An Encouraging Word

This touched me in a very tender place and was an encouraging word for me...from Kristen at We are the Family

When Life is Heavy and Hard to Take

Because sometimes life is-heavy and hard to take.
It can be rock heavy like a diagnosis or feather heavy like a willful child displaying their, um, will in public (okay, VBS this week. Ahem).
But heavy is heavy and it’s hard to take.
I have good news: Lamentations Chapter 3. Yes, the book of the Bible I usually don’t seek out for devotional reading, unless I’m lamenting. For the win.


When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayers. Don’t ask questions.
Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The “worst” is never the worst.
Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard.

It’s like a 5-step program. Sign me up!

Go off by yourself-find solitude
Enter the silence-stop talking
Bow in prayer-only say what matters
Wait for hope-oh, so hard
Don’t run away-even when that’s the easy choice

So I’ve been practicing this 5-step program this week and I got very encouraging news from test results that my kidney function has returned to normal and even better, stayed at normal the last week. (Yes, we are hoping to reschedule our trip soon!)
Meanwhile some beautiful, truly amazing things are happening at Mercy House Kenya. Basically, I’m learning that by NOT being there, nothing has really changed: God is still building a house of mercy and girls lives are being changed. Please, take a minute to Meet Our Girls (we have 3 residents now!). And read about their amazing first week in the Sustainable Skills Program! Would you take a minute to pray for them?
Because our worst doesn’t touch their worst.
And sometimes that perspective is all we need.

Hope it is an encouraging word for you too!
C~