“Be Careful What You Wish For”

My dad’s cancer happened to be the kind known for a high recurrence rate within the first year of surgery. Knowing this can make you jump at every little thing - a sore throat, a cough, or even just a headache. It’s because of this, that my dad needs to see a doctor for a checkup every month. Several months of checkups went by with good reports, but one month was not so lucky. The doctor detected a new spot on the voice box, a possibility that the cancer had returned. Why? Why does it seem that when you have finally knocked out your opponent, you find yourself back in the ring for yet another round?  

The time arrived for another surgery – a biopsy, to determine the status of the new spot that was detected. My teeth were set on edge – waiting to hear the news. If it was in fact a new growth of cancer, it could lead us to more surgeries, radiation, or possibly chemo therapy, or a total loss of voice. None of which is something I wish for him to have to endure. But just as I began to envision a negative future, it was my dad who brought me back to reality – pointing his finger towards the sky as he so often does and saying, “It’s in the Lord’s hands – I’m trusting Him no matter what!” – a true statement of faith.

But I must tell you that this ordeal has still been a struggle for dad and our family. My dad’s greatest fear is that he would totally lose his voice. Through the years, he has been quite vocal about his faith - a Sunday School teacher, many mission’s trips, a volunteer at the local Nursing and Retirement Home, encouraging and witnessing to those around him. If he did not have a voice, how could he continue to share what God has laid upon his heart? How could he make a difference for the Kingdom of God without a voice?

Left with only a whisper from the previous surgery, dad counted himself pretty lucky and thankful to still be able to communicate, even if whispering posed many challenges. But in the midst of the uncertainty of new cancer and more treatments, my dad cried out to God not to take away what remained of his voice. He fervently prayed to allow him to serve the Lord vocally, even if with just a whisper. When the results were given, we were elated to find the area biopsied was not cancer, but most likely scar tissue left behind from the previous surgery. Praise the Lord! There was rejoicing all around and huge smiles beaming from my father’s face with yet another finger pointed to the sky as he gave God the glory. He had won round two, or had he?

During the long drive home, dad developed some complications which directed him to yet another hospital – this time an emergency room. Questions and doubts of God’s presence and mercy flooded his mind, “Why would you bring me through and then allow me to fall again?” Dad described God’s answer as almost an immediate audible response – “You asked me to spare your voice so you could witness didn’t you? Now do it!” Within the time spent in the ER, God gave the opportunity to tell three different nurses about God’s love and goodness!

We cannot dismiss any opportunity God places in our lives to speak truth and life into another. It may even happen through our misfortune. We should be continually asking the Lord for these chances – but as you stand at the wishing well, be careful what you wish for, because you just never know how those opportunities will present themselves.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Colossians 4:2-6

“Life is Hard - God is Good”

Life has been hard these last few months. Funny how you can go so long without trouble then it all breaks loose. You know what I mean - “when it rains it pours”, or so it seems. I’m sure you can relate. When we’re faced with trials and suffering, we want answers. Why? How long? Where are you God? What did I do to deserve this? But God gives us something other than a bunch of answers. His answer does not come in the form of an explanation. No, the answer to our suffering is God Himself.

It’s difficult sometimes to believe that God is good when our world is collapsing around us. How can a good God allow us to endure such pain? To be quite honest - I still struggle with this one. But I once heard it said that suffering is not God’s way of torturing us, rather, it’s His way of teaching us - and I am learning more and more every day.

For one thing, I know that my hardships lead me to Him. I am the closest to Jesus when I am dependent on Him to meet my needs. I can do nothing in my own power - I am a weak person, but in my weakness, He is made strong! I have also learned that my sufferings cause me to be more sensitive to the needs of others. I am much more able to help my neighbor when I know how they feel and more able to provide comfort, hope and words of encouragement when I can testify to God’s goodness in my own brokenness.

Not only does my pain cause me to run to Him, but it also causes me to worship Him and to grow my faith. Oh, the worship that breaks forth when our good God comes through! When He provides us with the strength to get through the day - He is worthy of praise! When He lifts our burden - He is worthy of praise! When He places contentment in our hearts - He is worthy of praise! With each breath we take - He is worthy of praise! It’s easy to rejoice when life is good and it’s smooth sailing, but God delights in us when we worship Him even in the tough times. It takes a greater faith to worship God in want, than to worship Him in plenty.

I had the privilege of visiting a precious saint and prayer warrior of our church while she was in the hospital recently. I was amazed at how many stories of faith she had to share. One by one she recounted, all ending with “God is so good. I’m so thankful.” But one particular story stood out to me. She told me of her son who was diagnosed as deaf at six and a half months old and how she faithfully prayed for his condition. For many years she believed that God was going to heal him and restore his hearing, but as time passed she began to question God and His goodness. Why would God allow her precious child to remain deaf?

Her son is grown now and married to a beautiful woman who is also deaf. But the one thing she said that made the most impact on me was this, “I didn’t understand God’s ways until my son and his wife adopted three deaf orphans. Because of their own deafness, they can communicate and have provided them with a home and a family where they are understood and loved!”

It doesn’t always feel like our pain is serving any purpose. But God allows us to go through suffering to fulfill His plan for our lives. He sees the big picture, we only see bits and pieces. What Satan means to harm us - God can turn around for our good and the good of others. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Despite knowing that suffering draws me closer to God, that hardships help me to help others, that pain leads me to worship, that trials grow my faith, and that tribulations can lead to fulfilling God’s purposes, it still can be difficult to swallow in the midst of suffering. I know that God is able to take away my pain with one word spoken from His lips - He has the power! But until then, I will seek God Himself instead of answers and choose to walk this journey of faith believing that God is in control and holds me in the palm of His hand. For I will rest in the truth in which I cling, “Life is hard, but God is good!”

I invite you to listen to the song, "Life is Hard, but God is Good" by Pam Thum. I pray it blesses you as much as it blesses me. (You will want to mute the music player at the bottom of the page prior to loading the video.)

　

“Panic, or Peace? Fear, or Faith?”

“That day when evening came, he (Jesus) said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:35-39

Tornadoes plowed through North Carolina recently, destroying most everything in their path and sending many to seek shelter from the storm that was reported to have "splintered trees like baseball bats". I cringed as I heard a story recalled by one who had survived the storm. The man told of how he grabbed his cousin’s 3-month old baby and headed for a closet in an attempt at safety. My heart beat faster, my breathing picked up and my hair stood on end as in tears he explained how the wind was so strong it plucked the baby right from his very arms and sent the helpless infant swirling into the dark sky. Immediately after the raging winds ceased, the man along with neighbors frantically searched through the rubble in search of the precious child the winds had claimed. Amazingly, the baby was found - alive - an incredible survival story that will be shared for years to come.

There are a few things I have learned about storms. For one - they are extremely unpredictable. Storms rise up suddenly and unexpectedly, many without any warning at all. Even the greatest weather men and the most technical of equipment can be wrong in forecasting storms and what they may leave behind. Storms are inevitable. They WILL happen. We WILL experience them. There’s nothing we can do to stop them and they are totally out of our control. And storms are impartial. The rains don’t pick and choose who they will pour down upon. The winds are not partial as to whom they will blow against. The storms rage against the bad and the good, the believer and the unbeliever, the rich and the poor alike.

We have a choice as to how we will respond when faced with the raging winds and downpour of the storms. Will we choose to respond with panic, or with peace? Will we choose fear, or faith?

In Mark 4, the disciples chose panic and fear when the waves rose against them - even though Jesus was with them in the boat. These guys were not novices when it came to the sea. They had been through many storms I’m sure, but this one must have been more intense, for they were extremely afraid. They were most likely yelling at the top of their lungs, “We’re gonna die!” The disciples portrayed our typical reaction when we are faced with the storms of life - panic and fear. But in comparison - Jesus, after a full day of teaching, was exhausted and laid down for a nap. The scripture says Jesus lay asleep upon a cushion despite the furious squalls and the waves crashing against the boat, rocking them to and fro. Sleeping in the midst of a storm? Wow, I call that peace! Jesus was not worried about the storm. He displayed complete faith that things were going to be alright! And if Jesus is all-knowing, then we can boldly say that Jesus knew the storm was coming even before he got in the boat.

In the middle of our storm, we tend to lay awake at night and toss and turn in bed - thoughts reeling in our minds. We try to analyze and figure it all out on our own - worrying about how it all will end. Resting in God’s hands in the midst of our storm is a true statement of faith. It’s like saying, “Lord, this problem is beyond me. It’s totally out of my control. I don’t know how you are going to work this out, but I am trusting you. So I’m going to bed now.”

The disciples had just witnessed the miracles of Jesus first-hand. They should have known that with Jesus in the boat, there was no need to be afraid. They had someone with them who was very capable of handling the situation. But fear comes when we experience things beyond our control and it’s easy to forget that the those unpredictable, inevitable, impartial storms may take US by surprise, but they don’t fool GOD. Nothing catches Him off guard! I am convinced that Jesus knew they were going to encounter a storm, but yet He says, “Get in! We’re going to the other side!” He didn’t say it would be an uneventful trip. He didn’t say they wouldn’t get wet. But the one thing He promised was that they were going to the other side - they were going to make it. The greatest threat to the disciples was not the storm - it was their unbelief.

Do you feel like the waves are taking you under and you’re not going to make it? What waves are crashing against your boat today? Jesus wants to calm the storm in your life. He wants to speak, “Peace, be still”, in the midst of your situation regardless of it’s intensity. No wave is too big for Him to calm. Choose peace instead of panic. Grab hold of faith rather than fear. And trust in the One who asks you to get into the boat and promises to take you to the other side. Then, share your survival story for years to come.

"Dry Bones"

If ever there was a time that we need a breakthrough, the time is now. If ever there was a time that we need an answer from the Lord, the time is upon us. Cries to the Lord seem to go unheard and one thing after another seem to go wrong. All that is left is dry bones in a wasteland - the very life sucked out of what once had purpose and meaning. These bones are desperate for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit - desperate to rise and fall with precious breath once again. These bones lay helpless, yearning for hope to be restored.

God, by the hand of the Holy Spirit, placed Ezekiel in the midst of a valley full of nothing but dry bones. And God asks, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel surveys the scene. It looks pretty grim, for all that is left is dry bones. There’s no blood, no flesh, no life to even speak of. There is no way humanly possible that could raise these bones back to the land of the living. From man’s perspective - life here is impossible. It is absurd to even think that these dry bones could ever live again. But Ezekiel does not answer what seems to be the obvious. Instead he places the decision back into the capable hands of the very One who asked. “O Sovereign Lord, You alone know.”

So the Lord tells Ezekiel to preach to the bones! Say to those bones, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

So Ezekiel did as the Lord commanded. As he spoke, there was a rattling sound and the bones began to shake. And I can picture it now - those dead, dry bones raising up to connect with one another. First the feet and ankles connecting to the leg bones, adding themselves to the ribs. Then the arms and hands becoming restored to the body as the spine and skull take their place to form the complete skeleton. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments appear upon the dry frame and quickly are covered by skin. But still, the greatest component to life was missing. Oh, the bodies looked alive, but they were still dead, as no breath was found in them.

And God commanded Ezekiel to call upon the four winds, that breath may come and breathe life back into that which was slain - to restore hope into that which was hopeless. By the Spirit of the Lord, the breath of life entered what was once a lifeless, hopeless valley of dry bones.

We all have encountered situations that seem utterly hopeless. God alone holds the answer. He is the only One who can restore that which seems lost. That which seems to be impossible to resurrect, is always possible when placed in the hands of God. There are really no hopeless situations - only people who have grown hopeless within hard times.

What are the dried up bones in your life? What circumstances are you experiencing where you need to call upon the Lord to breathe life back into that which seems dead? It’s difficult to imagine those dead, dry bones ever having life again. It’s hard to imagine your situation ever getting better. It’s hard to imagine life beyond your present circumstances. God is promising to raise you up from that grave and restore you to life once again. Will you claim that promise today? Surrender to Him, for it’s only by His power that life can be restored to your dry bones.

The Word of God raises us up and the Spirit of God gives us life. We may be helpless, but never hopeless.

“Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.” Ezekiel 37:13-14

“This is All for You!”

If you’re like me, you may have decided to try out the new TV show “Mobbed”, hosted and created by Howie Mandel. It’s one of those television shows that peek your curiosity every time a preview comes on. You await the time the very first episode airs so you can finally establish once and for all if it’s going to be a program worth your time, or prove to be a waste of time.

If you’re not familiar with the show, allow me to give you a little background. This cross between reality television and hidden camera phenomenon bring together a large quantity of complete strangers to form a ‘flash mob’ in an effort to surprise an unknowing participant during the reveal of a monumental secret. The program documents the preparations taken to pull off such an enormous task and ushers you through the intense moments of anticipation right up to the reaction of the one who is unsuspecting.

In the most recent episode, a man contacted “Mobbed” with the intent of being chosen to propose to his girlfriend using this ‘flash mob’ technique. Obviously in love, he wanted to show her once and for all that she is the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. He wants to prove to her just how much he loves her, and to make her feel wanted, special, and significant. What better way to ask one to marry you than to declare your love in front of a multitude of people - singing to you and dancing to the song “Everlasting Love”. Clapping for you and cheering you on while escorted across town upon red carpets that have been rolled out to signify your ‘celebrity’ status.

Here's a little peek at what transpired. (You will want to mute the music player at the bottom of the page to view.)

Tears ran down my cheeks as I witnessed this stranger’s reaction - bending over in amazement, cupping her hand over her mouth in bewilderment, her own joyful, but uncontrollable tears causing mascara to smear around her eyes. The participating crowd, totaling over 1,000 people, proved to be a truly magnificent surprise, but not as wonderful as the moment that he came into view. She simply ‘lit up’ as the dancers and the members of the band turned to make room for the man she loved - all dressed up in a tuxedo and walking toward her with a smile upon his face. I will never forget his words, “This is all for you! I did this all for you!” And we all know what happened next - he popped the question and she said yes. Her friends and family appeared and before they knew it, they placed rings upon one another’s fingers and were pronounced husband and wife!

I couldn’t help but have a sense of jealousy churn within me. I thought to myself - Wow, it must be an incredible feeling to have someone love you so much that they would go to such trouble to let you know - to make you feel wanted, to make you feel special, to make you feel significant.

That’s when God gave me a vision. He placed in my mind a picture of a beautiful sunset over sparkling waters and then a breathtaking snow-capped mountain range. Then just like a whisper in my ear, He said, “This is all for you!” From there, I was taken to another image in my mind. This time, it was a picture of the cross - Jesus hanging there upon it, taking in His final breath. And again, He whispered to me, “I did this all for you!”

I was suddenly whisked away from a feeling of unimportance to a place of real acceptance. God so gently reminded me that He loves me with an “Everlasting Love”, that I AM wanted, and that I AM special, and that I AM significant! He gave me the beauty of the landscapes, the stars in the skies, the sun and the moon, the flowers, the precious hidden treasures of His creation - and He did it all for me! But most of all He sent His own precious Son to die on a cross to pay the penalty of my sin so I might live - He did it all for me! And He did it all for you!

“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Revelation 19:6-8)

And the bride’s face ‘lit up’ as the bridegroom came into view. With a smile upon his face he whispered, “This is all for you! I did this all for you!”
　
　
　
　
　

“Stressed? – Bang Head Here”

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy road. They came to a traffic light that turned yellow. The man stopped just at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the turn of the light to red. The tailgating woman was furious! She honked her horn and screamed in frustration at the thought of missing her chance to get through the light. She was obviously trying to get to her destination as quickly as possible.

Still in the process of throwing her temper tantrum, she heard a tap on the window. She looked up only to find a policeman standing there. The officer ordered her to exit the car with her hands up. He carted her off to the police station where she was searched, finger-printed, mug shot taken and placed in a holding cell.

After a few hours the policeman came to her cell and opened up the door. The woman asked, “Why did you arrest me? I didn’t do anything wrong?” The officer apologized for the mistake and went on to explain.  “I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing the horn, flipping off the guy in the car in front of you, and cussing a blue streak. When I saw the “What would Jesus do” bumper sticker, the “Choose Life” license plate holder, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem, I naturally assumed that you had stolen the car.”

We all encounter moments of stress. Don’t believe those who claim that Christians are exempt. Being a Christian does not free us from experiencing difficult times. We do not remain untouched by sorrow, anxieties, worry, or fear. So if we as Christians are faced with these tough circumstances, what separates us from anyone else?

What is your first reaction when you are stressed? Do you run to the refrigerator, or open the cupboard door? Do you fantasize about getting away to a tropical island? Do you take your worries and stress out on those you love – saying hurtful things, making hasty decisions? Do you have improper thoughts about how to get out of your situation? Do you just want to bang your head against the wall? When we are under pressure, it’s easy to react in anger and frustration.

Stress can be caused by a multitude of triggers. The pressure of living up to the expectations of yourself and others, uncertainty about your future, life-changing events (such as a death, marriage, or birth), and loss of control over a situation all contribute to our stress levels. The results of stress can be catastrophic. People trapped by anxiety lose their joy for living. They become judgmental of others - constantly looking at the negative rather than the good, living a life of failure and defeat. Health issues, depression, obesity and insomnia can all be linked to long-term stress. But how on earth do we win over worry?

In Psalms 55, the Psalmist describes a life overwhelmed by troubles and suffering, a heart in anguish, fear and trembling. Verses 6-8 tell of his first reaction to stress. “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest - I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” There is a better solution, and the Psalmist finds it beginning in verse 16, “but I call to God and the Lord saves me”. Instead of running away, he runs to God.

Getting away and going on vacation can be a good thing. We all require time to renew and refresh – to recharge our batteries, so to speak. But when we get back, those things that are stressing us out will be there waiting for us. The only remedy to coping with the stressand anxiety is to run to God. “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22)

As Christ-followers, we should not run from reality. We need to face reality strengthened by our faith and trust in the One who cares about our every need. Keep in mind that stress has spiritual benefits. Often times it is stress that leads us to make a change, give up a bad habit, take better care of ourselves or mature in certain areas. But most importantly, the anxieties that we encounter should bring us to our knees and lead us into prayer. And prayer changes things. Jesus invites us to come and lay all of our burdens upon Him and He will give us rest. (Matthew 6:25) Philippians 4:6 tells us not to be anxious about anything, but pray about everything. 

The enemy wants to thwart the peace of God in our lives. That is why each day when we wake up we have to make an intentional decision to give our cares over to God. In a moment of weakness it’s easy to base our reactions on our feelings rather than truth. The Holy Spirit is constantly whispering truth in our ears, but Satan is constantly whispering lies. Who are we listening to? The answer, my friend, is determined by our prayer life. I have heard it said that “right praying leads to right thinking, and right thinking leads to right living”.

It is true that we all have stress in our lives, but more importantly, are we glorifying God in how we react to them? Our relationship with God is a crucial factor in our stress management. We have a choice to withdraw from life and bang our head against the wall, or to trust God to see us through. What choice are you making today?

“Calgon…Take Me Away!”

Feel like giving up? Feel like you’re hopeless and the only thing left to do is just walk away, slam the door, never look back and hop on a bus going somewhere, you don‘t even care where? Ever just want to scream out, “Calgon….take me away!”

Recently a dear friend texted me to ask how I was doing. She was concerned about me as I was dealing with a mother in a nursing home following the removal of a second brain tumor, a father dealing with a new spot on his voice box that needs to be biopsied, my own chronic back and leg pain, not to mention all the daily chores of housework, caring for my own families’ needs, and working a job. My response to her was this, “Do Christians ever have a breaking point? Because I believe I’m approaching mine!” I was most definitely experiencing a “Calgon…take me away” moment - my breaking point.

“In human psychology, the breaking point is a moment of stress in which a person breaks down or a situation becomes critical. A breaking point can lead to a shift in morals and world perception.” (Wikipedia)

Now here’s MY definition of breaking point - “the desire to give up, quit, throw in the towel, take your ball and go home; due to stressful circumstances that break your will, that cause hopelessness and despair, that shakes your faith and sometimes can cause you to doubt the very God you believe in, or make you just want Jesus to come back already because you’re sick and tired of all the drama.” Calgon take me away - turns into Jesus, take me away!

Sometimes the circumstances are so heavy, the pain leads many to believe that the only way out is to take their own lives. But the real reason some commit suicide is not because of the pain, it’s because they no longer have hope. They can’t break free and there seems to be no solutions to their problems. They can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, their perception is that they are buried in darkness.

It reminds me of Job. Job knew what it was like to feel hopelessness and despair - to have the light drowned out by the darkness. I’m sure Job had many “Calgon, take me away” moments. God had taken away everything that Job held dear. At one point he begged to die, rather than to live with nothing.

How are you like Job? What has God “taken away“? Do you feel there’s no end to your situation, that it will never get better? Maybe you’ve even considered quitting - giving up on a rebellious teen, walking away from a job where you’ve been cheated and mistreated, closing the door on a broken marriage, withdrawing yourself from your family and your friends to avoid future hurt, going through with the abortion so no one will know, giving up the fight on an illness that threatens to take your life.

In one way or another we all have been there. We’ve all felt hopeless and when we do, the desire to give up floods our very being. There are many who hide and go through the motions of life even though inside they’re hurting. They have cut themselves off from those they love and the things they love. Oh, they haven’t gone anywhere physically, but inside they have stopped fighting. Some hide it so well that no one would ever realize the pain they face daily.

So how do we as Christians avoid the temptation to give up? How do we keep ourselves from hanging up the phone when God puts us on hold? Where do we find the strength to go on when all our strength is gone?

“Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” Job 42:1-3

God has a plan - no matter how desperate your situation may be. And His plans cannot be altered. God has a purpose for your life AND for whatever struggle you may be facing today. Giving up is not part of that plan. Romans 8:28 tells us that God works everything for our good if we love Him. And we as Christians are called to live out His purposes for our lives. According to Barnes Notes on the Bible the phrase, “for our good” means the following:

“They (our afflictions) shall cooperate; they shall mutually contribute to our good. They take off our affections from this world; they teach us the truth about our frail, transitory, and lying condition; they lead us to look to God for support, and to heaven for a final home; and they produce a subdued spirit. a humble temper, a patient, tender, and kind disposition. This has been the experience of all saints; and at the end of life they have been able to say it was good for them to be afflicted.”

You are not in the situation you are in today by coincidence. It’s not just a case of bad luck. It’s not because your momma chose to feed you peas instead of corn. It’s to fulfill God’s purposes in your life. It’s to remind you that you NEED Him and you can’t do anything aside from His power working in your life. And sometimes His plans don’t seem like good ones in our eyes. Job says on our behalf as well as his own, I have belly-ached about my situation, things I didn’t know anything about, not taking into consideration that You had it all under control God - that You had something more wonderful in mind for me.

God is in the business of transformation and God is able to transform YOU. You want to know His will for your life? “Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NLT)

It’s not always easy to change our thinking, especially when it feels as if our prayers are bouncing off the walls, or when it feels as if God must be on vacation, like maybe in the Bermuda Triangle. And when we can’t seem to find the pulse of God, we buckle under the pressures, the expectations that people place upon us and those we place upon ourselves. We just want to give up! It’s important to renew our minds everyday. To focus on the truth of who God is and what He promises to do in our lives. And yes, it’s a faith journey. I have heard it said that heartbreak is a blessing from God. It is His way of keeping us from what is wrong for us. The old way of thinking focuses on the heartbreak. The new way of thinking thanks God for whatever it is He has saved us from.

I myself have experienced, is experiencing, and will continue to experience circumstances in my life where I feel like throwing in the towel. Would I even be writing this if I wasn’t going through what I am facing today? Probably not. Perhaps this is part of God’s invisible purpose for my pain.

Even if God’s plan involves NOT changing my circumstances, I must grasp the fact that my hope is not based upon what God can do for me here and now. The most important hope I cling to is an eternal hope. The hope that has been provided for me by Jesus’ death on the cross. Those who believe in Him and His sacrifice find true hope and healing on the other side. But to receive that reward in glory, I must press on - even in the “Calgon, take me away” moments.