Have a quiet and Peaceful Sunday!

from the Appalacian Trail in New Hampshire

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Happy Sunday Morning to You!

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Hope you have been having a nice weekend so far.

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Our Friday night was sad,  since we attended the Memorial
Service of our friends son,  but I have to say it was a lovely
 celebration of his life,  and it was very honoring to him,
 and to the Lord.  His parents were a true living
testimony of the power of God in their lives. It was
truly amazing how well they did.  True Grace!!

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This whole situation reminded me of another one,
 years ago that happened to some other members of
our church.  She was the mother of 4 children, one grown
 and out of the house, one about to graduate, One that was
 about 6-8 yrs. old,  (don't remember exactly) and one
 forever at home due to the fact,  she had cerebral palsy
 and  had to be fed thru a feeding tube,  and they were

 missionaries with New Tribes Mission.

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They were on a road trip on their way home to their
 parents and grandparents for Christmas, with all the
 3 of the children in the car.  Lois had a horrible
 headache and they were trying to find a hospital where
 they could stop, but then something happened don't
 remember if it was a seizure or what,  but she died
 before they could get her to the hospital.
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  We didn't know them all that well,  but as a mother
 and a young believer,  I struggled terribly with her death
 because of her children, especially the handicapped
 child that needed her so much.  I also, forgot to
mention that about 4 yrs. before that she had a
similar type problem but had been completely
healed by the Lord.  

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As you know in these situations it just didn't make
any sense to me, but in my struggle and questioning
 God in his Mercy,  gave me a scripture that
 immediately put my heart and soul at rest,  and made
 me see how much God cares about his children.
  It is a scripture I will never forget,  and I wanted
 to share it with you too, in case,  you struggle with 

situations like this. Because isn't it so human  to wonder
 and ask why Lord would you let this happen?
  Well,  I think it is totally normal, especially when we are
 young in the Lord and haven't experienced a lot of life
 yet, or at any time really........... and I believe the Lord
 can handle our questions as
 long as we are asking with the right heart attitude.
God knows what is on our heart anyway!

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That scripture for Today is

Isaiah 57:1 NIV

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The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart;
 devout men are taken away, and no one understands that
 the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.
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God takes them to spare them from evil.  How much 
more loving could He be,  He knows the begining from
the end,  He knows exactly what sort of evil might befall
them that we could never expect,  and He loves them
enough to spare them.
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I say these things not in any way to make light of
the gravity or pain of these situations because as
a Mom I know that losing a child or a parent is 
excrutiatingly painful,  and my heart absolutely
breaks for the families,  but as a person who has
 lost many, many loved ones I can say it is such
 a blessed hope to know Jesus, and  that we will
 one day see  our loved ones again, 
 this is just so long,  not Good bye forever!  
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Our Pastor made what we felt was a wonderful
statement at the Memorial Service and that was
to ask how was God gonna use this situation to
bring glory out of it.  To some people that might
seem callous,  but there is scripture in
Romans 8:28 that says:
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 And we know that in all things God works for the
 good of those who love him, who have been called 
according to his purpose.
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That is a promise to us as believers, that God
does what is best in our lives, and that He can
bring good out of any situation.  I have to say
after walking with Him for almost 30 years now,  that
I have seen Him do that again and again in our
lives and the lives of so many that we know.
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I can not tell you how He does it,  but all I know
is He does it,  and it is amazingly beautiful and
amazingly divine.  He is a Good God who is
worthy of all our trust and Love.
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And that story about the Mom who passed
away,  the Lord brought another Mom for those 
children, and a wife for that husband within about
 a year or so.  She had never been married and who
 had no children of her own, and who was a very
 very loving Mom to the 2 children left at home, 
 and a wonderful wife to her husband and they
 carried on the work as missionaries.  
Amazingly beautiful!!
Beauty for Ashes!
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I just happened to think when I wrote that last
phrase about Jennifer over @ Beauty for Ashes,
she knows first hand the truth about which I am
speaking,  she has lost a teenage child to cancer.
You should check out her blog........you will find
a woman of courage and convictions,  strong in
her faith and love for God.  
Amazingly Beautiful!!
Beauty for Ashes!  Just as her blog title says!
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Some things we can never know or understand
and Isaiah 55: 8-9 explains,
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"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
 your ways my ways," declares the Lord.  As the heavens 
are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
 your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
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Well sweet friends,  that was just bubbling up
on my heart and had to share it!!


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Have a Quiet and Peaceful Sunday
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Blessings, Love and Hugs,
Nellie