Alone

We were not created to be alone. In fact, when the Lord saw Adam functioning alone, he said, "it is NOT GOOD." That was the only time in creation the Lord ever declared something NOT GOOD. But then when God gave Adam a helper suitable for him, He said, "it is VERY GOOD!"

I've heard that truth many times before and thought, "well okay, that's nice." But lately I've been so encouraged and so thankful for the body of Christ and how it functions because we are not created to walk through the trials of this life alone. We are to come alongside one another, comfort one another, mourn and rejoice with one another, and pray for one another.

So many requests have been sent my way lately:

-friends who recently had a miscarriage and lost their baby.

-a friend who recently lost her grandma to sickness, then lost her aunt to an "accidental" fire, and then found out the fire wasn't an accident. It was set by her uncle who is now in jail.

-a lady who recently nearly died in childbirth and is caring for a very sick baby. She fell off a horse and is now in a coma.

-a couple who almost lost their baby. Their baby stopped breathing, and the dad was able to resuscitate her, but she is currently in NICU for tests to find out what is wrong.

-a husband and wife who must decide if the husband should have surgery on his throat with the possibility of surviving cancer. The surgery would mean he could never eat or talk again, he would breathe from a whole in his neck. But the surgery will not guarantee anything.

Makes my "problems" seem very small. I am increasingly and abundantly thankful for dear friends in Christ who love me and serve me and help me know that I am not alone. Whether that means a phone call, a long walk, a late-night talk, whatever it is, I praise God for the dear friends He's put in my life!

Fair

Things in life happen that are just unfair. Either, I've been, hurt, misunderstood, misinterpreted, mistaken, mistreated, the list goes on and on. But the lesson I am learning becomes more and more clear--Christ is all I need. My sufficiency is in Him alone. Only He can satisfy. The concepts and principles are not new to me, but I am experiencing them in a way that is more real to me than ever before. I am so dependant on Him for all things. So instead of fighting against the trials the Lord places in my life, I resolve with all my might, to embrace and enjoy them like a precious gift from a loving Father.

There's this great song from Sovereign Grace Ministries that I've been listening to, and it says this:

When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed

How I Feel Today

"I was getting coffee last week, and I heard a little girl ask her mom if she could get a 'decapitated cup 'o chino.'"

- My friend J.M.

On Relationships

Lady Astor: "Winston, If I were married to you I'd put poison in your coffee."

Sir Winston Churchill: "Nancy, if you were my wife, I'd drink it."