Saturday, April 11, 2009

Thankulness

I have no idea how to start this post. I think I'm started typing and deleted at least 5 times, so I'm just going to jump right in.

Each month, there are a few days when I'm weary of this walk I'm on. When I want to stay in bed crying out the Lord and begging answers, when I don't want to trust in Him, when I don't care what His plan is for my life because it is not MY plan.

And then my hormones settle down again and I truly am at peace with this path He has chosen, designed, for me. I am tremendously blessed in so many ways...well, in every way, actually. And I am thankful.

I've had the priveledge of praying for so many people lately. People that I know personally:
--a mom with three YOUNG children.
--a brand-new mom to a precious daughter.
--a family that thought they were adopting a little girl, only to lose her after 14 months.
--my students.
--a young seminary student who is going to spend the summer in a mission field.

And people that I will probably never meet on this side of Eternity:
--an adorable 5 month old who has been in a PICU for three weeks now.
--the cutest baby with a rare skin condition.
--a pregnant lady who was traveling on business when her water broke. She is several hundred miles away from home and confined to the hospital until she has her baby.

There are many others.

When I first committed to praying for all these needs, I just found myself more and more burdened. We do so live in a broken world, don't we? I was having trouble finding the praise in all the weariness.

Then, slowly, every time I prayed, my heart became lighter and lighter. God's work was (is constantly) being done. Every time a knee bowed, every time a prayer whispered, HIS work was (is constantly) being done.

He knows every need. He knows every tear that is shed. He KNOWS my heart on the heaviest days and He continues to fill me with hope and wonder.

Tomorrow Christians around the world will celebrate the empty tomb. We will celebrate LIFE. Jesus died so that we may live. He conquered death so that we may spend eternity with Him.

I am so thankful.

1 comment:

Arizaphale said...

You always put this so well Natalie. So sorry this month is yet another step on a difficult path.