This old-world word: ADVENT has turned new and is coming alive in me and by now we are walking deeper …deeper into Advent. Its more than just observing its joining the experience.

We fight hard when we do not see and understand. The blindness of not knowing often causes us to fight relentlessly. Have you ever noticed that the people & the things that try your heart the most are the very people and things that cause you to grow in patience the most if only, we would choose to rest in the perfect test and choose peace? How can we rest in the unknown? It comes only from knowing that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. He works it all out, so that, we can stand and speak to glorify His name when we proclaim “ALL IS GRACE! “It’s our testimony!

ADVENT – the coming one who comes to make all that evil has slung at us into shining stars raising and praising the One who hung for us.

Oh, this world that is spiraling down. I have seen you throw some doozies. You hit us left and right with the loss of loved ones, one right after another. We’ve walked through a miscarriage that left us with pain and dismay. You’ve ripped jobs from hands. One year, you ripped from both of us in just one little short period of time. You’ve tore close friendships away through misunderstanding and silence. You’ve drowned our whole lives in a flood and out of nowhere hospitalized me with an infection.

When all that hits within a 2 year time frame its easy to think that you have been forsaken and birthed for the burden until you see Him lacing love, kindness, and goodness like a beautiful patch work quilt. He laced a healthy baby boy born and angel nurses who see the need and act with kindness. He’s rebuilt life and friendships with hope restored and firm footing in Christ. How can I not think that He will do it again? One hard year doesn’t have to make for a real hard life.

God will you weave your loving hands into every hard rock situation.? Will you edge out mistrust and bring gentle encouragement to see my own heart? Will you change me too? Will you grant me the audacity to call those things that are not, as though they were!? Father we pray for tongues full of love to live here in our homes. Would you band our arms safely together, that we might, remember to hold on. Would you make a show of your grace? -a grand standing! So that, we together can know that you are for us and never against us. That we might know that all is grace inside Your arms. Be the One who holds us up on the inside, so that, we understand it will all work out for GOOD because that’s what You do! Will you take what is intended to tear us apart and uses it to take us where we belong?

Do you see the deepness of His heart?

Journal this or at least ponder and lift your thoughts to God:

Where do you fight hard to see? Can you muster faith to ask Him to show you good in the midst of sorrow? And while you wait, know that He is in the waiting!

All is Grace,

Starla