| But For All That I Am, I Am Blessed |
Many of us have suffered numerous tragedies in our lives. Some of us are walking
through the fire right now. I came to tell you something. God has not abandoned us.
He isn't punishing us. We are blessed.
Perhaps you are thinking, what? This woman is crazy! I know what her problem is.
Her elevator doesn't go to the top floor. All her marbles have fallen out of the bag.
When they were passing out brains, she thought they said "trains" and she missed
hers.
I wouldn't blame you for saying all of the above comments. I didn't know myself until
recently how blessed I've been. That's why I wanted to share this with you. Turn and
look behind you to see what has been in front of you. I know people say we should
never look back, but read on and you'll see what I mean.
I watched my father die a slow, tortuous death from liver disease when I was young,
but I had a father. He loved me. He laughed with me. He cried with me. I learned
what real strength was because of him. Shedding tears is not a sign of weakness
from any man. It takes a courageous man to be able to cry and share his true
feelings. My dad was this type of man. Some will never know their fathers at all. I was
fortunate to have known mine. For this, I am blessed.
I suffered years of abuse from a man in my past, but I survived. God saw me as
someone valuable and He redeemed me. He decided He would make me a vessel fit
for His use. Because of Him, and only Him, I am here. Because I lived to tell you this,
I am blessed.
I married a godly man and later gave birth to a beautiful little girl. She died when she
was only two days old, but I had a child. I remember her tiny life moving inside of me.
It was one of the most amazing things I've ever known. There are no words to
describe the feelings when your child first moves in your womb. Many women never
get to carry a child at all. Therefore, I am blessed.
I lost other children, too. I never carried them full-term, but because of eternal life in
Jesus, I have a family. I often imagine what my children might look like. I read stories
people write about their children and hear others talk of their own. I picture mine
playing together, in beautiful fields of flowers as far as the eye can see. I envision
them as they walk the streets of gold beside the Lord, while the glory of His radiance
dances off their faces. What an honor it is to have my children raised by the Lord. I
never have to worry for their safety. I never have to dry their eyes of tears. Again, I
am blessed.
My brother died in my arms a few years ago, but I'm thankful I had a brother. He was
one of my dearest friends. He had an amazing spirit of laughter. He gave his life to
the Lord before he passed. You could feel the presence of God fill the room before
the angels carried him home. It was as though a white, glory cloud overshadowed
him as he took his last breath. God didn't have to make a grand entrance, but He did.
It was His way of letting me know that He came for my brother as one of His own. My
brother, father, and children await me in Heaven. Because of this, I am blessed.
These are only a few of the things I have been through in my life. I know many of you
have been through tremendous heartache, too. Be encouraged. I didn't see my
blessings for a long time. I had to reflect through tears to catch a glimpse of them.
Look back at where you've been and search for your nugget of gold. When you find
it, hold fast to it with all your might, just as God has held you in all things. Glean the
good from the bad. In doing so, maybe you, too, can say, "I am blessed."
through the fire right now. I came to tell you something. God has not abandoned us.
He isn't punishing us. We are blessed.
Perhaps you are thinking, what? This woman is crazy! I know what her problem is.
Her elevator doesn't go to the top floor. All her marbles have fallen out of the bag.
When they were passing out brains, she thought they said "trains" and she missed
hers.
I wouldn't blame you for saying all of the above comments. I didn't know myself until
recently how blessed I've been. That's why I wanted to share this with you. Turn and
look behind you to see what has been in front of you. I know people say we should
never look back, but read on and you'll see what I mean.
I watched my father die a slow, tortuous death from liver disease when I was young,
but I had a father. He loved me. He laughed with me. He cried with me. I learned
what real strength was because of him. Shedding tears is not a sign of weakness
from any man. It takes a courageous man to be able to cry and share his true
feelings. My dad was this type of man. Some will never know their fathers at all. I was
fortunate to have known mine. For this, I am blessed.
I suffered years of abuse from a man in my past, but I survived. God saw me as
someone valuable and He redeemed me. He decided He would make me a vessel fit
for His use. Because of Him, and only Him, I am here. Because I lived to tell you this,
I am blessed.
I married a godly man and later gave birth to a beautiful little girl. She died when she
was only two days old, but I had a child. I remember her tiny life moving inside of me.
It was one of the most amazing things I've ever known. There are no words to
describe the feelings when your child first moves in your womb. Many women never
get to carry a child at all. Therefore, I am blessed.
I lost other children, too. I never carried them full-term, but because of eternal life in
Jesus, I have a family. I often imagine what my children might look like. I read stories
people write about their children and hear others talk of their own. I picture mine
playing together, in beautiful fields of flowers as far as the eye can see. I envision
them as they walk the streets of gold beside the Lord, while the glory of His radiance
dances off their faces. What an honor it is to have my children raised by the Lord. I
never have to worry for their safety. I never have to dry their eyes of tears. Again, I
am blessed.
My brother died in my arms a few years ago, but I'm thankful I had a brother. He was
one of my dearest friends. He had an amazing spirit of laughter. He gave his life to
the Lord before he passed. You could feel the presence of God fill the room before
the angels carried him home. It was as though a white, glory cloud overshadowed
him as he took his last breath. God didn't have to make a grand entrance, but He did.
It was His way of letting me know that He came for my brother as one of His own. My
brother, father, and children await me in Heaven. Because of this, I am blessed.
These are only a few of the things I have been through in my life. I know many of you
have been through tremendous heartache, too. Be encouraged. I didn't see my
blessings for a long time. I had to reflect through tears to catch a glimpse of them.
Look back at where you've been and search for your nugget of gold. When you find
it, hold fast to it with all your might, just as God has held you in all things. Glean the
good from the bad. In doing so, maybe you, too, can say, "I am blessed."
| © 2004, Deborah Anderson All rights reserved. Posted here with author's permission. |
| A Christian Grief Ministry |
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