Another Precious Year

The last day of 2012 is quiet and subdued. A bit of a contrast from this year as a whole. It has been a year of extremes for many people that I know and love. It has been a year of growing and learning, a year of laughter and tears. For many, these past twelve months have brought reconciliation and peace, and for others, unspeakable loss and pain.

One of my greatest lessons this year, has been the reminder of the preciousness of each day and the uncertainty of the future. This week, I was reminded in the book of Ecclesiastes that everything in the world has a season. We must live out each day with the knowledge that this world is not our final destination. There is so much more out there then what our human minds can comprehend. I have a more complete understanding of the privilege of walking in faith. We truly are not prepared to live in peace until we are prepared to die in peace. None of us knows what tomorrow will hold and that is a blessing. What we do know is that it is not within our control and that too is a blessing.

Since I obviously am not a philosopher or theologian, I do not approach life with all the arguments or theories that others would use to explain themselves. I am just a simple person, who has experienced the love of Christ in the core of my soul, and I know that there is no other love that compares to that love. In my life, I have had innumerable losses, heartaches, and betrayals; have made multitudes of mistakes; said horrible things to people; and been a selfish brat at times. But when I repent and approach His Throne, I have never been forsaken by Him. He has never left my side or written me off as a lost cause. People will disappoint us and hurt us in ways that rock us to our core, but He will help us to pick up the pieces of our chaos and find a miraculous way to bring good from it. I have never been able to explain how He does it, but I have seen it happen time and time again. Beauty from ashes is one of His specialties.

So I am looking forward to 2013 with eager anticipation of what He has in store. My prayer is that I will see Him more clearly and seek after His Will, for His Glory and His Glory alone. May I see others through His love and learn that the world's ways are not His ways.

Be Thou My Vision

These are uncertain times for our world, our country, my family, and for me personally. But as soon as I say that, I am aware of the fact that ALL times are uncertain. If we were all knowing then we would not have the privilege of walking by faith. But why is it so incredibly scary!?

As a follower of Christ, I have spend most of my adult life living with the security of belonging to Him. The miracles that He has given me will bring me to tears if I were to recount even the top five. He has been amazingly good to me in a multitude of ways. So my pea brain should know that all is well and then move on to other issues. But that is not how it usually works.  Why are we so obsessed about the "future"? He tells us over and over again through His Word that HE HAS GOT IT.

So I rest in the fact that I know who holds the future and it is not me.