THERE IS A REASON FOR EVERYTHING by HELEN STEINER RICE OUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT'S BEST FOR US, SO WHY SHOULD WE COMPLAIN? WE ALWAYS WANT THE SUNSHINE, BUT HE KNOWS THERE MUST BE RAIN. WE LOVE THE SOUND OF LAUGHTER AND THE MERRIMENT OF CHEER, BUT OUR HEARTS WOULD LOSE THEIR TENDERNESS IF WE NEVER SHED A TEAR. OUR FATHER TESTS US OFTEN WITH SUFFERING AND WITH SORROW. HE TESTS US NOT TO PUNISH US BUT TO HELP US WITH TOMORROW. FOR GROWING TREES ARE STRENGTHENED WHEN THEY WITHSTAND THE STORM, AND THE SHARP CUT OF A CHISEL GIVES THE MARBLE GRACE AND FORM. GOD NEVER HURTS US NEEDLESSLY, AND HE NEVER WASTES OUR PAIN, FOR EVERY LOSS HE SENDS TO US IS FOLLOWED BY RICH GAIN. AND WHEN WE COUNT THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS SO FREELY SENT, WE WILL FIND NO CAUSE FOR MURMURING AND NO TIME TO LAMENT, FOR OUR FATHER LOVES HIS CHILDREN, AND TO HIM ALL THINGS ARE PLAIN, SO HE NEVER SENDS US PLEASURE WHEN THE SOUL'S DEEP NEED IS PAIN. SO WHENEVER WE ARE TROUBLED AND WHEN EVERYTHING GOES WRONG, IT IS JUST GOD WORKING IN US TO MAKE OUR SPIRITS STRONG. HE WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR FOOT TO SLIP; HE WHO KEEPS YOU WILL NOT SLUMBER. PSALM 121:3 NAS FOR THE LORD WATCHES OVER ALL THE PLANS AND PATHS OF GODLY MEN, BUT THE PATHS OF THE GODLESS LEAD TO DOOM. PSALM 1:6 TLB COME, SEE THE GLORIOUS THINGS GOD HAS DONE. WHAT MARVELOUS MIRACLES HAPPEN TO HIS PEOPLE! PSALM 66:5 TLB I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME; BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND I SHALL NOT BE MOVED. THEREFORE MY HEART IS GLAD, AND MY GLORY REJOICES; MY FLESH ALSO WILL REST IN HOPE. PSALM 16:8-9 NKJV LET ME LIVE WITH YOU FOREVER AND FIND PROTECTION UNDER YOUR WINGS, MY GOD. YOU HEARD MY PROMISES, AND YOU HAVE BLESSED ME, JUST AS YOU BLESS EVERYONE WHO WORSHIPS YOU. PSALM 61:4-5 CEV HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES: HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS. HE RESTORETH MY SOUL. PSALM 23:2-3 KJV