Life was simple then

There was a time when big uncles who teased you about your red hair were the biggest problem in your life.

There was a time when you sang "I am six, going on seven..." rather than "I am sixteen, going on seventeen..." and the thing you looked forward to most in life was actually being the real age of the song.

There was a time when the thing that made you the most nervous as a four-year-old was wondering if Mom would notice when she walked into the room that you had rewound Cinderella and were watching it for a second time that day.

There was a time when your favorite thing to do was also something you got to do a lot - watch your daddy work in the garage.

There was a time when you realized as you looked at a picture of Jesus on the cross in Sunday school that He was dying there for you, and you just wanted to be His little girl.

Now is the time your two big papers and two big projects and two big tests all due within the next three weeks are the biggest problem in your life.

Now is the time when you watch the sweet young families at church and the thing you look forward to most is being married and raising a family with a man you love and serving the Lord together with your whole hearts.

Now is the time when the thing that makes you the most nervous is whether or not you'll actually have the strength to get through the next five weeks of school and then how you'll feel when you leave behind all the people you've come to love.

Now is the time when your favorite thing to do is also something you get to do quite frequently - love and serve others and tell them about Jesus.

Now is the time when you share Jesus with people and realize that He is still the same God He was seventeen years ago when you first trusted Him and that you are still a sinner and He is still the savior and that He is mighty to save and gracious to love and forgive and so worthy of your whole life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life is kind of hard right now...that's what I've been feeling since we got back from Peru. But the Lord has given me and some of my friends the opportunity to do some prison ministry. We've been going to the county jail and leading several Bible studies each Sunday night and it has been amazing. These women that my sisters and I get to minister to have suffered so much and have seen such hard things in life, and they don't even have Jesus to get them through it! Who am I to complain? Yeah, life was a lot easier and simpler when I was a little girl, and even still before I came to Emmaus, but I STILL SERVE THE SAME GOD!!!!!! And He is with me. Praise Him!

I've been thinking a lot about joy lately. Habakkuk 3:18 says "I will rejoice in the Lord." I WILL rejoice. It's a choice I need to make. When I say, "Lord, this is a tough circumstance, but I am going to trust you on it and accept your will for me," I relinquish it to Him and ask Him for help and then, after I choose to obey, He gives me peace and yes, even a quiet joy.

But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. Psalm 141:8