“I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans to prosper you,
to give you a future and a hope.”
(Jeremiah 29:11)
Dear Friends –
The majestic power of Almighty God is revealed in the first part of the statement above: “I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU…” and what a humungous power that is, with the mechanics of that power far beyond our capacity to understand. When you consider the jillions of people that have lived, and will yet live, only an Almighty Creator could establish a personal relationship with each and every one of them. 
And that is the sticking point for agnostics… the inability to comprehend that God knows each one of us and we can know Him… and even establish a personal relationship with Him! His powers can intrinsically detail a whole scheme for our life because He knows our genetic code and what material talents He can bring to fruition for our best possible life. Baptized into His family, He is going to remain cognizant of our being, directing and guiding every day of our life because of His tremendous love for His children... our spiritual formation is most important to Him, and combined with our material talents He will unite those capacities for our happiness and a place in His Theo-Drama: a universal scheme for the results of righteous life prevailing. This all-powerful fantastic God has abilities far beyond our imagination… He is an INFINITE Supreme Being our finite brains cannot rationalize to human comprehension, and so He remains a mystery in so many ways, but that is why we have faith… believing in what you cannot see or understand. You cannot see the wind, and yet you know it exists mainly because you see what it can do, and that is very apropos to God once you learn to see what He can do
And just what can He do? The Bible contains a vast array of the Father and Son’s activities that dazzled the spectators of those days, and they still remain the phenomenon that cements religious foundations for continued belief in God. Nonbelievers treat those pages of The Bible as history for they can’t recognize that He is alive and still in control and care of His creation… they are so busy with worldly things they don’t take time to study and see how He operates. But very visible He is to those who follow His ways and see truth only recognizable to the mind and heart. God the Father spoke to individuals personally and through the prophets of old; Christ 
came along and spoke directly to the people, and They both “talk” to the saints of yesterdays and today. Saint Stephen is considered the first martyr and after trying to convert the Sanhedrin Court and reprimanding them for not believing, Stephen, “filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Thus, Stephen is the first to publically announce that the prophecy that Christ made regarding His resurrection from the dead was true… Stephen saw The Father and The Son together! But the Court considered this blasphemy and “They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (Acts 7:55-59) The first Saint among many to receive the stigmata was Saint Francis of Assisi, with valid documentation improving over the decades that removed all doubt, especially to Saint Padre Pio in our lifetime. These wounds of Christ imposed upon holy people are done by none other than Almighty God Himself by His majestic power, which we are incapable of deciphering, non-the-less, it happens! Why the crucifixion marks of Christ reproduced, if Christ never existed or wasn’t crucified as nonbelievers espouse? Who else has the power but God The Father to accomplish these miracles… absolutely no one. Why does God choose to keep the bodies of some of the saints from decomposition or liquefying their blood on scheduled dates? How… we will never know, but why, should be obvious… He is proving Himself to those who look!
If it is hard to figure out the work of His hands (miracles), concentrate on the why… because He loves us, with an infinite love (agape)
that is also beyond human knowing. The enormity of that love can only want what is best, and good, for His beloved children, so naturally you can believe He wants you to prosper, to strive for a future full of dreams fulfilled, and always to have hope in Him who can do the impossible.
BIBLICAL HIGHLIGHTS
A very good resolution to make at the start of the year is to read The Bible in one year. You can start on page one and read it like a book, but some of the early pages are tedious and may discourage you from continuing in that manner. If you Google: Bible Study In A Year, you may find one that makes a scheduled pairing of chapters more 
to your liking. If you are new to Bible reading, start with The New Testament and learn about Jesus; His birth, life, words, and works will inspire you to continue with fascination. By all means, make it pleasurable; schedule a daily time when quiet envelopes you to ponder and savor each word… make notes on the pages… keep a journal… even study with a friend or group, it will make your life so much better for the effort. The Old Testament has much to offer, especially the interaction of God The Father directly with individuals or with peoples through the prophets, all of which details the character and personality of Almighty God. I have highlighted some people and events you may have heard of, and consequently you could learn more thoroughly… a starting point for your intimate year with God.
GENESIS God creates our world and all its contents. Adam and Eve disobey God and Original Sin enters Paradise. The brothers Cain and Abel; first murder committed. Wickedness grows, God destroys world with flood makes new covenant with Noah. The Patriarch Abraham’s call and migration. Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Joseph sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. EXODUS The Israelites become oppressed in Egypt. The call of Moses. Pharaoh’s obduracy. Parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptians. Arrival at Mount Sinai and receipt of The Ten Commandments from God. JOSHUA Upon the death of Moses, Joshua assumes leadership and leads the people to the Promised Land. JUDGES The life of Samson. I SAMUEL Hannah offers her son Samuel to God. Saul anointed Israel’s first King. David slays Goliath. II SAMUEL King David’s 
reign. I KINGS Solomon, David’s son, assumes the kingship; he is renowned for his wisdom. ESTHER Queen Esther and Mordecai thwart the plot of Haman to eliminate the Jews. The unseen hand of God orchestrates an ironic twist to diabolical plots. JOB Human suffering caused by evil on righteous Job, can’t shake his faith in God. PSALMS 150 songs and prayers to God covering everything regarding the joys and sorrows of our heart. PROVERBS Religious and worldly short, wise sayings for all stages and disciplines of life. SONG OF SONGS Solomon’s lyric poetry on love and romance some consider an allegory for God’s love. ISAIAH The great prophet who revealed a coming Messiah. GOSPELS OF MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE & JOHN The accounting of the birth, teachings, miraculous works, trial, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES & THEIR FOLLOWING LETTERS The zeal of the Apostles to spread the teachings of Christ is relayed, which brings about the formation of the Christian community, and establishes churches along the way of their travels.
