So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in
Christ Jesus. Take the things you heard me say in front of many other
witnesses and pass them on to faithful people who are also capable of teaching
others.
Accept your
share of suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. …Think about
what I’m saying; the Lord will
give you understanding about everything.
2 Timothy 2:1-3,7 (CEB)
Walking my dog this morning, my
nose and cheeks kissed by crisp Fall air, I listened to Terrence Blanchard's Ghosts
of Congo Square from A Tale of God's Will-Requiem
for Katrina. My babies call the music sorrowful, sometimes too sad for them
to hear, but all I hear when I listen is hope. My life is a tale of God's Will.
Lately I've grown more in
Grace through suffering than I ever thought I needed to...I acknowledge, among
many lessons, that my struggles are just that…mine; not greater or less than
those suffered by any other weary traveler, just mine. What I have learned in
48 days will carry me the rest of my days, and that is this…faith does not guarantee sunny days. Faith
challenges us to grow stronger, to endure, to persevere and be resolute. Faith
never promised an easy life. To the question, "should Christians
suffer?" The answer is, well, why not? We are challenged by The Word to
accept our share of suffering, like good soldiers in Christ…
I had an interesting experience
today. Author Holley Gerth challenged readers at her blog to write the Mad
Libs version (if you don't know what that is, you may not be old enough to
read anything here, LOL) of a personal mission statement. I think I'd always
had it framed in my head, and have discussed versions of it with my closest
friends, but never articulated it formally.
My Mad Libs Mission Statement a la Holley Gerth
I believe God has created and called me to fall down, sometimes
really hard, so friends, family, complete strangers and friends I haven't met
yet might appreciate the Grace God gives me (Grace available to anyone) to get
up, over and over, through my life and my writing. To get up, no matter how
hard it seems; no matter how often it happens. Laughing as I rise, praising Him
for His Goodness.
I am living a tale of God's Will. As I do, my Divine call to action is make it work; surrender wholly
to God as He is and ever has been in control, hiding myself in Him, finding my
way out of troubles, finding my way through; recognizing the tremendous
abundance He's strewn for me along my messy way.
When you listen, you might
hear a mournful dirge, I hear music exploding with expectation…music that makes
we want to cry out in joy, to dance, because its message is so hopeful-we endure.
When I tell people about the last 48 days, bless their hearts, they want to hug
me, which I appreciate, but I tell them, "if it weren't for Grace and
humor…" and then I smile. Because I heat Terrance Blanchard playing sweet
music in my head. His is a requiem both for those who suffered and died AND for
those who endured. Those who endure. My people…
Those who live to tell the tales of God's Will. Those whose cheeks and
noses still get kissed by Fall's chilly lips. Those who smile while saying that
God is in control. Those who, when they rise from falling, laugh, and dance.
On Thursdays, I pray and and play with friends
here...
