A place where friends and family can come and get an update on Jim and Gloria. A place to share pictures, laughs, wisdom, prayers, gripes and probably a few tears, too.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
PET Scan
Well, we are going for another PET scan to see how well this chemo is working and whether we should continue. We keep praying for healing. Hope you are, too.
I found this post from a mutual missionary friendin Mexico. Sometimes someone else's words comfort more than those we know well. Sometimes those closest to us fumble their words and can't quite get out what they want to say, maybe in part because of their own grief in what their dear friend or family member is going through. In any case, this post about difficult times and suffering ministered to me and I thought it might minister to you. So from a missionary in Mexico to you, may you be ministered to by these words:
Thorns and thrones
I’ve always loved roses. Growing up in Bolivia, we often had fresh bouquets. It is fun to be in a country where this is possible once again! But even more, I love their significance. I was just reading about how roses give out their best fragrance when they are crushed (and this is how perfume is made from them). We don’t seek out hard times, yet in past times God has taught me that “hard” is not necessarily “bad”. The past weeks for us have been challenging…times of tears…and yet, times of growth.
…being reminded of our own great need for Him through seeing more of our own sin and experiencing His grace.
…learning how much we need to give grace and love others more
……hurting with our friends (from seminary days), Pablo and Sara, who recently lost their one year old through a tragic accident. We can’t imagine the pain they are feeling and we don’t understand why…Yet, in the midst of it, a young man accepted the Lord at the funeral because he said he saw their eyes filled with pain, but also saw the incredible power of God working in and through them, sustaining them. He saw the hope a real relationship with God gives and he longed for that.
Their testimony in the midst of incredible pain is an encouragement and challenge to us. Our hope and prayer is that people would know we are “real” people…who hurt and struggle, BUT that God’s power is at work in our own “jars of clay”…and that through Him working in us and changing us, others would want to truly KNOW Him.
Interestingly, before many of the “hard” things of the last few weeks happened, I was reminded once again of a favorite poem…
THORNS AND THRONES
I’d rather gather roses without thorns, Lord, A bright and fragrant, beautiful bouquet. To decorate my world with pretty pleasures - The brambles and the briers, I’ll throw away.
But You say I must pluck the thorns as well, Lord, Though they’ll pierce my heart and sting my soul; You say that pain’s a part of peace, You tell me, that breaking is a part of being whole.
You say that if I truly want to know You, I must count everything but Christ a loss; You ask me to exchange my will for Yours, Lord, To trade contentment’s kingdom for a cross.
And so I come before You, weak but willing; I seek to walk Your path, and not my own; I choose to share the crown of thorns You wore, Lord, Until I kneel before Your royal throne.
It's funny...I have truly learned that hard isn't bad. I really have. And I know that growth comes from it. And yet isn't it funny that no matter how much we grow and how great it is, we'll trade the hard for good in a second. Like kids in a candy shop.
2 comments:
Dear Jim and Dolly,
I found this post from a mutual missionary friendin Mexico. Sometimes someone else's words comfort more than those we know well. Sometimes those closest to us fumble their words and can't quite get out what they want to say, maybe in part because of their own grief in what their dear friend or family member is going through. In any case, this post about difficult times and suffering ministered to me and I thought it might minister to you. So from a missionary in Mexico to you, may you be ministered to by these words:
Thorns and thrones
I’ve always loved roses. Growing up in Bolivia, we often had fresh bouquets. It is fun to be in a country where this is possible once again! But even more, I love their significance. I was just reading about how roses give out their best fragrance when they are crushed (and this is how perfume is made from them). We don’t seek out hard times, yet in past times God has taught me that “hard” is not necessarily “bad”. The past weeks for us have been challenging…times of tears…and yet, times of growth.
…being reminded of our own great need for Him through seeing more of our own sin and experiencing His grace.
…learning how much we need to give grace and love others more
……hurting with our friends (from seminary days), Pablo and Sara, who recently lost their one year old through a tragic accident. We can’t imagine the pain they are feeling and we don’t understand why…Yet, in the midst of it, a young man accepted the Lord at the funeral because he said he saw their eyes filled with pain, but also saw the incredible power of God working in and through them, sustaining them. He saw the hope a real relationship with God gives and he longed for that.
Their testimony in the midst of incredible pain is an encouragement and challenge to us. Our hope and prayer is that people would know we are “real” people…who hurt and struggle, BUT that God’s power is at work in our own “jars of clay”…and that through Him working in us and changing us, others would want to truly KNOW Him.
Interestingly, before many of the “hard” things of the last few weeks happened, I was reminded once again of a favorite poem…
THORNS AND THRONES
I’d rather gather roses without thorns, Lord,
A bright and fragrant, beautiful bouquet.
To decorate my world with pretty pleasures -
The brambles and the briers, I’ll throw away.
But You say I must pluck the thorns as well, Lord,
Though they’ll pierce my heart and sting my soul;
You say that pain’s a part of peace,
You tell me, that breaking is a part of being whole.
You say that if I truly want to know You,
I must count everything but Christ a loss;
You ask me to exchange my will for Yours, Lord,
To trade contentment’s kingdom for a cross.
And so I come before You, weak but willing;
I seek to walk Your path, and not my own;
I choose to share the crown of thorns You wore, Lord,
Until I kneel before Your royal throne.
~ by B. J. Hoff
Hi Rach:
That is beautiful. Thanks for sharing that.
It's funny...I have truly learned that hard isn't bad. I really have. And I know that growth comes from it. And yet isn't it funny that no matter how much we grow and how great it is, we'll trade the hard for good in a second. Like kids in a candy shop.
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