Pure joy is joy untethered from even the slightest shred of happiness.

When we encourage each other in this sense, we—in the most real and tangible way—become the bearers or agents of God to one another.

To the man or woman reading this thinking all is lost—be assured, perseverance is finishing its work in you.

Perseverance does not come from us. It comes from God.

Don’t be afraid. Do not be discouraged. No matter how bad or hard it is, Jesus has you, and you have him—and he has this!

Even in the midst of his anguish, David understands and foresees that God is his fortress and final hope.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

To encourage someone in the midst of a trial is to greet them with the embrace of Jesus, welcome them into the house of love, and sit with them until they are ready to walk again.

There comes a point in this journey, if we can stay awake with Jesus and deepen our awareness of his presence, our attention to his words, our attunement to his voice, and our attachment to his heart, that we will find him abiding in us all the time and we in him.

Courage is not the absence of fear, discouragement, or despair. Courage is the presence of Jesus.