But you, dear friends, must build each other up

in your most holy faith,

pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,

and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who will bring you eternal life…

Jude 20-21

…people will come from all over the world—

from east and west, north and south—

to take their places in the Kingdom of God.

And note this:

Some who seem least important now 

will be the greatest then,

and some who are the greatest now

will be least important then.”

Luke 13:29-30

(The Upper Room, Jerusalem)

Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.

If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.

Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind

or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,

so you cannot understand the activity of God,

who does all things.

Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon,

for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity

or another—or maybe both.

Ecclesiastes 11:4-6

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Iceland

…When someone has been given much,

much will be required in return;

and when someone has been entrusted with much,

even more will be required.

Luke 12:48

…I recommend having fun,

because there is nothing better for people in this world

than to eat, drink, and enjoy life.

That way they will experience some happiness

along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.

…no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun.

Not even the wisest people discover everything,

no matter what they claim.

Ecclesiastes 8:15, 17

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that,

what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

Luke 12:25-26

(Bridge girder washed away in the 1996 eruption north of Grimsvotn in the Vatnajokull glacier)

“Go and stand before me on the mountain,”

the LORD told him. 

And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by,

and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain.

It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose,

but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake,

but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake there was a fire,

but the LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 

1 Kings 19:11-12

Reynisfjara Black Sand (Lava) Beach, Iceland

‘This is what the LORD,

the God of your ancestor David, says:

I have heard your prayer and seen your tears…

2 Kings 20:5

(Vik i Myrdal Church, Iceland)

…how can people avoid what they don’t know 

is going to happen?

None of us can hold back our spirit from departing.

None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death.

There is no escaping that obligation…

Ecclesiastes 8:7-8

(Strokkur Geysir, Golden Circle, Iceland)

Don’t long for “the good old days.”

This is not wise.

Accept the way God does things,

for who can straighten what he has made crooked?

Ecclesiastes 7:10, 13