Be Strong and Stand Firm

I dropped my iPhone last night while talking to my brother. I think I dropped it really hard because it broke. I quickly activated my old LG Android phone, which still works. I am extremely thankful for that phone because if I did not have it, I would have nothing to call my mom and brother. I talked with my mom last night, which was a huge blessing.

However, I may have lost some photos. I say "may have" because I'm going to a phone repair store today or tomorrow to see if they can fix my iPhone.

One of those photos was of something I came across at the lake that I was going to post today...

There is a place at the lake where you go through a wooded area and come out to a clearing in which there are benches. People like to write their names and stuff on the benches.

Here's a photo I found on my computer of the wooded area and the benches...

One such person wrote that this spot was their "quiet time" spot and they wrote the Bible verse "1 Corinthians 16:13." When I first read this, I was so excited because I realized I was not the only one who found the lake to be their "quiet time" with God.

Yesterday, I looked up this verse while coming across the photo with the verse on it on the way to a quiz.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."

-1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)

I never met this person who wrote this verse on the bench, but as I read this verse last night, it was a great reminder for me to "be strong and courageous" as I face the last few weeks of graduate school. I am very thankful I came across it yesterday before my phone broke.

May it be a verse for you as well to remind you to stand firm and be strong.