MG and I are heading to Philly tomorrow morning, along with my sister, Kristi, whom we will meet up with in Atlanta on the way up there. Today MG is coughing and has been running fever tonight, it's suppose to start snowing and icing over in Philly Sunday night and all day Monday and be seriously cold. We are packing hats, boots, heavy coats, scarves and my sister was asking if I wanted her to bring some ear muffs :)
So.....just enough to shake me, make me question if we should really go up there, and begin to question what in the world is God doing in all of this? How did this all happened so suddenly? It wasn't really in my plan to go to Philly, or have MG go through another surgery this week.
But, I trust that He is sovereign and that none of this is a surprise to Him, I believe in his promises, but the worries and fear still linger.
Today I happened upon a blog written by Vaneetha Rendall and she was sharing her thoughts on the story of Lazarus (the same story I had just read earlier this week from John 11) so I thought I should pay attention to what God wanted me to hear and see. She talks about how Mary and Martha loved Lazarus, how Jesus loved Lazarus, and yet he allowed him to die, for Mary and Martha to suffer, to question, to wonder where Jesus was, why didn't he heal Lazarus immediately, and was he really going to save Lazarus like he said he would.
And he didn't go immediately, because He loved them and he said, "if you believe, you will see the glory of God."
She says....."Jesus loved them enough to know that experiencing His glory firsthand would change everything. He loved them enough to let them suffer so they could know His comfort. He loved them enough to teach them that nothing is ever hopeless with Him. Jesus plan was bigger than they could imagine. It was both for their good and His glory. They needed to trust Him."
I love these words. God has a bigger plan. All of these crazy, scary, fearful things going on in our lives are for good and they are for His glory. And He's loving us perfectly through it all.
Piper says of suffering....."It's not meaningless. It's doing something, He's doing something"
So, I may not always understand why things are going the way they are, but I trust in the One who does understand. It may be hard, really hard at times. And I will fight to believe, especially during a week like this one ahead.
Thank you for praying for us! Please pray for our travels, MG's cough and fever to go away by Wednesday, a room at The Ronald McDonald House, the surgery and recovery and our kids and grandparents that are all pitching in to help. We covet your prayers!
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
