Tuesday, November 1, 2011
It's all around.
Suffering.
It's all around. My family is in a season of remembering a loved, cherished little life that left us 3 years ago. It has been hard. I would say harder this year than years past. She was a little thing... 5 weeks. She was a red head.
In the midst of my grief, I'm aware of at least 7+ other friends who are going through extremely tough situations. Losing a parent, a grandparent (who was like a parent), severe/life threatening illnesses, children going through life threatening illnesses, ill spouses, job losses.... and the list seems to go on.
My tears fall, but I know that the Lord sees every one of them. He counts them, he bottles them, he notes them. He "is near to the brokenhearted" (Ps.34:18).
God has used my children to show me so much about Himself lately. Recently, my daughter was literally laughing and running into my husbands arms. Her daddy. She loves him so, and he loves her more. What a picture of God to me.... Thank you, Lord. Today, my other daughter gets a thump on the head and is sad and in pain. She runs to me, crawls on my lap and cries on my shoulder. I kiss her boo boo and she's all better. The pain is still there (I'm sure), but the comfort of knowing that I love her and that I kiss her boo boo makes it bearable. Off she goes, joyfully to keep playing. Isn't that a picture of how it is with God?
I have sat on Jesus' lap many times this week as I wash the dishes and cried... and he kisses the boo boo and I receive strength and even joy to go about the day.
If you are suffering too, may I remind you to look to Jesus. Lay your burdens before him. Be real about it. Because in pouring your heart out before him you will receive comfort.
In the meantime my heart is looking forward to this coming to pass:
Revelation 21:3-5 (the Message)
"Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone." The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate."
It's all around. My family is in a season of remembering a loved, cherished little life that left us 3 years ago. It has been hard. I would say harder this year than years past. She was a little thing... 5 weeks. She was a red head.
In the midst of my grief, I'm aware of at least 7+ other friends who are going through extremely tough situations. Losing a parent, a grandparent (who was like a parent), severe/life threatening illnesses, children going through life threatening illnesses, ill spouses, job losses.... and the list seems to go on.
My tears fall, but I know that the Lord sees every one of them. He counts them, he bottles them, he notes them. He "is near to the brokenhearted" (Ps.34:18).
God has used my children to show me so much about Himself lately. Recently, my daughter was literally laughing and running into my husbands arms. Her daddy. She loves him so, and he loves her more. What a picture of God to me.... Thank you, Lord. Today, my other daughter gets a thump on the head and is sad and in pain. She runs to me, crawls on my lap and cries on my shoulder. I kiss her boo boo and she's all better. The pain is still there (I'm sure), but the comfort of knowing that I love her and that I kiss her boo boo makes it bearable. Off she goes, joyfully to keep playing. Isn't that a picture of how it is with God?
I have sat on Jesus' lap many times this week as I wash the dishes and cried... and he kisses the boo boo and I receive strength and even joy to go about the day.
If you are suffering too, may I remind you to look to Jesus. Lay your burdens before him. Be real about it. Because in pouring your heart out before him you will receive comfort.
In the meantime my heart is looking forward to this coming to pass:
Revelation 21:3-5 (the Message)
"Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone." The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate."
Monday, October 3, 2011
It's all just preparation...
This thought was encouraging to me this morning. I hope it encourages you. It's from a Beth Moore Study I'm attending on David.
" The tricky thing about God's preparation is how He prepares us -- even through trials. We find ourselves saying, "I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I never would have expected this."
Painless or painful, enjoyable or distasteful, God always works to prepare us to serve Him, but He rarely prepares us in ways we expect. Why must we experience such preparation? Because any work we've grown accustomed to is usually a work completed. As soon as we've learned one lesson, He brings another. He will continue to work in us until we see His face, because that, beloved, is the ultimate moment for which we're being prepared.
Make no mistake. Jesus will be worth it. Remember, He thought we were worth it too"
" The tricky thing about God's preparation is how He prepares us -- even through trials. We find ourselves saying, "I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I never would have expected this."
Painless or painful, enjoyable or distasteful, God always works to prepare us to serve Him, but He rarely prepares us in ways we expect. Why must we experience such preparation? Because any work we've grown accustomed to is usually a work completed. As soon as we've learned one lesson, He brings another. He will continue to work in us until we see His face, because that, beloved, is the ultimate moment for which we're being prepared.
Make no mistake. Jesus will be worth it. Remember, He thought we were worth it too"
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