Sunday, January 15, 2012

Carrying Their Crosses

I had something else in mind when I sat down to write this. I had a meticulous plan to do a series of articles on people who have faced trials and shown the glory of God by doing so. They were going to be very well written and plotted out, but that has been thrown out. You will read on to find a barely edited, almost stream of conscience window to my thoughts. It just seemed right, so please read this post with grace.

Nancy Guthrie had to be the first in this series. She is a truly gifted writer and has faced the death of two of her children. If you as anyone of my friends, they will tell you she is my home girl. She is one of the best examples of obedience in suffering that I have ever seen.
 After we lost little Josh, people came from near and far to give me books and literature to read. I received Holding on to Hope, from one of my mother’s coworkers, whom I haven’t spoken with since my wedding in 2008. It is by providence that this one caught my eye. I read the book cover to cover in two days.
If I explain the book in detail, I may never finish, and I don’t want my poor writing skills to discredit her God given gift in any way, but I will tell you this; God used her to reveal things to me that have made this suffering worthwhile.
God calls us to suffering. He allowed for her two children to pass away, just as He allowed for my little Josh to never take a breath. He did this for His glory. We give Satan too much power in our lives. Satan did not do this to us, God allowed it to happen, and there has been so much good to come from it. There are days that I still want to curl up in a hole, but I am where God has ordained for me to be, and He used my son to do mighty things for His kingdom.
I can accept what God has for me with open arms because of the Christ’s death on the cross. God is still good. On the day my son died, God was still good. He is merciful and gracious, and blessed me more than I will ever deserve.
If any of you are going through a trial, even if it doesn’t involve death, I would recommend any of Nancy Guthrie’s writings. I have read most of them and if you would like any specific recommendations please let me know and I will be happy to do so.
The title of this blog is Count it all joy… for a reason. We are to accept any trial with joy, because through them we are becoming more like Christ. Thank you Nancy Guthrie, for your obedience, God has used you to grow His kingdom in a mighty way!

Monday, January 2, 2012

Count it all joy...: Happy New Year!!

Count it all joy...: Happy New Year!!: 2011 was a year full of blessings for our family. Some of those blessings were received with gladness, others were received with tears. I pr...

Happy New Year!!

2011 was a year full of blessings for our family. Some of those blessings were received with gladness, others were received with tears. I praise God for His sovereignty and look to the next year with a heart full of joy! 
I am currently working on a series titled, "Carrying Their Crosses." This will be focused on people who have glorified God and His perfect plan through their suffering. The first installment will be posted soon. 
I want to thank each and every one of you for your support through reading since this has been posted in October, the response has been more than I could have ever expected.


Soli Deo Gloria


--Halley