Category Archives: Trials and testings

Tempted, Tried and Tested

Posted on July 13, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

During the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the Rockie Mountains. Wanting to test the bridge, the chief engineer loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to … Continue reading →

Posted in Tempted, Tested, Trials and testings, Tried | Tagged Locomotive, Train, Trestle Bridge, Union Pacific Railroad | Leave a comment

Paradise Lost

Posted on June 15, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Years ago there was a place I used to visit occasionally that seemed like paradise to me. I used to daydream about what it would be like to live and work there. Then, some years later, an opportunity came to … Continue reading →

Posted in Conflict, Heaven, Hell, Life, Life's journey, Paradise, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble | Tagged anxiety, disatisfaction, fulfillment, God With Us, Hope, Wistful Hope | 1 Comment

Faith makes us bigger than our problems

Posted on June 15, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s a saying that ‘the beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of faith is the end of anxiety. One Easter during the Napoleonic Wars the French General Massena with eighteen thousand soldiers laid siege to … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Life's journey, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble | Tagged anxiety, Easter, God With Us, God's Will, Massena, Napoleonic War, siege, worry | Leave a comment

That’s what keeps me ticking!

Posted on June 5, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s an old story about a grandfather clock that had stood for generations in the same corner, faithfully ticking away. Then it got sold to a new owner who noticed the heavy weight hanging inside it, and removed it from … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Life's journey, Living Life, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Troubles | Tagged anxiety, Grandfather clock, inspirational sayings, rich inner life, Weights | Leave a comment

Pain – ‘God’s Megaphone’

Posted on March 26, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s nothing that challenges faith in a loving God more than the problem of pain. C.S. Lewis said that of all the things that come to us in life, pain is the one thing guaranteed to get our attention. Joys … Continue reading →

Posted in angry with God, Discernment, Encouragement, Faith, God, Grace, Hope, Life's journey, Living Life, Pain, pilgrimage, Religion, Spiritual Insight, Trials and testings, Wisdom | Tagged anxiety, disatisfaction, faith, God With Us, Megaphone, Wistful Hope | Leave a comment

When your morning seems to be going bad

Posted on March 24, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Following the September Eleven tragedy, a group of workers who should have been in the Twin Towers, but weren’t, met together to share their stories. One was late for work because his son started kindergarten. Another was late because her … Continue reading →

Posted in angry with God, Attitude, God, Inspiration, Life's journey, Living Life, Making the most of what you've got, Seeing the possibilities, Spiritual Insight, Spirituality, Terror, Terrorists, Trials and testings, Trust in God, Uncertainty of Life, Wisdom | Tagged Anger, anxiety, Deliverance, disatisfaction, Frustration, God With Us, Late for Work, Wistful Hope | Leave a comment

‘Thank God I can still feel pain’

Posted on February 27, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Doctor Paul Brand, who has spent a lifetime treating lepers, had a frightening experience one night. Getting ready for bed after hours of travel he discovered there was no feeling in his heel. So he took a pin, pricked it … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciation, Awareness, Discernment, Hope, Leprosy, Life's journey, Pain, Senses, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Uncertainty of Life, Wisdom | Tagged anxiety, Dr Paul Brand, God With Us, Hope, worry | Leave a comment

I believe in the Sun even when it’s not shining

Posted on February 17, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

It seems hard to believe that someone like Mother Teresa in later life should have written to her spiritual confidants revealing that inwardly her sense of the presence of God, that she had previously found quite overwhelming, seemed absent. However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Awareness, Faith, God, Hope, hope and love, inner peace, Inspirational, Knowing God, Life's journey, Moods, pilgrimage, Spiritual Darkness, Spiritual Insight, Trials and testings, Trust in God | Tagged Atheism and Faith, God With Us, Hope, inspirational sayings, Meaning in Life, peace with one's self, rich inner life, Wistful Hope | Leave a comment

Blessed are…

Posted on February 14, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

I was leading a study group recently, and we were discussing the meaning of the word ‘blessed’, which Jesus used to describe those whose lives reflect the qualities of the Sermon on the Mount. I explained that the Greek word … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciation, Attitude, Awareness, Contentment, Faith, God, Healing, Hope, inner peace, Life's journey, Moods, Promise, Spiritual Insight, Terror, Trials and testings, Trust in God | Tagged anxiety, Cancer, faith, God With Us, Hope, rich inner life, worry | Leave a comment

And it came to pass

Posted on February 4, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

A group of people was once asked to name the passage of the Bible that most helped them when they were going through difficult times. Most came up with old favourites, except for one elderly man who said: ‘Mine is: … Continue reading →

Posted in Attitude, Awareness, Bible, Encouragement, Faith, God, Hope, Life's journey, old age, Trials and testings, Trust in God, Uncertainty of Life, Wisdom | Tagged anxiety, God With Us, God's Will, Hope, inspirational sayings | Leave a comment