Ever have days like this? Everything goes to pot.
Obviously, Sophie didn't care. She thought it was fun!
"Be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thess. 5:16-18
Today in Bible study we talked about thankfulness and how it is good to thank the Lord
every day. Thank you, Sarah Friesen for your post listing all you are thankful for. Last night at Cubbies the children made a "thank You" paper chain. They were thankful for crayons, mommy and daddy, puppies, macaroni.... So, when the day is bad, think on the good things. God's many provisions for us.
I have begun reading "Why?" by Anne Graham Lotz (Billy Graham's daughter). It is a book about trusting God when you don't understand. She shares how in an 18-month period Hurricane Fran downed 102 trees in their yard, a fire consumed her husband's dental office, her 28-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer and had surgery, her parents had multiple hospitalizations, they had a home remodeling project and the contractor took their money and refused to do the work (sounds similar doesn't it??), and they had 3 of their children get married. Whew!
She writes that a turkey and an eagle react differently to the threat of a storm. A turkey reacts by running under the barn, hoping the storm won't come near. (That's what I do too! I run to the basement with my precious Bible, journal and photos! while my husband runs outside to see if he can see the tornadoes!).
On the other hand, an eagle will leave its nest and spread its wing and head right into the wind, letting the air current lift it above the approaching storm. We too should spread our wings of faith, embrace the "wind" and place our trust in Jesus and Jesus alone. He has the power to lift our burdens, calm our worries and He is sufficient to carry us through!
"Soaring is so exhilarating, I find increasingly that I am no longer content to live in the barnyard of familiar comfort just for the relative security that seems to be there. I want to live by faith!...Looking back over that eighteen-month period, my thoughtful, confident conclusion is that God allowed the storms of suffering to increase and intensify in my life because He wanted me to soar higher in my relationship with Him -
to fall deeper in love with Him,
to grow stronger in my faith with Him,
to be more consistent in my walk with Him,
to bear more fruit in my service to Him,
to draw closer to His heart,
to keep my focus on His face,
to live for His glory alone!
Faith that triumphantly soars is possible only when the winds of life are contrary to personal comfort. That kind of faith is His ultimate purpose in allowing us to encounter storms of suffering. Trust Him!"
This morning as I sat in my bedroom having my devotions, I realized I have lost my sense of privacy. That house is really close and when they move in, they can just watch me from their deck. I sure hope I will like my new neighbors!!
