Rachel's Last First Day of School
1 year ago
Monday, July 21, 2008
Hard-core, gutsy perserverance
God uses an infinite number of vehicles in the process of helping us grow. I do not know of any means that leads to instant growth. I've never met anyone who became instantly mature. It's a painstaking process that God takes us through, and it includes such things as waiting, failing, losing, and being misunderstood—each one calling for extra doses of perseverance. Christian growth comes through hard-core, gutsy perseverance.--Charles Swindoll
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Devotion sent by a friend
Dealing with Discouragement
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."
— Psalm 42:11
It is not unusual for even the most spiritual people to have their days of doubt.
Moses, on one occasion at least, was overwhelmed by his circumstances. After he had listened to the constant complaining of the children of Israel, he basically told the Lord, "I'm fed up. Just kill me. I don't want to deal with this another day."
Elijah, after his contest with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, heard that Jezebel had put a contract out on his life. He was so overwhelmed by his circumstances, so discouraged, so uncertain, and so filled with doubt that he said to God, "Take my life."
Even the great apostle Paul had moments when he was discouraged. He wrote to the church at Corinth, "We were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life" (2 Corinthians 1:8).
Jeremiah, the great prophet, faced it as well. He was ridiculed and harassed for giving out the Word of God. Because he was tired of the pressure he was facing, it made him want to stop giving out God's Word altogether. He said, "The word of the Lord was made to me a reproach and a derision daily. Then I said, 'I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name' " (Jeremiah 20:8–9).
You are not the only one who has ever faced doubt or uncertainty, or has been perplexed as to why God did not work in a certain way. We may be in the midst of God's work and can't see the big picture as He can.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What a great reminder that God sees the big picture!!
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."
— Psalm 42:11
It is not unusual for even the most spiritual people to have their days of doubt.
Moses, on one occasion at least, was overwhelmed by his circumstances. After he had listened to the constant complaining of the children of Israel, he basically told the Lord, "I'm fed up. Just kill me. I don't want to deal with this another day."
Elijah, after his contest with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, heard that Jezebel had put a contract out on his life. He was so overwhelmed by his circumstances, so discouraged, so uncertain, and so filled with doubt that he said to God, "Take my life."
Even the great apostle Paul had moments when he was discouraged. He wrote to the church at Corinth, "We were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life" (2 Corinthians 1:8).
Jeremiah, the great prophet, faced it as well. He was ridiculed and harassed for giving out the Word of God. Because he was tired of the pressure he was facing, it made him want to stop giving out God's Word altogether. He said, "The word of the Lord was made to me a reproach and a derision daily. Then I said, 'I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name' " (Jeremiah 20:8–9).
You are not the only one who has ever faced doubt or uncertainty, or has been perplexed as to why God did not work in a certain way. We may be in the midst of God's work and can't see the big picture as He can.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What a great reminder that God sees the big picture!!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
July
Well, our new little finally arrived on July 1. =) She's precious!!
My in-law's stayed 14 days! I think my step-MIL is going to have to have knee surgery soon. She's still in both casts.
My in-laws made the trip to the oncologist today in Indy. He wants my FIL to have a couple more treatments of chemo, at least. The next is July 24.
With the arrival of our baby, our 15th wedding anniversary came and went with little fan-fair. LOL We had planned on doing something huge until we found out we'd be adopting a baby. We'd talked about a trip to Australia. Turns out, we were in the hospital on our anniversary, July 3. We did get to bring our little one home that night for the first time. What a gift!
My in-law's stayed 14 days! I think my step-MIL is going to have to have knee surgery soon. She's still in both casts.
My in-laws made the trip to the oncologist today in Indy. He wants my FIL to have a couple more treatments of chemo, at least. The next is July 24.
With the arrival of our baby, our 15th wedding anniversary came and went with little fan-fair. LOL We had planned on doing something huge until we found out we'd be adopting a baby. We'd talked about a trip to Australia. Turns out, we were in the hospital on our anniversary, July 3. We did get to bring our little one home that night for the first time. What a gift!
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