Category Archives: Trials and testings

The Captain smiled at me

Posted on June 18, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Robert Louis Stevenson used to tell the story of a ship being battered by a huge storm. The crew were terrified and one young sailor gave way to panic and left his post to rush to the bridge, where he … Continue reading →

Posted in Confidence, Danger, Divine Protection, Faith, God with us, Peace, Trials and testings, Troubles | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Handling pressure

Posted on June 6, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

In the depths of the ocean there are two ways of handling the enormous water pressure that would crush a normal submarine. One is that of the bathysphere whose hull is made of steel plate several inches thick. It keeps … Continue reading →

Posted in inner peace, Spiritual blessing, Spiritual comfort, Spiritual Insight, Storms of life, Strength, Stress filled life, Tested, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble | Leave a comment

Happiness is not the same as fun

Posted on May 19, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Dr Vera Ranki, founder of the Examined Life Institute, said that the first lesson towards achieving happiness is to realize that happiness is not the same as fun. In our desperate pursuit of happiness we often forget that when we … Continue reading →

Posted in Happiness, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, True greatness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Our real security is in our relationships

Posted on April 29, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

The giant redwood trees of California have strangely shallow root systems that spider out just under the surface to catch as much surface moisture they can. Heavy winds would bring these giants crashing to the ground if it were not … Continue reading →

Posted in Pain, relationships, Security, Trials and testings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

All sunlight makes a desert

Posted on March 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s an old Arab proverb that says: ‘All sunlight makes a desert.’ Most of us love the sunshine and find more than a day of rain and overcast skies quite depressing. But when the rain doesn’t come, the sunshine becomes … Continue reading →

Posted in Endurance, Faith, Life, Life's journey, Living Life, Tested, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

When the worst that can happen becomes the best

Posted on March 12, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

When police in Germany went to arrest Maria Brunner for a stack of unpaid parking fines, all run up unbeknown to her by her unemployed husband using her car, they were surprised that she actually thanked them and waved to … Continue reading →

Posted in Escape, Hope, Peace, Peaceful Sleep, Relief, Rest, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble | Tagged | Leave a comment

Moving on

Posted on January 28, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

You may remember the story of Aaron Ralston who, a few years ago, while climbing in Utah, pushed his arm into a crack in the rock face and then got trapped by a large boulder. Everthing he tried failed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, Endurance, Overcoming, Pain, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Tried, Troubles | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

You can get bitter, or you can get better

Posted on December 31, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

The best selling book entitled You Can Grow Bitter or You Can Grow Better got it’s inspiration from a young woman who had just received word that her husband had been killed in a farming accident, leaving her alone with … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Growth, Healing, Hope, Life, Life's journey, Overcoming, Pain, Spiritual growth, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Tried, Troubles | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Oysters and eagles

Posted on September 24, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Morris Mandel, commenting on our very human desire for security, said: ‘When God made the oyster, he guaranteed his absolute economic and social security. He built the oyster a house, his shell, to shelter and protect him from his enemies. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspiration, Comfort Zone, Life's journey, Living Life, Love of the easy way, Purpose in life, Self Image, Trials and testings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Disappointed, discouraged, defeated?

Posted on July 13, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

I have a friend who has spent most of his life working with people in distress. He has a motto based on some words from the Bible that say: “We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Defeated, Disappointed, Discouraged, Faith, God, God with us, Hope, Love of Christ, Trials and testings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment