with bloody lips and a torn side and says, “Be like Christ.” Our thoughts are not like God’s thoughts. Our ways are not like his ways. He has a different agenda. He dwells in a different dimension. He lives on another plane. And our God is in control, he loves all of his children, and “his unfailing love fills the earth” (Ps. 33:5). Nations war with one another. In our own worlds, we encounter pain, difficulty, disappointment. My prayer for you in the days ahead is that you will stay strong in the confidence that our sovereign God loves and cares for you. May God bring peace to our world and our hearts. Prayerfully, Max Lucado P.S. I’ve found that sometimes a simple story can help strengthen our faith. Even a little caterpillar can help us understand life from God’s perspective. That’s the story of “Hermie: A Common Caterpillar,” my latest children’s book. With his questions and disappointments, he’s a lot like you and me. http://maxlucado.com/hermie/ Copyright © 2003 UpWords, Inc. All rights reserved.