Surprise!

The last two weeks have been full of surprises. Unfortunately, not the happy-variety of surprises. Rather, startling, disappointing, and frustrating varieties of surprises. These surprises have taken us some time to digest. It's been a rough two weeks here.

I'm not intentionally being vague, (and I am happy to chat with you in private should you desire to know more) but as this blog serves as a chronicle of our lives together here at The Gang's Headquarters, I feel pressed to get some of it down. To record what we know, what God is doing, and wrap my brain around how this is going to change and grow us as a family.  Yesterday on F@ce-book, I posted this status:

"When I am faced with a hard season in my life, my goal (and my prayer, really) is to face it and move through it with more grace and more maturity than the previous times I faced hard times. Some days, that feels pretty attainable. Other days, not so much. Today, I am thankful for friends who spur me on to that grace and encourage me to seek to persevere."

This post (and likely the many that will follow in the coming days!) is my attempt to stand on the foundations of the hard things we have faced before and look forward to the grace and maturity I desire to see in my life as we face these surprises. To encourage myself, through the encouragements offered by others over these last two weeks, and to affirm my Cornerstone.

Here is what I know. What I am standing on today.

He is Faithful. It's His character and He cannot and will not lie about who He is. To me, to this season, or to any of you. This is just one of His many promises to that end:

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains –

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip -

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you –

the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm -

he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

He is Our Defender. Again, it's His character. He covers and protects and champions those who seek His face and call Him "Father."

Psalm 37: 1-9

Do not fret because of those who are evil 

or be envious of those who do wrong; 

for like the grass they will soon wither, 

like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the LORD and do good; 

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 

Take delight in the LORD, 

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD; 

trust in him and he will do this: 

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, 

your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD 

and wait patiently for him; 

do not fret when people succeed in their ways, 

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; 

do not fret—it leads only to evil. 

For those who are evil will be destroyed, 

but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

He has a plan for us. He has a GOOD plan for us. Over the last two weeks, that didn't FEEL true. But thanks to my amazing parents, I have learned that this walk of faith is NOT based upon what I feel. It's based upon HIS WORD. HIS TRUTH. And it's just that: a walk of faith. It's standing on the Word and saying, "I choose to believe THIS, even if I feel that." I'm choosing. And I'm standing.

Romans 8:26-28

From The Message

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting,

God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along.

If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter.

He does our praying in and for us,

making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.

He knows us far better than we know ourselves,

knows our pregnant condition,

and keeps us present before God.

That's why we can be so sure that every detail

in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

and

Psalm 71:5-8

For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,

my confidence since my youth.

From birth I have relied on you;

you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.

I will ever praise you.

I have become a sign to many;

you are my strong refuge.

My mouth is filled with your praise,

declaring your splendor all day long.

And so praise Him we will. Even when we can barely choke out the words. Even when we cannot see right now how it will all work together, let along together for our good. He does. And for now, I am trusting in that.

Come on back later in the week and I'll attempt to share more of our journey. In the meantime, your prayers for peace, continued faith, and perseverance for the path ahead. This Gang appreciates it more than you know.