Dear Friend of Insight for Living:

It isn't pretty, but it's here to stay. It occurs in every life and in every season of life. I call it the "daily grind."

Homemakers face fourteen-hour days with ever-present children and an endless grind of responsibilities. Students endure the grind of assignments, classes, and exams. Salespeople have quotas to meet. Musicians must constantly rehearse. Therapists can't escape one depressed soul after another. Husbands have grass to mow and things to fix each weekend. Preachers forever face the grind of sermon preparation.

Fact is—let's face it—the grind isn't going away! Instead of fussing about it or dreading it, we must find a way to live beyond it. How? Songs! But not just any songs. I have in mind a songbook that's really old. In fact, it's one of the first-ever composed, inspired by our Creator-God. Its timeless songs were written specifically to help us live beyond life's daily grind. That's right, beyond it. Why else would God have inspired those age-old compositions called psalms?

When frightened, who hasn't been comforted by, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want"? That's Psalm 23. Who hasn't felt strangled by guilt and found soothing relief from, "According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me . . . cleanse me"? That's Psalm 51. And on those days when we feel forgotten, who hasn't felt assured by, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty"? That's the immortal Psalm 91.

As August ends and life settles back into its routine, the grind will return. This year, for a change, let's live beyond it. And let's encourage others to do the same.

Let me be very honest: there isn't one month at Insight for Living when we're free of our daily grind. It stays with us, always, in the realm of our financial challenges. We've never received assistance from the government, large denominations, personal grants, or a group of super-rich partners. On the contrary, for more than thirty-three years, we've faced the daily grind of handling all our expenses through donations from our listeners—folks just like you.

Therefore, I am not hesitant in urging you to stand alongside us financially! Only you and others like you can provide funds to relieve our daily grind. Only you and others like you can make it possible for our ministry to continue making an impact.

In my newest hardcover volume, Living the Psalms: Encouragement for the Daily Grind, I escort you through God's songbook and offer practical advice to help you press on. For your gift this month, I would love to send it to you, so be sure to request a copy when you make your donation.

God's people need to sing His songs frequently . . . and allow their time-tested lyrics to oil our gears. When we do, we begin to live beyond the grind. And we can help others do the same.

 

Standing alongside you every day, Charles R. Swindoll