Beauty for Ashes

Life sometimes consists of one trial after another.

God stretches us, he puts his thumb on a tender spot 

and rubs and digs and shapes us...and then another...

and sometimes another....

We struggle against it. We wriggle and squirm. 

And we cry out to our Maker for deliverance. 

And when the time is right, SWOOP, God arrives 

on the scene, with a breath of the freshest air, 

and delivers in ways unexpected and beautiful.

And we find that we are changed, and the stretching 

and rubbing and digging and shaping had purpose all along, 

and that it was all for good.

We've grown into something beautiful!

Aaaannnnd often fascinating...

as we shine a little more of our Father's glory, 

and it spills out in splashes of Spirit-fruit 
on those around us.

Pray for these in the midst of the struggle:

Rita & Tony

Mary & Theresa

Edith

Mac & Peggy

Jenny
Bob
Lezlie & Mark & baby Kate

Darren

Some struggles will end with the exceptional glory and beauty of heaven, 
some will end with a surprising deliverance into a time of peace here on earth 
(for deliverance never looks the way we expect it to).
And we can say with confidence, "It's alllll good!"

~~~

I consider that our present sufferings
are not worth comparing with the glory
that will be revealed in us.

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.
--The Apostle Paul(in his letter to the Romans), a man who had more than his share of trials!

Do not lose heart, my friends. Deliverance is on the way.
Our God loves his children dearly. The glory's comin'!