I am not a “reader.” In fact, I think I made it to my college years with only a handful of books read. Within the past 3 months, I have read 5 books and working on my sixth. Most of them deal with grief and most of them are written by mothers. I am amazed at how my feelings can be described so well in some of these books. Some of the emotions I feel have been felt by women for ages, and it is comforting to read that I am not alone.<\/p>\n
Here are some ideas that I like from these books:
\nFar from [Noah], I feel so lonely. I have to be close to God, or I can’t do this. The important things are very clear, yet I can make myself deaf. Oh, God, let this not be wasted pain. Let this time work in me the work you intended. Let my baby not have died in vain.<\/p>\n
God determined to take him to His home at the age of [8 days]; the means was incidental. [Noah’s event in the womb], was incidental. It was one of many ways to die. If God is sovereign, these phrases are not merely fatalistic. They present actual reality. God counted the days of [Noah’s] life – the hairs on his head. The breaths in his body. The number was finished. [Noah] lived 100% of his life. He was complete.<\/p>\n
… death makes us assess the meaning and worth of life. Also helpful is the reminder that one hundred out of one hundred people die. 100%. If it happens to everyone, you are not being persecuted.<\/p>\n
Job says to his wife, “Should we only accept good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” We have an unspoken expectation that a good God<\/i> will bring only what we consider to be good things<\/i> into our lives. We never expect him to allow<\/i> and perhaps even bring<\/i> difficulty into our lives.<\/p>\n
Have you ever noticed that people who suffer are marked with a beauty, a deepening, a transformation? This only occurs, however, when they can enter the suffereing and look around for God in the midst of it. Otherwise, they are marked with bitterness and emptiness.<\/p>\n
God does not allow meaningless<\/i> suffering. If God has allowed suffering into your life, it is for a purpose. A good purpose. A holy purpose.<\/p>\n
We have to trust God with everything we have, to open ourselves and say, God it is all yours (my life, my children’s lives) to do with as you will.<\/i><\/p>\n
Maybe I should read more often?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I am not a “reader.” In fact, I think I made it to my college years with only a handful of books read. Within the past 3 months, I have read 5 books and working on my sixth. Most of … Continue reading