Never underestimate the power of prayer! I am so very thankful to the people who have faithfully prayed for me, strengthened me, and encouraged me. I am especially grateful for the support and love of family. Your role is vital to my continued healing and recovery, and I thank you!
It is good to be on this side of the grief process: looking back on the sadness and the anger, and watching those emotions fade into the distance. This week I am reflecting on where I have been and where God is leading me.
As I consider my own personal journey, it is as if I am seeing the last seventeen months through the blurred obscurity of a rear-view mirror. I have come such a great distance, traversed through rugged terrain, and overcome unexpected obstacles. Along the way I have rediscovered God’s beauty, as if I am seeing His majesty and His sovereignty for the very first time. It has been an awe-inspiring experience. Through it all, I have not lost my bearings. At every crossroad, I have followed my True North. I will never forget what I have seen: the hand of God has moved in such a mighty way and He has guided me at every turn.
When we made family road trips, which we did with increasing frequency near the end of Shane’s life, we would often talk of finding the satisfaction in the journey, looking beyondкомпютри втора употреба the final destination. We applied that same principle on a daylong hike or a bike ride through the winding ribbon tracks in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Reaching the end of the trail always brought a rush of adrenaline and a great sense of accomplishment. On the car ride home, however, it was always the experience and the scenery en route to the top of the peak that we marveled in. That mental conditioning has equipped me today to think about the last seventeen months with that same joy in the journey perspective.
I believe that I reached the pinnacle last week by finding the forgiveness within to move on. It is for this reason that today’s entry marks the conclusion of this leg of my journey and subsequently, the end of my weekly commentary on grief.
The time I spent with Grief as my constant companion was a depleting—albeit a dutiful—process. While our conversations were often sorrowful and commonly carried by silent tears alone, what I gained from my dismal docent was always genuinely insightful and highly educational. Grief and I walked this lonely pathway hand-in-hand for a time and we were inseparable. On occasion, I self-perpetuated the relationship and held onto the heartache and the lingering feelings of sadness; not wanting to abandon the companion that brought me a different kind of comfort.
Although my time with Grief was purposeful and ordained by God for a season, I am ready to part ways now, bid Grief adieu, and continue this journey with Faith alone. And while I expect to be visited by Grief occasionally, I trust that I will see him more infreqently as I coddle my courtship with Faith.
It is from that very Faith in which I draw my strength for living day to day. Faith is glorious company. Faith has never left me. Faith compels me to seek God’s face with diligence and discipline. Faith enables me trod on boldly, even when the way is steep and my stamina begins to wane. Faith renews my spiritual vitality and is the foundation of who I am and what I do.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen… But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him…” (Hebrews 11:1,6)
Faith is what I hope for, what I live for. Faith is the proof that God is real to me and living in me! I pray that evidence is admissible when I appear before the judgment seat one day. And even though I cannot see Him, I know His voice and I feel His presence. Without Faith as my guide, it is impossible to navigate this labyrinth called life, which from my experience, is filled with bewildering and amusing turns. Yet I recognize that each passageway is God’s providence, designed for His pleasure, and that it is all part of a grand plan I don’t pretend to understand. But I trust that He is leading the way and I should do well to follow…
My heart’s desire is to pursue Christ, to press on, and to finish the course that is set out before me in a way that is honorable. Not to my credit, but to the One who deserves all the acclaim and admiration. It is for His glory that I live, breathe, and have my very being. And it is for this reason I can attest to God’s majesty and love, as the Psalmist does in a favorite passage of mine. I think it is appropriate to conclude with this psalm of praise and thanksgiving.
Psalm 145
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise Your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise You
and extol Your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
His greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend Your works to another;
they will tell of Your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of Your awesome works,
and I will proclaim Your great deeds.
7 They will celebrate Your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all;
He has compassion on all He has made.
10 All You have made will praise You, O LORD;
Your saints will extol you.
11 They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom
and speak of Your might,
12 So that all men may know of Your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and Your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all His promises
and loving toward all He has made.
14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to You,
and You give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open Your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways
and loving toward all He has made.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on Him,
to all who call on Him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise His holy name
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