"God is the God of divine reversals. He can glean good out of evil: His master plan brings victory out of apparent defeat. Come to Jesus just as you are - wounded from battle - and expose your wounds to His healing light. You need to spend ample time with Jesus, opening yourself fully to His living Presence..... When you experience a divine reversal in your life, you are thrilled to observe how masterfully I operate in the world. Your suffering gains meaning because you know I can - and do - bring good out of evil. Ultimately, His plans will not be thwarted. He has the last word! As you see how utterly beyond you is His wisdom and ways, you get a glimpse of Jesus Glory. As you open your soul to Jesus in worship, you gain assurance of His unfailing Love."
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,"plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:1
This is part of my devotion for today from the Jesus Lives book by Sarah Young. I shared it with you because I couldn't help think it was a good application to the changes my own life has experienced.
Many of you have kept up with me for the last two years first on care pages watching my husband Tom and I go through the terrible illness of acute leukemia. Then continuing to follow my walk after he passed away in September of 2012. Many of you know that his brother lost his wife a few weeks after Tom passed away. We walked together as families in sorrow and were there for each other for comfort since both our families have lived in the same town together for over 40 years and known each other for 50 years. Many friends and family were therefore not surprised when John and I started dating. We were, but it seemed everyone else was just cheering us on in the sidelines.
October 28, just three weeks and four days ago John and I knew we were ready to say "I do love you too". We both know that just because we knew we loved each other the love for our first spouse does not go away or the grief. We are thankful for the learning we were able to do together over the last year as we comforted each other and did studies on grief together, which really helped to get to know each other in special ways. After these beginning weeks of marriage we feel so very blessed and have enjoyed so much together! We were married with family and a couple dear friends who played an important part in our getting together. We were delighted with three pastors who helped to marry us as the beautiful Koetsier Ranch. They filled our time with laughter as they joked about what our children would call us now, with uncles and aunts becoming mom and dad or grandpa and grandma and cousins becoming sisters and brothers!! It can be confusing indeed when we introduce one another. It has been a bit of a whirlwind to say the least in the last two years with a tremendous amount of sadness to be followed with a great measure of hope and comfort and happiness. The above devotion says so well what God often does in our lives to give us hope to carry on. He doesn't always do this in the same way that is for sure. John and I were both so surprised that our spouses passed away so close together and then that we found such warm friendship together. I can speak for both of us that we went into marriage with a little fear and trepidation because to start over - even with someone you've known all your life - can be very frightening after 48 and 53 years with others. God is so good and since we share alike faith in our sweet Lord and Savior we know this is a huge reason we get along so well. I feel for myself I have so much happiness back in my life. A dear one to share all the ups and downs of life and spend time sharing and talking with no empty house or bed to come home to.
We both know that this life is very short and someday we will have to face grief again - death can't be escaped. It is why we place much treasure in our heavenly bank! Without it we would not have the hope we do, to see our spouses again or be "expected in heaven".
