The Valley...

This last week I have had a hard time blogging due to some mean comments and my letting myself get in to a pity party, so I am sorry and thanks for all the nice comments and notes. I missed you too and am glad you can laugh at me and my silly thoughts.
The Valley- I wasn't thinking of areas of California, but rather the "mountain high, valley low" kind of experiences that we all go through. Our leader at The Truth Project study we were doing mentioned tonight that no matter how much we hate it, true growth and understanding only comes through struggles and trials. Yeah, I know, pretty much stinks. We are after all human, and sin is our nature as much as holiness is a part of our nature once Jesus "redeems" us.
In the last decade, I have agreed with that idea in my head but never truly experienced it for myself, at least not for more than a few days, a few weeks. My life has been easy in comparison to so many, I don't think I really knew what real struggles were. Loving God and trusting Him for everything was so easy because I was in that new Christian "high" (too bad I couldn't stay there for the rest of my life!) And truly, my life is still better than I admit because most of the time I am just a little whiner. But I would definitely say the last year has not only brought questions to my mind I hadn't considered before about why I am on the planet, but rocked my faith in God and in His love for us. Now on the other side, I know and can see that the God of the Bible is the only Truth, the only Light, and the only Hope we have in ever experiencing joy and peace without the baggage that comes from sin, and it is such a comfort to feel SURE, to have asked tough questions and had God answer.
But the funny thing is that the adventure is still not over, and that's what I was pondering tonight- every time a tough thing comes along, I get all out of sorts, and pray for it to be over. I forget that the very struggle I am wanting to shorten is the very thing that might be my "best medicine". I don't want to be a complacent, grumpy, spoiled old lady someday, and to keep my heart fresh, my discernment sharp, and my sense of humor young, I have to learn empathy, compassion, forgiveness and godly love. And if that comes through hard stuff, than I hope someday I will be wise enough to say, "Thank you, Lord, bring it on!"
Please don't remind me of this next week...when I am whining about struggles
again. ;)
"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want...(yet) therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. " Romans chapters 7 and 8 (Hang out in that book this week with me, and let me know what you find.)

BTW: This photo is from almost two years ago in Vietnam, but I was wondering how come no one ever told me I smile like a right sided stroke victim? hehehe