Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our Reading titled The Ups and Downs of Life was written by Katara Patton.

A Facebook memory popped up showing me a picture of my triumphant five-year-old when she'd won a fun and competitive game of

shoots and ladders. I tagged my brother and sister in the post because we'd often played

this board game when we were kids. Shoots and ladders is based on a game that's been played

for centuries, helping people learn to count and providing the thrill of being able to climb a ladder

and win the game by getting

to a hundred the fastest. But watch out. If you land on spot 98, you slide far down the shoot,

delaying or even prohibiting victory. Isn't that just like life? Jesus lovingly prepared us for

the ups and downs of our days. He said we'd experienced trouble, but he also shared a message of peace.

We don't have to be shaken by the trials we face.

Why? Christ has overcome the world.

Nothing is greater than his power, so we too can face whatever comes our way

with the mighty strength he's made

available to us. Just like in chutes and ladders, sometimes life presents a ladder allowing us to

happily ascend, and other times we tumble down a slippery slide. But we don't have to play the game

of life without hope. We have the power of Jesus to help us overcome it all.

Today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is from John chapter 16 verses 31 through 33.

Do you now believe, Jesus replied, a time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered each to your own home. You will leave me all alone, and I am not alone. For my father is with me. I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble.

But take heart.

I have overcome the world.

Let's pray.

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