A Lament

One of the deals I've made with God about my pain [like that actually works anyway!] is that I will use it for good. I will learn from it. And I will share what I'm learning with others so that it might be redeemed. The following passage from Lamentations also reminds me not to forget and where I need to place my hope...

Lamentations 3:20-26, 32-33, 40, 55- 57

²⁰ I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
²¹ Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:

²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
²⁶ So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.
³² Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not enjoy hurting people
or causing them sorrow.
⁴⁰ ... let us test and examine our ways.
Let us turn back to the Lord.
⁵⁵ ... I called on your name, Lord,
⁵⁶ You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
Hear my cry for help!”
⁵⁷ Yes, you came when I called;
you told me, “Do not fear.”

**Thanks Kim for sharing!

Pain-Free Baby Dedications!

As the NxtGn Pastor at Newsong, one of my pastoral responsibilities is quarterly baby dedications. In theory, this should be a great experience for me as I celebrate new and growing families. In reality, the past 4 I've done have all been marked with varying levels of sadness and grief. In fact, after the first dedication I lead I felt pretty sick. It was awful.

This past Sunday was another baby dedication but it was a VICTORY! While there were tears, they were because I had the privilege of being of part of a couple dear friends' baby dedications [yeah Ta's & Roach's!!!!]. It was a pain-free baby dedication. Sigh.

Afterward, I received this from a friend who was leading worship:

Your ability to show strength with tenderness is inspiring. And it's not anything specific that you do, it's just who you are.

Some day soon it will be you up there dedicating your own babies to a life with our loving God. Looking forward to celebrating that day with you.

Wow. Tears. I could read those words and feel nothing but excitement and anticipation for OUR day. Indeed, something good is growing inside of me. More healing. Thanks, Jesus, for an incredible day.

Joy

I received this quote from a friend I've never met named Andrea. We share infertility stories...

Joy is something that confronts my circumstances and occurs in spite of sadness, difficulty, or loss. It is an attitude I adopt in spite of how things go. Joy is a posture, a position; it’s the deep assurance I have, that the God who loves me is in control. Joy doesn’t happen to me one day and avoid me the next. Joy is the result of a choice, a choice I have to make every day. It’s a choice based on the knowledge that I belong to God, who is my Refuge. And nothing, not even death, can take God away from me.

Fil Anderson

Thoughts? Reflections?