words of Jesus: release your worries

 words of Jesus: release your worries by ric gustafson

We cannot escape the trouble of this world. But our hearts need to be close to the one who can carry our burdens. John 14 says let not your hearts be troubled. Jesus is full of mercy, grace and compassion. Jesus is a faithful friend. He gives us safety like a parent to a child. 

What is troubling your heart?. Jesus says do not surrender to fear. Jesus says surrender yourselves to me. Jesus will provide for our needs. Jesus says trust me. We need to take him at his word. 

Why?. Because Jesus loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' Bible Word Search devotional' by Broad Street Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

John and Caroline page 1

 John and Caroline page 1 by ric gustafson

On May 19 1994, 33 year old John Kennedy Jr was looking at a telescope. His mother had bought it for him when he was a child. It sat in the same corner of the large square drawing room. John loved this room. The wide windows showed an exquisite view of the city. In the room were red and gold silk drapes. Stacks of books filled the room. 

But his mother's home was not warm and loving any more. John had been crying. His mother Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had just passed away one hour earlier.

John knew this day was coming. It came quickly. His mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in January. For Jackie, those last months she wanted to spend time with her family. 

John and his sister Caroline had traits from both of their parents. Like his father, John was good looking and had self confidence. Caroline was not comfortable with direct eye contact. Especially with reporters. Like a man in politics, John could command a room. 

After his speech at the Democratic National Convention in July 1988 to introduce his uncle Ted Kennedy, people started thinking John might be the next heir to the Kennedy throne.

research help: ' The Kennedy Heirs' by J Randy Taraborrelli

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

7/16/1999 page 10

 7/16/1999 page 10 by ric gustafson

As John looked at the controls and dials of his Piper Saratoga. Spatial disorientation was beginning. His brain was confused. He wasn't sure what to do. He failed to see the lower left hand corner of the instrument panel. The wings of the plane were not level.

At 9:40 pm, the Piper Saratoga began to descend. As the plane descended toward the ocean, it began picking up speed. The plane began hurtling toward the ocean at 5000 feet per minute. Because the wings were not level, John could not straighten out the plane.

The Piper Saratoga began to turn clockwise like a corkscrew. Pilots called this a ' graveyard spiral'. In their seats, John, Carolyn and Lauren watched as G forces pressed against them. For 15 seconds, they watched in horror as the Piper Saratoga hit the water of the Atlantic Ocean at 99 feet per second.

The End

research help: ' The Day John Died' by Christopher Andersen

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

words of Jesus: Wait on him

 words of Jesus: Wait on him by ric gustafson

Sometimes in life we need to move ahead. Sometimes it is necessary to wait. We can try to run our lives ourselves. God the Father instead offers us his Spirit for help. Listen to God when he tells you to wait and listen.

The Holy Spirit is a generous gift. When we have fellowship with the Spirit we have peace, love, joy, endurance and hope. The fruit of the Spirit can start. The Holy Spirit can transform us from the inside out.

The Holy Spirit can give us all we need. We need to wait on Jesus each and every day.

research help: ' Bible Word Search devotional' by Broad Street Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

7/16/1999 page 9

 7/16/1999 page 9 by ric gustafson

Even though John could not see any visual clues or know the new plane's instruments, he kept flying. His decision to save time and fly over open water proved fatal. He could not see through the haze. 

His first instinct was to try and drop below it. At 9:34 pm, John guided the Piper Saratoga down to 2300 hundred feet. Exiting the haze, John could see the Gay Head Lighthouse. It was a familiar landmark. 

The joy of being able to see did not last long for John. After only five minutes, the haze came back. John again could not see through the windows of the Piper Saratoga. 

Without visual clues, John's brain was getting confused.

research help: ' The Day John Died' by Christopher Andersen

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

7/16/1999 page 8

 7/16/1999 page 8 by ric gustafson

John navigated the Piper Saratoga over the Hudson River. Then toward Long Island Sound. The plane's cruising altitude was 5,600 feet. Suddenly, an air traffic controler noticed that John's plane was flying too close to an American Airlines passenger jet. John did not see the jet. Luckily, the pilot of the passenger jet changed his course to avoid a midair collision. John's plane headed east along the Connecticut shoreline.

It was at this time that the weather conditions people had been warning John about began to happen. It was now roughly 40 minutes after takeoff. A haze began. It was getting so bad John could not see anything. As the Piper Saratoga flew past Westerly Rhode Island, John could still not see anything. John did not know his new plane had autopilot.

Then John made a grave decision. He decided to fly straight ahead to Martha's Vineyard. This new route was now flying 35 miles over open water.

research help: ' The Day John Died' by Christopher Andersen

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

words of Jesus: Forgiveness

 words of Jesus: Forgiveness by ric gustafson

In Mark 2, Jesus heals a paralyzed man. He did something to the man even more powerful. Jesus removed the man's guilt, shame and fear. On behalf of God the Father, Jesus forgave the man's sins. 

The Pharisee's balked greatly when Jesus did this. They wanted to know who gave Jesus the authority to do this. To the Pharisees, strict sacrifices had to be done by specific people. 

Not only does Jesus forgive us, he sets us free to forgive others. In Jesus's mercy, we are alive and free in his mercy.

research help: ' Bible Word Search devotional' by Broad Street Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric