One Year Book of Hope Week 2 Day 4 & Day 5

Still fighting off a cold, but I *think* it's getting better. I am really disliking getting up earlier to be with my husband before he leaves for work, but I LOVE how it changes the rest of my day when I do it. It is a privilege to spend time with him before he leaves for work and try to be a blessing to him.

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This reading was about how we define a tragedy. I would consider the earthquake in Haiti a tremendous tragedy. The author points out that a true tragedy is when a person passes away with no hope of spending eternity with the Lord. I know that the reason I feel so at peace with my father's death is because I am assured that he is in heaven.

Jesus responded to two tragedies in Luke 13:1-5 the same way. He asked the crowd he was speaking to if the people who died were worse sinners than their peers. No, they weren't he stated and then said that unless the crowd also repented, they would perish as well.

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Today's reading is about how God allows suffering and death as part of His plan for our lives. I know that I have wrestled with the question, "How can God allow this to happen?" more than once. I have been meditating on Hebrews 5:7-8 this week and the part that strikes me the most each time is "He learned obedience from the things he suffered." Christ had to learn obedience from the cross. I know that I, too must learn obedience from the things I am going through. So the question is, am I? I believe that I am. I know a peace right now about my infertility struggles that can only come from the Lord. I am learning, daily, to put my desire for another child behind my desire to know Him more and follow His plan for my life. It's as simple, and difficult, as that. I haven't given up hope for another child, quite the opposite. I am more hopeful for another child than I have been in the past two years. The strength and peace I have gotten from my daily quiet times has spilled into the other areas of my life (as I knew it would) and has helped me on my way to becoming healthier, stronger and more responsible. My daily quiet time is not only making me more spiritually healthy, but it gives me the will power to stick to healthier eating and is helping me become physically healthier as well. God is calling me to be obedient to Him by spending daily time in His word and fellowshipping with Him and I am reaping the blessings!

The bible reading today was from Hebrews 4:14-5:10. Though Christ suffered, God used His suffering to bring salvation to all. Christ himself knows what it is to suffer, so He can minister to us in our own times of suffering. I have benefited immensely from following God's plan for my life. I have an amazing Christian husband and a Christ-centered marriage. I have a wonderful son, who was more of a miracle than we knew. I have a great family, an awesome church and a job/ministry that I enjoy. I have more blessings than I can count. I know that if I continue to follow God's plan for my life, the blessings will only multiply.