Up From the Ashes

"Up from the ashes, your love has brought us..." Lyrics to a song that we sang during our prayer service last night. I've sang them before. Nice lyrics. I know God. All true. But, it wasn't just any day that I was singing them this time. It was the day that Glen and I had been married 25 years. I was in that sentimental state. We had been discussing for a few days all the different places we've lived and things we've gone through. Last night I clearly saw how amazing God really is. According to all the circumstances and the way the world views things, we should have never made it. Our ash pile included a family with a wife who almost died twice in one year and was full of fear, a husband who was a meth addict and who's sense of reality was totally screwed, and 3 boys for whom we couldn't even provide a home for during a season of time. What could be built out of that? If you didn't know us then, but you know us now, you may have a hard time believing our story. Life couldn't be better. What was built? A legacy. A heritage for our children that we can be proud of. All glory to God. As we chose, one step at a time, to give our lives to Him, he did what we could never do. Our boys didn't see perfection, but they saw change, they saw love, they saw truth, they saw that nothing is impossible. Tears are still flowing as I contemplate God's goodness. I'm so amazed and full of gratitude. Let our life be a seed of hope for you...take a step...make a choice...give God access to your ashes... you'll never believe what He can do with them.

Is Wider More Secure?

Something very simple spoke volumes to me this morning. As I walked across this ditch, the options were very deceiving. Wider looked safer, more secure. When, in fact, it was just the opposite. I stepped on one board with one foot, and on the other board with the other foot. I should have known better. They responded completely different from each other, one higher and one lower, and threw my balance off so much that I could have fallen. Of course, the scripture that immediately came to mind was Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few that find it." I've heard this scripture taught on a lot. But today I found a different perspective. Too many times we have a "safety net" just in case God doesn't come through the way we expect, or whatever we use as a crutch to help us deal with things our own way, etc... Many different possibilities. But what looks like it will help us, only throws us off into the ditch. Another scripture comes to mind. Revelation 3:16, "So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Think of one board as hot and one as cold. The combination makes lukewarm. Throws your balance off. If you just pick one or the other, your journey across is much safer. Things to ponder today. I think I'm only choosing one board as I cross this ditch from now on. My steps will be secure.