Today....

.....was one of those days that I really know and FEEL how blessed I am. God is good. He really is. He wants us to know him and experience him in a real way. His love can be seen and felt in tangible ways. God really met me this morning as I opened his scriptures despite the guilt I was feeling for not having devotions for, I gotta be honest here, weeks. I was feeling condemnation, but genuinely desiring to be met and encouraged in His word. And he was so kind and merciful to show me his faithfulness and his greatness. It didn't matter that I have failed at earnestly pursuing him - he was eagerly waiting for me to turn to him again and embrace me with his love. It was exciting because although I have had the gift of a prayer language for a while now, I think he gave me new words to speak this morning. I had such an awesome time of fellowship with the Spirit this a.m. My soul was refreshed and reawakened and I have been rejoicing in his grace all day. I drove to the oceanfront this afternoon and walked the boardwalk with Kaden enjoying the lovely day and again, prayed and gave thanks for His great love and faithfulness. Tonight Steve is working late at the 'flip' house, and as I perused Facebook I came across a link to a blog written by a young wife and mom in our area whom I've hung out with a couple of times. I don't know her super well and haven't seen her in a couple months, so I looked up her blog to see what she's been up to lately. WOW. As I read I discovered that it was a blog she had just recently created to fill people in on some huge life changing news. She has cancer of the lymph nodes. She's a beautiful 26 year old girl with a husband and a 6 month old baby girl and she has cancer. I was so shocked and so incredibly sad for her. I read through all of her posts and was amazed by her faith-filled words. She was very honest and real about how hard this has been, but you can hear her strength and faith coming through each post...I was so encouraged to see her glorifying the Lord through this awful news. As she faces her fears and all the what if's she is confident that she and her family are secure in the arms of Jesus and nothing can take that truth and the peace that it brings away from her. I feel so sobered and aware of the frailty of this life right now. I feel so aware of the gifts God has given to me to enjoy in this life. I'm so thankful. I thank Jesus for the gift of health, but ultimately I'm thankful to be held in his everlasting arms..thankful that no matter what trials this life brings, no matter how hard or easy it is, and no matter how long or short it is, I get to be WITH him one day and that is what defines me..that is what spurs me on to faith and good deeds while I'm living this life he's given me.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
look full in His wonderful face;
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of his glory and grace.