I Am is able

The questions and the doubts of life have plagued my mind recently and the "what if's" certainly seem to overwhelm at any given opportunity...

Will I get a job?
What if it's a job I hate?
Will I do the job well?
Did I make the right move?
Should I go home?
Will God show up in these circumstances?
Why do I doubt, why do I fear and worry?
What if nothing works out?

and the list goes on...

However, I've seen the powerful hand of God not only in the lives of the Bible - Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Paul, David, but I've seen them 1st hand in my own life. I've witnessed dead men raised to life. I've seen completely broken relationships restored. I've seen jobs given, financial provision provided right when needed. I've seen the weak become strong in their moment of greatest difficulty. I've seen the righteous prosper. I've seen people healed. And I've seen the love of Christ permeate the souls of many. For I Am is able. And if we take the time to look back and truly see His hand in our lives, we may be surprised at just how many times He's shown up in our lives or the lives of those around us. We may be amazed at all the opportunities He's provided. We may finally see the strength and courage He gives in the midst of difficulty. And He'll show us the growth we've experienced along the way.

For the suffering produces character, perseverance, strength, courage. The waiting produces patience, joy, and hope. The confusion produces trust and faith in the will and promises of the One and Only.

I Am is able.

Abundantly more...

Exceedingly more...

Amazingly more...

than we can ever ask or imagine.

Just the way you are

There's this song on the radio these days that has a tendency to make me burst into tears in just the opening lines. It's a love song, a popular pop culture love song, that's actually meaningful and heartfelt - something we don't see much of these days. The Chorus is what gets me the most:

When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are

Just the way you are. The sad fact is that SO many of us wander this earth questioning our worth and value. We wonder if we're pretty enough, smart enough, skinny enough, masculine enough, feminine enough, independent enough... and the lies of the enemy pervade our very existence. We're so hard on ourselves and we don't even realize it.

And this silly little song gave me a glimpse of how tenderly and genuinely the Father looks at and loves us. I see Him holding our faces in the sweetest way, bringing our eyes to His and Him saying:

"When I see your face, there's nothing I'd change, for you're amazing - JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. For I made you wonderfully, fearfully. I've created you specifically and called you accordingly. You are my child and I love you regardless of what you consider your 'weaknesses' - because I've already overcome all weakness and restored it with My strength within you. I love you - you're amazing - Just the way you are."

The promises of a God faithful and able, keep flooding my mind as I ponder His powerful, untainted, and never ending love...

Promises to give us a hope and a future.

Promises of working for the good of those who love Him.

Promises of peace that surpasses all understanding.

Promises to never leave us or forsake us.

Promises to meet us if we seek Him with all our hearts, all our being.

God the Father is only for our good, though we face many trials and struggles along the way. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. And the trials and the sufferings are doing a work in our hearts because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

In everything - the loss, the disappointment, the confusion, the pain, the suffering, the waiting, the trials of life... He's there, He's working. Though it be a long, grueling process, we consider it pure joy, whenever we face trials of many kinds, because we know that the testing of our faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

And please remember, dear readers, that God loves us, He fights for us, He longs for us - the real us. He doesn't need a show or for us to come with practiced prayers or perfect attitudes. No, He wants relationship with us....

Just
the
way
we
are.