I'm thankful for memories aren't you? I'm thankful that I can think back on the wonderful times of fellowship and fun I've had with dear friends. Some I've been able to spend more time with than others, regardless of this each moment spent has been a great blessing.
I'm also thankful for the memory of answered prayers. When God first saved me, I remember how I longed and prayed for my sisters to come to know the Lord. I happily drove to church and walked across Roscoe Blvd. by myself thinking, "I hope that one day, my sisters will come to know this joy." I couldn't wait to hear John preach! Sometimes I found a friend or two to sit with, other times I sat by myself. When I did sit alone, I would imagine my sisters all sitting next to me. I'd smile, lift up a prayer to the Lord believing that He would do it. And you know what? He did! I'll never forget the day when we were all walking into church together and all sat in the same pew. Praise God for answered prayer!
It's been seven years now. After the first year, and after God had drawn two more of my sisters to Himself, my parents were divorced. They had been married for 25 years! If my sisters and I had not had our hope in God, we would have lost it. We tried as best we could to maintain harmony, but it got hard. Nevertheless our joy remained. So much has happened, and I'll share it with ya'll as it comes to me. The point I'm trying to get across is that true joy, joy in the Lord and in the hope that we have of being with Him in glory isn't fleeting. It always remains.
Don't get me wrong, there are times when I just want to run away from all the things that are hard to face. But the Spirit in me faithfully, lovingly and ever so gently reminds me that God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
More and more I find myself saying, "I need Thee every hour." All I can say is that these times have made me more thankful. Thankful to God for His listening ear, for His compassions that fail not, for the truth that He shall never leave me nor forsake me.
Not long ago I was sharing my burdens with a friend who reminded me not to forget to take every one of my anxieties, griefs, and sorrows, wrap them up in prayer and confession, tie a ribbon of thanksgiving around them and give them to the Lord. Praise the Lord for His Word, because I know that these words came from a word filled heart. I don't know about you, but it gives me great joy when during times of joy, and especially trials Scripture passages begin to run through my mind (Phil. 4:6; Psalm 139:23-24; Psalm 62:8)!
God is to be greatly praised for the many graces He showers us with. Friends, family, life abundant, and the list goes on and on. God is good all the time. This one thing I know, that He loves me so! Our times are in His sovereign hand, and whatever His providence allows is all for a greater purpose.
But the battle ensues and I still at times find myself saying, "no, this isn't the way the story is supposed to go...I'm supposed to be here or there, or doing this or that." How vain! How disgustingly selfish! I think it's because instead of looking up, I'm looking at what is going on all around me.
God has a bigger plan, my life does have a purpose: To glorify God. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
8 comments:
Hey!! I have a new name!!
I always enjoy your posts and your joy in the Lord that you share.
You inspired me to write down very specific prayer requests in my journal so that I will take more notice of God's sovereignty over even my most mundane and minute requests. Spurgeon said, "He who praises God for mercies will never want for mercies for which to praise." Of course, I could have told you that!!
so·bri·quet
Pronunciation: 'sO-bri-ket'
Function: noun
Etymology: French
:a descriptive name or epithet: NICKNAME
I had to look it up this morning. Thanks for chatting with me last night. Although I was home alone, talking with you on the phone was such a treat. It felt like you were there with me. I love you my dear friend! And thanks for that wonderful quote by Spurgeon. I could never get tired of good quotes by great theologians, especially those from Fernijen Ssettimorre. Besos y abrazos!
What is your sourse? My dictionary says the pronounciation is sobri-kay. Being French, that totally makes sense.
Here's a good qoute from someone named J.P.: "Let us not look to the world for our spiritual riches."
Marcella, I just wanted to tell you what a sweet encouragement your comment was to me! And it did make me laugh. :)
It would be really fun to hang out with you. Lord willing, I'll actually be living around your area. Not this year, but next, I'm planning on attending Master's. (Doing community college this year...) I found out today that one of my friends' family is being transferred down to California this fall, one hour away from Master's. I also found out that he's planning on starting at Master's the year that I plan to. I thought that was amazing--I thought I'd lose contact, but I'll probably actually see more of him. Pretty funny.
It is such a blessing for me to get to know sisters from California in the blogosphere. JenM is an encouragement to my heart too!
I loved your post. How exciting that God drew your sisters to Himself! I'd love to hear their testimonies sometime. We pray for our relatives, but they are very hard-hearted. I am sorry about your parents. Keep praying for them! "The prayers of a righteous man availeth much," you know, and it sounds like that has been made evident in your life already, with your sisters!
Marcella, it's wonderful to read of your prayer for your sisters and how God answered it. It reminds me, I ought to pray for my family believing that God will answer. I do pray for them (24 lost people), but never realized until today how much my prayers are in spite of the dismal idea that God might never answer. Your post is so sweet and joyful! I'm thankful for its encouragement.
Did you delete a post from my blog?
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