A note from our interactive prayer community:

            I've asked for prayers before for financial issues and so far things seem to be going from bad to worse. It's getting harder to keep going on. We are already struggling to pay bills because my husband was off work for two months from a heart attack. Now both of our vehicles have broken down and we don't have money to pay for them. I am late on many bills and don't know how we are going to pull out of this.  I am so very tired of struggling.  Please God, help us.

What could I possibly do to help? Her email was hidden, so I can't write and give her thoughts of encouragement'they probably wouldn't help anyway. Words are pretty hollow in a situation like this. And I don't have the money to send and relieve the stress.

I don't even know her name, let alone where she lives or her telephone number.

But there is Someone who knows the total of every bill, where to take the car, and how to begin working to get out of this awful mess. So what can I do? You are right: I can pray for her and ask the Lord to quiet her troubled heart and give her renewed hope and cheer. “Is that the best you can do, Anabel?” No. That's the most I can do! So I pray that they will be given the wisdom they need, the discipline they need, and renewed trust in the only One Who can help them.

            Hope is such a wonderful word! And as long as God is in His Heaven, we have hope. Our circumstances may not come under control as quickly as we would like, one of the cars may have to go and city busses become a part of our life, but there is always hope because there is always God. There is always God!

            So we can rejoice when we run into problems and trials'why? Because we know that they're good for us'they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it untilfinallyour hope and faith are strong and steady. When that comes about we will find that we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well. How can we know this? Because we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

(Romans 5:3-5 Taylor's Living Paraphrase – Additional words – Anabel)

      Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

            How are you going to "abound in hope?"By the power of the Holy Spirit.You can't do this, but He can. Believe that, dear one.