Encouragement notes from my brothers before me

Dear Nica,

Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Love, James [based on James 1:2-4]




Dear Nica,

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life, and you shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

<sup>Love, David [based on Psalm 46:1, 55:22 and 23:6]




Dear Nica,</sup>

Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Therefore, as you suffer according to God’s will, entrust your soul to our faithful Creator while doing good.

^{Love, Peter [based on 1 Peter 4:12-14, 19]}




Dear Nica,

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed in you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do not lose heart. Though your outer self is wasting away, your inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for you an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

You show that you are a letter from Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Love, Paul [based on 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, 2 Corinthians 4:16-20 and 3:3, 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 3:20-21]