A time of renewal and spiritual blessings

A TIME OF RENEWAL AND SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS by HELEN STEINER RICE NO ONE LIKES TO BE SICK AND YET WE KNOW IT TAKES SUNSHINE AND RAIN TO MAKE FLOWERS GROW... AND IF WE NEVER WERE SICK AND NEVER FELT PAIN, WE' BE LIKE A DESERT WITHOUT ANY RAIN, AND WHO WANTS A LIFE THAT IS BARREN AND DRY WITH NEVER A "CLOUD" TO "DARKEN THE SKY"... FOR "CONTINUOUS SUN" GOES UNRECOGNIZED LIKE THE BLESSINGS GOD SENDS WHICH ARE OFTEN DISGUISED, FOR SOMETIMES A SICKNESS THAT SEEMS SO DISTRESSING IS A "TIME OF RENEWAL" AND A "SPIRITUAL BLESSING." I WILL LIE DOWN IN PEACE AND SLEEP, FOR YOU ALONE, O LORD, WILL KEEP ME SAFE. PSALM 4:8 NLT DO NOT, O LORD, WITHHOLD YOUR MERCY FROM ME; LET YOUR STEADFAST LOVE AND YOUR FAITHFULNESS KEEP ME SAFE FOREVER. PSALM 40:11 NRSV PRAISE BE TO THE LORD, FOR HE SHOWED HIS WONDERFUL LOVE TO ME WHEN I WAS IN A BESIEGED CITY. PSALM 31:21 NIV SURELY HE SHALL DELIVER YOU FROM THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER AND FROM THE PERILOUS PESTILENCE. PSALM 91:3 NKJV REACH DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND RESCUE ME; DELIVER ME FROM DEEP WATERS, FROM THE POWER OF MY ENEMIES. PSALM 144:7 TLB TURN, O LORD, SAVE MY LIFE; DELIVER ME FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR STEADFAST LOVE. PSALM 6:4 NRSV O KEEP MY SOUL, AND DELIEVER ME: LET ME NOT BE ASHAMED; FOR I PUT MY TRUST IN THEE. PSALM 25:20 KJV