Reflection

Last year I attended the Discipleship Walk, this is a weekend of spiritual renewal, growth and an opportunity to create a closer relationship with Jesus. That was one year ago this weekend. Reflecting back on that weekend, my journey was forever changed. I developed new and meaningful relationships and my relationships that were established prior to the weekend were strengthened. Those relationships are a strong hold for me now. In addition to my walk with Christ, that was also changed forever.

At the end of the weekend we got a devotional, the devotions are day by day, and last year I decided I would wait until this year to use it. The title is God Calling. It is written from Gods perspective, as if he is talking direct to me ... I felt the need to share my reading from yesterday

Love Bangs the Door
Life with Me is not immunity from difficulties, but peace in difficulties. My guidance is often by shut doors. Love bangs as well as opens. Joy is the result of faithful trusting acceptance of My Will, when It seems not joyous.

Saint Paul, my servant, learnt this lesson of the banged doors when he said "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Expect rebuffs until this is learned - it is the only way.
Joy is the daughter of calm.

Nothing over the past 6 months has been easy in the natural. When we received the news during our first ultra sound at 17 weeks that we were looking at Trisomy 13 - and the prognosis was not good. It was another 2 weeks when we found out that our tests had come back showing yes, Trisomy 13. We were given information that the likelihood for our pregnancy to make it full term and to have a live birth was unlikely. Considering that - Aaron and I have been so extremely blessed that we carried Jeremy for 40 weeks and had the opportunity to hold our son - alive and be with him when he passed. Today I marvel at that blessing and miracle.

I can only image considering this passage what greater Glory He has planned ... in that I enter into a peace that surpasses understanding. Then a feeling of JOY that can not be described - the Lord does hold us in his palm. Now please do not assume that tears are not being shed, at any given moment there are tears and there is sadness, but again we have been so covered in prayer we come out on the other side with some new thought of what a blessing Jeremy continues to be.

Today Aaron took the final things over to the funeral home, which I am sure was no easy task, but he was able to take care of that. We have finalized the plans for the services next week - prayers are always welcome. THANK YOU ALL!

GRACE AND PEACE!