"Tears came as I felt God whispering, Jennie, what if you had been too afraid to obey me? Look at what you would have missed." [Pg 153] Have you had a time when you faced a difficult challenge? Maybe it was a challenge of faith like Jennie encountered, or maybe it was an event? Whatever it was, it tested all you had inside. And yet, in that challenge you recognized how the effort required from you to persevere was also the catalyst God used to create amazing spiritual growth. During those days, when the trials were upon you, their weight bearing down ~ did you feel his presence, his love and his hand holding you together? Did you feel his encouragment drawing you nearer, and nearer, and nearer... until finally, your faith bloomed with petals of unimaginagle glory and intoxicating fragrance, glowing with hope that would beat back all the pain? A couple weeks ago I dislocated my ankle, breaking it in two places. I had fallen onto my knees in the ice-covered snow unaware that my foot had become wedged at a right angle between the two paving stones. The result caused the dislocation and leg bones to fracture on each side at the ankle. I remember the feeling, the body's alert system reporting to me what had happened. After a second of disbelief, I heard myself cry out, "Dear Lord, NO! Not now..." There is no time more precious to me than Christmas eve with my family and it was just a few days away. Our home was in total upheaval being in the middle of an untimely, but necessary, repair. Everything, and I do mean everything, from the living and dining rooms had been crammed into the downstairs family room. Before this injury we might have pulled it all together. But now? In the days after we were blessed with an outpouring of love and well-wishes from friends. The church ladies (whose ministry it is to prepare meals ahead for those who might need) stuffed a freezer shelf full. There came cookies, visits and notes, emails, flowers and texts from so many. All offering deepest encouragement and love. Our youngest son and his wife took on hosting the Christmas eve family celebration with just days to prepare, and our older children (with their children) arrived here the day after Christmas to help their dad paint so we could have more than just the kitchen to live in while I heal. I have never been in a situation where need was so acute. My point is that my understanding of how we show his love has uniquely grown. How could it not? Jesus taught us: “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. [John 13.34] We all know the above verse, but never has it been so real to me. To love and help others means so much now because so many gave love to us. So when I cried out, "Not now," those many days ago, the Lord must have thought to himself, 'Yes sweetheart, this is a good time to grow.' Like Jennie, I feel the lessons of real subsance have a cost attached, but it's also clear they're worth the price. ~ Andi
2 Comments
Andi
1/8/2017 05:17:53 pm
Thank you so much prayer partner! (:
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