Saturday, December 17, 2011
1. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day - Casting Crowns
I thought this remake of one of my favorite Christmas songs was perfect for the post about peace I just wrote ..
Peace
This Christmas season I find myself longing for one thing above all else: peace. When there is chaos all around how is peace even possible? The answer is Jesus.
Not one of us can orchestrate our lives (or anyone else's lives) to be free from pain, suffering and the chaos around us. What we do have control over is our attitude and where we turn when life becomes hard. Turning to Jesus in times of stress or pain doesn't take away the situation - but it can change our heart and make it easier to bear.
Yes, I do still long for peace in the situations around me. I do long for suffering to end. I do long for relationships to be healed. I long for those who are sick to be healed. I long for war to end. I long for orphans to have homes. I long for crime to end. I long for everyone to have the hope and peace that Jesus only can provide. But for the deepest part of me I am learning (I have so far to go) to embrace the peace and joy that is given me through Jesus even though my heart is so heavy with the chaos all around.
Not one of us can orchestrate our lives (or anyone else's lives) to be free from pain, suffering and the chaos around us. What we do have control over is our attitude and where we turn when life becomes hard. Turning to Jesus in times of stress or pain doesn't take away the situation - but it can change our heart and make it easier to bear.
Yes, I do still long for peace in the situations around me. I do long for suffering to end. I do long for relationships to be healed. I long for those who are sick to be healed. I long for war to end. I long for orphans to have homes. I long for crime to end. I long for everyone to have the hope and peace that Jesus only can provide. But for the deepest part of me I am learning (I have so far to go) to embrace the peace and joy that is given me through Jesus even though my heart is so heavy with the chaos all around.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Redemption of our Loss
Sometimes our biggest loses can become our biggest gains. Seven years ago today I went in for surgery with the 50/50 chance that they would do a hysterectomy. I honestly never really thought that would happen. I thought that God would let me die on that operating table rather than ask me to live a life without my longest and deepest dream of carrying a baby inside me. But I was wrong. (and I am so thankful!)
Being married now (going on 2 and half years) the pain of being barren is greater every day. You would think it would get better with time - but as I see my friends and younger siblings having babies left and right and as I watch myself grow older I sometimes panic feeling like adoption is too long of a road for us and we're not even to the starting point yet.
But then I remember the Lord I love with all my heart.
And I remember that He is the great Redeemer. His business is taking things that are not right, or useful, or perfect, or beautiful and making them great. He took the sin of the whole world on His own shoulders and gave us hope and forgiveness - He turns loss into victory every day. December 15 will never be forgotten for me. But I want the grief I feel over the loss of being able to bear a child be a reminder of the greatness of the Redeemer I serve. I want to always remember that God took this loss of mine (and now of my sweet Husband too) and turned it into our great gain. If God brings us children to call our own on this earth - or finds some other way to use our love for children - I want His name to be praised.
I know that His redemption of our loss will be beautiful even though I don't know exactly what it will look like yet - and that makes me super excited. :)
Being married now (going on 2 and half years) the pain of being barren is greater every day. You would think it would get better with time - but as I see my friends and younger siblings having babies left and right and as I watch myself grow older I sometimes panic feeling like adoption is too long of a road for us and we're not even to the starting point yet.
But then I remember the Lord I love with all my heart.
And I remember that He is the great Redeemer. His business is taking things that are not right, or useful, or perfect, or beautiful and making them great. He took the sin of the whole world on His own shoulders and gave us hope and forgiveness - He turns loss into victory every day. December 15 will never be forgotten for me. But I want the grief I feel over the loss of being able to bear a child be a reminder of the greatness of the Redeemer I serve. I want to always remember that God took this loss of mine (and now of my sweet Husband too) and turned it into our great gain. If God brings us children to call our own on this earth - or finds some other way to use our love for children - I want His name to be praised.
I know that His redemption of our loss will be beautiful even though I don't know exactly what it will look like yet - and that makes me super excited. :)
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