"places...."

If you have come over from Kelly's Korner, thank you for stopping by, I would like to encourage your heart if you, like our family has or is walking in a great trial. Our trial with our Joel and his cancer has been a deep , dark place but Jesus has been in this "place" with us. The verses I share below was very encouraging to my own heart as I read them and hope they will be to yours as well. We miss Joel yet we have great hope of seeing and being with him again.


I am still reading in Genesis. I love our home, being in the country, this "place." I love the hot summers, the smells of fresh mown grass, the late evenings outside, the garden all tilled up with seeds lying underneath, the clear night skies that hold billions of twinkling lights, the windows up hearing the laughs and happy squeals of children on the trampoline, the fulfilled feeling as we sit outside all together around the swing as the sun sets, its an endless list of wonders we are blessed with in this "place." Places........that's the idea here. This "place" also holds lots of vivid memories with Joel. The place he and Josiah were born, the place he played, the place he loved, and its too, the place he grew weary and tired and hurt and cried. Places. The Lord will take us to numerous places in this life. Sometimes the places will be times of joys, smooth without many storms. I wonder how much we really see God "face to face in those times?" But then there are places the Lord will take us to and we will come away with something. It was Jacob that came away with something. Jacob wrestled the angel. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. (Gen 33:30) It was a place for Jacob that he wrestled, he fought so to speak, he sought a blessing, he pleaded for one. I feel like we, our family, me, can relate to Jacob, we wrestled in prayer for Joel, we sought a blessing for God to heal. The meaning of the place where I think we can say was a trial for Jacob, means "the face of God." He was seeking restitution with his brother. Jacob came away with a blessing, the power of God, v.28 and his name was changed, he was different in a sense, and more than anything he said he had seen God "face to face." But the other significant thing he came away with was a limp. The places, the trials that the Lord brings us to bring forth mighty things in our lives. To be able to say "I have seen God face to face," to have his power and to be changed for the better are graces imparted from a trial, the place. But like Jacob, sometimes we also come away with a limp. I have a limp, always will, but I feel like I have also seen God in a way like I never have and I too feel different/changed person, hopefully for the better, I can say too, that I think we have received a blessing in this trial, immeasurable grace. It says in verse 31, and as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him and he halted upon his thigh. Jacob went on with his life, the sun rose upon him yet he limped. I go on by His grace, Jesus is with me yet I limp. What inspiring truths that lead us, guide us on. Thank you Lord!! What places does He have you in right now? You'll come away with the most important thing if you seek him......you'll see Him "face to face."

Need to go decorate the sugar cookies for the party and get ready for the reception!