The last almost 3 years have been brought some of the most difficult, ground shaking and trying times I have ever experienced. I have hurt a lot, cried a lot, wrestled a lot, run a lot, prayed a lot and asked "why" a lot. It has not always been easy to conjur up a spirit of gratitude. However, the closer I get to graduation day the closer I get to what feels like a stepping out of this difficult chapter of my life. And though this part was unbelievably tough at times, I have grown tremendously as a person and as a believer.
I have been unable to shake the message I heard at Second Baptist last week and in an effort to make peace and find closure and solace in the Lord's hand on my experiences these last three years I want to take the next seven days and for each day contemplate one thing I am grateful for about these last three years. Though it was tough and I would never elect to relive some of those experiences, with the Lord, there is always good at work and I want to take the next seven days to focus on it.
Brennan Manning says:
"The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust—not only for all the gifts that I receive from God, but gratitude for all the suffering. Because in that purifying experience, suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God."
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About Me
- A.J.
- "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and they did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." John 1:9-14
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