Sunday, July 27, 2008

Encouraged

God gives us encouragement in the strangest ways. Yet He is always faithful to give it.

I've been reading Milton Dyke's journal of Kristy's illness and home-going. His post Saturday was truly an encouragement to me. Over and over he said, "God met me there, and I was not alone."

The last month has been painful for me in several ways. Yet God has met me in each one of those circumstances, and I did not go it alone. I love Milton's wording, and I'm keeping it close to me because of the essential truth of it.

In the following post Milton talked about not letting the pain become despair and bitterness, but finding the cause of celebration in the midst of it. That was powerful for me too. I told one of my close friends that despite the pain, I felt victorious, because I had been faithful to God and He was ever faithful to me.

Certainly what I've gone through is nothing like what Milton is having to deal with. Yet loss and pain is so much a part of this life that it's good to have words of comfort to hang on to. Maybe words don't do it for everyone. Some people need company, or a hug. But I'm a word person and they speak powerfully to me.

I've faced pain, and God met me there with words so I didn't have to go it alone.

He is enough.

2 comments:

Jeanne Damoff said...

Such good thoughts. Thanks for sharing God's faithfulness to you, Jen.

Love, Jeanne

Elaina M. Avalos said...

Thanks for sharing this, Jen -- both your own thoughts and the link. I've been very out of the loop and did not even know Kristy was ill. I'm already encouraged by the brief few minutes I read the blog this evening.

I know what you mean about words. Oddly it was the words of a 29 month old(as told from the perspective of his grieving parents) that encouraged, convicted and challenged me today so I certainly can understand how words are a balm to you.