If God is Good...

I have been plowing through school now for 2 years. This week's question for class is about a subject near and dear to my heart and to the heart of God - suffering. What happens to us when we face evil and suffering? Do we run to God or run away? Do we think that God is unaware or just set the world in motion and left us to ourselves to figure it out? Trials and suffering really test the metal of our faith and is an indicator of where our heart is and what we value. Do we believe James when he tell us to consider it all joy when we encounter trials because the testing of our faith will grow us up in our faith (James 1:2-4). Do we believe that the eternal weight of glory far exceeds this present suffering as Paul writes (Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)? Dear reader, If you have any questions or doubts about where God is in the midst of evil and suffering I highly recommend reading If God is Good, by Randy Alcorn. 

1. Describe a situation where you were hard pressed by evil or suffered a significant trial. How did your view of God’s sovereignty and goodness affect how you responded?

I want to preface this question with the statement that I think timelines are so valuable. You can look back historically, see how the events of life have unfolded, and how God has moved and grown you. When I reflect back on the timeline of my life it is clear that both attributes of God’s sovereignty and goodness are evident. Each trial that has come my way through the course of my life has prepared me, and continues to inform me of the of God’s sovereignty and goodness, as I travel this winding and troubled road of life. When scripture informs our lives, particularly the attributes of God (Alcorn read Tozer, I read Tozer and Pink) one bump in the road prepares for the next one.

The answer to this question is informed by several statements made by Alcorn in is book:

·      The faith that can’t be shaken is the faith that has been shaken (4)

·      Our failure to teach a biblical theology of suffering leaves Christians unprepared for harsh realities (14)

·      Evil is never good, yet God can use any evil to accomplish his good and sovereign purposes (34)

·      Suffering reminds us to stop taking life for granted and to contemplate the larger picture. God intends that it draw our attention to life-and-death reality far greater than ourselves (43)

As I have reflected on my life along the way there were instances where trying to make sense of things (multiple miscarriages, death of loved ones, near death car accidents, etc.) were what drew me to scripture and began to shape my understanding particularly of the sovereignty and providence of God. As each hurt hit I was drawn more closely to the Word. God was preparing my heart for bigger bumps in the road.

The big blast came in 2002 when I was diagnosed with a chronic debilitating disease that leveled me. As I was coming up from the ash heap I journaled everything, snippets from things I read either in the Word or from another source (other books, sermons, cards and notes that were sent at the time). As I have been reading back through the journal it is clearly evident that God was using that time to begin to help me develop a theology of suffering. I was learning what the goodness of God really meant. Psalm 73 was such a ministry to my soul at the time. Needless to say, the weight of affliction did not end there. It had become a springboard to prepare me for the next big trial that hit our family.

As I began to regain my strength I laid that journal down for a while. It picks up again in May 2005 when our youngest son left the family as a prodigal. He turned his back and walked away. Again the journal chronicles the goodness and sovereignty of God in the midst of great sorrow.  As I turned the pages it has become evident that God has been teaching me the meaning of gratitude in the midst of trial.

I could write hundreds of pages of how I have seen God’s sovereign and good hand in my life, but I will leave you with one journal entry from 3/16/06:

 “God picks the time that looks the darkest and seems the most hopeless to show his power and glory. God’s grace always shines the most brightly against the blackest backdrop.”

 I am not sure of the source. It sounds like Nancy Leigh DeMoss. 

Beyond The Ceiling

From time to time I like to invite guest writers to tell their stories of how they have found God to be good and completely trustworthy in their lives. He courses through our lives in ways we would never think possible, always pointing us upward as we learn to trust Him in the trials and circumstances of our lives. I invite you to read Faith's story of how she experienced the goodness and FAITH-fulness of God in a most unusual circumstance.

Meet My Friend Faith:

It all began as a relaxing evening. My husband, Greg, and I were returning home from taking our daughter’s car to be repaired. Laughing and exchanging funny stories together, we pulled in the driveway. When we walked into our house we noticed some fuzzy material in the hallway. I followed the trail down the hall, all the while muttering, “What did that cat do now?!?!” “This isn’t the cat,” my husband’s shaky voice replied. We stared in disbelief. What had been a cozy, freshly painted and newly carpeted family room 30 minutes before was now a war zone buried in drywall and insulation. The ceiling to our family room had collapsed, leaving in its wake a restoration invoice of thousands of dollars….not covered by insurance. 

I would love to say I immediately turned to the Lord in thankfulness, but those biblical thoughts were not yet coursing through my conscious. In that moment, I could not let go of the ruin caused by cascading mountains of fiberglass that ravaged the sacred place where our family and friends had played games, watched movies and ate Chinese food on Friday nights.  Then, the horror sunk in of “what could have been.” Had we been home and not taken our daughter’s car to be repaired, one or both of us would have been buried in the rubble that was once our soft and cushy couch.

There are no coincidences in God’s timing. His loving hand of mercy and protection was as evident as the gaping hole in our ceiling. Through the blur of tears I gazed over the grey and dusty piles at the framed Bible verse, which has hung above our fireplace for many years. It had survived this travesty - totally untouched and still in its place, as unwavering as its biblical reminder. Jeremiah 29:11, the virtual anchor we chose together for our wedding verse. “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord…plans to give you a future and a hope.”  

In the following days as we faced clean up and plans of restoration, I was constantly reminded that all that was lost were just things.  They were either replaceable or not even necessary.  Above all, God taught me that there is no ceiling…no limit…no end to His mercy and protection.    

Soul Food

It has been a long time since I have posted a blog. Being a student has consumed much of my time. Learning new things is exciting and a continuous process through life. But, the older you get the harder it is to hold a thought. How many times have you caught yourself asking," What was I going to say?" Poof! The thought went out the brain as fast as it came.

This past semester I had a big assignment, which at the outset seemed to be insurmountable. I had to write a student workbook and teacher's counseling manual on a particular problem that biblical counselors face in counseling. As I wrote each lesson it became clear to me that there is a common thread that weaves and intertwines itself through life's problems and difficulties. It occurred to me that the answer to the problems and difficulties we face in life can be distilled down to two questions: Who is God? and Who is Jesus?

You might think silly girl of course those questions can be answered, but they don't help me answer the questions to my problems. The answers to the questions go far beyond the surface of "God is our big daddy upstairs and Jesus is my friend," but penetrate and probe deep into our hearts. Do I really know who God is? Do I really understand the purpose of God sending His Son? What do I believe about all of this and does it inform my life?  During this season of Lent what am I contemplating about the most - what I am giving up for Lent or the wonder of the cross?

Ed Welch wrote a book with an interesting title, When People are Big and God is Small. I have yet to read the book, but the title rolls around in my mind quite often. As I was writing each page of the workbook I couldn't help but think, "That's it!" We get buried in our problems because we can't see the face of God in the midst of them. We have made God small and ourselves big. We are getting things backwards and as a result we sink deeper and deeper.

God has revealed Himself to us in His Word. He is a talking God and a relational God. He relentlessly pursues His children like the "Hound of Heaven,"(Francis Thompson) and we run the other way. We are like sheep who have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6). Two of the most profound words in the Bible are, "But God." The storyline of the Bible hinges on those two words and what follows:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Dear Reader, during this Lenten season of contemplation I want to encourage you to ponder the severe mercy of the cross more than thinking about the daily sacrifice of what has been given up for Lent. Ask yourself those two questions. Explore how deeply they penetrate your heart and inform your life. The answers to the problems we face in life are not found in any other place than in His Word! Is God big or is He small?  For your listening enjoyment as you contemplate Who is God? and Who is Jesus?

www.philipmusic.com/OTeachMyHeart.html

As you explore these questions read the books of John and Ephesians in your Bible. I would also encourage you to read Trusting God by Jerry Bridges and The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink. You may discover that God is getting bigger and you are getting smaller.

Love Came Down at Christmas

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

While I ascent to the power and truth of this verse from my lips, I often find that in my heart they ring hollow. How does Word become flesh? Dwelt among us? We have seen His glory? These are simple yet monumental words of truth, full of wonder and mystery, written from the hand of God through the pen of John. In one sentence they tell a profound story of how big and full of grace and mercy God is and that we desperately need to be rescued by Him.

Over the centuries Christmas has become more of a warm fuzzy, where we give gifts to express gratitude, we say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” The season is full of shopping for the perfect gift that either gets returned or re-gifted. Try to find gift tags, Christmas cards or Christmas wrap that conveys any hint of the Biblical message of Christmas! It is getting harder.

As I watch the hustle and bustle of the season, the visible stress on people’s faces as I venture around a store it causes me to wonder, “Do they know the cost?” Not the cost of what’s in the cart, but the cost of what it meant for Word to become flesh, dwell among us and display the glory of the Father. Have I become so short sighted that I have missed the point?

Pause! Think! Ponder! In her day Mary was seemingly pregnant out of wedlock. How could that be? Shame and scorn begot Joseph and Mary before they were even married. And at the appointed time, they had to make the decreed census journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem because Joseph was from the lineage of King David. I can only imagine how confused, weary and worn they were when they arrived, only to find there was no place to stay, no room at the Inn. The only thing left was a barn and it had a trough. The story gets more tense; she went into labor. In a lowly barn, a tired and worn young couple give birth to a Son begotten of the Father of heaven, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. A barn had become a palace and the Word had become flesh to dwell among us so that we could see God’s glory fully displayed in grace and truth. Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, who is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature who upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3) has come. He is the perfect gift and it cost God everything. Will you receive it? (photo from Revive Our Hearts Ministry)

Thankful

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. 
Psalm 232b-3a

Every year during the Thanksgiving season we are more inclined to count our blessings and focus on being thankful than other times of the year. At our house, and for anyone who knows my husband, you always need to be ready to answer the question, "What are you thankful for," whether it is Thanksgiving or not.

Several weeks ago at church during our ABF he asked the question! Several people responded in various ways how they were thankful. A hand meekly went up and Byron gave the nod to answer. Through choking tears and simple, yet profound honesty the person attached to that hand responded, "I don't have anything to be thankful for!" Tears were streaming from eyes around the room as we gathered around her seated in her chair and laid our hands on her and began to pray for her that God would meet her in her deepest moment of need and that he would restore the joy of her salvation. God had met us there in that place. He heard our cries and he answered our prayer.  The bond between my brothers and sisters in Christ were knitted together more tightly that day as we brought our sister into the very throne room of God.

In this season of Thanksgiving celebrations if you asked me what am I thankful for? I would tell you. I am thankful for the meek hand that raised up and had the courage to say what was going on deep in her soul and for the group of people present in the room who were willing and ready to drop everything and take her to the throne room of God.

  

Room 130 Part 2: The Value and Importance of Scripture Memory

I delight to do your will, O my God: your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

This past year has taught me many life lessons. There is a strange curiosity about dying that causes wonder as one sits by the side of a loved one who is slowly sleeping and slipping away. What is she thinking or is she thinking at all? What does she hear? What does she see? Can she feel my touch? These are all questions that raced through my mind in the last days of her life.

We saw it coming! It was a slow process much like a balloon that deflates because of a tiny pinprick. Her life began to slowly slip over a year ago.

For nearly a year before her gentle decline Byron began to read Psalm 23 to her. Each Friday she looked forward with anticipation for us to visit, and for Byron to read Psalm 23, 100 and 103 to her. Besides hearing scripture, ironically, the other favorite thing she liked was a cup of cold water. After her gulps and sips she would always say, “Oh, that is so good.” It was evident that she was truly refreshed by water and the Word.

Weeks passed; the routine continued. Friday morning visits full of scripture and cups of cold water. Over time she began to memorize Psalm 23. She was ninety-four.

One particular day after she quoted, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
 for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” She paused and asked, “Does that mean I don’t have to fear death?” Stunned, we answered, “Yes, Lu, Jesus is always with you. He is your great Shepherd, you need not fear death.”

Weekly visits began to take on new meaning. Although we did not fully grasp it right away, our regular visits were becoming preparation for eternity. Those cups of cold water that she loved so much were more than just cups of cold water. They had become like living water (John 4:14) as she drank in the truth of the words she had memorized and heard. She was being washed by the Word (Titus 3:4-7). God was busy in Room 130 preparing her for eternity, and we had become active observers of His sovereign power and merciful providence in the process.

Recently, as we stood by the graveside, tearfully, we reflected on this past year and arrived at the conclusion that when it is all said and done there is not much in this earthly life that really matters. We have a little plaque hanging by the door in our mudroom that says it well, “Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last. “To me to live is Christ,” Philippians 1:21.

This past year has taught me the value of scripture memory as well as learning and memorizing the words to hymns and choruses. Hiding God’s Word in our heart is valuable not only to keep us from sinning, but also to prepare ourselves in this life as we journey into eternity. 

Who will be at my side in my latter days? What will I be thinking? What will I be hearing? What will I be seeing? Will I be able to feel the tender touch of those nearby?  Through this past year, the life lesson I have learned in all of this is: While I am still able I want to hide God’s Word in my heart so that one day it will be living water that washes over me as I journey from now into eternity!

               

                       

Room 130

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 2 Corinthians 5:1-2.

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21.

It was 2:58 AM when we got the call. “She is fading fast can you get here soon?” was the message on the other end of the phone. We had gone home nearly eleven hours earlier knowing the end was near. She was ninety-five.

We hurriedly dressed, and in the still of the night when most of our side of the world was sleeping we made what would become one of our last journeys that had been the weekly ebb and flow of our lives for over 3 years. Mostly we were quiet as we drove our familiar forty-five minute path. It was a trip we had made so many times we could almost do it in our sleep. And now, we were making it while the world slept.

Silence was interrupted by occasional questions, “How did we get here so fast?” “Where did the time go?” Waves and floods of memories began to flow, that had spanned our lifetimes, as we neared our journey’s end.

Lucile was the most gracious and giving person I have met. Suffering and affliction had taught her well and it was evident by the way she lived her life. She knew pain and she knew loss. She learned patience as she waited three years for her husband to return home from the beaches of the South Pacific beaten and worn from the trauma of war. She understood sacrifice when she and Chuck took family members into their home and cared for them in their later years. Over the years, as arthritis began to gnarl her hands and back pain became persistent she did not flinch or complain. She pressed on spilling mercy and love into the lives of those around her.

Just as Lu was gracious in living she was gracious in dying. She loved Psalm 23 and had memorized it over the last year or so. Every visit she wanted to say it and have Psalm 100 and 103 read to her. Even in her final days when her body was wasting away and her strength to speak was nearly gone I could see her try to mouth the words as Byron read them to her.

It was 4 AM when we arrived. The stillness of silence was loud, but there was only one thing that mattered. Grasping her old and gnarled hand for the last time we bent over her bed and into her ear said, “Lu, we are here, we love you, Jesus loves you.” Life was draining from her body in a very visible way. In the stillness of night and a dimly lit room at 4:15 AM that Sunday morning God was very busy at work as Lu breathed her last breath, left her earthly tent, and entered into eternity. Tears of sorrow and joy mingled as we quietly wept and pondered the bitter sweetness of death. Loss is gain. Loss reminds us of the fact that she will be missed. Gain reminds us of our eternal home. It is only one breath away.

In the coming days and years, as I think about Lu, I will remember how she lived and died graciously. The character qualities of mercy, patience, grace, goodness, and perseverance that she modeled have left a deep impression on me. She lived her life well. So too, must I. 

Jesus I My Cross Have Taken

I have not forgotten about blogging. I have been a bit distracted lately, but will be getting back to some blogging soon. In the mean time I will be posting some hymn favorites for your edification.

 I love old hymns that have been updated for the purpose of revival in worship. I love the artistry of Indelible Grace. I hope you do too.

There is a Hope

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is revealed to us, Romans 8:18.

Have you ever had those days where life feels like the ocean tide is permanently in and may never go out to sea again. Wave after wave of sorrow, disappointment, and suffering come crashing in with such force you fear the tide will pull you under. If we are honest with ourselves we would admit that we do have waves like this hitting us.

If there is anything I have learned in the difficult times, when I feel hemmed in, God has not left me alone. He is completely trustworthy. In fact, He is working in and through the very difficulties I face to grow me deeper and more dependent on Him. He makes the Son shine through the billowing waves, calming the raging torrent of my soul causing the tide to go out to sea. I need not lose heart, for there is hope!

A Sovereign Axe

"You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me!" Psalm 139:5-6

August 7, 1942 is a date, for most people, that has little to no meaning. For the Tabbut family it has everything to do with the sovereignty of God and life.

Sgt. Perry Tyler Tabbut was part of one of the battalions that were the first to land on Guadalcanal in what would become the beginning of the offensive assault in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

For two months the Marines waged war on the Japanese before they took the high ground which became known as Bloody Ridge. They were shelled nightly by Japanese ships that were off shore. 

Not long after the ridge was secure they received orders to move operations to the low lying area around Henderson Airfield to keep it secure from the enemy. They were, now, more exposed to direct hits from the enemy

Foxholes! The shovels flew as they dug holes in the dirt up to three feet wide and more than 6 ft deep. Fortunately, the dirt was softer so the digging went fast. They needed to get the job done quickly because they knew the enemy was relentless. The ships in the harbor and the planes that flew overhead regularly were a constant threat to their very lives.

Perry was a simple, quiet man. He grew up on the farm in Northern Minnesota. He spent a lot of his youth cutting down trees and digging out stumps. He knew the value  of hard work. The night before he set sail for Guadalcanal, he spent his free time quietly making two purchases, a watch and a map, before he went back on ship. He wanted to get an idea of where he was going and understood  the value of keeping time. In time, both purchases would become extremely useful.

As Perry stood on the beach that warm October day, scanning the terrain, he noticed the number of downed coconut trees from previous skirmishes. Thinking back to his tree cutting days on the farm, he said to the boys," If I only had an axe I could chop those trees to use for a roof over the foxholes making them safer." He had not seen an axe since he had left Minnesota. Looking down at the ground one of his buddies immediately replied,"Look, over there, in the grass, its an axe." Little did he know, it would become an axe that changed the course of Tabbut family history. He never saw an axe again for the remainder of the war.

If we don't stop, look carefully and reflect, we miss the evidence of God's sovereign care in our lives. For Perry, that day, the sovereign axe meant protection of life. Though their foxhole took on shrapnel, if they had not put the coconut tree roof over their heads Perry would have not made it out of the hole alive. The Japanese planes flew low dropping bombs through a partly cloudy sky with good visibility.

That was 1942. Perry continued as a Marine through the remainder of the war. He nearly died of Malaria, but recovered, and went on to fight in more bloody battles in the South Pacific. He returned home in December of 1945 to his waiting bride to be.

Perry and Margaret raised a family of three children, Mary, Susan and Byron. His health was never the same. Frequent bouts of Malaria would change the course of his life and work. Perry died in February 1981 at the age of 66. He has been long remembered as a wise, but simple soft spoken man.

On this Father's Day may we thank God for our fathers and the legacy they leave. A sovereign axe laying in the grass nearly 70 years ago meant that Mary, Susan, and Byron would be given life and families of their own, who have gone on to have families of their own. There are no chance encounters with God!

Hope From A Hymnal

I love Hymns. They really speak to my soul. So many of them were inspired through great difficulties and losses, not unlike the Psalmists of the Bible. Their poetic words rooted in biblical truth offer hope and encouragement to the weary soul.

O Love that Will No Let Me Go is one of my favorites. George Matheson wrote it on the eve of his sister’s wedding as he sadly remembered his own loss. Years before he had been engaged, but when it was discovered that he was going blind his fiancée broke the engagement. She could not bear to go through life married to a blind man.

The next time you pick up a hymnal, spend some time reading the hymns. You will be amazed at the rich truths mined from God’s Word that have been borne through great sorrow. Your evening will turn to morning and your sorrows will turn to joy!

Lessons from the Master Gardener

Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so that you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. Colossians 2:7
 
I have been on a quest for some time to beautify my gardens. I have enlisted the help of a friend who is a very creative gardener. We have split plants, rearranged plants, added new plants, and pruned plants. My gardens have never been so beautiful!

Spring has been slow in coming to our region. Consequently, the spring bloom has been behind. In the past week the weather has warmed significantly and everything is bursting forth - including the weeds.

The lovely beds of a few weeks ago have turned into a nightmare of thistles and dandelions. The, once, daily tending and care of the garden has slipped in it frequency at a cost. Beauty has been overrun.

Tap roots go deep and if not dug out the weeds come back stronger. Popping the tops of the weed is only a superficial solution. They must be rooted out.

My heart is a lot like a garden that requires constant tending. It needs the hand of the Master Gardener pruning, watering, amending soil and weeding out the bad roots.  The tender care of the gardeners hand causes the plants to be healthier, stronger and more full of blooms because the roots have more room to grow.

God has not left us to ourselves. He has given us His Son, His Word, the power of the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ to help us see the weeds and root out the thistles and dandelions of our hearts. We need to let him do His work. His Word can daily nourish us so that we may find joy in the journey as each thistle and dandelion is dug out.  I need thee every hour!

What A Difference A Year Can Make

Today as I drove home from my exercise class I couldn't help but think about what a difference a year can make. The wind is quieter today, but the temperatures are still frigid. It seems like we had March weather in January and are now having January weather in March. I stopped at the end of my driveway and snapped a photo of the same place I took a picture exactly one year ago.

Last year, during the Easter season we basked in the beauty and warmth that an early spring brings. The daffodils were in full bloom and the tulips on their way. It was such a vivid picture of death coming to life and almost made the reality of Christ's death and resurrection more evident, and perhaps, more worshipful in my foolish heart. Why would the sun's warmth and the beautiful palette of color splashing everywhere painting an amazing picture of brightness seem to make the resurrection more real?

Wind the clock ahead a year. It is once again the Easter season. Instead of the warmer southwestern breezes that mark the beginning of spring, we are experiencing subzero Alberta Clippers. There is not a trace of life bursting forth from the death of winter. But, the reality of the resurrection is nonetheless evident. Christ rose from the dead whether or not we see the visual picture of death bursting forth to life in the things that God made around us. Christ's death and resurrection served an entirely different purpose. His suffering had to happen so that those who are being saved could be freed from the old self's bondage to sin and be given new life found in the Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. John Piper says it so well: 

"The resurrection of Jesus is God's gift and proof that his death was completely successful in blotting out the sins of his people and removing the wrath of God.[1]

True worship and reveling in the wonder of Christ’s death and resurrection is not about what is happening in my external world that matters, but rather what is going on internally in my heart.
Today as the cold winds blow and patches of snow are still present I wonder and marvel at the beauty and horror that met at the cross. Sorrow and love flowed from a bloody crown of thorns yet burst forth in the brilliant light of the resurrection whether or not it is warm and beautiful or cold and cruel feeling. Speechless, I think to myself, “He would do that for me?”

Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, 
(1 Peter 3:18).

---

[1] Piper, John, The Passion of Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books), 100.

A Heart Beating In Heaven

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

Trials, afflictions, and suffering are no strangers to the one whose identity is found in Christ. Scripture is clear. We will experience them. They should not catch us off guard. When our faith is deeply rooted in Christ and the truth of scripture, we have great hope and assurance even in the gravest of situations.

There is an undeniable realness to grief. But, in our sorrow and grief, God is there to carry us through. We must choose to believe that He is working all things together for good even in our darkest moments. He knows our grief more intimately than we can imagine.



Thatcher and Amy know well the meaning of "counting it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds." They have a story to tell. As their hearts were breaking, knowing that upon the birth of their son James Daniel, God was mending James' broken heart that could not beat this side of heaven. Thatcher and Amy's hearts will be forever changed because they know that joy comes in the morning. As the sun rose over the horizon that morning God took James to glory where his heart is beating. Meet my niece and nephew-in-law Amy and Thatcher. You will be blessed.

My First Christmas in Heaven

It’s my first Christmas up in heaven, I’m right by Jesus’ side

My heart has been made whole and with the Lord I now abide.

For He who holds the world, also holds my tiny hand

I’m safe in Jesus’ presence and it’s gloriously grand! 

Perhaps you’ve heard my story, perhaps you’ve even prayed

God formed me in my mother’s womb and by Him I was made.

Then shortly after I was born, God gently called me home

My heart was meant to beat for Him – for God and God alone.

Though my time on earth was brief, my family cuddled me in love

We made some special memories that are gifts from God above.

Even Joy sweetly held me as I opened up my eyes

And I told her that I loved her in between my little cries.

My “journey of the heart” was written long ago

God knew before I was conceived to Him I soon would go.

He had a different plan – a different purpose all along

I fulfilled my mission on the earth – with Jesus I belong.

Things look different up in heaven, the perspective is more clear

I can see what’s really real, so don’t shed for me a tear.

There is more to this life than what you see with your two eyes

God has made a home for us beyond the big blue skies.

His ways are truly awesome – I can see His plan unfold

Eternity is real – so be steadfast, brave, and bold!

There is no better way to live your life on earth

Than to spend it all for Jesus – which has eternal worth.

For when He comes again or you meet Him face to face

You’ll kneel in rapt attention at His holiness and grace.

Having touched the earth and left it – I can truly testify

There is a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.

While I wish that I could hug you and tell you that I care

Please accept a Christmas blessing through a simple little prayer,

“Lord, use my ‘broken’ heart as a vessel Your light shines through

I want to tell the world down there that ‘God loves you!’”

 

Love from heaven,

James Daniel

"Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You."
"Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
Psalm 84:4, 10a

When Death Knocks At Life's Door

How we handle the trials of our lives tells people where we place our faith hope and trust. Tested faith is proven in the furnace where joy and sorrow are mingled. Meet my friend Gerty. Her testimony to the grace, goodness and faithfulness of God is evident as she has journeyed through the last years and days of her beloved Bob's life. For Bob, the best is no longer yet to come. It has come, and hope springs eternal. 

Here's Gerty...

For the last 1 1/2 years of his life our family knew that Bob had cancer.  Each day I asked God for grace and wisdom to face the challenges that lay ahead as we began the journey of saying good-bye. God is good. He did give me His grace, His peace and His wisdom, as well as a feeling of contentment that though hard it was going to be okay.

Fifty-eight years ago, when Bob and I were married we chose Psalm 34:3 for our wedding ceremony and life verse.  "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together". 

 As time and life circumstances passed, Psalm 34:4 also became meaningful.  "I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears".

Through the years I have written various dates next to this verse.  The first date was in 1961 when my daughter Linda was thought to have leukemia. Thankfully, she didn’t. In l969, my then 3 year-old son had difficulty walking because of a growth on his hip. With aggressive care and no walking for 3 months, he was healed. (A 3 year old on crutches, yikes!).  When Linda was in high school, she developed myocarditis (who knows how or why).  A few years later Sharon developed hepatitis and had to drop out of college for a time.  In 2005, Bob had peritonitis and needed a bowel resection (no cancer at that time).  Last year we almost lost our daughter Kristen.  Surgery and 16 units of blood saved her.  Each time God brought Psalm 34:4 to my mind.

Several weeks before his death, Bob was lying on the sofa. He called for me to sit by him. He took my hand and started praying, first praising God’s many blessings over his whole life. Next, he thanked God for many things individually. Then he prayed for each of our children and for me.  After that, he wanted to go to bed. He went downhill from that point on.

"I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears". Psalm 34:4

The night before he died our entire family gathered around his hospital bed.  We prayed that God would answer our prayer and take him home.  The next morning Bob went to GLORY at 10:30 a.m.  Our prayers were answered and I have no fear.

Over my life, God has always been there.  I am at peace and I know in the days and months ahead He will sustain me and grant His grace and wisdom because He has given me the assurance of Psalm 34:3-4.

"O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!  I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears".

Meet My Friend Connie

Life brings its share of storms. Recently, we have watched the billowing waves of hurricane Sandy hit the mid-Atlantic shore and have seen the destruction left in its wake. As Christians, God is our watchman guiding our path to safe harbor as the billows of life crash in on us. Meet my friend Connie. She is an example of one who has trusted God when waves have come crashing.

 Some days just shake the very foundation of our being. Though distant now, the memories of that day still linger in my mind. It was the day my son left to join the army. It was a time our country was involved in war. Inevitability loomed!

As my children were growing up I frequently prayed that the Lord would grow them into godly men and women. Whatever it takes, I would say! This?? It was not what I had in mind, but it was to be God’s chosen path for Josh.

Trust!!!!! Why is one word so difficult to comprehend? Could I honestly say that Josh was safer at home than where he was to be? After all, the God of the universe was with him.

God moves in ways that sometimes are a mystery to us. Having a son go to war was not part of my plan. I am the mother! Why was I not consulted? Pause!!!! It’s God’s design, not mine! He had something different in mind! Could I trust God when things don’t look like I think they should?  I was beginning to see - not only was God working in Josh’s life, He was working in my heart. He was answering the cry of a mother to grow her son’s heart Godward. Trust!!!!

I am thankful that the responsibility of my son’s life will never rest on my shoulders. I am so grateful I don’t have to carry this burden. Although many days were tearful I was learning not to be fearful. The same God who was watching over my son was watching over me. God added such peace to my days. What could be better than that?  I was learning to trust that one way or another Josh would be coming ‘home’- either into my arms or into the arms of Jesus. 

Sometimes life’s best lessons are learned in the school of hard knocks. If you could have asked Josh, he would have said, "I am glad God brought me to this place, because He is teaching me things here that I would not have learned elsewhere." Josh reminded me of the truth found in Psalms 37:23, "The steps of a man are established by the Lord; and he delights in his way." 

Retrospective, perspective!!!!!! Looking back I see so many positive things this experience has produced. Growth in character, maturity, and responsibility has been priceless. These years were not wasted; they were growing years, not only for my son, but also for his mother. Though God’s ways do not always parallel mine, I have learned to trust Him. He has proven Himself.  He has intimately ministered to my heart so I could withstand a situation that was just too hard for any mother to deal with alone.  This is where peace is found (Isaiah 26:3-4).

I remember the first time I saw Josh. He wasn’t my little boy anymore. He was wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army. Now, he was their man. But his greatest call will always be a soldier of the Lord. After all, he’s already in His army. Now that’s perspective!!

A Playlist Must Have

Music has an uncanny way of reaching deep into our souls. It can have a powerful sway over the mind and gives reason for choosing it wisely. In ancient times the Psalms, by their poetic style were set to song as a way to help people remember who God is, what He is doing and how much He cares, provides, and protects. 

One song that will reach into your soul in a way that brings refreshment and helps remember God's love and grace is "Will you Hide Me," (Healing Streams) by Kelly Minter. It is a playlist must have! 

WILL YOU HIDE ME (HEALING STREAMS)

WILL You Hide me in Your shelter

Will You shade me with Your wings 


When the heat of day consumes me 


Let me drink from healing streams 


Drink from healing streams 



Will You lift my heavy burdens 


Will You pave my path with peace 


And when the road is steep and stony 


Let me bathe in healing streams 


Bathe in healing streams 



When the joy of morning tarries 


When the waves of darkness roll 


Will You shine Your light of faithfulness 


Giving courage to my soul 


Courage to my soul 



Will You lead me to repentance 


Will You make temptations flee 


When I'm filled with condemnation 


Will You show Your scars to me 


Show Your scars to me 



And in the place where trouble waits 


Lord I shall not fear 


The Comforter the Counsellor 


The Saviour is here 



Will You hide me in Your shelter 


Will You shade me with Your wings 


When the heat of day consumes me 


Let me drink from healing streams 


Drink from healing streams 



John Hartley, Stuart Townend & Kelly Minter 
Copyright © 2007

Thankyou Music