Discouraged?

I just have to take a few minutes here at work and say out loud (in writing anyway) that I am choosing to trust God in the face of discouragement. Church life has it's ups and downs, good and bad, just like every other part of life, and somedays that just gets to a person. That is, if I don't go to my knees in submission and petition before God.

I know for me, before Him is where things change and my perspective gains balance again. Before Him, the problems don't seem so big. Before Him, I am reminded that He is ultimately Lord, and even if things are not going the way I think they should, He is still there and is still working it together for good. Oh how I love that I can trust His faithfulness!

I'm so thankful that today, on a day that has brought some unexpected discouragement, I also received some unexpected encouragement through some very real answers to a long prayed prayer for someone I love very much. I am reminded again that He is bigger than I give Him credit for and that His timing is best, by a long shot.

So what am I saying? Good question. I'm writing on the fly here with thoughts going in several directions, one of those thoughts being that I should be working on something else, but I just have to say again that going to Jesus with everything is the key to real peace. If I bring Him my dashed hopes, my frustration, my weakness, disappointment in others, and all those other discouraging things, I see them in a different light and gain fresh hope and fresh eyes to see all that is good and all that He is doing. Isn't that cool? I will gladly bow before Him for that!

Thanks for listening. I feel better now....

Happy Birthday

My brother Ken would have turned 40 today.

One night, 3 1/2 years ago, in the blink of an eye, he was gone from us, leaving a gaping hole in our family that we will never be able to fill.

There's been healing, definitely, but sometimes the pain is still so acute I could physically double over. It's only by God's glorious, boundless grace that my parents, Bob and I and our kids, and most of all Ken's wife and girls, have been able to go on without his laugh, crazy sense of humour and tender love.

How I would love to still have him here, so I could make a big deal about his 40th birthday! I'd call him and tease him and somehow let him know I was proud of him and that I love my little brother.

But instead of doing that, I will remember him in a special way today and treasure the memories of so much love and laughter. I will treasure this day with my family and friends, knowing there are no guarantees of more time. I will thank my God for giving me a brother like Ken to love and remember and then praise Him for being our Comforter and Strength. He is good.

Happy Birthday, Ken.