Learn from the Trials

Just sitting down for a quick lunch break at work, and I decided I wanted to write something after my real inspirational post I left last night...righhhhht...I was feeling a bit sorry for myself...which, if I think about it hard enough, there is no room for that. My little baby has it far worse than her parents do, and I need to be strong for our family.

The reason for this post came from a cd I was again listening to this morning called "Learn from the Trials" by Pastor Robert Dickie. He gave much insite on trials. What I realized quickly, is although our world seems to be crashing in at times, we arent the only people hurting and struggling in life. We all have trials, probably many of you reading this right now, that none of us know about. The current trial that the Westra's are having right now, is also a blessing in many ways. Its brought a community together, friends and family, trying to do all they can to help a struggling family. Its brought us much closer to God, and many times, He sends us all trials to realize that we aren't in charge, even though our minds think we are.

So the rest of this post is for all of you who are going through you own trials. Im not trying to preach at you (we all know Im definately not qualified to do that), I just want to give some perspective that helped me this morning. I think it might be theraputic for me as well to get this out :) (sorry, being selfish again :)

One point he makes comes from Psalm 30:5b "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." I wish this was a literal meaning and that when we wake up in the morning all our problems go away for the day and we get to start over, but it means a season. Some of our trials may last days, weeks, months, years, even a lifetime. We dont know how long little Melanie will go through this, but we know that joy cometh in the morning. Believers in Christ dont have sorrow forever. It lasts, only for a moment in God's eyes. We have that comfort that He will carry us through.

The Bible mentions many events by leading with the words "And it came to pass". What this means is that those events happenED. (to any pastors reading this, please correct me if Im wrong...im a bit concerned there is going to be a series of sermons in all your churches called 'correcting Jeffs remarks') Those events occurED. Just as our trials come to pass. They are here, and they leave after a season. God carries us through them.
Let this be our comfort.

Thank you again for all of your prayers. One thing I would like to add, since we are trying to use this to keep you posted on Melanie's progress :) Melanie might not be waking up in the middle of the night to be fed at our house, but I was paying the price of having a new baby around this morning. I loved it! I woke up wayyyyy early to go sit with her before work, and I really enjoyed it. She lay sleeping the whole time, but she was with it enough to grab dads hand when I got there. She was very peaceful, probably wore out from yesterdays events yet, but she looked good. To all parents: (by the way, Mark and Kristin Bleyenberg had their baby last night as well! CONGRATS!) I feel your pain losing sleep, but the eyes of children are soooo precious. We only have a brief time with them....lets make the moments count.

Ill put a post up tonite, and it wont be a sermon :)

Love you all