Tuesday's Trust - How Do We Have Hope without Despair? - Part Two

The LORD is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up Hope.

~Psalm 34:18 CEV

Tuesday's Trust

How Do We Have Hope without Despair?

Part Two

Despair is fleeting; Hope is eternal. 

~Angie Prince

~~~

We cannot appreciate The Light without first being aware of The Dark. 

~Rollin Prince

~~~

Despair haunts me at times. Especially when I get into a place of emptiness and purposelessness.

At those times, I don't know who I am; I don't know what I am capable of doing; I am challenged emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually, and in strength and endurance. Grief and Trauma are depleting in and of themselves. It doesn't take much more impetus to lose my way and plummet on down into Despair. 

Then when I go before my God in prayer, I immediately feel regret that I have so little to offer Him as I know He sacrificed everything for me.

But then my LORD Jesus comes to me in compassion engulfing me with love. Of course He knows the despair that comes in the fight with Death and Evil. Of course our Father God knows the despair that comes with Child-Loss. 

With such sweet understanding and compassion coming my way, the tears begin to flow, and I am reminded that ALL of this suffering is because of Love for my Child, and that Love matters.


After all, what is our God? God IS Love.

Then I begin, again, to recognize: My suffering has meaning. My suffering is not for naught!

Why did our God allow Himself the suffering of Child-Loss? Why did our LORD allow Himself the suffering of Death? ALL for LOVE. ALL for LOVE. ALL for LOVE.

Why do I grieve my Child? ALL for LOVE.

My Hope returns. Our God values us and our suffering so much that He declares in His word,

"God draws close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit." 

Psalm 34:18

~~~

 "God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds." 

Psalm 147:3

Why is God so attendant to the brokenhearted? And why would He store our tears in a bottle?

YOU keep track of all my sorrows. YOU have collected all my tears in YOUR bottle. You have recorded each one in YOUR book.

Psalm 56:8

Why would He collect our tears in His bottle?

He knows all of it... the tears, the suffering, the agony, and the depletion, is because of LOVE, Love for my child. 

He understands, and He embraces me.

It was because of God's love for us that He willingly gave up His only Son to die for us so that we might live, eternally, with Him.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting LIFE.

John 3:16

The world wants to shame me for my weakness and helplessness. They want it to go away, and for me to "move on" away from my suffering...

The LORD understands my suffering. He suffered too.

The Bible clearly tells us it was because of Jesus' love for us that He laid down His life for us, that we can live again, forever with Him.

This is how we know what LOVE is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.

1 John 3:16

And by His suffering, we also can heal. The Bible even tells us,

"By His wounds we are healed."

Isaiah 53:5 

Our Heavenly Father calls us to be like Jesus, take up our cross, be willing to suffer. Suffering has meaning. Suffering... because of Love.

And that is exactly who God says He IS… God IS Love. 

He suffered for Love. And we will suffer for Love.

God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example and you must follow in His steps.

1 Peter 2:21

But His Love gives meaning to our suffering, restoring our Hope…

I begin to understand anew the value of my suffering. Even though it depletes me, my suffering has Meaning. 

And God begins pouring His hope back into my heart...

And Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His Love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

Romans 5:5

~~~

May our LORD touch you and fill you with His joy and peace along with His Hope…

Graphics, thanks to

Psalm 34:18  Lani Stites  ~Pinterest
Psalm 34:18 CEV 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/315252042636410337/

Jesus Loves Me!   Julie K. (God's Girl Jul)   ~Pinterest
"God Knows" - Matthew 6:8

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/29977153739779547/

Psalm 34:18    Lani Stites   ~Pinterest

Psalm 34:18

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/315252042636614236/

Psalms   I am His child   ~Pinterest

Psalm 147:3

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/520728775635544052/

The Word    Patty Berry   ~Pinterest

Psalm 56:8
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/96616354479550752/

God's Word   Addie Sutherland   ~Pinterest

John 3:16

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/180918110002164248/

God's Word   Addie Sutherland   ~Pinterest

1 John 3:16

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/180918110002359042/

Jesus Loves Me!      Julie K. (God's Girl Jul)   ~Pinterest

Isaiah 53:5

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/29977153739900020/

Jesus Loves Me!      Julie K. (God's Girl Jul)   ~Pinterest

1 Peter 2:21

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/29977153744508094/

The Word   Broaddus Shamblin   ~Pinterest

Romans 5:5

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/154952043401509700/

Jesus Loves Me!   Julie K. (God's Girl Jul)   ~Pinterest

Romans 15:13

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/29977153739879570/

Monday's Mourning Ministry - "There is strength within the sorrow, beauty in our tears..." ~ Sovereign Over Us ~Aaron Keyes

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand."

~Isaiah 41:10

Monday's Mourning Ministry

Sovereign Over Us

~Aaron Keyes

"The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights..."

~Habakkuk 3:19 NIV

"But You, O LORD, are a Shield about me, my Glory, and the Lifter of my head."

~Psalm 3:3 ESV

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you."

~Isaiah 43:2

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you in your latter end a hope."

~Jeremiah 29:11 ~Darby Bible Translation

"God's way is not to take His children out of trial, but to give them strength to bear up against it."

~Jamieson-Faucett-Brown Bible Commentary

~~~

My son Nathan came home this weekend to celebrate his birthday... We had a very sweet time together.

While he was here, Nathan shared with me this amazing song, 

"Sovereign Over Us," by Aaron Keyes. 

He said he had been wanting to share this song with me for awhile ~ ~ ~ 
He knows his mommy... I cried all the way through it...

Thank you Nathan for sharing this very tender song with me!


After hearing it, I immediately wanted to share this very poignant song with you all. 

May you, too, be blessed as you listen...

Sovereign Over Us

~Aaron Keyes

There is strength within the sorrow,

There is beauty in our tears.

You meet us in our mourning,

With a love that casts out fear.

You are working in our waiting;

You're sanctifying us.

When beyond our understanding,

You're teaching us to trust.

CHORUS

Your plans are still to prosper,

You have not forgotten us;

You're with us in the fire and the flood.

You're faithful forever,

Perfect in love;

You are sovereign over us.

We trust You, loving King.

You are wisdom unimagined,

Who could understand Your ways?

Reigning high above the heavens,

Reaching down in endless grace,

You're the Lifter of the lowly,

Compassionate and kind;

You surround and You uphold me,

And Your promises are my delight.

Your plans are still to prosper,

You have not forgotten us;

You're with us in the fire and the flood.

You're faithful forever,

Perfect in love;

You are sovereign over us

Your plans are still to prosper,

You have not forgotten us;

You're with us in the fire and the flood.

You're faithful forever,

Perfect in love;

You are sovereign over us.

You rescued!

Even what the enemy means for evil

You turn it for our good,

You turn it for our good and for Your glory;

Even in the valley You are faithful

You're working for our good,

You're working for our good and for Your glory.

Even what the enemy means for evil

You turn it for our good,

You turn it for our good and for Your glory;

Even in the valley You are faithful

You're working for our good,

You're working for our good and for Your glory.

Your plans are still to prosper,

You have not forgotten us

You're with us in the fire and the flood

You're faithful forever,

Perfect in love;

You are sovereign over us.

You're faithful forever,

Perfect in love;

You are sovereign over us.

Friday's Faith - Requiem: Eric Wolterstorff in Memoriam - Part VI: Christian Hope

"Behold I am making all things new. 

I am the Alpha and the Omega, 

the first and the last, 

the beginning and the end." 

~Revelation 21

Friday's Faith

Requiem: Eric Wolterstorff in Memoriam

Part VI:

Christian Hope

Part VI

We have seen a great mystery:

We shall all be changed.

We shall be raised in Christ

…..as we were buried in Christ.

Death is swallowed up in victory.

The dwelling of God will be with his people.

God will wipe every tear from their eyes;

…..and death shall be no more.

…..There shall be no mourning, no crying nor

…..pain;

…..sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

For the old things are disappearing.

Revelation 21

The poor will be raised from the dust;

…..the sorrowing, lifted up from their ashes.

Song of Hannah

Those who sowed in tears

shall reap with songs of joy.

Psalm 126

For the word of the Lord is peace.

Psalm 85

"Behold, I am making all things new.

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the beginning and the end."

Revelation 21

Requiem: Eric Wolterstorff in Memoriam, by Cary Ratcliff
quoted from Lament for a Son, by Grieving Father, Nicholas Wolterstorff

Thursday's Therapy - A Call to Lament - Part Three ~Nicholas Wolterstorff ~Blessed Thanksgiving

Thursday's Therapy

A Call to Lament

Part Three

~Nicholas Wolterstorff

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

If God Is Good and Sovereign, Why Lament?

Praise and lament --- two components of the Christian life. There are more, of course, many more. Repentance, for example. But at least these two: praise and lament.

Or is that true? Are both of these really parts of the Christian life? No one doubts that praise of God is part of the Christian life. There may be times in our lives when we find it difficult to praise God, yet no believer doubts that praise is a component within the well-formed Christian life. But what about lament? 

No doubt most Christians, if asked, would say that lament is part of the well-formed Christian life. We all know that there are laments in the Psalms; we all sing them, or participate in their reading. So it would not feel right to say, flat out, that lament has no place in the Christian life. 

But it's open to question whether we all really believe it. The "victorious living" mentality currently sweeping through American Christianity has no place for lament. Likewise the megachurches have no place for it. Lament does not market well.

If one goes beyond the words and looks at contemporary American Christianity as it actually exists---looks at how it lives its life and expresses its faith---one comes to the conclusion that most of it does not believe that lament is part of the Christian life. This is in spite of what it may think is the catechetically correct answer to give if directly asked whether it is. 

What is lament?

We must start by considering what lament is. I shall take the biblical laments, particularly the laments of the psalms, as my paradigms. Psalm 22 is a particularly good example, since all the basic elements are there: some of the other lament psalms are truncated. 

The lament, at its heart, is giving voice to the suffering that accompanies deep loss, whatever that loss may be. Lament is not about suffering. Lament is not concerning suffering. Lament does not count the stages and try to identify the stage in which one finds oneself.  

Lament is the bringing to speech of suffering, the languaging of suffering, the voicing of suffering. Behind lament are tears over loss. Lament goes beyond the tears to voicing the suffering. To voice suffering, one must name it---identify it. 

Sometimes that is difficult, even impossible. The memories are repressed so that the suffering is screened from view. Or one is aware of it, in a way; but naming it, identifying it for what it is, would be too painful, too embarrassing. So, one resists. Then one cannot lament. One suffers without being able to lament. Lament is an achievement. 

One must not only name one's suffering if one is to voice it; one must also own it. Instead of disowning it one has to admit it as part of who one is---a part of one's narrative identity. If someone asks, "Tell me who you are," one says, maybe not immediately but eventually,

"I am someone who went through a painful divorce,"

"I am someone who suffered the loss of a child,"

"I am someone who was fired after twenty years of faithful work." 

To disown one's suffering is to try to delete it from one's narrative or prevent it from ever becoming a part---to try to forget it, put it behind one, get on with things. Lament, in requiring that one voice one's suffering, requires that one not only name it but own it. Owning one's suffering is often difficult: it is painful or embarrassing to incorporate one's suffering into one's life story. 

………Listen now to the psalmist:

………But I am a worm and no man;

………….scorned by men and despised by the people.

………All who see me mock at me, 

………….they make mouths at me, they wag their heads;

………He committed his cause to the Lord; let him deliver him,

………….let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"

(Psalm 22:6-8,  RSV)

………I am poured out like water, 

………….and all my bones are out of joint;

………my heart is like wax,

………….it is melted within my breast;

………my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

………….and my tongue cleaves to my jaw;

………….thou dost lay me in the dust of death.

………Yea, dogs are round about me;

………….a company of evil doers encircle me;

………….they have pierced my hands and feet---

………I can count all my bones---

………….they stare and gloat over me;

………they divide my garments among them,

………….and for my raiment they cast lots.

(Psalm 22:14-18 , RSV)

Lament is more, though, than the voicing of suffering. The mere voicing of one's suffering is complaint, not lament. Lament is a cry to God. This presupposes, of course, that lament is the action of a believer. 

This cry to God has two main components, interconnected, with sometimes the one more prominent, sometimes the other. First, lament is the cry to God for deliverance: "Deliver me O God, from this suffering." Listen again to the psalmist:

………But thou, O LORD, be not far off!

………….O my help, hasten to my aid!

………Deliver my soul from the sword,

………….my life from the power of the dog!

………Save me from the mouth of the lion.

(Psalm 22:19-21a, RSV)

Second, lament is the cry to God of "Why?" "Why, O God, is this happening? I don't understand it. Where are you, O God? I cannot discern your hand in this darkness." 

………My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

………….Why are you so far from helping me, from the words

………….of my groaning?

………O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;

………….and by night, but find no rest.

(Psalm 22:1-2, NRSV)

………Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O LORD? 

………….Awake! Do not cast us off forever!

………Why do you hide your face?

………….Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?

………For we sink down to the dust;

………….our bodies cling to the ground.

………Rise up, come to our help.

………….Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.

(Psalm 44:23-26, NRSV)

Loss, deep loss, is the shattering of meaning. The shattering of meaning at one point in one's life has rippling consequences throughout one's life; one's life as a whole threatens to lose its sense.  

For the believer, the meaning of life is tied up with her experience and understanding of God. Now, suddenly, there is a rip in her whole fabric of meaning. So the believer cries to God---who else to cry to?---not only for deliverance from suffering but also deliverance from the threat of meaninglessness.  

"Why, O God? Why is this happening? What sense does this make? We thought you were good, powerful, and knowledgeable. We thought we understood your ways. But of this, we can make no sense. Why is this happening? Where are you, O God? Why are you absent?"

………In the full-fledged lament there is one more component: a yet. The yet is an expression of the endurance of faith, or somewhat more precisely, the yet is a praise-full accounting of God's actions in the past---an accounting, thus, of the grounds of faith. Yet I will praise You. Sometimes the yet is not only retrospective but prospective. Not only have I praised you for what have been  the signs of your goodness; I will again praise you again for the goodness you will again show. 

………Yet you are holy, 

………….enthroned on the praises of Israel.

………In you our ancestors trusted; 

………….they trusted, and you delivered them.

………To you they cried, and were saved;

………….in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

………Yet it was you who took me from the womb;

………….you kept me safe on my mother's breast.

………On you was I cast from my birth,

………….and since my mother bore me you have been my God.

………Do not be far from me,

………….for trouble is near

………….and there is no one to help.

(Psalm 22:3-5, 9-11 NRSV)

Friday's Faith - Blessings on this Good Friday!

Friday's Faith

Blessings on this Good Friday!

Blessings to all of us Grieving Mothers and Daddies. May we rest in the promise of our Lord as He conquered Death on this day approximately 2000 years ago, giving up His own life that we and our children may have eternal Life with Him as we look to Him by faith. So thankful for His loving sacrifice that gives us hope for an eternity of tomorrows to live again in His presence and forever hold our beloved child.

Jesus said,

You don't have to wait for the End. I am right now Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in Me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in Me does not ultimately die at all.

~John 11, The Message

Pictures, thanks to Darlene Thomas, and "Just Be"

Friday's Faith - For This is the New You

Friday's Faith

For This is the New You

Even Jesus didn't hang out with those who hated Him. He had the discernment to know who was who. He sought out the broken, the open, the humble, the seeking. He told His disciples to do the same thing. He openly scorned the merely religious that had no love in their hearts, for they did not reflect the Heavenly Father*, and so He told them - even though they thought they would one day enter into the kingdom of Heaven, they would ultimately risk hearing, "I never knew you."**

He instructed His disciples to go out to the people, and whoever receives you, pour out your blessing, and whoever rejects you, wipe the dust off your feet and move on.

It seems there will be many people we love but who are unable to love us, and worse, even unable to just respect us.

At the end of His life, Jesus cried out over His people as He looked out over Jerusalem, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I longed to gather you under my wing as a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you would not have it." He openly cried out His angst over their hardness of heart, and so will we, but we do not have to "hang" with these people who are blatantly disrespectful, hurtful, clueless, sanctimonious, and judging.

He only turned Himself over to them once, though highly reluctant to, and sweating drops of blood over it, but it was only because His Father wanted Him to, and He knew there was no other way to carry out His Father's will to pay for our sins that we may be His and come to live with Him some day.

After our child's death, we are not the same. We are different.

Jesus was different than what the people expected. Jesus came and showed a whole new way. He did and said things that drove the merely religious people berserk. He knew what was important and carried out the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law which He instructed them, kills, and was only a shadow pointing to the true realities in Heaven.

We have been touched in a way that we know what is important. Jesus knew what was important; Everything He did was out of love. We have suffered, and we know the path of the suffering and have a heart for them. Our hearts go out to one another's out of love. So did Jesus' heart. He came to bind up the broken-hearted. He still binds the hearts of the brokenhearted, for He ever binds our hearts, and calls us unto Him to hide in the safety of His love, under His wing (the same wing the merely-religious rejected).

Thank You Lord for Your tender mercies. Hide us in the shadow of Your wing and heal our battered and broken hearts. Thank You that You tell us we are blessed even though... and especially so... we cry.

"Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted."

~Matthew 5:4

*"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them."

He went on to say,

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven."

**

Jesus speaking,

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'"

When Jesus sent His disciples out to share His message with them, He instructed His disciples,

"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."

~Matthew 10:11-15

He went on, letting them know He knew the evil they were up against:

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues."

~Matthew 10:16-17

He went on to instruct them how to handle the nay-sayers and those who would harass them:

"When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another."

~Matthew 10:23a

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew 9:36

At that time Jesus said,

"I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things (the secret spiritual things of God) from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure."

~Matthew 11:25-26

Then He kindly spoke to people like us that are weary and burdened down...

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

~Matthew 11:28-30

Now, watch how Jesus went about doing what He was called to do, but those around Him were always telling Him He was doing it wrong, yet Jesus followed the spirit of the law and was not bound by the conventions men thought He should be bound to:

In Matthew 12:

"At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that One greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

~Matthew 12:1-8

Later, after Jesus healed on the Sabbath, the legalistic Pharisees became outraged! The Scriptures reveal that after Jesus healed on the Sabbath, "the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus."

~Matthew 12:14

And what did Jesus do? Did He hang with these men who had no respect for Him? No!

"Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place."

~Matthew 12:15

But even for these men who were a part of His chosen people, He had great love. In His last days, this was the cry from His heart:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, ow often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"

~ Jesus, crying out in Luke 13:34

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.... He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge...

~Psalm 91:1-2,4a

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who assail me...

~Psalm 17:8

In Luke 4, Jesus quotes the Scripture from Isaiah 61:1-3, saying for this very reason, He came:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me,

because the Lord has anointed Me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to bind up

the brokenhearted

too proclaim freedom for the captives

and release for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn

and provide for those who grieve in Zion--

to bestow on the a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of

righteousness,

a planting of the LORD

for the display of His

splendor."

Thank you to grieving mother, Melody Hill, for sharing today's picture with me.