…worship Christ as Lord of your life.

and if someone asks about your hope as a believer,

always be ready to explain it.

But do this in a gentle and respectful way…

1 Peter 3:15-16

(Photo credit: Richard Brice)

So be truly glad.

There is wonderful joy ahead,

even though you must endure many trials

 for a little while.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine.

It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—

though your faith is far more precious than gold.

So when your faith remains strong 

through many trials,

it will bring you much praise and glory and honor

on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed 

to the whole world.

1 Peter 1:6-7

All praise to God,

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is by his great mercy that we have been born again,

because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

Now we live with great expectation,

and we have a priceless inheritance—

an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you,

pure and undefiled,

beyond the reach of change and decay.

1 Peter 1:3-4

…The earnest prayer of a righteous person

has great power

and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16

(Summer Tanager)

…be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return.

Consider the farmers who patiently wait

for the rains in the fall and in the spring.

They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.

You, too, must be patient.

Take courage,

for the coming of the Lord is near.

James 5:7-8

(Young Red-bellied Woodpecker)

Look here, you who say,

“Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town

and will stay there a year.

We will do business there and make a profit.”

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?

Your life is like the morning fog—

it’s here a little while,

then it’s gone.

What you ought to say is,

“If the Lord wants us to,

we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-15

…God is passionate 

that the spirit he has placed within us

should be faithful to him.

Come close to God,

and God will come close to you…

James 4:5, 8

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure.

It is also peace loving,

gentle at all times,

and willing to yield to others.

It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds.

It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

And those who are peacemakers

will plant seeds of peace

and reap a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:17-18

…You must all be quick to listen,

slow to speak,

and slow to get angry.

Human anger does not produce the righteousness

God desires.

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives,

and humbly accept the word God has planted

in your hearts,

for it has the power to save your souls.

James 1:19-21

Whatever is good and perfect 

is a gift coming down to us

from God our Father,

who created all the lights in the heavens.

He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

He chose to give birth to us 

by giving us his true word.

And we,

out of all creation,

became his prized possession.

James 1:17-18