Pastor or parishioner, in the midst of a long walk in the Spirit or simply taking an occa-sional stroll to the sanctuary, life brings happiness and sorrows to all. Sometimes the most skilled sailor can find himself in a storm that is more than he bargained for.

There are times in everyone’s life when it seems like all the doors are shut, the cupboards of hope are bare, and faith is on empty. The pressure of it all has your mind on overload and you just want to lie down and sleep, wishing that when you wake, the nightmare will be over. You are waiting for the answer to appear at your doorstep but no answer comes, and the way still seems uncertain. What to do? What do I do?

You have already googled God for help—page not found. You’ve been praying, asking, looking for a ray of sun-light in any direction but the storm clouds are still brewing.

To be happy and at peace in a life-crushing crisis or simply struggling with everyday stresses and drama can sometimes seem close to impossible. But staying calm in a season of trial is more than a life discipline. It requires more than strong spiritual knowledge. It calls for deep wisdom, deep wisdom with understanding. The Bible tells us:

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding." Proverbs 4:7

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

You need more than just great spiritual information and memorized verses. You need a depth of explanation to accompany them. You need the knowledge of how this information works and an "understanding" of what God is trying to tell you.

In order to learn how to manage fear, stress, emotion and all the things that push you and threaten your peace in life, you need a fearless demeanor. You need a cool head in a fiery situation. The Bible calls it "a cool spirit." It’s something that we all admire and should strive to attain. Having that virtue in your life when going through a difficult trial can be the difference between "walking through the valley of the shadow of death, fearing no evil"¹ and running frantically for your life.

"a man of understanding is of a cool spirit." Prov 17:2

The key to having a "cool spirit" is—you guessed it—possessing understanding. Sometimes you just need a little enlightenment added to what you already know for things to come into perfect focus. Clear understanding can provide you with that degree of confidence in God’s love and purpose for your life that drives out fear and ushers in faith.

 "perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have love perfected in them." I John 4:18

You have heard that nothing is impossible with God and surely you have heard stories and testimonies of those blessed brothers and sisters who have received their miracles and seem to have won heaven’s lotto.

Well guess what? It’s your turn! You are reading this book right now not by accident. It’s a Divine appointment and God wants to bless you! You are the child that He loves.