Painful Circumstances

The faith that gets us through unthinkable circumstances begins with being flat-out needy and allowing God's love to wrap us up, hold us close, and dry our tears.
We don't need a meter to tell us which pain hurts the most. All of our heartaches produce great sadness, and telling our stories to each other brings a release, comfort, and the knowledge that somebody cares.
~ Carol Kent

I wanted to update you all about the doctor’s appointment on Thursday. Everything went really good and the doctor said my dad looked good. His platelets were really good. Everything looked good. My dad has said that his back is not hurting him as bad which is a really good sign. Continue to pray for my dad's pain because he still in pain just not as much, his appetite, and that he would keep his spirits high. We are waiting to see when our next appointment is and when he will have chemo again. When we find all that out I will let you all know.

I included some quotes from a book I have already finished. The book is called When I Lay my Isaac Down by Carol Kent. It was a really good book. So if you are looking for a book to read I would suggest this one.

Our family last year in December was handed an unthinkable circumstance but because of God's love that wraps us, holds us, and dries our tears we survive another day. There have been many tears that have been cried over these months. More than I probably have ever cried but each tear I feel falling down my face I feel God saying cry my child cry my Son has even wept and while I am crying I feel myself in the safe arms of God. I never really considered the verse Jesus wept as a very dear verse to me but now it is one that I cherish. Not only because it shows us that Jesus was human but because Jesus knew the pain in life that not only causes you to cry but weep. I know that my tears and our tears as a family are not being wasted because of the promise that though our mourning may last for the night God gives us His joy in the morning and new mercies for us to receive.

I will never say that my pain level is higher than yours. Pain is pain in whatever circumstance it comes in. If we are breathing we will experience pain in this world. Not because we are being punished for something we did but because that is just life. I take great comfort knowing though that God has already promised even though we will experience pain in this life that He has already overcome the world. In other words God has already overcome your circumstance and situation. How do I know this? Because we serve a God that can move mountains no matter how big or small or what it is God can remove it.

I am finding when we share our painful experiences without saying and putting a measure stick to pain that it is comforting and freeing. Comforting to know that I'm not the only one going through painful things and freeing to be real and transparent. All the while showing people in the process that the Christian life is not the easy life or problem/pain free life but it's the abundant and joy filled life. In fact it's THE life. There is no other life like it because this is the life God created us for. Abundant and joy filled life even through the morning and pain we experience.

I have the knowledge that somebody cares for me in this painful journey in life. Not just the people in my life but the One who knows the definition of the word pain. He has the nailed scared hands to prove it and it's the very same hands I am being held by.

In the nailed scared hands,
Bridget