In the meantime

Happy Birthday! Thank you for teaching me more about politics. Thank you for teaching me about finances and frugal living.  Thank you for joining me in conversations about analyzing obituaries.  Thank you for wading through all those inheritance borders in the book of Joshua during our evening Bible reading. Thank you for going to work each day without complaining.  Thank you for loving our Little Girl.  Thank you for how your enthusiasm in reading is slowly rubbing off on me.  Thank you for being a shoulder to cry on.  Thank you for never even questioning whether or not we should go to church on Sunday. Thank you for loving the Body of Christ and for being committed to the local church.  Thank you for loving God and helping me learn to love Him more.  Thank you for being my incredibly quirky and goofy husband.  Thank you for encouraging me to keep studying God's Word.  Thank you for not beating around the bus...

Without warning, the painful memories flooded my mind. I thought this was all taken care of. Haven’t I already taken this to the Lord and laid it at His feet? Why does it have to hurt like it just happened yesterday?  As I lay in bed, my throat constricted and tears welled up in my eyes as my mind re-lived the hurt of days past. As the painful thoughts swirled around in my mind, other thoughts struggled to remind me of truth: Yes, I believe I have genuinely forgiven. But it still hurts...oh so much.  But Christ has called me to forgive. My pain is justified: I was wronged.  Christ has called me to forgive as He has forgiven. Lord, what does that even mean--“Forgive as Christ has forgiven me?” I may have forgiven in the past, but I need to forgive…again. But does that mean I just “let go” of the pain? I need to forgive again…and again…and again. I have to obey.  Forgiveness: It is so hard to do. Oh so incredibly hard. We’ve all struggled with it in ...