As the clock struck midnight last night I was awake and
immediately thought, Happy Birthday to ME! I began to think of my 48 years on
earth and how circumstances change. Situations change, life changes, people
change but the one thing that doesn’t change is God. He is the same yesterday,
today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8(NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever
In life, I am not so sure that changing situations is a bad thing.
If nothing changed, ever, how would we grow? We would become stagnant. No
matter what happens in our life, no matter what the circumstance, God makes it
good!
Romans 8:28
(NIV)
28 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.
When my circumstances changed last year so did my situation, my
life, my childrens lives, people in my life and yes, even I changed. I really
could not see anything good…even in the distance I couldn’t see. I wanted so
much for my life to be the same, to be what it was. Many times I wished I
didn’t have to go on because it was painful. I didn’t want to grow because I
felt like I was leaving a very important part of me behind as I grew. But one
day when I woke up I realized that not only had my circumstances changed but so
had I, I had grown. I was kinder, my heart was bigger, I was more
compassionate, and I was stronger. How did this happen? When the best part of
my life was gone, how did I grow? I
grew “up” in God when I wasn’t looking.
It should be no surprise though because I got exactly what I asked
for. I prayed for words. God granted that. I prayed for health. God granted that. I prayed for a job. God granted that. I prayed for insurance. God is granting that as I even write this
note. These are the big things He has
granted. Big answers to my prayers. The little prayers also get answered! He keeps me safe, He keeps my children
safe. He supplies us with plenty food to
eat. He always pays my bills at the end
of the month. When I am down He supplies
me with friends to lift my spirits. He
even supplies me with laughter. And not
just a chuckle, He gives that gut wrenching laughter that makes your ribs hurt!
Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up
the bones.
I pray that He completes my family because Danny is missed so much
and don’t you know He is supplying that with our church family. Every Sunday He gives me someone new to add
to my family tree! And today on a
typical Monday, He gives me a lovely new branch to add to my tree. A branch that is similar to my branch. Similar in that we both have lost the trunk
of our tree. We are both broken, struggling for our tree to
stand. But God is so good! He just takes all these broken branches and
puts them together. And as we nurture
each other our branches begin to grow together.
As we lean into each other, before you know it we are almost growing
straight up! I notice we are still
leaning on each other but our branches are forming a trunk and it reaches heavenward. The roots of our trees were established long
ago. They go deep and were never an issue. Sometimes one of the branches has bigger
roots than another branch. You know the
big gnarly roots that not only run deep but also on top of the ground. Those are the roots that catch us by surprise
when we are walking along and we trip on them!
Psalm 25:4
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.
That’s how we are! God has
placed people in my life with roots so deep and so big that I trip when I get
close to them! Without meaning to I fall
right into them! And with their deep
roots they don’t waiver, they support me even though maybe their branch is
broken like mine! I am growing my roots
deep and I’m growing those big gnarly ones that will trip someone on top of the
ground. I want to be able to support
someone when they fall into me! I want
to be a trunk for that someone whose branch is broken like someone was for me!
God has blessed me with so
much I want to give it back. I feel like
on my birthday today I have been receiving for 48 years and I need to give
back. Life is give and take. I have taken and people have been so
generous. Generous with their time, and
mostly with their love! When I hear
people say the love of Christ is dead, I just have to tell them, they don’t
know my Savior! Because He surely is
working in my life, my church, my community!
And He is doing it BIG BIG BIG!
So I thank you all for your birthday wishes! It truly has been an awesome day. From waking up to a birthday text, to a lunch
of fruit with some fruity friends, supper with a stranger who is now considered
a branch on my family tree, numerous hugs, phone calls, emails, text messages;
I just can’t even name them all! I am
truly blessed! But I can’t take all
these birthday wishes without giving one back in return!
James 1:2
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various
trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Enjoy your journey. It’s
the only one you are going to have.
Smile more, laugh often, love fiercely!
If you are a Christian you know you are going to Heaven and of course that’s
a great ending! But what God wants us to
know is that our time in between can be just as good! Show love to the least of these, you will be
blessed. Feed the hungry, shelter the
homeless, love the weary!
Matthew
25:34-40 (NIV)
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you
who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for
you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you
gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you
clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to
visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see
you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When
did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Just give as Christ has given unto
you! After all we all know:
John 3:16 (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
I have learned a new walk. It’s kind of scary at first, just like a toddler learning to walk for the first time. But after you take off its exhilarating! And after you step out, there is no turning back. You will be hooked! That’s my prayer for you all today, on this my birthday!
Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
By Faith We Understand
11
Now faith is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
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