Trials and Blessings

Our family has undergone many difficult trials recently, and yet I still look around me and see the many blessings that our Gracious Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us. One only has to look into the precious faces of our children to see His most holy goodness. I know that my life has been so richly blessed and that it is only by His Grace that I am able to receive so much. To some my life may not seem like much, and many times I am unable to see all that I have been given, but I do know that I am deeply loved by my Heavenly Father and He has surrounded me with support and love and friendship during this most difficult time. I realize that the earthly love and comfort I feel are nothing in comparison to the love that Our Lord has for me. But I truly appreciate that He has given me the earthly friends for additional comfort.

Tony and Shauneen have been truly amazing throughout this time. They have been such genuine friends and have truly shown the values of loyalty, charity, and compassion. True friends are so few and far between and I am so thankful for the precious gift of the their friendship. God has blessed us abundantly!

Joshua has grown by leaps and bounds. He is just blossoming! His little cheeks have become so plump he has gotten so active. He wants to see everything, and do everything himself. He wants to be on the go constantly. From the moment his eyes open in the morning, he is a bundle of energy. I don't know if I have ever seen a smile as contagious as his. His whole face lights up with radiant joy.

And Jacob is a constant source of wonder and amazement to me. That child is so incredibly bright! I cannot believe how much he learns everyday. He seems to be eager to learn and so enthusiastic about everything that he is learning. His mind is like a little sponge just waiting to soak up new information. It is so precious to see the sparkle in his eye when he understands a new concept or recalls something he has learned. And what a joy to know that he is learning from me and that I am able to share in that experience with him. It gives me so much joy to know that I am teaching him and he is learning and that we are both enjoying the process.

It is easy for us to become burdened by the weight of our difficulties. It causes us a great deal of pain to know that our struggles are being caused by someone who claimed to love us and who we allowed into our lives, and into the lives of our children.

It is, however, a comfort to us to know that in spite of the hurt she has caused us previously, we had forgiven her and shown her love and kindness. I can feel peace in my heart because I know that I showed her the compassion and love that that my Lord requires of me. I also understand that this situation is not about us, or even about our earthly situation. She is fighting a much larger spiritual battle. I know that we are caught in the middle of her spiritual warfare. It is difficult from a human perspective not to get angry and take this very personally. After all, she is putting my children and family in jeopardy. But I must try to rise above that earthly desire and not to let anger fill my heart.

I must trust in God's great providence, and that He will give me the strength to overcome this trial and to be an unwavering source of nurturing, love, and protection for these children. In the end it does not matter what other people think of me, but that I have done the right things despite persecution or difficulty. Who you are in your heart shows during difficult situations. It is a much simpler decision to trust in God when there isn't much on the line. I know that now is the time to stand strong and hold tight to my faith. I must trust that He will deliver our family safely through this.

In Christ,