May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
Can you hold your breath through a tunnel?
On vacation or road trips, I remember a game where we tried to hold our breath while we crossed a bridge or drove through a tunnel. I think that was our parents' way of getting us quiet for a few minutes. Oh, wait, I was the parent, and yes, it was the perfect game for a moment of peace.
In my travels, I've never been a fan of crossing bridges,
especially long ones. I remember on one trip we drove across a long curving
bridge over water, and my stomach turned into ball of nerves. On other trips,
we've traveled through tunnels, and I loved them. When Hannah lived in the
Carolina's we drove through a couple of long tunnels that snaked under
mountains, and I was always excited to see the light at the other end. There's
something about the anticipation of seeing daylight shine on the way out.
While riding through a tunnel in a car with headlights can
be fun, navigating life in the dark isn't. Depression, illness, sorrow, pain, and
sin can all cause darkness to swallow the light. But I have good news. Jesus'
light outshines all the darkness in the world.
For many years, I struggled with anxiety and some depression,
but Jesus didn't leave me there. He guided me to find a doctor who could help,
he answered prayers, and gave me hope. But in order to see the light at the end
of the tunnel, I first had to find the tunnel. God's word, His voice of truth,
lit my way through the place I needed to walk. On the other end, I found joy
and hope.
Maybe you know the way to the tunnel that provides light,
but haven't driven there yet. Maybe you're in the tunnel and well on your way
to the light. Maybe you've missed the tunnel altogether. No matter what, keep
moving toward Jesus and seek His light. He loves every one of us.
Book Description:
If any place on God's earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland.
Surely here, at her brother-in-law's Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can
recover from the events of the recent past--the loss of her husband during the
1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at
a sanatorium, and her girls' experience in an orphanage during her illness. At
Meadowland, hope blooms as their past troubles become rich soil in which their
faith can grow.
Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother's widow and her
girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep,
and the evidence of it is written across his face. Badly scarred by a fire and
abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt
again. But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and
unlock the secret to true healing.
My Thoughts:
I so connected with Rose's daughter Sienna. What a delightful child! I loved
how she saw the wonder in everything. Calla, too. She was so conscientious
and caring. As I read along and found out more about Meadowland, I wanted to
live there. Gabhart took the heartbreak and suffering of Rose and Dirk and created
a beautiful story of healing and hope, spun with a bit of mystery. If you enjoy
a good story driven by strong characters with an amazing setting and a
satisfying ending, you'll want to read Where the Meadow Blooms. I received a
complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.
Philippians
2:1-4
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any
tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one
mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in
humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests
but each of you to the interests of the others.
I love
the song by For King and Country called Relate. They asked the question of how
we relate to a variety of people, and that we all experience heartache and joy
even if it is in different ways.
When I
worked at the college library, I met a lot of people who were different than
me. Yet we all had many things in common. We all experienced heartache, joy,
anxiety, stress, love, hope, and the list could go on. Our lives were varied,
yet we could relate to one another in some way.
I remember a
student who visited the library daily. He saw the world through a different
lens than most of us. He didn't like his routine to be interrupted, and he wanted
to sit at the same computer and stay on the track he created for himself. Fortunately
for me, I got to know him and found he cared about life as much as I did. He
may not have functioned the same as me, but he had similar feelings, dreams,
and experiences.
In
Philippians, Paul has written a letter to the church in Philippi. He is simply
asking them to see each other through God's eyes as valuable contributors to
the Kingdom of God. As a believer, I know God has called me to love others, to
see souls, and to encourage where I can no matter who God places in my path. He
asks me to be humble and place others burdens before mine. In our busy world,
it's not easy to stay focused on the needs of others, but God wants me to
cherish others and seek to help in any way I can.
Look beyond
the outside of people, see them with God's eyes.
