You're listening to Encounter, a simple daily podcast of sacred and mindful meditations

to help you encounter the divine presence of God all throughout your day.

If you want to have free access to the entire library of 500 meditations, I encourage

you to download the Encountering Peace app where all the meditations are free as they should be.

My grandmother, in Jordan, and kept a prayer journal over me and my sister from the day we were born.

She died at the ripe old age of 98 and I honestly felt a prayer covering was lifted off of me the day she

died. I felt exposed. She used to make me promise to do two things. First, never get old. I didn't

keep that promise. And secondly, never forget that the sun will endure in rise in the morning.

That I've never forgotten. Whispered wise words for me to endure my sufferings because God

endures. And the sun, yes, will indeed rise. In the midst of diminishing hope, do you ever hope for

sunrise? Do you ever long for enduring joy? Well, this meditation from James 1 is a reflection

on that longing for enduring joy to empty yourself of the false hope the world offers and be filled

with the joy and the presence of God, the only thing that endures. So to begin, whether at the first

shining rays of morning light or at the long shadows of evening dark, allow the next 15 minutes

to be a sanctuary to contemplate the enduring peace, love and joy of God. Allow your breathing to

settle and your eyes to drift from a soft gaze to closed from light to dark and center on this

place of hope for a quiet moment. This time of surrender and a moment of silent prayer of being

filled with the enduring presence of God, spirit and sun.

Continue in prayer by responding to this passage from Hebrews chapter 13. As I lead us,

respond simply, Father God, you endure. And may he bless the reading of his word.

Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings. Father God, you endure.

Jesus Christ is eternally changeless, always the same, and Father God, you endure.

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