Today we celebrate Jesus' birth! Happy Birthday Jesus! We are so thankful you were born.
D and I had a great meeting with a wise man I work with on Tuesday. He shared his thoughts and heart with us showing a new perspective. One of the main points I took from our time together was life changing....
"I am overwhelmed by the suffering in the world but I'm more overwhelmed that God chooses to do anything about it." - Larry Crabb
Larry is a well-known Christian counselor who was having coffee with a fellow counselor when the man asked Larry if he was ever overwhelmed with all the suffering, hurt and pain in the world.
Isn't Larry's response amazing?
"I am overwhelmed by the suffering in the world but I'm more overwhelmed that God chooses to do anything about it."
We think God owes us a great life. Easy paid mortgages, healthy families, 2.5 kids and any other dreams one might have. Truth is, God owes us nothing, not one little tiny thing. God sent his son Jesus to save us from our sins. Who are we to ask for even one more thing? He purposefully sent his son to Earth to live for 33 years and then to die a most humiliating and painful death for US! UNBELIEVABLE!
Since becoming addicted to blogs and losing my son just one short week before I was supposed to meet him, I have become overwhelmed with all the hurt in the world several times. A question on the minds of many is "Why would God take our Brooks?" Another question we could ask..."Why is He so great to let me conceive a beautiful baby and experience the joy of having life inside?" Did He owe me even that? NO!
Anything more than leaving us naked on the side of the road is an amazing gift from God. This Christmas I'm focusing on how much God goes above and beyond. He's sent me a great family with a super hubby. He's provided a great house and a family to rent our other home in the nick of time. We have the means to pay our bills and even put some in savings. He's given us an amazing group of friends and surrounded us with those who know the true meaning of 'community.' He sent me His son. He sent me the ability to call Him 'Father.'
Thank you God for not leaving me naked on the side of the road. Thank you for all my many blessings. Thank you for your son Jesus.
"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:10
Merry Christmas=)
13 years ago
12 comments:
You are amazing Ashly! I am so blessed to call you friend. Love you mucho! -Rach
You, my friend, are teaching me so much about God through this. Thank You .. I'm amazed at how God has "parted the heavens" to come down to you and is still showing you His ways .. or atleast a way to be at peace with His ways.
Love you!
What more could I add besides "wow!". What a perfect perspective! I love to see His strength in you!
Love you!
You are amazing Ms. Ashly, I love reading your blog. = )
Merry Christmas to you and Denny!
Terry
Great post, Ashly.
Merry Christmas!
Hugs and prayers,
Amanda
This such great insight and so true! Thank you for once again reminding me of this. I remember being so overwhelmed by God not owing me anything, but still allowing me to become pregnant when I was so ugly to Him. Isn't God's grace just amazing?
God is using you in my life!
Ashly, You're inspiring me...as always. :) I'm keeping up with you girl, and thinking of you ALL of the time.
Things are going to be okay...in fact, they will be great...God is good, and his promises are sincere. Like Shannon, said I am also learning so much about God through your blog...thank you for that. Thanks for being vulnerable, and allowing us to see this side of your hurt and pain...as well as your joy...we are on the roller coaster with you! Take care!
Hope to talk to ya soon!
Thank you for even more perspective. I've been praying for you, and I am amazed at how God is supporting you and surrounding you with His love. Merry Christmas!
Ashley, I am so thankful that God is revealing himself to you. I know you would never choose this pain again but I also know that you will look back on this time and know this was when your relationship grew deep with God. It seems that when our lives fall apart and we really seek God with all of our heart he just opens our eyes to who he is. Keep seeking him with all your heart!!!!
Hi, Ashley. I found your blog through several of our mutual friends and I have been praying for you. Your words are exactly what I needed to hear right now since we just experienced a loss too. I really admire your attitude and your faith. I hope it is okay to add your blog to my page so I can continue to follow you. Just know that you are being prayed for by many:)
Stephanie (Downing) Warner
The Lord is giving you great strength and you are receiving it. Praise Him and thank you for faithfully and generously ministering to others! I read this in the classic "Streams in the Desert." Part of the Dec. 25 entry says
"A few years ago a striking Christmas card was published, with the title, "If Christ had not come." It was founded upon our Savior's words, "If I had not come." ((John 15:22)) The card represented a clergyman falling into a short sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.
In his dream he found himself looking through his home, but there were no little stockings in the chimney corner, no Christmas bells or wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort, gladden and save. He walked out on the public street but there was no church with its spire pointing to heaven. He came back and sat down in his library, but every book about the Savior had disappeared.
A ring at the doorbell and a messenger asked him to visit a poor dying mother. He hastened with the weeping child and as he reached the home, he sat down and said, "I have something here that will comfort you." He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended at Malachi and there was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation and he could only bow his head and weep with her in bitter despair.
Two days afterward he stood beside her coffin and conducted the funeral service but there was no message of consolation, no word of a glorious resurrection, no open heaven but only "dust to dust, ashes to ashes," and one long eternal farewell. He realized at length that "He had not come" and burst into tears and bitter weeping in his sorrowful dream.
Suddenly he woke with a start and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing in his church close by:
"Oh come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord."
"Let is be glad and rejoice today, because "He has come." And let us remember the annunciation of the angel, "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2: 10-11). "He comes to make His blessing flow, far as the curse is found." "
Yes, let us praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.
With You in the Flow of Living Water, Michal Ann
immichal@yahoo.com
Hi Ashly, I found your blog through gordonbabies, and just want to say that I am amazed by your strength. I am pregnant and just learned that our precious little baby has Trisomy 18, essentially a fatal birth defect. Every day is a struggle just to survive knowing that our little baby won't live ... your story has been inspirational to me, and I hope that I am somehow able to deal with this seemingly unbearable situation with your dignity, grace and strength ... thank you.
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