Sunshine and Rain
"How was your summer?" I've been asked that question so many times this week. And honestly, it's been tough to smile and have the courage to say anything in response. My summer? It's been a mix of sunshine and rain.
Some of you know that our daughter got engaged this summer...sunshine!
But most of you also know that we lost my sister-in-law this past weekend...rain.
The words below poured out of me right after I heard the doctor tell her that the chemo was no longer working. They became a space for me to experience some of His grace. Maybe they will do the same for you.
Sunshine and Rain
That's life.
Isn't it?
It's a mix of warm days filled with welcomed rays of bright light that make us want to get outside and play and then those dark, cooler, dreary days that make us want to slow down and curl up in our jammies with a cup of coffee and a good book. Both sound wonderful, but most often, the rainy days come when our schedules don't allow for jammies. Usually they just feel like an inconvenience. And sometimes they are a downright disappointment.
Life is sunshine and rain.
It's moments of pure joy and beauty - like the moment you fell in love or the day your first grand baby was born - and much more difficult, unwelcome experiences, like hearing the diagnosis that you never dreamed would come or losing a friend way too soon.
That's where I am today.
Outside it's actually a gorgeous, sunny, mild day. But inside? It's raining. Hard.
Storming, really.
Water droplets are slamming my heart and the hearts of those I love, leaving indentions I know will never go away. They will be a part of me, of us, for all of our days here on this earth. Here in what Lysa TerKeurst calls "the messy middle".
And I can tell myself All. The. Things.
God is good, all the time.
He is for us. He longs to help us.
He will never leave us nor forsake us.
He is working all things for good.
And I even believe them.
In my head, I do.
But today, while the rain is pouring, my heart is breaking into a million tiny pieces, and I cannot see how they will ever fit back together. My heart is struggling to believe All. The. Things.
So I must choose.
Listen to Truth that, by His grace alone, is embedded in my head.
Or listen to my heart that only feels the truth of this fleeting moment: it's raining today.
Maybe you find yourself soaking up rays of sunshine today...that makes me so incredibly happy for you. Enjoy every second. Take it all in, and thank Him for the blessings you are receiving. They are His gift to you in this moment.
Or...maybe it's raining in your life, too.
The drops may be falling so lightly that you can actually hide the fact anything is even happening. Your husband and even your very best girlfriend probably have no idea what's going on in your world. Or they can tell that maybe you are just a little "off", but you can convince them that eveything's fine.
But the drops may not just barely fall on your skin; they may fall like hammers...pounding, breaking, permanently changing the landscape of your life.
All of these scenarios are part of this life here on earth. They are even what Jesus promised us...we just usually focus only on we think are His "good" promises.
But here's the truth. All of His promises are good. Because He is good. And He can be trusted.
So if you're standing in the rain like me tonight, or if you're feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, either way, know that He is with you. He is with me. Let's remind one another of that today and every day. And let's live like it's true in both the sunshine and the rain.
Some of you know that our daughter got engaged this summer...sunshine!
But most of you also know that we lost my sister-in-law this past weekend...rain.
The words below poured out of me right after I heard the doctor tell her that the chemo was no longer working. They became a space for me to experience some of His grace. Maybe they will do the same for you.
Sunshine and Rain
That's life.
Isn't it?
It's a mix of warm days filled with welcomed rays of bright light that make us want to get outside and play and then those dark, cooler, dreary days that make us want to slow down and curl up in our jammies with a cup of coffee and a good book. Both sound wonderful, but most often, the rainy days come when our schedules don't allow for jammies. Usually they just feel like an inconvenience. And sometimes they are a downright disappointment.
Life is sunshine and rain.
It's moments of pure joy and beauty - like the moment you fell in love or the day your first grand baby was born - and much more difficult, unwelcome experiences, like hearing the diagnosis that you never dreamed would come or losing a friend way too soon.
That's where I am today.
Outside it's actually a gorgeous, sunny, mild day. But inside? It's raining. Hard.
Storming, really.
Water droplets are slamming my heart and the hearts of those I love, leaving indentions I know will never go away. They will be a part of me, of us, for all of our days here on this earth. Here in what Lysa TerKeurst calls "the messy middle".
And I can tell myself All. The. Things.
God is good, all the time.
He is for us. He longs to help us.
He will never leave us nor forsake us.
He is working all things for good.
And I even believe them.
In my head, I do.
But today, while the rain is pouring, my heart is breaking into a million tiny pieces, and I cannot see how they will ever fit back together. My heart is struggling to believe All. The. Things.
So I must choose.
Listen to Truth that, by His grace alone, is embedded in my head.
Or listen to my heart that only feels the truth of this fleeting moment: it's raining today.
Maybe you find yourself soaking up rays of sunshine today...that makes me so incredibly happy for you. Enjoy every second. Take it all in, and thank Him for the blessings you are receiving. They are His gift to you in this moment.
Or...maybe it's raining in your life, too.
The drops may be falling so lightly that you can actually hide the fact anything is even happening. Your husband and even your very best girlfriend probably have no idea what's going on in your world. Or they can tell that maybe you are just a little "off", but you can convince them that eveything's fine.
But the drops may not just barely fall on your skin; they may fall like hammers...pounding, breaking, permanently changing the landscape of your life.
All of these scenarios are part of this life here on earth. They are even what Jesus promised us...we just usually focus only on we think are His "good" promises.
But here's the truth. All of His promises are good. Because He is good. And He can be trusted.
So if you're standing in the rain like me tonight, or if you're feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, either way, know that He is with you. He is with me. Let's remind one another of that today and every day. And let's live like it's true in both the sunshine and the rain.
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