#10-4: The Grace and Truth Edition
Posted by: hopechestnews <hopechestnews@...>
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The Hope Chest with Virginia Knowles
April 11, 2007
#10-4: The Grace and Truth Edition
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Welcome to the Hope Chest!
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The Hope Chest is a free e-mail magazine sent to over 1250 families around the world. The publisher is Virginia Knowles, wife to Thad and mother of 10 children (7 daughters and 3 sons, ages 1 to 19). Read selected articles and see photos at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/VirginiaKnowles, read complete archives at http://www.welovegod.org/groups/hopechest, or e-mail her at [email protected].
Dear friends,
It’s happening again! The “Words to Live By” issue gets the bump for the third time. I promise – I will send it in May, in time for Mother’s Day! Really! I do hope you will pardon yet another departure from traditional academic home schooling topics. Matters of the heart are what keep popping up in my life, and judging from the e-mail from y’all that lands in my inbox, I know I’m not alone. We home school moms face real issues, past and present, that can make or break what we do with our kids. And how we deal with all of it is an example we pass along to the next generation. Let’s not fail to impart the truly important life lessons!
In this issue you will find
♥ “Truth and Grace in the Stories of Our Lives” by Virginia Knowles
♥ “My Life is But a Weaving” poem by Grant C. Tullar
♥ “My Middle School Misery – From a New Perspective” by Virginia Knowles
♥ “The Village Blacksmith” poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
♥ “A Personal Story of Heartache and Healing” by Debbie Klinect
♥ “Mourning a Miscarriage” by Virginia Knowles
♥ “The End” poem by Amy Carmichael
♥ A Final Note from Virginia
For truth and grace,
Virginia Knowles
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Truth and Grace in the Stories of Our Lives
by Virginia Knowles
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“Every happening,
great and small
is a parable
whereby God speaks to us,
and
the art of life is
to get the message.”
~Malcolm Muggeridge
I’ve always said that God is in control, that he is Sovereign. Now it’s sinking in a little deeper, a little richer, a little more personally, as he is illuminating a fresh way to renew my mind. If you are like me, you have a Life Story with countless chapters, and more than a few of them swirl up your soul with confusion, fear, guilt, or bitterness.
“What if?”
“If only…”
“Why, God, why?”
Compelling questions, to be sure, but what are the answers? I am learning to reinterpret the experiences of my life by searching out evidences of God’s truth and his grace in each situation, whether past or present. In his Awesome Providence, he has a plan for my life, and that includes the bumps and bruises along with way. So: truth and grace! What do I mean?
Truth: What actually happened (or is currently happening), apart from how I have perceived it? This requires a little objectivity because our feelings can be so deceptive! What details would someone else add to the story? This could either be someone who was involved in the situation, or a mature, trustworthy friend or pastoral counselor. Now, what would the Bible say about what has happened? I have to be careful not to pick out an isolated verse, but instead seek out the “whole counsel of Scripture” as various passages round out the picture. It also helps to use Biblical terminology rather than pop-psychology jargon. Truth requires acknowledging my own contribution to the problem rather than merely blaming someone else. After all, if my sin is part of the problem, there is hope: since the circumstances are not entirely out of my sphere of influence, then I can repent and become a part of the solution, too. Another question: What truth did I learn from (and about) the Lord in this situation, and what does he still wants me to grasp even now?
Grace: How has God poured out his mercy and forgiveness on me during this time, even though I may not have recognized it or appreciated it yet? How has he used a proverbial “brick wall” (a blocked opportunity) to channel my life in a new direction? How has he brought about spiritual growth? How have I learned to lean harder on him, rather than rely on my own self-effort? How has he provided other people to bring encouragement, comfort and truth to me? How can I experience his grace and liberty freshly, even if much time has passed? How can I find a release from my bitterness through forgiving others? How can I overcome evil with good, and respond to an insult with a hearty blessing? How am I to extend this healing balm of grace to others who might be suffering as I have?
If you have been through a troublesome time that still weighs heavily on you, or if you are still rehashing uncomfortable details and feelings, you may have been encouraged just to forget it all and pretend it didn’t happen. That’s a nice thought, but it isn’t always possible or healthy to suppress painful memories. I believe that we can learn to reinterpret our life stories so we can release the bitterness, confusion, guilt, or fear from our minds without necessarily forgetting what happened. Then we can look back on the very same story with joy and gratitude over what God has done for us. This will enable us to move on in life with confidence that he will still be with us, working his quiet wonders! I think the story of Joseph and his spiteful brothers in Genesis illustrates this principle beautifully. No matter what he had suffered as the consequences of his brothers’ jealous hatred, he could say to them, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” He saw the providence of God in bringing him through slavery and prison to a position of power where he could preserve the lives of entire nations throughout a famine.
Try this little exercise. Pick a chapter from your life story that still bothers you – maybe not a big hairy one this first time, but something manageable. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you take time to evaluate it from a fresh perspective of truth and grace. (You can use the Truth and Grace questions above as a launching point.) Write your thoughts down if you can, and don’t rush through it. If you kept a journal during this time (which I highly recommend!) then read through it carefully to glean insight. If you need the perspective of someone else involved, ask for it if you can do so without undue conflict. After you have your thoughts organized in your head or on paper, start summarizing the key points. Now, write out a short “Authorized Version” – the “Grace And Truth Edition” of the story -- that you can quickly recall whenever this memory comes to mind again. I like to use the acronym GATE for “Grace And Truth Edition” because a gate is usually attached to a fence, which is a boundary designed to keep things and people secure. You can go in and out of a fenced area safely by walking through an open gate and staying on the path. Likewise, the Grace And Truth Edition of your story allows you to revisit your past on the Path of Providence, rather than veering off into destructive thorn bush thought patterns again. We must continually discipline our minds toward true and wholesome thinking, even after we know how. This is not a one shot deal, but the spiritual warfare of taking our thoughts captive to Christ Jesus. (See 2 Corinthians 10:5.)
I find these Scriptures helpful when I wonder why God is “dealing” with me in a certain way:
“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things… I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:4-8, 12-13
“For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-11
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:26-39
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I encourage you to meditate on these Scriptures and let them sink deeply into your heart! I think they are the key to understanding what God is doing in our lives through the hard times. You may also wish to read Christian biographies, such as The Hiding Place by Corrie tenBoom, in which she recounts God’s faithfulness during her years at the horrific Nazi concentration camps. She even thanked God for the tormenting fleas, and later found that this is what kept the guards out of their barracks, giving her free reign to minister the Messiah’s grace to the perishing women there. Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noël Piper shares the stories of Lilias Trotter, Sarah Edwards, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare. Each of these women faced trials in life that we could barely even imagine surviving, yet they not only endured but conquered with courage and thanksgiving.
Staying in God’s word, coming before His Throne in continual prayer, worshiping with songs full of sound doctrine, and receiving wise counsel and correction from mature Christians (through reading, church services, personal discussions, etc.) are excellent ways to keep yourself strong in truth and grace. Then, as new situations arise in your daily life, you will be prepared to deal with them rightly from the start, and spare yourself much future heartache and heartbreak. I know how easy it is to be plagued with fear and confusion about what will happen in the days and years to come, whether with my health, children, marriage, home schooling, ministry, finances, and whatever else touches so close to my heart. I want to be able to look forward in faith and confidence. And I can, because “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future!” God is great and God is good! I can trust His truth and grace!
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My Life is But a Weaving
by Grant C. Tullar
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My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow
And I, in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper,
And I the under side.
Not ‘til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver's skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.
He knows, He loves, He cares,
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives His very best to those
Who chose to walk with Him.
There are several slightly different versions of this poem, and most of them attribute it to an unknown author. However, at this link and others, the poet is identified as Grant C. Tullar, who was born in 1869.
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My Middle School Misery – From a New Perspective!
by Virginia Knowles
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I know that my puny experiences are nothing compared to the great saints of the faith, but to help you understand the process of looking back with the perspective of truth and grace, I would like to share with you an example from my own life thirty years ago.
San Carlos, California. April 1977. I had just announced that our family was moving to Baltimore. A red headed chick named Kathleen burst out, “Yay! Now we won’t have to pick her for our teams in gym class anymore!” I’ve laughed about that many times since then, but oh, there was also still a chronic sting from the constant and cruel peer rejection that I suffered for so many years. I’m sure many of you can relate. Middle school kids can still be vicious. Maybe this happened to you. Maybe you treated other kids like that. Or maybe you have seen peer problems affect your own children. I know many families who have sent their kids to public school until the start of middle school – and then pulled them out! Middle school misery is real.
Well, I was one of those middle school outcasts. I dressed and acted weirdly. I talked too much (and still do). I played chess at lunch time in the school library with the other outcast nerds, or we hung out at the nerd bench in the playground. I had one dear Christian friend named Donna. We were, to put it plainly, social rejects -- and it hurt! So where is the grace and truth in that? Where is the grace in “Yay! She’s out of here and good riddance!”
As I reflected on this recently, the amazing truth suddenly dawned on me: How kind the Lord was to rescue me up out of that place and give me a fresh start! In his sweet sovereignty, he moved me, a newly-saved but unchurched young teen, all the way across the country to Baltimore to plant me in a nurturing congregation where folks loved me and discipled me – and didn’t care whether I could play sports or not! A sweet girl named Ann, who sat next to me in chorus class in my new school, invited me to church, and her parents faithfully drove out of their way two or three times a week to come pick me up. I had the opportunity to speak with Ann and her mother a few months ago and profusely thank them for their kindness which totally transformed my life. By the time I moved to northern Virginia a mere two years later, I had a whole bunch of great Christian friends, and I could hold my own much better among my peers at school. Most importantly, I now had a solid foundation in Scripture, prayer, and missions.
I also see how kind God was to birth klutzy little me into a hyper-creative family that skipped sports, dumped the TV for six years, and put heavy emphasis on books, writing, art, drama, music, and gardening. Thanks, Dad and Mom! Those creative pursuits all still serve me well as a home school mom. (Yes, I still need the exercise that sports could have given me, despite all of the joint injuries I endured in those pesky gym classes! That’s another truth I have to face, like it or not! And we are trying to help our kids venture into the world of healthy exercise and good sportsmanship. You will find most of them on the soccer field Saturday mornings at Metro Life Church. My husband Thad and my 18 year old daughter Julia are coaches, and five of our other children are players. This soccer program emphasizes teamwork and fun rather than athletic prowess, but of course we still deal with the “unfair” stuff that kids naturally feel.)
Another benefit I received from my own childhood experience is an increased sensitivity to the 20 middle school students in the co-op English class that I teach. Each week, using literature, writing, logical thinking skills, and other language arts topics, I seek to give them solid life lessons to chew on. We recently finished studying Mildred Taylor’s novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry about racism in Mississippi in the 1930s. Many of the other parents have told me how much they appreciate getting to address this issue; having suffered even a comparatively mild case of peer injustice, I personally think it is vital in learning to treat others with dignity. We have also just started a literature unit with a missions theme, and kicked it off by playing a CD with music by Keith Green, who died 25 years ago in a plane crash. Last fall, we read Longfellow’s poem “The Village Blacksmith”, which I have included in this newsletter. I want to fortify these precious students for the trials they will face in life, to help them discern truth and grace, and to motivate them to “speak the truth in love” to the people around them. I know this sounds somber, but we laugh a lot in class. A merry heart is good medicine! My daughter Lydia, who is 12, is writing an essay for class on why children should read classic literature. I'll try to send it out soon, when she is done with it. She's turning it into a very creative PowerPoint presentation, too, since all of the students are presenting speeches based on their persuasive essays. This should be very interesting. Lydia has really blessed my heart recently with her prayers and Biblical encouragement. I can see how the Lord is using some challenging times to teach us all, and I'm glad she is so open to learn vital lessons at this age.
I can now see how the Lord has redeemed my middle school misery for his glory. Instead of rejection, I now see his Tender Loving Care. I hope this simple vignette has been helpful to you and your children in some way!
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As a side note, when my family moved to northern Virginia in 1979, I started attending the Saturday Night Alive worship services hosted by a local church. Pastor Benny Phillips had immeasurable impact on me and my relationship with my parents, so I was delighted to find out several years ago that he had moved here to the Orlando area to join the staff at Metro Life Church, where we now attend. Benny and Sheree Phillips are the seasoned home school parents of seven young adults and teens, as well as grandparents of six little ones. I’m especially glad that now they get to influence my own children, and Thad and me as parents! Benny recently preached two sermons on Biblical parenting entitled “Developing a Spiritual Passion.” I know these will be so helpful to some of you. You can listen to them on-line and view the notes by clicking here http://www.metrolife.org/html/messages.html and selecting the dates 3/18/07 and 3/25/07. Do listen and be blessed!
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The Village Blacksmith
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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This poem is one that every child should read. Not only does it provide a glimpse of early American times, but it also speaks of how our character is forged on the anvil of life. Your children will face adversity – why not prepare them well for it through the literature that you choose in your home school?
The Village Blacksmith
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.
Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.
And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.
He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.
It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his haul, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.
Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.
Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.
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A Personal Story of Heartache and Healing
by Debbie Klinect
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Many of you may have already seen this story in Debbie’s e-mail newsletter, Along the Journey, or in Lois Breneman’s Heart to Heart e-mail newsletter. Debbie has been a very dear friend of mine for many years, and we are privileged to be in the same church as one another. She and Kurt have three adult children, as well as the three younger ones whom she home schools. They have had numerous medical crises with their children through the years, so she is no stranger to adversity. Debbie is the one who lent me her copy of the aforementioned Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God book. I think you will be blessed by her testimony, which I am using with her permission.
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Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
This month I have felt the Lord wanting me to share a very personal experience with you. It is my hope and prayer that you will see God’s love, His Sovereignty, and the power of forgiveness as a result.
Since last August we have been called upon by three parents who have lost children to one form of death or another. See, the reason we have been called is that we know what these dear people are going through. Here is our story.
In January 1983 I had two sons, Chris had just turned three years old and Charlie was 20 months old. I was going to my first ever ladies retreat and so my husband took the boys and went to stay with his parents for the weekend. Kurt’s sister had called to see if she could pick up the boys to go to her house to play with her son. Later Kurt’s mom went to run some errands and to pick up the boys on her way home. Back then, infant car seats weren't law yet, but we did have them for each of the boys. I don’t know why the car seats weren't taken out of Kurt’s car and put into his mom’s car but they weren't. Kurt’s mom had put the boys in the back seat of her car in the regular seat belts and started for home, forgetting to lock the doors.
My Charlie, a VERY curious little toddler, noticed everything, especially if it was different from what he had seen before. On the way back to the house, Charlie undid his seat belt. Instead of pulling off to the side of the road and buckling him back in, Kurt’s mom told him to sit still and that they would be home in a bit. Charlie didn't listen to her and pulled on the door handle. They were going around a bend in the road at the time and this force threw Charlie’s little body out of the car and into the path of an oncoming car. He was hit in the back of the head, thrown 400 feet, and died immediately. Kurt was called to the hospital to identify his son and then had the heart wrenching job of coming to get me and tell me that our son was now with the Lord.
You can imagine that we went through many emotions. On my part, I have to tell you that to start out, I was very upset that my husband didn't honor my request and stay at our house with our sons. For months I had to deal with the grief, but also the anger I felt toward Kurt and his mom. Then one day the Lord was very kind and showed me a scripture that changed my life forever. In Mark 11 verse 25 it says “and whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
I had been raised in the church and came to know the Lord as my personal Savior so I knew I was a sinner and needed the Lord’s forgiveness. I so wanted to be with Jesus when I died and I knew I had to face my anger and hatred toward my husband and his mom and truly forgive them with all my heart. My prayer was, “Father, you know how my heart hurts. You know how I feel toward my husband and mother-in-law. You also know that I can't love them on my own. Lord, I forgive them for their part in Charlie’s death and I ask that YOU love them through me.” The Lord was so faithful to take that heartfelt prayer and He turned it around to be something very beautiful. I am very close to my mother-in-law today and Kurt and I just celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary together as a very happy couple.
We are a part of a wonderful church body and through the years we have been taught about God and His sovereignty. All things are under His control and for his purpose and glory. I know Charlie’s death was not a mistake. There is a quote that says, “Nothing happens without first going through the hands of God.” Look at the life of Job. He had every reason to be angry at a lot of people, including God. But he was faithful and in the end knew that God was greater than anything and knew more than we could possibly know. The Lord has a plan and even though we think we should know what it is, I know I’ll never see the whole picture that He does. It is just my responsibility as His child to love Him, obey His word, and to live peaceably as possible with those around me (Titus 3:2).
For those of you who are mourning the loss of a loved one, I pray that the Lord will comfort you this Easter season. For God knows your heartache on a personal level your heartache too. He gave His own Son to die a horrific death for you. But I want you to remember that in Christ we have hope. We have eternal life, and those who have gone before us are already there with the Father waiting for us to join them, in God’s time.
For those of you who have had terrible things happen against you, it is my prayer that you will see that even in your heartache, God is there. He is waiting for you to come to Him and to forgive those who have hurt you, and I promise you, He will cleanse your heart and give you a peace beyond anything you have ever known, as He has done in my own life.
Jesus went through so much more pain and sorrow than we will ever go through. His pain is far greater than anything we will ever experience. His LOVE is bigger than the highest mountain or deeper than the deepest sea. He wants you to live with Him and in the fullness of Him. Easter is about God’s love for us, His forgiveness and restoration. I hope each one of you will be able to celebrate this season with the greatest joy knowing God’s love for you.
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Note: You can visit Debbie’s web site at http://www.alongthejourney.net to sign up for her e-mail newsletter. Her oldest son, Chris, is an Air Force fire fighter, and has just received a particularly hazardous “in the sand” assignment in Iraq. Keep them all in your prayers!
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Mourning a Miscarriage
by Virginia Knowles
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Several of my dear friends have had miscarriages in the past year or so. I know at least a little of how they feel, because I miscarried our second baby 19 years ago this month, when Mary was nine months old. I remember my friend Darlene warning me, “You may feel fine now, but in a couple of weeks you might have a hormonal backlash. You may feel really horrible for a while, but it’s normal. Don’t think you are going crazy.” I’m not sure I believed her at the time, but she was right. Two weeks after my miscarriage, my emotions went wild for several days. I was edgy and angry, like a monster case of PMS. So when I hear of a mama who has had a miscarriage, I pass along that helpful tip. Most of the women I have talked to have confirmed it to be true. If you have a miscarriage or stillbirth, do allow yourself to grieve your loss, even as you learn to accept it. Get your rest. Your body and soul need it. If you have lost a little one, I also encourage you to be comforted by the testimonies and counsel of others who know what it is like. You can find many web sites on this topic, and Christian Book Distributors (http://www.christianbook.com) has an excellent selection of books on miscarriage and other pregnancy loss.
I find that even now, I have a very soft spot in my heart for wee little children and their mommies. When I see them suffer in any way, it pulls at my heartstrings. And I still grieve the miscarriage now and then. My husband Thad was playing a song called “Glory Baby” by Watermark for me recently, and sweetly held my hand as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I don’t think about it all the time, but when I do, I allow myself to feel it and to receive God’s comfort. As I was thinking about writing this article, I couldn’t sleep. I got up early in the morning and paced the kitchen floor, weeping. But it is a good kind of mourning, the kind that knows joy will come again. I will hold my little one in Heaven, where he or she is already safe in the arms of Jesus, waiting for Mommy and Daddy to catch up! That’s the truth about God’s grace!
And there was joy after our mourning. Just under a year later, on April 11, our second daughter Julia Grace made her grand debut. Happy birthday, sweetheart! You are such a treasure! Yes, my dear Julia turned 18 today! I thank God for granting me this precious baby just a year after my loss and growing her up into such a lovely young woman. Julia has a very soft spot in her heart for people who are suffering, which is evident from the global catastrophe newspaper photos she has tacked over her bed around her Bolivian sugar sack. She is preparing to go back to southern Bolivia on a mission trip in June, this time on a medical team led by a doctor and a nurse from our church. We know that Bolivia is a risky place to travel right now, but she has a compelling heart of compassion for the needy folks there, and we send her in the knowledge that God can care for her there just as well as here. (If you are interested in helping sponsor her trip financially, send me an e-mail asking for details.)
God knows the End from the Beginning. We can trust him to work out all the details in between.
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The End
By Amy Carmichael
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Will not the End explain
The crossed endeavour, earnest purpose foiled,
The strange bewilderment of good work spoiled,
The clinging weariness, the inward strain,
Will not the End explain?
Meanwhile He comforteth
Them that are losing patience; ‘tis His way.
But none can write the words they hear Him say,
For men to read; only they know He saith
Kind words, and comforteth.
Not that He doth explain
The mystery that baffleth; but a sense
Husheth the quiet heart, that far, far hence
Lieth a field set thick with golden grain,
Wetted in seedling days by many a rain;
The End, it will explain.
[Amy Carmichael was an Irish missionary to India who experienced much hardship as she rescued children from depravity and poverty. The last two decades of her life she was crippled from an injury, but she still ran the Dohnavur orphanage from her bedroom. I have a feeling that when we all get to Heaven, the End of her story will be a glorious one!]
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A Final Note
from Virginia Knowles
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Elyse Fitzpatrick, in her excellent book A Steadfast Heart, encourages us, “Because of our sinful nature, without God’s mercy in our lives, we all belong in caves and holes in the ground, not in fine palaces embellished with beautiful fabrics and fragrant blossoms. It’s surely his mercy that we find ourselves, from time to time, in hardship and pain, discovering the great treasures of accurate understanding and the beauty of his merciful character.”
If you are trying to make sense out of the twists and turns of life, I would say to you: “Embrace your trials and pain as God’s ministering servants to purify and strengthen you. His holy kindness draws us to repentance so that we can be restored to the heritage of blessings He has planned for us. As you put your trust in Him, the Lord will pour out His love and mercy in unexpected places. Be prepared to turn around and comfort others with the comfort you have received. Go forth in truth and grace!”
In His Sovereign Grace,
Virginia Knowles
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/virginiaknowles
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