Focus on the beauty in this sad world

I turned on the news yesterday to hear about the tragic killings of 70 innocent people and the wounding of others. We live in a sad sad world and even more than ever we need to keep close to God our Father, leaning in for safety and strength.  One can easily be overwhelmed and stressed by this constant news of death and destruction and the fear of the unknown — therefore we need to place our focus on . .

. . . whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Come unto Me, all ye that labor,

That sink beneath your load of care;

Come unto Me when shadows gather,

And raise your hearts to Me in prayer.

I wait to give your souls a blessing,

To lift you upward to My breast;

Come, weary, worn, and heavy-laden,

And I will give you rest.

Come unto Me, all ye that hunger,

When all your fairest hopes have died;

When all the joys that Earth can give you

Have left you still unsatisfied;

Her stony bread and broken cisterns

Your thirsting souls forever mock;

Come unto Me, and I will give you

The water from the Rock.

Come unto Me, ye brokenhearted 

Who walk alone life's thorny ways;

For you I felt Myself forsaken,

And now am with you all the days.

My love alone is everlasting;

The heart I made, shall I not fill?

Come, lonely, sad, your want confessing;

And all your longing still.

~ Annie Johnson Flint ~

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30