“Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. They shall be My people, and I will be their God; then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.” Jeremiah 32:37-41

Many times my children like to be reassured of my love for them, as most children often do. It is an innate need that they have- to know how much they are loved. I had this conversation with my son today (many of you have probably had the same conversation, maybe while your child is in trouble or feeling a little insecure)- he asked me if I loved him, and I assured him I do. He responded, “Even when I have an ugly attitude?” and I responded, “Of course. I will always love you, regardless of your ugly attitude or bad choices. There is nothing you can do or will do to make me stop loving you.” Sound familiar? I have this conversation a lot with my kids. They always crawl out of my lap with a huge smile on their faces, feeling confident in my affection for them, even after an infraction or being disciplined. The discipline is not fun, but is necessary- but so is the reassurance that the need for discipline in no way hinders my love for them.

I wonder when it is in the growing-up process that we lose that ability to trust so confidently in someone’s love for us?  I have often written about the failings of human beings to live up to our expectations or even needs- and many times, we fail to live up to our own expectations of what we think other people need from us, causing us to question our worth or the infallibility of their love for us. As adults, we often have a hard time accepting the nature of love, just because. Love, without end. Love that never fails. (At least, we have a hard time accepting it for ourselves, but find it easy to give to our children.) That is a major reason why people have a problem trusting in God- the instability of human love causes us to question how anyone, much less a holy God, could possibly love us without end and without reason. Sometimes we have such a hard time loving ourselves that THAT kind of love seems impossible. Sometimes we think that the things we do or have done can only mean that God’s love is not for us, and never could be- that it is only for those who deserve it.

While I was working on my Bible study recently, I ran across the passage at the beginning of this post. I am making my way through the book of Jeremiah in the OT. I have just come through Isaiah, an entire book about God wooing Israel and Israel continually turning their back and betraying Him. How unlovable they seem! Then I get to Jeremiah, which admittedly is a tough book to get through- God is pretty much fed up with the behavior of His chosen people- the broken covenants, the false gods, the false teaching- and decides to discipline them. And the discipline is harsh, as it takes a lot to get through to people with centuries of disobedience and stubbornness under their belts. But there, in the middle of the book, I come across this gem- God, in His righteous anger, is telling them that He LOVES them, unconditionally. That He wants the BEST for them and their children because of that love, and that He will do what it takes to get their attention. In the middle of the discipline, in the middle of His anger, there is mercy and forgiveness and love. He hints then at what the entire OT is pointing to- Jesus. Even after centuries of Israel’s defiance, He gives them Jesus- the ultimate gift act of forgiveness from a loving God.  Does this mean that He stops disciplining their bad behavior and disobedience? No, a loving parent does not ignore the disobedience of their children. They correct it for the good of the child. The point is that God continues to pour out love on His (VERY) undeserving children- and He still does. He gives them second chances- and third chances, and fourth chances, and so on- offering them every opportunity to GET it. To accept it.

There are many notable incidents in the Bible of God giving second chances to people who are, for all intents and purposes, too far gone to be forgiven by a holy God.
-Adam and Eve: (Genesis 3) The very first people on earth engaged in the very first sin. They did the one thing that God asked them to NOT do, and they had consequences- they had to leave the Garden and would experience hard work, pain, and ultimately death. However, instead of doing away with this creation immediately, God still saw them as a worthy creation and multiplied them throughout the world.

-Cain: (Genesis 4) Cain, in a jealous fit of rage, murdered his brother and then tried to hide it from God. God disciplined him for his sin- but in the midst of his discipline, God put a “mark” (literally “sign” or “promise”) on Cain that would keep him safe during his life. His mercy kept Cain alive.

-Peter: (Luke 22:54-62) One of Jesus’s most devoted disciples, Peter was beloved despite his big mouth and propensity for sticking his foot in it. After Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Jesus three times- after assuring Jesus of his devotion. Peter was heartbroken by his denial. Jesus appeared to Peter and his other disciples after his resurrection, and in John 21:15-19, Jesus spoke to Peter. Having obviously forgiven him for his denial, Jesus commissioned Peter to go out and “feed My sheep”- a huge mark of favor and mercy. Peter went on to become instrumental in the spreading of the Gospel in the early church (Acts), and even died a martyr’s death for following Jesus.

-Paul: (Acts) Saul was a Pharisee- a Jewish man educated in Jewish tradition and law, who zealously persecuted the early church. Acts 8:3 says “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” In chapter 9 Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (this was after the crucifixion and resurrection), and was converted by the experience. His name was changed to Paul, and he then zealously preached Christ and the Gospel, and because of Paul and his ministry and work, people are still being converted and entering into a relationship with Jesus today. Paul authored much of the NT.

These are just four stories- there are many more recorded in the Bible, and countless incidents throughout history. Each day is a second chance for those who believe in Him. Lamentations 3:22-24 says, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him!’”.  Just as I feel glad that each day gives me a new chance to do things “right” with my kids, I am also reassured that each day is a chance to glorify God and move my life into accordance with His will. And if I blow it? Tomorrow is another day, and God is a God of second chances for those who love Him. Including me.

Just as we offer second chances to our children, just as we discipline them but love them regardless, so God treats us- and how much more! “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:13) “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4-5) “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shalle be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:38-39)

"He is the rock, His ways are perfect; for all His ways are justice; a God of truth and without injustice, righteous and upright is He." Deuteronomy 32:4
"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." 2 Samuel 22:31
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"
Romans 3:10
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:22-24

This post is going to be a little different than the posts I usually write in this series, but it is something I want to share with you.

One thing that you should understand about me is that I get into "modes". I will get wrapped up in one thing or another, and for a season, I will really put my focus on that- and then that season will be over, and I will be done for a while. Sewing is one of those "seasons" that come and go. After Halloween, and after pulling out the trusty sewing machine to sew some costumes, I decided to pull out a few old projects that I had started at one time and never completed. One of these projects is a quilt for a good friend from back when I only had one child and an overwhelming desire to be a quilter. Then I had my second child and basically the next five years disappeared, while this quilt top languished in my craft room. This dear friend, who knew about the quilt, finally stopped asking about it, but it has always been there on that tucked-away "to-do" list we all have that we know will take a lifetime to complete. I found the quilt while rummaging through my craft room for something else, and decided that it really needed to be completed. So, I brought it upstairs, laid it out, and got to work.

And laughed.

Why? Well, simply because this quilt reminded me of a young me. I started this quilt when I was pretty newly married, a relatively new mom, and I had only just learned how to sew the year before (and I, of course, thought that I was ready for quilting! Ah, how naive we are when we are young!). Almost five years have passed since then. Five years. A lot has changed in five years! On a shallow level, I have learned a lot more about sewing since I started that quilt, and that is what made me laugh- this poor quilt, while beautiful to look at, is such a mess of inexpertly-sewn seams, edges, and corners. Back then, as a new "seamstress" (and I use that term VERY loosely), I thought that I was pretty clever and I didn't NEED all those steps that the books said I needed. Seam allowance? Don't make me laugh. Ironing? Hah. (Ok, I admit it- I'm still like that!). No need for all that, it just takes time. This is good enough.
But tonight, while I was ironing this quilt, I was smiling about how pitiful it was. I am relatively certain that, if she ever sticks this quilt in the washing machine, it will completely fall apart! It is anything but perfect, honestly, but there is not a lot I can do about it at this point- I should have just done it correctly to begin with. I can try to disguise some of the worst flaws, go back over some of them, but it will never be perfect.

Part of me wonders why I should even bother finishing it. You see, the friend that this quilt is for is the person who taught me how to sew in the first place- so I KNOW that she will see all of those imperfections. Her perfect eye for details will catch all of those mistakes and shortcuts. She will KNOW. But the thing about this friend is that, while she sees those imperfections, she knows ME. She knows how young and inexperienced I was when I started that quilt. She knows how busy life got after I started it. She knows quite a lot about me, actually, because she met me as I was just starting out on my adult life- new wife, expectant mom- and has mentored me through all of those stages, and the stages that have come since then. She has taught me quite a lot about life, and womanhood and motherhood, and (of course), sewing. She has taught me lots of other stuff as well.

As the leader of a Bible study I was in from about the time I started the quilt until last spring, she has taught me a lot about God-  and most of it has been through example. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that perfection can NEVER be attained this side of heaven, no matter how much we pretend. Never. It's impossible. As moms, as women, and as Christians, we seem to have this deep-rooted desire to make everyone around us think that we have things under control. Our families are great, we are perfectly happy, nothing goes badly- or, if it does, we handle it with great aplomb. Nothing ruffles our feathers or messes up our hair. We are perfect. No struggles, no fears, no mistakes. That's what we want everyone to believe. But it is a lie. We are lying to everyone else, and we are lying to ourselves.

Another lie is that we think that other women have everything completely under control- that THEIR lives are perfect, that their kids are perfect, that nothing ever goes wrong for them. "Oh, it is easy for HER to be joyful... she doesn't have to deal with (insert problem here)." It's a LIE. Satan tells us these lies because he LIKES when we feel badly about ourselves. We don't measure up. We can't do anything right. This bad day makes you a bad mom, a bad wife, a bad Christian. It's a lie.
"He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44

Another lie? That we can't measure up in God's eyes. SHOULD we measure up in God's eyes? No, I don't think so- we are sinful and He is perfect, and our sin separates us from God. We are nothing before His holiness. But DO we measure up? Absolutely- because He has made a way, through Jesus's death on the cross, to bring us back to Him, to redeem us from our sins, our mistakes, and our guilt. And He loves us, warts and all- bad days, mistakes, sin- He loves us. But Satan tells us, "Why would God love you? HOW could God love you? You can't measure up to His standards, and He will never forgive you for (insert sin here). You have to be perfect, and you aren't perfect, so don't bother- God won't care about you." LIES!!! Lies.
Even before God created us, He knew what would happen- He knew that Eve would eat that fruit, that the Israelites would choose idols over Him again and again, that His people would crucify His Son on a cross, that I would choose to sin daily- He knew all of that. But He did it all anyways. ALL of it. Creation. Redemption. His Son. All of it. He knew, but He loved us enough, before we were ever even created, to make a way to redeem us and make us perfect. It was worth it to Him. We were worth it to Him. I was worth it to Him.

The remarkable thing about salvation is that there IS no other way to Him- and He has given us this way to Him, freely. And His way is the perfect way, and His way MAKES us perfect. Do you know what the Bible says about sin after we have been forgiven by our Father? That He remembers it no more. NO MORE. It is gone, wiped away, and is completely forgotten. We are new, perfect creatures before Him. Perfect. PERFECT. Yes, even you. Even me.
"Then He adds: 'Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.'" Hebrews 10:17
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
""God is my strength and my power, and He makes my way perfect." 2 Samuel 22:33

I don't know about you, but I remember my sins. I carry guilt around with me about so much. I still shed tears about the one and only time I ever told my daughter to shut up (which I asked forgiveness for from her, even though she was very young, and she freely gave it). I still shudder to think about things I have done, mistakes I have made, that I can't forgive myself for. I think that we can be harder on ourselves that God is on us. Maybe that is because we don't love ourselves the way He loves us. Maybe that is because we can't see ourselves the way He sees us. What if we could? What would life look like then? If we could see ourselves as beloved and perfect, as daughters of God who are glorious in His sight, maybe we would stop being so hard on ourselves and everyone else.

This friend of mine, especially in recent years, has really opened my eyes to this issue of perfectionism and the need to measure up in everyone's eyes, and our failure to do so in our own. She has been such a wonderful example to me, and this has taught me so much about the personality of God- His love for us, and His grace that covers our imperfections and wipes them away completely.

Like my quilt, I am not perfect. I started it five years ago, when I was just starting out on so many journeys- motherhood, marriage, "domestic diva-ness"- and was not very far along in my Christian walk. I have come a long away in all of those areas, but have so far to go- and I will never "get there", this side of heaven. Do I give up? No way. I will run the race set out before me ("Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." Heb. 12:1-2a). But I know that I will stumble, that I will fall, that I will cry, that I will bleed... that I will want to give up. That I will feel like things are not worth doing because I can't do them perfectly. But, as my friend so often says to me, "There's grace for that."

She will look at my quilt, and while the imperfections will be visible, I don't think she'll see them. I think that she will just see the journey it has been, and the love that has gone into it, and the lessons I have learned- and the sacrifices that have been made to get to this point- and she will accept it, just as it is, and will treasure it anyways, as if it was perfect (even if it can't go in the washing machine!). And what better example of Christ's love could there be than that?

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." Titus 2:3-5

Thank you, my friend, for all you have taught me. Your quilt should be done by Christmas. (And if either of her daughters are reading this, do NOT tell your mom! It's a surprise! ;) )

* I know it is not actually Friday, but I didn't get a chance to do my Faithful Fridays post last week and it has been nagging at me. Funnily enough, I had already felt what I needed to be writing about- but during my quiet time this morning God really brought it to my attention! :) I love how timely His word always is! I was reading in Nehemiah chapter 9, and if you get a chance, I would encourage you to read it- it is a great summary of the events in the OT, and really shows how faithful, merciful, and patient God truly is! Ok, on to my post. :)

"The Lord is righteous in all of His ways, gracious in all of His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him." Psalm 145:17-19

"The Lord said, 'I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel." Exodus 16:11

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses." Psalm 107:13

"I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live." Psalm 116:1-2

"I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place." Psalm 118:5

"You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea." Nehemiah 9:9

"And in the time of their trouble, when they cried out to You, You heard from heaven;  and according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hand of their enemies....  yet when they had teturned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; and many times You delivered them according to Your mercies." Nehemiah 9: 27, 28b

And on and on and on.
The Bible is a love story. From the very beginning, it is a story of God and His love for His people- people who betray Him, people who hurt Him, people who ignore Him. It is a story of His love and redemptive work for these undeserving people, from the very beginning of creation until now, and it continues on. The OT is, in its entirety, a story of God wooing these people before His redemptive plan is set in fully in motion by the death of His Son on the cross.

One thing that stands out to me is how often people in the Bible cry out to God, and circumstances in which they fall to their knees... bondage (Israelites, Exodus), hunger (Israelites in the wilderness, Exodus 16), poverty, inability to have a child (Rachel, Genesis 30:22; Hannah, 1 Samuel 1:19-20; Elizabeth, Luke 1:13), losing a child (David, 2 Samuel 13:16), war (Israelites, Isaiah), uncertainty... the list is lengthy... and a reflection of modern struggles. Another thing that stands out to me is how often, as soon as their needs (or wants) are met, the people go back to their idolatry and sinfulness and again turn their backs to God (until the next bad thing happens). We talked last time about God's faithfulness even in the face of that betrayal.

But yet, God continues to hear us. Every time we cry out to Him, with words or just in the pain of our hearts, He hears us. The Bible is full of proof. He hears us! He hears our pain and our struggles, our uncertainty and our worry. He hears us and He responds.

There are those who believe, however, that praying to God or telling Him what you need is an automatic "yes". That is not Biblical. There is not a "special prayer" that you can say to make God do what you want Him to do. He is not a genie! He does not exist to grant you your every desire. Thinking that you can control God by praying is a dangerous thought. Pastors and books who tell you this are making money off of you and perpetuating a lie. We are not promised God's compliance with our wishes. Realizing, however, that He does respond to prayer IS a powerful thought. Prayer not only serves to reflect your need for a God, but your trust in one- that you realize that there is Someone who is big enough to handle those prayers, those worries, those desires. That trust often serves as a catalyst for beneficial results, though they may not be the results we were after.

There are also those who believe that because they do not get the outcome they were praying for, God must not have been listening. That is not biblical either.  God doesn't ignore some prayers and listen to others. God doesn't turn His back on you because you have prayed the same thing day in and day out. He doesn't pick and choose. He hears them all- but the way He responds to things is a testament to His infinite wisdom. Sometimes He answers us with a no. Why? We don't always know. Looking for a purpose or a reason in every bad thing that happens to us can drive us crazy. This side of heaven, nothing is perfect. Nothing. Bad things happen. That is the effect of sin in a fallen world. But we do know that He has promised us this: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28. That doesn't mean He has to EXPLAIN why, or give us insight into why- but it does mean that we can trust that everything, even the bad things, even the "no" answers, work together for our good (and not just our good, but the good of others who love God)- and we can be comforted by that. We don't always know that people are going to be affected in a positive way by our struggles, or that what we go through will, in some way, have an impact on this world for Christ.
Paul is such a great example of this:

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Paul PLEADED with God. God said no. Paul's response? Rejoice in it- because it meant that God's power could rest on him, and he would be made stronger through Him. And the effect of this? Here we are, centuries later, still hearing this testimony and feeling comforted by it! Do you think Paul knew what kind of impact it would have on the world? Probably not... but he did receive peace from his own acceptance of God's answer and His perfect will... and sometimes that peace is the BEST thing we could ask for.

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,  so shall I be saved from my enemies." 2 Samuel 22:2-4

"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." 2 Samuel 22:31

"He is the Rock, His ways are perfect; for all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He." Deuteronomy 32:4

"A Father of the Fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His Holy habitation." Psalm 68:5

Trust. What is trust? In 2 Samuel 22:3, it is from the Hebrew word "chacah": "a prim. root; to flee for protection; fig. to confide in- have hope, make refuge, put trust."
Merriam-Webster defines it as the following:
-assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something
-dependence on something future or contingent: HOPE

Trust. In what do we trust? Our marriages? Our ability to provide for our families? Our friends? Our homes as a place of comfort and shelter?

We trust that our car will start when we get in, and that we will make it from point A to point B. We trust that once we have our kids, they are ours forever. We trust that we will be around to raise them.

We trust that justice will prevail, that those thousands of pictures sitting in our hard drive will be there when we (finally) get around to printing them. We trust that our water is safe to drink, that manufacturers of baby toys know what they are doing, and that "happily ever after" comes as soon as that ring is slipped on that finger.

And then what? Reality. Marriages fail. Friends let you down. Cars break down. Homes can be destroyed. Children grow up, grow indifferent, or pass away. Parents pass away too young. The justice system fails people. Computers crash. Water gets tainted. Toys get recalled. People lose jobs. Health fails.

Why should we trust in ANYTHING?

None of those things are promised to us. None. We are not promised an easy life, or a trouble-free life, or a life spared from disappointment or despair. Life is not fair. We learn that early on.

We ARE promised that we have a God we can trust! We are not promised a "normal" family life, but we are promised a Heavenly Father who loves us ("A Father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation." Psalm 68:5). We are not promised a trouble-free marriage, but we are promised that we are Beloved ("Let the beloved fo the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields Him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders" Deut. 33:12). We are not promised a steady income, but we are promised that our needs will be met ("And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, not have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you." Luke 12:29-31).  We are not assured of the faithfulness of people, but we are assured of the faithfulness of God  ("But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 43:3). We are not promised that tragedies will not happen, but we are promised comfort. ("He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all the faces." Isaiah 25:8)

And we can take those promises to the bank, because God is a God who never fails. He has made those promises to us, and God is incapable of lying- or even being wrong. He has proven Himself to mankind time after time after time- the Bible, from beginning to end, is a story of God's redemptive work and power and faithfulness to the people He loves, a story that constantly proves itself to be true. Everything in the Old Testament, from the building of the temple to the lists of family trees, from the creation of man to the Exodus, from King David to the treachery and idol-worship running rampant,  is in preparation for the Messiah. Everything He does- whether we consider it good or bad- is evidence of His divine plan at work in the world. Everything in the New Testament is evidence of His love and faithfulness and desire to have everyone come to knowledge of the Truth- and the peace that comes from that. For better or for worse (in our opinions), God is trustworthy to do what He says He will do. He will love us ("For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God..." Romans 8:38-39), He will comfort us ("Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30), He will redeem us (For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." Joel 2:32), and He will, from now until the end of time, be with us ("Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10).

It reminds me of that song by Needtobreathe, "Washed by the Water".
"Even when the rains come, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes, I am washed by the Water. Even when the earth crumbles under my feet, even when the ones I love turn around and crucify Me... I won't ever ever let you down." Love that song. And I love that it is true.

If you are going through something hard or terrible, God is trustworthy- you can trust Him that He will work it together for your good, that He cares, and that He loves you more than you could ever know- and that He knows firsthand what heartbreak is. You can trust Him with your anger- He can take it! You can trust Him with your sadness- He can comfort! You can trust him with Your doubts- He understands! You can trust him with your fears, your hurts, your past, present and future. You can trust Him.

"But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands." Deuteronomy 7:9

"He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He." Deut. 32:4

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

"For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You." Psalm 85:5

"Faithful Fridays". Well, not lately. I admit that I have shamefully neglected this important part of my blog, for no good reason besides being really super busy and tired, and the fact that there have been some major changes in my life, ministry-wise. I guess that has affected several areas, including this one, more than I was willing to admit. I am human, and to err is human- not perfect, not infallible, and sometimes, not very faithful to the most important things.

One of the reasons why I started this part of my blog is that I feel like it is important to counteract the tendency to "humanize" God- make him more like us so we can identify with Him or make him more REAL, somehow. The regretable thing about doing this is that it can really warp your view of God's character- if you are viewing God with human characteristics, you are making Him appear to be a God with human frailties. God is not human. God is not frail. God is God. The best way to counteract this tendency? Knowing who and what God's word says He is.

I don't know about you, but it makes me feel better to know that God is really nothing like me! He doesn't make mistakes, or let people down for no good reason, or let things slip Him by simply because He is tired or "burned out" or busy with other things. I am so imperfect and so susceptible to worldly traps and tricks, to sin, and to simple human frailty. What if the God I served was like that? What would be the point in serving a God like that?

Even more importantly, what if God "forgot" about me the way it is so easy for me to "forget" about Him? While I have not slacked off on my quiet time, I have slacked off in other areas- this being one. And there is always that temptation to "slack off" on Bible study or prayer time. We are busy people in a fast-paced world. It happens. But God never forgets about me- and He never forgets about you. Even when we ignore Him, or turn our backs on Him because of horrible circumstances that have challenged our faith, even when we find it hard to trust Him and trust IN Him, He never forgets about us. While I do believe that God's heart hurts for those that deny Him, He loves them just the same- much like how I would love my children even when they are telling me they hate me, or how I would wonder and worry and care for them even if they were adults with busy lives & never bothered to call me or communicate with me- and how much more is God capable of that kind of love! "Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!" Isaiah 49:15

There are always seasons in life- the "mountaintop" seasons when you feel peaceful and close to God, when everything is going well and everything is working out... and the "valley" seasons when you feel like you are trudging on alone, when finances are bad and children are stressful, when health fails or when people you respect and love hurt you terribly. I know that sometimes it is harder for me to "feel" God's presence, but I know that He can be counted on- and He says "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5 and Joshua 1:5). If I am feeling further from God, it is not because He has left my side. I also know that, during those times, when it is harder to "feel" God's presence, it is more of a blessing when I trust anyways and see evidence of His faithfulness and provision- it aways blows me away.

During a women's Bible study we studied the book "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver (AWESOME book). (If you don't know the story of Mary and Martha, you can read about it in Luke 10:38-42. It is such a perfect example of how the Bible is relevant WITHOUT help from churches- and is a great story for modern women!). Something she wrote has stayed with me for years as a picture of God's faithfulness. She wrote about how quiet time is time you are spending with God, and He always shows up for it- even if you don't. She came up with a powerful image of Christ sitting there in your living room, waiting patiently while you make the beds and change the diapers and put in a load of laundry- and all of the other ways we get distracted in the busy-ness of life- and feeling like you just don't have the TIME to sit down and spend with Him. "Just a minute, Jesus! Just a second! I have to take care of this!" That image has affected me so greatly that it stays with me whenever the temptation to skip a quiet time comes up- the thought of Jesus sitting there and me ignoring Him moves me to action! He is faithful to show up. "The Lord is righteous in all of His ways, gracious in all of His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth." Psalm 145:17-18

I am so glad that God is so much more than me, and so freely gives me love and grace that I don't deserve simply because He can. I feel blessed knowing that He is so far above being "humanized", and that He can be trusted- and counted on- because of His faithfulness. And how grateful am I that He loves me enough to forgive me for my own lack of faithfulness. :)