DANG

So obviously keeping up with this on a somewhat regular basis ISN'T going to happen. Good news is, I actually remembered my password since the last time I was on here! Yipee! Life has been weird lately....our sweet neighbors lost their daughter by their grandson's hand last week. Talk about something you just don't get over. They have an amazing faith that I know will guide them through, but what do you do just to get through the days? I went to check on THEM tonight and they made ME feel so much better! They miss their girl and always will until they get to the life beyond this, but they way they talked about how God has carried them through it all just made me feel so comforted. I love the Lord. My relationship with Jesus has grown so much over the past few years and I do call Him my Friend as well as my Savior......though I know I have such a long way to grow. I still wonder at times though if something THAT BAD happened to me, would I be faithful, like Job? (and my neighbors?) Or would I abandon my faith for bitterness? I want to believe that I would lean on what I know and not on my own understanding, but I still wonder. Life is hard and keeps getting harder. I find out and see things everyday that reflect how terrible people can be to each other and how bad our sinful natures can get. What I saw tonight made me believe that true faith is possible. They are in the middle of losing a child, and a grandchild in a way, but still celebrating how good God is in the middle of all of it. It's like that Natalie Grant song that I love..."Held." God's promise isn't that He will take away all the pain and experiences in life that will mold us, teach us to trust Him, and make us who we are. Instead, he will hold us through them, cry with us, hurt with us, and help us to heal. What a wonderful Father! My neighbor talked tonight about a verse in Isaiah...I couldn't find the exact one she mentioned, but I found a couple of great ones that I love, especially Isaiah 40:31..Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. YAY! As a mother of 3 I can get pretty excited about a day when I won't get tired! Really though, what a wonderful promise. Don't let the trials and sad news of the world get you down....just wait on the Lord.