The smell of faith?

I have Bible study tomorrow. We are doing a 6 weeks study on strengthening our faith. Our "homework" from last week is to write out our favorite "life verse" about faith. And we're supposed to bring our favorite scent & tell why extravagant faith smells like our favorite scent. Now how am I supposed to choose a favorite scent? I can't even choose a best friend, let alone a smell! I have a "favorite" smell for about every occasion! I love to smell my kids when they're fresh from the tub. I love the homemade rosemary orange candles my friend makes me. On cold, dreary days, my house smells like grilled cheese, soup, and hot coffee. Pizza is by far the best supper smell. The smell of rain is something that stirs memories & soothes my soul. And though this might sound gross to some, my husband's scent is attractive to me. But how do I bottle that up? And surely all these scents wouldn't smell that great all mixed together!?!

And if you think I'm struggling to find a smell...than you can imagine the problem I'm having picking one verse. I pulled out my 20 lb. concordance & started reading through the verses that had "faith, faithful, & faithfulness" in them. There were too many to choose from. In the end, I chose a verse that doesn't even have the word "faith" in it, but it described to me the essence of faith...and it spoke to my weary soul..."Have faith!"

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Therefore we do not lost heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 7-9, 16-18

When Phil was a youth-pastor, one of the girls in our group got pregnant her junior year of high school. It was a totally new situation for us. We were there for their wedding & I remember praying that God would give them the strength to face the difficulties ahead. After serving in Iraq, her husband was killed in a work related accident last Friday. He was 23. We were at his funeral on Tues. We smiled through tears as we listed to P.O.D. proclaim God's grace & listened to the rap song "Heaven Bound" - a song Pistal had chosen to close his funeral service. Today our town mourned the loss of a hero killed in the line of duty, while serving his country in Iraq. And I am left feeling emotionally drained, grieving with friends, wives, mothers & wondering how they will deal with the loss. Sometimes the pressures of life do feel overwhelming, like they will crush & destroy me, and leave me in despair. But even on the worst days, I still have hope. I still have faith. Faith in a God that is big enough to understand even when I do not. Hope in a future I know is certain, even though I cannot see it today. Hope in a God who is more powerful than I can imagine.