Archive by Author

Rejoice in Life

14 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

 

I woke this morning feeling a bit sad and anxious. Some of the verses in my morning reading were in Philippians 4. I decided to create this graphic to lift my spirits.  And it did! I love getting free photos from Unsplash!

 

 

We have been enjoying a visit from my aunt and cousin this week. Today we drove up to the Cherokee Indian Reservation to play tourist. While we were at a park by the river, a group of ducks came to visit us. I am sure they were hoping for handouts. They had baby ducklings and they were adorable! My cousin was brave and waded in the chilly water.

 

This one seemed to be trying to decide whether it should chase me.

 

 

On the home front, I found this cute water fountain at Lowes but it was too small for the purpose I had in mind. After a day or two of pondering, my husband and I decided it would work if we used a wine barrel planter, that had been purchased when we were in Florida, and added an unused cement plant stand to give the fountain the needed height. I had my heart set on Geraniums but had no idea it would be difficult to find individual plants. When I finally located some at Wal-Mart, the daily rains had saturated the plants and I didn’t want to put sopping wet plants into my car. The first sunny day that rolled around, I zipped to the store and grabbed the plants before the rains returned.

 

I am pleased with how it turned out.

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6 Steps to Bring Back Peace

9 Jun

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

 

 

 

6 Steps to Bring Back Peace

Reblogged on June 9, 2018

Very Carefully

New friends ask me, “Being blind, how do you put on your make-up?”

My answer is simple: I do it carefully.

After living with complete blindness for 33 years, I often forget my limitations. But trouble comes when getting ready to go out. I pry myself from endless tasks. At the last minute, I rush around like a crazy woman. I hop in the shower, slip on my robe and dash into my walk-in closet. Frantically, I slide hangers, looking for any outfit to wear.

How do I do this with no sight? It’s pretty simple. When I purchase an item, I store in my memory its characteristics—the texture, the shape of the neckline, buttons or length of sleeve. One light touch tells me what the item is. But when I’m in a hurry, trying to find the right outfit gets a bit tough. Not because I can’t see, but because I just have too many clothes. Way more than any blind gal should be allowed to have. The bar holding all those hangers is probably sagging from the weight.

A jammed-filled closet and a jammed-filled life.

Oh, how my jammed closet resembled my life—full of tasks of all kinds and sizes. Like a squirrel running from tree to tree, I’d dash from one task to another.

I had no choice—lots of people to please. Fueling that desire, even as a young girl, I tried to perform to win my parents’ and teachers’ approval. Later on, I wanted to please my family, my employer, and my friends. Phew! I thought that the only way to please myself was by pleasing them.

Have you been there? The pleasing craze explodes. We rush through life eager to make someone happy. And the level of stress and tension rises like the thermometer in Orlando’s summers.

So this season of our life, how about if we vow to cool off. God never meant us to live in the heat of tension. He gave one pretty refreshing directive: “Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:36-37).

The 6 Secrets

When life sags from the weight of countless tasks, obeying His greatest commandment is the key to peaceful success.  Early In the morning as we slide our feet into our slippers, this is what should play in our head: Loving God means receiving His peace. And when the world robs it, here are six secrets to bring it back:

  1. Inviting Him into our day.
  2. Drawing wisdom from His word to place the correct order to our priorities.
  3. Presenting Him with our to-do list for His approval.
  4. Giving thanks in advance for glitches as we know He will resolve.
  5. Invite into our day moments of silence in His presence to refuel our energy.
  6. Inhale the aroma of His reassurance for calmness.

Deviating from His ways equals burnout. But obeying His greatest commandment ushers wisdom: To arrange priorities; to press forth when fatigued; to bring clarity when confused; to be calm when overwhelmed; and to know the warmth of His love.

The love that sparks a desire to please Him. To receive His rest. And to know His peace because “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know He enjoys giving rest to those He loves?” (Psalm 127:2, The Message Bible).

Let’s Pray

Father, the tension and stress of life are keeping me from experiencing your peace, which I so long for. I invite you into my day and look to you to bring the calmness and peace I seek. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Janet

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Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

 

Source: https://janetperezeckles.com/blog/6-steps-to-bring-back-peace.html

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As Summer Settles In

7 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

 

We are settling into our home in the mountains of North Carolina where we look forward to spending the summer and fall.  We decided to stay in Florida until after Mother’s Day to spend it with our daughter.

Peonies are my favorite flowers and I have sweet memories of rocking on the porch of my friend, Karen’s home in North Carolina, and enjoying them. They don’t grow in Florida and Karen’s peonies were the first I had seen. Before she passed away, I asked if I could take a piece of one of her plants, so that I could savor the memory of those summer days in the coming years. Since we were late arriving in North Carolina, the flowers were past their prime, but I did cut some and bring them in. The white ones are from Karen’s stock.

Our daughter gave me two raised bed planters for Mother’s Day. They come complete with a watering system. My husband set me up with tomato plants and built a perfect height table to place them on. I am thrilled with the table. It will save my back and hopefully discourage the nasty tomato worms.

It’s good to be back in the mountains. The mornings are soft and I enjoy watching the mists float across the peaks and down through the valleys. The hydrangea are starting to bloom and will last all summer, along with the roses.

 

Life is good in the mountains!

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Three truths to hold on to when life stinks.

2 Jun

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

 

 

 

Three truths to hold on to when life stinks.

Reblogged June 2, 2018

“And you can now get mature manure,” the radio announcer said, “and you’ll have the greenest grass ever.”

Mature manure? Who ever heard of that? But as odd as its name, so was its effect.

It turns out that when you put this product on your grass, it protects it and produces a pretty nice-looking lawn.

Life can be stinky.

But don’t think for a minute that this kind of manure was limited to grass. That same material comes in by way of disappointment, sadness, self-pity, heartache, setbacks and even tragedy.

All are part of the manure of life. It stinks. It’s ugly. It’s unpleasant. And when spread over, the view isn’t pretty.

I know that first hand, trust me. When blindness set in when I was 31, my world stunk. And I sunk in the pit of smelly self-pity and discouragement. Hopelessness tried to cover me up.

Until one day, God poured grace, mercy and compassion upon my world. That’s when I knew that the mature manure of heartache produces a nice lawn of faith and strength.

Three Truths

Rather than sink in, I hung on to the rope that held three truths:

  1. In His ways, He will turn to me.
  2. In His timing, He will hear my cry.
  3. In His power, He will lift me up.

Instead of sorrow or grief, my soul sang: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth…” (Psalm 40:1-3).

Let’s Pray

Father, I do have the song of joy, the outlook of hope, and the eagerness to grow closer to you. In the lawn of life, I will not reject the pain or setbacks, but will know that you will use them to make my life better and richer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  • What needs to be renewed in your life?
  • How often do you need to turn to God for help?
  • What do you need to stand on the solid rock of His Word?

Janet

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Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

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What to do when facing impossibilities.

26 May

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

 

 

Reblogged May 27, 2018

 

What to do when facing impossibilities.

Memorial Day brings back memories of heroes as with gratitude, we recall their brave commitment to bring us victory.  But why do we forget the victory Christ has already won for us?

Do you remember this story?

One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” (Job 1:6-7)

Did he say the earth? Gulp. Friend, you and I are on that same earth on which he roams. And we need to watch out because:

 

“the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

 

He’s probably licking his lips, staring at us.

And when we’re alone, seated on our bed of self-pity, surrounded by walls of gloom, lamenting our impossible situations, we become more appetizing. We’re more appealing because we’re weighed down by negativity. And we’re weakened by moments of hopelessness.

I’ve been there.

And unaware of what an inviting prey I was, I was soon to be his spiritual lunch.

The giant I faced towered over me, reminding me of my frailty, whispering I was defenseless.

That’s the place the enemy wants us, walking into defeat and deceived in thinking that victory will only come when the impossible problem would be removed.

But often that doesn’t happen. Not to us and not to David. Instead, like our struggles, the giant stood firm, relentless and threatening.

Poor David?

No! Although a boy, he was scrawny, a bit of a shy kid, the youngest of his brothers and probably voted the “least likely to succeed” in the senior class of the local shepherd high school, yet God was with him.

Success was at work. David stepped forward and the size of his opponent didn’t infuse fear, but injected boldness instead.

Unprepared to face giants, he probably smelled of sheep wool and with mud caked on his sandals, he stirred God’s power within him.

We’re like that, too; we’re walking with shoes caked with discouragement, and possibly smelling of hopelessness.

And like you and I, David probably had to shoo off the enemy’s lies: that problem is too big, destruction is inevitable, the pain will be fierce, or you are doomed to lose.

And as he does today, the enemy presented opposition from all sides. People doubted David’s abilities, King Saul scratched his head with bewilderment, and when Goliath saw David’s size, he laughed.

But God smiled …

…because he prompted David to shed the armor King Saul had given him. The metals and chains were way too cumbersome for his thin body. Instead, he tapped into the power of the Lord.

It was the same power he had used to bring down those ferocious bears and lions. He had the weapon—not a rifle, a shotgun, a knife or sword. And he didn’t trust in the smooth rocks in his sling either. He trusted in a greater and mightier weapon—the power of God.

Have you faced those giants that loom over you?

They mock your courage and laugh at your faith? The lies from the enemy that fuel your fear.

The lies that say your 2-inch faith is no match for the 9-foot giant of impossibilities. The deception that repeats you’ll never see relief, healing or triumph.

We’ve all faced that at one time or another. And in desperation we slip on that armor—our own abilities, wisdom, and solutions. But dragging ourselves toward the battlefield, we find that human armor hinders us. It’s too heavy with pride.

That’s when you and I do what David did.

We shed that wrong armor and pull out our best weapon instead. David was bold as we should be, he’s defiant like we have to be, and he’s truthful to declare to whom belongs the victory.

It’s not the giant that threatens, but it’s the gigantic love God has for us that must fuel our courage.

That’s why David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty” (1 Samuel 17: 45).

Did you read that? The God David spoke about is not just any god, He’s the Lord almighty, creator of the universe, and immensely powerful.

Troubles can come from all sides bearing the sword of anguish, the spear of anxiety and the javelin of fear. But you and I come in the name of the Lord–with confidence, with resolve and trust that through Christ, the victory is already won.

And holding the smooth stones of faith, bearing the spiritual weapon of God’s faithfulness, we can face any giant of impossibility in the name of the Lord.

I had to make that choice.

In his devious craftiness, he lied to me when he said it would be impossible to find peace after my son was killed. But his lies are no match for God’s truth, to God’s power of restoring what was broken, to heal that which seared, and to defeat the giant who threatens our peace.

To the world, our problems seem gigantic, to God they are miniscule. They’re big when we see them with human eyes. They shrink when we see them through Christ’s eyes.

And as we gaze at our problem we have a choice: either to live hoping for blessings, or to bless the hope we already have in Christ.

 

Source: https://janetperezeckles.com/blog/victory/what-to-do-when-facing-impossibilities.html

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Road Trip~Celestial Seasonings

25 May

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

Days 16 September 23, 2017

 

If you read the beginning of our road trip story on September 7, 2018, you will remember that we started out as Hurricane Irma was bearing down on Florida and I had mixed emotions about driving further away from our daughter living in Florida. It took us a week to arrive in Denver for our meet up with our friend, Pam and our daughter, Rebekah. The week we spent with them in Pagosa Springs, Colorado flew past and this morning we were up early to drive them to the airport.  Fortunately, they both had their electricity restored and now it was a matter of putting away their hurricane prep. We were sad for them to go, they were fun travel companions.

One place Rebekah had really wanted to visit was the Celestial Seasonings headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. Unfortunately, a visit there couldn’t be worked into our schedule. I guess a kinder mom would have chosen to not visit the tea headquarters without her, but I really wanted to visit it too. Rebekah enjoys flying, I hate flying, so she can fly in for a weekend. So after dropping the “girls” off, husband and I headed north to Boulder.

Except for getting some basic information, I didn’t know anything about the facility and what to expect, except that we would learn how tea is processed.  As we followed the map on my phone, I began to worry when it directed us to turn into a residential area. Surely the phone app had led us astray…again.  We decided to continue following the map app as we had no idea where we were and knew if we were in the wrong place, we could program it to bring us back to a main road.

To our surprise right there in the residential area, we saw the a street sign reading SleepyTime Drive. We were in the right place! Not far down the road, we came to the entrance.

 

 

By this time I couldn’t wait to get inside, and I was hoping we would not have long to wait for a tour.

 

As we approached the headquarters entrance, I had no idea what to expect. The front window was covered in their signature picture.

 

 

Once inside we discovered tea heaven! I can not believe I didn’t take pictures. The first thing we did was sign up for a tour that would be starting in about 20 minutes.  The room had a long counter set with a variety of teas.

 

Photo credit Yelp by Jeff Boyardee T

 

After signing up, we were invited to sample not only those prepared but any tea in their inventory!

 

I was in my element…..free samples!! Take that winerys! We sampled both cold and hot teas until it was time to go into the theatre and begin our tour.

 

 

There is a slight downside. We were touring on Saturday and the processing lines were not running. That didn’t stop us from enjoying the tour as our guide explained what activities we would be seeing if the machines were running.  They process their teas except peppermint from air drying to packaging.  I looked at each variety of tea from all over the globe, while my imagination roamed wild, imagining the places where the tea was grown as well as the people who spend their days hand picking the best leaves.

After we finished our tour, I asked if we could return to the tasting area. I wanted to try out more blends to decide which I wanted to buy. They laughed and said, “you can taste until we close!”  The people at Celestial Seasonings are friendly and seem to love their jobs.  We tasted several more blends, then headed to the Tea shop. As we entered the shop I was delighted with the huge assortment.

I told my husband to buckle up, I would be doing some serious damage to our charge card!

Celestial Seasonings teas are bulk packaged in signature designed boxes. My husband prefers individual pack and we were pleased to note they had a selection of boxed individual tea bags and scooped up several in flavors we can’t get locally. (Reminder to self….order some more of these online.) It was fun browsing the different blends and deciding which ones had to come home with us. It turns out quite a few hopped into our bag!

 

 

The facility also has a cafe and I was hoping to have lunch there, but it was closed. As I am writing this story, I am beginning to think I might need to join Rebekah and Pam when they fly out to visit Celestial Seasonings. Surely the two of them can keep me from embarrassing myself on the plane.

It has taken me way too long to tell the story of our road trip and this is the final episode. My interstate hating husband decided we should abandon back roads for the return trip and drive the interstates. I still don’t know why, but if I understand everything he did, what fun would that be?  Thank you for reading the posts. I have enjoyed remembering the journey. We are undecided about where we will visit on our Fall vacation this year. I do know that a short beach adventure and a tour of a historical city is in the works.

 

Oh the irony. As I am finishing this series, a sub-tropical storm is advancing on Florida.

 

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How to pray so God will answer.

19 May

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perea Eckles

 

 

His Way

 

 

 

 

How to pray so God will answer.

Reblogged May 19, 2018

 

What’s that smell?

Not long ago, an unidentified odor filled the front of our house. We tried and tried to find the source but failed. We cleaned, washed and sprayed air freshener. Nothing worked.

To make it worse, since I’m blind, my sense of smell is heightened. Ugh! There was only one thing to do—cover my mouth and nose.

So, I went to work, frantically searching for a cloth mask to cover my mouth and nose. I was sure I had put one away in a drawer somewhere.

I pulled out items; I ran my fingers all around. No mask. “Lord,” I prayed, “I know this is silly, but will you help me find that mask. You know where it is, will you help me?”

He didn’t.

Facing my defeat, I sat at my computer and worked for a few hours. Then I got up, walked around the house and, to my relief, the smell was gone, totally gone.

What came instead was a big lesson.

How often we ask for something specific, yet God is up to something bigger. We beg for a solution, but God has a mightier answer. And when we plead and plead for a specific outcome, He comes up with a different one, and one that solves a bigger problem.

That is what His promise is—to solve them His way. That’s why we can be reassured that although He listens to our prayers, He sees our heart. He often doesn’t give us what we want but grants us what we need.

And He gives the reason why in Isaiah 55:8-9: “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways’” declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Trusting in that promise…

  • I pray not just to see a better tomorrow, but to delight in the best of today.
  • I pray not just for a leap to triumph, but to take each step on firm ground.
  • I pray not just for triumph, but to know how to defeat fear.
  • I pray not to do great things without first knowing the greatness of God.
  • I pray not for a life of roses, but to remove the thorns of doubt.
  • I pray not for knowledge in a lifetime, but for enough wisdom in each defining moment.
  • I pray not for the abundance of my bank account, but to take into account my riches in the abundance of God.
  • I pray not for my own answer to every prayer, but for His every answer to fuel my faith.
  • I pray not for God to take away every trouble, but for me to take the trouble to see His way out.
  • I pray not just for a cure to my illness, but for the healing of my soul.
  • I pray not to trust in my success, but to succeed in trusting God.
  • I pray not to heal my loneliness, but to heed the truth that God alone is enough.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank you for your answers, your solutions and your victories. Grant me wisdom to wait and to trust that your thoughts and ways are above my own. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  • What have you been asking God lately?
  • Does your prayer align with His Word?

Janet

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Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

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Beauty and Pleasure

15 May

A Time to Live

Melody Hendrix

 

 

God created the flowers to bring beauty to the earth and pleasure to us.

 

 

Each flower is unique and some are very beautiful as a single bloom but many times it is more beautiful to see them put together as a bouquet or arrangement. That can be a lovely parallel to how we each come together and complement the strengths, weaknesses, gifting and needs of each other.

 

Together we are more powerful, more complete, although individually we are also beautiful in our own way.

 

 

Do you ever feel insignificant, like God wouldn’t pick you from His garden? He doesn’t see one gifting or personality or appearance as better than another. None of us is less important to Him. We are all supposed to be different. And we are pleasing to Him if we fulfill the specific call and purpose He created us to be. We are only to be ourselves, not like someone else.

 

 

Whatever type God created you to be, it is not just for us to keep to ourselves but our beauty, our aroma, our gifting are to be used for the benefit of those around us. Just as in the bouquet, each of us is important to the whole. Even those who feel small or insignificant have a role to play.

 

 

I saw these little flowers, I had never seen before,
They were so small and delicate, a hundred-maybe more,
I had to smile when seeing them, and wipe away my tears,
You always give me flowers, Lord. At least, you have for years.
Anne Peterson

 

 

 

Consider the wonderful works of God.  Job 37:14

 

 

 

 

 

I am retired and enjoying life. My hobbies are my 5 grandchildren, son and daughter, and my loving husband. I am a photographer and extreme nature lover. I love spending time in my garden or in the wilderness connected to God my Creator.
Melody

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Marie Bowers

14 May

My Take

DiVoran Lites

 

Photo by Melody Hendrix

 

 

In her last photo, standing by a big fountain

Grandmother was tiny.

She never seemed tiny before.

She was the matriarch of the family

And we all tried to please her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was right to think she knew a few things.

Born in Illinois in 1897, she was the first of 13

Marie helped with everything.

Kid care was just a part of life and…

She especially enjoyed looking after chickens.

 

She was one of the fortunate who got all the

The way through eighth grade.

For a while, she was the teacher

Since teachers were hard to find in rural spots.

I’ll bet she kept the big boys in line,

Maybe with some help from her brothers.

When her mother died of female problems

Marie was already married and had two boys

Marie took in the two smallest sisters.

One trick she had was to get the four

Ready for church then rest the legs of the bed

On each dress-tail so the children wouldn’t get dirty.

Yes, very little boys wore dresses in those days.

 

Marie, Ivan (my dad eventually), Ira, Lowell in front.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So much I could tell you about Grandmother Marie.

She loved us all and went back to visit her dad and siblings.

While Granddad was a guard at the Colorado State Penitentiary

Grandmother ran her beauty shop,

They also had an apartment house

Victorian with a beautiful yard and

Chickens in a pen out by the garage.

She went to the hospital and to the morgue to “do hair”

For those who couldn’t help themselves.

 

In extreme old age, she got a job in a nursing home

Where Granddad had to live by then

She was loved in that town

And they gave her a little room

With a phone

It was her paid job to answer if it rang during the night.

Some people say, “All I Know I Owe to my Darling Mother,”

But I say all I know I owe to my darling mother and my

Stalwart Grandmother.

I’m looking forward to seeing both in Heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marie and her sweet, adorable little granddaughter: me

I think I’m trying to get away. I don’t think she wanted this picture taken.

 

 

 

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How Can God Allow All This Pain?

12 May

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

 

 

 

 

How can God allow all this pain?

Reblogged with permission May 12, 2018

 

Bad news, hard news, violent news. All pile up on top of our personal conflicts…and eventually, like most, we might ask, “How can God allow all this pain?” For you, a post to give you hope.

Pamela’s Story

With Pamela’s permission, I share with you her private story. She relates:

I wrapped an old jacket around me and slammed the door of my dingy apartment. At four in the morning, it was safer and easier to hit the crack dealer on the corner.

I lived in a horrible home. Satan had taken my kids, my family, my home and my job.

I lived to find enough money for the next hit. And when high on whatever I smoked, I groaned and cried at God.

Where was He? Why did He leave me? Why did He allow so much pain?

I knew that answer. I wasn’t worth Him sticking around me—a drug addict, a loser and a sinner.

He’d left me. He’d gone from my home. I traveled looking for him. From state to state I went, but never found Him. Darkness was just about to choke me; I gave one more cry even when no more breath seemed to be in me. I had lost hope. I had nothing. No apartment and no family. I wonder why I still lived.

That’s when God touched my withered soul and said, “I never left you…been right here by your side.

We’ve all been there.

Pam’s question about the absence of God is not rare or uncommon. When despair hits, we assume He’s left us. The reasons are many. Maybe it’s not addiction to crack but a crack in our heart that begs to be healed, or sin, a hypocritical comment, or harsh admonishment. Or simply, bad choices.

Whatever the reason, in our despair, God seems to be a distant, an abstract image. But He’s not. He’s alive, vibrant and active! He’s still waiting, still calling, still loving and still hoping for us to come back.

There’s hope.

He’s hoping the child that ran away would ease back into His arms, nestle in His grace and listen to the truth: Humans are flawed, fickle, weak and often wrong. But God is forever loving, forgiving and forever our Father. He is also “…gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” (Psalm 144:7-9)

That compassion touched Pam. She left her destructive ways behind. She repented. And hope filled her once again. God restored her family. She now lives to serve Christ, declaring with boldness her pain soothed, and her peace renewed.

And with the gratitude that replaced her grief, she declares this verse with conviction and confidence:

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Receiving His kindness, His riches shine brighter in dark times. He may allow pain, but He gives us peace. He may allow loss, but He gives back much gain. And He may let grief in, but He says joy will follow.

Let’s Pray

Father, how many times I wondered about the reality of your presence, doubted your power and questioned your healing. Show me, Lord, that crisis doesn’t separate you from me. Devastation doesn’t end your love, nor do troubles keep you away. You are with me as I run, escape or when I sob during sleepless nights, you are with me. In Jesus’ name I thank you!

  • What speaks to you I the midst of your pain?
  • How do you conquer fear and doubt?

I’d love to read your answers. Please send them by replying to this post in the comment section.

Janet

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Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

 

Source: https://janetperezeckles.com/blog/inspiration/how-can-god-allow-all-this-pain.html

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