The Magnification of God's Glory- 99 Balloons

My family along with our Bible study group had the massive privilege of being able to pray for a three week old baby girl last night, who was diagnosed with spinal bifida.  She was the cutest and most adorable little thing that we were literally pleading with God for her healing.  Can God heal her?  Of course, but when it comes to these situations especially with young ones...... we, as humans, have this genuine sense of love within us that desires to change God's will for, as we think, the better of the child.  We would say that it is better if this child did not have spinal bifida, so that she, the child, would have the ability to live a normal life free from any and all disorders.  Let's face it.  Our culture has created this mindset that assumes perfection to those who are born without defects.  If you are born with no defects or disorders, you have reached the pinnacle of life in general, because you are able to do whatever you please without any help; while those born with defects and disorders are considered as cast-offs with no real ability of being able to fulfill everything of what life has to offer.  No wonder our prayers are directed toward healing when it comes to these sweet little ones.  We want them to be able to live and lead normal lives without any difficulty.  

And, let me say something real quick, so that you do not misread what I am conveying here.  My heart is that we should be praying for these young ones in order that God would heal them.  It is crucially necessary.  But, we need to be asking God what He wants to accomplish through these little ones.  Really, our desires and wants should not be at the forefront of our minds when we are praying for these sweet children.  Instead, the magnification of God's glory should most definitely be invading our minds.  Will His glory be more magnified in their healing or will His glory be more magnified in their weakness?  Lord, what do you want to accomplish in their lives?  Since our thoughts reach a minuteness of finite thinking over against the magnitude of God's infinite mind, which is completely inconceivable from our perspective, we need to ask God what is best for the child.  He knows what is best.  How is God's glory going to reach its maximum?  It will either be through her healing or through her suffering.  And, we need to accept the reality of God's answer no matter what the outcome is.  It may not be easy, but God will be with us to the end.

In relation to this post, I came across this video a couple years ago and every time I watch it I begin to tear up.  God chose to glorify Himself through this little one in his suffering and he is resting safely in the arms of Jesus.  No more pain, no more suffering..... joy everlasting.  Enjoy with caution because it will make you cry.  

     

God's Power Made Perfect In Weakness Pt. 4 - A Short Autobiography

In this post, I will give you all a small snapshot of my life.  Now, in order to gain a firm snapshot, I need to begin on the day I was born.  My birthday is officially July 8, 1989.  I am the firstborn to two amazing parents, the second grandchild on my dad's side, and the fourth on my mom's side.  My mom has juvenile onset diabetes, which is Type-1 diabetes.  She was told by the doctors that she would never be able to have kids.  God knew that and wanted to prove the doctors wrong.  And, that is exactly what happened.  I, Josh, came into the world.  God fashioned me in His perfect image to be able to prove the doctors wrong that my mom would never be able to have kids.  Isn't God so good?  Anyways, when I was born, I had a rather low amount of sugar in my blood.  Because of this, the doctor had to stick me with a needle in order for my glucose levels to rise.  There was only one problem.  The doctors could not find a vein anywhere, so they ended up sticking the needle in my head.  I don't really remember anything, which is probably a good thing or I would faint on the spot.  However, I was in the baby ICU for the first few days of my life for that and for having low muscle tone, which really is a diagnosis of weak muscles.  I am not weak nowadays.  But, my early years, as you shall soon see, proved to be rather difficult.    

Then, you would think I was a pretty normal baby, huh.......  My mom said I was an excellent baby especially when she was pregnant with my sister Rachel, since I hardly moved.  When you are diagnosed with low muscle tone, that is what happens.  Your muscles stiffen when you try to move and as a result you don't go very far.  So, I did not crawl until I think I was about a year, I did not start walking until I was nineteen months (my sister was five months at the time, so my mom had to carry the two of us), I was pretty much delayed in many facets compared to a normal baby.  So, I enrolled in preschool special education when I was two.  I would travel on a bus to RIO (Rehabilitation Institute of Orange) to learn with other special needs kids, which was rather impacting on my life.  I was involved in a physical therapy program in order to strengthen my muscles, because of my inability to learn motor skills at a young age.  I was practically helpless, but I continued to persevere and push myself toward many goals at a young age.  At five or six, I enrolled in kindergarten.  And, I will never forget what my kindergarten teacher told my parents as retold by my parents to me when I was ten.  My parents said that my kindergarten teacher told them that, I quote, "Josh would never be able to read, never be able to write, never be able to do anything worthwhile with his life, because he is in a state of mind all of his own."    

You know what.  When I first heard that, I was perplexed.  I really had no idea what to think or say, but I felt a burning sensation within me.  Really, I knew it was wrong.  I already knew how to read and write by ten.  My whole life was in front of me.  But, the quote made me all the more willing to continue to fight through my difficulties in proving to others that I can accomplish worthwhile goals through Him who gives me strength constantly.  However, one massive giant was in the way and is still in the way today.  

Have any of you ever seen the King's Speech?  Well, it was an R-movie until they knocked it down to a PG-13 rating for it's strong usage of language.  And, the only reason why I was able to see it was because my grandparents knew when the bad language was coming, so I could plug my ears when they uttered their particular profanities.  Other than the profanities though, it was an impressing tear-jerker (they could have easily made it a PG-movie in my opinion).  Anyways, the gist of the movie is that the King of England, King George IV, has a speech impediment.  This King gains the throne through odd circumstances.  And, the duties of the throne entail many speaking engagements.  So, at one point in the movie, George is so fed up with his impediment that he nearly quits, which would have left England in a horrifying predicament since the Germans, in WW2, were closing in on English soil.  However, with the help of his speech therapist, King George magnificently delivers a remarkable speech to the masses as He rarely stutters throughout the speech, and he, with Winston Churchill, helps England prevail through the devastation of WW2.  Now, what is my point in this story you may ask?  King George and I have the same weakness like Moses, maybe like Paul, and many others before me.  I have a speech impediment as well.  

Now, if I go back to the movie for one moment, the only reason why I call it a tear-jerker is because I knew exactly what he was going through throughout the whole movie.  And usually, I never cry during movies, but I did in this one.  When you experience pain, emotion, suffering, and heartache in the exact same ways like some other person, you can relate to them.  I clearly related to King George in this movie.  I was/am the main character in the movie.  Now, in reality with my history, my speech impediment took off in my teenage years.  When I was in public school, I use to go to speech therapy constantly, but I never really had much difficulty talking.  But, when the hormones kicked in, the rest is history.  I remember the days when kids use to make fun of me, because I never seemed to get the words out.  But, what can you do?  Continue to persevere, continue to fight, continue to battle, continue to struggle.....  That is life.  Life is full of trials and tribulations.  I have a speech impediment.  Who cares?  If you are going to sit down and throw a pity party because you are in a horrid situation, you are only making matters worse.  The best thing to do is to fight through it.  Of course, I get discouraged from time to time, but I try to continue to make my voice known even though it is not easy.  Satan wants me to fall back in fear.  And, he has a lot of ammo, which seems to get me most of the time.  

But, I am learning that God's perfect love casts out all fear. I do not need to fear any longer, because my fear was taken care of at the cross.  Christ carried my fear to great lengths in order to reveal His perfecting love to me as a sinner.  I NEED HIM!!!!  I cannot live without Him.  What He did for me makes my speech impediment look like dust?  So, because of what Christ has done, I will fight.  I will never give up.  Some may say I will never be anything.  Others will stereotype me as a class of my own.  But, does it really matter what people think in the long run?  No, because what really matters is Jesus Christ and proclaiming His name to the nations.  If I proclaim His name with difficulty, so be it.  However, I will strive with all my might to speak as best I can, because I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  It has not been easy and will never be easy.  But, God is with me always.


Sola Deo Gloria!!!!!



                     

Game Deadline / Update

I am very surprised that the Chris Tomlin game has not caught any steam.  With a $10 I-tunes gift card on the line, I thought that you guys would be eagerly fighting for a chance to be victorious.  I guess I had high expectations, which soon drizzled out with only two participants thus far.  However, there is still time to play.  The deadline for the game will be next Saturday at 10:00 PT.  So, in the meantime, may God be glorified and have fun.  Also, I will be posting a 2-3 post autobiography of myself starting tonight, so you can get a glimpse of my struggles in life, which will reveal God's strength being made perfect in my weaknesses.  It is a continuation of the God's Strength Made Perfect in Weakness series, so it should be rather exciting..... 

Sola Deo Gloria!!!!! 

God's Power Made Perfect in Weakness Pt. 3

This is a continuation of Part 2.  The remainder of Jessica's story.  

"We all have to grow up at some time or another.  Sometimes it takes a death or a physical ailment or a tragedy... mine took all of that.  And although my story has scars and things I regret, it is beautiful.  It is beautiful because it is signed in the blood of Jesus: forgiven.  

So whenever I get discouraged or when the pain is really intense, I just focused on that.  I just kept repeating scripture.  I kept praying for Japan.  I kept praying for you all.  Pain just reminds my heart that this isn't my Home.  It'll be over one day and then after that, forever with Jesus.  It gives me hope to keep going.  I just want to give this life all I've got because even when I'm weak, God is much stronger.  There are people that need to know about Jesus.  No matter if we're weak, we as Christians find what is hurting the most and run to it with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  That's why we're here.  That's why I want to serve.  The gospel of Jesus is enough for us.   There are so many people that need to hear that message.  

That really sums up it all.  I would be nothing without God.  I couldn't get through one day without Him!  Through all of this, He has taught me about joy.  My heart is so content.  It's almost scary just how at peace and how content I am through all of this.  The pain has been worse then it ever has been, but God is closer then ever and my heart is content.  It'll be alright. 

The other Sunday at church, the orchestra was playing with the choir and I saw the violinists.  I could play everything they were playing in my head and know exactly fingers and how it would feel on my left hand fingertips.  I just stopped what I was thinking and started praising God.  I was doing pretty good... just reading my Bible and leaving everything else up to Him!  He is so enough!  Then, someone left the door open to the closet where I packed my violin away and my case was sitting half-way out of the door.  I looked down and I wanted to grab it and play.. play without pain.  But, I just slid it back in and closed the door and I praised.  It's okay.   Then when my sister left for orchestra without me.... ahh. So whenever I get discouraged, I just look up to Jesus.  His love is beautiful.  I am so so blessed.  He is more then enough. 

A couple weeks ago, I woke up to shooting nerve pain.  It was so bad and all I could do was rock and back and forth.  Isaiah 41:10 came to my mind.  I started repeating to myself, “I AM WITH YOU.  I WILL HELP YOU.  I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU”  Oh I just started crying.  It hurt too much to cry but tears of joy were sliding down my face.  Jesus is enough!  He is so enough.  Even at the worst of times, He is there.  He is beautiful.  He is more then enough. 

My physical body truly IS my worst enemy.  I know this body will one day fail.  I will die.  But my soul will live forever.  It's like a war inside.  It's so weird to be in physical pain while being on fire for God.  It's the weirdest feeling I have ever had.  The pain physically hurts so much but my heart is so on fire that it reminds me that one day... all of this suffering I feel right now will be gone.  But what my heart is on fire and what it is on fire for will never die.

Over the past few months and especially weeks as the pain has gotten more intense, God has been closer then ever.  The crying of my heart seems to be drowned out.  When the pain hits, my mind goes right to prayer. I never noticed that until recently.  I thought "hey.  It's working!!!! That's the first thing I want to do when the pain hits the hardest.. I want to pray"  So I started to add something else.... praise.

My mind wants to yell how it hurts.  But the weirdest thing is my heart is content. 

And right now, I don't need to know why. 

God has my dreams.  He has my future.  He has shattered hope.  He has crushed goals.  He has a beautiful plan. 

I  know He could find a way to keep me from the pain.  He could find a way to have me still playing the violin.  He could find a way to have a full day without pain.  But,  He has a plan with this.  His answer is  trust Me.

If I've spent more then a couple treatments with different specialist people, they see I'm a Christian.  I just can't keep it inside.  I talk about God.  All the time.  More then ever now.  I can't get through one single day without Him.  He makes all of this bearable.  He makes it okay.  He makes broken dreams beautiful.  He holds me in the palm of His Hand.  

That is so overwhelming.  It's completely completely changing my life.  I look around... I see all these broken and hurting people.  With my arm, I have seen it more then ever.  Every single person in this world is hurting and broken.  I wake up every morning thinking about how much more I have to learn!  How much more I have to learn about loving God... there is so much to learn... and it's so overwhelming to see just a small little piece of how awesome God is.  

In worship, there was a line in one of the songs we sang that said You, God "are the defender of the weak"... If there's one small line that can completely humble and break me, it was that one.  I started dwelling on just that line.  To think of a just and perfectly holy God defending the weak?  The broken?  The hurting?  Someone so holy... so just... so incredibly flawless... coming to our level. Coming to die on a cross?  Taking on flesh?  To decimate sin?  And He then defends the weak? 

That. is. incredible.

I started to think of my own life.   I mean I've had to start brushing my teeth with my left hand.  Sometimes I eat with my left hand because I just can't do it with my right.  If I have to write more then one page, I can see my hand just grow weaker and weaker with each line.  Every day things are getting more and more difficult to do.  Doctors can't figure out exactly what it is.  Specialists.  Nothing.  To know that God... a perfect holy God would care about that?  Would care about my arm?  

It leaves me speechless. 

No matter how or what the next road will bring, He will win.  Even if it's hard... even if I get in another accident and I mess up my left arm and both are out of commission... I know God can NEVER give me too much that I can't handle with His Help.  It's okay to get discouraged sometimes.  But God is bigger then the battles.  No matter what, everything that comes into our lives have to go through His Hands first.  This has all gone through God's Hands first.   Isn't that incredible?? So God is here no matter what!

No. matter. what.

I am just awe-struck at the amazingness of my God.  If pain is what helps me to praise Him, then I truly just ask that He brings the rain.  Amidst the physical pain, my heart is just on fire.  So when people ask how I can keep praising Him, I just become speechless.  

His love leaves me speechless.  I cannot even begin to thank Him for dashing away my dreams to remind me HE IS MY LIFE.  He never fades.

But anyway - even after months of a cold hand, nerve problems, shooting pain, aching - it still hurts.  Honestly.  I wish I could say I get used to it.  But I don't.  Before dinner, it made me sick to my stomach.  Shooting pains up my arm will take away my appetite.  So I'll just try and convince myself that I'm hungry so I can eat. 

It usually works.  98% of the time.  It's mental.  It's really weird but it's true.  Then as soon as I get food in my stomach, I don't feel like I'm going to get sick.  It's crazy.  

I mean I'll go sit down on the sofa and close my eyes and start praying.  Pray that God would grow me in His Grace.  Humble me more.  Teach me more about trust.  Not always that the pain will go away (although so so many times that is how I want to pray) but that God would teach me more about worship.  Teach me more about loving Him. 

I lost a friend to cancer, I lost my best friend, our family put the house up for sale and planned to move 1100 miles away, my health failed, the seat next to my Dad in the truck was given to my brother, the horses went up for sale, my violin got packed up and sat in a closet untouched, nerve pain made me not hungry… it killed me.  I couldn’t control my life.  I tried so many things to try and control it.  But I couldn’t.   God used every single one of those things to show me the fact that He never changes.  These things came rapid fire, one after the other after the other after the other.  Right when I felt like I was going to be okay, something else would decimate my fragile hope.  I saw a lot of things were going wrong in my life.  I was so broken.  Scared.  Afraid.  I was fake.  I put on a fake smile.  I struggled layers and layers deep beyond what people could see.  God found me where I was at.  He changed my life.  I cannot at all even begin to explain how that has changed my life.

It’s not me.  It’s all Jesus Christ.  He has pulled me through.  He is more then enough.  When I have been feeling the worst, He used the times when I was weakest to remind me He is the strongest.   He has used all of this to be a huge opportunity to share the love of Jesus.

You know what's totally beautiful about suffering?  It's Jesus Christ.  Because every day when we stand, it is because He is here with us.  The most beautiful thing about walking through the fire is just seeing how God is closest.  He uses the broken and the weak!   When lots of things are going wrong, our trust grows.  It is incredible when things we love, dreams we have, break into pieces onto the ground that God is always doing it because HE loves us.  In all reality, He is picking up those pieces and making them into something more beautiful. 

There's something about raising your hands to the sky knowing that you can't get through a day without God's help.  He is so beautiful!  His love has radically changed my life!  He has taken what I was so angry about and turned it into something that I just want to praise Jesus!! 

I am just so overwhelmed that God is bigger then our sufferings.  He is bigger then everything we can see.  He is bigger then any struggle.  I've just finished 1 Corinthians yesterday and a verse in chapter 9 caught my eye especially. 

Everyone who enters an athletic contest practices self-control in everything. They do it to win a wreath that withers away, but we run to win a prize that never fades.

 We're running for a crown that will last forever.  God is with us on the run.  This world is passing away.  When you think about it, it's so short.  But, we are not our own.  We were bought with a price.  We have a race to run.  We are running for the Glory of the cause of Jesus Christ.  He is sufficient.  That is enough.

When we swim in the deep, He is right next to us.  He's always with us in the eye of a storm.  We endure.  We overcome.  Because Jesus Christ is the reason for everything.  He is the reason for hope.

Truth is, I don’t know how all of you feel.   I have my story, yes.   Even though I can’t understand all of your stories and exactly how you feel, I know that God can.  Remember that.  Nothing can separate you from His Love.  Nothing at all in this entire world. 

God has a really great reason for my arm.  He gave me my arm.  I've seen how scars and injuries are platforms where we can either glorify Jesus or complain.  I don't want to complain.  I want to use it for God's Glory.  Because rejoicing in suffering is like stepping on Satan's toes reminding him that he has not and will not win.  Yes.  It doesn't make the pain go away, doesn't change the fact that I can't play the violin much right now, but it does change my heart.  It reminds me why I'm here.  I'm not here for me.  I'm here for the cause of Jesus Christ.

Whatever you’re going through, know you aren’t alone.  God never fails.  I am praying for each of you.  May His Love wrap you and overflow your heart in peace.  Keep up the fight.  I can’t wait to meet each of you in heaven.  Keep the cross as your focus.  You’ll make it.  He is enough." 

God's Power Made Perfect in Weakness Pt. 2

I am going to hold off on the re-posting of the depth of God's love until I finish this series.  I have asked a blogger to write about her experience on God's power being made perfect in her weakness and she has resoundingly responded.  Who am I talking about?  If you have ever visited her blog Far From Perfect, you will know who I am talking about.  Her name is Jessica and she has been a huge encouragement to me in many ways.  May you be encouraged as well as she gives us her testimony on how God has used her weaknesses for His glory.  May God ultimately be glorified.  Sit back, relax, and be moved:

"A couple weeks ago, another specialist, one of many I have seen, started looking through my list of symptoms.  He got through the first page and to the second.  He read all the things I’ve given up.  He read the other specialists written up diagnoses.  Then he looked up to me.  He said, “You know what amazes me about people like you?  It’s amazing that you can still smile”. 

And I smiled.  My heart screamed out in my head, “but you don’t understand!!!  It’s OKAY!! THIS IS ALL OKAY!!!! GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!!!!!  His strength is enough!  My weakness is complete in Him!” 

But, I honestly don’t remember what I said back to him.  I just remember being carried away in my mind dwelling on how beautiful the love of Jesus Christ is.  He gets me through every single day.  I couldn’t do it without Him. 

God has given me a journey I wouldn’t have chosen for myself but I wouldn’t trade for the world.  The road of no answers and intense pain has fueled my faith like no other.  Josh asked if I would share my story and I accepted.  Something that many people would consider a tragedy has been beautiful.  If you saw me walking down the street, you wouldn’t notice anything different.  I have both arms and both legs.  I have an elbow brace on my right arm but otherwise; you wouldn’t know anything was wrong with me.  I don’t have cancer.  I’m not dying.  Sometimes people call me on the phone when I’m walking in a store and ask me how rehab therapy is going… people look over and give me weird looks.  Or I’ll run into somebody and they’ll ask “how’s therapy going??” or “how’s your treaments?  PLEASE call me if you need anything!”  Sometimes I’ll be at a restaurant and I’ll drop my fork. I feel bad for the poor waiter who keeps bringing me new silverware.   If I stand up to fast, I’ll fall over.  I have random bruises that show up if I hit something wrong. 

But, God’s strength is flawless. 

See it seems like yesterday when I was that like five year old girl with red hair and freckles holding a tiny brown instrument. The crowd clapped and the journey of her life began.  Every day, she practiced.  As she grew older, she was far beyond most others her age.  She played with quartets, for crowds, and won state championship titles.  She played for nursing homes.  She fiddled at her local county fair.  She played for dinner guests and Christmas parties.  She loved to play.  Her eyes lit up.  She started looking into big music schools and began working on audition pieces in order to make it in. She wasn’t sure if going professional was God’s Plan but she was open to it.  She loved to play.  She began to teach students of her own.  Goals were getting accomplished and the future looked bright for this promising musician.  

Then, in 2009, just over two weeks before the state finals competition, she had an accident.  It was just a retreat in a little town in the Rockies of Colorado and a large amusement park type swing.  Thinking it was just a strained shoulder, she came back full swing in practice.  The pain started severely.  It took everything she had to get through her state finals performance.  She lost.  Lost the champion title.  However, the pain in her shoulder took over her thoughts.  She couldn't move without shooting pains.  The first of countless specialists seen.  The first of xrays.  The pain got worse.  She was in an arm sling most of the time.  The pain surpassed a previous broken arm. God seemed silent.  She couldn't put it into words.  She started feeling sick to her stomach because of pain levels.  She made the difficult decision to quit the violin.  Having hope, she visited other therapists trying to find a quick answer.  Weeks turned into months as she continued to live with pain.  She was checked twice for a torn rotator cuff. She began to physical therapy to gain back motion lost in her shoulder.

 Promising answers and strength regained showed hope!  She picked back up the violin and slowly slid back into intense practice sessions.  She made the cut for state finals again.  The pain started to totally diminish.  However, little things started to happen.  She started continually dropping her fork.  She couldn't hold her violin bow for long periods of time.  Her right hand grew considerably weaker and one day, she dropped a galloon of milk.  She dropped dishes.  She dropped notebooks and pens.  Anything she picked up with her right hand, she dropped.  The pain came back worse then ever seconded with hand failure.  She fought through the summer trying to ignore it but the pain grew.  The battles she had to overcome.  She knew it'd only be God to get through her state finals performance.  She stood on that stage with a heart full of joy.  She knew it would be her last time performing.  She poured every last bit of strength she had into that performance for the glory of God.  She wasn't nervous.  She loved to play.  Three-quarters through, her arm began to give out but God helped her finish.  He helped her finish the performance of a lifetime, winning the state championship title.  With a duet including her sister's flute, they were also named five-time champions for the state of Colorado.  She came home thankful and so overwhelmed how God got her through.  The pain began to get worse and worse until she could barely do things such as brushing her teeth and shampooing her hair.  Her balance began to fade, major pressure headaches came every day, and her right side became weaker and weaker.  She went to a doctor and they ordered a neck MRI.  Finding nothing in the neck MRI, they ordered a brain MRI.  The symptoms were pointing towards the possibility of a brain tumor.  After eleven days of waiting for results, it came back normal.   The relief and joy swept over the entire family!  Looking more into the issue, she went to specialist after specialist.  She became weaker and weaker.  Pain took up her strength.  She spent many days in the house on the sofa reading her Bible trying to get through it.

Finally, it hit.  She would never be able to go professional.  She had to completely quit.  She had to drop out of one of the biggest youth orchestras in the state.  More then that, growing up as a ranch kid all her life, she put her horses up for sale.  She saved her best horse for last but he had to go too.  Shattered dreams.  

By God’s blessings and incredible plan, this is my story.  It wouldn’t be one I would have chosen for myself at the beginning.  But, I see how God has used all of it to spread the gospel.  It’s beyond humbling.  I am so overwhelmed by the love of Jesus Christ.  Everything in my life is for His Glory.  No matter what, He remains.  The journey of the injury of my arm has been incredible.  There have been mountains and valleys but somehow, there has been more joy then I can put into words.  Sometimes faith doesn’t have answers that we seem to think are best but God is faithful.  The things that we believe in without Him just lie.  There is nothing as beautiful as His Love. 

I lost count of the times I asked God “why”.  I’m the oldest of four kids.  We’re really close and watching them struggle with my injury hurt most of all.  Finding one crying in a room for me.  Finding another leaving a note on my bed after a treatment saying “I wish I could take this for you”.  Watching my mom start crying when she said she just wanted me to be able to go to college.  They’ve stood by me every step of the way.  I have been blessed so much.  I have the best family in the entire world. 

My immune system has become so run down that if I am near someone who has a cold or any sort of virus, I’ll come down with it.  It’s getting a ton better and God is using doctors and a ton of vitamins to help with that.  But, it’s hard.  It truly is.

I am standing here today because Jesus is alive.  His Love is incredible.  I can’t even describe it or put into words.  I never really understood how God is your complete strength before this… but I get that now."  End Part 2  

We will hear the continuation of her story in Part 3. 

   

God's Power Made Perfect in Weakness Pt. 1

Before I dive into this post, I want to acknowledge my thanks to you all for praying for me as I underwent the magnanimous task of completing a two and a half hour long calculus exam.  Yeah, you heard it right..... two and a half hours.  I am glad it is over, but thankful that I was given the opportunity of glorifying God through studying well.  The results will be the cherry on top of the sundae.  Hopefully, it is a good grade, but I did the best I possibly could.  Thanks for your prayers.  

Now, my heart is rather tender right now partly because weakness is one of those topics that people like to shun away from.  Guys especially like to shun away from this topic, because they usually want to acknowledge to all that they can handle any situation.  Us guys have a built in pride mechanism.  We do not want people to know where or when we are weak.  We are macho.  We can do anything we set our gaze upon.  To not be labeled a chicken by our "so called" friends, we make out with the cute girl across the street or we do some other crazy thing.  On the other side of the spectrum, you may have some impediment that is holding you back from a life God has specifically, divinely planned for you, which would display His power and glory alone to unchartered lengths beyond your own comprehension.  You may even be going through a broken marriage, an ugly divorce proceeding, or you may have lost your job due to the economy.  Whatever it is, God wants to use your weaknesses, your trials, your tribulations, your calamities, your hardships solely for the purpose of displaying His power in your life.  He wants others to ask you how you are able to cope with your difficulties and are still able to carry your life on in a decent manner.  How are you able to remain joyful, most of the time, through your trials?  Why is God's power being made perfect in your weakness? 

Let's look at Christ's example.  Who did Christ minister to during his earthly life?  Sinners.  The lowest of the lows.  Tax collectors, prostitutes, orphans, widows, drunkards, drug dealers, adulterers, slanderers, lepers, the blind, the deaf, stutterers, the disabled, the openly shameful..... each and every people group of whom the world is not worthy.  But, why would the King of the universe parade through the dark streets of Jerusalem to show love, kindness, and compassion to others, instead of teaching some know-it-all Pharisees at the synagogue about the law of God with respect to following certain rituals?  Because, the broken sinners were more receptive to the Gospel than the so called know-it-all Pharisees.  The Pharisees believed that their strength in society was enough for them to be accepted into God's kingdom.  God ultimately sees their deeds over the atrocious beggar, who can't give anything for the cause of God's kingdom.  How wrong they were?  

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 sums up the wholeness of this post, "For consider your calling, brothers: not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in this world to shame the wise;  God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."  Ok, God chose what is foolish in this world to shame the wise.  He chose weak vessels, he chose despised vessels, he chose hated vessels, he chose broken vessels.  He chose broken vessels in order that He might restore what is broken, He chose hated vessels in order to completely change that person in love, He chose despised vessels because they desperately need to know that the Savior of the world was despised for them.  And, He chose you, because He loves you.  He chose you, so that you would see for all of eternity the nail scarred hands of the Savior, who was bruised for you, beaten for you, tormented for you.  

Why?  Because you were weak.  He came to save the lowly.  Those who don't think they have everything altogether.  Those who have no homes--- the orphans.  Those who have broken marriages---- the divorced.  Those who see they are arrogant and are in need of a Savior.  He died for people such as these.  Now, why is God's power made perfect in weakness?  God's power is made perfect in your weakness, because He knows you need to completely rely upon Him in your weak circumstances.  Whether you rely upon Him in sharing your bouts of anger with other people or in relying upon Him to help you through a specific period of pain caused by your cancer, His power is fervently displayed in you as you continue to abide in Him through your troubles.  He knows you desperately need Him.  You can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5).  So, abide under the shadow of His wings especially when you are weak.  He will show Himself to be powerfully strong in your life.

Now, I have laid the groundwork for the examples that I am going to share with you in Parts 2 and 3.  Who is living this out despite a constant array of trials?  What is God doing in their life?  What are their weaknesses and what are they doing to overcome them?  Stay tuned.....

Sola Deo Gloria!!!!