oh, how He loves us!

i find myself in a funny place tonight. so many things happening. while at moments i may be saddened emotionally or begin to feel uncertain, i know that i can find joy and comfort in trusting and knowing God is still completely control.

sometimes the reminders we receive, the most powerful ones are the most subtle ones: not the jolt or jab of lightening, not with a whack of the frying pan to the head, and sometimes not even with an expansive fireworks display in the sky...no...sometimes its a simple message so clear and plain in language that there's no denying its true intent and message.

the extended family was in town over the weekend and i can only say that their presence was such a comfort in the absence of my parents who were on their way to be with my sister. so completely glad my folks and Cary's mom an auntie made it there safely.

tomorrow is a big day! it will be a long and hard one for everyone involved but mostly for my sister. i spent time tonight praying for her and for Cary. life has changed in so many unexpected ways since the day she said "I do" (Aug 2004). I don't think on that day, she would've imagine she'd be standing where she is tonight. i dont know how to describe the emotions i encountered in praying for her. i think i've never wanted anything more for someone i love than for this situation to go well. i love both my siblings and would give my life for either one of them. it is never easy to watch them walk down a difficult road in life or to see them experience pain and not be able do something tangibly to ease the pain.

my heart and mind are decidedly with my family in minneapolis tonight. i know that it is tough for the rest of the family who had to remain in Texas. i'm so thankful for technology and txt messaging. I'll be posting updates of Cary's progress so that those of you who have been and will continue to pray can now how things are going. i encourage you to continue praying for them. sometimes we dont know exactly what someone needs but we know our Heavenly Father knows perfectly what those needs are and how to meet them.

i dont understand why we go through the things we go through. i dont have the answers to life's mysteries. i dont even know the complete plans to this life we're living in...but i know One who does. because of His unfailing love, i know we can find peace and comfort. find what we need when our hearts hurt beyond measure. when it seems those we love and trust most have failed us and left us...when we're betrayed and left stranded on the side of the road..His love never fails. It endures all things and it is what carries us through dark times even when we fail to recognize it. It never leaves us..it is always there.

i realize that in moments like these we have a choice: to point blame at someone or some thing or to focus on something beyond that...but honestly...where does blame drive and deliver us to? a place of anger and hurt? its not a place i wish to dwell. i've been through far too much to know better.

but for some reason, i've been floundering in that...its as if i've known it in my head but failed to make the resolute connection in my heart. and i've caught glimpses of it but life's activities have managed to grab my attention for a moment causing me to truly lose sight.

its easy to be distracted by the things in life that carry no real merit...that in the grand scheme of things mean little. i received word late last night that a long time ministry friend who had been hospitalized went into cardiac arrest and had a collapsed lung. i received word this morning that he had finished the race and went home to be with Jesus.

While we are saddened by his departure (some would consider it pre-mature), in our hearts we know he is rejoicing, that he is well, and he is in the presence of our maker. what better place to be than that? its what we are striving for as christians and believers...to run the race and run it well.

i've written many times from scripture that life is but a vapor...and even more so now is that most apparent. given the situation faced by my sister and bro-in-law..i've realized that there are things in my own life that i've held onto that are petty and trivial in the grand scheme of things.

its in these moments that we can take stock of our lives to rid ourselves of those things that hinder us from running the race well. that has been the process i've endured in these last few weeks. there are times when i feel that i'm failing miserably at it but i can only trust and lean on the Father to show me the when's, where's, and how's.

being broken is necessary to be rid of those "old familar" habits in order to be made into something new. its never an easy or painless process either. we want it to be...but would we really see it and would we really know why it was necessary if it was just gone without any giving? any realization that it must be gone?

a friend sent me the following link and i can only say that any fears, any worries, any anxieties were quickly overcome in knowing that Yes He Loves us and not just that He loves us but in knowing HOW He loves us. There is nothing that can separate us from His love...nothing in all creation...no height, no depth, no thing in the present or thing to come in the future...the love of God is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:38-39 (English Standard Version)

38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is such great comfort in that...and that's my prayer for my family that they would know the love of God and know How He loves us. I have high hopes and such trust that God will see us through all things...there's no doubt and no waivering. What is to be done will be done as it was ordained from the beginning of time. that is where my heart rests and tomorrow when the sun rises, i will continue to trust and continue to walk not in what i can see but in what cannot be seen.
 
to some it may seem crazy and foolish but it is what we know is in our best interest because just as when the sun rises, when it sets: His love for us will remain and it will endure.



we continue to pray and hope....you can follow tomorrow's updates here:

http://caryrasberry.blogspot.com/

so glad that He does love us!

How He Loves US

He is jealous for me,

Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…