Count It All Joy …

Probably just when I needed it I ran across this article by Stan Guthrie entitled, “Stumbling after Jesus”. I remember years ago when I was sick and hospitalized I felt that God certainly must have made a mistake and somehow the wrong person (me) was suffering. I wanted to quit. I was angry. Later I learned valuable lessons that have helped to set the course of my life over these past couple of decades. But Stan Guthrie said it better: “I worry about our society’s desire to engineer trials out of existence. Sometimes, even we who decry the health-and-wealth gospel forget that the Christian life was never meant to be a cakewalk, that discipleship requires suffering, and that spiritual victory presupposes struggle. As Christians seek to be like him, we must not abhor those who suffer nor fear the trials that inevitably come our way. Only through suffering, disappointment, and death… are we weaned from the love of this world. There’s more to life than happiness.” Amen!

On Hold

Well it has been a whirlwind of activity since getting back from Morocco. I have not stopped. My daughter, Tori and her husband Tyler were visiting with us for a few days from Knoxville, TN. It was good to preach in my old pulpit again – but I was really tired. When I got home that night I realized I had only about 4 hours sleep in 3 days. I crashed. I thought I was finally going to get back on my stateside schedule – but … instead I am on hold. I am in a bed in room 505 in Jupiter Medical Center. Well, at least I can blog, read and study. Thanks for the prayers. Hope to be back up and running soon – lots of work to do.