New Church Life March/April 2017 | Page 88

new church life: march/april 2017 knows what tools we need to cope with our life and can help us if we ask Him. The Lord will show us the solution, or perhaps send someone to help us. But we need to develop a relationship with the Lord, and pray for guidance. How do we know that the Lord can help us with whatever we are facing? Because Divine providence governs all things, both the greatest and the least. It is “in the minutest particulars of nature and of human prudence.” And “the operation of the Divine Providence for the salvation of man begins at his birth and continues until the end of his life, and afterwards to eternity.” (Divine Providence 174, 201, 332) So the Lord not only leads and guides the big picture, but He is very aware of even the smallest details in our lives. After all, we acknowledge in the New Church that the Lord is infinite (is everywhere), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing). But do we really believe it? If we know that we can pray to Him for help with all of the struggles in our lives, we won’t be left feeling that any problem is too big or formidable for the Lord to help us with. We will truly believe that He will give us the help that we need to face the challenges that our lives present us with. After all, isn’t it true that “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:7) Naomi (Scott) Reid lives with her husband, John Reid, and their three children (Jordan, 21, Caelan, 19 and Alisha, 16) in Toronto, where they are members of the Olivet New Church congregation. She attended the Academy Girls School for senior year and Bryn Athyn College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree. She says; “I really enjoyed my years in Bryn Athyn as a student. Many years later I earned a Master’s in Psychology. I counselled teens for 26 years and now enjoy working at a number of jobs for the Olivet Church and School – including high school weekends, youth and young adults social events, an after-school program and Sunday school). I especially enjoy learning to make a variety of crafts and teaching them.” Contact: [email protected] 154